Scions

I'm really glad that I was able to go back to the Starcrossed series, it was great that I was able to read the adventures of Daphne. It's been a while since I was able to go to this world, it was great to see how Josephine Angelini has improved from the first book. The relationship in the book was really well done. I can't wait to go back to this world in the next new book.

“It’s a blue diamond,” he tells me. “A rare one. Like you.” He thinks I’m a blue diamond, I say silently to myself. I almost laugh, but again, he’s really nervous and trying so hard, so I smile at him and put it on."

5 stars

Thank you Netgalley for giving me this arc! So, I haven't read anything by Josephine Angelini before but after reading this (prequel to her series books) I'm 100%
encouraged to read her other books!! It was thrilling and the characters really caught my attention. Would definitely recommend to everyone when this book come out- you won't want to miss it!!

This book was such a fun read! I was in a reading slump and this book really got me out of it. I flew through this book in one afternoon and I am so sad it is over. I will be looking out for this author in the future and will be recommending this book to all of my family and friends.

Honestly, I did not think I could fall in love with this world any more than I already have but JA has proved me wrong! I was so excited when I found out she was releasing a prequel series, and especially because the first book is about Daphne and she was easily the most intriguing character from the original trilogy.

I adore Greek mythology and the way JA has woven the myths into her own stunning tale is gripping to read. This book follows Daphne as she struggles to cope with being The Face and eventually meets Ajax and falls in love. There were so many little drops and hints about the original trilogy, and although the ending was in no way whatsoever what I expected, I am absolutely desperate to read the sequel ASAP!

I adored this book. Truly epic storytelling with a romance that totally captured me. I love novels with elements of Greek mythology and this was incredibly well done, fast paced and well written. I understand this is a prequel to the Starcrossed series which I will most definitely be reading next. Overall an absorbing and thrilling read - 100% recommend.

Thank you to Net Galley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for providing an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

When I was an undergraduate, I was so inspired by the use of Helen in Josephine Angelini's Starcrossed Trilogy that I wrote an entire 70 page thesis on it. So, going into Scions, which is a prequel to that trilogy, after nearly 10 years, there was a very high bar already set.

While this book is not perfect--for instance, I would have liked to see the few BIPOC characters have more of their own storylines, versus being mostly included to support or motivate white Scion characters--Scions lives up to a very high bar. I manages to tell a story to which readers of the original series already know the ending, while maintaining the same level of engagement in the story as I had with the original series. It also illustrates more than the original series did how serious the curse of bearing the world's most beautiful Face can be by showing Daphne's struggles with having friends, being stared at and stalked on the street, and even maintaining her relationship with her human family members.

Many of the scenes in this book created beautifully vivid images for me, thanks to Ajax's artistic inclinations, and the inclusion of street art added a very personal aspect to Ajax and Daphne's blossoming connection. I was also pleasantly surprised at a certain cameo appearance, and I look forward to how this story will continue to play out in the next book and to continuing to get the backstories of the many players in the Scion world of the generation before Helen and Lucas. I especially hope we see more of Harlow and get Castor and Noel's story in future books!

Overall, if you loved the original Starcrossed series, this book will not disappoint, but it is also an accessible entry point to readers who are new to Josephine Angelini's world of demigods and monsters. Be sure to read the excerpt of the next book included at the end, as it left me with tons of questions and very intrigued to read the next book in the series.

I loved the original star crossed series and my mum has just started to read it too! Scions lives up to a very high bar. It manages to tell a story that readers of the original series already know the ending, while maintaining the same level of engagement in the story as I had with the original series. I seem to always love novels with elements of Greek mythology and this was incredibly well done, fast paced and well written but really I don’t think I expected anything less from Josephine Angelini!

This book has made me want to reread the trilogy again! I also need a physical copy now.

5 Stars ⭐️

My FIRST Starcrossed book and I can assure you that it most definitely won't be the last. I was honestly skeptical about requesting it but when I saw it was the prequel, I said screw it and went ahead with it.

I am honesty THRILLED to be one of the selected few who have read an ARC of this book because it is honestly fantastic.
I adored the world-building, the mythology, the plot, the characters, the scenes, just EVERYTHING I CANNOT EVEN WOW.

It was just straight-up amazing, not gonna lie. Now I'm planning to go read the rest of the series just because I can. Amen.

I had never read any book by Josephine Angelini before and let me tell you that was a BIG mistake, after I finished reading I did a little research and found out that this is actually a prequel and I have come to a decision. IT SHOULD BE A SERIES. The romance was everything I needed, Daphne’s and Ajax were soooo cute and Tantalus was a very interesting side character, I have some questions about the ending, but I am going to read the original series to answer them. This book was just amazing. The world building is outstanding and I would love to read anything like this again.

