"The Twins on Thursday" is reserved for the Twins' joint reviews. It is a special feature of our blog that discusses books that we either both like, dislike, or have mixed feelings about. This is also the day where we post reviews for books (and ARCs/Galleys) that have been sent to us by authors/galley sites/publishing houses. And because we don't believe much in uniformity, we'll be trying to mix things up a bit by adding random stuff in relation to our review (well, mostly for books we purchased anyway).
Title: The Holders
Author: Julianna Scott
Format Acquired: eARC
Publication Date: March 5, 2013
Publishing House: Strange Chemistry
ISBN: 9781908844422
Source of Copy: Requested from publisher via Netgalley
Summary:
17-year-old Becca spent her whole life protecting her brother from, well, everything. The abandonment of their father, the so called 'experts' who insist that the voices in his head are unnatural and must be dealt with, and the constant threat of being taken away to some hospital and studied like an animal. When two representatives appear claiming to have the answers to Ryland's perceived problem, Becca doesn't buy it for one second. That is until they seem to know things about Ryland and about Becca and Ryland's family, that forces Becca to concede that there may be more to these people than meets the eye. Though still highly skeptical, Becca agrees to do what's best for Ryland.
What they find at St. Brigid's is a world beyond their imagination. Little by little they piece together the information of their family;s heritage, their estranged Father, and the legend of the Holder race that decrees that Ryland is the one they've been waiting for. However, they are all - especially Becca - in for a surprise that will change what they thought they knew about themselves and their kind.
She meets Alex, a Holder who is fiercely loyal to their race, and for some reason, Becca and Ryland. There's an attraction between Becca and Alex that can't be denied, but her true nature seems destined to keep them apart. However certain destinies may not be as clear cut as everyone has always believed them to be.
Becca is lost, but found at the same time. Can she bring herself to leave Ryland now that he's settled and can clearly see his future? Will she be able to put the feelings she has for Alex aside and head back to the US? And can Becca and Ryland forgive their father for what he's done?
Review:
Becca spent most of her life taking care of her brother keeping him away from those who would want to medicate him and whisk him away to the loony bin on account of how he hears voices in his head. Then one day she returns home to find people from this strange school in Ireland taking a strange interest in her brother and although the school seems to be good for her brother she's reluctant as she is unsure of her motives. She relents in the end and finally agrees to accompany her brother all the way to Ireland, where she finds out that she is not all what she seems.
Becca may have took some time to figure things out for herself, and we chalked it up to her having a different teenage life, where she worries about her brother and never seems to make time for herself. When she was in Ireland, she pretty much was awestruck with the new environment and the new people. We could understand that given her genius status, Becca may not have had the easiest time back in high school to have made some friends. Alex, the love interest, remained Becca's rock pretty much throughout the whole ordeal. Despite being a little bland for us, he seems to be a perfect match for Becca who needs someone to lean on as well.
Jocelyn, Becca and Ryland's father, reminded us a lot of Professor Xavier from the X-Men. They're both headmasters of a school for people with powers and both of them just so happen to have abilities that involve mind-reading and compelling other people's wills. As far as we've seen, the powers that have been showcased in the Holders are quite typical of the super-powered-humans theme. Truth be told, we were hoping for some really cool powers.
Despite some problems with the book, like when Becca may have been a bit too overdramatic, and a bit slow in piecing things together, and some plot twists may have been a bit too predictable and boring, we did have to admire Becca's overprotectiveness over her brother. The way they love and truly care for one another is sweet and genuine, and the fact that Becca had the audacity to actually let her brother be happy struck a chord in us. (If only all siblings were as nice!)
Source of Copy: Requested from publisher via Netgalley
Summary:
17-year-old Becca spent her whole life protecting her brother from, well, everything. The abandonment of their father, the so called 'experts' who insist that the voices in his head are unnatural and must be dealt with, and the constant threat of being taken away to some hospital and studied like an animal. When two representatives appear claiming to have the answers to Ryland's perceived problem, Becca doesn't buy it for one second. That is until they seem to know things about Ryland and about Becca and Ryland's family, that forces Becca to concede that there may be more to these people than meets the eye. Though still highly skeptical, Becca agrees to do what's best for Ryland.
What they find at St. Brigid's is a world beyond their imagination. Little by little they piece together the information of their family;s heritage, their estranged Father, and the legend of the Holder race that decrees that Ryland is the one they've been waiting for. However, they are all - especially Becca - in for a surprise that will change what they thought they knew about themselves and their kind.
She meets Alex, a Holder who is fiercely loyal to their race, and for some reason, Becca and Ryland. There's an attraction between Becca and Alex that can't be denied, but her true nature seems destined to keep them apart. However certain destinies may not be as clear cut as everyone has always believed them to be.
Becca is lost, but found at the same time. Can she bring herself to leave Ryland now that he's settled and can clearly see his future? Will she be able to put the feelings she has for Alex aside and head back to the US? And can Becca and Ryland forgive their father for what he's done?
Becca spent most of her life taking care of her brother keeping him away from those who would want to medicate him and whisk him away to the loony bin on account of how he hears voices in his head. Then one day she returns home to find people from this strange school in Ireland taking a strange interest in her brother and although the school seems to be good for her brother she's reluctant as she is unsure of her motives. She relents in the end and finally agrees to accompany her brother all the way to Ireland, where she finds out that she is not all what she seems.
Becca may have took some time to figure things out for herself, and we chalked it up to her having a different teenage life, where she worries about her brother and never seems to make time for herself. When she was in Ireland, she pretty much was awestruck with the new environment and the new people. We could understand that given her genius status, Becca may not have had the easiest time back in high school to have made some friends. Alex, the love interest, remained Becca's rock pretty much throughout the whole ordeal. Despite being a little bland for us, he seems to be a perfect match for Becca who needs someone to lean on as well.
Jocelyn, Becca and Ryland's father, reminded us a lot of Professor Xavier from the X-Men. They're both headmasters of a school for people with powers and both of them just so happen to have abilities that involve mind-reading and compelling other people's wills. As far as we've seen, the powers that have been showcased in the Holders are quite typical of the super-powered-humans theme. Truth be told, we were hoping for some really cool powers.
Despite some problems with the book, like when Becca may have been a bit too overdramatic, and a bit slow in piecing things together, and some plot twists may have been a bit too predictable and boring, we did have to admire Becca's overprotectiveness over her brother. The way they love and truly care for one another is sweet and genuine, and the fact that Becca had the audacity to actually let her brother be happy struck a chord in us. (If only all siblings were as nice!)
Rating:
Intriguing...I can't help being drawn in by the graduating-from-high-school-young theme, and I'm always interested in how others portray that situation.
ReplyDeleteregards,
zaira of Pocket Knife Planet