What do you think?
Rate this book
The Star Child #1
The Star Child
The world is about to be cloaked in darkness. Only one can stop the night.
Kellen St. James has spent his entire life being overlooked as an unwanted, ordinary, slightly geeky kid. That is until a beautiful girl, one who has haunted his dreams for the past eleven years of his life, shows up spinning tales of a prophecy. Not just any old prophecy either, but one in which Kellen plays a key role.
Suddenly, Kellen finds himself on the run through a Celtic underworld of faeries and demons, angels and gods, not to mention a really ticked off pack of hellhounds, all in order to save the world from darkness. But will they make it in time?
Kellen St. James has spent his entire life being overlooked as an unwanted, ordinary, slightly geeky kid. That is until a beautiful girl, one who has haunted his dreams for the past eleven years of his life, shows up spinning tales of a prophecy. Not just any old prophecy either, but one in which Kellen plays a key role.
Suddenly, Kellen finds himself on the run through a Celtic underworld of faeries and demons, angels and gods, not to mention a really ticked off pack of hellhounds, all in order to save the world from darkness. But will they make it in time?
322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 21, 2012
19 people are currently reading
2406 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Keyes
17 books165 followersAuthor Stephanie Keyes is a geek, a dreamer, and a hopeful romantic who writes books ranging from young adult fantasy to adult contemporary romance. Keyes won the RONE Award for Best YA Book of 2019 and took 2nd place in the Romance Writers of America Athena Awards For Excellence in NA & YA Fiction, both for The Spellbinder’s Sonata. As a romance author, she was a finalist in the 2018 International Book Awards for her debut romance, The Internship of Pippa Darling. In addition, she has also written under the pen name Gemma McKay.
Steph is a Product Manager, teacher, and speaker. She lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with her husband and two boys. When she's not writing, Steph plays the clarinet, reads constantly, paints, and loves game night with the rest of the fam. Fun fact: Steph's pen surname (Keyes) is borrowed from her great-great-great-grandfather John Keyes, who was forced to abandon it to avoid persecution in Ireland over two hundred years ago.
Steph is a Product Manager, teacher, and speaker. She lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with her husband and two boys. When she's not writing, Steph plays the clarinet, reads constantly, paints, and loves game night with the rest of the fam. Fun fact: Steph's pen surname (Keyes) is borrowed from her great-great-great-grandfather John Keyes, who was forced to abandon it to avoid persecution in Ireland over two hundred years ago.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
Read
November 6, 2020The Star Child was originally released in 2012 before I knew it would become a series. Since then I've created other worlds, more characters, and more story lines. This expanded edition contains 15k more words and is action-packed with even more adventure! Even if you've read it already, I hope you'll take time to jump back into Kellen and Calienta's world.
dnf
April 17, 2020I DNFed this book 37% in. Even though I didn’t finish the book, it is handy for me to write out why a book didn’t work for me.
So, I bought this ebook back in 2013. I remember seeing this book during the YA Scavenger Hunt and being so intrigued by it! Even though I wanted to read it enough to buy the ebook, it ended up taking seven years for me to get to it. Which is very unfortunate because maybe I would have read further then. Now I’m an adult and I’m pickier about what books I continue. I’ve read so many paranormal and fantasy YA books that I need something really unique to keep me reading. I think this books does have some unique ideas, it uses folklore not seen often in YA, but it took a while to get to the fantasy aspect.
The MC is a teenage boy, which pleasantly surprised me. He has just graduated college early and has inherited his grandmother’s house. 30% percent of this book is just exposition introducing our MC and his backstory. The only fantasy element we see is hints of these odd dreams he had since he was six of a girl named Calienta. I actually liked the subtle fantasy elements and found it quite haunting, but once we meet Calienta, everything fell flat. I expected the story to get more interesting, but instead we get a huge info dump from Calienta, and a character that sounded interesting at first (she is literally called star child) turns out to be a flat monotone character. We also found out that there’s a prophecy which I am just tired of seeing in books.
I wish I wanted to read further because I don’t like DNFing books. Maybe I would’ve enjoyed this if I read it when I got it, but I can’t go back in time and I’m not going to force myself to finish a book I’m not enjoying.
So, I bought this ebook back in 2013. I remember seeing this book during the YA Scavenger Hunt and being so intrigued by it! Even though I wanted to read it enough to buy the ebook, it ended up taking seven years for me to get to it. Which is very unfortunate because maybe I would have read further then. Now I’m an adult and I’m pickier about what books I continue. I’ve read so many paranormal and fantasy YA books that I need something really unique to keep me reading. I think this books does have some unique ideas, it uses folklore not seen often in YA, but it took a while to get to the fantasy aspect.
The MC is a teenage boy, which pleasantly surprised me. He has just graduated college early and has inherited his grandmother’s house. 30% percent of this book is just exposition introducing our MC and his backstory. The only fantasy element we see is hints of these odd dreams he had since he was six of a girl named Calienta. I actually liked the subtle fantasy elements and found it quite haunting, but once we meet Calienta, everything fell flat. I expected the story to get more interesting, but instead we get a huge info dump from Calienta, and a character that sounded interesting at first (she is literally called star child) turns out to be a flat monotone character. We also found out that there’s a prophecy which I am just tired of seeing in books.
I wish I wanted to read further because I don’t like DNFing books. Maybe I would’ve enjoyed this if I read it when I got it, but I can’t go back in time and I’m not going to force myself to finish a book I’m not enjoying.
September 18, 2020
With fresh and unique writing,the author catches new readers like butterflies on watermelon. I'm positive she watches us fly off to tell all of our friends all about the deliciousness and where to find it for themselves. The beginning of Kellan and Calienta have me tight in their grasp and I'm dying to know what happens next.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 1, 2012
First published here: http://niaharasworld.wordpress.com/20...
