Gifted

Donovan Circus #1

by Liz Long

Librarian's note: Alternate cover edition of ASIN B007VT34J2.

Even in a world of freaks, being a Firestarter is considered a dangerous Gift.

Lucy was born with the ability to create and control fire. She longs to leave the human world for one filled with Earthshakers, Transporters, and Chameleons, to name a few. When she rejoins the circus, it’s everything she hoped it could be—new friends, a potential love interest or two, and a place where she can be herself.

When troupe members begin turning up dead, however, Lucy is suspected of foul play. She must not only prove her innocence but also realize the full extent of her power. To find the real murderer, she must uncover the truth behind her father’s fiery legacy while figuring out whom to trust within her new circle. Little does she know the history of the Donovan Circus and its enemies might actually destroy the entire gifted world.

Genres: Paranormal, Fantasy, Young Adult, Magic, Mystery, Urban Fantasy, New Adult

299 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 18, 2012

About the author

Liz Long is a USA Today bestselling author of YA and urban fantasy, most recently The Brighton Duology. She is a magazine editor in Roanoke, VA, and when not writing, can be found drinking happy hour prosecco, attempting hand lettering, or cuddling her dog, Fisher. She is the Director of the Roanoke Regional Writers Conference and the annual Roanoke Author Invasion, as well as a public speaker, covering topics such as self-publishing and magazine writing. To learn more about Liz, including info on her books, plus writing, marketing and social media tips, and writer pep talks, visit her website at lizclong.com.

Reviews

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, the truth behind circus performers is finally revealed and Liz Long has done an amazing job bringing this high tension, YA fantasy to life! GIFTED is filled with fabulous characters, a little young romance, danger, and a deadly mystery to unravel.

Lucy thought it would be like going home, to somewhere she would belong, be accepted and not have to hide her gift after tragedy struck and she was a teen alone in the world. The biggest problem seems to be her talent, she is a Firestarter and feared by many of the gifted, something she is determined to change. Meeting other Firestarters helps, and soon she learns she is the most powerful of all, thanks to her late father’s same gift and guidance. Just when she makes headway, the unthinkable happens and once again people look to her as the villain. How can Lucy prove her innocence, find the killer and gain a place to fully belong?

Someone is taking the gifted for their own purposes, and the entire gifted community is in danger. What Lucy uncovers is far more than who the real villain is. She learns the dark secrets of the Donovan Circus, as well as who her father really was. Along the way just to muddle her mind a little more, she finds possible romance with two young men, but can they be trusted? Looks like only Lucy can save the day, but what about her heart?

Fun, frantic and refreshing, non-stop fantasy that feels real from start to finish! Liz Long had me breezing through each page, oblivious to the world around me! Could I second guess the events that were to play out? Not all of them and that is because her writing is at once engaging and completely entertaining.

Next time you go to a circus, I guarantee you will be wondering about those amazing entertainers and if they are hiding a paranormal secret!

Series: Donovan Circus - Book 1
Publisher: Liz Long (January 18, 2014)
Publication Date: January 18, 2014
Genre: YA Fantasy
Print Length: 289 pages
Available from: Amazon |  Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Runningrabbit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was pretty good, not quite my thing and I won't go on to the next book. Nonetheless, a well written novel.

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG READ THIS READ THIS RIGHT NOW! DOOOO IT! IF YOU AREN'T READING THIS BOOK YOU ARE MISSING OUT! .... so now that i had ...wait no i got a little more in me.. REEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAADDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD IIIIIIITTTTTTTT! okay so now that i am done gushing and having my little freak out on how awesome this book was i will tell you alllll the many many many many many many many many many many reasons why it was so AWESOME!

Okay so first and for most the plot! oh how i loved the plot! I am pretty hard to trick, and i don't mean that as to boast myself or anything but a lot times i am like psst i got this too easy, and i know a lot of readers out there can say the same thing, well maybe you would catch somethings that i didnt but man oh man did Liz Long trick me and do i love her for it? Why yes, yes i do! Okay so aside from the fact that this book will keep you guessing its more than just a murder mystery with gifted people that are in a circus and really if that isn't enough to get you interested then i don't know what will....well i do and i will tell you why! It is easy to fall into the same mundane... well not really mundane but similar plot when dealing with "gifted" indivdiuals, like x-men, push (the movie), etc, etc. but this book breaks apart and oh man it was goooooood! I loved, absolutely loved the circus thing, and this is a series... i think and HOPE WITH ALL MY HEART but it seems that way to me, and i think this was a perfect beginning! It walked you through this new world and explains while keeping you entertained. In the summary there isn't much noted about the romance of the book and if you are like me and a bit of a sucker for all types of romance, even if there just a little it makes a little more spicy and an interesting read...well when i get to the characters i will tell you a bit more about the romance but there is some! So YAY! for those hopeless romantics like me and those who are like ewwww romance! which i don't know anyone particular like that its not overwhelming that it becomes all that the book is about. So best of both worlds!

So moving on to the characters...

Our lead lady Lucy: She has lost both her parents and wants to return the only family she has left, which is her gifted family from the circus. Lucy is an interesting and sort of off-beat heroine that honestly kept me guessing. Sometimes i was expecting her to be this not helpless but sort of helpless heroine but man did she prove me wrong. One can be sort of shy and still be a total badass. And she is the BEST KIND OF BADASS! What do i mean by that you ask? Well she is logical, she thinks things through and tries to see all possible views but when it comes down to it sometimes her choices go a little more to the heart...i guess that is one thing i wish i could have had a little more of which was heart but i think that we will crack her throughout the series and she will become super emotional and i will love it. I am not saying she is like a robot because she isn't she is caring, loyal, a smartass which i love! She really can handle her own, and she is modest too which is another thing that i totally love about her. A lot of times it seems to be if you get a badass heroine she is always full of herself, and isn't afraid to be like fuck yeah, but its nice to have a heroine that is more human. I mean we all have insecurities, i know i do, and i pretty sure you do to even if you don't want to admit it, and you know what so does Lucy which makes me love her as a character. Its because she can be logical, she can be a badass but still have heart and still be modest and like a normal person....is so easy to connect to.

Gabriel: One of our main men...he is...well he is...hmm...an asshole? so therefore by default for some horribly odd reason i love him? i don't know why i always fall for the asshole in books but i do. He is annoying, and full of himself, he is just UGH! and he pushes the mystery thing hard at first which is frustrating which all these things make me love him more and more. Even better yet you can see even though he is a "loner" he starts to open up around Lucy and i don't want to reveal to much about anything, but honestly she helps him grow as a character and i was finding myself as much as i wanted to keep him at arm's length because of a different character i will get to in a moment. Anyways he was a well rounded character and just full of surprises this one.