I thoroughly enjoyed Angelini's Starcrossed trilogy and was thrilled to see that there was a new book being released which is a prequel to the series. Scions follows Daphne and Ajaxs story. You see what Daphne had to endure and what her life is like having the cursed face. Daphne and Ajax are star crossed lovers who are determined to break the curse set by their ancestors.

It was great to be back in this world and see Daphnes story. I liked seeing Daphne and Ajax and seeing them work to break the curse. I also enjoyed seeing Daphne and the friendship she forms with Harlow. I also really enjoyed seeing some characters that were in the previous series.

This was a fun, quick read that I really enjoyed. The ending is fast paced and leaves me eager for the next book in the series.

Thank you NetGalley for a chance to read Scions.

This book is so good I feel blessed I got to read this. From the first sentence I literally couldn’t put this book down. I was so invested in the characters, the plot, and the relationships, the author just draws you into the world. The was actually the first book I have read by this author (I have been meaning to read Starcrossed forever) and after reading this, I have already bought her entire Starcrossed series because I know I will love it. I really loved the friendship with Harlow and Daphne and the spin-off Helen of Troy retelling. Cannot recommend this enough.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read the ARC for Scions! I read The Starcrossed series when it came out ten years ago, and loved it. When I saw Josephine Angelini was planning to extend the series, I was thrilled.

First, let me say the cover is gorgeous! I can’t wait to buy a physical copy so I can display it on my bookshelf. Now you don’t have to read The Starcrossed series to understand the plot of Scions, but since I’m a huge fan of the original series, I would recommend reading it. Scions is the prequel to The Starcrossed series. It follows Daphne, daughter of Zeus, from the House of Atreus. (Daphne is Helen’s mother from The Starcrossed series.) Daphne is struggling in this book, dealing with being The Face, and all the attention that it brings. She ends up meeting Ajax who is from the House of Thebes and that’s where things get tricky. Because of the Curse, they instinctively want to kill each other. Scions was a fun read and really enjoyed it! I can’t wait to read the second book once it’s out!

Interesting read. I want to read the rest of the series for context. I wish I knew a little bit more about mythology to better understand the story but overall great book! Thanks NetGalley!

Ok so I somehow missed that this is book number 4 in a series when I requested and started reading this book - BUT I was able to jump right in and dive into this world and follow along no problems. I cannot believe I missed the first three in this series, but I am going straight out and looking for those asap! I so enjoyed this book - the enemies to lovers trope - a little bit of the Romeo and Juliet vibes sprinkled in with the Greek mythology. SO SO GOOD!

Thank you NetGalley for this read!

I loved every single minute of reading this book! It kept me interested the whole time, I just didn’t want to put it down! It brings up some difficult situations and they are written so well! The romance aspect is just perfect and I loved seeing the relationship blossom between the main characters! What a beautiful read and I can’t wait to read the rest!

I cannot even begin to express how amazing it was to be back in the Starcrossed world after all this time. It was just over ten years ago that I read the first book in the series and now to see how the story actually began was priceless.

In this book, we go back in time to Daphne’s teenage years where she met Ajax. As the Fates try their hardest to make them kill each other, love has other ideas. It was great to read Daphne’s back story and to find out why she made the choices she did( giving you an excellent starting point for Helen’s story in Starcrossed.

This book has a fantastic array of characters. Who could not love the Delos family after reading this? The author tantalises the reader with romance before throwing you off guard with fight scenes. On top of that she throws in an unexpected blast from the past, or should I say the future.

Set in New York, the author brought my favourite place to life and I actually felt like I was running through Central Park with the characters.

This prequel shows Josephine Angelini is back with a vengeance in the world she creates the best. If you love Greek mythology set in a contemporar setting, you need to read the Starcrossed series. No one does Greek myths quite like Josephine Angelini. I actually wish I’d reread the previous three books before reading this prequel. At least I now have a good excuse to reread them.

Thank you to @netgalley & @josephine_angelini for this review copy.

I have not read the starcrossed series that this book is a prequel too, however after reading thi book, I definitely will be. A really enjoyable read that is well writtenwith a compelling storyline.

“𝘍𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘐’𝘮 𝘢𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘥. 𝘐𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘐’𝘷𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦.”

I’m a sucker for Greek mythology retellings, especially when tropes such as “I love you but we can never be together” and “I’ll burn the whole damn world down for you” are prevalent in the book. Scions by Josephine Angelini gives you exactly that.