I’ve been excited for this book for a very long time, ever since I set my eyes on it on goodreads and now I can share its review with you. I can clearly state it did not let me down. At 17 years old, Kellen graduates from The University of Yale, hoping that at least this act will bring him close to his estranged father who had abandoned him ever since his mother had died when he was young. However, this is not the case and instead of pride on his father’s part, Kellen finds himself gifted with a fancy car which is supposed to make up for years of neglect. Deciding there and then to take matters into his own hands, Kellen leaves home and goes to Ireland where is grandmother lives.
There, he is faced with the awakening of a dream he had throughout childhood, a dream about a girl named Calienta. Upon realizing that he girl he had dreamed of for so long is real, he is sucked into a world he had never imagined and faces many trials.
After I finished The Star Child, I can honestly say that I loved the author’s writing style. It is quick and smooth, though at times it can get a little confusing when Kallen’s memories are used to shed light into the mysteries of his family. The characters are complex and the world is built extremely well. You will remain enchanted by all the magic and mythical creatures woven into this story. All in all, The Star Child is a very entertaining read and I recommend it to all fans of this particular genre.
I’ve been excited for this book for a very long time, ever since I set my eyes on it on goodreads and now I can share its review with you. I can clearly state it did not let me down. At 17 years old, Kellen graduates from The University of Yale, hoping that at least this act will bring him close to his estranged father who had abandoned him ever since his mother had died when he was young. However, this is not the case and instead of pride on his father’s part, Kellen finds himself gifted with a fancy car which is supposed to make up for years of neglect. Deciding there and then to take matters into his own hands, Kellen leaves home and goes to Ireland where is grandmother lives.
There, he is faced with the awakening of a dream he had throughout childhood, a dream about a girl named Calienta. Upon realizing that he girl he had dreamed of for so long is real, he is sucked into a world he had never imagined and faces many trials.
After I finished The Star Child, I can honestly say that I loved the author’s writing style. It is quick and smooth, though at times it can get a little confusing when Kallen’s memories are used to shed light into the mysteries of his family. The characters are complex and the world is built extremely well. You will remain enchanted by all the magic and mythical creatures woven into this story. All in all, The Star Child is a very entertaining read and I recommend it to all fans of this particular genre.
November 25, 2012
Fantasy, quest, folklore and legend all rolled into one
I don’t read a great deal of fantasy so wasn’t sure what to expect when I started to read The Star Child by Stephanie Keyes. However, I was taken on a journey through the lands of Faerie with Kellen and Calienta. Kellen is a mortal but Calienta is immortal, with many powers. They embark on a quest which must be successful if good is to win, if they fail in their quest the world will be doomed to darkness forever. In the process they meet many dangers as well as gods, faeries, demons, while the hounds of hell are never very far behind.
So on one level this was the story of a battle between good and evil, and on another level a romance between a mortal and an immortal, and a choice will have to be made by the end of the story. Will Kellen choose to become an immortal or will Calienta relinquish her immortal status to become a mortal, so that the couple can be together? If I told you what the decision was, that would be a spoiler, so if you want to know you’ll have to read the book to find out.
This was a fantasy with its roots in celtic legend and folklore and was an interesting read.
I don’t read a great deal of fantasy so wasn’t sure what to expect when I started to read The Star Child by Stephanie Keyes. However, I was taken on a journey through the lands of Faerie with Kellen and Calienta. Kellen is a mortal but Calienta is immortal, with many powers. They embark on a quest which must be successful if good is to win, if they fail in their quest the world will be doomed to darkness forever. In the process they meet many dangers as well as gods, faeries, demons, while the hounds of hell are never very far behind.
So on one level this was the story of a battle between good and evil, and on another level a romance between a mortal and an immortal, and a choice will have to be made by the end of the story. Will Kellen choose to become an immortal or will Calienta relinquish her immortal status to become a mortal, so that the couple can be together? If I told you what the decision was, that would be a spoiler, so if you want to know you’ll have to read the book to find out.
This was a fantasy with its roots in celtic legend and folklore and was an interesting read.
November 5, 2020
This was a fantastic book that will have you lost in a completely amazing world. The characters were really well developed and I really enjoyed how it played out. I would recommend it to all!!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 22, 2020
I greatly enjoyed this book and cannot wait for the next one to be released! I especially enjoyed the adventures and beautiful descriptions that took place in Faerie. I felt like I could picture everything perfectly and loved that it was dark but incredible.
January 11, 2021
A fantasy novel, set in the magical land of faeries and Irish folklore. The story was descriptive, and it was a great love story where you want these characters to find their happy ever after. This was different from your normal fairy tale and I am anxious to read the sequel.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 19, 2013
The Star Child is a fantastic story YA urban fantasy that delves into the world of Celtic Myths and faeries,.
Kellen St. James hasn't had an easy life, but hasn't let the events control his life either. Right after graduation he leaves the US for Ireland, and things take flight from there when he finally meets, Calienta, the girl who's been a regular feature in his dreams while growing up.
Through Kellen, we get to know the reason she appeared in his life, join him as he finds his true purpose, his calling.
The Star Child a wonderful read. Ms Keyes descriptions are vivid, the story very well written and fell in love with Kellen and Calienta. It was good to see Kellen finally accepted his purpose, didn't back down, and followed his heart. His love for Calienta. Looking for a story filled with adventure, action and romance? I highly recommend this book! I look forward to reading The Fallen Stars.
Kellen St. James hasn't had an easy life, but hasn't let the events control his life either. Right after graduation he leaves the US for Ireland, and things take flight from there when he finally meets, Calienta, the girl who's been a regular feature in his dreams while growing up.
Through Kellen, we get to know the reason she appeared in his life, join him as he finds his true purpose, his calling.
The Star Child a wonderful read. Ms Keyes descriptions are vivid, the story very well written and fell in love with Kellen and Calienta. It was good to see Kellen finally accepted his purpose, didn't back down, and followed his heart. His love for Calienta. Looking for a story filled with adventure, action and romance? I highly recommend this book! I look forward to reading The Fallen Stars.
