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    Starcrossed
    Starcrossed
    Starcrossed
    Audiobook14 hours

    Starcrossed

    Written by Josephine Angelini

    Narrated by Devon Sorvari

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    The passionate romance of Twilight meets Greek mythology in this dazzling debut about star-crossed demigods.

    How do you defy destiny?

    Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is - no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder.

    Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood... and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.

    As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together - and trying to tear them apart.

    “OMGods, I can’t wait to read more!” — Lauren Kate, New York Times bestselling author of Fallen

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateMay 31, 2011
    ISBN9780062012944
    Author

    Josephine Angelini

    Josephine Angelini is a Massachusetts native and a graduate of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts with a major in theater and a focus on the classics. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and three shelter cats.

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    Reviews for Starcrossed

    4/5

    467 ratings86 reviews

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    • 5/5
      I absolutely positively loved this book. It was amazing! This is something different from the normal paranormal romance books & it was a non-stop addictive read.

      Helen is an extraordinary teenager. Her mother left when she was a baby & her father raised her. She is special & doesn't know why or what her abilities include. All her life she hasn't known why she was different until a family moved to her island. They were all extremely beautiful & everybody was drawn to them. When Helen first saw Lucas at school, her first instinct was to attack & kill him. In her attempt the whole school was flabbergasted & couldn't understand why Helen would want to kill somebody she hadn't even met. This was built into her genes & she didn't understand why she was so angry with him.

      Lucas & Helen are drawn to each other, they can't be apart, but they can't be together. They have explained that Helen is a demigod & that's why she has wanted to kill Lucas, because his family are as well. They are from different families & that causes an instinct to kill one another.

      Somebody is trying to kidnap Helen. Lucas is trying to find the culprit & protect Helen in the process. Helen started training with Lucas & his family to build her strength & find all her abilities. While in the process, Helen ends up confiding in her best friend since birth Claire. Claire is not surprised & knew Helen was special. Ever since they were children Claire was testing Helen to see if she could be hurt. Helen was surprised, but relieved.

      Helen's love for Lucas grew stronger, but they cannot be together because of their families. The kidnapper is found & another is attempting to kidnap her as well. They are discovered & defeated.