Men are fated to kill for her. But New York holds a surprise for Daphne and her cursed face—the same one that once launched a thousand ships. A series of murals painted all over town mysteriously pull at her in ways she can’t understand. That’s because the artist is Ajax Delos, Son of Apollo, Scion of the House of Thebes, and Daphne’s mortal enemy.

As soon as I read the description of this book, I immediately requested it from #netgalley because I knew it was going to be one of my favorite books — and my intuition was right. This is one of my absolute favorite Greek myth retellings of Apollo and Daphne, except this is a spin on their descendants.

Daphne is a fighter, and sure as hell won’t back down to any man. She trains consistently with her guardian in order to be the strongest in her house. Because having a pretty, seductive face shouldn’t equate to a woman not being lethal or skilled in battle, right? But when Daphne’s nightly rendezvous ends up with her facing her mortal enemy, Ajax the son of Apollo, everything in her brain goes haywire. She doesn’t know if she wants to k.i.ll him due to a generational curse, or let the lusty haze run it’s course, so naturally she plays both of these emotions.

Ajax is the perfect golden boy. Literally, he reminded me of the “golden retriever boyfriend” the whole time, so I obviously fell in love with his character. He may not be as skilled or strong as Daphne when it comes to battle talent, but the way he will drop everything for her and do anything to protect her makes up for it.

I absolutely loved this book, and if you like Greek retellings with forbidden lust and enemies to lovers, you’re going to fall in love with this book just as I have. Josephine Angelini is at the top of my favorite authors list now, and I can’t wait to buy more of her books.

Scions releases October 4th later this year, make sure to pre-order your copy and fall in love with Daphne and Apollo, just as I have.

I was so excited when I saw that there was a new starcrossed novel, Starcrossed is one of my all time favourite books. I was slightly apprehensive about it being a prequel, for me prequels can be a bit hit or miss, you already know a rough idea of how the story is going to go so really need something extra to the story to make it interesting. This book had all I hoped for and loads more! The writing style was slightly different from the Starcrossed novels which was good, it definitely felt like you were reading another persons voice and considering I hadn’t liked Daphne in the previous novels, I really enjoyed getting an insight into her perspective.

This was a great prequel! It definitely fits with the star crossed series. It was a quick and easy read with an engaging plot, great characters and a great ending. I was in quite a big slump and this book got me out of it. Overall, a very enjoyable book that I would definitely recommend and re read. And I’ll definitely be buying a physical copy when I have the chance!

The story and author are new to me, but I have to say I loved this book
This book is a prequel to the authors previously published Starcrossed trilogy series

You absolutely do not need to read the series before reading this book, but you will want to read it after reading this one

It is Greek mythology at is best. The book is the story of Daphne, the daughter of Zeus. I was totally engrossed in this book.

I am so looking forward to reading the whole series and will be going back to read the Starcrossed trilogy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me an advance copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.

Thank you to Netgalley and publishers for this eARC of Scions

As soon as I read the blurb for Scions I knew it was going to be an epic read.
Daphne the secret demi god with the face that launched a thousand ships and Ajax the demi god from a rival house destined to kill each other.
I loved the story of these two, the effort put into creating the characters and making each their own was perfect.
We all know the Greek mythology and it was a refreshing take on it, creating a unique story with twists and turns.
All the characters I felt were essential to the storyline, though I felt the character Antigone could have featured more to make her more tangable to the plot.
The world building and the history that went into the story was great and though I've not read any of the previous 3 books i didn't feel like I needed to. To be honest I only found out it was a series when I went looking on Amazon.
I highly recommend this novel.

The star crossed series still remains one of my favourite series to this day. So when I received an ARC of Scions I was over the moon.

This book has the same nostalgia of the original three star crossed books but focuses on Daphne, Helen’s mum. It tells the tale of her learning to live with “the face” and how she ultimately comes to fall in love with a member of another house.

This book just ticked all the boxes for me and I can’t wait to see what comes next.

Loved it! I was obsessed with the original trilogy and I’m so happy it’s continuing, it was great to learn about Daphne and I’m very intrigued by the ending

This book is a beautiful romance and I absolutely loved reading Daphne’s story. This is the perfect prequel which gives more insight into the Scions world.
This book is well written and the characters are really well developed.
I definitely recommend this book if you love this series.

Thank you to Netgalley for this early eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Man, I enjoyed reading these books so much! I've read the originals a few times now, but it's been a while, and now with Scions coming out, I had to do a reread! I had such a great time being back in this world with these characters!

