What do you think?
Rate this book
The Gifted #1
Gifted: The Gifted Series
"Gossip Girl and Harry Potter meets Gifted. This is outstanding and compelling." - Fiction Vixen.
*
Serenity doesn't understand what's happening when she starts experiencing hallucinations about her fate. She has no friends to turn to for help until she meets Kendrick. Kendrick knows a secret about Serenity: she is the youngest descendant of the Salem witch bloodline. As Serenity tries to deal with the side effects of her gift with Kendrick's help and guidance, she is forced to face a dangerous liaison that affects only her.
Can she find the answers about who she really is and discover what fate holds for her?
*
Serenity doesn't understand what's happening when she starts experiencing hallucinations about her fate. She has no friends to turn to for help until she meets Kendrick. Kendrick knows a secret about Serenity: she is the youngest descendant of the Salem witch bloodline. As Serenity tries to deal with the side effects of her gift with Kendrick's help and guidance, she is forced to face a dangerous liaison that affects only her.
Can she find the answers about who she really is and discover what fate holds for her?
287 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 18, 2015
6 people are currently reading
12 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
July 10, 2022
Reads like a first draft
This book really needs editing. There are some big issues with being able to follow along with the book in a logical timeline, at times I didn't know what was going on or who or what was being referred to. The author seemed to just skip days/weeks with no notice or any indication how the character did during that time.
There were misused words as though autofill popped the wrong word in or voice to type was used and misunderstood.
There were some glaring issues like speaking to her father while he was on a respirator, not possible. The main character used the phrase "I've been better" in response to being asked how she was doing. I have always understood this to be a negative answer as if things are pretty crappy. But other characters seem to think it is as if the answer was "fine".
I did actually read the whole book to see if things improved but they didn't. I like the concept of the book but the execution and believability of the characters and their actions are just lacking.
This author really needed someone with a fresh perspective to proof read and make suggestions before this was ever published on Kindle.
I see that the next booking the series is out, but I am going to pass. I noticed the next book is her second year in college (where this one was her senior year) so it makes me think the continuity/storyline issues will continue.
I have been involved in beta reading and ARC reviews- the author really needs to use these as a tool for feedback.
This book really needs editing. There are some big issues with being able to follow along with the book in a logical timeline, at times I didn't know what was going on or who or what was being referred to. The author seemed to just skip days/weeks with no notice or any indication how the character did during that time.
There were misused words as though autofill popped the wrong word in or voice to type was used and misunderstood.
There were some glaring issues like speaking to her father while he was on a respirator, not possible. The main character used the phrase "I've been better" in response to being asked how she was doing. I have always understood this to be a negative answer as if things are pretty crappy. But other characters seem to think it is as if the answer was "fine".
I did actually read the whole book to see if things improved but they didn't. I like the concept of the book but the execution and believability of the characters and their actions are just lacking.
This author really needed someone with a fresh perspective to proof read and make suggestions before this was ever published on Kindle.
I see that the next booking the series is out, but I am going to pass. I noticed the next book is her second year in college (where this one was her senior year) so it makes me think the continuity/storyline issues will continue.
I have been involved in beta reading and ARC reviews- the author really needs to use these as a tool for feedback.
April 9, 2024
Suspense-filled coming of age…for a witch
Serenity’s senior year seems…relatable. Awkward. Crushing on the popular boy. Mean girls. Very mean girls.
Nice guy who befriends her.
…finding out the nice guy is her long lost brother. Wait? Newsflash: she’s a witch.
Also Serenity: the popular boy breaks up with his mean-girl GF and proclaims undying, if kinda insta-seeming, love.
Ok, the last part maybe isn’t so relatable. What? Sorry, did *you* ever have the popular boy suddenly turn your way?
Moving on. Serenity’s coming of age means being told the truth about her powers, her family, and the coven that’s out to get her. And they make the mean girls seem like, well…just mean girls. Not witches with energy stealing powers that can open a gateway for the undead.