      What will happen to Helen & Lucas & their love for each other? We will have to wait for Dreamless. This book was fantastic & highly recommended to everyone. I rated it a 5stars.
    • 5/5
      I started this book and was swept away into a world that felt so very familiar and completely alien at the same time. An island, surrounded by the ocean, a thick plot filled with intrigue, forced hatred, and enduring love, fate- what more could a person ask for? From page one I was hooked, following Helen Hamilton along her road of self-discovery, Lucas' bouts of self-control, and a family you can't help but love. I can't wait to read the second book because reading just one would be like eating just one potato chip - not many people can do that - and trust me, this book was like a potato chip. Crisp and tasty and I am definitely going in for book two.
    • 3/5
      In Ms. Angelini debut novel we follow the main character Helen, as her world is turned upside down when new students enroll in her high school and she’s filled with the blind rage to destroy them all. Soon Helen realizes the Delos family is hiding a legendary secret that evolves her in a way that she didn’t think was humanly possible. Plus the secrets that she’s been hiding are suddenly brought to the light and she has to embrace her past or watch her future crumble.Starcrossed was an interesting read that had all the elements to be an epic read but in the end it didn’t capture me as much as I wanted it to. Don’t get me wrong it was a good story that did capture my interest at different points. I really enjoyed the beginning, it was attention grabbing and had me flipping the pages to see whether Helen and the Delos family, mainly Lucas (who I knew since the first page he was introduced was the love interest) would end up destroying each other before they even knew that they were destined for each other. Now that is a page turning situation!But then things quickly turned and the focus was put on Helen and her powers and the secrets she and the Delos family was keeping, which wasn’t totally predictable but didn’t hold my attention the way the beginning did. I really enjoy the battle of wills element within a story.Helen and Lucas were good characters, they were realistic and relatable. I wished their relationship could have developed at a slower pace and they could have gotten to know each other more. Defying the past and making up their own future, fighting the urge to fall head over heel in love with each other I feel would have added more intense moments between them. It would have been better than going from overwhelming hate and destruction to instant connection and love. Though there were little moments where I could see Helen and Lucas’s relationship changing and growing and I wanted more of that.My favorite character had to be hands down, Hector. He was gritty, in your face and yeah a bit crazy but what some call crazy I call passionate and boy was he passionate! Every scene he was in he lit up the pages and he was the only one who didn’t handle Helen with kid gloves. I hate the kid gloves treatment.What I really liked about Starcrossed was the action. Ms. Angelini didn’t hold back when it came to hurting her characters and I loved her for it! There were bloody lips, broken bones, missing teeth, the whole nine yards. I felt that the action really shined throughout the story, more so than the romance.Over all Starcrossed was a tasty story that I would like to see where Ms. Angelini takes it. With it ending like it did I feel there is way more action and drama in store.
    • 3/5
      I think I went into this book with my hopes too high. I love Greek mythology and stories of starcrossed lovers, so I thought that Starcrossed would be perfect for me! I did enjoy the book, I just didn’t love it as much as I thought I would.Helen lives her life trying to get by under the radar. She lives with her single dad on the small island of Nantucket. From the beginning of the story, we get hints that Heleny isn’t quite.. normal. She seems to have super human strength and speed, but tries her best to hide it so that she still appears normal. She also has major issues with attention, which is where my first gripe comes from.Helen hates the spotlight. She avoids any kind of attention at all costs. When the spotlight is cast on her, she feels physically sick. Helen is also very self-degrading, always going on about how she’s not pretty, she’s a huge nerd, she has a horrible reputation in school, complaining about people hate her, etc. This really, really bothered me. Towards the end of the book we do learn that the whole “feeling sick when she gets attention” thing isn’t really her fault, but it still bugged me a lot. During most of the story, Helen felt like such a weak character. I couldn’t like her when she was constantly complaining, feeling sorry for herself, and generally acting childish. One of the other characters, Hector, actually told Helen that she needed to grow up. I definitely agree with that statement!So, moving a head a bit, Helen meets a new boy at school named Lucas. For some reason, she has an uncontrollable desire to kill him. She’s filled with so much rage and hatred towards him but has no idea why. We later learn that this is because of The Furies. The Furies basically turn the different ‘Houses’ (based on lineage) against each other. But Helen and Lucas fight against this, believing that they’re actually destined to be together. And so, they fall in love. Cue issue #2.I kind of feel like there was no “falling in love” phase for Helen and Lucas. One minute they hate each other’s guts, then Lucas saves Helen’s life and suddenly they’re holding hands and stuff. But then here’s the even more annoying part: Lucas is always holding Helen’s hand and making remarks that suggest he likes her, but then he tells Helen that they can’t be together. But even after he says that, he continues to hold her hand every chance he gets. Talk about leading a woman on! I thought that was just so annoying… I would be so pissed if a guy did that to me in real life. If he thinks they can’t be together, he shouldn’t be treating her like he wants to date her!The last character I’ll talk about is Claire. Claire is Helen’s best friend. As Helen is figuring out that she’s actually a demigod, etc., she doesn’t tell Claire about any of it. Eventually Helen tells her and Claire is basically like “I knew that already.” How did she know? She found out she could fly by pushing her off a roof when they were kids (just to find out if she could fly). She also tried stabbing her once just to see if it would hurt her. At first I liked Claire’s character but after that, I just thought it was a bit weird. I thought it was too convenient that Claire did all those things (which is psycho in itself) and then actually put the pieces together. I mean if I pushed my friend off a roof and saw her “float gracefully to the ground,” I’d think I was going crazy. I wouldn’t automatically think, “Okay, she can fly.” The whole thing just seemed too ‘easy’ to me.Overall, I did enjoy the Greek mythology aspects of this story and the whole blood feud, but I think I overhyped it for myself. I went into it desperately wanting to love the story, but there were too many let downs for it to be a 4 or 5 star book. I probably will read Dreamless eventually, but I’m not in a huge hurry.