I remembered a few things, like who the betrayer was, that having the Furies forget might not be the best thing, and Helen and Lucas weren't cousins, and that she won against Zeus, but I forgot the particulars. Which is why a reread is so great!

Knowing the synopsis for Timeless now, there's two things that I'm on the lookout for-that Lucas has his bargain with Hades (he really should've worded it different, like that they take turns or something, not that someone always has it.) And that Zeus is still a problem. Though there still is Helen's favors that she owes Hecate...

Absolutely loved reading Scions. Daphne is a hard character for me, she did some really terrible stuff because of her love for Ajax. But this was the story of her falling in love. It was really great to see the politics of the time, that built up the histories of characters that we met in the first 3 books. And that ending! I can't wait for more! Timeless is going to deal with this, I'm pretty sure, and it's going to be so great!

These were all such great reads, and I can't wait to see where Timeless goes!

I never really liked Daphne in the original trilogy so I was pleasently surprised by this book. I can see the trauma that she had to go through to make her the person she is in the starcrossed trilogy. The book filled in so many gaps to the story that was missing before and I can safely say that it has renewed my love for the Scion world. I have already preordered book 5 in the series!

<i> Tell me your favorite color, and I'll paint the sky with it, </i>

Romeo&Juliet, but make it greek-myth infused!
I. just. love. it.

I have to be honest, I never read the Starcrossed trilogy before but I heard Scions was like a prequel so I jumped right in and... I adore it! I love the settings, the rivalling families, the yearning!!! and of course the angsty romance. I love the Greek myth references and the poetic writing style.

Overall it was such a great read and I can't wait to read the trilogy and Timeless soon!

A prequel to the bestselling star crossed series

New York City, 1993. It wasn't Daphne's choice to move into the heart of a struggle that has been secretly waging for thirty-three hundred years, but not much in her life has been up to her. Fate has brought Daphne, daughter of Zeus, and Heir to the House of Atreus to where the descendants of the Greek gods can shed blood over her once again.
Men are fated to kill for her.
But New York holds a surprise for Daphne and her cursed face--the same one that once launched a thousand ships. A series of murals painted all over town mysteriously pull at her in ways she can't understand. That's because the artist is Ajax Delos, Son of Apollo, Scion of the House of Thebes, and Daphne's mortal enemy.
She found the one worth dying for.
With the Fates manipulating them like pieces on a chessboard, Daphne and Ajax must find a way to break the cycle of destruction set in motion by their ancestors before the walls of Troy, or risk becoming yet another pair of star-crossed lovers doomed to repeat the same fatal mistakes.
Read in one sitting really enjoyable read totally recommend
Thank You NetGalley and Sungrazer Publishing
I just reviewed Scions by Josephine Angelini. #Scionsnovel #NetGalley

I enjoyed stepping back into the world of Star-crossed, it was easy to read and a good refresher to then return back to the original trilogy before reading Timeless.
I do enjoy reading a good Greek mythology retelling, this time it's the Trojan War, Josephine hasn't disappointed with this prequel; I had fun looking up the Greeks who's name appears in this book of family feuds and Star-crossed lovers.
I love the forbidden love/enemies to lovers trope so this book was right up my street, the Daphne wasn't annoying and I like her relationship with Ajax, it was electrifying seeing their relationship develop throughout the book.
The 90s set up also added to the lore of reading this book the throwbacks reminded me of my childhood in that era it was refreshing to read great escapism.
Expect an epic story of feuding God's and Demi-gods, passionate love and unforgettable characters and story.

And finally, here I am, to write my most awaited review EVER! First of all: a huge thanks to NetGalley for providing me an arc of this book. Seriously, I was slowly but steadily going insane as I waited for October to come along! But now, to what really matters: Scions! 


What to say about this work of art? I don't even know where to begin! Josephine Angelini has a gift and that's for sure, it always amazes me how writing seems to be so effortless in the way things always flow so swiftly… I don't even know how to explain it to be honest, but her writing just sucks you in and before you even take notice, you already are halfway through the book, completely immersed in it and not even knowing when that happened. That's just how it is. 


As for Scions, anyone who knows me, knows I've been crazy excited for this release, afterall, I've been obsessed with Starcrossed since 2012, when I first came across it, and although I always praised Goddess for being the perfect ending to a perfect story, I always wondered what could have been, because the book ends with so many plots to yet to be explored, still, I was kinda afraid this could just mess up a perfectly good story which had ended well, but I still trusted Josephine and I'm glad I did. This book fulfilled its purpose of giving us some background knowledge of the Starcrossed universe, while still being one of the best books I ever read and I really do hope to hear more of Ajax and Daphne's story. I know some from reading Starcrossed, but I fell in love so hard for Ajax, that I'm just hoping to see more of him at this point while also curious about Tantalus and what truly happened to him (if you know you know, if you don't, go read Starcrossed!). Either way, Scions is an amazing prequel to an amazing series and a total must read. 

