Holder of Lightning by S. L. Farrell

Bringing home the sheep one evening, Jenna idly picks up a stone that feels good in her hand. She pockets it, and her life is never the same thereafter. The stone is Lamh Shabhala, a cloch na thintri that gathers and holds the mage-lights from the sky. Indeed, it is the master such stone, capable of waking the others, and by choosing Jenna, it makes her First Holder.

Although that is a painful, disfiguring, emotionally challenging responsibility she doesn't particularly want, many others whose motives are entirely self-serving do. Already, other cloch are waking, and since, throughout history, the stones have been used as instruments of war and destruction, their holders intend to battle for all the power they can grab. Yet previous holders, who live on in Lamh Shabhala, want an era of peace and prosperity to begin with Jenna.

Billed a celtic fantasy and being a fan of Kate Forsyth's series I thought this would be a lot better than it was, I know there were moments when I thought I just can't be bothered and then it would pick up and seem more interesting.

Jenna is a very interesting character, at times she seems so likeable and you really want the best for her and then sometimes she could be so annoying, a bit like the book I guess, and I suppose that goes hand in hand.

Some of the characters were fine, unfortunately I didn't getto know the characters enough to really get involved and like them. Mac Ard was one I just couldn't work out why he wanted Lamh Shabala so bad, unless I missed something along the way?

Overall it was a fairly mediocre fantasy which on the outset has good potential but, I do think it wasn't all that well written. It was S.L. Farrell's first book I have read and not sure if it was his/her first novel overall if so for a first novel it was fine, I wouldn't say it was a bad novel , I have certainly read worse but, I am afraid I won't be in too much of a hurry to read the sequels.