Keegan: our other main man he is also a firestarter like Lucy. He is sweet and adorable. He really is a caring guy that is a little on the shy side which is nice to see from a male main character because you don't get a whole lot of those... or maybe its just the books i read which is probably the case...i don't know...anyways...moving on. He i don't think is as well developed as Gabe but honestly he had his only personality so i am not upset by it at all, and like i said first in a series so we have time.

Side characters and there were a lot: We have: Delia (new best friend and roommate - Runner), Bianca and Brooklyn (a couple), Nickolas (another firestarter), Fin, Sheffield (bossman), and there were a few others that you don't really need to worry about, but these cats were the most used and i really liked that they had there own personalities and features, though the couple Bianca and Brooklyn they were different i got a little confused sometimes on who was who just i think it was the B names....when couples have the same first letter names it always just messes with me... anyways i they were a good support and they are loyal. I really think that they add more to the story verses taking away from it, or anything like that.

So the ending which i know everyone wants to know is it a cliffhanger? NOPE. Thank you Liz Long for that but curse you for making me want the second one right now!!! seriously i wants it! now! please? ahhh welll anyways... its super good to the point that i want the next one!

Okay so my last piece of advice: SERIOUSLY GO BUY THIS BOOK AND READ IT, READ IT READ IT READ IT READ IT READ IT READ IT READ IT READ IT READ IT.... OKAY thats alll....well not quite....


Hi there! i am that super annoying person that is going to push there blog at you! hey now! calm down at least i am doing it at the end of my review... so if you enjoyed my so very interesting review on this AMAZING book! you can check out other books that i loved, liked, hated... and loved to hate... here's the link...i hope you enjoy! http://theviolethourbookreviews.wordp...

Soo....go read the damn book already!

[Mandy Reads Indie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucy has now lost both her mother and her father so she is running away to the circus. The Donovan Circus is full of Gifted people and Lucy feels that may be the only place she will truly belong. With the gift of being a Firestarter, it may be a little harder fitting in, especially being a female Firestarter, which is rare. Returning to the circus life is anything but easy though. She must earn the trust of the other members and work her way up. Thankfully she is not the only new person starting. Gabriel is the new guy, but he isn’t keen on sharing his life’s history or his Gift. In fact he is kind of a jackass.


Not long after arriving there is a murder within the troupe. Of course suspicion is zeroed in on Lucy due to her talent and the lack of trust others have in her. Now Lucy has to do all that she can to clear her name and find the killer. Why is the killer setting her up? And could it really be one of the circus’ own doing the killing? Gabriel and Lucy will work together to end the mystery and find out who is behind the murders.


I loved the whole idea of the circus being run by a bunch of Gifted people. People with talents such as starting fire out of thin air and becoming engulfed in it. Talents that may include being able to transport from one area to another. Even a talent of being unbreakable. How cool is that? Haven't you always wondered how that Magician could make his assistant disappear and reappear somewhere else? Well Liz gives us a totally different take on circus life and the people who run the show.


Gifted had me intrigued from the beginning and I found it hard putting it down. Finding time to read while tile work is being done in the house? That is not so easy. So I didn’t get to invest the amount of time I wanted to while reading it. But it was still so good and very entertaining. The mystery had me guessing the entire time; who was the killer? Was it someone I already encountered in the book? *Cue music* Dun Dun Dunnnnn!


I enjoyed all the characters…especially Delia. I could just picture her talking and trying to get all her American words right with a hint of her Greek accent. I did find there were quite a few characters to keep up with though. And that became a little confusing at times trying to sort them all out. Now let’s talk about Gabriel and Keegan. Hello cuties! I despised Gabriel and had my heart set on Keegan. But after some time, I gradually began leaning more towards Gabriel.


Liz did not only a fabulous job writing a story that keeps you on your toes…but with some great characters added in…she has herself one heck of a read! Love a suspenseful, mysterious read? Gifted is just the book for you.

[Courtney Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love (LOVE) finding awesome new authors and Liz Long is certainly one to watch.

Gifted is Liz Long's debut novel and I have to say, what a promising debut!! Gifted is well thought out, has likeable characters (I love Lucy), (<-- No, I am not plugging the old sitcom right there, although I do love 'I love Lucy' too) and the pacing is great.

At the very beginning, I was afraid that it was going to turn into a slow book, which I personally don't like. However, I was pleasantly surprised when the pacing picked up and turned into a suspenseful, action-packed book.

Seriously- Lucy can create fire with her hands. There's going to be action. And what a delightful setting-- I mean, what book wouldn't be interesting when it is set in a circus!!

A previous reviewer said that Gifted is like the X-Men meets the circus- and I find that I have to agree. It has that fun, rowdy feel of the circus combined with the awesome superpowers of the X-Men. Plus some romance thrown into the mix. It's just an all-around great book. My advice is to try it-- you'll be happy you did. I, for one, will be watching for Ms. Long's next book.

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was immediately engaged as we are introduced to the circus and the world of the gifted through Lucy. Unfortunately this introduction phase went on a little too long and my interested flagged a little but don't despair. Things picked up soon as Lucy and her new friends go for a night on the town and from then on the story and action flowed nicely. Lucy is likable. The stupid love triangle less so. It is not a real love triangle because you have nice guy fire starter Keegan whom Lucy has a couple of interactions with and share a kiss and one make-out session and then there is brooding loner with a 'mysterious'gift Gabriel. Lucy spends most of the rest of the book interacting with Gabriel, sharing confidences with Gabriel and investigating a crime with him. I wonder who she will end up with??? Duh! And I would be less bothered by that if I actually liked Gabriel but I don't given he told her he wanted a relationship and when she wanted some time to think it over - and she only took 1 night before going to tell him she wanted to give them a chance - immediately slept with someone else, and he was their to spy on Lucy for her protection and lied to her I will read the next one because I like Lucy and the story was good but I am think the romance aspect will bug me too much to go much past the next book.

[Lauren Thoman · Rating 4 out of 5]

What it's about:

Gifted is the story of Lucy Sullivan, a young woman grieving the semi-recent loss of both her parents. The book opens as she contacts Sheffield Donovan, owner and Ringmaster of the Donovan Circus, to ask if she can join up. Lucy was raised in the circus until her parents left to have a normal life. Now that her parents are gone, Lucy is anxious to re-enter a world where she can feel comfortable, accepted, and understood. She's never felt truly at home in the world outside the circus, and knows that Donovan Circus is where she truly belongs.