Each character is so captivating and the writing so fluid, that you can't help but enjoy it and be completely eloped by this pair of Starcrossed lovers, truly hoping and cheering for their happy ending. Seriously, to me, this book was everything and then some.

I have been recently introduced to the original Starcrossed series by a dear friend and I loved the magical ethereal nature of it. This prequel continues that joy and magic from the first page all the way through.

I received an e-ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Rating : 4.25

Review : NO SPOILERS

I loved returning to Josephine Angelini's world of demigods and houses. Daphne has always been one of the most conflicting and interesting characters in books 1-3 and to read more about her and Ajax was amazing. I did expect certain characters to behave in a certain way and when I got something completely different, I was really surprised and loved the book more. Few of my own idiosyncrasies aside, this book is a must read for all Greek Myth fans and I cannot wait for Timeless next year

This book was the prequel to her series, which I haven't read, but after reading Scions, I am dying to read the rest of her books. This book combines a few of my favourite things - NEW YORK, 1990's, Greek Mythology and Enemies to Lovers.

This book was amazing with its tropes and everything. I do think that despite being almost perfect, this book was missing something (ANGST). The book was missing the angst that comes with Enemies to Lovers. Maybe if I'd gotten a bit of angst, I would rate it five stars, but yeah, for now, four stars will have to do. The plot-building and the world-building were amazing, and I have to praise the author for them. Most fantasy books take too much time to develop the world, and it just confuses and bores me, but even though this was the first one I read, I was easily able to get the world.

Ajax is the cutest ever MMC. He's an artist, and he literally painted the sky with her face (well came pretty close to it) Daphne is also such a great FMC which I honestly didn't expect her to be in the starting because the first chapter daphne was cringe for me while rest of the book daphne was amazing.

The dazzling prequel to the Starcrossed series, the #1 international bestselling trilogy. Perfect for fans of great storytelling.

Thank you NetGalley, publisher and author for sending me a copy for an honest review.
Firstly, I am really excited to get this ebook on my ereader- for several reasons. Firstly, the Starcrossed series is one of my favourite series. It follows a modern day Helen of Troy. And what I feel this series has done better than the rest of the fantasy series is the main character has human faults and she faces something that we all can relate - what is her purpose here? While Scions follows another main character, the character still shows human faults, which is something I love to see. Genuine and trying to figure who she is today. A solid 5 stars.

Daphne is in possession of The Face - the one that launched 1000 ships in Ancient Greece. Embroiled in a battle over 3,000 years old, she finds herself tested and pushed to her limits as she falls for a boy on the other side.

Although Scions is a prequel to the Starcrossed Trilogy, I think it can be read without needing to read them first (although some things definitely mean more if you have!). Just like when I read the original trilogy as a teen, this book sucks you in and weaves a brilliant take on the ancient Greek myths. Definitely a recommended read!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a stunning prequel and was wonderful! Prequels are always so fun.

Scions was a light and easy read, that I really enjoyed.
Although I haven't read any of the other books in the series, I found this book extremely enjoyable. The character were relatable and had beautiful relationships with each other. Ajax and Daphne's forbidden love was swoon-worthy, and one of the only forbidden loves that I liked. It has inspired me to take up the rest of the series. I would recommend it for lovers of lore by Alexandra Bracken.

Synopsis:
New York City, 1993. It wasn’t Daphne’s choice to move into the heart of a struggle that has been secretly waging for thirty-three hundred years, but not much in her life has been up to her. Fate has brought Daphne, daughter of Zeus, and Heir to the House of Atreus to where the descendants of the Greek gods can shed blood over her once again.

Men are fated to kill for her.

But New York holds a surprise for Daphne and her cursed face—the same one that once launched a thousand ships. A series of murals painted all over town mysteriously pull at her in ways she can't understand. That’s because the artist is Ajax Delos, Son of Apollo, Scion of the House of Thebes, and Daphne’s mortal enemy.

She found the one worth dying for.

With the Fates manipulating them like pieces on a chessboard, Daphne and Ajax must find a way to break the cycle of destruction set in motion by their ancestors before the walls of Troy, or risk becoming yet another pair of star-crossed lovers doomed to repeat the same fatal mistakes.

Thank you NetGalley for providing an eARC of Scions, by Josephine Angelini.

