Review: The Holders by Julianna Scott

Goodreads Summary:

17-year-old Becca spent her whole life protecting her brother from, well, everything. The abandonment of their father, the so called 'experts' who insist that voices in his head are unnatural and must be dealt with, and the constant threat of being taken away to some hospital and studied like an animal. When two representatives appear claiming to have the answers to Ryland's perceived problem, Becca doesn't buy it for one second. That is until they seem to know things about Ryland and about Becca and Ryland's family, that forces Becca to concede that there may be more to these people than meets the eye. Though still highly skeptical, Becca agrees to do what's best for Ryland.

What they find at St. Brigid's is a world beyond their imagination. Little by little they piece together the information of their family's heritage, their estranged Father, and the legend of the Holder race that decrees Ryland is the one they've been waiting for. However, they are all--especially Becca--in for a surprise that will change what they thought they knew about themselves and their kind.

She meets Alex, a Holder who is fiercely loyal to their race, and for some reason, Becca and Ryland. There's an attraction between Becca and Alex that can't be denied, but her true nature seems destined to keep them apart. However, certain destinies may not be as clear cut as everyone has always believed them to be.

Becca is lost, but found at the same time. Can she bring herself to leave Ryland now that he's settled and can clearly see his future? Will she be able to put the the feelings she has for Alex aside and head back to the US? And can Becca and Ryland ever forgive their father for what he's done?

Publication Date: March 5, 2013

This was an interesting read, a lot different than I expected, but in a good way. I liked the lore surrounding the Holder race and loved the Ireland setting. I thought Becca was a fun main character and I especially loved her relationship with her little brother.

I liked Becca from the beginning. She’s fiercely protective of her little brother and their interactions were honestly my favorite of the book, even more so than Becca’s time with the love interest named Alex. What was also great about Becca is that her thoughts actually seemed like those of a seventeen-year-old girl. She may have been irrational and thoughtless at times, but her reactions came across as genuine.

I loved that most of the plot took place on the school grounds. I feel like schools for the paranormal always make intriguing settings in novels.  

The romance was cute. It’s very innocent and sweet with the development between the two characters being fairly predictable. One scene that was particularly adorable was when Alex and Becca are playfully arguing over what country is better.

The plot was intriguing and a lot about the Holder race is covered in the novel. I feel like the rich amount of history provided in the first book should allow for more action in the next book. There were a few twists thrown in there and the second half of the novel was hard to put down.

My only complaint is this is the first YA book in a while that made me feel old, ha-ha. I guess since I’ve been reading a lot of edgy YA that this seemed closer to a middle grade book to me. This is the perfect clean read for teens and I’ll definitely be continuing with the series.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book for review!