Read
September 26, 2020What's the perfect gift for the young man who's graduating college at the age of 17?
a) An expensive new car
b) A prophecy that obligates you to use every molecule of your unathletic body and every scrap of your eidetic memory to try to save the world from darkness
We know what Kellen St. James is going to choose. And it's a journey that readers who love faerie, fantasy, Celtic legends, and quest stories will enjoy taking with him (and the Star Child, Calienta).
The path into Faerie is as variable and tricksy as its inhabitants. I felt sometimes as if I were rabbiting through Wonderland, only to turn a page and feel a completely different mood: the gravity of Middle Earth, the hilarity of Howl's Moving Castle, or a moment of simple human magic worthy of Andersen.
Note: I don't assign star ratings on GR, because 5 stars doesn't give me a wide enough range. But I only review books I like well enough to recommend.
a) An expensive new car
b) A prophecy that obligates you to use every molecule of your unathletic body and every scrap of your eidetic memory to try to save the world from darkness
We know what Kellen St. James is going to choose. And it's a journey that readers who love faerie, fantasy, Celtic legends, and quest stories will enjoy taking with him (and the Star Child, Calienta).
The path into Faerie is as variable and tricksy as its inhabitants. I felt sometimes as if I were rabbiting through Wonderland, only to turn a page and feel a completely different mood: the gravity of Middle Earth, the hilarity of Howl's Moving Castle, or a moment of simple human magic worthy of Andersen.
Note: I don't assign star ratings on GR, because 5 stars doesn't give me a wide enough range. But I only review books I like well enough to recommend.
December 8, 2020
This is a long overdue review. I read this book when it first came out and have recently reread this new edition (I love the new cover!) I thoroughly enjoyed the story of Kellan and Calienta and loved how fae/Irish mythology was effortlessly woven in to the story. At once, the reader is pulled into Kellan's story and the adventures he's about to embark on with the star child, Calienta. I especially liked that this was told from the male lead's POV, and not the female's, as is the case with most similar YA books. A definite worthwhile read if you're into stories on the fae and other mythical creatures!
September 26, 2020
Stephanie Keyes is a fabulous storyteller, and this latest book continues to show her talent at building worlds that will hook readers with the first line. Kellen St. James, Calienta, and the rest of the characters come to life immediately, as we travel from the here and now to the world of magick. I was dazzled by the faerie world, as it shifted from bright and beautiful to dark and menacing and sometimes in between. The suspense kept me turning each page, but the romance made me hold my breath until the end. I highly recommend this book to any reader who loves a great story!
December 11, 2011
The Star Child is the debut novel for American Author Stephanie Keyes.
The realisation that his Father doesn’t have time for you in his important schedule hits Kellen St James on the day of his graduation from Yale. Graduating at 17 years of age before most people would even get to University still doesn’t earn his Father’s pride.
Kellen decides there and then that he needs to carve out his own path in life if he is ever to find happiness. Most of his life following the sudden death of his dear Mother, Kellen has not been able to connect with either his Father or brother and only had the love and support of his Grandmother. Following her death, Kellan suddenly has the financial freedom to build a new life.
A distant memory is re-awoken when a vision of the beautiful young girl he met as a child sucks him into a place he can’t explain, a place that doesn’t appear to be in this world?
Can Kellen find happiness on his own without the help of his Father? Can there be more to the memories than he first thought? How far will Kellen go to protect those he loves?
Wow what a story! I will mention this again, but those that follow my blog know, “inner worlds with portal that people pass through” stories are not normally my cup of tea. My little brain can’t understand what I can’t physically see! However, I have to say I think Stephanie may well have helped change my views on this genre of novel!
Kellen’s life seems normal on the surface for about 1/4 of the book apart from a glimpse at the start of where this will take you. Suddenly he is pulled into another world. What I loved about most of all is that the journey that he then travels, he questions the fantastic and the mysthical every step of the way and not believing what he was seeing and experiencing, I felt that was me too and we were learning these lands together, two non believers one being the boy in the story and me as the reader. The fact that he didn’t just accept what was happening and questioned it made this so much more real to me! So very cleverly done!
Stephanie has created a beautifully written, wonderful page turner of a story full of magical and mythical creatures in beautiful worlds. I adored the connection that Kellen had with those that he loved and were dear to him. The actions he took, (whilst most couldn’t happen on boring old earth!!), you could relate to them and understand why he took them!
This is an absolute must not only for all that love Young Adult/Fantasy/Epic , but also for people like me who wouldn’t normally read them – I think I may be converted!!
Thank you so much Stephanie for sending me an advanced copy of this book, I truly loved it and wich you lots of success with The Star Child.
You can follow Stephanie on twitter @stephaniekeyes . Stephanie is also a featured Author with www.loveahappyending.com
Buy your copy of The Star Child today at:-
Amazon in Kindle and Paperback http://tiny.cc/xjg6c
Barnes and Noble for Nook
Apple iBookstore
Smashwords
The realisation that his Father doesn’t have time for you in his important schedule hits Kellen St James on the day of his graduation from Yale. Graduating at 17 years of age before most people would even get to University still doesn’t earn his Father’s pride.
Kellen decides there and then that he needs to carve out his own path in life if he is ever to find happiness. Most of his life following the sudden death of his dear Mother, Kellen has not been able to connect with either his Father or brother and only had the love and support of his Grandmother. Following her death, Kellan suddenly has the financial freedom to build a new life.
A distant memory is re-awoken when a vision of the beautiful young girl he met as a child sucks him into a place he can’t explain, a place that doesn’t appear to be in this world?
Can Kellen find happiness on his own without the help of his Father? Can there be more to the memories than he first thought? How far will Kellen go to protect those he loves?
Wow what a story! I will mention this again, but those that follow my blog know, “inner worlds with portal that people pass through” stories are not normally my cup of tea. My little brain can’t understand what I can’t physically see! However, I have to say I think Stephanie may well have helped change my views on this genre of novel!