As a reading, coming this this book, having not read the Starcrossed trilogy, all the characters and concepts were completely fresh for me. Despite this, the book so so well written, that I had no confusion, and feel it could easily be the novel you being the series on, rather than reading it through publication order.

Daphne, as the protagonist, allows for a lot of mythological parallels to be drawn, and used for inspiration, which Angelini does very well. Having Helens Face, and being stalked in the same was that the original Daphne experiences, gives hints of irony for readers who are family with greek mythology.

In a lot of ways, this narrative reads like Romeo and Juliet, featuring themes of forbidden love, familial rivalries, and the continuous build of drama. I would like to note, that this book is not a retelling of any story or myth, but there is clear inspiration, and symbolism in names, like using Daphne, Ajax, Talus, etc.

After finishing Scions, I am very inclined to read the original trilogy that this comes from, having fallen in love with the characters, and I do wonder what happens to Daphne, post her story and into Helen's.

Thank you so much for allowing me to read and review your titles. I really not the opportunity!

I do appreciate it and continue to review books that I get the chance to read.
Thanks again!

As somone who loved the Starcrossed series I am very excited to read this prequel. Full review to follow both here and on my blog. Thank you very much for the opportunity to review this book. The cover is gorgeous as well. I love Greek mythology and especially with a bit of romance thrown in. Very interested to dive into Daphne & Ajax’s story.

The dazzling prequel to the Starcrossed series, the #1 international bestselling trilogy by Josephine Angelini. Perfect for fans of Tracy Wolff and Jennifer L. Armentrout.

New York City, 1993. It wasn’t Daphne’s choice to move into the heart of a struggle that has been secretly waging for thirty-three hundred years, but not much in her life has been up to her. Fate has brought Daphne, daughter of Zeus, and Heir to the House of Atreus to where the descendants of the Greek gods can shed blood over her once again.

Men are fated to kill for her.

But New York holds a surprise for Daphne and her cursed face—the same one that once launched a thousand ships. A series of murals painted all over town mysteriously pull at her in ways she can't understand. That’s because the artist is Ajax Delos, Son of Apollo, Scion of the House of Thebes, and Daphne’s mortal enemy.

She found the one worth dying for.

With the Fates manipulating them like pieces on a chessboard, Daphne and Ajax must find a way to break the cycle of destruction set in motion by their ancestors before the walls of Troy, or risk becoming yet another pair of star-crossed lovers doomed to repeat the same fatal mistakes.

Daphne’s face is cursed. She is the heir to the Scion House of Zeus and must wear the legendary face of Helen of Troy. She tries to hide… she doesn’t want to go around starting wars between mortals or the Scion families. But when her face shows up in street art mural, she knows she’ll have to track down the artist, Ajax, and see how he knows her. Surely nothing bad will come of it? Let’s find out.

Read if you like: Classic YA, Greek mythology, retellings, paranormal romance, star-crossed lovers, enemies to lovers, make your own fate, prequels, a little steam in your slow burn romance.

The Scions, demigod families of Olympus, are locked in an unending conflict that began with the war of Troy. Daphne is the current bearer of The Face. Her one true fate is to rekindle the war of her descendants and reawaken the gods. But when she meets another Scion from a rival family, Ajax, it appears that the Fates have another thread woven into the tapestries of their lives. Can they survive their families and follow their own path away from destruction?

This book was a lot of fun. I have a feeling if I would have read the Starcrossed series before picking up this book for fun then I would have possibly rated it 5 stars. Maybe it’s just my own neurosis from knowing there were more books, but I could tell that this was leading up to something that would not be resolved quickly or easily. Also, I was expecting a much more depressing ending. So that was a positive surprise. I mean, bad things happen, it’s a book, but overall, pleasantly surprised.

So, what do you get? A really great throwback YA PNR. And not just because its set in the 1990s. (So on brand, rn.) 😊 The MC teens are teenagery yet totally OP with their special demigod status. And they actually know what they’re doing, so, there’s not that annoying learning curve… “oh I have powers, oh em gee! What now?!?” There’s a lot of great tension and background information within the Scion Houses and you feel the connection to the Greek myths while having space to be its own thing. The romance is so classic YA. Its so good. And yes, you get a happy-ish ending. My only problem… I now need to add 3 more books to my ridiculously long TBR. So yeah, thanks Josephine Angelini! 😉 It’s not like I’ll ever be close to finished anyway…

Thank you to NetGalley, Sungrazer Publishing, and Josephine Angelini for a copy of this book for my honest review.