The writing was dry in places with a rather odd focus on characters’ complexions as a primary descriptor. The dialogue tended to be stilted and forced. The love interest rather sudden. But the overall storyline was interesting and having a female lead in this coming of witches story was intriguing. Perfect for the YA audience it’s targeting.
Serenity’s senior year seems…relatable. Awkward. Crushing on the popular boy. Mean girls. Very mean girls.
Nice guy who befriends her.
…finding out the nice guy is her long lost brother. Wait? Newsflash: she’s a witch.
Also Serenity: the popular boy breaks up with his mean-girl GF and proclaims undying, if kinda insta-seeming, love.
Ok, the last part maybe isn’t so relatable. What? Sorry, did *you* ever have the popular boy suddenly turn your way?
Moving on. Serenity’s coming of age means being told the truth about her powers, her family, and the coven that’s out to get her. And they make the mean girls seem like, well…just mean girls. Not witches with energy stealing powers that can open a gateway for the undead.
The writing was dry in places with a rather odd focus on characters’ complexions as a primary descriptor. The dialogue tended to be stilted and forced. The love interest rather sudden. But the overall storyline was interesting and having a female lead in this coming of witches story was intriguing. Perfect for the YA audience it’s targeting.
January 21, 2021
A story going back to the witches of Salem
The plot centers on Serenity, who is a girl the author calls a Spellbinder, who is a descendant of the witches of Salem. They can use both white and black magic. If at first she saw her powers as a curse, she came to accept them and count them as both a blessing and sometimes a curse. Her parents also share different types of magic abilities, such as clairvoyance, communicating with the dead, or reading minds.
The story is well suited for teenagers and young adults as it could help them come to terms with their personality and situation from learning about Serenity’s experiences. Aside from the sometimes heavy dialogue, it’s a quite short and easy read. Serentity’s relationship with Kendrik is sometimes awkward but the characters are relatable most of the time. I’d recommend this book to those who love an intriguing and thoughtful supernatural story.
The plot centers on Serenity, who is a girl the author calls a Spellbinder, who is a descendant of the witches of Salem. They can use both white and black magic. If at first she saw her powers as a curse, she came to accept them and count them as both a blessing and sometimes a curse. Her parents also share different types of magic abilities, such as clairvoyance, communicating with the dead, or reading minds.
The story is well suited for teenagers and young adults as it could help them come to terms with their personality and situation from learning about Serenity’s experiences. Aside from the sometimes heavy dialogue, it’s a quite short and easy read. Serentity’s relationship with Kendrik is sometimes awkward but the characters are relatable most of the time. I’d recommend this book to those who love an intriguing and thoughtful supernatural story.
June 4, 2021
So many secrets
Very sweet coming of age tale about Serenity, a high s hoop girl, coming into her powers and finding out about her family’s se rets, such as her half brother, and oh yeah, they’re witches and that a whole cadre of evil but lazy witches are after her to unlock something for them, snd they’ll stop at nothing to get what they want. I really enjoyed this book! The characters were colorful and witty, which I love, and the tension, suspense, and stakes were well-balanced with pacing. YA paranormal lovers will eat this up!
Very sweet coming of age tale about Serenity, a high s hoop girl, coming into her powers and finding out about her family’s se rets, such as her half brother, and oh yeah, they’re witches and that a whole cadre of evil but lazy witches are after her to unlock something for them, snd they’ll stop at nothing to get what they want. I really enjoyed this book! The characters were colorful and witty, which I love, and the tension, suspense, and stakes were well-balanced with pacing. YA paranormal lovers will eat this up!
March 5, 2024
Great Beginning
A very strong beginning for a YA novel about a band of witches discovering how their universe works amongst the real world. Serenity is a very strong young witch just coming into her own as not only a woman with special powers, but coming into her own as a woman developing feelings for the jock next door. I can't wait to read the next novel.
A very strong beginning for a YA novel about a band of witches discovering how their universe works amongst the real world. Serenity is a very strong young witch just coming into her own as not only a woman with special powers, but coming into her own as a woman developing feelings for the jock next door. I can't wait to read the next novel.