    • 4/5
      Using the Greek mythology story of Helen of Troy and the Trojan War as inspiration, Josephine Angelini has made an impressive début with Starcrossed.Angelini has blessed us with two strong lead characters in Helen Hamilton and Lucas Delos. Helen is a shy, reserved teenager who hates to draw attention to herself. Since she is 5’9″ and beautiful to boot, unfortunately attention is just what she gets. At over 6′ and leanly muscled, Lucas is more than Helen’s match in the looks department. Thankfully, they have brains as well and a strong love for friends and family that make them bearable. I really liked the way Angelini took her time to develop these two characters, especially Helen and her nightmares. These nightmares are significant to the story, but they don’t overwhelm it – they are placed nicely throughout the book and the revelation of their importance is handled well.The first meeting between Helen and Lucas is probably one of the most original I’ve seen yet in a novel. When Helen first sets eyes on Lucas she is driven by the Fates to try to kill him against all rhyme and reason. Thankfully, Lucas has enough control to stop her, but Helen is absolutely mortified by her incomprehensible desire to commit murder. The antagonism between them is strong and only when they find themselves almost killed after a confrontation do they manage to calm the Fates enough to get to know each other. And there is a lot to learn about their ancestry, skills and powers. As Lucas and his family work with Helen to strengthen her fighting skills and discover who her missing mother might be, Lucas and Helen begin to fall desperately in love. But Lucas has knowledge involving Helen that makes it impossible for them to be together, no matter how much they desire each other. And when Helen finds out a family secret of her own she realizes how starcrossed their love really is.Secondary characters are just as strong, with two of the stand-outs being Helen’s best friend Claire and Lucas’ cousin Hector. The introduction of Claire is brilliant: “Claire Aoki, aka Giggles, was a badass. Anyone who took a look at her five-foot-two frame and delicate Asian features and failed to recognize her inherent scrappiness ran the risk of suffering horribly at the hands of a grossly underestimated opponent.” (Chapter 1) There is so much information given in just a few lines that you feel immediately like you know this character – and she doesn’t disappoint. Claire IS scrappy and determined and everyone needs a best friend like her. On the opposite side we have Hector who is described thus: “…he looked like a blond version of Michelangelo’s Adam on the Sistine Chapel ceiling, newly released from the plaster…Helen had never been so afraid of anyone in her entire life.” (Chapter 4) Hector is a fighter and one of the toughest, most protective characters in the book. I loved both Claire and Hector; they are intelligent, strong-willed and loyal. They will jump in where angels fear to tread in order to protect friends and family. Interestingly enough, these two do NOT become romantically involved and I think it is a good choice by Angelini. While they have a lot in common, they are definitely destined for others. I can’t wait to see what is in store for them next.Starcrossed is a third-person narrative, but I always felt connected to the story. I find it refreshing once in a while to get outside characters heads and see how everyone is relating to each other without the filter of only one point of view. The style also allows Angelini to branch out and give us a look at the Hundred Cousins (Delos relatives), especially the villain of this story – Creon. Seeing his actions in his home environment makes the reader realize how dangerous he is before he ever steps foot on Nantucket.I can’t help but laugh at reviews I’ve read that point out how Angelini’s take on Greek mythology bears little resemblance to the stories written by Homer and other authors. The story of Helen of Troy and the Trojan War is the inspiration for this story – it’s a novel, fiction, fantasy! To these critics I would have to point out that Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series is taking some fairly large liberties with Greek mythology as well, and are spectacular books. Angelini has come up with a really wonderful Greek tragedy of her own playing out in Nantucket (of all places) with two lovers meant to be together but torn apart by the Fates.With action, drama and loads of romance, Starcrossed is a wonderful story of two teenagers who start by trying to kill each other and end up in an epic love story that has been playing out for centuries. Characters are well-developed and interesting, while the story itself catches you right up and drags you along for the ride.
    • 5/5
      I finished this book after Sash, not for lack of trying...and I haven’t really talked to her yet, or read her review. However, my initial reaction to the book was that the way it starts out, when Helen gets so angry, the way Angelini wrote it...I felt on edge and angry too! I had nothing to be annoyed about, but as the main character, I started to feel what she felt. Whenever her heart ached for Lucas, I could feel for her, which is important for really being able to “get in” to a book.The plot was definitely something I enjoyed, because I love mythology and this is a part of it that I was not as familiar with. In high school, I had always found a way to just pick up SparkNotes or avoid reading The Illiad and The Odyssey completely. Now...I want to go back and pick those up to help give myself a little more context. Even though the stories of Greek mythology are complex and odd sometimes, the author really helped my understanding by allowing the characters to give Helen a quick run-down on the mythology that was most relevant to her.The characters were definitely well developed and even though Hector was a super aggressive pain in the side most of the time, I actually really liked him a lot. Lucas on the other hand was perfect from the very beginning. His protective nature (for his family and Helen) was incredibly endearing, and the fact that one of his talents is flying is...well...freaking awesome! I love that Helen can too, because being grounded