I loved this. Unashamedly. I read the Starcrossed trilogy when it first published, and thoroughly enjoyed it, though as a kind of guilty pleasure. When I realised that Josephine Angelini had written a prequel about Helen's mother, I was delighted, and instantly wanted it.
This is set in the early 90s in New York, and tells the story of an earlier generation of star-crossed lovers as Daphne and Ajax try to deal with the love-hate relationship that comes of being Scions inexorably drawn to each other.
Cameo appearances from characters in the original trilogy were delightful to deal with the whole way through, and there's an interesting layer of darkness to this story that wasn't as clear in Helen's - seems like Daphne's way of dealing with being a Scion involves a lot more death than Helen's experience in the Starcrossed trilogy. Going back another generation, we see the grandparents of our original trilogy Scions and the generational conflict that's intertwined between the houses. We don't see much of the other two houses, but there's another sequel coming which will bring together this prequel and the later timeline. I actually can't wait.

Also, the cover for this is gorgeous. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience and am now off to read the original trilogy in preparation for the fifth book!

I read Starcrossed when I was in high school and devoured the series as all the books were released and I couldn't stand Daphne but now as a mother and after reading Scions I get it, I totally get it; not the way she treated Helen though, I'll never forgive her! Throughout Starcrossed we kept getting a glimpse into Daphne and Ajax's forbidden love but I was so immersed in the plot (since Josephine is a phenomenal writer) I didn't really care lol but when I saw this I had to get a copy! It's a very easy read, it has a plot and we get insight into the Scion world. I really hope this book takes off because I would love it to be picked up as a TV series! I think it would be amazing!!

Scions follows Ajax and Daphne who are scions from different lineages that are meant to hate each other as a curse from the Fates but a freak accident brings them closer to each other. This doesn't sit well with the families since only bad things can happen when bloodlines intermingle and defy the Fates. (view spoiler) I love books connected to Greek mythology so true to the first installment we get mythology mingled in organically throughout the novel. I think this book can be read before or after reading the other books set with the Delos clan since Josephine really does have an amazing writing style!

Thank you Netgalley and Stargrazer Publishing for the chance to read an advance copy of Scions by Josephine Angelini. This is book 4 of the Starcrossed series, but it is actually a prequel to the original trilogy that came out 11 years ago. I fell in love with this YA series which started me on my path of loving Greek mythology fiction. While the original trilogy talked about the star-crossed love between Daphne and Ajax and what happened, Scions brings that story front and center and sheds new light on what happened, and adds new dimensions, and some new surprises...I originally worried that after so many years the Starcrossed world would not be as exciting as I remembered but it was just as exciting and as magically as before. With not only characters we met before but who are young and full of life, and new characters that throw some new light on the original story. Do we really know the truth? I truly recommend reading this book, and the original trilogy (but read the trilogy first)!

*Thank you NetGalley for providing an eARC of Scions by Josephine Angelini*

The story starts right off with our main character, Daphne Atreus, facing herself with a new life. She seems like any other girl, except for her face.
Because Daphne isn't normal. She's a Scion from the House of Atreus, one of the three people left, and the Heir of the house. Her Face is the same as Helen of Troy, that makes people fall in love with her instantly.
Daphne tries to keep a low profile in her new life, but being the bearer of the Face isn't an easy way to do so.
So when she finds herself face to face with a Scion from another house and manages to get away from him alive, she's surprised to realize she's thinking about him every minute of her day.
But her curse and a prophecy made a long time ago stand between her and her star crossed lover.

I loved every bit of this book.
Daphne's character didn't seem too bland or too boring, as every Chosen One is expected to be. She seemed like any other teenage girl, having girl problems, even with powers like hers.
Her character evolved throughout the story, growing from the lonely, scared girl she was at the beginning, to a person who accepts herself and has found friends along the way.
The topics of the book are pretty light-hearted, as this is marketed as a YA book, but be aware that there are some delicate scenes here and there.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, giving it a 5 out of 5 star rating, and I cannot wait for the next book in the series "Timeless"!

Scions by Josephine Angelini is the prequel to the Starcrossed trilogy and can also be read on its own. This is the story of Daphne and Ajax.
 
Daphne is the daughter of Zeus and a scion. She is really beautiful, but simultaneously has a cursed face. This comes with women being jealous of her and men giving her unwanted attention. She was such a fascinating character, and it was a unique approach to Greek mythology.
 
The story is set in New York in 1933 and Daphne goes to high school, and she must acclimate to it. This entails being bored in class because she already has the knowledge and trying to be a socialite, which turns out to be very complicated. This contrast was fascinating to see.
 