Kellen’s life seems normal on the surface for about 1/4 of the book apart from a glimpse at the start of where this will take you. Suddenly he is pulled into another world. What I loved about most of all is that the journey that he then travels, he questions the fantastic and the mysthical every step of the way and not believing what he was seeing and experiencing, I felt that was me too and we were learning these lands together, two non believers one being the boy in the story and me as the reader. The fact that he didn’t just accept what was happening and questioned it made this so much more real to me! So very cleverly done!
Stephanie has created a beautifully written, wonderful page turner of a story full of magical and mythical creatures in beautiful worlds. I adored the connection that Kellen had with those that he loved and were dear to him. The actions he took, (whilst most couldn’t happen on boring old earth!!), you could relate to them and understand why he took them!
This is an absolute must not only for all that love Young Adult/Fantasy/Epic , but also for people like me who wouldn’t normally read them – I think I may be converted!!
Thank you so much Stephanie for sending me an advanced copy of this book, I truly loved it and wich you lots of success with The Star Child.
You can follow Stephanie on twitter @stephaniekeyes . Stephanie is also a featured Author with www.loveahappyending.com
Buy your copy of The Star Child today at:-
Amazon in Kindle and Paperback http://tiny.cc/xjg6c
Barnes and Noble for Nook
Apple iBookstore
Smashwords
September 19, 2020
An intriguing book great for fans of Lord of the rings. With a Celtic twist. A nice long read with wonderful characters.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 24, 2015
This is the first book in The Star Child Series. I really enjoyed it!
Kellen St. James is a wonderful character. I liked him a lot. He is kind, considerate and pretty cool. Unfortunately, I struggled to connect with this character on an emotional level.
I heard about this book on a blog I was following at the time, it sounded interesting so I bought a copy. Unfortunately, this book has been sitting on my bookshelf since it was first published way back in 2012. However, due to my large reading list, I've only now been able to get to reading it. Since I first purchased the book, it has been re-edited and re-released in 2014. Therefore, I can only review what I've read.
This story is told through the eyes of Kellen and takes the reader on an amazing journey from America to the wild shores of the Irish coast. I don't often read books from a male point of view, so it made a nice change to read Kellen's story. There are several unusual characters in this book, but Calienta is one that has been constant through Kellen's life. She has visited his dreams for years, but when they finally meet in person, she tells him of the prophecy and the part he plays in it.
This book has everything one could wish for in a fantasy novel, faeries, demons, angels and gods. However, there was one long, large scene in faerie that confused me. I felt I was in a scene from the '90's television series "Twin Peaks". Nothing made sense and I struggled with wanting to put the book down, or continue reading in the hopes that there would be light at the end of the tunnel. I decided to keep reading. The scene still made no sense in the end but, I persevered and managed to finish the book with no regrets. The tale is intricately woven with legends of Celtic origin. I love the world building in this story. I did find the prophecy that Kellen was supposed to help bring about to be a little flimsy. Being as this book has been re-edited, the confusing scene may have changed as well as the flimsy prophecy, so I cannot comment further. I reached the end of the book with a sense of deep foreboding and a shiver down my spine, so am now looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
Stephanie Keyes has written an imaginative tale that kept me entertained for a few hours. I love her writing style, which is not as fast paced as some YA novels I have read. However, it was fast enough to keep me turning the pages. The flow was wonderful too.
I recommend this book to young readers aged 16 and above, and to adults who love to read YA Science Fiction, or books with Celtic faeries, demons, angels and gods. - Lynn Worton
Kellen St. James is a wonderful character. I liked him a lot. He is kind, considerate and pretty cool. Unfortunately, I struggled to connect with this character on an emotional level.
I heard about this book on a blog I was following at the time, it sounded interesting so I bought a copy. Unfortunately, this book has been sitting on my bookshelf since it was first published way back in 2012. However, due to my large reading list, I've only now been able to get to reading it. Since I first purchased the book, it has been re-edited and re-released in 2014. Therefore, I can only review what I've read.
This story is told through the eyes of Kellen and takes the reader on an amazing journey from America to the wild shores of the Irish coast. I don't often read books from a male point of view, so it made a nice change to read Kellen's story. There are several unusual characters in this book, but Calienta is one that has been constant through Kellen's life. She has visited his dreams for years, but when they finally meet in person, she tells him of the prophecy and the part he plays in it.
This book has everything one could wish for in a fantasy novel, faeries, demons, angels and gods. However, there was one long, large scene in faerie that confused me. I felt I was in a scene from the '90's television series "Twin Peaks". Nothing made sense and I struggled with wanting to put the book down, or continue reading in the hopes that there would be light at the end of the tunnel. I decided to keep reading. The scene still made no sense in the end but, I persevered and managed to finish the book with no regrets. The tale is intricately woven with legends of Celtic origin. I love the world building in this story. I did find the prophecy that Kellen was supposed to help bring about to be a little flimsy. Being as this book has been re-edited, the confusing scene may have changed as well as the flimsy prophecy, so I cannot comment further. I reached the end of the book with a sense of deep foreboding and a shiver down my spine, so am now looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
Stephanie Keyes has written an imaginative tale that kept me entertained for a few hours. I love her writing style, which is not as fast paced as some YA novels I have read. However, it was fast enough to keep me turning the pages. The flow was wonderful too.
I recommend this book to young readers aged 16 and above, and to adults who love to read YA Science Fiction, or books with Celtic faeries, demons, angels and gods. - Lynn Worton
November 8, 2012
After being told his mother died when he was a small child, Kellen St. James finds himself being shipped off to boarding school. The only benefit was that he was near his grandfather Alistar, who truly cared about him. His father, Stephen, has always been emotionally distant and uninterested in Kellen's life, that is until he finds out that Kellen is childhood prodigy, then he makes arrangements for him to attend Yale at the age of 13. Kellen is now 17 years old and graduating from Yale. Of course, his father doesn't even make an effort to show up. After his mother's passing, the only love he was shown was from his Gran in Ireland, and he loved her dearly. Upon her passing, he received a letter stating that she had left him everything, including a trust, which enables Kellen to finally break free from his father.
When Kellen was a young boy, he had an encounter with a beautiful young girl whose name was Calienta on the beach at his grandmother's home. Since that time, he has dreamt about her every night. He is unsure if she is a dream or if she is real, but he is determined to find out. As he prepares to head to London, and then Ireland, he begins to have even more intense thoughts and visions about Calienta. Upon his arrival in Ireland, he finally meets her, but this meeting is not what he expected. In fact, meeting Calienta changes Kellen's life forever, as he finds himself to be part of an ancient prophecy in a world filled with mythical beings. The question is will he and can he accept his destiny and can he fulfill his destiny before time runs out?
Star Child is an interesting fantasy. Kellen seems fairly normal in the first part of the book, which focuses more on Kellen's history and that of his family, laying the foundation for what is to come. It isn't until about one-third of the way in that you begin to see the mythological element introduced. It took me several chapters to get into the book, but I did like Kellen's character. I found the plot interesting, and enjoyed the fantasy aspect of this book. I loved the Irish setting and Stephanie Keyes did a wonderful job describing that and making it come alive. Calienta was a different sort of character, and was intriguing. Overall, I found this to be an entertaining and interesting read. Keyes has created and imaginative and exciting world in this novel. If you enjoy YA fantasy that combines, mythology, faeries, and supernatural beings, you might want to check The Star Child out.
When Kellen was a young boy, he had an encounter with a beautiful young girl whose name was Calienta on the beach at his grandmother's home. Since that time, he has dreamt about her every night. He is unsure if she is a dream or if she is real, but he is determined to find out. As he prepares to head to London, and then Ireland, he begins to have even more intense thoughts and visions about Calienta. Upon his arrival in Ireland, he finally meets her, but this meeting is not what he expected. In fact, meeting Calienta changes Kellen's life forever, as he finds himself to be part of an ancient prophecy in a world filled with mythical beings. The question is will he and can he accept his destiny and can he fulfill his destiny before time runs out?
Star Child is an interesting fantasy. Kellen seems fairly normal in the first part of the book, which focuses more on Kellen's history and that of his family, laying the foundation for what is to come. It isn't until about one-third of the way in that you begin to see the mythological element introduced. It took me several chapters to get into the book, but I did like Kellen's character. I found the plot interesting, and enjoyed the fantasy aspect of this book. I loved the Irish setting and Stephanie Keyes did a wonderful job describing that and making it come alive. Calienta was a different sort of character, and was intriguing. Overall, I found this to be an entertaining and interesting read. Keyes has created and imaginative and exciting world in this novel. If you enjoy YA fantasy that combines, mythology, faeries, and supernatural beings, you might want to check The Star Child out.
December 8, 2012
Rating: 4.5/5
If you are a fan of magic and folklore you should definitely read this book!
I was really curious about the content and, after reading it, i was really glad that i have read this book.
The male protagonist of the book, Kellen St. James is a really amazing character who graduates from Yale at the age of 17. He has a really bad relationship with his father who can only turn from bad to worse as the action progresses.
Tired of everything, Kellen goes in Ireland to live with his grandmother whom he can't have for too much time in his life since she dies, leaving him her cottage.
Kellen starts to remember about some dreams he had about a girl named Calienta, dreams which turn out not to be dreams but reality! Kellen falls in love with the most beautiful Calienta and discovers that he must fight the darkness.
A Prophecy, a love between two lovers, a fight in the underworld; you can find all these in Keyes' amazing book.
The author's writing style is really wonderful and some paragraphs really hit the spot!
I enjoyed reading this book and I really loved (and still loving!) the beautiful cover ♥♥♥.
Quotes:
If you are a fan of magic and folklore you should definitely read this book!
I was really curious about the content and, after reading it, i was really glad that i have read this book.
The male protagonist of the book, Kellen St. James is a really amazing character who graduates from Yale at the age of 17. He has a really bad relationship with his father who can only turn from bad to worse as the action progresses.
Tired of everything, Kellen goes in Ireland to live with his grandmother whom he can't have for too much time in his life since she dies, leaving him her cottage.
Kellen starts to remember about some dreams he had about a girl named Calienta, dreams which turn out not to be dreams but reality! Kellen falls in love with the most beautiful Calienta and discovers that he must fight the darkness.
A Prophecy, a love between two lovers, a fight in the underworld; you can find all these in Keyes' amazing book.
The author's writing style is really wonderful and some paragraphs really hit the spot!
I enjoyed reading this book and I really loved (and still loving!) the beautiful cover ♥♥♥.
Quotes:
October 28, 2012
Having previously taken part in the cover reveal for this book I was very excited to start reading!
The story was told from Kellen’s perspective, the male point of view is something I always find interesting in a book so that reeled me in straight away. I got the sense quite early on that there was something different/special about him, although I couldn’t quite put my finger on what it was that made me feel that way, it was simply a feeling I got from him.
The day that Kellen graduated was an important event for him and it soon became clear why – his issues with his father were obviously a driving force in his life so that day meant that he could finally move on. A strange occurrence at graduation brought back memories of the vivid dreams that he had always had, these dreams revolved around a mysterious girl who he had met when he was younger. Once his history with the girl (Calienta) had been explained I felt much more aware of what was going on.
It was as Kellen tried to forge his own path in life that strange things started happening, a letter from his beloved gran really touched me and I had tears welling up in my eyes. This was quickly followed by a shock that made me gasp out loud and it was at that point the story took a magical turn that explained things even further.
The writing was clear and precise and I found it easy to follow, the fantastic descriptions enabled me to picture everything so clearly in my mind. The author created an imaginative and magical world that pulled me in and wouldn’t let go – pink cows, purple cats, giant talking birds and an upside-down ocean were just some of the weird and wonderful parts of this strange world.
Kellen and Calienta found themselves in danger on more than one occasion but there were also some really lovely moments between the two of them that left me with a huge smile on my face.
An unexpected revelation made the final pieces of the puzzle click into place for me and a heartwarming ending followed, then came the epilogue which hinted at much more excitement to come!
This was an enchanting read that transported me to a completely different world, I look forward to finding out what comes next.
The story was told from Kellen’s perspective, the male point of view is something I always find interesting in a book so that reeled me in straight away. I got the sense quite early on that there was something different/special about him, although I couldn’t quite put my finger on what it was that made me feel that way, it was simply a feeling I got from him.
The day that Kellen graduated was an important event for him and it soon became clear why – his issues with his father were obviously a driving force in his life so that day meant that he could finally move on. A strange occurrence at graduation brought back memories of the vivid dreams that he had always had, these dreams revolved around a mysterious girl who he had met when he was younger. Once his history with the girl (Calienta) had been explained I felt much more aware of what was going on.
It was as Kellen tried to forge his own path in life that strange things started happening, a letter from his beloved gran really touched me and I had tears welling up in my eyes. This was quickly followed by a shock that made me gasp out loud and it was at that point the story took a magical turn that explained things even further.
The writing was clear and precise and I found it easy to follow, the fantastic descriptions enabled me to picture everything so clearly in my mind. The author created an imaginative and magical world that pulled me in and wouldn’t let go – pink cows, purple cats, giant talking birds and an upside-down ocean were just some of the weird and wonderful parts of this strange world.
Kellen and Calienta found themselves in danger on more than one occasion but there were also some really lovely moments between the two of them that left me with a huge smile on my face.
An unexpected revelation made the final pieces of the puzzle click into place for me and a heartwarming ending followed, then came the epilogue which hinted at much more excitement to come!
This was an enchanting read that transported me to a completely different world, I look forward to finding out what comes next.
October 22, 2015
First published at GenGen's Book Blog
I have to be honest and say that I am a girl that judges a book by its cover (I know I should be ashamed). When I got an e-mail to review the third book in this series, I loved the cover of the third book and thought, “Let’s give this series a chance and start reading it.” I got the first book and started reading immediately. I do not regret reading this story at all. It has everything a Fantasy/Paranormal story has: faeries, gods, goddess’, prophecies, evil guys, underworld, hellhounds…it’s packed!
This story takes Kellen St. James into a wonderful and daring journey. He has lived his life feeling unwanted by his dad and his brother, only having his grandma’s love and attention. He graduates and finally moves out on his own, where he meets Calienta, a goddess. They had met long ago and seeing each other again, brings back emotions they didn’t know they really had. Calienta introduces Kellen to the prophecy, telling him he is the one that will combat evil and win—he doesn’t believe so, seeing as he is an ordinary human boy. Once the journey starts, he realizes that he wouldn’t want to be anywhere else than to be with Calienta and help her save her family in an unknown world.
The description of the whole story comes to life before the reader’s eyes—it’s so vivid and wonderful to imagine everything so clearly. Kellen decides to help Calienta save her family and he stays brave throughout it all, he stays truthful to himself, never straying from the path of good. Something that caught my attention a lot was how willingly the gods are to give up immortal life—become mortal so they can be with the love of their life, who are mortal humans. It’s touching and beautiful, altogether. It also shows how willing one can be to want to help others, even in the fantasy realm.
I have to be honest and say that I am a girl that judges a book by its cover (I know I should be ashamed). When I got an e-mail to review the third book in this series, I loved the cover of the third book and thought, “Let’s give this series a chance and start reading it.” I got the first book and started reading immediately. I do not regret reading this story at all. It has everything a Fantasy/Paranormal story has: faeries, gods, goddess’, prophecies, evil guys, underworld, hellhounds…it’s packed!
This story takes Kellen St. James into a wonderful and daring journey. He has lived his life feeling unwanted by his dad and his brother, only having his grandma’s love and attention. He graduates and finally moves out on his own, where he meets Calienta, a goddess. They had met long ago and seeing each other again, brings back emotions they didn’t know they really had. Calienta introduces Kellen to the prophecy, telling him he is the one that will combat evil and win—he doesn’t believe so, seeing as he is an ordinary human boy. Once the journey starts, he realizes that he wouldn’t want to be anywhere else than to be with Calienta and help her save her family in an unknown world.
The description of the whole story comes to life before the reader’s eyes—it’s so vivid and wonderful to imagine everything so clearly. Kellen decides to help Calienta save her family and he stays brave throughout it all, he stays truthful to himself, never straying from the path of good. Something that caught my attention a lot was how willingly the gods are to give up immortal life—become mortal so they can be with the love of their life, who are mortal humans. It’s touching and beautiful, altogether. It also shows how willing one can be to want to help others, even in the fantasy realm.
September 24, 2013
31/2 Stars
Kellen St James is an anomaly. A young man who seems not to fit in anywhere, graduating from Yale at the young age of 17. This is the premise for Stephanie Keyes' newest called The Star Child.
Life, including his graduation, was a quiet affair, as most of his life had been. Kellen has been alone most of his young life. After his mother passed away, he was sent away to boarding schools by his father, taken away from his home, away from his older brother and his uncaring hard to please father. His only semblance of love was remembering his deceased mother and having a caring Grandmother he visited as a child.
After he graduates, he is faced with the loss of the one person he loves, the death of his Gran, and he travels to Europe to settle Gran’s estate. Kellen has inherited everything from his grandmother, a home, an estate, a trust fund and a secret he holds in his heart of a beautiful young girl on the beach he met at his grandmother's years ago as a young boy. Was it real or a dream?
Our author takes us into a world of Calienta, Cali the mystery girl from Kellen’s dreams. She takes him to a new world of mystery, adventure that she and her family show Kellen. We now are thrown into a very complicated world of ghosts, faries, and mysterious Irish tales of years gone by, that come to life. It is now a fantasy of good over evil, of travels of tremendous heated deserts, freezing cold and amazing hunger...
The boy/girl love affair was sweet and not tantamount to finding the end of the goal. The travels were a bit long and a bit tedious, but all in all the story was worth the read.
Review By Gloria Lakritz
Sr Reviewer and Review Chair for the Paranormal Romance Guild
Kellen St James is an anomaly. A young man who seems not to fit in anywhere, graduating from Yale at the young age of 17. This is the premise for Stephanie Keyes' newest called The Star Child.
Life, including his graduation, was a quiet affair, as most of his life had been. Kellen has been alone most of his young life. After his mother passed away, he was sent away to boarding schools by his father, taken away from his home, away from his older brother and his uncaring hard to please father. His only semblance of love was remembering his deceased mother and having a caring Grandmother he visited as a child.
After he graduates, he is faced with the loss of the one person he loves, the death of his Gran, and he travels to Europe to settle Gran’s estate. Kellen has inherited everything from his grandmother, a home, an estate, a trust fund and a secret he holds in his heart of a beautiful young girl on the beach he met at his grandmother's years ago as a young boy. Was it real or a dream?
Our author takes us into a world of Calienta, Cali the mystery girl from Kellen’s dreams. She takes him to a new world of mystery, adventure that she and her family show Kellen. We now are thrown into a very complicated world of ghosts, faries, and mysterious Irish tales of years gone by, that come to life. It is now a fantasy of good over evil, of travels of tremendous heated deserts, freezing cold and amazing hunger...
The boy/girl love affair was sweet and not tantamount to finding the end of the goal. The travels were a bit long and a bit tedious, but all in all the story was worth the read.
Review By Gloria Lakritz
Sr Reviewer and Review Chair for the Paranormal Romance Guild
October 30, 2012
This was a wonderfully written Young Adult Paranormal Romance. The world and characters are phenomenally crafted. This is definitely one book that the cover wholly illustrates the wondrous story inside the two covers. Kellen is a great character. The most treasured trait in him is his intelligence. He is a prodigy that just graduated from college at an age where he should be graduating from High School. He is lonely and pretty much abandoned by the remaining family he has. His self-absorbed father and equally self-absorbed brother like to act like he doesn’t exist. The only loving family he has left is his Grandfather and his very loving and influential Grandmother just died and knowing he would be alone after she passed left him very financially stable.
After 11 years of separation he is reunited with Calienta. Kellen always thought Calienta didn’t exist but was a dream of sorts. When she steps back into this his life the really hits him hard with a prophecy for Kellen to save the world and that they will be married. Kellen who feels the irrevocable pull to Calienta can see loving her, but also realizes he is only 17 and being a bit of a bookworm/geek can’t really see himself saving the world. It is from here that the non-stop ride starts. This story moved so quickly and made me wish the book hadn’t stopped. It seemed like Stephanie Keyes will be writing a follow-up to this story. I can’t wait to see the leg of Calienta and Kellen’s story. I would recommend this story whole-heartedly. Stephanie Keyes is a fantastic writer and this is a great Young Adult novel. You should definitely go out and pick it up.
After 11 years of separation he is reunited with Calienta. Kellen always thought Calienta didn’t exist but was a dream of sorts. When she steps back into this his life the really hits him hard with a prophecy for Kellen to save the world and that they will be married. Kellen who feels the irrevocable pull to Calienta can see loving her, but also realizes he is only 17 and being a bit of a bookworm/geek can’t really see himself saving the world. It is from here that the non-stop ride starts. This story moved so quickly and made me wish the book hadn’t stopped. It seemed like Stephanie Keyes will be writing a follow-up to this story. I can’t wait to see the leg of Calienta and Kellen’s story. I would recommend this story whole-heartedly. Stephanie Keyes is a fantastic writer and this is a great Young Adult novel. You should definitely go out and pick it up.
October 27, 2012
Kellen St. James is an intelligent young man. Graduating from a prestigious college at 17 years old. An outsider would think he has it made, but Kellen is a bit of a loner, aside from his best friend and roommate at school. His own father forgets to come to his college graduation and it becomes clear the man hasn’t been a very big part of his life, nor has his brother, whom constantly tried to torment him a s a child. He’s had recurring dreams of the same girl, Calienta, for a long time. At his graduation things take an odd twist when a portal appears and he steps through it to find himself in that very same dream once more.
After graduation he takes off to Ireland with money his grandmother left for him to become an author, living in his grandmother’s old cottage by the sea. Once there he is reunited with the mysterious Calienta and from there things take a very interesting turn as he finds out others have a greater plan for him.
While at first it took me a little to get into this book, I really enjoyed it. The story was creative and unique and Stephanie Keyes created such an enchanting and vivid world in the Faerie realm. I loved the main characters and found the others I met in Faerie to be intriguing and fun. Out of the whole book I have to say their time in Faerie was probably my favorite part. Over all it was a very well-written story and the ending, while satisfying, left things open for a possible sequel that I would look forward to reading if there is one!
After graduation he takes off to Ireland with money his grandmother left for him to become an author, living in his grandmother’s old cottage by the sea. Once there he is reunited with the mysterious Calienta and from there things take a very interesting turn as he finds out others have a greater plan for him.
While at first it took me a little to get into this book, I really enjoyed it. The story was creative and unique and Stephanie Keyes created such an enchanting and vivid world in the Faerie realm. I loved the main characters and found the others I met in Faerie to be intriguing and fun. Out of the whole book I have to say their time in Faerie was probably my favorite part. Over all it was a very well-written story and the ending, while satisfying, left things open for a possible sequel that I would look forward to reading if there is one!
June 24, 2013
Kellen St. James, an ordinary teenager, finds himself caught up in an old prophecy and on the run through a Celtic underworld with all sorts of magical creatures. The prophecy was “brought” to him by Calienta, a girl who has appeared in his dreams for the last 11 years and who he cannot get out of his head. Will there be a future for the two of them?
I was really excited to start reading the Star Child as I had read the sequel book The Fallen Stars previously and really enjoyed it. I was extremely keen in finding out how it all began.
