Starcrossed, by Josephine Angelini
Helen Hamilton has lived her sixteen years trying to stay in the shadows and not stand out. She even gets bizarre stomach pains whenever she does get attention. But when a new family moves to her small town, Helen makes an unbelievable spectacle of herself when she attacks one of the boys, with a strange and completely overwhelming urge to kill Lucas Delos. Helen has no clue what’s happening to herself – why she has an incredible strength, why she seems to be sleepwalking at night, and why she feels such hatred for someone she doesn’t even know.
Helen is a likeable girl, with a mysterious nature. In her first meeting with the young Lucas, it seemed like this would be the anti-Twilight! It was a fantastic scene. Instead, it did turn into a Romeo and Juliet – with Greek demigod powers. Angelini’s world of Greek demigods seems to a popular one now. But she puts her own unique spin on the fantasy subgenre. Angelini’s demigods are locked in a perpetual struggle, doomed to repeat history that began with the legendary Helen of Troy.
With plenty of action, mystery, and romance, this YA series debut is an exciting read. Impossible to put down, the non-stop adventure and suspense made this surprisingly fun and irresistible. The characters are intriguing; and the story is thrilling. The tension builds to a climactic ending, with a bit of a cliffhanger ending that will make readers eager for more.