Her mortal enemy is Ajax, and he is the son of the opposing house of Thebes. He is an artist who paints Daphne on murals in the whole city and that’s what brings them together.
 
They are star-crossed lovers with a ton of obstacles in their way and that made the story so intriguing. The plot was fast paced, and I was totally into the story. There were only little bits I wasn’t a fan of like having additional perspectives from other side characters.
 
Overall, Scions is a wonderful take on Greek mythology, and I definitely need to check out the author’s other books after reading this one. 4 stars.
 
(ARC kindly provided in exchange for a review.)

Daphne and Ajax's romance was so heartfelt and wonderfully written. I enjoyed this prequel very much! It helped to further bring together aspects of the rest of the series, especially when it comes to understanding Daphne.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the eARC and to Josephine for writing such a wonderful series that definitely deserves a prequel!!

I think I read the first book of the original trilogy way back when. I didn't even realise this was a prequel until recently, but I loved it.

The writing, the setting, the inspirations of Greek mythology - I am a nut, indeed - all of which were delightful to read and get stuck into. Although I did enjoy the writing, it did feel quite simple to me, but I feel as if I'm just slowly growing out of this young adult style. I appreciated it nonetheless, but a part of me felt disconnected purely out of my own feelings.

But the 1990s setting and the romance were so classically gripping, nothing could take away my enjoyment of this book.

Scion is a beautifully written book. It was descriptive, captivating and poetic.

It is a retelling of the Face that launches a thousand ships and the realities that come with such a beautiful face. Daphne Atreus, daughter of the house of Zeus, moved to New York and has become intrigued with graffiti that is tagged by a particular artist. When she found out that the graffiti artist, Ajax, is from a rival house, she could not decide what to do.

Daphne and Ajax's love story was doomed, to begin with. They were never meant to be together. Like Romeo and Juliette and all other starcrossed lovers, they were bound to kill each other. Even then, they couldn't help to stay away.

This is my first time reading this series and I love it. The author spends a lot of time building the world, showing us the different powers and houses. I was intrigued the whole time; mainly by the love story between Daphne and Ajax. I would love to see more of the world-building outside of the two characters, but as a prequel to the universe, I believe it is enough. There were some questions that I have regarding the plots, but I believe that by reading the other books, they will be answered.

Ajax my man was swoon-worthy. He is art on his own. What he says and how he acts, he is truly a man worthy of loving someone with the Face.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. (via Netgalley)

Even though I requested this knowing it was a prequel, I still read all the others in this series before starting this one. After reading this one, I can't wait for the next one. :O

Wow!
What more could I really say? I have read the starcrossed series so many times and always hated Daphne.
I was really interested to read Daphnes history and discover why she is the way she is. I feel so sorry for her now.
I also love Ajax! I never got to meet him in starcrossed and am so glad I have gotten to know more about his character.
I'm very much looking forward to reading book 5, Timeless, next year.
I think I will also reread starcrossed again now and see if my opinions of the characters have changed after reading Scions.
Thank you Josephine Angelini for making me love these characters and the story so much!

Daphne, the heir to House Atreus, has a very interesting secret. As she meets new people and forms new relationships, the tension builds and the secrets become harder to conceal. No one is what they seem and a climactic ending has Daphne’s world turned in a completely different direction.

Favourite quote - “Rebecca's big fake boobs are propped up extra high, and her usual cloud of sickly sweet perfume has passed through noxious and entered into weaponized territory”

I love Greek mythology and everything that comes with it, so I was sold straight away in chapter 1! The characters and the way the story developed had me engrossed! I really enjoyed the quirky and funny quips here and there. I am totally not a romance reader, but this book had the perfect mix of story intertwined to completely take away the overbearing lovey feeling that I don’t vibe well with. I now want the rest of this series!!

Romeo & Juliet meets Greek mythology. I would definitely recommend if you like the sound of it.

This was so good! I loved the Greek mythology with a little Romeo and Juliet thrown in there. I can’t wait for Timeless. Harlow was such a great character, I loved her so much. I loved the take on forbidden love and the relationship between Daphne and Ajax.

A huge Thank You to The author, The publisher and NetGalley for providing the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
This is just...A Masterpiece.

I really enjoyed this book even though I haven't read the original series nor did I know that this was a prequel when I requested it. The writing is great and I think others will like this too

Scions the prequel to the starcrossed series. I have not read the series but am obsessed by greek mythology and now fully intend to read the rest of the starcrossed series, it is brilliant i found it fast paced there was never a time when it got boring and the characters are believable. So thank you to Josephine Angelini, Netgalley and to the publishers for allowing me to review this epic book