I especially liked the way Stephanie describes the underworld and all its magical creatures – truly imaginative! I found it really easy to form pictures in my head.
When reading a book I always find it vitally important how well the relationship between the characters is described in order to “live the story” and to get to know each character. I thought that Stephanie does this really well! I loved the way she conveys the difficult and cruel relationship between Kellen and his father and the loving and caring relationship between Kellen and Calienta.
I have to admit that I favour the Fallen Stars over The Star Child (may be it’s because I already got to know the characters so well) and I am looking forward to reading the third instalment.
I was really excited to start reading the Star Child as I had read the sequel book The Fallen Stars previously and really enjoyed it. I was extremely keen in finding out how it all began.
I especially liked the way Stephanie describes the underworld and all its magical creatures – truly imaginative! I found it really easy to form pictures in my head.
When reading a book I always find it vitally important how well the relationship between the characters is described in order to “live the story” and to get to know each character. I thought that Stephanie does this really well! I loved the way she conveys the difficult and cruel relationship between Kellen and his father and the loving and caring relationship between Kellen and Calienta.
I have to admit that I favour the Fallen Stars over The Star Child (may be it’s because I already got to know the characters so well) and I am looking forward to reading the third instalment.
April 4, 2013
Apart from the obvious (Harry Potter), it’s not that often you come across a male lead in a YA book (or is that just me??). From the offset you know Kellen is no ordinary 17-year-old; his above average intelligence, damaged family and strange encounters mark him out as different. The story is shrouded in mystery and Keyes very cleverly ensures the book is unputdownable by reeling in the reader within the first few opening pages.
Although magic and myth resonate throughout the pages, the very human issues of Kellen’s non-existent relationship with Stephen, along with the loss of his mother are touching and, sometimes, difficult reading. Keyes writes with an emotional confidence that sees her hit all the right notes on these harsh subjects. On the flipside, Calienta’s entrance into Kellen’s life is what the reader is waiting for; you just know you’re about to embark on a journey full of action and adventure! A complete joy to read and sets up nicely for a sequel.
Review by Charlotte Foreman on behalf of BestChickLit.com
Although magic and myth resonate throughout the pages, the very human issues of Kellen’s non-existent relationship with Stephen, along with the loss of his mother are touching and, sometimes, difficult reading. Keyes writes with an emotional confidence that sees her hit all the right notes on these harsh subjects. On the flipside, Calienta’s entrance into Kellen’s life is what the reader is waiting for; you just know you’re about to embark on a journey full of action and adventure! A complete joy to read and sets up nicely for a sequel.
Review by Charlotte Foreman on behalf of BestChickLit.com
December 5, 2012
The Star Child is a wonderful young adult urban fantasy. It features a seventeen-year-old genius, Kellan, who meets Calienta the girl of his dreams–literally. Kellan has been dreaming of Calienta most of his life.
Little does he know that she is really a star being and he has a destiny to fulfill.
I enjoyed Kellan and Calienta immensely as characters and I loved them in relationship. I also enjoyed the rich Celtic mythology woven throughout this novel. This is a unique and original story that promises to be an amazing series.
Fans of the Percy Jackson series will love The Star Child for its world of Celtic gods and goddesses, and Kellan is a great character on a grand adventure. I look forward to reading the next installment of this imaginative and original series.
Little does he know that she is really a star being and he has a destiny to fulfill.
I enjoyed Kellan and Calienta immensely as characters and I loved them in relationship. I also enjoyed the rich Celtic mythology woven throughout this novel. This is a unique and original story that promises to be an amazing series.
Fans of the Percy Jackson series will love The Star Child for its world of Celtic gods and goddesses, and Kellan is a great character on a grand adventure. I look forward to reading the next installment of this imaginative and original series.
April 10, 2013
The book starts out on the ground running. There definitely isn't a dull moment from the time that you meet Kellen St. James to the very end. He goes through a lot of things could be very relatable to a reader with family problems and learning how to deal with the loss of a loved one. As he steps into what he thinks is going to be his new life, he finds out he very wrong and is actually destined to save the world. His journey allows him to find love, make peace with those lost loved ones, learn to believe in himself, and helps him discover a strength within him he never knew he had.
Stephanie Keyes combines great characters with an amazing adventure in this exciting tale and I can't wait to get my hands on the second one to see where Kellen and Calienta's journey continues to take them!
Stephanie Keyes combines great characters with an amazing adventure in this exciting tale and I can't wait to get my hands on the second one to see where Kellen and Calienta's journey continues to take them!
September 21, 2012
Graduation was a turning point for Kellen St James, it had a whole new meaning! This well-written and intriguing fantasy was a delight to read. It will appeal to all ages if you enjoy escaping into a land where anything can, and does, happen. At each twist and turn the plot carries you along, as Kellen discovers the truth about his past, present AND future. I can't wait to read the second novel in this series!
April 20, 2013
A superb debut and introduction to this series. I thoroughly enjoyed the portals (how could I not!) and the colourful worlds and magical characters created by the author. Kellen's magical adventures with the beautiful Calienta move at a fast pace throughout, with surprises and new challenges threaded through every chapter. The strong Celtic influences are also a winner with me.
Imaginatively told; and I'm looking forward to being transported back to Kellen's worlds in the sequels.
Imaginatively told; and I'm looking forward to being transported back to Kellen's worlds in the sequels.
September 16, 2012
The Star Child is fantastic adventure of a young man who has an old soul. I've enjoyed reading about Kellen and his "Star Child" Calienta! The fast paced action and the attachment to Kellen and the other characters leave me wanting more. I am anxiously awaiting the sequel. I have already pre-ordered my copy of the new release of "The Star Child" by Inkspell Publishing!
July 11, 2013
Loved this book from beginning to end. I was taken on an amazing journey, it kind of felt like I was part of the 'Never Ending Story,' that's when you know a book is written well! I loved the characters, plot and purpose, what's more, I believed! I look forward to reading 'The Fallen Stars,' book 2 in the series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews