This is a new world for me, having never read or even heard of the Starcrossed novels. This is a definite YA read and something I would have absolutely loved as a teenager. I can see my own girls loving it when they are just a few years older. As an adult and reading Scions knowing nothing about the previous novels in the series, I can say that it did a fairly good job at world building and bringing someone from outside of the series into it. My knowledge of Greek Mythology is not where I’d prefer it to be so I did do some research while reading the book just so I could better understand some of the characters.

Scions is a strange mixture of Greek mythology, Romeo & Juliet, petulant teenagers, action, romance, and a bunch in between. As an adult, it’s not my cup of tea. That said, teenagers and those who absolutely live for YA are going to love this book and likely entire series. For that I give it 5 stars.

I've not read Star-crossed, so I'm coming in to this from a "new to the world" perspective.

It did a great job world building and introducing a new reader to the quirks and rules of 90s NY where Scions live side by side with humans. I really liked how key elements of Greek Mythology, as well as more niche references, were woven in to the a classic YA high-scool-romeo-and-juliet story.

Someone told me it was much like a Twilight/Percy Jackson - and I'd agree, with a Mortal Instruments thrown in for good measure. This would have been right up my street as a teenager - and I enjoyed it, it just didn't set my heart on fire, and while I get the WHY behind Daphne's creep of a father, I really did struggle with that part of the story.

I'd say Yr9+, with a CW for mysogeny and parental sexual assault.

Not so long ago, when I had lost my love for reading after having to read stuffy Dutch classics in high school, my mom was the one recommending me great YA books to read. Nowadays it's the other way round. However, she read the original Starcrossed trilogy, fell in love and told me to give it a go. I fell in love too and when I saw this fourth book I had to request it on Netgalley and I was so happy I got it! Now I hope that it will be translated to Dutch so my mom can read it too!

Angelini created one of the most original Greek Mythology inspired worlds in history. I've read a lot of retellings over the years and not one reaches this level of uniqueness. And there are only a few with as many endless possibilities for heartbreaking and tragic stories and romances. Because that's what this mythology does: it sets people up for heartbreak. And this book, just like the original trilogy, was not an exception.

I loved how this book shed some new light on the burden of having to wear the pretty face that launched countless ships into war, the war that eventually ended the old Greek society. At times it was sickening, at times it was crossing countless moral borders, but it makes incredibly much sense. On top of that it's a great way to show disgusting behavior by men, even when those men DO believe that whatever they do or say is out of love.

Since this is basically a prequel I believe it's totally possible to read it without ever having read the original trilogy. You miss a few easter eggs and of course you miss out on some dramatic irony and comments that do come and haunt characters later in life, but you will still be able to fully enjoy this heartbreaking romance. Because it does have the full package. Greek Gods, monsters, prophecies, oracles, furies, fate and a few young characters trying to break free from their destiny.

I'm incredibly excited that there's gonna be a fifth book too!

I have been a huge Josephine Angelini fan for ages. The STARCROSSED trilogy is one of my favorites ever. While I found the WORLDWALKER trilogy to be interesting, I didn't find it nearly as captivating as Angelini's earlier set of stories. Her retelling of the Trojan war is incredibly creative--and the romance and tension is fantastic. So when I saw that NetGalley had an e-ARC of SCIONS, I could not click request fast enough. It's been about eight years since I last read the STARCROSSED trilogy, but I so loved returning to this world. SCIONS was definitely worth the wait and is everything a prequel should be. I'm almost jealous of readers today who are only recently discovering the STARCROSSED world because they don't have to wait a whole year for the next book. The rest of the series is just sitting there, ready for them to devour. Readers, enjoy!

Rating: 5 stars - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Young Adult Greek Retelling
Pages: 406 Paperback

Prequel to the Starcrossed series (although I would still recommend reading the original trilogy first to new readers)

"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."

‼️ May contain Starcrossed/Dreamless/Goddess spoilers ‼️

Be still my teenaged heart, over ten years ago I first read and fell in love with the Starcrossed trilogy as well as Helen and Lucus but oh has Daphne and Ajaxs heart wrenching love story stolen my own heart!

As a 26 year old and a mother now I was apprehensive about requesting this ARC and finding it too young for me now but I had absolutely nothing to worry about because I absolutely adored every second of this beautiful book! (Maybe even more so than the original trilogy!)

When reading Helens trials and tribulations from battling and changing fate all because of her face I found myself (like many others) hating her mother Daphne now after reading her very own love and heart break I'm emotionally spent and a little torn.

Daphne and Ajaxs are now by far my favourite couple and have a much more believable love for me than Helen and Lucas although the two have some distinct similarities and a whole lot of foreshadowing.

Angelini has written another show stopping, sassy, electrifying (ha, get it) page turner full of wonderful new, fleshed out, loveable characters mixed with well known returning faces. This twisty, enemy to lovers, Greek tragedy is not to be missed and I hope paves the way for a new generation to find and fall in love with the Starcrossed universe!

I could go on and on about this fabulous book but to sum it all up, please go read it! I can't wait to hold the physical copy in my hands come October 4th

A huge thank you to Josephine Angelini, Victory Editing and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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

TW: death of a loved one, gun violence, incest (from a parent), pedophilia, rape, sexual assault, sexual content, suicide/suicide attempt.

This review is going to be rather brief because I have nothing positive to say about this book and none of us need an essay of me ranting.

With that being said, had I not been reading this as an ARC, I would have dnf'd fairly quickly - a decision that was reinforced the further I got into the book. Beyond my own personal opinions on the book, like hating every single character, I had several major issues with it.

First (and most importantly), put trigger warnings in your fucking book, especially if it includes parental incest/assault (as a recurring theme). It is 2022. There was absolutely no reason to not have a warning for this, especially in a YA novel. I hate the idea of how triggering this could be for some people, specifically young teenagers.

Next, this book reads like it was written in the early YA days and, in this instance, that is not a compliment. I felt like I was being slapped in the face with the continuous "not-like-other-girls" misogynistic crap on every page. I know the book took place in 1993 and it could be argued misogyny is realistic for that time, to which I say... if you can say there are demigods, equality isn't that far of a stretch.

I could go on and on about how stupid the characters were, how unrealistic every relationship felt, how juvenile the writing was, how angry I am that this book exists but I won't. Instead, I shall try and end this review on a positive note.

I haven't read the original "Starcrossed" trilogy this book is a prequel to, but I understood everything going on with the Houses and demigods pretty well for this being my first introduction to the story. On that front, the author did a good job.

Overall, I'm so done. I can't recommend this to anyone, because I think it may be the worst book I've ever read. It's just... really frustrating.
I'm thankful for the chance to read it, but I wish I hadn't.

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

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.

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.

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.

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!

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

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 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.

What would you give up for love?

Inspired by Greek mythology, Scions tells the story of Daphne, daughter of Zeus and Heir to the House of Atreus, and Ajax, son of Apollo and Scion of the House of Thebes, in a forbidden romance between star-crossed lovers. Daphne is a descendant of Helen of Troy, cursed with the face that launched a thousand ships, and the story focuses on preventing another war. With Fate determining the future, Daphne and Ajax must make difficult choices that are seemingly impossible and doomed from the start.

"Tell me your favorite color, Daphne, and I’ll paint the sky with it."

I absolutely swooned over Ajax! Everything from his expressive art to his willingness to sacrifice and fight to the death was so admirable, embodying the perfect hero. I loved how he truly saw Daphne straight through to her soul, always seeing beyond her appearance.

As for Daphne, I felt her struggles in fighting her destiny through losses and pain, finding the strength to challenge everything she was ever taught to believe. I wanted nothing more than for her and Ajax to be together and for her to find the happiness she truly deserved.

While an interesting take on Greek mythology, which I typically love, I didn't enjoy this book as much as I expected. The story often moved slowly and there was too much drawn out detail especially as to the trials and tribulations of high school. I also didn't resonate with the 1993 NYC setting despite being native to the city myself. And as much as I wanted them to be together, I never truly felt the power of the connection between Daphne and Ajax.

With a simplistic writing style, I would recommend this book for younger teen readers, less so for older teens. I believe there are other Greek mythology adaptations that would be better suited for more mature audiences. Although I have not read the original trilogy, I would also think it best to start there or with a basic understanding of Greek mythology at the least. My opinion is more about the fit for myself as a reader and not necessarily about the book itself and I can understand the many positive reviews others have written.

With enemies becoming lovers as Daphne and Ajax try to overcome a predetermined future, bloodlust warring with love, I was invested in the characters and in what seemed like an inevitable end. For me, an ending can make or break a novel, and this one truly shined in the most tragically beautiful way.

"Fate is unavoidable, I know that. But the ending never tells you the whole story. I’m going to make this story about love and not death."

** Special thanks to Sungrazer Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. Quotes subject to change at time of publication. Available October 4. 2022. **

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!!

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.)

*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"!

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)!