You see, Donovan Circus isn't your everyday circus. Because most of the performers in the Donovan Circus are Gifted. They have special powers that set them apart from the outside world. And Lucy is no exception. She is a Firestarter.

Lucy is quickly embraced by the young performers in the circus, a group that includes other Firestarters, a Telepath, a Runner, a Shape-Shifter, a Transporter, and more. She also quickly finds herself a (mostly) unwilling participant in a love triangle, which she does her best to ignore as she works on honing her abilities and developing her power.

But her new life with the circus is threatened when someone starts attacking and killing the Gifted. And she's the prime suspect.

My Thoughts

After reading the synopsis of Gifted, I thought to myself, "okay, so it's Water for Elephants meets X-Men." And Gifted absolutely bears some similarities to both of those, as well as some other gems of pop culture. An orphan joins up with the circus. Everyone has superpowers. There's a wise Professor X-ish mentor-type (sans wheelchair and bald head, and plus handlebar mustache). There's an evil supervillain that's kind of a cross between Magneto and Peter Petrelli, if Peter Petrelli was evil. And of course Lucy's Firestarter ability calls to mind (duh) Firestarter. But even though Gifted bears similarities to several other more familiar works, I still found it to be a fresh take on the more traditional comic-y superhero tales.

Lucy was a great main character. She's strong and smart and sarcastic; all traits I like in female protagonists. She's not without her flaws. She tends to be a tad on the oblivious side (especially when it comes to men, and her own abilities). And, like most strong female protagonists, she also has a strong stubborn streak. But she kept learning and growing and struggling to understand the big picture throughout the book, and I admired that in her.

There is a very pronounced love triangle in this book, and it's not like a lot of books where there's an obvious frontrunner for Lucy's affections. She flip-flops between them a good amount, and so did I. Truthfully, I'm still not sure whether I'm Team Gabriel or Team Keegan.

*gag* I can't believe I just said that. Never mind. I'm not Team-anyone. I hate Teams. My point is that it's really not obvious who she should/will choose (in large part because of the previously mentioned obliviousness). Honestly, I think that's a more realistic way to portray a love triangle than a lot of books that have the poor, ignored, frustrated guy patiently waiting in the wings as the female protagonist displays zero interest in him while fawning over his rival.

The overarching murder mystery plot was intriguing. Ms. Long drops tiny hints here and there about what's going on in the Big Picture, but mostly we discover tidbits of information right along with Lucy. I was kept guessing for a big chunk of the book, and right when I thought I had everything figured out, she threw me for a loop. It wasn't chock-full of twists and turns, but the road to the end was winding enough that it kept my full attention.

As for the superhero action, it is abundant. There's a good amount of action sprinkled in throughout the book, and the climactic showdown is really satisfying. It's fun to watch Lucy develop her Firestarter ability, especially when all the Firestarters are training together. And since nearly every character in the book has some sort of "gift," not a lot of time ever passes without something supernatural happening.

The only real problem I had with this book was that Lucy and her friends go through some experiences that I imagine would be horribly traumatizing in real life. There's a couple instances of sexual assault, brutal beatings, and several of the characters are forced to kill. And yet, none of them seem all that bothered by what they've gone through, or what they've had to do. Even if the person that died is unequivocally a Bad Guy, I'd think taking a life would still take a heavy toll on a previously innocent circus performer.

Now, I'm not sure the book would have been that much fun to read if the characters were constantly in mental anguish after having attacked or having been attacked. But I think I would have appreciated if there was at least a bit more of a psychological price to pay for their actions and experiences.

I do want to mention that there's a good amount of strong language in this book. If it was a movie, the MPAA would give it an R rating. I mention it because the plot and subject matter give it a YA feel (even though Lucy and her friends are all at least in their 20s), but as far as parents or teachers giving it to young readers, it has a lot more cursing than I've seen in other YA books. I understand why it's in there -- Ms. Long wanted to be true to how most adults traveling with a circus would actually talk -- but I didn't want a parent to give it to their young reader thinking, "little Sally loves X-Men!" (you go, little Sally), and then get mad at me because I didn't warn them about all the f-words.

Overall, Gifted was a fun read, chock full of stuff I like (including X-Men and Star Wars references), with an exciting plot and really likable characters. I know Liz Long has some other stories for the Donovan Circus crew swimming around in her head, and I'll be anxious to read them!

[Jennifer (Bad Bird Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

From http://readingandwritingurbanfantasy....

At a Glance
I had so much fun reading this book. It got better and better with each page. Gifted has an original concept that makes you sit up and take notice.

The Good
Here's the Story...
Lucy is finally home. Going back to the circus after the death of both her parents seems like the perfect idea. It's a place where she can be herself once again. No more hiding her fiery gift. She will finally fit in among people like her, the gifted. Just as her life starts to fall into place--new friends and new love--everything falls apart. Gifted circus members start showing up dead--burnt to a crisp--and the troupe can't help but point fingers at the new firestarter, Lucy. Lucy has no choice but to find the murderer and clear her name. And in her pursuit of the culprit, she uncovers some hard truths about her family and the circus she has come to love.

A Hidden Gem...
I love finding gems like this book among self-published authors. Gifted had a unique premise and amazing characters. The idea of people with gifts joining the circus intrigued me. Why not use your ability out in the open when everyone will just assume it's a carnival trick. Brilliant! And the array of abilities were fascinating to discover. We meet firestarters, empaths, earthshakers, runners, shapeshifters, and the list goes on.

I Love Lucy...
Lucy is kind of like your average girl...who can control fire. She has spent her life holding back her emotions in fear of bursting into flame from too much anger or happiness. Even entering the circus, she holds back, never meeting her full potential. She doesn't want to hurt someone by accident. Watching her emotions start to spiral out of control was actually exciting. The men of her life constantly keep her on her toes. The bad people out to get her never leave her a moment of peace. And the secrets revealed only intensify everything she has been feeling.

Lucy is a sweet girl with a feisty side. She is also naive and defensive, which made her a more realistic character. All she wants is a "family" she can be herself with, but with the murders hanging over her head, and most people blaming her, Lucy has not found the acceptance she was hoping for. But at least her close group of friends are always there for her.

A Cute Jerk...
Though I loved Keegan--he really is the sweetest guy ever--watching Gabriel and Lucy banter back and forth was the best part of this story. Gabriel is sexy and frustrating. He's a jerk most of the time, but the way he says things is both hilarious and cute. Lucy does a good job of sticking up for herself, but Gabriel really knows how to rattle her. I never knew what to make of Gabriel. You want to trust him but his mysterious side is just too...well, mysterious. I spent most my time wanting to punch him in the face for treating Lucy the way he did, but it gave a great dramatic/comical flare to the story.

