This review originally posted at More Than Just Magic 
 The Holders is a familiar tale. It's actually the second book about a boarding school for kids with special abilities I've read this month! But Julianna Scott manages to take a familiar concept and infuse it with enough of her own ideas and brilliant characters so that it's hard not to get caught up in all the excitement. 
 Our journey into the world of The Holders is guided by a teenage girl named Becca. I love Becca's narrative voice. She felt like someone I would want to be friends with. She's quite clever, having graduated high school when she was only 15, but isn't stuck up about it. She's also fiercely loyal to anyone she cares about - especially her family, and this immediately earns her points in my book. And if that weren't enough she's brazen, courageous and speaks her mind, no matter what. She's someone you can respect and someone that you want to cheer for. 
 In a similar vein it's also really easy to root for Becca's relationship with Alex. Like Becca, Alex is an extremely likable character. If you're tired of the "bad boy" trope than you're going to love him! He's so sweet and genuine. I like that they were drawn to one another right away but still had to work to be together. Their romance was never easy or obvious or without obstacle. But it was also totally swoon worthy and adorable. 
 The further I get in writing this review, the more I realize that it was really the characters that sold this story for me. Too often in YA novels, familial realtionships are forgotten or pushed into the background. The Holders, on the other hand, is all about family dynamic. There's how protective Becca is of her younger brother. There's the way Mother and daughter have bonded to keep the family going. And complications over meeting an estranged father again. I loved seeing so many different focuses on familial relationships. 
 There are a lot of other things to love about The Holders - a detailed history and Celtic element come to mind - but it was really the characters that sold this novel for me. It wouldn't have been the same story without them. Julianna Scott takes her time revealing what's going on and the beginning can be a bit slow. But I found this detailed beginning really fleshed out what I was getting into. I would have liked if the pacing was picked up a little, but it is the first in the series, so perhaps the second book will move along faster. 
 Recommendation: If you prefer novels that are more fast paced and plot driven this one may not appeal to you but if you like character driven novels AND if you're a fan of X-Men and Harry Potter and happen to have a love affair with Ireland (who doesn't?) this book is for you.