April 11, 2024
If the story didn't focus on the day-to-day, humdrum life of a teenager in high school with the stereotypical bad girls/cheerleaders and centered more on the 'witch coming into her powers', this would be a much better read. Cut a lot of the unnecessary dialogue, edit it better, and work on the formatting would help, too.
November 9, 2021
Looking forward to the next book
This story is full of imagination. While there is room to improve, I believe Toni will be a successful author. One of my favorite lines was: "And the tear that had fallen out of my eye was not even a tear; it was a tiny cube of ice."
This story is full of imagination. While there is room to improve, I believe Toni will be a successful author. One of my favorite lines was: "And the tear that had fallen out of my eye was not even a tear; it was a tiny cube of ice."
May 23, 2024
Good descriptive writing
The author has a skill with setting and descriptions which helps to pull you through the novel. It felt shallow in parts and the formatting was poor. The plot idea was good.
The author has a skill with setting and descriptions which helps to pull you through the novel. It felt shallow in parts and the formatting was poor. The plot idea was good.
October 19, 2023
THE RIGHT TITLE FOR THE AUTHOR
GIfted is the tale of a girl who reunites with brother to discover her roots. This is sexy, magical and with spirits from the other side. Great work.
GIfted is the tale of a girl who reunites with brother to discover her roots. This is sexy, magical and with spirits from the other side. Great work.
April 20, 2017
I struggled a bit with this book. There were several grammatical mistakes and typos, which were distracting and removed me from the story. And while I respect the author’s choice to write in the voice of a teenager, using teen terms such as “like” in non-dialogue copy was off-putting.
I felt that the main character was a little one-dimensional and lifeless, as were the “mean girls” she dealt with in the beginning. The main character got most things she wanted easily, with no tension in the story line or struggle, and yet she was still unhappy. There was no fight in her. Perhaps a teenager could relate to her, though, but I didn’t feel attached to her or her story.
It also seemed like the “gift” aspect of this story was an afterthought until halfway through the book. Once the “gift” was revealed, everything before that except a couple of characters went away. It was too much of a shift away from the beginning of the story although the character was in the same environment. I preferred the latter half of the book, though, so editing down the first half could be helpful.
Also, the plot was thin and at times a little jumbled. It didn’t build up until the last few chapters. Mostly it seemed like a set up for upcoming books. Even in a series, I prefer that the individual books to stand alone.
I would not strongly recommend this book as is, although I can see potential. I would say for a teenager looking for quick read, it may be OK, but for older readers who enjoy YA literature, this would not be your best bet.
I felt that the main character was a little one-dimensional and lifeless, as were the “mean girls” she dealt with in the beginning. The main character got most things she wanted easily, with no tension in the story line or struggle, and yet she was still unhappy. There was no fight in her. Perhaps a teenager could relate to her, though, but I didn’t feel attached to her or her story.
It also seemed like the “gift” aspect of this story was an afterthought until halfway through the book. Once the “gift” was revealed, everything before that except a couple of characters went away. It was too much of a shift away from the beginning of the story although the character was in the same environment. I preferred the latter half of the book, though, so editing down the first half could be helpful.
Also, the plot was thin and at times a little jumbled. It didn’t build up until the last few chapters. Mostly it seemed like a set up for upcoming books. Even in a series, I prefer that the individual books to stand alone.
I would not strongly recommend this book as is, although I can see potential. I would say for a teenager looking for quick read, it may be OK, but for older readers who enjoy YA literature, this would not be your best bet.
