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Scion of the Sun
When she least expects it, sixteen-year-old Holly Burton’s unremarkable life is shaken to the core. A vision of the mother Holly never knew leaves her questioning everything she believes.
Eager for answers, Holly enrolls at a boarding school for highly gifted students in Wolfebane, New Hampshire. But Holly's complicated life worsens when she accidentally transports to a parallel existence where she's confronted by a dark and ancient evil.
With the help of Joss, a sexy alpha warrior sworn to protect her, and her new BFF, the equally swoon-worthy Quinn, Holly faces her fears and an unlikely adversary in a showdown that is worse than anything she could’ve possibly imagined …
Eager for answers, Holly enrolls at a boarding school for highly gifted students in Wolfebane, New Hampshire. But Holly's complicated life worsens when she accidentally transports to a parallel existence where she's confronted by a dark and ancient evil.
With the help of Joss, a sexy alpha warrior sworn to protect her, and her new BFF, the equally swoon-worthy Quinn, Holly faces her fears and an unlikely adversary in a showdown that is worse than anything she could’ve possibly imagined …
340 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2013
23 people are currently reading
1483 people want to read
About the author
Nicola Marsh
415 books1,443 followersUSA TODAY bestselling and award-winning Australian author Nicola Marsh writes page-turning fiction to keep you up all night.
She has published 86 books across genres, including contemporary romance, women's fiction, domestic suspense, and fantasy.
She's a Waldenbooks, Bookscan, Amazon, iBooks and Barnes & Noble bestseller, a 2013 RBY and National Readers' Choice Award winner, and a multiple finalist for many other awards.
She loves chatting on social media!
She has published 86 books across genres, including contemporary romance, women's fiction, domestic suspense, and fantasy.
She's a Waldenbooks, Bookscan, Amazon, iBooks and Barnes & Noble bestseller, a 2013 RBY and National Readers' Choice Award winner, and a multiple finalist for many other awards.
She loves chatting on social media!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
April 8, 2015
Such a fun enjoyable read!
Mix between Charmed, Mean Girls which is filled with mystery and action!
Mix between Charmed, Mean Girls which is filled with mystery and action!
April 8, 2015
This book was actually really good!
I was not expecting it to be for some reason.
It was written in such a humorous way.
I liked the general storyline.
The cover has such power to it.
THE PLOT TWIST NEAR THE END WILL HAVE YOU!! IT GOT ME.
Honestly was very good.
Full review: http://kitkatscanread.blogspot.co.uk/...
I was not expecting it to be for some reason.
It was written in such a humorous way.
I liked the general storyline.
The cover has such power to it.
THE PLOT TWIST NEAR THE END WILL HAVE YOU!! IT GOT ME.
Honestly was very good.
Full review: http://kitkatscanread.blogspot.co.uk/...
March 5, 2013
Charmed and drawn in by Holly's spunk and snark, Scion of the Sun will leave you spinning and falling for Joss right a long with Holly. Marsh's unique YA debut packed with action, mystery, romance and suspense. This is not to be missed!
And the cover? Amazing!!!
And the cover? Amazing!!!
August 4, 2014
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Scion of the Sun by Nicola Marsh
Book One of the Solar Snatchers series
Publisher: Month9Books
Publication Date: November 5, 2013
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC sent by the publisher
Summary (from Goodreads):
When she least expects it, sixteen-year-old Holly Burton’s unremarkable life is shaken to the core. A vision of the mother Holly never knew leaves her questioning everything she believes.
Eager for answers, Holly enrolls at a boarding school for highly gifted students in Wolfebane, New Hampshire. But Holly's complicated life worsens when she accidentally transports to a parallel existence where she's confronted by a dark and ancient evil.
With the help of Joss, a sexy alpha warrior sworn to protect her, and her new BFF, the equally swoon-worthy Quinn, Holly faces her fears and an unlikely adversary in a showdown that is worse than anything she could’ve possibly imagined …
What I Liked:
I can't say I've read too many books based on druid mythology... or any, honestly. I'm drawing a blank, if I have. I love all things mythology, and books that are retellings, or based on a myth, are books that I am more than willing to read. Whether I'll like them or not is obviously a different thing. But I feel like there aren't enough stories based on mythology that isn't Greek or Roman, or even Egyptian.
But anyway. I really liked this book! I had a feeling that I would, judging by the premise, and of course, the lovely cover. I was totally sucked into Holly's world, her story, her problems, her situation. Holly is a character that I connected with, and I enjoyed watching her grow. It didn't hurt that the idea behind this book was very unique! Druid mythology isn't so common in YA literature, after all.
Holly is a student at the school for freak - ahem, I mean, the school for gifted students - gifted in the realm of parapsychology. Holly herself has the gift of precognition - she has visions. Other students in this school have gifts such as telekinesis, psychokinesis, clairvoyance, etc. Not every student has a gift, but all students believe in the idea of supernatural abilities.
Holly discovers that she has abilities beyond those at C.U.L.T. (the school). She's the Scion of the Sun - the one who is decided from a deity, who will find Arwen (it's a thing that could bring about immortality or something), and defeat Cadifor (bad guy). All she has to do is learn about this mysterious Innerworld, hone her abilities, start life in her new boarding school, keep her new friends at bay, figure out her feelings for one hot warrior who is bonded to her... sounds easy, right?
Well, it wasn't. Holly handles what is given to her with flying colors. No, she isn't the perfect heroine, but she never gives up. She accepts reality - her situation - and throws herself into preparing to save the world. Holly constantly provides snark and humor to the story. She always has a witty or sarcastic remark - which I love, because I am totally the same way (in my natural state of being, that is). I really liked Holly, which is important, because she is the protagonist and heroine of the story.
The book is based on druid mythology, so there is a ton of new information that must be brought out and explained to readers (and Holly, of course). In all honesty, most of the information went right over my head, but Marsh brings about the information in a way that it's there, but most of it isn't entirely necessary to know. Like, I went through the book, and I still don't retain most of the terms, but as I was reading, things made sense (despite me not remembering some of the druid terms).
The plot is definitely engaging. There is constant action, or slight plot twists, or something that keep readers guessing, or at least interested. I didn't have a problem reading or finishing this book. Marsh knows her audience well - the teenage voice is prevalent and authentic.
In terms of romance... oh gosh. There is Joss, the sinfully yummy warrior bonded to Holly. He is brooding and overprotective - a total alpha male teenager. I like him a lot - I think he is very grounded, and has seen the worst and best of the world. But then there is Quinn, who lives with Holly in the school. He has no abilities, and he doesn't know about the Innerworld or the Scion or Cadifor, etc. I didn't like him as much. There isn't anything wrong with him - I just see him as a friend to Holly.
This book reaches its crux with the final showdown between Holly and Cadifor. Will Holly reach her mom in time? Will Nan make it out of this alive? Who is the girl with the strange eyes? Why does Keenan want to help Holly's mom? Will Holly find Arwen? So many questions must be (and are) answered by the end of the book. And what an ending it was! I'll be sticking around for book two!
What I Did Not Like:
I really only had problems with remembering all of the druid-related terminology. I can't remember most of it - only the relevant terms. And even the relevant terms - like Beltane, or Arwen - I don't really know what they are. I know Beltane is like an initiation celebration for Holly. But Arwen... I have no idea what that is. I don't really know why it is so important (something about immortality?), or why Holly is the only one that can find it, or even what the role of the Scion is.
I'm hoping my question will be answered in the subsequent novels, because I feel like they are very necessary to understanding the series.
Would I Recommend It:
I would! It's a unique novel in YA literature, and I hope it won't be under-appreciated! An excellent start to a new mythology-based series, this is! Even if you're not a fan of druid mythology, or you don't know much about it, fear not! Marsh did her research (really well) for this book. And don't worry about the romance (I hinted at a love triangle). Just trust me! Or read the book. Or both.
Rating:
4 stars. I will definitely be reading the next book! I hope it is as awesome as this book (or more)!
Scion of the Sun by Nicola Marsh
Book One of the Solar Snatchers series
Publisher: Month9Books
Publication Date: November 5, 2013
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC sent by the publisher
Summary (from Goodreads):
When she least expects it, sixteen-year-old Holly Burton’s unremarkable life is shaken to the core. A vision of the mother Holly never knew leaves her questioning everything she believes.
Eager for answers, Holly enrolls at a boarding school for highly gifted students in Wolfebane, New Hampshire. But Holly's complicated life worsens when she accidentally transports to a parallel existence where she's confronted by a dark and ancient evil.
With the help of Joss, a sexy alpha warrior sworn to protect her, and her new BFF, the equally swoon-worthy Quinn, Holly faces her fears and an unlikely adversary in a showdown that is worse than anything she could’ve possibly imagined …
What I Liked:
I can't say I've read too many books based on druid mythology... or any, honestly. I'm drawing a blank, if I have. I love all things mythology, and books that are retellings, or based on a myth, are books that I am more than willing to read. Whether I'll like them or not is obviously a different thing. But I feel like there aren't enough stories based on mythology that isn't Greek or Roman, or even Egyptian.
But anyway. I really liked this book! I had a feeling that I would, judging by the premise, and of course, the lovely cover. I was totally sucked into Holly's world, her story, her problems, her situation. Holly is a character that I connected with, and I enjoyed watching her grow. It didn't hurt that the idea behind this book was very unique! Druid mythology isn't so common in YA literature, after all.
Holly is a student at the school for freak - ahem, I mean, the school for gifted students - gifted in the realm of parapsychology. Holly herself has the gift of precognition - she has visions. Other students in this school have gifts such as telekinesis, psychokinesis, clairvoyance, etc. Not every student has a gift, but all students believe in the idea of supernatural abilities.
Holly discovers that she has abilities beyond those at C.U.L.T. (the school). She's the Scion of the Sun - the one who is decided from a deity, who will find Arwen (it's a thing that could bring about immortality or something), and defeat Cadifor (bad guy). All she has to do is learn about this mysterious Innerworld, hone her abilities, start life in her new boarding school, keep her new friends at bay, figure out her feelings for one hot warrior who is bonded to her... sounds easy, right?
Well, it wasn't. Holly handles what is given to her with flying colors. No, she isn't the perfect heroine, but she never gives up. She accepts reality - her situation - and throws herself into preparing to save the world. Holly constantly provides snark and humor to the story. She always has a witty or sarcastic remark - which I love, because I am totally the same way (in my natural state of being, that is). I really liked Holly, which is important, because she is the protagonist and heroine of the story.
The book is based on druid mythology, so there is a ton of new information that must be brought out and explained to readers (and Holly, of course). In all honesty, most of the information went right over my head, but Marsh brings about the information in a way that it's there, but most of it isn't entirely necessary to know. Like, I went through the book, and I still don't retain most of the terms, but as I was reading, things made sense (despite me not remembering some of the druid terms).
The plot is definitely engaging. There is constant action, or slight plot twists, or something that keep readers guessing, or at least interested. I didn't have a problem reading or finishing this book. Marsh knows her audience well - the teenage voice is prevalent and authentic.
In terms of romance... oh gosh. There is Joss, the sinfully yummy warrior bonded to Holly. He is brooding and overprotective - a total alpha male teenager. I like him a lot - I think he is very grounded, and has seen the worst and best of the world. But then there is Quinn, who lives with Holly in the school. He has no abilities, and he doesn't know about the Innerworld or the Scion or Cadifor, etc. I didn't like him as much. There isn't anything wrong with him - I just see him as a friend to Holly.
This book reaches its crux with the final showdown between Holly and Cadifor. Will Holly reach her mom in time? Will Nan make it out of this alive? Who is the girl with the strange eyes? Why does Keenan want to help Holly's mom? Will Holly find Arwen? So many questions must be (and are) answered by the end of the book. And what an ending it was! I'll be sticking around for book two!
What I Did Not Like:
I really only had problems with remembering all of the druid-related terminology. I can't remember most of it - only the relevant terms. And even the relevant terms - like Beltane, or Arwen - I don't really know what they are. I know Beltane is like an initiation celebration for Holly. But Arwen... I have no idea what that is. I don't really know why it is so important (something about immortality?), or why Holly is the only one that can find it, or even what the role of the Scion is.
I'm hoping my question will be answered in the subsequent novels, because I feel like they are very necessary to understanding the series.
Would I Recommend It:
I would! It's a unique novel in YA literature, and I hope it won't be under-appreciated! An excellent start to a new mythology-based series, this is! Even if you're not a fan of druid mythology, or you don't know much about it, fear not! Marsh did her research (really well) for this book. And don't worry about the romance (I hinted at a love triangle). Just trust me! Or read the book. Or both.
Rating:
4 stars. I will definitely be reading the next book! I hope it is as awesome as this book (or more)!
November 24, 2013
When Holly starts having visions, she feels like a freak. She's always been an outsider, too smart and a little nerdy for the kids at her school. She transfers to a special school for kids with psychic powers and meets a couple of people that quickly become her friends. Unfortunately she still feels out of place. While she does very well at 'normal' subjects at school, she doesn't get the hang of the 'other' subjects. She starts to feel like a freak there as well. Then, like her life needed more complications, she transports to another place called the Innerworld where she meets someone claiming to be her Warrior and that she is the Scion. She learns that the Scion is supposed to save the world. Simple, right?
Holly takes it well, considering that she had only just learned a short time before that people could have 'gifts' and that things exist that she had only read about in books. She jumps right in and tries to learn everything that she needs to learn before she has to save the world
You can see that this is an interesting book just from what I've told you about it, and I have barely scratched the surface! The characters are wonderfully developed and full of personality. The descriptions of the places in the book makes you feel like you are standing there, looking around and taking it all in. The writing draws you in and keeps you hooked, eagerly reading to find out what is going to happen next. The romance is well paced, keeping you breathlessly waiting for that first kiss, that next touch, the heated glances that makes you remember your first love.
Did I mention the Druids? Yes, this story is full of Celtic mythology. It is a nice change for me to read a YA book that has such a foundation in Druid mythology. It really makes for a fun way to learn a little of it, while it enhances the story, making it feel more real somehow. The only very small problem I had with the book is not knowing what Arwen is and why Holly is the only one that can find and use it. I am hoping this is explained in the next book, which I eagerly await.
I highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a good story with enough twists and turns to keep it interesting but not too confusing. It isn't very actiony for the most part, I kind of wish there were more danger, but the writing is good enough that it keeps you entertained.
Disclaimer: I received a copy for free for reviewing purposes. Regardless, all opinions are my own. I was not required to leave a positive review.
November 22, 2013
In a word: An adventure full of Celtic mythology, a wonderfully human and flawed main character, lots of sly references to Harry Potter, but not quite enough danger for me.
I couldn’t wait to start reading Scion of the Sun, mostly because of the gorgeous cover that really drew me in. And Scion starts off very strong, as we are introduced to MC Holly, who is telling the story. One of the best ways to throw your characters into uncomfortable situations is to send them to a new place. In this case, Holly is about to start boarding school at the Clique of Unique Luminary Telepathies (try saying that out loud!), or C.U.L.T. for short. C.U.L.T. takes in students with psychic powers of one sort or another and helps them develop those powers. (Sound familiar?) Holly has just started having visions, and they’re freaking her out, and she’s hoping someone at the school will be able to help her understand them.
But even though she meets new friends Quinn and Raven when she arrives, Holly still feels like an outsider. And when she accidentally teleports to another place and meets a group of teens that belong to the Sorority of the Sun, Holly realizes her visions may be a clue to her true purpose in life: to help the Sorority fight a man named Cadifor who is trying to obliterate the world. Holly, it turns out, is a descendant of the Celtic sun-god Belenus, and is the Scion of the Sun.
Holly was by far my favorite part of Scion of the Sun. She’s a typical sixteen-year-old girl who crushes on cute boys and simply wants to fit in. Her voice is sarcastic and snarky, yet you can tell she lacks confidence in herself. Her Nan, the woman who’s been taking care of her for years, has just gone into a coma, and Holly thinks she is responsible. When she is told that she’s the person who can save the world from the evil Cadifor, Holly has a hard time believing it. She reminded me a lot of Buffy, but without the cute clothes.
Marsh does give us a love triangle, of sorts, when Holly meets the hot (naturally) and enigmatic Joss in Eiros, the secret place located in New York City where Holly goes when she teleports. Joss calls himself her “warrior” and is sworn to protect her. But from what? Holly of course doesn’t want his protection at first, but there seems to be a strong connection between them that she’s having a hard time explaining to herself, and when things start to get dangerous in Eiros, Holly realizes that she needs him more than she thinks. And then there’s Quinn back at C.U.L.T., who is cute and funny and likes Holly a lot. Holly can tell that Quinn is developing a crush on her, but she can’t explain her frequent disappearances to Quinn and Raven, because her involvement with the Sorority must remain a secret.
The story jumps back and forth between the school and Eiros, as Holly must keep up appearances with her friends at school, and learn how to control her powers in Eiros. I actually preferred the scenes that took place in Eiros, when Holly begins to learn who she really is and what she must do as the Scion. Marsh adds lots of mythology to the story, and although at times I felt there was information overload with all the intricacies of Celtic beliefs, I was fascinated by the symbols and rituals that Holly had to learn in order to fulfill her destiny. The story actually became uncomfortable during the scenes at school, when Holly must lie to her friends in order to keep her doings in Eiros a secret.
A few things didn’t work as well for me. For example, Marsh introduces several characters that only make one appearance in the book and never show up again, like a mysterious boy named Drake that greets Holly at the entrance to the school on her first day. I was intrigued by Drake, but disappointed later when he never made it back into the story.
I was also confused by the lack of danger related to the character of Cadifor, who is after all, the “bad guy.” Holly seems overly melodramatic when her visions show him manhandling a woman by pushing and shoving her, and it almost felt as if the author was censoring the story so that it wouldn't be too violent for young readers. I’m not saying I need death and blood and violence in everything I read, but I would have been more engaged with the story if Marsh had upped the stakes and made the danger more intense. Also confusing was something called "Arwen" that both Holly and Cadifor are searching for. I wasn't sure whether Arwen was a person or an artifact (or maybe I just missed that detail when I was reading), but more information would have made me care more whether or not Holly located this elusive "thing" before Cadifor did.
But I loved the sweet scenes when Holly worries about her Nan in the hospital. She clearly has lots of history with her and cherishes her memories in Nan’s house and gardens. I also loved the frequent references to Harry Potter and Twilight, and I appreciated the author poking fun at herself, since the book is partly about a school of magic. Scion of the Sun is a strangely appealing mixture of old world Celtic lore populated with modern teens who are just trying to fit in. Holly shines as a reluctant girl who is destined to save the world, but like her counterpart Buffy, isn’t sure she really wants to.
Many thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy.
I couldn’t wait to start reading Scion of the Sun, mostly because of the gorgeous cover that really drew me in. And Scion starts off very strong, as we are introduced to MC Holly, who is telling the story. One of the best ways to throw your characters into uncomfortable situations is to send them to a new place. In this case, Holly is about to start boarding school at the Clique of Unique Luminary Telepathies (try saying that out loud!), or C.U.L.T. for short. C.U.L.T. takes in students with psychic powers of one sort or another and helps them develop those powers. (Sound familiar?) Holly has just started having visions, and they’re freaking her out, and she’s hoping someone at the school will be able to help her understand them.
But even though she meets new friends Quinn and Raven when she arrives, Holly still feels like an outsider. And when she accidentally teleports to another place and meets a group of teens that belong to the Sorority of the Sun, Holly realizes her visions may be a clue to her true purpose in life: to help the Sorority fight a man named Cadifor who is trying to obliterate the world. Holly, it turns out, is a descendant of the Celtic sun-god Belenus, and is the Scion of the Sun.
Holly was by far my favorite part of Scion of the Sun. She’s a typical sixteen-year-old girl who crushes on cute boys and simply wants to fit in. Her voice is sarcastic and snarky, yet you can tell she lacks confidence in herself. Her Nan, the woman who’s been taking care of her for years, has just gone into a coma, and Holly thinks she is responsible. When she is told that she’s the person who can save the world from the evil Cadifor, Holly has a hard time believing it. She reminded me a lot of Buffy, but without the cute clothes.
Marsh does give us a love triangle, of sorts, when Holly meets the hot (naturally) and enigmatic Joss in Eiros, the secret place located in New York City where Holly goes when she teleports. Joss calls himself her “warrior” and is sworn to protect her. But from what? Holly of course doesn’t want his protection at first, but there seems to be a strong connection between them that she’s having a hard time explaining to herself, and when things start to get dangerous in Eiros, Holly realizes that she needs him more than she thinks. And then there’s Quinn back at C.U.L.T., who is cute and funny and likes Holly a lot. Holly can tell that Quinn is developing a crush on her, but she can’t explain her frequent disappearances to Quinn and Raven, because her involvement with the Sorority must remain a secret.
The story jumps back and forth between the school and Eiros, as Holly must keep up appearances with her friends at school, and learn how to control her powers in Eiros. I actually preferred the scenes that took place in Eiros, when Holly begins to learn who she really is and what she must do as the Scion. Marsh adds lots of mythology to the story, and although at times I felt there was information overload with all the intricacies of Celtic beliefs, I was fascinated by the symbols and rituals that Holly had to learn in order to fulfill her destiny. The story actually became uncomfortable during the scenes at school, when Holly must lie to her friends in order to keep her doings in Eiros a secret.
A few things didn’t work as well for me. For example, Marsh introduces several characters that only make one appearance in the book and never show up again, like a mysterious boy named Drake that greets Holly at the entrance to the school on her first day. I was intrigued by Drake, but disappointed later when he never made it back into the story.
I was also confused by the lack of danger related to the character of Cadifor, who is after all, the “bad guy.” Holly seems overly melodramatic when her visions show him manhandling a woman by pushing and shoving her, and it almost felt as if the author was censoring the story so that it wouldn't be too violent for young readers. I’m not saying I need death and blood and violence in everything I read, but I would have been more engaged with the story if Marsh had upped the stakes and made the danger more intense. Also confusing was something called "Arwen" that both Holly and Cadifor are searching for. I wasn't sure whether Arwen was a person or an artifact (or maybe I just missed that detail when I was reading), but more information would have made me care more whether or not Holly located this elusive "thing" before Cadifor did.
But I loved the sweet scenes when Holly worries about her Nan in the hospital. She clearly has lots of history with her and cherishes her memories in Nan’s house and gardens. I also loved the frequent references to Harry Potter and Twilight, and I appreciated the author poking fun at herself, since the book is partly about a school of magic. Scion of the Sun is a strangely appealing mixture of old world Celtic lore populated with modern teens who are just trying to fit in. Holly shines as a reluctant girl who is destined to save the world, but like her counterpart Buffy, isn’t sure she really wants to.
Many thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy.
September 9, 2016
Originally posted here: http://alwayslostinbooks.wordpress.co...
Holly Burton has been the loner queen of the nerds for all sixteen years of her life. She hadn’t really cared much about standing out. She simply wanted to be a good girl with good grades to please her Nan. But when she gets a vision concerning her mother who abandoned her and a monster, her Nan gets a stroke and goes into a coma. And Holly must enroll in a boarding school, C.U.L.T., to find guidance from Brigit, the principal and Nan’s friend, and have her questions answered.
But by coincidence, Holly gets transported into Eiros, a parallel domain, where the Sun or Belenus worshippers reside. She meets Joss, the warrior who has sworn to protect her and help her, as she finds out that she is the Scion of the Sun who is responsible for saving the world. She must singlehandedly accomplish tasks in order to achieve the final goal. As a big responsibility is thrust upon her, she must learn how to step out of her comfort zone and embrace her duty, and hone abilities that are supposedly innate in her – teleportation, precognition, etc.
Holly has always felt insecure about herself. Students at her previous high school were mean to her and called her names. She never felt like she could stand out in a good way. But transferring to a new school offered her a new start, and there are some who would consider her as a friend. And she will also be somewhat welcomed in Eiros. She allowed herself to open up a little, and she had this snarky attitude in her that makes people laugh. She found that she could actually make friends. What was difficult for her though was having to deal with her obligation.
I saw myself connecting with Holly even though I didn’t really personally relate to her. I could feel her confusion at the start of the book where she’s just starting to find out about things. I felt her fear, and there were even some chilling parts for me that really didn’t sit well with me. I felt her attraction toward Joss and her attempts at rationalizing things. I understood how she couldn’t easily trust the people around her.
Joss was a very confusing guy, but he was definitely attractive. Even when there was another guy in the picture, Holly still chose Joss. There’s just a certain connection between the two of them. I’m not really sure what to feel about Quinn though. Quinn was a great friend to Holly, and he’s making it evident how attracted he is to Holly. But I can’t seem to fully trust him or like him. Maybe it’s because he’s related to Brigit who seems kooky, but Quinn doesn’t seem to be a consistent character. I feel like he has a lot of secrets or something. Maybe I will feel better about him once I read the sequel?
There’s a lot of detail that went into this book that would be best read from the book itself. There were a lot of descriptions about the C.U.L.T. and Eiros as well as different symbols and paraphernalia for the rituals, psychic stuff, and others. There was also a lot of explanations on the history and culture of the Sun worshippers. I think that Nicola Marsh was able to write a unique and elaborate world. I also like how she referred to a lot of other popular young adult books.
**************************************************
OVERALL, Scion of the Sun was definitely an engrossing and interesting read on a fantasy world where certain people have special abilities and some even live in a parallel world. Learning about the Sun worshippers was definitely fascinating. And Holly was definitely compelling me to know more about her and see where everything is going. I think the ending was satisfying, yet leaves more to look forward to in the sequel. I personally like the mystery, the fantasy, the humor, the world-building, and a lot of things that went into this book.
Holly Burton has been the loner queen of the nerds for all sixteen years of her life. She hadn’t really cared much about standing out. She simply wanted to be a good girl with good grades to please her Nan. But when she gets a vision concerning her mother who abandoned her and a monster, her Nan gets a stroke and goes into a coma. And Holly must enroll in a boarding school, C.U.L.T., to find guidance from Brigit, the principal and Nan’s friend, and have her questions answered.
But by coincidence, Holly gets transported into Eiros, a parallel domain, where the Sun or Belenus worshippers reside. She meets Joss, the warrior who has sworn to protect her and help her, as she finds out that she is the Scion of the Sun who is responsible for saving the world. She must singlehandedly accomplish tasks in order to achieve the final goal. As a big responsibility is thrust upon her, she must learn how to step out of her comfort zone and embrace her duty, and hone abilities that are supposedly innate in her – teleportation, precognition, etc.
Holly has always felt insecure about herself. Students at her previous high school were mean to her and called her names. She never felt like she could stand out in a good way. But transferring to a new school offered her a new start, and there are some who would consider her as a friend. And she will also be somewhat welcomed in Eiros. She allowed herself to open up a little, and she had this snarky attitude in her that makes people laugh. She found that she could actually make friends. What was difficult for her though was having to deal with her obligation.
I saw myself connecting with Holly even though I didn’t really personally relate to her. I could feel her confusion at the start of the book where she’s just starting to find out about things. I felt her fear, and there were even some chilling parts for me that really didn’t sit well with me. I felt her attraction toward Joss and her attempts at rationalizing things. I understood how she couldn’t easily trust the people around her.
Joss was a very confusing guy, but he was definitely attractive. Even when there was another guy in the picture, Holly still chose Joss. There’s just a certain connection between the two of them. I’m not really sure what to feel about Quinn though. Quinn was a great friend to Holly, and he’s making it evident how attracted he is to Holly. But I can’t seem to fully trust him or like him. Maybe it’s because he’s related to Brigit who seems kooky, but Quinn doesn’t seem to be a consistent character. I feel like he has a lot of secrets or something. Maybe I will feel better about him once I read the sequel?
There’s a lot of detail that went into this book that would be best read from the book itself. There were a lot of descriptions about the C.U.L.T. and Eiros as well as different symbols and paraphernalia for the rituals, psychic stuff, and others. There was also a lot of explanations on the history and culture of the Sun worshippers. I think that Nicola Marsh was able to write a unique and elaborate world. I also like how she referred to a lot of other popular young adult books.
**************************************************
OVERALL, Scion of the Sun was definitely an engrossing and interesting read on a fantasy world where certain people have special abilities and some even live in a parallel world. Learning about the Sun worshippers was definitely fascinating. And Holly was definitely compelling me to know more about her and see where everything is going. I think the ending was satisfying, yet leaves more to look forward to in the sequel. I personally like the mystery, the fantasy, the humor, the world-building, and a lot of things that went into this book.
November 7, 2013
‘Scion of the Sun’ was a unique tale based in mythology and magic. From the very first page, I was introduced to a character that experiences so many disturbing, yet mysteriously exciting things. The world, in this Young Adult novel, felt so familiar and yet I knew it was anything but that.
This novel sent me on an adventure seen only through the eyes of a snarky, yet somehow normal girl named Holly. She had her issues, including being dumped off at a boarding school that isn’t exactly known for its normal classes. The main characteristic that I loved about her was her snark. Somehow, it was the one thing that made me connect with her, because underneath all that attitude was a girl just trying to figure out who she was when the most important person she had in her life wasn’t there anymore.
Every story should have secondary characters that help to support the main characters and the story as a whole. This book had that touch. Everywhere, the novel took me there were characters that annoyed me and others that I only wished the best for. I must admit that I did have my favorites.
Now, this may be wishful thinking on my part, but there is possibly a love triangle. There’s definitely the option of being on a ‘team’ anyway. I loved Quinn. He was bright, funny and whenever he was on the scene, I went to my happy place. But, then there was also Joss, the handsome warrior out to prove something. This book is going to appeal to a lot of readers just for that alone. For those of you who don’t like insta-love, I did get a sense of that, but it wasn’t as completely horrible as I have read in other books. I think it was the way that Holly dealt with it. She made it so hilariously funny.
The story line was intriguing. I guess I could be a little bias though, because anything that is based in a boarding school is going to win points with me, even though others may feel differently. There’s that aura about boarding school that makes it possible that anything could happen. And that really happens in this book. I think what adds another element is that there so much going on. The plot deals with magic, mythology – even parallel universes.
The magic in this story comes from the earth, and that’s what gives it that edge of realism and uniqueness. More importantly, the sun itself plays a big part, although not in the way most people would think. It offers up a power of warmth and comfort, but from dark places. Holly has her own unusual abilities as well.
And there’s a plot twist with this book, one that developed the more I read and the last few chapters did the big reveal, as they do. I loved it. I must admit I did have a feeling what it was going to be, but it was still worth finding out for sure.
The only bad point in this book, to me at least, was that in some places I did drift off a little. I think the pace slowed down a bit, or I couldn’t connect with the characters as much as I wanted to. But the book finishes on such a cliffhanger that I really can’t wait to delve into the next book.
Overall, this was a great read. There’s a lot more that goes on in the book than I’ve put in my review, but I don’t like giving too much away. I would thoroughly recommend this book to anyone who loves mythology, magic and experiencing a vastly different world.
This review can be found here:- http://cravingyareads.com/
This novel sent me on an adventure seen only through the eyes of a snarky, yet somehow normal girl named Holly. She had her issues, including being dumped off at a boarding school that isn’t exactly known for its normal classes. The main characteristic that I loved about her was her snark. Somehow, it was the one thing that made me connect with her, because underneath all that attitude was a girl just trying to figure out who she was when the most important person she had in her life wasn’t there anymore.
Every story should have secondary characters that help to support the main characters and the story as a whole. This book had that touch. Everywhere, the novel took me there were characters that annoyed me and others that I only wished the best for. I must admit that I did have my favorites.
Now, this may be wishful thinking on my part, but there is possibly a love triangle. There’s definitely the option of being on a ‘team’ anyway. I loved Quinn. He was bright, funny and whenever he was on the scene, I went to my happy place. But, then there was also Joss, the handsome warrior out to prove something. This book is going to appeal to a lot of readers just for that alone. For those of you who don’t like insta-love, I did get a sense of that, but it wasn’t as completely horrible as I have read in other books. I think it was the way that Holly dealt with it. She made it so hilariously funny.
The story line was intriguing. I guess I could be a little bias though, because anything that is based in a boarding school is going to win points with me, even though others may feel differently. There’s that aura about boarding school that makes it possible that anything could happen. And that really happens in this book. I think what adds another element is that there so much going on. The plot deals with magic, mythology – even parallel universes.
The magic in this story comes from the earth, and that’s what gives it that edge of realism and uniqueness. More importantly, the sun itself plays a big part, although not in the way most people would think. It offers up a power of warmth and comfort, but from dark places. Holly has her own unusual abilities as well.
And there’s a plot twist with this book, one that developed the more I read and the last few chapters did the big reveal, as they do. I loved it. I must admit I did have a feeling what it was going to be, but it was still worth finding out for sure.
The only bad point in this book, to me at least, was that in some places I did drift off a little. I think the pace slowed down a bit, or I couldn’t connect with the characters as much as I wanted to. But the book finishes on such a cliffhanger that I really can’t wait to delve into the next book.
Overall, this was a great read. There’s a lot more that goes on in the book than I’ve put in my review, but I don’t like giving too much away. I would thoroughly recommend this book to anyone who loves mythology, magic and experiencing a vastly different world.
This review can be found here:- http://cravingyareads.com/
November 22, 2013
I love me some some mythology. And this is druid mythology, which I have not had the opportunity to read anything about the druids. It was really interesting and it was different. Because it was so different, there is a lot of new information, but it never felt like an information dump. I thought Nicola Marsh wove the details and necessary information into the storyline very fluidly. I really liked the combination of action, humor, and romance that Scion of the Sun delivered. Really cool book, and looks like it is going to be an epic series!
Holly starts having "freaky" visions and promptly gets shipped off to a boarding school forfreaks like her, ahem, gifted teens like her. I liked that people were split at this school. There were a lot of students there that didn't actually have any gifts or powers, but who were interested in learning about the new age subjects offered there. I think they just wanted to be able to learn to do something like the truly gifted. What was funny was that the people with the real gifts didn't always want them. People always want what they don't have, don't they? Holly wants to learn how to control her visions so she can stop having them and hopefully be out the school by summer.
But just on her first day, school gets even weirder for her. As soon as she visited the innerworld unintentionally, I knew I was going to love this book. It took an already interesting idea and then stepped it up a notch. And that was how the whole story was for me. It just kept getting more and more interesting. We are always finding out something new about the scion or the sorority, and then on top of it all Holly is so sarcastic. She really does not even know how to hold her tongue. I thought it would get her in more trouble when she first got to the school, but people seems almost impressed with her because of it. I liked that.
This is just the first book in the series, so I am not sure if there is going to be a love triangle or not. I love Joss, the connection that he had with Holly was great. I think it even surprised him at the beginning. Scion of the Sun is great. I kind of saw the ending coming, but that wasn't a bad thing at all. I am so anxious for the next book. Nicola Marsh's writing is so descriptive and she makes a story that is addictive to read. I couldn't put it down.
Holly starts having "freaky" visions and promptly gets shipped off to a boarding school for
But just on her first day, school gets even weirder for her. As soon as she visited the innerworld unintentionally, I knew I was going to love this book. It took an already interesting idea and then stepped it up a notch. And that was how the whole story was for me. It just kept getting more and more interesting. We are always finding out something new about the scion or the sorority, and then on top of it all Holly is so sarcastic. She really does not even know how to hold her tongue. I thought it would get her in more trouble when she first got to the school, but people seems almost impressed with her because of it. I liked that.
This is just the first book in the series, so I am not sure if there is going to be a love triangle or not. I love Joss, the connection that he had with Holly was great. I think it even surprised him at the beginning. Scion of the Sun is great. I kind of saw the ending coming, but that wasn't a bad thing at all. I am so anxious for the next book. Nicola Marsh's writing is so descriptive and she makes a story that is addictive to read. I couldn't put it down.
November 6, 2013
A Breathtaking Cover. Prose That Flow. And A Hunky Warrior.
Absorbing and heroic, as a triangle of young people accept their place in existence and support each other on an emotional journey to save a world unseen.
From the moment I saw this amazing cover and read the premise, I knew I wanted to read it. Main character Holly finds her world changes after her aunt drifts into a comma and she must move to attend a specialty school for teens with psychic abilities and those who are adopting the New Age beliefs. As if she didn't feel weird enough, life grows increasingly stranger, as her visions worsen and she discovers she's a descendant of a sun god, who's world is in danger and she's the only one who can save it.
The story is plausible and adventurous, and the transitions for world to world is clean and easy to follow. Descriptions are vibrant and viable. Nicola creates uniqueness for each world, yet gives them similarities which adds a familiar air.
Romance is subtle, but definitely there. A sweet love trio kind of abbreviated. Quinn is one of the good guys; plus, he's normal and average, adding to his real-life appeal. Joss is otherworldly, fiesty, and tough, which is expected since he's Holly's warrior guard. But he's also honorable and true, not to mention major eye candy.
The teasing relationship between the three lured me in and kept me there. I flip-flopped the entire book, whether Holly should be with Joss or Quinn. Holly recognizes, and shares with the reader (which is the best part), how Joss brings out one element of her personality, while Quinn highlights another. Lots of self-examination, which is right up the alleyway of a young adult reader. (And some of us adults, too!)
As Holly's quest to save this world nears, tensions rise with her normal friends, particularly Quinn--soft, kind, adorable Quinn gets a backbone. His evolution is wonderful to watch, but heartbreaking at the same time.
Holly's inner growth flowed and made sense, from chapter to chapter, giving me a spark of hopeful anticipation for her future. Made me will her to succeed. Then there's Joss, whose integrity grows even more and gaining even more respect as a character from me.
Absorbing and heroic, as a triangle of young people accept their place in existence and support each other on an emotional journey to save a world unseen.
From the moment I saw this amazing cover and read the premise, I knew I wanted to read it. Main character Holly finds her world changes after her aunt drifts into a comma and she must move to attend a specialty school for teens with psychic abilities and those who are adopting the New Age beliefs. As if she didn't feel weird enough, life grows increasingly stranger, as her visions worsen and she discovers she's a descendant of a sun god, who's world is in danger and she's the only one who can save it.
The story is plausible and adventurous, and the transitions for world to world is clean and easy to follow. Descriptions are vibrant and viable. Nicola creates uniqueness for each world, yet gives them similarities which adds a familiar air.
Romance is subtle, but definitely there. A sweet love trio kind of abbreviated. Quinn is one of the good guys; plus, he's normal and average, adding to his real-life appeal. Joss is otherworldly, fiesty, and tough, which is expected since he's Holly's warrior guard. But he's also honorable and true, not to mention major eye candy.
The teasing relationship between the three lured me in and kept me there. I flip-flopped the entire book, whether Holly should be with Joss or Quinn. Holly recognizes, and shares with the reader (which is the best part), how Joss brings out one element of her personality, while Quinn highlights another. Lots of self-examination, which is right up the alleyway of a young adult reader. (And some of us adults, too!)
As Holly's quest to save this world nears, tensions rise with her normal friends, particularly Quinn--soft, kind, adorable Quinn gets a backbone. His evolution is wonderful to watch, but heartbreaking at the same time.
Holly's inner growth flowed and made sense, from chapter to chapter, giving me a spark of hopeful anticipation for her future. Made me will her to succeed. Then there's Joss, whose integrity grows even more and gaining even more respect as a character from me.
November 21, 2013
--I received this book for free from chapter-by-chapter.com in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.--
I really enjoyed this book. I think it was a good coming of age book for the main character Holly. Holly is forced to open her mind and herself to a whole lot of new things when she starts to develop special talents. Holly is also used to being an outcast in her past life, a very book smart nerd so to speak. I liked the fact that at her new school C.U.L.T. she is befriended by 2 people and she learns to open up to them and to have some fun. But then there is the whole new side that her talents bring into focus with the Sorority, where she is forced to be the one who is foretold to save the world from evil. With the Sororiety she also makes new friends, along with developing a special relationship with her 'Warrior Boy'. Its nice to see Holly come out of her shocked 'this isn't happening' shell and stepping up to take on the role she was destined for. The book is pretty fast passed and will keep your interest to see the mystery of who or what Arwen is and how they need so save it. I highly recommend this book if you like a bit of action and adventure with your romance.
I really enjoyed this book. I think it was a good coming of age book for the main character Holly. Holly is forced to open her mind and herself to a whole lot of new things when she starts to develop special talents. Holly is also used to being an outcast in her past life, a very book smart nerd so to speak. I liked the fact that at her new school C.U.L.T. she is befriended by 2 people and she learns to open up to them and to have some fun. But then there is the whole new side that her talents bring into focus with the Sorority, where she is forced to be the one who is foretold to save the world from evil. With the Sororiety she also makes new friends, along with developing a special relationship with her 'Warrior Boy'. Its nice to see Holly come out of her shocked 'this isn't happening' shell and stepping up to take on the role she was destined for. The book is pretty fast passed and will keep your interest to see the mystery of who or what Arwen is and how they need so save it. I highly recommend this book if you like a bit of action and adventure with your romance.
January 2, 2018
I have read and enjoyed several of Nicola Marsh's romance novels and so it was with anticipation that I picked up her YA title, 'Scion of the Sun'. There is a bit of teenage romance (including much drama over the first kiss!) in it but this book is much more. It has plenty of magical stuff going on and the author has added a heavy dose of Celtic mythology which was frankly quite fascinating. The story had a Potter-esque angle to it, in that the protagonist (Holly) goes to a school for the 'supernatural-ly gifted'. And things get a whole lot interesting when she accidentally channelizes her powers and transports herself into an alternate universe. The angle about the mother who left her when she was a child provides the emotional heft to the story. It's a lovely, fun ride and I thoroughly enjoyed the story.
November 25, 2013
*I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review*
This book was awesome. Just plain awesome. It was a fun read and full of excitement and adventure. I will totally read the next book when it comes out. The characters were well developed, the writing was great, and I could tell a lot of research went into this book.
Yes, it is a teen book, but it reads nicely. I enjoy lots of teen books and I feel the fact that I'm not a teen anymore doesn't matter. The adventure and romance in this book is enough for me. I could care less how old the characters are.
If you like escaping to other worlds and adventures (aka your a reader of fiction) you will like this book.
This book was awesome. Just plain awesome. It was a fun read and full of excitement and adventure. I will totally read the next book when it comes out. The characters were well developed, the writing was great, and I could tell a lot of research went into this book.
Yes, it is a teen book, but it reads nicely. I enjoy lots of teen books and I feel the fact that I'm not a teen anymore doesn't matter. The adventure and romance in this book is enough for me. I could care less how old the characters are.
If you like escaping to other worlds and adventures (aka your a reader of fiction) you will like this book.
September 13, 2016
I could not make it through this book. It left so much to be desired. The opening pages rubbed me the wrong way. I felt that the order of events was so boring and dreary. The only thing that gave me hope was a Ally Carter reference besides that I felt let down. The story took too long to unfold for me. I would say that some people can enjoy it. I don't totally dislike the book, it was mostly the writing that threw me off. Maybe one day I'll give this book another try, but for now it will be sitting on m shelf.
December 13, 2013
Great book!!! Holly is a great heroine, here comments are funny and witty, I love her references to characters like Rose Hathaway an Arwen, it adds to her character and makes her great! I love Joss, he is great and he is perfect for Holly! Raven and Quinn are great friends and their relationship with Holly is great. The story line was refreshing with many surprises. I cant wait to read the next book!!!
March 9, 2014
I loved loved loved this book. It had everything you love in a YA! Likeable characters, humor and hot boys! LOL! I love the references of all things awesome in books and movies, and I really loved Holly and of course Joss. I really can't wait for the second one!
November 10, 2013
Enjoyed it- full review up soon!
August 6, 2014
Loved it. Can't wait for the sequel.
February 18, 2015
Really enjoyed this book. Can't wait for the next in the series!
November 23, 2019
Really good book. Not expecting it. Once i started, i couldn't put it down. Finished in a day.
April 10, 2021
I love the way this book is written
December 6, 2013
maybe closer to 3.5 stars, actually.
The author's description says she writes "fun and flirty" romance novels for adults as well. I totally can see this.
It's a fun and flirty YA book with your average paranormal-trope heroine who goes to boarding school and discovers she has secret powers.
No vampires or werewolves here. Instead Holly Burton is the youngest female descendant (Scion) of a Celtic Sun God (he whom Beltane is named after).
She goes to a normal boarding school and makes friends with a hot guy...and no...wait...that's part of what was fuzzy for me. The school has classes in crystal-gazing and telekinesis, and at one point the principal is mentioned as having a motivation to help Holly so she can prove once and for all that biokinesis exists...but when Holly tells one of her classmates she can teleport he acts like she's a crazy head.
So how much magic is accepted by the "normal" kids was a bit hard to get a handle on. Meanwhile, Holly's teleporting back and forth between the fuzzy-normal boarding school and another world where her bonded warrior, (boy two in the YA love-triangle) waits for her in order to train her to find the mysterious Arwen and face down evil big baddie Cadifor.
Coolness on the mythology. Not so cool on the training scenes. Firstly, instead of finding aforementioned mysterious Arwen (which Holly reminds herself she has to do at the end of like every chapter) her new scooby gang (Sun Sorority) makes Holly answer questions like "what is our culture" and "explain the significance of Beltane." Don't even get me started on the crystal class back at the boarding school where we learn about different stones and their effects on the psyche.
The whole bonded warrior thing was fun as a love-tension thing, and even though the warrior can read Holly's mind and knows she likes him, he's all like "no, we must concentrate on getting the Arwen and beating Cadifor--no time for love." This kind of blatant faux-impediment usually ticks me off, but warrior-boy is so broody and moody and has a twist in his backstory that causes real troubles with Holly, so I forgave him.
There were also a few places in the prose where I had to stop and reread a few sentences because words were used in a way that didn't quite make sense to me. Wait, don't hate me for being a grammar Nazi. I'm not, usually, but there were a couple places the word choice just didn't quite make sense to me in the way I think the author wanted it to.
The scooby gang is explaining a whole bunch of confusing stuff to Holly and one of them says they "bamboozled" her (which I thought meant "to con")? And then there's the whole "Cadifor's consort" sprinkled throughout the book sometimes referring to Holly's estranged mother and sometimes to Cadifor's evil, male servant. I didn't get the feeling from the rest of the book that Cadifor was bisexual, but maybe I'm reading too much into it.
The romance includes kissing and some hand-skimming of midriff, so elementary school safe.
One of the most fun things is the meta-references to other popular series that various characters make. Harry Potter gets at least two shout outs, Vampire Academy, and even RPatz (read the book to find out who that is if you don't know, you are obviously no lover of vampires if you don't know). And Holly's voice is quite fun when she gets a bit snarky ("The thing I like less than the Lord of Darkness? Blood")
So for a fun and flirty YA boarding-school of special powers with heroine torn between two hot guys flavored with Celtic mythology, this is your book. As long as you don't mind being bamboozled by some of the world building.
This Book's Snack Rating: Sour Cream and Onion Lay's for the cheesy romance with the bite of Celtic mythology in a snackable, but not sturdily built YA paranormal
The author's description says she writes "fun and flirty" romance novels for adults as well. I totally can see this.
It's a fun and flirty YA book with your average paranormal-trope heroine who goes to boarding school and discovers she has secret powers.
No vampires or werewolves here. Instead Holly Burton is the youngest female descendant (Scion) of a Celtic Sun God (he whom Beltane is named after).
She goes to a normal boarding school and makes friends with a hot guy...and no...wait...that's part of what was fuzzy for me. The school has classes in crystal-gazing and telekinesis, and at one point the principal is mentioned as having a motivation to help Holly so she can prove once and for all that biokinesis exists...but when Holly tells one of her classmates she can teleport he acts like she's a crazy head.
So how much magic is accepted by the "normal" kids was a bit hard to get a handle on. Meanwhile, Holly's teleporting back and forth between the fuzzy-normal boarding school and another world where her bonded warrior, (boy two in the YA love-triangle) waits for her in order to train her to find the mysterious Arwen and face down evil big baddie Cadifor.
Coolness on the mythology. Not so cool on the training scenes. Firstly, instead of finding aforementioned mysterious Arwen (which Holly reminds herself she has to do at the end of like every chapter) her new scooby gang (Sun Sorority) makes Holly answer questions like "what is our culture" and "explain the significance of Beltane." Don't even get me started on the crystal class back at the boarding school where we learn about different stones and their effects on the psyche.
The whole bonded warrior thing was fun as a love-tension thing, and even though the warrior can read Holly's mind and knows she likes him, he's all like "no, we must concentrate on getting the Arwen and beating Cadifor--no time for love." This kind of blatant faux-impediment usually ticks me off, but warrior-boy is so broody and moody and has a twist in his backstory that causes real troubles with Holly, so I forgave him.
There were also a few places in the prose where I had to stop and reread a few sentences because words were used in a way that didn't quite make sense to me. Wait, don't hate me for being a grammar Nazi. I'm not, usually, but there were a couple places the word choice just didn't quite make sense to me in the way I think the author wanted it to.
The scooby gang is explaining a whole bunch of confusing stuff to Holly and one of them says they "bamboozled" her (which I thought meant "to con")? And then there's the whole "Cadifor's consort" sprinkled throughout the book sometimes referring to Holly's estranged mother and sometimes to Cadifor's evil, male servant. I didn't get the feeling from the rest of the book that Cadifor was bisexual, but maybe I'm reading too much into it.
The romance includes kissing and some hand-skimming of midriff, so elementary school safe.
One of the most fun things is the meta-references to other popular series that various characters make. Harry Potter gets at least two shout outs, Vampire Academy, and even RPatz (read the book to find out who that is if you don't know, you are obviously no lover of vampires if you don't know). And Holly's voice is quite fun when she gets a bit snarky ("The thing I like less than the Lord of Darkness? Blood")
So for a fun and flirty YA boarding-school of special powers with heroine torn between two hot guys flavored with Celtic mythology, this is your book. As long as you don't mind being bamboozled by some of the world building.
This Book's Snack Rating: Sour Cream and Onion Lay's for the cheesy romance with the bite of Celtic mythology in a snackable, but not sturdily built YA paranormal
November 23, 2013
This was a unique tale about a heroine who is not perfect by any means, but does her best despite her failings. Holly feels like she is out of place at the start of the book, but learns a whole lot about herself in the process.
Holly feels like she has always been a freak because of her visions. Her visions don’t always come at the most opportune times or in some ways they hinder her from having normal experiences. Nan, her grandmother sent her because Nan says that she has a gift and needs to learn how to use it. Holly immediately feels like she is out of place because there are always mean girls. I mean the mean girls motif is a very common one in young adult, but it makes you feel that she is like an outsider. I immediately identified with that in Holly’s character.
When she gets there, she doesn’t feel like she belongs, but she quickly makes new friends. Making friends is important, because it makes Holly feel less lonely. Holly learns a whole lot of things. Plus Quinn and Raven really are a lot of fun to hang out with. Also there are some really fun moments and the little pop culture references to The Vampire Academy novels which was nice.
Also this book has some really interesting twists in it. I like that she can teleport to different places and learns about her being the Scion and what that means. She has a purpose and it’s not the one she thought it would be. Holly really has a lot of things to absorb with a prophecy being told to her and how she will defeat evil and other paranormal beings like Banshees. Yet when she teleports back she starts to take classes that will help her harness her abilities.
The love triangle really wasn’t much of one in my opinion. I think I would have liked to have seen Quinn fight more for Holly. There seemed to be like he didn’t really care for her except when he saw her. Yet Joss was there, and he totally was into her and knew what her destiny was and help supported her the whole time. I felt like their bond was a lot stronger in a lot of ways. It was also great how he tells her to have faith even when she feels unsure. There is this moment between them that really connects them. At times I felt that this book really was about them not just Holly.
Also the ending of this book was kind of filled with a few surprises. I love surprises, but it was a little flat when Holly finds out that she has a twin sister, but she had a vision of this girl earlier in the book and that kind of took some of the impact of it away. It was a good development in that we got answers, but then there was something that happened. We got to see Holly feel something towards her mother, which was anger. People get mad at lies. Holly feels like her life has been one lie. She doesn’t like being used and does what is necessary to make her destiny happen.
I overall liked this book.
Rating:
Four Hearts
Holly feels like she has always been a freak because of her visions. Her visions don’t always come at the most opportune times or in some ways they hinder her from having normal experiences. Nan, her grandmother sent her because Nan says that she has a gift and needs to learn how to use it. Holly immediately feels like she is out of place because there are always mean girls. I mean the mean girls motif is a very common one in young adult, but it makes you feel that she is like an outsider. I immediately identified with that in Holly’s character.
When she gets there, she doesn’t feel like she belongs, but she quickly makes new friends. Making friends is important, because it makes Holly feel less lonely. Holly learns a whole lot of things. Plus Quinn and Raven really are a lot of fun to hang out with. Also there are some really fun moments and the little pop culture references to The Vampire Academy novels which was nice.
Also this book has some really interesting twists in it. I like that she can teleport to different places and learns about her being the Scion and what that means. She has a purpose and it’s not the one she thought it would be. Holly really has a lot of things to absorb with a prophecy being told to her and how she will defeat evil and other paranormal beings like Banshees. Yet when she teleports back she starts to take classes that will help her harness her abilities.
The love triangle really wasn’t much of one in my opinion. I think I would have liked to have seen Quinn fight more for Holly. There seemed to be like he didn’t really care for her except when he saw her. Yet Joss was there, and he totally was into her and knew what her destiny was and help supported her the whole time. I felt like their bond was a lot stronger in a lot of ways. It was also great how he tells her to have faith even when she feels unsure. There is this moment between them that really connects them. At times I felt that this book really was about them not just Holly.
Also the ending of this book was kind of filled with a few surprises. I love surprises, but it was a little flat when Holly finds out that she has a twin sister, but she had a vision of this girl earlier in the book and that kind of took some of the impact of it away. It was a good development in that we got answers, but then there was something that happened. We got to see Holly feel something towards her mother, which was anger. People get mad at lies. Holly feels like her life has been one lie. She doesn’t like being used and does what is necessary to make her destiny happen.
I overall liked this book.
Rating:
Four Hearts
January 21, 2014
Schon als ich das Cover zum ersten Mal gesehen habe schoss mir durch den Kopf - das Buch muss ich haben! Zum Glück hat mir auch die Kurzbeschreibung sehr zugesagt und so wurde das Buch kurzerhand bestellt. Ich muss auch sagen das es mir sehr gut gefiel, auch wenn es durchaus seine Schwächen hat. Holly ist eine sympathische Protoganiste die eigentlich alltägliche Probleme hat. Sie fühlt sich einfach nirgends zugehörig, bezeichnet sich selbst als Nerd und hat auch keine Freunde. Bisher lebte sie bei ihrer Großmutter, doch nachdem diese ins Koma gefallen ist, muss Holly auf die C.U.L.T, ein Internat für... ja, magisch begabte Kinder oder solche die es gerne wären kann man sagen. Es wird dort lauter Esoterik und Wicca Zeug gelehrt.
Genau die richtige Schule für Holly könnte man meinen, schließlich hat sie seit zwei Wochen Visionen, was auch der Grund ist wieso ihre Nan im Koma liegt. Und hier kämen wir auch schon zum ersten Kritikpunkt: Die Schule. Nach der Kurzbeschreibung hatte ich mit einem High Fantasy ähnlichem Buch gerechnet und das Holly nur kurz in dieser Schule sein würde bis es sie eben in die andere Welt verschlägt. Weeeeeeit daneben gefehlt. Diese andere Welt ist keine neue mittelalterliche Welt, sondern nur ein Abbild New Yorks was die Leute dort Innerworld nennen. Trotzdem unterscheidet sich die Welt sehr von der "Außenwelt", so dreht sich die Religion zum Beispiel komplett um Druiden und den Sonnengott Bel.
Diese andere Welt und das was dort passierte war richtig interessant und spannend, die Zeit allerdings die Holly in der Schule verbringt - und das tut sie nicht gerade wenig - fand ich einfach sterbenslangweilig. Ich hatte wirklich den Eindruck als hätte die Autorin die Schule nur eingebaut um Holly zum einen mit theoretischen Wissen vollzustopfen und zum anderen um einen Kontrast zu der magischen Seite herzustellen. Von wegen Schule - normal, Eiros - unnormal. Würde passen, denn Holly möchte einfach nur normal sein und da kommt ihr vor allem am Anfang diese Scion Sache nicht gerade recht.
Die Liebesgeschichte war süß und hat mir sehr gefallen, vor allem weil sie doch recht langsam von statten geht. Joss und Holly habens eben nicht einfach. Eine Dreiecksgeschichte wie Anfangs befürchtet gabs nicht, Gott sei Dank! Trotzdem muss man sagen, alles hätte etwas besser ausgearbeitet sein können. Obs nun die Welt oder die Charaktere sind, da wäre mehr gegangen.
Scion of the Sun hat mir gefallen, aber da ist noch vieeeel Luft nach oben und ich hoffe das die Folgebände sich noch weiter entwickeln werden. Ein bisschen mehr hatte ich mir von dem Buch doch erhofft, aber ich bin eigentlich zufrieden mit dem was ich bekommen habe.
3/5 Sternen
Genau die richtige Schule für Holly könnte man meinen, schließlich hat sie seit zwei Wochen Visionen, was auch der Grund ist wieso ihre Nan im Koma liegt. Und hier kämen wir auch schon zum ersten Kritikpunkt: Die Schule. Nach der Kurzbeschreibung hatte ich mit einem High Fantasy ähnlichem Buch gerechnet und das Holly nur kurz in dieser Schule sein würde bis es sie eben in die andere Welt verschlägt. Weeeeeeit daneben gefehlt. Diese andere Welt ist keine neue mittelalterliche Welt, sondern nur ein Abbild New Yorks was die Leute dort Innerworld nennen. Trotzdem unterscheidet sich die Welt sehr von der "Außenwelt", so dreht sich die Religion zum Beispiel komplett um Druiden und den Sonnengott Bel.
Diese andere Welt und das was dort passierte war richtig interessant und spannend, die Zeit allerdings die Holly in der Schule verbringt - und das tut sie nicht gerade wenig - fand ich einfach sterbenslangweilig. Ich hatte wirklich den Eindruck als hätte die Autorin die Schule nur eingebaut um Holly zum einen mit theoretischen Wissen vollzustopfen und zum anderen um einen Kontrast zu der magischen Seite herzustellen. Von wegen Schule - normal, Eiros - unnormal. Würde passen, denn Holly möchte einfach nur normal sein und da kommt ihr vor allem am Anfang diese Scion Sache nicht gerade recht.
Die Liebesgeschichte war süß und hat mir sehr gefallen, vor allem weil sie doch recht langsam von statten geht. Joss und Holly habens eben nicht einfach. Eine Dreiecksgeschichte wie Anfangs befürchtet gabs nicht, Gott sei Dank! Trotzdem muss man sagen, alles hätte etwas besser ausgearbeitet sein können. Obs nun die Welt oder die Charaktere sind, da wäre mehr gegangen.
Scion of the Sun hat mir gefallen, aber da ist noch vieeeel Luft nach oben und ich hoffe das die Folgebände sich noch weiter entwickeln werden. Ein bisschen mehr hatte ich mir von dem Buch doch erhofft, aber ich bin eigentlich zufrieden mit dem was ich bekommen habe.
3/5 Sternen
April 7, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. There were a few minor flaws but I liked the story and characters enough that they didn't bother me much.
Holly begins having visions and ends up going to a boarding school for gifted students. She soon finds out she is a descendant of a sun god who can teleport to a parallel world, has a warrior guardian who can read her thoughts and must learn to use her gifts in order to stop the bad that's coming.
This was a fun read and I wanted more. I liked Holly and it was fun that she was a book lover and that there were some book references throughout the story. I enjoyed her friendships with her two friends especially Raven. Quinn is her other friend who happens to really like her. Joss is her warrior guardian and I enjoyed reading him and Holly together. I didn't really feel a strong love triangle in this book which worked fine for me. I'm looking forward to reading the next one.
Big Thank You to Goodreads and author Nicola Marsh for the chance to read Scion of the Sun!
Holly begins having visions and ends up going to a boarding school for gifted students. She soon finds out she is a descendant of a sun god who can teleport to a parallel world, has a warrior guardian who can read her thoughts and must learn to use her gifts in order to stop the bad that's coming.
This was a fun read and I wanted more. I liked Holly and it was fun that she was a book lover and that there were some book references throughout the story. I enjoyed her friendships with her two friends especially Raven. Quinn is her other friend who happens to really like her. Joss is her warrior guardian and I enjoyed reading him and Holly together. I didn't really feel a strong love triangle in this book which worked fine for me. I'm looking forward to reading the next one.
Big Thank You to Goodreads and author Nicola Marsh for the chance to read Scion of the Sun!
Read
December 30, 20130 stars - DNF
Where I stopped reading: At 20% on my Kindle.
Why I stopped reading: I just could not get into this book. The premise is something I would normally get in to, but it just didn’t grab me. I can’t even pinpoint one thing that turned me off. I just didn’t get that “read me now” vibe.
What others have rated this book: According to Goodreads, the average rating for Scion of the Sun is 3.86. It looks like a majority of readers gave this book 4 stars. There were 3 4-star reviews on Amazon. At Barnes & Noble, the majority of the reviews were 4 stars. Just because I didn’t finish this book doesn’t mean you may not.
(I received a copy of this book for review purposes.)
http://everyfreechance.com/2013/12/dn...
Where I stopped reading: At 20% on my Kindle.
Why I stopped reading: I just could not get into this book. The premise is something I would normally get in to, but it just didn’t grab me. I can’t even pinpoint one thing that turned me off. I just didn’t get that “read me now” vibe.
What others have rated this book: According to Goodreads, the average rating for Scion of the Sun is 3.86. It looks like a majority of readers gave this book 4 stars. There were 3 4-star reviews on Amazon. At Barnes & Noble, the majority of the reviews were 4 stars. Just because I didn’t finish this book doesn’t mean you may not.
(I received a copy of this book for review purposes.)
http://everyfreechance.com/2013/12/dn...
November 12, 2017
This book was alright, but just fell a little short for me.
August 4, 2018
The tension is a little thin and I'm not interested in continuing the series.
August 27, 2015
I didn't even bother to finish reading this book. There was nothing intriguing about the characters or plot to keep me interested in reading. Some how the author was able to take the concept of traveling to a parallel and make it incredible mundane. The main character Holly's trips to Eiros, a place supposedly with magic, reads like a dull teenager's spring break visiting distant relatives. The lackluster quality of the settings wouldn't be so bad if the characters were engaging and likeable but after reading a third of the way into the book they had failed to develop any depth or personality. The main character especially is one dimensional. The author tells you about her feelings (i.e. emotional issues because of her mother abandoning her as a child) but you never come to empathize with any of her feelings.
March 14, 2021
Really enjoyed this whole book from beginning to end. So sad that the author didn’t continue with this series.
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