while your love muffin soars all over Nantucket and the world, would be a huge bummer. Helen’s BFF Claire was great too...Angelini was realistic enough to show that best friends DO argue, but Claire was always there for Helen when she needed her, and understood & loved her no matter what or who she turned out to be. Claire was actually EXCITED for her...and also, “Duh, I figured” even though she suspected a vampire or gigantic bat/mosquito rather than demigod. (*That particular line made me giggle) And I am REALLY hoping to see more chemistry between Jason & Claire...match made in heaven or by the gods? Regardless, I could tell something was up with those two from the beginning, so I hope that there is more to that in the next book.Angelini really had some great dialogue between the characters, and especially made the Delos family the type of family (apart from the whole wanting to kill each other & other Houses) that you would want to marry into. I really could not get over the setting, Nantucket...it was such a unique, but genius choice. Action scenes were well described with plenty of juicy imagery that made it feel like I was watching a fast-paced action film rather than reading a book.I’m still not sure how I feel about Daphne...I definitely don’t trust her, I don’t think anyone should...she seems like she has a nefarious plan up her sleeve which makes me wary of Helen getting too close to her...The fact that Lucas & Helen can’t have each other yet practically frustrated me to tears, but the fact that he obviously wanted her & had the self-control to resist (for the sake of Helen & his family) is admirable. I know we’ll get to see some more characters from the House of Thebes, some probably threatening, and maybe some allies...but I can’t wait for the next book Dreamless, for which we’ll have to wait a year (the longest year of my life....). This book did just come out, but I can definitely see no problem with the author & the book (eventual series) get a really great following of fans. I know some people were thinking that the book ended on a cliffhanger, but honestly, I think the sweet scene on the roof was a perfect way to wind down such a hectic few weeks that Helen & Lucas had been living...and that they are still so in love & dedicated to finding a way to break the cycle & defeat the Furies once & for all. :) I loved it & I won’t lie...I sighed...in a happy way...at the last scene of the book. Bravo for Angelini’s incredible story...I am thrilled to see what lies in store for Helen & Lucas!
    • 5/5
      Helen Hamilton is a girl who lives on a small island and is an outsider. Everyone in her high school hates her because she is different. After meeting Lucas from the Delos family, she learns more about her heritage and learns to control her supernatural powers. At first, I thought this was like Percy Jackson series and like Twilight. I was very surprised to find out that it was different and even better. Through out the story, Helen must decide whether to go with her instinct and be with Lucas (Paris, the love of her life) or be logical and ignore him to avoid the Trojan War all over again. It is an awesome book and I couldn't put it down until I was done. Both the emotion and the action made me enjoy this book. Before, I used to think that Paris and Helen were both losers who had nothing better to do. Now, I see them in a different light. I can't wait till Persephone's Garden comes out next year!
    • 5/5
      Read more reviews at theawesomemagicattic.blogspot.comIt seems like I'm reading so many amazing books lately! Starcrossed, just as the title implies, is about starcrossed lovers. Combining all different kinds of stories, gods, and goddesses from Greek mythology into one exciting, action filled novel, Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini is a must read for all YA readers. Whether you're a Greek mythology fan or not, this book is the book for you.Helen's the ideal female lead: tough, independent, awesome (definitely), powerful, and, despite her good looks, not at all vain. Who wouldn't love a character like that? The bonds between the members of the Delos family were pretty strong and definitely inspirational, and despite the large extended family, you didn't feel lost when introduced to the family. Each and every character was original, unique, and fun to read about. I loved how totally un-predictable this book was. You never knew what was going to happen next, and it always kept you reading on the edge of your seat. Ms. Angelini's writing flowed flawlessly and smoothly, and nothing really abrupt happened. Another thing I liked was how Lucas and Helen's relationship kind of stayed in the shadows, then was brought out slowly, not an overnight, abrupt thing. It seemed more natural this way. The idea of feuds between the greek 'houses' were fresh; something not really thought of or written of before, and even the love story in here was somewhat original. I mean, the typical YA love story is Girl meets Boy. Boy flips Girl off, but Girl still likes Boy. Boy turns out to be some kind of dangerous paranormal creature, or has some sort of dark secret. Girl finds out, and loves Boy anyways. The End. Okay, Lucas wasn't human, but Helen wasn't either. And Lucas didn't exactly flip Helen off; she attacked him. You see? Not all Twilight-ish there, are we? And with the Twilight and Percy Jackson comparisons? I can see where people would get that, but at no point in the novel did I think I was reading a piece of Twilight fanfiction. I mean, sure the romance plot was similar, but Twilight's basic romance plot can be found in just about most of all romance novels out there. Starcrossed was fresh, original, and unique. Ms. Angelini crafts her own dangerous world of Greek gods, goddesses, and demigods, and draws you into the book from the first few pages. I really don't have anything bad to say about this novel. From the writing to the plot, this novel just blew me away. I'll definitely be waiting for the next book in the trilogy, Dreamless. I'd highly recommend this book to everyone. Really, it's worth it.
    • 5/5
      Always been fascinated with Mythology, especially Greek Mythology. I was so fascinated that I would play computer games and watch any thing to do with it. Eventually I was introduced to books using the lore as the twist of a story and I've read a few good ones. The few I've read I've really enjoyed, one of my most favored series is based on Greek Myth which has an interesting take on the concept and I love it when I can find that in a book. I'm so thrilled that Starcrossed did not disappoint. The worst thing would be to have a concept like Mythology that's boring and confusing, which I can honestly say that was not the case with Starcrossed, it was not only understandable but intriguing as well.

      What I liked about Starcrossed was it's attention grabbing pace, even though it wasn't high action-drama fast it had such an absorbing story that I wasn't bored and I wanted to keep going. I was also surprised at how funny the interactions between the characters were. I thought Helen was a pretty likable heroine. Yeah I was angry with her sometimes, but if your not at least a little mad at a character then I think that could make for a very boring story. She had her insecurities and flaws but she had a lot to deal with. She didn't know what to do with herself at first, not knowing what she was and then after finding out, she has to deal with that knowledge and all the issues that came with that. She couldn't be a normal teenager, not that she ever really was before.

      As for Helen's BFF Claire, I thought she was a great addition to the story and Helen's life. I love when the heroine can find non-judgmental support from another female. And Claire was that for Helen, of course they had their silent treatment moments but that's normal bff stuff. I think Claire was fun, carefree, and maybe a bit eccentric. I could also add crazy to that list after finding out the lengths she went to to prove to herself that her friend was different. WOW, that was some risks she took.

      Ooh, let's not forget about Lucas, easy going, protective and badass. I really liked Lucas and didn't know how things would go with him and Ellen after their first meeting. I felt so bad for them in the beginning when they were dealing with the Furies and was happy when that was taken care of; but then they found out the Fates were still meddling in their lives. It didn't look like they were going to find peace anytime soon. I guess that's why these situations are aptly referred to as Greek Tragedies.

      This story was on a roll, it was exciting from the beginning, but about halfway through things start to pick up even more and I was thinking I might have to get to the next book right away. And then three quarters in, it just bumped up even more. I wasn't expecting the story to just keep getting more and more exciting the way it did. New characters that became pivotal to the story kept turning up. Enters Daphne, OH I hate her. She is a cold, cold biatch. I mean Helen already had a lot on her plate and this woman had to come and add more to her already full plate of suffering. I really hope she's seen for the evil that I believe her to be soon.

      There are so many more elements and surprises to this very delightfully absorbing story that makes you charged with anticipation. It had a well flushed out Mythological concept, great characters, great storytelling, action and humor, it made me even more captivated with the study of mysticism.
    • 5/5
      This book was a little slow going, and I seriously considered putting it down for good. I am so glad that I didn't! After its' blah start it grew more intense with each page.
      I was captivated somewhere around chapter 3 and upon finishing the book, absolutely dismayed to find that I had managed to take out the third but not the second book in the trilogy. Color me frustrated when I already know I cannot go the library anytime soon; thanks in part, to homework, as well as the snow deluging from the sky right now.
    • 4/5
      Cover Thoughts: I am seriously in love with this cover. First off the colors are pretty much my favorite. Also, is it just me or does just everything about this cover scream Greek legends? If I wrote a book I would want the cover to be this awesome.

      Why did I read this? Honestly, I think my initial interest was the cover. I have this awful habit of reading books with pretty covers. Surely the outside with match the inside, right? More often than not these books are really awful so I wouldn't advise selecting your next read this way. I was also really interested by the Greek mythology tie-in.

      Thoughts: I am not a Twilight fan. However, I'll admit that I slightly devoured the first two books a long time ago. I've read a lot of reviews who compare Starcrossed to Twilight and to be honest I found myself thinking about Twilight a few times throughout my own read. Here's the thing though. Starcrossed kicks Twilight's butt. Want to know why? Mainly because it isn't about Vampires. I don't like vampires or wolves and I really hate zombies. They are pointless imaginary creatures and I think my world is much better place by not including them in my life. Also the main character, Helen, isn't all twitchy and weak despite the fact that she can't be with the main love interest. The majority of book two Bella couldn't even get out of bed. Pathetic! Helen came into the world with power and awesomeness. She also finds strength and confidence by learning more about herself and who she really is. Bella had to be bit and become involved in a really weird unhealthy relationship. Helen just wins every single time.

      Enough of that, I really did enjoy this story. I like reading Angelini's take on some legendary characters and tales. It may not all be one hundred percent accurate but it's fiction so who really cares? I also really appreciate that the author is consistently building upon the story. She only reveals a little bit at a time so you want to keep reading to find out more.

      Overall, I'd say this was a great read. It may not be for everyone, but I really enjoyed it and would recommend to a friend.

      Advisory:You may find yourself thinking about Twilight. Some allusions to sex. Some frightening images.
    • 5/5
      Always been fascinated with Mythology, especially Greek Mythology. I was so fascinated that I would play computer games and watch any thing to do with it. Eventually I was introduced to books using the lore as the twist of a story and I've read a few good ones. The few I've read I've really enjoyed, one of my most favored series is based on Greek Myth which has an interesting take on the concept and I love it when I can find that in a book. I'm so thrilled that Starcrossed did not disappoint. The worst thing would be to have a concept like Mythology that's boring and confusing, which I can honestly say that was not the case with Starcrossed, it was not only understandable but intriguing as well.

      What I liked about Starcrossed was it's attention grabbing pace, even though it wasn't high action-drama fast it had such an absorbing story that I wasn't bored and I wanted to keep going. I was also surprised at how funny the interactions between the characters were. I thought Helen was a pretty likable heroine. Yeah I was angry with her sometimes, but if your not at least a little mad at a character then I think that could make for a very boring story. She had her insecurities and flaws but she had a lot to deal with. She didn't know what to do with herself at first, not knowing what she was and then after finding out, she has to deal with that knowledge and all the issues that came with that. She couldn't be a normal teenager, not that she ever really was before.

      As for Helen's BFF Claire, I thought she was a great addition to the story and Helen's life. I love when the heroine can find non-judgmental support from another female. And Claire was that for Helen, of course they had their silent treatment moments but that's normal bff stuff. I think Claire was fun, carefree, and maybe a bit eccentric. I could also add crazy to that list after finding out the lengths she went to to prove to herself that her friend was different. WOW, that was some risks she took.

      Ooh, let's not forget about Lucas, easy going, protective and badass. I really liked Lucas and didn't know how things would go with him and Ellen after their first meeting. I felt so bad for them in the beginning when they were dealing with the Furies and was happy when that was taken care of; but then they found out the Fates were still meddling in their lives. It didn't look like they were going to find peace anytime soon. I guess that's why these situations are aptly referred to as Greek Tragedies.

      This story was on a roll, it was exciting from the beginning, but about halfway through things start to pick up even more and I was thinking I might have to get to the next book right away. And then three quarters in, it just bumped up even more. I wasn't expecting the story to just keep getting more and more exciting the way it did. New characters that became pivotal to the story kept turning up. Enters Daphne, OH I hate her. She is a cold, cold biatch. I mean Helen already had a lot on her plate and this woman had to come and add more to her already full plate of suffering. I really hope she's seen for the evil that I believe her to be soon.

      There are so many more elements and surprises to this very delightfully absorbing story that makes you charged with anticipation. It had a well flushed out Mythological concept, great characters, great storytelling, action and humor, it made me even more captivated with the study of mysticism.
    • 2/5
      Melodramatic, silly, and heavy on the Mary Sue. What could have been an interesting plot was turned into cheap fluff.
    • 5/5
      [Sunday, November 3, 2013] I know this book might not supposed to be funny but I can't stop laughing. I am so glad I bought it ages ago and reading it now feels just right. I reached chapter 6, so I am still in the beginning.
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed all of the Greek mythology in the story, it's what really made me invested in the story. I was on board with the relationship between Helen and Lucas, but after a while I got kind of bored with their 'star-cross love'.Towards the end I did get a little aggravated because there's this big THING that nobody realizes, but it seems so obvious to me. How can they not put two and two together?! There's like 10 characters under one roof and none of them realize that some things do not add up. So frustrating.But besides that, I really enjoyed the audiobook, and I will definitely be reading the second book.
    • 5/5
      I love this book it inspired me to try write my own
    • 5/5
      Contemporary, Mythology, Young Adult, NantucketHelen Hamilton has been trying to hide how different she is for the past sixteen years, her whole life. Which is not easy when she lives on the small and sheltered island of Nantucket. Lately it has been getting harder too. Having nightmares of a desert journey in which she is desperate Helen wakes up parched and to find her sheets covered with dust and dirt. At school she is suddenly having hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood. When Helen first sees Lucas Delos she has no idea they are destined to play leading roles in a tragedy that has been repeating throughout history courtesy of the Fates. Helen soon unlocks secrets of her ancestry and as she does she also learns that some myths are more than legend. Having demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that draw Lucas and her together and as at the same time they try to tear them both apart.This is the beginning of a trilogy that starts out with a story that is sure to stay with readers for a long time after they finish reading it. It weaves myth into a wonderfully different contemporary story that is sure to please any reader that picks this one up. It is very different than most books and stands out very well. From the very beginning the story pulls the reader into it and doesn’t let go until the very end and even then it will have readers hungering for the next story in the trilogy. The characters are very well written and they get the reader emotionally invested in the story from the very beginning. The way that each clue is presented and how the characters go about trying to find the answers they need make for a story that moves along quickly and the action is blended wonderfully with the mystery that is woven throughout the book. This is one trilogy that is worth reading and if the other two books continue like the first this is going to be an excellent trilogy.
    • 5/5
      It was amazing. not my usual type of reading but I thought i'd give it a try and boy was I happy. I have read the second book and it is just as good CAN'T WAIT FOR THE THIRD ONE!!!
    • 3/5
      3.5 stars. It was a little different than other mythology books, and yet the same. I kind of got tired of the "I hate you" "I love you" "We cam never be together" thing.
    • 5/5
      I'm not giving this a 5 star review because it was flawless or timeless, but because I enjoyed it THAT much. I couldn't put it down. And when I was forced too (exhaustion, etc), it was all I could think about.

      The main character's voice took a little getting used to me; initially the writing style irked me, but as soon as I got lost in the story, I was able to overlook it.

      The set up kind of reminds me of Twilight, with the supernatural abilities and the "family." And I could see a lot of parallels between many of the main characters.

      I've always loved mythology and I don't think this series holds up too under scrutiny in that area.

      BUT the characters are interesting and I found myself laughing out loud occasionally (extremely rare with books). I found the relationships relatable; things still happen super quickly, but I didn't find myself rolling my eyes. Rather I thought, I understand how things came together under these extreme circumstances. In times of war, everything about life speeds up, because the end usually comes that much sooner.

      Mostly, I just enjoyed this book because, well, who doesn't think about what life would be like if they had super powers? I liked living vicariously through Helen as she discovered all of her abilities and her place in history/the future.
    • 3/5
      I've read so many great things about this book that I was beside myself excited to start it. It didn't grab me in the beginning and I was really disappointed by that. But I kept on and I'm glad I did, but I have mixed feelings about the book.

      As a character, Helen didn't seem to have much substance or personality, but I loved the chemistry between her and Lucas. I liked her best when they were together (especially the flying kiss, which was divine- pardon the pun).

      The Delos family reminded me too much of the Cullens, which was a source of frustration throughout the book (Hector was like Emmett and Cassandra was like Alice). There were so many of them that it took a while to get a feel for who was who.

      There was so much going on that it kept me turning pages, but at times, I wanted Angelini to focus on one or two main themes rather than weaving such a complicated tale. Some things were explained with beautiful clarity (like when Lucas is teaching Helen how to fly) and other things caused me to stumble in suspending disbelief (i.e. they can heal super fast, okay, but regrow teeth? No).

      But the biggest disappointment was the ending, which was not an ending at all. None of the questions were answered, but left hanging like twisted nerves at the bloody edge of a severed limb. Sequels and series are fine, but there needs to be a sense of closure at the end of each book, which Starcrossed did not have.

      If you're into Greek mythology, you might enjoy this book (and have less trouble keeping up than I did) as long as you're okay with loose ends and don't mind waiting for the next book.
    • 5/5
      My favorite element of this story is that being beautiful is not all it's cracked up to be. Helen of Nantucket has spent her life shying away from people because attention is literally painful. Turns out she was cursed for her own good, because she's the most beautiful woman in the world....or something like it.

      What changes and why? Everything, because of one boy and his family. Is it love at first sight? Try rage and hate at first site. From the moment she sets eyes on Lucas, Helen wants to kill him. Why? She has no idea.

      Want the answers to this puzzle? Read this fantastic beginning to what will surely be an epic series.
    • 3/5
      6/10

      This was a creative story that incorporated Greek Mythology in a very interesting way, however for some reason it didn’t keep me reading until the late hours of the night.

      Helen is a strong character surrounded by a whole host of characters, from Jacob to Rosalie, oh wait is that Mike and Cassandra? I seem to be confused with Twilight for some reason. Probably because there are so many similarities. But other than this my only other problem was that I felt there was too much details and action crammed into the book. Sure this was in a way a good thing, but I felt like too much was happening all the time.

      What I did love is that Helen didn’t just fall swooning over Lucas, she actually starts off hating him! But you know what they say about hate and love being a close thing. Anyway if you have read the Twilight Saga you have the family down, now the mythology remains, which I think was fantastic!

      There is also some great super abilities (and not the normal seeing the future stuff) like flying! Which I found really made it for me. I would love to be able to fly, and reading about it was great.

      I will read the next book, but I really hope the story takes a different turn and surprises me!

      What I liked:

      * Love the flying!
      * Great Mythology

      What I didn’t like:

      *Lots and lots of Twilight similarities
    • 3/5
      Helen Hamilton has always felt different. She's too tall. Too beautiful. She can run too fast. Strange things tend to happen around her. When a new family comes to town, she suddenly is overcome with an uncontrollable desire to attack the unbelieveably gorgeous teenage son of the fsmily, Lucas. Why does she wake up at night more tired than when she lay down? Who are the three strange women who are haunting her both day and night? Why does the Delos family seem to know more about her than she does herself?

      The target audience (junior high and high school-aged girls) will probably really like this book. My students will probably really like this book. I wanted to really like this book--it's Greek mythology given a modern twist, it's got roots in the saga of the Trojan War, it has main characters with the names of some of my favorite family members--but I didn't. The three stars are more for the storyline and the idea behind the story than for the actual novel itself.

      Although it had a lot of promise, the way this novel was written just drove me crazy. The characters spend a lot of time yelling and screaming at each other ("yelled" and "screamed" being two of the very few subsitutes for "said" in the book), and much of their conversation is just too stilted to be believeable. There is way more "telling" in this book than "showing", and at times it was downright painful to read. Helen constantly jumps back and forth between knowing nothing about herself to understanding more than should be immediately possible for her to know, and it's almost dizzying. One glaring plot hole will drive me crazy for quite some time (how can a major lie not be detected by a Falsefinder, especially when it so closely involves him?), and I'll be looking for it to (hopefully) be resolved in the second book in the series. I will be looking for the second book, and hoping that the author will brush up her technique between now and then, because I really do think she has a lot of potential which clearly isn't realized in this book.
    • 3/5
      What do you get when you put the Percy Jackson, Twilight and the Mortal Instruments series in a blender? Um, this book. All it needs is a good match of quidditch and it would be the direct result of all the teen-lit mega hits of the last decade smished together. Smart. But lacking any shred of originality or ingenuity. But, at the risk of sounding inconsistent, the book had its enjoyable moments--I stayed up until two last night reading, so that has to count for something.
    • 4/5
      Oh, Starcrossed. I started you so innocently, thinking I'd get a few chapters in before bed. 4 hours later I was putting you down after a marathon reading session. What a fun, exciting romp through island life and Greek myth.

      Now, I'm sure many of you have read the reviews, calling Starcrossed a mix between Twilight and Percy Jackson. And these are completely valid.

      However, Starcrossed does manage to stand on its own, I think. I really liked the character of Helen, who stands up for both her friends and family - and apologizes when she realizes she's been selfish. Lucas' character was a bit...cardboard. I'm hoping his role in things is a bit more fleshed out in the later books. I adored Claire, Helen's BFF. Her revelation toward the end was both spot on and funny.

      Was the writing amazing? No. Did I think some of it was predictable? Yes. The pacing of the book, though, was at top-speed and there were (and still are) some good mysteries to keep the reader guessing and those two things completely overshadowed the problems I had with the book.

      Really looking forward to Dreamless next year.

    • 4/5
      To be honest, I picked this book up because of it's cover. When I read the synopsis, I had reservations--I wasn't sure I would enjoy a book about a modern day Helen of Troy. The author does a great job in developing her characters. There is a lot going on in this story, but I have to say I ended up really enjoying the tale and I look forward to reading more by this author.
    • 5/5
      I really enjoyed this. I'm a sucker for Greek mythology and re-tellings, but I'm surprised at how drawn to the 'starcrossed' romance I was, which is not something I usually find done well, but I liked it.

      Definitely recommend it. Can't wait for the next book.
    • 3/5
      Plot: 3 stars
      Characters: 2 1/2 stars
      Style: 3 stars
      Pace: 3
      bonus 1/2 pt
      Avg=3

      Rounding up on this one. It was interesting enough to make me want to read the sequel, but I suspect that's mostly because it plays off one of my favorite all time legends. What can I say, I'm a sucker for my favorite tropes, and playing off the Iliad is just fun. Bonus half point to this one for not having a stupid love triangle. I am so, so tired of love triangles right now.

      On the down side, the story felt longer than it was (until about the last 50 pages, at which point it barrels headfirst off a cliff). The ending of this story VERY much seems to lead into the sequel, which is a personal pet peeve of mine, but I didn't count that against it. The narrative voice wasn't as strong as I would have liked, alas, but I do see the potential in there. There's some spots where the writing is REALLY good, and others where it's meh, but I suspect in time her style will level out to pretty good. Definitely someone I'll be reading a few more books from, at least, to see how she grows as a writer.
    • 3/5
      I don't really remember this book much. I read it in July, but never made a review for it. I'm assuming I liked it, because when I don't like books, I write reviews about them. I also know I didn't love it, because I write reviews about books I love, too. So I'm just going to go ahead and give it a 3. I know, that's awful. I'll re-read it this month and write a real review.