April 25, 2017
I really wanted to like this book, truly I did. Although the idea of the book was something that peaked my interested. The execution was just faulty. There were a lot of grammatical errors throughout the entire book. The characters were not built up in a way for you to feel connected to them. Serenity got on my nerves and some of the conversations seemed to be unconnected to the story itself, almost as if they were used to add pages to the book. I feel like the fact that Serenity had powers wasn’t even part of the book. It would have been more enjoyable had her family wanted to make her aware of her powers from the beginning so she wasn’t so confused as to why she was having these feelings and visions. The fact that Serenity had powers seemed almost like it wasn’t the purpose of the book and was just thrown in there as an afterthought. Something else that bothered me, the author makes it seem like Serenity and her mother do not have a good relationship, but, why don’t they? Is it because her mother closed herself off after losing her husband? Did she want to distance herself from Serenity because they both have powers and she doesn’t want Serenity to know?
I think the other needs to take this book back to the drawing board, polish it up, build the characters up better, probably get rid of the first half of the book, build up the relationship between Serenity and Debra, Kendrick, etc. The actual people who are a part of this story, not those just thrown in there. The idea is there, it just needs to be put together better.
Some notes I took, in Chapter 3, Serenity is studying with Kendrick and Bianca comes looking for him. It was a little confusing because it read like the author forgot Bianca was dating Nathan and note Kendrick. There was no sign of a friendship between Kendrick and Bianca prior in the book and her just showing up and mentioning she was looking for him, for no reason was weird.
In Chapter 10, Ashley came to pick up the homecoming dress to have it dry cleaned, the author talks about how she lost 4 pounds and the dress fits. Then she explains that she changed just in time to see Ashley pulling in. She also explains that she puts plastic over the dress and lays it on the chair by the coat closet. After Serenity took the dress out to Ashley, the author says that Serenity had chores to do but first she needed to take the dress off. She really didn’t need to take the dress off because she had already given it to Ashley. Also, with this entire exchange with Ashley and Danielle, it just wasn’t built up correctly. I knew the moment that they asked her to go dress shopping that they had planned on doing something to her at the dance. It would have been more believable had the author built the relationship up over time. Something else I noticed in Chapter 10, when they were dress shopping in JcPenny’s it is mentioned that the girls were discussing the theme of the homecoming dance, Paris in Spring. Yet later in the book when Serenity arrives at the dance, she is explaining what decorations she sees and says that the theme is Broadway.
Chapter 13, the entire exchange between her and Tom, seemed awkward, and unnecessary. A random older guy coming into the restaurant, ordering her an alcoholic beverage and then telling her he knows she’s in high school didn’t make much sense.
I think the other needs to take this book back to the drawing board, polish it up, build the characters up better, probably get rid of the first half of the book, build up the relationship between Serenity and Debra, Kendrick, etc. The actual people who are a part of this story, not those just thrown in there. The idea is there, it just needs to be put together better.
Some notes I took, in Chapter 3, Serenity is studying with Kendrick and Bianca comes looking for him. It was a little confusing because it read like the author forgot Bianca was dating Nathan and note Kendrick. There was no sign of a friendship between Kendrick and Bianca prior in the book and her just showing up and mentioning she was looking for him, for no reason was weird.
In Chapter 10, Ashley came to pick up the homecoming dress to have it dry cleaned, the author talks about how she lost 4 pounds and the dress fits. Then she explains that she changed just in time to see Ashley pulling in. She also explains that she puts plastic over the dress and lays it on the chair by the coat closet. After Serenity took the dress out to Ashley, the author says that Serenity had chores to do but first she needed to take the dress off. She really didn’t need to take the dress off because she had already given it to Ashley. Also, with this entire exchange with Ashley and Danielle, it just wasn’t built up correctly. I knew the moment that they asked her to go dress shopping that they had planned on doing something to her at the dance. It would have been more believable had the author built the relationship up over time. Something else I noticed in Chapter 10, when they were dress shopping in JcPenny’s it is mentioned that the girls were discussing the theme of the homecoming dance, Paris in Spring. Yet later in the book when Serenity arrives at the dance, she is explaining what decorations she sees and says that the theme is Broadway.
Chapter 13, the entire exchange between her and Tom, seemed awkward, and unnecessary. A random older guy coming into the restaurant, ordering her an alcoholic beverage and then telling her he knows she’s in high school didn’t make much sense.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews