Star Squad — Starcrossed Series Fan Group discussion

This is the official thread for the Scions readalong discussion, the latest release in the Starcrossed trilogy by Josephine Angelini.

Rules:

• General group rules: please be polite, no rudeness or bullying will be tolerated.
• At the top of your comment, mark what chapters it is that you are talking about, and then tag your spoilers. To do this, write < spoiler > (your comment will go in between the tags < / spoiler >. There are no spaces between the symbols. A successful tag should look like (view spoiler)[this! (hide spoiler)]
• Have fun!

Readalong Schedule

CHAPTERS 1-5: 8th October to 14th October

CHAPTERS 6-10: 15th October to 21st October

CHAPTERS 11-15: 22nd October to 28th October

CHAPTERS 16-EPILOGUE: 29th October to 4th November


This schedule is just a guide for the readalong discussion, but it does not strictly have to be followed - we understand everyone reads at their own pace! This is why we are firm on the use of tagging your comments with the chapters you are commenting on and using spoiler tags. This way you can read and write your thoughts down and participate in discussion, without spoiling it for anyone else.

HAPPY SCIONS RELEASE DAY!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SCIONS!!

We will be arranging a read along and more details will be posted soon! 💗 For now, please feel free to use this space as a place to discuss Scions — if discussing contents of the books please do make sure to use spoiler tags (how to do is shown above!).

Happy Scions release day! I’m still waiting for my pre-order to arrive (I hope it’s coming soon! 😍)

Happy Scions release day! My copy arrived yesterday, but I'm excited there's going to be another read along. It'll give me some time to wrap up reading some other recent releases!

So excited to read the book! :)
But unfortunately the scheduled delivery for me is around the 20th October? I guess it cannot be delivered earlier to Belgium :/

Meghan A. Trimpop wrote: "Happy Scions release day! My copy arrived yesterday, but I'm excited there's going to be another read along. It'll give me some time to wrap up reading some other recent releases!"

We should be starting on the 8th! But more about that will be announced soon :)

Alena wrote: "So excited to read the book! :)
But unfortunately the scheduled delivery for me is around the 20th October? I guess it cannot be delivered earlier to Belgium :/"

Fingers crossed it arrives earlier 🤞🏼

I’m going back through the book before I write my review/taking notes down for this readalong, and I just wanted to share a comment down during Chapter 1/2 (view spoiler)[Anyone have that TikTok audio ‘She’s a runner, she’s a track star’ when reading this chapter or was that just me?! 🤣 (hide spoiler)]

Can’t waitttt!

Hi everyone! Here’s the read along schedule


CHAPTERS 1-5: 8th October to 14th October

CHAPTERS 6-10: 15th October to 21st October

CHAPTERS 11-15: 22nd October to 28th October

CHAPTERS 16-EPILOGUE: 29th October to 4th November

Hi everyone! So today is the day - the readalong begins! Who will be joining us in discussing Scions?

Gabby wrote: "Hi everyone! So today is the day - the readalong begins! Who will be joining us in discussing Scions?"

Hi all, my copy of the book actually got delivered today (one week earlier than Amazon originally indicated - lucky me). So I'll be absolutely happy to join the readalong :)

Alena wrote: "Gabby wrote: "Hi everyone! So today is the day - the readalong begins! Who will be joining us in discussing Scions?"

Hi all, my copy of the book actually got delivered today (one week earlier than..."

Yay!! Glad to have you joining!!

So what did everyone think of chapters 1 - 5?

I loved the part in chapter 4 where we get Tal’s perspective. It’s one of my favourite chapters of the novel, and I think some of the best writing (it’s all amazing, but this bit is a standout section for me). Putting this under spoilers too (view spoiler)[Tal’s perspective is filled with tons of emotion, and just beautiful descriptions. I like how his POV is a mixture of an outsiders perspective, and of someone very much tangled up in this story of fates etc, who is not immune to this story that they’re all wrapped up in. You can feel his mourning, his sense of regret, his hopelessness, but also his determination. Grit. Curiosity. I just think it’s fantastic and the story really benefited from having his perspective — especially when seeing his actions later in the book. Without reading it and knowing his motivations, you would not have understood his depth. His POV fits in well with the flow of the story too, it fits in as part of the puzzle. Doesn’t disjoint the narrative at all. (hide spoiler)]

There’s these few lines in chapter 5 that I highlighted because they really felt like they resonated with me. Like I read them, and they hit a part of me I didn’t know how to put in to words, you know? But I thought yes — this. I’ve felt this.

(view spoiler)[ “She doesn't know why she needs to cry but crying
soothes an unnamed ache in her for a while before crying starts to hurt in its own right. Like an ice cube pressed to a burn. It starts off being heaven, and then, held there for too long, does its own kind
of damage.” (hide spoiler)] Like damn. I love that in a book with all these hype real stuff, it’s still so grounded in real and raw emotion.

Gabby wrote: "So what did everyone think of chapters 1 - 5?

I loved the part in chapter 4 where we get Tal’s perspective. It’s one of my favourite chapters of the novel, and I think some of the best writing (i..."

YES, you nailed it.

Especially the few lines from chapter 5, "like damn" is very accurate.

I'm rereading and not that far at the moment, still in chapter 2 if I'm being honest, haha (will catch up tomorrow).

But oh, how I loved the opening scene. It's so Josephine Angelini, it feels like home, it's intriguing - and I love it.

Spoilers for chapter 2: (view spoiler)[The A-jacks scene has my heart <3 Someone show me how this could look like and I'll go practise my drawing skills. (hide spoiler)]

I really do love the opening chapters and description of Daphne. I feel like it wasn’t what I was expecting but it’s very Daphne!

Bookish Tina wrote: "I'm rereading and not that far at the moment, still in chapter 2 if I'm being honest, haha (will catch up tomorrow).

But oh, how I loved the opening scene. It's so Josephine Angelini, it feels lik..."

Yes! I love how it starts off gritty and realistic, the descriptions of the city, and then you start to get the hints of the fantasy/supernatural element. I think it eases you in nicely before going “full throttle” (this is a joke about Daphne running).

I also always think it’s interesting to see behind the “mask” (lol punny) of characters that are most typically known as (Starcrossed series spoilers here) (view spoiler)[ the bad guy, the antagonist, the character the protagonist had a lot of complicated feelings for (hide spoiler)]. I think this did a good job at peeling back the layers in Daphne. It’s a lot similar to what I said in my comment about Tal really. But for Daphne it’s a whole book about her backstory!

Snug_Talks wrote: "I really do love the opening chapters and description of Daphne. I feel like it wasn’t what I was expecting but it’s very Daphne!"

Did you like Daphne before reading this book? This is probably a convo for later — but did this book change your opinions on her any? Do you think they’ll change again in Timeless?

Don't mind me, just adding my favorite lines from every chapter. ;)

“All I have to do is survive until graduation. One day at a time, right? I know that’s a mantra from Alcoholics Anonymous, but as far as odious afflictions go, it’s my experience that high school should have a twelve-step recovery or its own. There’d probably be fewer alcoholics if it did.”

Gabby wrote: "Bookish Tina wrote: "I'm rereading and not that far at the moment, still in chapter 2 if I'm being honest, haha (will catch up tomorrow).

But oh, how I loved the opening scene. It's so Josephine A..."

Totally agree with you!! Josie just makes it so easy to get into the story because it's totally relatable and then there are these intriguing fantasy elements you want to know more about.

And absolutely!! I love seeing different sides to characters, that makes them so much more realistic and interesting!

Josephine wrote: "Don't mind me, just adding my favorite lines from every chapter. ;)

“All I have to do is survive until graduation. One day at a time, right? I know that’s a mantra from Alcoholics Anonymous, but a..."

SUCH a good quote. It's witty but it's also so true and relatable from different perspectives. Daphne is talking about the social aspect of high school (although hers is a little special), but to be honest the same goes for the learning part. Even if you're into school and learning like me, high school is rough and you just have to go from day to day/week to week. And I LOVE how this quote just covers it all

Still about chapters 1-5: Can we talk about Ajax' and Daphne's first meeting? *heart eyes*

Chapter 2 quote.

“The trains begin to pull out of the station in opposite directions and he and I are both running now inside our cars to stay level with each other. Our eyes locked, our purposes clear. We want this fight.”

Josephine wrote: "Chapter 2 quote.

“The trains begin to pull out of the station in opposite directions and he and I are both running now inside our cars to stay level with each other. Our eyes locked, our purposes ..."

I love this quote! Such an iconic first meeting

Bookish Tina wrote: "Josephine wrote: "Chapter 2 quote.

“The trains begin to pull out of the station in opposite directions and he and I are both running now inside our cars to stay level with each other. Our eyes loc..."

I love this because (if you don't know Starcrossed that is) that quote first makes you think they see each other and immediately feel a connection or fall in love or something, and then you continue reading and you're like "ooor they really want to kill each other??".
Just reminds me how special and unique the original trilogy is and why my teenage self fell in love with the whole story in the first place.