Friends...
I loved the array of characters we got to meet. The upbeat best friend, the gay couple, the sweet boy Lucy should probably end up with, and the jokester who doesn't take anything seriously. I was smiling every time they showed up on scene.

Refreshing...
The twists and turns were well done. We are often thrown red herrings that make us think one thing but the truth is a whole lot worse...or better. Long knows how to keep a reader on her toes. Lies and deceit run heavy within the circus and you can't help but feel bad for Lucy when the world she thought she knew starts to crumble.

The pacing was well done. I rarely felt bored. I hated putting the book down when I needed to sleep (stupid sleep, always getting in the way of my reading). The action was good, especially the parts with fire. Long gives just enough description to draw a vivid picture of each scene without overdoing it. I actually felt refreshed after reading this book.

The Bad
Sometimes the conversations were too long and explained too many things in one shot. They felt a bit forced and I got a little bored (this was the only time I got bored).

The beginning was a little slow. It didn't represent how great the rest of the book was.

Serious moments often got brushed off with humor. I love humor, even in scary/sad moments. But sometimes certain events need to retain their seriousness to make an impact or just to make it more realistic.

The Snuggly
There is some sexual tension, kissing, and unwanted sexual advances, but overall it's a YA-ish clean book. If it wasn't for the cursing and violence, I would have labeled Gifted YA. Also, all the characters are in their 20's, though they act pretty young.

I enjoyed the love triangle between Lucy, Gabriel, and Keegan. Keegan is so sweet and reliable, while Gabriel is a total jackass, but in an adorable way. He has passion that Keegan lacks, but that might be a good thing, since Gabriel is also dangerous and unpredictable. I don't know how Lucy is going to choose between the two because together, they make the perfect man.

Overall
Though Long left the love triangle open-ended at the end (grrr, why Long, why?) I was pretty much satisfied from beginning to end. Anyone looking for something new in the fantasy/paranormal department, Gifted is the book for you. The characters were likable and the plot was interesting. A highly recommended read.

Excerpt
"It's too bad you're so hot," I mumbled. I kept my eyes on the ground to prevent tripping up again. Or maybe it was to keep from looking in his eyes and ripping his shirt off, I couldn't be sure.

"Why is that?" Drunk or not, his smug expression was easy for me to read. The smile didn't reach his eyes, but I could hear it in his pleased tone.

"Cause you're a total jackass."

"Well, I think that's a little rude."

"Doesn't make it untrue."

[Raquel (Silver Valkyrie Reads)]

I gave it a chapter, but despite being about a circus full of superpowers, I was bored. The writing was a touch on the stilted side, but not terrible— I could have put up with it if I’d cared about the story.

[Jo Michaels · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grabbed a paperback copy of Gifted on Amazon after watching copies fly off a table at a book signing conference. There was this innate need inside me to find out what secrets were hidden on the pages. Full disclosure: I'm a total geek over X-Men. Total. Geek. I used to play the video game at the arcade (Storm was my favorite character to play as), I own all the movies, and I love supernatural ability stories--I'm also a huge Heroes fan. Why did I bother telling you all that? Because if you love those kinds of things, you're going to adore this book. Now, let's move on to the review so I can regale you with all the awesome.

From a Reader's Perspective:
I both loved and hated the main character, Lucy. She was spunky, smart, a bit weak at first, and someone I'd love to hang out with in real life. A couple of her tendencies irritated me at the beginning of the book, but once I realized where her actions were stemming from, they were a little more acceptable. Best of all, despite her being gifted, I could identify with her on a human level. Huge points to the author for that.

Pacing was awesome, and I was able to finish this read in two sittings. Yeah, I was left wanting more, but not because there was a cliffhanger. It all stemmed from the awesome on the pages. Totally geeked out.

Long's descriptions are rich and vivid, but they don't go on and on about each detail. She allows you to paint the scene in your mind by giving you nuggets to build on. My favorite kind of writing is when I don't have to skip pages to avoid getting bogged down. Needless to say, world-building was amazing.

But let's talk about the plot! Up until the villain revealed themselves, I had no clue who it was. What fun I had trying to figure it out, though.

My favorite character was certainly Lucy, but I also loved Brooklyn (she's so passive-aggressive awesome), Delia, and Bianca. I won't ruin the awesome by sharing what they can all do, but it's super cool. Their dialogue felt so natural, too.

Oh, and the action! Yes, there's plenty of that. You get to see all the abilities at work constantly. I loved it.

From an Editor's Perspective:
There were no plot holes, and the flow and pacing were amazing, but the commas were kind of everywhere they shouldn't be and not where they should. So, I'll give half a star for editing.

Rating:
1 Star for creating a complex main character with layers I had to peel back
1 Star for description and world-building
1 Star for keeping the answer to the mystery elusive
1 Star for all the action
.5 Star for editing
-.5 Star for fairy-like commas that flitted hither and yon

Overall, 4.5 out of 5 stars. Everyone who's ever read one of my reviews knows I round up, not down, so this book gets a five click. Recommended for those who love books about paranormal abilities.

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before I review, you must know something about me. I have a whole collection of books I've started reading and never finished. My attention span is quite short, so if a book doesn't suck me into the story almost immediately, I move on to something else. Life is too short to read bad books.

I was captivated in the first few pages. The story doesn't start off slow and ease you into this supernatural world. It assumes you're an intelligent reader who can figure it out as the story moves along. I love that.

One thing I really like is that the love story/love triangle part of it is really secondary to the main story. While I can already hear the teenage girls battling over Team Gabriel or Team Keegan, it wasn't the main story line at all.

(Okay, even though I said the love story is secondary, I have to say I think I might be Team Gabriel even though Team Keegan makes sense.)

I really like Lucy. She kind of reminds me of a college friend who wasn't, shall we say, very experienced. I think I related more to Delia, Lucy's new bff in the book. I don't want to give too many spoilers as far as the characters' super powers, but I will say that Delia is fun and friendly, and has a really cool "gift."

Another great thing about the book was the balance between the fun, young adult scenes and the dramatic, action-filled supernatural scenes. Like they go to a bar after a show one night to have some fun and you learn a lot about the characters and their relationships with each other. But then, there's a big bar fight with some of the townies that almost reveals them as "gifted." Another example, there's a beer pong party scene where Lucy lightens up and has fun, but soon after the night of partying, one of the circus people is murdered and because Lucy is the new girl with fire power, she has to clear her name and learns a lot about herself and her family history along the way.

The last few chapters were my favorite part - Lucy becomes stronger and learns more about her powers, and thus defeats the bad guy. But I really liked that she didn't do it easily and without help... She still has a lot to learn. It makes her more real (well, as real as a firestarter can be) and gives us something else to look forward to in the next book.

While the story is complete and this book can stand alone, I want more. I want to know more about the Gifted community, Sheffield Donovan and the Donovan Circus, Lucy's family (specifically her firestarter dad), Lucy's friends and their abilities, and Lucy's super powerful firestarter ability. Oh and the love story, of course.

This is an excellent first book by a new author and I'm really looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Thomas Rydder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me first say I received this book free, in exchange for a fair and honest review:

I'll resist the temptation to repeat the comparisons that some others have made to this book and "X-Men". Not because the similarities aren't there, I'd just rather go down my own path. Many of the main characters in this book do have powers - and they're just as cool as those possessed by the X crew - but there the comparison ends. Wolverine et al seek to rid the world of the bad guys - the folks in "Gifted" are just looking to survive. And they do it by keeping their head down, and disguising their powers as illusions in a circus owned and ringmastered by Sheffield Donovan, a man who has pledged his life to protect and provide for his gifted charges.
Of course, when you travel around the States, perform a show a night and are studied by hundreds, word gets out. People get curious. And trouble typically follows. The difficulties this time are brought about by the arrival of Lucy Sullivan, a gifted whose family left the circus, and who has now returned after the death of her parents. Her dad had been one of the circus's premier performers, and now she seeks to follow in his footsteps - even thought she doubts both her ability to control her gift and deal with others socially.
Lucy is, in a word, edgy. She has spunk, is stubborn, and shows incredible talent, while doubting her own talents. In another word, this makes her irresistable as a protagonist. Her difficulties in coming to terms with the different performers and her gift makes it natural to root for her, and as she progresses, fails, triumphs, laughs, and cries, I was drawn to her steadily.
The plot of this book is very well written, with twists and turns, and many little inroads. Just as I thought I had things figured out, along came another little morsel which served to cast doubt on my conclusions. It moves along very nicely, with no dead time, nor boring stretches. The characters are all well-formed and believable (assuming anyone who forms and tosses fireballs around can be). Ms. Long's ability to give her various characters drastically different personalities and have them form friendships and tentative alliances are notable, and she brings the whole interwoven circus existence to life with admirable ease.
All in all, it was a wonderful book, and I'd strongly recommend it to anyone who would enjoy stepping out of our world, and into one where the inhabitants are super-powered, but in the end, only human.

[Veronica Morfi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lucy is gifted, like so many others in the world with a special power, hers is fire. Lucy is a firestarter, someone who can create and control fire. Soon after the death of both her parents she decides it's time to return to the place she spent part of her childhood, the Donovan Circus. There gifted people, mixed with a few actual humans, put on an amazing show to entertain the masses. Lucy will make new friends and start to feel like she belongs again, but before the good feeling can sink in someone turns up dead. Burned to death. And the new firestarter is the number one suspect. Now Lucy has to clear her name and find out who the real killer is before more people she cares about end up dead.

Gifted had all the thinks I love reading about. A circus, someone with firepower and people popping up dead. I really enjoyed the circus life and all the different characters we were introduced to. So many amazing gifted people. I wasn't the hugest fan of Lucy in the beginning cause she just couldn't realise the obvious, that her gifted was so much better than anyones else, that she was truly special, but she finally saw that. Her two love interests on the other hand (yes this has a love triangle in it) were both swoon worthy. I found myself more attracted to Keegan though, although it's pretty obvious she won't end up with him and I felt sorry for him cause Lucy was kind of leading him on.

There was a lot of action in the beginning of the book and a pretty awesome fight at the end of it, but in the middle the book got a little slow. Lucy was not hanging out with her friends that much, instead she was always with her two love interests, talking on and on. That was the downfall of it. It was a bit frustrating after the great beginning, but fortunately the ending was action packed too. Hence the 4 stars.

All in all, this is a great book. Especially if like me you are a huge fan of circus novels and firestarters.

[Lenore Kosinski · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars -- LOVED the uniqueness of the world that Ms. Long gives us. Seriously, why aren't there more books set in circuses? Definitely a cool premise, and was executed well with a lot of description to make you feel like you could really imagine it. Strangely enough, I almost felt like there was too much description...it made for a slower beginning. So while I appreciated having a vivid picture, I kept wanting something to happen a lot sooner than it did.

Lucy was intriguing. I didn't always get a good handle on her personality, b/c she's supposed to be this stubborn fiery firestarter, but she also keeps her emotions completely in check. So she was really different from a lot of the heroines I've read before. I'm still trying to decide how I feel about that.

In the end there was a LOT of exciting action happening in this book once it got going.... Frankly, at times I was a bit lost and there were almost too many twists and turns for me personally.... I think other people might enjoy it more, so it's not necessarily a bad thing, just a bad for Lenore thing.

I'm also not a huge triangle girl....I don't mind them sometimes, though it depends on how they are done. This one wasn't actually too bad, but in the end I didn't really like either boy for Lucy...I didn't feel the right connection on either side. But I'm a hopeless romantic, and perhaps this was a bit more realistic in that she's not just going to automatically find her soulmate and *know* or whatever. So again, not a bad thing, just not a Lenore thing.

I had a REALLY REALLY REALLY hard time deciding whether to round up or down. I'm still not sure I picked correctly. I LOVED the uniqueness of this story sooooo much, and the world was really fleshed out well. It just had a few things that weren't to my taste....

[Summer Lane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lucy is a firestarter. What does that mean? It means that she can control fire and manipulate it to do her bidding...whatever that might be. After her parents die, she joins the Donovan Circus, an organization that is full of talented individuals called the 'Gifted.' They're basically people with superpowers who make a living as circus freaks. Mind readers, runners, earthshakers, you got it. But when people start showing up charbroiled to a crisp (AKA dead), all fingers point to Lucy, the newcomer and the girl with the dangerous abilities. As it turns out, there is more to the killings than meets the eye. There's also a bit of a romantic triangle going on at the same time. All in all, DRAMA!

I received this book from the author, Liz Long, and I was super excited about it because it is a NEW ADULT read, which by now, you all know is a terribly underrated category of books. The main characters are college-aged, and they can do things that characters in YA can't - like join the circus without parental permission. I have always been fascinated by books about circuses, maybe because I have never been to a circus and I have some funny fantasy about being a tightrope walker in my spare time. So yeah. I really enjoyed this book. There were all the characters that I love: the buoyant best friend, the hardcore third bestie who, while a bit stereotypical, was kickbutt and super funny. And here is a bit of personal opinion on the main squeeze of the love triangle, Gabriel: he was handsome, yeah, but so frustrating!!! I would have tossed him overboard like a dead trout if I had been Lucy...but it made for some good drama in the book. In summary? A bit too much "feelings" talk throughout the book but I couldn't put this book down!

[Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third book I have read that involved a circus of some form or another and really, I don't know why I don't read more of them. I have loved every single one of them.

And while they have all been different reads, they have all been just as fabulous and unique as this one was.

I really enjoyed the paranormal aspect in this novel. The characters, the family feel of the circus, the mystery behind the deaths, the details. Everything was just very well done.

I am so sorry it has taken me so long to get to this one, I really am. The author contacted me months ago (yes, I know, bad reviewer!) and I just now was able to squeeze it in. I really wish I would have started it weeks ago. I had a lot of fun reading it and had a hard time putting it down even. I got completely wrapped up in the storyline.

There were some pretty amazing characters, a great storyline, a little romance, a lot of action, lots of gifted people, a crazy scientist and even some mystery thrown in for good measure.

We get the feisty good girl, the loveable sweet boy, the great best friend, and we even get a hot bad boy and of course the whole paranormal/fantasy element I love. Really, what more could I ask for?

And while there is some language in this and obvious violence this really is a great read that while I wouldn't classify as YA I think an older YA audience would be just fine reading it.

Overall I give this one a very solid 4 Stars and I can't wait to read the next installment in the series!

[Marcy Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the unique premise of a whole community of "gifted" hiding in plain sight as circus performers. The plot pulled me in right away as Lucy Sullivan joins the circus after the deaths of her parents. Although she grew up in this circus, her family left for a "normal" life and her father forbid Lucy from practicing her Firestarter gift. The story's suspense revolves around Lucy learning why her family left and who is causing the accidents and murders at the circus.

After a strong beginning, the first third of the book dragged some. I realize the author was trying to set up the characters and the friendships between them for the remainder of the book, but it went on a touch too long before the first murder and accident happened. I think this could have been easily fixed by amping up the suspicions about the accidents and having something happen a little quicker. Despite this, though, I was interested enough to read the book in the span of two days.

My biggest complaint with this novel was the amount of profanity, especially the use of the F-word. It felt unnecessary, like a prop the author used because she wasn't as confident as she should have been that her dialogue would stand on its own.

If you like urban fantasy and are looking for something other than werewolves, vampires, or zombies, this book is a good choice and lays the groundwork for what promises to be an interesting series.

[Tana Schiewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to admit that I am a little surprised at how much I enjoyed this book! I've never been a fan of the circus theme, so I think under normal circumstances I wouldn't have bought this book; however, I met the author at a conference and after talking with her about the book (and other things!) I decided to give it a try. I'm so glad I did!

I truly believe Liz Long is an author to watch. Not only is Gifted a very interesting and engaging story, but Long's writing is terrific. She strikes the perfect balance between scene-setting and action, which for me is always a tough thing to find in a novel. If there's not enough description, I can't imagine the world; however, if there's too much I'm bored out of my mind (I'm looking at you, Ann Radcliffe). Long finds the balance, keeping the story moving while providing the little details that really bring the characters to life.

I'm looking forward to reading more!

[Leire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reseña en español: http://alwaysinourownworld.blogspot.c...
Review in English: http://alwaysinourownworld.blogspot.c...

OMG, HE ADORADO ESTE LIBRO. HGDBBGSADHAGSHFGASHFA
¡¡¡NECESITO EL SEGUNDO YA!!!!
No sé como he pasado tanto tiempo sin leer este libro, es increibleeeeeeee *___*

[LiteraryCat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a tale of twists and turns. While some of it can be predictable, it is a thrilling tale. Lucy came of as being whiney and weak in the beginning, but as the story progressed she became a stronger character ready to lead her army of gifted. I liked the blend of different powers that was done well. interesting, ready for the next one.

[Patricia Burleson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good

This is a very good book. It has strong characters and the main character is great you can see everything as you read as if you were there. There is action, magic, mystery, friendships and love. So grab it and enjoy reading a great book.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have found a new series to love

I love the circus, and this series is perfect. The details all felt authentic, like I was on the grounds with the crew. Lucy is a wonderful character and I can't wait to see what happens next!

[E · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overview:
Lucy Sullivan was special. "Gifted". She possessed the supernatural ability to create and control fire. She spent the first several years of her life as part of The Donovon Circus, alongside her parents. Lucy's father was delighted that his daughter had inherited had inherited his gift of of being a Firestarter. He even said that his proudest moment was when Lucy, as a toddler, first discovered her gift by burning up the sofa. When Lucy was 12, however, her parents decided to retire from the circus, mainly due to her mother's desire to live a normal life among regular humans. Wanting to have a normal life was understandable, though at times quite challenging for an exceptional girl to be "normal". But what came as strange was that it wasn't long after leaving the circus that Lucy's father forbade her from ever practicing her gift, even in private, or ever having anything to do with the circus.
After the deaths of both her father and then her mother, Lucy decides to rejoin the circus, to both embark on something new on her own, and for a taste of the home she once knew and longed for. A place where she could be herself.
Rejoining the circus kicked off with a flurry of activity -- much had changed since she was a child, and the days seemed to go nonstop. But Lucy quickly relearned the ropes and fell in with a group of friends, each with their own unique abilities. From her speedster roommate, to telepaths, shape-shifters, and and fellow firestarters, and a few with more mysterious gifts, Lucy began to feel at home with her new family.
But things soon begin to change as several unexpected events shake the circus. When a fellow circus member turns up dead, the prime suspect is Lucy. Desperate to clear her name and return things to how they were, Lucy starts to dig deep into the past and secrets of the circus. The lines between friend and foe begin to blur, and the things she uncovers could change everything....

My thoughts on "Gifted":

This book was an absolutely enjoyable read. It had intriguing characters that were well developed, It moved at a great pace, kept me in suspense, and made me want to keep reading long past my bedtime.

It had the three main things I look for in picking a good book:
1) Good cover. Lets be honest, if I am not already familiar with a book, it is the cover that makes me pick it up off the shelf and read the back. Yes, I judge a book by it's cover! This one really drew me in and made me want to know more about it.
2) Interesting from page one. Ugh! I can't stand it when people say "Oh, the first few chapters of such-and-such book are pretty slow, but it will pick up about half way through." Seriously? If I'm bored in your first chapter i'm not going to move on to chapter 2. Gifted was great. From the first pages I was instantly pulled in, I knew who the main characters were, and had a general idea of where the book would go. Simple, but it seems like more authors need to be taking notes on this from Ms. Long!
3) Well developed plot. Again, seems like a no-brainer, but I've been disappointed on this too many times. Not with Gifted! This story was thought through from start to finish and progressed extremely well. No needless filler. No excruciatingly long stretches of describing scenery that we don't care about, No pointless rabbit-trails.
4) Well developed characters. I really felt like I knew the characters! They were deep, and complex. I could laugh with them and cry with them. Whether or not I was crazy about the characters themselves, I felt that I could like or dislike them because I knew them well and could judge accordingly. If I lived in the world of Donovon Circus I would probably be good friends with Delia, I would avoid Angel and Gabriel because they would creep me out, and would most likely have a crush on Keegan if I weren't married :)
At bit on the main character.... I loved Lucy. Unless I hated her. Let me explain: She was Smart, witty, and fun, with a seriously cool gift and fiery red hair to boot. She worked hard and excelled highly in her gift. I wanted to be her BFF. But she also couldn't make a firm decision on her own and was totally fickle as she played with boys hearts while they played equally with hers. She was oblivious. I wanted to punch her. But she also kicked butt, which pretty much rocked.

For me, this book was all my favorites wrapped up into one. A little bit of The Night Circus, Water for Elephants, X-Men, and a whole lot of the TV series Heroes. Similarities can be a good or bad thing. You want it to have enough familiarity to have a frame of reference to put it into. But you want to be able to look at a piece of literature for itself, not be comparing it to something else, thinking things like "oh, so that person is just like Peter Petrelli, and this other one is just like Syler".

All in all, I really enjoyed reading Gifted and will definitely recommend it to my friends :) Any plans for a sequel? I'd read it.

[Ethan Gregory · Rating 5 out of 5]

FULL REVIEW CAN BE FOUND AT http://oneguysguidetogoodreads.blogsp...

My Thoughts on Gifted:

As I type this I have JUST finished Gifted and have so much to say I can't hardly get it all down in time. Let me just say this: I am completely and utterly speechless. I love paranormal, I love New Adult fiction, and I LOVE anything circus themed but holy-hell Batman, I was NOT expecting that read to effect me the way it did. Woah. Seriously. If I was to do a Top 5 Reads of 2014 (that weren't necessarily publishing in 2014) Gifted would be VERY high on that list. Okay, let me calm down and start from the beginning.


Circus life is one of my very favorite things to learn about. As a historian, I have always been drawn into the history of the American circus. I'm not going to go into a rant here, but lets just say that circus life has had one long and interesting history over the past two centuries. Whenever I think of a circus theme or a side show or "freaks", my mind immediately goes to a 1930's-ish vibe with sideshows and sword swallowers and bearded ladies and I love it! Has anyone seen that movie Freaks? Seriously the scariest movie I have ever seen, but anyways. I. Love. Circus. History. This is why I was drawn to Gifted. At UtopYA I was literally walking down the hallway and saw Liz's circus themed table and literally stopped in my tracks and walked up to her and said "is your book about circus'". THAT'S how drawn in I was. Gifted, however proved to be way more special than even I thought.


The first thing that shocked me about Gifted was it's setting. Not that it takes place in a circus, but the time period. While the specific date could be argued, it takes place in a relatively modern time period. While there is no discussion of cell phones, there are discussions of video games and nice RV campers that definitely give the book a modern feel. I have never read a modern day circus themed anything. That was a HUGE plus for me.

Secondly, the characters were AMAZING. Okay. First we have Lucy, our main female character who is this awesome "fiery" redheaded, 24 year old firestarter who is returning to Donovan Circus to start over. Upon arriving we meet Sheffield Donovan, ringleader for the circus with a few secrets of his own. Later we meet fellow firestarters Nikolas and Keegan (also good-guy love interest), the Greek room mate and runner, Delia (I read all of her dialogue with an accent, darn my year of Russian), Finley the shapeshifter, Bianca the transporter, Brooklyn the telepath, and a whole host of other amazing characters with some awesome powers like controlling the elements (a personal favorite of mine), telekinesis, and SO MANY MORE! Oh by the way, did I mention Gabriel? No. Oh yeah, well, he just happens to be the bad boy love interest who may end up being the coolest character in the book and has a passive power, he's an Empath! Crazy right? Imagine what this cast of characters do when pitted against of the most most evil of book villains I have read in ages! Yes. This is definitely a read you wont regret.

Many of the review claim it's like X-Men meets the circus, well guess what everyone? X-Men is quite possible the most amazing thing in the world in my book. You probably won't meet a bigger X-Men fan than me. We've actually talked about this before on one of my Chelsea Fine posts (because she is a fellow X-Men fan as well)! Those reviewers were spot-on! And to talk of Long's writing? Any author who can write an amazing New Adult paranormal fantasy novel and include as many superhero and Star Wars references as she was able to is definitely a plus in my book! I particularly enjoyed the entire scene devoted to conversations about the casts favorite superheroes including some nods to one of my favorite X-Men who would actually make a lot of sense in this novel: John Allerdyce (bonus points if you know who he is without looking it up). Many may look at this and think how could this possibly be a NA read. Well, I won't spoil any plotlines, but Long is quite the word wizard. She gifts us this fantasy filled world and then throws in some very adult elements such as sexual abuse and inhumane and ruthless murder. Got you attention now? So while this may seem like a fun YA read, don't let it fool you! I was pleasantly surprised! There is also drinking and lots of smoking (it's a circus, d'uh) just in case you still thought it was a YA. Don't let it deter you though!

As many of you guys know, I love and support the NA genre to the fullest but have had an awful time as of late coping with the sudden direction the genre has taken. What started out as a fun new genre about the experiences of college age adults (18-26ish) has now essentially turned into YA+Explicit Sex. That's not how I role. I am all about a romance in a novel, but I don't want to read a story where the romance is the story! Gifted is EXACTLY what I am looking for. If you guys listened to the video above you will heard Liz describe Gifted in two ways: first it's an adventure and second it's a mystery. No talk of it being a romance at all. This is a perfect read for any guys out there who are looking for a read to enter into the NA genre! While there is a romance/love-triangle in the story, it is very well written (perhaps a little one sided, or maybe that was just me)! It does not lead the story, but it does build the storyline in some very important ways. Seriously guys. I can't say enough about what this novel/series could be doing for the NA genre with enough help from readers and bloggers!

The storyline of the novel actually finished up with a very nice ending that paves the way for several more books in the series. While I have only read the first, I will be starting book two, Burned, immediately. After speaking with Long, I have learned that there is a draft of book three and the potential for several more in the series. I can't speak for anyone else, but I will say with certainty that this fanboy will be reading every one of them. Kudos to Long on her debut novel. I have been thoroughly impressed! Another thing I really could not stop thinking about while reading this is the enormous possibilities this series have if it were adapted into a television show. I often think about that with books and think that this would DEFINITELY go over great as a TV series. To any TV people out there *flashing light here*! All-in-all a five star read for me over here. I don't have a rating system in place here, but this book is pretty doggone high on my favorites list right now! Check it out everyone, you will not be disappointed!

[Sarahdactyl ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

♥ Find my reviews on Blogger ~ Reviews by Bookish Sarah

- - -

Gifted is the story of 23-year-old Lucy Sullivan. After the death of both of her parents, Lucy makes her way back to the only family she has left - the Gifted folks of Donovan Circus. Lucy was raised in the circus until her parents decided to leave so that Lucy could live a “normal” life.

As a Firestarter, someone who can create and control fire, Lucy has never felt like she could be her true self outside of the circus. It's a constant battle with her emotions. Lucy can't have a boyfriend, can't get too upset or too excited for fear that she'll burst into flames, inevitably letting humans know that Gifted exist.

Donovan Circus is full of Gifted of all sorts. Empaths, Earthshakers, Runners, Shapeshifters, Firestarters such as Lucy, and much more. These non-humans with amazing powers are a close-knit family all their own, and they accept Lucy into their world almost immediately. Lucy even finds romance within the group.

Everything goes perfectly until a murder occurs within the circus - and it appears the man has been killed by a Firestarter since he's burnt to a crisp. As Lucy is the new addition to the circus, and people hardly know her yet, the finger is automatically pointed in her direction.

As Lucy works to clear her name, she learns that the secrets and lies within the Gifted community run much deeper than she could have imagined - and that people she thought she could trust may be directly involved in the corruption.

- - -

I like to start my reviews by speaking about my dislikes first. I really had just one with this book, and it's one I find I have a lot within the YA genre. The protagonist was the object of too much male attention. I never enjoy it when a protag has too many guys falling all over her. Within just a day of being at Donovan Circus, Lucy has a gaggle of admirers, whether it be true interest or just guys looking to get in her pants. Then, the one and only time the group goes into town for drinks at a bar, a group of human men try to maul her as well. There were other girls in the group, but they had all their attention focused on just Lucy? Mmmm, don't think so. I am never a fan of that sort of situation.

Moving on!

The first thing I want to praise is the plot. It moved along at a wonderful pace. I was never bored or tempted to skim (which seems to be happening to me a lot lately - so thank-you, Ms. Long!). The action and paranormal elements were abundant. It's well-written. The world building is fantastic. There are so many beings and so many different types of powers floating around in this book that every chapter brought on a whole new element of greatness. There's also a thread of mystery to the plot that keeps you guessing; keeps you on your toes. The whole story was intriguing from the first page to the last.

The characters were engaging and likable. I enjoyed that Lucy wasn't just learning about her powers in this book. She knows what she is from the get-go; she grew up learning to hone her Firestarter skills. She may not know the full extent of what she can do, but I appreciate that the author didn't center the book around a young woman just learning that she is something more than human. That seems too easy, right? Anyway, I'm veering! Lucy was everything I enjoy in a protag. I liked her strength; her gut - her oomph, if you will! She hasn't had much experience with guys, so she had a little bit of a naïveté factor going on and I found that sort of charming. She isn't without flaw, which is what I like to see. She loves to use sarcasm as a defense mechanism and she can be a tad on the bitchy side. Basically: she is real.

The secondary characters were all enjoyable as well. Lucy's group of friends were all great in different ways. There are a lot of them, so I won't list 'em all. Trust me though, they're a fun lot. Lucy's two potential love interests, Keegan and Gabriel, were both likable, but for completely different reasons. Keegan is more of a wholesome sort of guy - sweet, caring, and dependable. Basically, he's the boy next-door. Gabriel is more my kind of hero - dangerous, unpredictable, and full of passion. He's the broody and tortured guy who needs some true love in his life. Both guys have potential and I'm truly dying to know which guy Lucy ultimately ends up with - yes, Ms. Long left us with a bit of a cliffhanger in the love department. Evil!

I also have to mention how much I enjoyed all the action in this book. For example: the final blowout, the climax - it was SO GREAT! It was satisfying. Too often I am left feeling like I got the short end of the stick ending-wise. It was really great to read a book that gives you closure and a substantial final stand-off. My adrenaline was running really high with this one, and it felt damn good. I wanted to bust out with a slow-clap by the end of it.

Adult content warning: I feel it needs mentioning as this is in the YA category. It's definitely a YA book, but the characters are on the older side of Young Adult, so there is a whole lot of cursing (which, let's face it, is completely realistic). There is drinking & smoking, which is not bad since these characters are actually of age. So, unlike some other reviewers I've seen, I see absolutely nothing wrong with that. There's a bit of violence and a bit of sexual content - nothing very graphic, though. The language is pretty much the only thing I'd be wary of. I'd say 16+ age-wise.

Overall, Gifted is a winner! The plot is well developed, as are the characters. The paranormal aspect is unique. The mystery is edge-of-your-seat good. The romance is intense, but not mushy gushy. The writing is great and the story is purely fun. I definitely recommend this book! I can't wait to read more of Donovan Circus in the future.

- - -

Book source: From the author in exchange for an honest review
Publisher: CreateSpace

[Jennifer Alvarez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow.

Lucy is leaving one chapter of her life for a new one. Being raised in a circus was the most amazing life for Lucy. Then her parents took her away to live a “normal” life for a while. After they passed away, Lucy could only think to be surrounded by those like her. With her new life being threatened, she must step up to her potential. This was an exciting story. Would most definitely love to read more. Very well done.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed it!

It's my first book of this author and I found it to have a really good story. Unique ideas with the characters add to that. It's written well, but in a couple of places it ran a bit slow for me, but since that's my only real issue here I'd say that I can live with it! The characters are very unique, and I look forward to reading more of their stories. Go ahead, check it out!

[Laurel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave this three stars because I finished the book. The characters were interesting with extremely different personalities & abilities. I was very disappointed that it took me so long to read this book. It got so boring & hard to read because I would lose interest at the repetitive dialogue. I probably will not read the rest of the series.

[Ron Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting story

This is an interesting story. I look forward to reading the other books in the series when I get the chance.

[Kristen Schrader (Wenke) · Rating 2 out of 5]

The exposition was shoe-horned into every conversation. Lots of talking, little action until the end.