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THE CHARM is a young adult fantasy novel and book #1 in the Olivia Hart and the Gifted Program series.
Imagine what high school would be like if your ex-boyfriend fired lightning when he was angry, the sporty girl in your class had enough strength to lift a flatbed truck, and you could charm your way out of trouble.
When shy, sixteen year old, Olivia Hart, witnesses the actual rainstorm her ex-boyfriend, Max Smarr, creates in Pandora high school's cafeteria, she’s convinced she’s lost her mind. Nothing will prepare her, however, for the discovery of her own special Gift.
Olivia Hart has always been satisfied living in the shadows of her peers, and so high school doesn’t get any easier when her charismatic brother goes off to college and her relationship with her edgy boyfriend comes to an end. When she comes across an antique charm, she finds out that she can compel people with her mind and hiding is no longer an option. With the help of her friends in the Gifted Program and each of their special Gifts, what happens next in this young love and coming of age story will force Olivia into the spotlight, test her friendships, and cause her to question her role in a society.
Imagine what high school would be like if your ex-boyfriend fired lightning when he was angry, the sporty girl in your class had enough strength to lift a flatbed truck, and you could charm your way out of trouble.
When shy, sixteen year old, Olivia Hart, witnesses the actual rainstorm her ex-boyfriend, Max Smarr, creates in Pandora high school's cafeteria, she’s convinced she’s lost her mind. Nothing will prepare her, however, for the discovery of her own special Gift.
Olivia Hart has always been satisfied living in the shadows of her peers, and so high school doesn’t get any easier when her charismatic brother goes off to college and her relationship with her edgy boyfriend comes to an end. When she comes across an antique charm, she finds out that she can compel people with her mind and hiding is no longer an option. With the help of her friends in the Gifted Program and each of their special Gifts, what happens next in this young love and coming of age story will force Olivia into the spotlight, test her friendships, and cause her to question her role in a society.
175 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2011
68 people are currently reading
346 people want to read
About the author
Alana Siegel Mag
8 books109 followersAlana (Siegel) Mag is the author of the Olivia Hart and the Gifted Program and (after)life lessons fantasy young adult book series. She was raised on Long Island, New York. She was the valedictorian of Plainedge High School and graduated with a B.A. and double major in Finance and Accounting from the Leonard N. Stern School of Business at New York University. She currently lives in San Mateo, California, with her husband, Stefan Mag, and their ragamuffin cat named Thor. Since early childhood she has loved to read fantasy books. Add a little romance and a happy ending and in her eyes you have a perfect afternoon of reading.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
May 31, 2020
The story revolves around 15-year old Olivia, a not particularly popular high school student who wishes she were more like her popular older brother. She’s also having trouble getting over her recent ex-boyfriend Max, a young man with a bad attitude and foul temper. Needless to say, her junior year in high school is not meeting her hopes and expectations.
Then Olivia discovers a necklace that makes her aware of a power she was unaware she had. She finds that others at her school also have powers, including Max. Olivia needs to learn to use her power with the help of a teacher who starts a program for the gifted kids at school.
I found it hard to stay engaged with the characters in this book. In spite of holding paranormal gifts, they were all rather dull personality-wise. The story was somewhat slow paced as well.
A good beach read.
Then Olivia discovers a necklace that makes her aware of a power she was unaware she had. She finds that others at her school also have powers, including Max. Olivia needs to learn to use her power with the help of a teacher who starts a program for the gifted kids at school.
I found it hard to stay engaged with the characters in this book. In spite of holding paranormal gifts, they were all rather dull personality-wise. The story was somewhat slow paced as well.
A good beach read.
April 9, 2015
Good concept but I just couldn't get into the story. The writing wasn't the problem though. It was actually good, maybe a little too descriptive for my liking but still good. There was so much backstory told in the beginning that it made for a very slow build up to the action. It really just felt like something was missing.
Part of my problem with this book was the main character, Olivia. I didn't like her. I don't know why but I just didn't like her. I couldn't connect to her or care about her feelings which made it hard to like the story as it is told from her point of view only. Max was also a very unlikeable character. I'm also a little confused as to why Olivia accepted him in the end and forgave him. It didn't make sense. His reasons didn't explain why he tormented her or maybe I just missed it. Justin was a better character than the rest but still could have been better. Jamie and Helen were both okay. Not great but good enough in their roles in the story. And that I think is my problem with this story - the characters. I didn't like any of them. And if you don't like the characters then it really is impossible to enjoy the story.
The romance didn't work for me either. It wasn't the main focus of the story and didn't actually come in until the end. I liked that the author focused more on the story instead of the romance but I didn't understand why they were together. They didn't really talk or have much to do with each other. It was just another case of insta-love which I do not like. I mean it can start that way but you still have to have more behind it.
Overall it was a decent story. Unfortunately, it just wasn't strong enough for me to follow the series.
Part of my problem with this book was the main character, Olivia. I didn't like her. I don't know why but I just didn't like her. I couldn't connect to her or care about her feelings which made it hard to like the story as it is told from her point of view only. Max was also a very unlikeable character. I'm also a little confused as to why Olivia accepted him in the end and forgave him. It didn't make sense. His reasons didn't explain why he tormented her or maybe I just missed it. Justin was a better character than the rest but still could have been better. Jamie and Helen were both okay. Not great but good enough in their roles in the story. And that I think is my problem with this story - the characters. I didn't like any of them. And if you don't like the characters then it really is impossible to enjoy the story.
The romance didn't work for me either. It wasn't the main focus of the story and didn't actually come in until the end. I liked that the author focused more on the story instead of the romance but I didn't understand why they were together. They didn't really talk or have much to do with each other. It was just another case of insta-love which I do not like. I mean it can start that way but you still have to have more behind it.
Overall it was a decent story. Unfortunately, it just wasn't strong enough for me to follow the series.
April 13, 2012
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It had me fixated from the first page. I like the fact that she kept the romance until the last couple of pages as it ended the book very nicely and smoothly. However as Max said the battle is not yet over and I feel the ending had the potential to be left with a sort of cliffhanger to get the readers more inclined to pick up and read the next instalment. Instead of everyone dancing and all loved up.
There was little action throughout it and while I felt content with the story, I feel that something dramatic should have happened to finish it, other than that little battle and everyone disappearing. Maybe Chelsea could have disappeared or something to leave us know where the story was going. And left us all reeling for the next book.
I think teens can really relate to Olivia in the sense that she has most teenage girls insecurities with boys and tries to find a place to fit in.
It makes the story real.
She finally becomes part of a group with an interesting bunch of people.
Their gifts were immense. And Olivia's was by far my favorite- to have that much control, if I had to pick a second it would probably be max's! Lightning just seems dangerous!:D.
I likes how in the end they all put their differences aside and earned each others trust and respect!
This was a brilliant debut novel.
I have to say thanks to the author Alana, for gifting me this book for free.
I really enjoyed, and you deserve these 4 stars!
There was little action throughout it and while I felt content with the story, I feel that something dramatic should have happened to finish it, other than that little battle and everyone disappearing. Maybe Chelsea could have disappeared or something to leave us know where the story was going. And left us all reeling for the next book.
I think teens can really relate to Olivia in the sense that she has most teenage girls insecurities with boys and tries to find a place to fit in.
It makes the story real.
She finally becomes part of a group with an interesting bunch of people.
Their gifts were immense. And Olivia's was by far my favorite- to have that much control, if I had to pick a second it would probably be max's! Lightning just seems dangerous!:D.
I likes how in the end they all put their differences aside and earned each others trust and respect!
This was a brilliant debut novel.
I have to say thanks to the author Alana, for gifting me this book for free.
I really enjoyed, and you deserve these 4 stars!
May 10, 2012
The Charm is a fun and fast read. Sixteen-year old Olivia Hart is dealing with the normal problems of a high school junior. She has an ex-boyfriend who likes to rub her face in his new relationship, but is prone to jealous outbursts when he sees her with another guy, despite the fact that he has a new girlfriend who hates Olivia. She has a best friend who is beautiful and, without trying, makes Olivia feel insecure. And she has a gorgeous guy that barely knows she's alive, and when he does pay attention to her he is aloof. So when Olivia finds out that she has a Gift, she isn't thrilled that she is even more of an outcast than she originally thought. To top it off, she doesn't find her new found powers to be nearly as cool as some of the other Gifted.
Olivia is a great main character and Siegel does an excellent job of letting the reader know exactly how Olivia feels at all times. You feel her insecurities and her triumphs as she learns to deal with her newfound Gifts. While The Charm has a definite ending (no real cliffhanger) you definitely hope that there will be a sequel!
Olivia is a great main character and Siegel does an excellent job of letting the reader know exactly how Olivia feels at all times. You feel her insecurities and her triumphs as she learns to deal with her newfound Gifts. While The Charm has a definite ending (no real cliffhanger) you definitely hope that there will be a sequel!
February 23, 2020
Olivia is in her junior year of high school and is best friends with Helen. Her ex, Max has a new girlfriend Chelsea. She has a crush on another boy Justin. Jaime is another girl she is friends with. Weird things start occurring around the school with her ex and Chelsea first. She sees a red haze around Max and when he angers storms and lightning appear. Chelsea also seems aware of these changes but does not seem surprised. Jamie seems aware of these changes as well but no one else does at first~ Out of nowhere a necklace appears to Olivia and she promptly passes out. Jaime has a similar bracelet. One of their teachers invites them to a special meeting of The Gifted. Chelsea, Max, her, Jamie and Justin each have a special power. So does the teacher, but apparently, she has a hidden agenda! Now they will have to work together to fight against a man named Prometheus and those who work with him...what will happen? What do these powers mean and have in store for them? I received this as an ARC and am leaving a voluntary review.
January 16, 2012
As a high school teacher, I am always on the lookout for novels I can recommend to my students. Alana Siegel’s The Charm is certainly going on the list. Siegel accurately captures the voices of high school students as they forage their own paths through the hallways of self-discovery. Weaving ordinary characters into the fabrics of mythology and fantasy, The Charm centers on a group of talented students who, through the charming protagonist, Olivia, learn that their true strength is their friendships - a worthy lesson for all of us. Siegel is a *gifted* writer.
Rlynn Wilson
Rlynn Wilson
October 14, 2012
This story was about five gifted students just realizing their talents. The story itself was entertaining, and the descriptions were well done, maybe just a little long. The characters were well developed, and interesting in their own way.
That being said, I found it a little hard to get into. I didn't really connect with Olivia and I felt that the characters seemed to overreact to each other, having really intense reactions to a situation that wasn't warranted. This book was fairly entertaining, but I probably won't read the next one.
That being said, I found it a little hard to get into. I didn't really connect with Olivia and I felt that the characters seemed to overreact to each other, having really intense reactions to a situation that wasn't warranted. This book was fairly entertaining, but I probably won't read the next one.
April 18, 2012
I surprised myself by how much I loved this book. YA is jammed with paranormal at the moment and I worried it was going to be more of the same, but Siegel throws a fresh spin on the genre. Here we have teens with powers, and problems, not least our main character Olivia. It runs like almost like a superhero comic at times and the authors excellent prose kept the interest and the pace going strong.
Really enjoyed it and will happily read future books in the series.
Really enjoyed it and will happily read future books in the series.
December 13, 2018
Great young adult book - I loved the story of Highschool kids with special powers. Read all three books and I was waiting for more...
September 15, 2012
I was able to receive a free copy from the Author to R2R, and I enjoyed The Charm so much I went out immediately and bought the Retreat. There are so many paranormal YA books out there, but this one was different. These teens didn’t have powers their whole lives, instead their powers came from pieces of jewelry that they discovered or inherited at different times within the space of a few months.
Olivia is the main character, and her ex-boyfriend Max is a hot-headed, temperamental guy. Except, this guy can throw lightning bolts around when he gets upset. It brings a whole new level the word bad bread-up! Olivia is subjected to Max’s display of affection to his new girlfriend Chelsea, yet the next minute he corners Olivia telling her to stay away from Justin a guy that she is suddenly attracted to. What gives?! Olivia has always been content to stand on the sidelines; it was always her brother who oozed the charm and personality. She and her friend Jaime are noticing more and more strange things going on at school. For example, Max’s storms and lightning bolts that arise when his temper flares. Others at school don’t seem to notice this, they simply write it off. Suddenly Jaime and Olivia find pieces of jewelry that seem to call to them; Olivia puts her necklace on and suddenly everyone at the school is looking at her. She can’t figure out what’s going on. Does she have toilet paper trailing from her shoe, or even worse is her dress tucked into her tights?! (Side note, this has happened to me and yes it truly is one of the most embarrassing things). Back to Olivia, no toilet paper or note has been stuck to her clothing; the charm on her necklace has suddenly given her powers. Her powers are first seen and described as oozing sensuality and charm (yes the pun was intended ). She can draw anyone to her, and boys want to be around her, and are even drawn out of their rational mind and suddenly are kissing her!! What is going on?!
Each of these students have inherited a piece of ancient jewelry from their families. They give these teenagers a special power. Their teacher Ms. Magos says she works for Meta and insists they meet to practice harnessing control over their powers. Great idea, put Olivia, her ex- Max, his current girlfriend Chelsea (who hates Olivia) Jaime and Justin all together in a room. Needless to say tempers flare. But, this group of teenagers learn quickly that they must fight Prometheus who wants to incorporate their powers for his own good.
What was great about this book was that the teenagers all had to learn to deal with their new powers, but also normal problems. How would you feel if you had to be around your ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend with her hateful comments and glares? Problems must be put aside quickly as an attack by a group under Prometheus comes along. Will the group be able to work as a unit, or will their problems cause them to fall apart?
Alana Siegel does a great job with her debut novel. While there are some grammatical errors that need to be taken care of, obviously it didn’t bother me enough to stop me from buying her sequel. I like how she is developing these characters, and if you read closely you pick up on the undercurrents of Olivia’s true “gift” and why she has the potential of being so powerful. I thought Alana did a wonderful job of giving hints as to Olivia’s “real gift” and making her characters so true to life. Everyone has been through high school and remembers the painful break-ups, the feelings of new crushes, the jealousy of other girls and guys” and the fear of “sticking out.” Alana’s characters all deal with these issues in addition to their gifts.
I like where I think she is taking this story line, and I am already anxiously awaiting the 3rd book!
Olivia is the main character, and her ex-boyfriend Max is a hot-headed, temperamental guy. Except, this guy can throw lightning bolts around when he gets upset. It brings a whole new level the word bad bread-up! Olivia is subjected to Max’s display of affection to his new girlfriend Chelsea, yet the next minute he corners Olivia telling her to stay away from Justin a guy that she is suddenly attracted to. What gives?! Olivia has always been content to stand on the sidelines; it was always her brother who oozed the charm and personality. She and her friend Jaime are noticing more and more strange things going on at school. For example, Max’s storms and lightning bolts that arise when his temper flares. Others at school don’t seem to notice this, they simply write it off. Suddenly Jaime and Olivia find pieces of jewelry that seem to call to them; Olivia puts her necklace on and suddenly everyone at the school is looking at her. She can’t figure out what’s going on. Does she have toilet paper trailing from her shoe, or even worse is her dress tucked into her tights?! (Side note, this has happened to me and yes it truly is one of the most embarrassing things). Back to Olivia, no toilet paper or note has been stuck to her clothing; the charm on her necklace has suddenly given her powers. Her powers are first seen and described as oozing sensuality and charm (yes the pun was intended ). She can draw anyone to her, and boys want to be around her, and are even drawn out of their rational mind and suddenly are kissing her!! What is going on?!
Each of these students have inherited a piece of ancient jewelry from their families. They give these teenagers a special power. Their teacher Ms. Magos says she works for Meta and insists they meet to practice harnessing control over their powers. Great idea, put Olivia, her ex- Max, his current girlfriend Chelsea (who hates Olivia) Jaime and Justin all together in a room. Needless to say tempers flare. But, this group of teenagers learn quickly that they must fight Prometheus who wants to incorporate their powers for his own good.
What was great about this book was that the teenagers all had to learn to deal with their new powers, but also normal problems. How would you feel if you had to be around your ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend with her hateful comments and glares? Problems must be put aside quickly as an attack by a group under Prometheus comes along. Will the group be able to work as a unit, or will their problems cause them to fall apart?
Alana Siegel does a great job with her debut novel. While there are some grammatical errors that need to be taken care of, obviously it didn’t bother me enough to stop me from buying her sequel. I like how she is developing these characters, and if you read closely you pick up on the undercurrents of Olivia’s true “gift” and why she has the potential of being so powerful. I thought Alana did a wonderful job of giving hints as to Olivia’s “real gift” and making her characters so true to life. Everyone has been through high school and remembers the painful break-ups, the feelings of new crushes, the jealousy of other girls and guys” and the fear of “sticking out.” Alana’s characters all deal with these issues in addition to their gifts.
I like where I think she is taking this story line, and I am already anxiously awaiting the 3rd book!
March 27, 2012
The Charm is Alana Siegel’s debut novel and kicks off what could be an excellent YA, Fantasy series - Olivia Hart and the Gifted Program. Her first-person narrative introduces us to a complementary host of characters and an interesting set of myth-borne fantasy components that she can greatly expand in her subsequent books.
________________________________________
Though it’s a theme often written, Siegel provides some insight on one of the basic challenges kids face in their teens – discovering and developing an identity as they become young adults. There is the romance and conflict most will remember from their school days and the fantasy aspects simply magnify those themes and the characters themselves.
The magical elements Siegel created are interesting; elemental in nature, there are significant distinctions in how their power manifests by gender and with each gifted individual. This was an effective way to help the reader visualize this challenge of identity and further develop her characters outside dialogue. Her plot’s pace contributes much in developing the main character and supporting cast and really picks up once foreshadowing establishes a common adversary. From there Siegel weaves in suspense that challenges her characters, revealing more of their motives and personalities.
This was an entertaining read, even for a 40 year old with two boys. There were elements in Siegel’s story that reminded me of The Lightning Thief, and though this story wasn’t as dynamic it was interesting to see this quest for identity from a teenage female perspective. Siegel does have the opportunity to build on this first book and perhaps catch her own lightning in a bottle as the series continues. Four stars, an easy recommendation to the wider YA – fantasy audience, and an optimistic feeling Siegel will continue to build what should be a great series.
Tom Clementson (Kindle Book Review)
________________________________________
Though it’s a theme often written, Siegel provides some insight on one of the basic challenges kids face in their teens – discovering and developing an identity as they become young adults. There is the romance and conflict most will remember from their school days and the fantasy aspects simply magnify those themes and the characters themselves.
The magical elements Siegel created are interesting; elemental in nature, there are significant distinctions in how their power manifests by gender and with each gifted individual. This was an effective way to help the reader visualize this challenge of identity and further develop her characters outside dialogue. Her plot’s pace contributes much in developing the main character and supporting cast and really picks up once foreshadowing establishes a common adversary. From there Siegel weaves in suspense that challenges her characters, revealing more of their motives and personalities.
This was an entertaining read, even for a 40 year old with two boys. There were elements in Siegel’s story that reminded me of The Lightning Thief, and though this story wasn’t as dynamic it was interesting to see this quest for identity from a teenage female perspective. Siegel does have the opportunity to build on this first book and perhaps catch her own lightning in a bottle as the series continues. Four stars, an easy recommendation to the wider YA – fantasy audience, and an optimistic feeling Siegel will continue to build what should be a great series.
Tom Clementson (Kindle Book Review)
September 28, 2012
Over all I liked this book. It's well written, easy to read and has fun characters. On Amazon that is probably all I will say because you can't hide a review for spoilers and the things I would critique about this book would be spoilers.
So this is for Goodreads. Olivia's power is the ability to charm others. The second I read that I thought, wow that's going to be really tough to do well. How do you present that ability from the character's point of view? How do you work it into the story in a convincing and realistic way?
After reading the book I still feel this way. I respect the author for choosing this ability for her main character and I think she does a good job of describing how it feels for Olivia. However I still think I would have written this from someone else's point of view. It's hard to really get the feel for Olivia's power from her own point of view.
Then there's the ending. The ending seems to come out of nowhere. Prometheus, we are told, is a really bad guy. He treats his special team of gifted like "servants". (Aren't they his servants?) The fact that they kidnap Olivia's best friend just in case she won't come willingly demonstrates that they aren't very nice people. (They aren't very smart either. Why didn't they approach her in a friendly manner first? "Hey we got this really cool special team we'd like you to be on?" And then if that fails, go for the whole kidnapping thing.)
My point is that we've not seen Prometheus or heard a word about his special team until they show up to force Olivia to join them. Even that this point we only have Max's word that they are bad. This story could use a lot more foreshadowing.
That said it was an enjoyable read and I would give it a solid three stars.
So this is for Goodreads. Olivia's power is the ability to charm others. The second I read that I thought, wow that's going to be really tough to do well. How do you present that ability from the character's point of view? How do you work it into the story in a convincing and realistic way?
After reading the book I still feel this way. I respect the author for choosing this ability for her main character and I think she does a good job of describing how it feels for Olivia. However I still think I would have written this from someone else's point of view. It's hard to really get the feel for Olivia's power from her own point of view.
Then there's the ending. The ending seems to come out of nowhere. Prometheus, we are told, is a really bad guy. He treats his special team of gifted like "servants". (Aren't they his servants?) The fact that they kidnap Olivia's best friend just in case she won't come willingly demonstrates that they aren't very nice people. (They aren't very smart either. Why didn't they approach her in a friendly manner first? "Hey we got this really cool special team we'd like you to be on?" And then if that fails, go for the whole kidnapping thing.)
My point is that we've not seen Prometheus or heard a word about his special team until they show up to force Olivia to join them. Even that this point we only have Max's word that they are bad. This story could use a lot more foreshadowing.
That said it was an enjoyable read and I would give it a solid three stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 22, 2014
Reviewed on Lili Lost in a Book
Olivia is just your normal teenage girl dealing with normal teenage stuff: the ex-boyfriend and his new (and mean) girlfriend, homework and other school stuff, and a crush. Then one day she finds a necklace with an intricate charm on it... or should I say, it found her. Odd, I know, but that's what happened! This weird necklace suddenly, it seems, gives Olivia powers. Powers that seem to make every boy within a one yard radius to fawn all over her. It's proving difficult for Olivia to control her new found abilities, but as it turns out, Olivia might not be the only one with supernatural abilities at the school.
So, the whole idea of getting their powers through a Charm is very fascinating, though I still do have a few questions about that... like, I still strongly believe that this has got something to do with Greek mythology, but we don't know that for sure. Anyway, I'm really looking forward to finding more about where their powers come from.
I also loved the cast of characters and all their different powers! I especially loved Justin! So mysterious and alluring... *swoon* The ex-boyfriend Max I didn't like so much. He was a jerk-face, but he really ended up surprising me in the end. Speaking of surprises, the plot twist there at the end with the person and the teacher and the sister... Whoa! I did NOT see that coming.
One problem, however, I had with this novel was that there was a lot of telling instead of showing, but besides that I thought it was a great read! It was a very light, fast, and fun read. I really enjoyed it and cannot wait to see where this series is headed!
Olivia is just your normal teenage girl dealing with normal teenage stuff: the ex-boyfriend and his new (and mean) girlfriend, homework and other school stuff, and a crush. Then one day she finds a necklace with an intricate charm on it... or should I say, it found her. Odd, I know, but that's what happened! This weird necklace suddenly, it seems, gives Olivia powers. Powers that seem to make every boy within a one yard radius to fawn all over her. It's proving difficult for Olivia to control her new found abilities, but as it turns out, Olivia might not be the only one with supernatural abilities at the school.
So, the whole idea of getting their powers through a Charm is very fascinating, though I still do have a few questions about that... like, I still strongly believe that this has got something to do with Greek mythology, but we don't know that for sure. Anyway, I'm really looking forward to finding more about where their powers come from.
I also loved the cast of characters and all their different powers! I especially loved Justin! So mysterious and alluring... *swoon* The ex-boyfriend Max I didn't like so much. He was a jerk-face, but he really ended up surprising me in the end. Speaking of surprises, the plot twist there at the end with the person and the teacher and the sister... Whoa! I did NOT see that coming.
One problem, however, I had with this novel was that there was a lot of telling instead of showing, but besides that I thought it was a great read! It was a very light, fast, and fun read. I really enjoyed it and cannot wait to see where this series is headed!
April 20, 2013
I liked this little book. I found some parts slow, others fun and well paced but sometimes the mass amounts of description and confusing internal voice had me skipping over paragraphs. Olivia Hart is very sweet, maybe a bit self involved but what young girl isn't in their early teens and her thoughts leave me not sure which way to face. One moment she likes Justin, the next she is hung up on her Ex, Max, and it leaves me in a daze. I liked the flash backs to her very short relationship with Max but didn't quite understand the need for them. I would have loved this small book to focus more on the magical elements, watch them learn more about their Gifts and how it brings those in the Gifted Program together.
What I really liked about this book was the friendships between Helen, Olivia and Jaime and the struggles and changes between them that we go through in school life...except with less magical issues. The characters were relatable. There was Olivia's Ex boyfriend's jealous new girl who bullied her, there was the typical awkwardness between different social groups (jocks and populars)and the hardships of having popular older siblings who move on with their lives. I liked the authors imagination and creativity and I am very interested to see what happens in the next book.
Despite the 3 star rating, this book offers a lovely, fun short read that is enjoyable and fulfilling. Its definitely worth checking out. I will be reading Book 2 in hopes of learning more about the Gifted and their enemies which were only very slightly touched upon in this book. I hope to be able to give the next book a much higher rating :)
What I really liked about this book was the friendships between Helen, Olivia and Jaime and the struggles and changes between them that we go through in school life...except with less magical issues. The characters were relatable. There was Olivia's Ex boyfriend's jealous new girl who bullied her, there was the typical awkwardness between different social groups (jocks and populars)and the hardships of having popular older siblings who move on with their lives. I liked the authors imagination and creativity and I am very interested to see what happens in the next book.
Despite the 3 star rating, this book offers a lovely, fun short read that is enjoyable and fulfilling. Its definitely worth checking out. I will be reading Book 2 in hopes of learning more about the Gifted and their enemies which were only very slightly touched upon in this book. I hope to be able to give the next book a much higher rating :)
September 16, 2012
~originally posted in hotcoffeebooksandchocobar.blogspot.com
*5 stars* I don't like to give a perfect score. But this time I did.
Again, a huge thank you for the author for providing me with a copy in exchange of a review! A pretty cover and intriguing synopsis made sure, that I fell for the book from the first look!
The beginning was slow. The characters were introduced properly, before we got into the deeper action, but at times it felt too unnecessarily draggy. About halfway through the book, we finally got to some action. I really liked, how all the discovery was set up and Olivias complete obliviousness. Her thorough bafflement made me smile, cute! And even though I'm a sucker for a good romance, it was refreshing to have a storyline were the impossible love was not the main focus. There was just enough romance to keep me rooting for the shy couple. Cutecutecute!
And I really liked the idea of the Gifted. Not even as unique, but so well thought through. The pace felt exactly right. Not too rushed or slow. The characters rocked as well. Justin really was intense, and the friendship between Jamie and Olivia ♥ The ending left me wishing I had the sequel called The Retreat already! It's said, that hope is for fools, but I REALLY hope, that someday, the #2 book in the Olivia Hart and the Gifted Program series becomes available for ARR as well! Much love!
*5 stars* I don't like to give a perfect score. But this time I did.
Again, a huge thank you for the author for providing me with a copy in exchange of a review! A pretty cover and intriguing synopsis made sure, that I fell for the book from the first look!
The beginning was slow. The characters were introduced properly, before we got into the deeper action, but at times it felt too unnecessarily draggy. About halfway through the book, we finally got to some action. I really liked, how all the discovery was set up and Olivias complete obliviousness. Her thorough bafflement made me smile, cute! And even though I'm a sucker for a good romance, it was refreshing to have a storyline were the impossible love was not the main focus. There was just enough romance to keep me rooting for the shy couple. Cutecutecute!
And I really liked the idea of the Gifted. Not even as unique, but so well thought through. The pace felt exactly right. Not too rushed or slow. The characters rocked as well. Justin really was intense, and the friendship between Jamie and Olivia ♥ The ending left me wishing I had the sequel called The Retreat already! It's said, that hope is for fools, but I REALLY hope, that someday, the #2 book in the Olivia Hart and the Gifted Program series becomes available for ARR as well! Much love!
October 18, 2012
An enjoyable read about teens with special powers. I've always had a thing for stories involving superpowers—The Exceptionals, Talented, X-Men, Sky High, Shatter Me. Each of those books/comic/films are different in their own special way and The Charm is no different. Lured in by the premise, I was beyond excited to read this. I thought Alana Siegel did extremely well with the characters considering the short length of this book. I loved the character growth and the relationships between everyone. I enjoyed reading the backstory to Olivia and Max though it was the friendship between Helen and Olivia that stole me. We were able to catch a very brief glimpse into the relationship between Olivia and her brother, Derek, so I do hope that we'll get to see more of him. It's a dynamic that I would definitely like to see explored. I gave this book 3 stars because there were tiny things that just didn't do it for me. One being unable to connect to Olivia at times. I can't explain as to the reason why. Guess I'll have to read it again to find out. With that all said, if you are looking for something fun then give The Charm a go.
Many thanks to We ♥ YA Books! and Alana Siegel for the opportunity to read this book! In exchange for their kindness is this honest review.
Many thanks to We ♥ YA Books! and Alana Siegel for the opportunity to read this book! In exchange for their kindness is this honest review.
June 19, 2013
Olivia Hart was a shy high school student. She was unlike her brother that graduated before her. He was well liked, popular and enjoyed attention. That was until Olivia found a necklace that would uncover her gift and a secret world that only a few were apart of, making her one of the most beloved students. Olivia had to deal with more than just an ex and his very angry girlfriend. People are not always who they seem in THE CHARM.
I enjoyed this story and wished it was around when I was in school. I am glad to have found it now and am looking forward to reading volume two. The book was not very long, but full of exciting information and packed with detail to satisfy your imagination. A great read recommended for teens and above. This book was received for the purpose of an honest review.
Rating: 4
Heat rating: Sweet
Reviewed By: Rae
Courtesy Of My Book Addiction And More
I enjoyed this story and wished it was around when I was in school. I am glad to have found it now and am looking forward to reading volume two. The book was not very long, but full of exciting information and packed with detail to satisfy your imagination. A great read recommended for teens and above. This book was received for the purpose of an honest review.
Rating: 4
Heat rating: Sweet
Reviewed By: Rae
Courtesy Of My Book Addiction And More
September 15, 2012
Okay so it was really hard for me to get into this book. Part of the problem was probably because I was spending too much time on my blog and not paying enough attention to this book. For this I can only apologise to the author as it was probably no fault of hers that my attention wouldn't stay on what I was reading. The story line was good and the characters had the good qualities you expect from books like this. Yet I feel there was too much background at the beginning, I understand we need some background information but felt the author went into too much detail. Some people may like this in their stories but it just bugs me. I will read this book again at a later date when I can devote my full attention to it and give it the credit it deserves. For now though I'm not going on to read the second in the series.
May 6, 2012
Alana has a really good writing voice in this opening book of her series.
Olivia’s school life is due for a shake up from a totally unexpected source. Boyfriend worries take a sinister turn when strange things start happening around her, and disturbingly, from her. A series of events linked to items of jewelry and other related artefacts soon take her upon a journey of discovery.
The story captures a sense of college life and builds upon it to introduce mystery and magic into a tale that slowly molds a group of students into friends who have serious challenges for the future. It all looks good for the follow up.
Olivia’s school life is due for a shake up from a totally unexpected source. Boyfriend worries take a sinister turn when strange things start happening around her, and disturbingly, from her. A series of events linked to items of jewelry and other related artefacts soon take her upon a journey of discovery.
The story captures a sense of college life and builds upon it to introduce mystery and magic into a tale that slowly molds a group of students into friends who have serious challenges for the future. It all looks good for the follow up.
July 31, 2012
A interesting storyline, different and kept me glued to it, I like the idea of supernatural books where the leads have special powers. Im not sure I liked Olivia's power, I think as her as the lead her power should have been greater but then it all fell in with the story so I shouldn't moan about it lol, I did think that Olivia's personality changed a lot, one minute she's shy then bold and It didn't endear me to her an awful lot. I couldn't get why she kept thinking about Max, he was a sod to her but then we all like a "bad boy" lol so I couldn't blame her to much, I will read more in this series and would recommend it.
June 22, 2012
Read this book in a day because it was surprisingly addicting!
The author takes the time to detail all the various characters, which brings them to life. That said, pretty much everyone in this book is ridiculously talented and good looking. I do think Ms. Siegel describes life in high school accurately, and I like the different relationships described throughout the book.
I do appreciate that the author reveals more about each character - looks aren't everything and looks can be deceiving. Pretty good, I want to read more!
The author takes the time to detail all the various characters, which brings them to life. That said, pretty much everyone in this book is ridiculously talented and good looking. I do think Ms. Siegel describes life in high school accurately, and I like the different relationships described throughout the book.
I do appreciate that the author reveals more about each character - looks aren't everything and looks can be deceiving. Pretty good, I want to read more!
April 23, 2012
This book was really good. It was so much fun to read. It was also very original. Haven't read anything like this in a long time. There were a few spelling and grammatical errors, but they aren't too bad that they steal your attention from the book. I would highly recommend this book to everyone. It's funny, smart, witty, dangerous, suspenseful, emotional. I could not put it down. Give it a try.
February 4, 2013
I enjoyed this story more than I thought I would. It is in a High School setting but didn't have as much teen aged angst as I thought it would. Has a very interesting premise, 'The Gift', and Ms. Siegel developed quite an interesting story to present this. She also set up the rest of the series quite nicely while giving this book a nice end. The story was enticing enough that I've already bought the second book in the series, The Retreat, and am halfway through it! Write on Alana Siegel!! :)
October 2, 2012
I thought this book was just ok. I felt the main character was a little weaker than i like and didn't grow enough by the end of the book. She also seemed a little clueless to what was happening when others weren't. I think many will enjoy this story but it just didn't get there all the way for me an i won't be reading the next installment.
February 8, 2013
Solid 4 stars.
Flighty main character, and that bugged me at first... until I realized that it was highly appropriate for her age. Maybe because I identified with Olivia (a younger version of myself) and I always (as an adult) look back on that time and wish I could kick myself in the pants... hopefully you get the idea.
More to come, and I've already started book 2.
Flighty main character, and that bugged me at first... until I realized that it was highly appropriate for her age. Maybe because I identified with Olivia (a younger version of myself) and I always (as an adult) look back on that time and wish I could kick myself in the pants... hopefully you get the idea.
More to come, and I've already started book 2.
February 3, 2015
Beautifully written
This is a great story, well written and very easy to get into. I really enjoyed walking along side Olivia. She's a very strong character and you can really sympathize with her and the others. I'm looking forward to following this series.
This is a great story, well written and very easy to get into. I really enjoyed walking along side Olivia. She's a very strong character and you can really sympathize with her and the others. I'm looking forward to following this series.
April 18, 2012
A tiny bit confused about their "gifts", but overall, I really liked it. The characters were very well developed and I very much enjoyed the plot. I recommend it.
own
May 21, 2012The Kindle version is free right now on Amazon.
October 27, 2015
Review to come...
January 23, 2018
For a Y/A paranormal story, its so far started out really good and interesting, i'm actually 30 myself so i enjoy paranormal romance as my fave Genre but will definitely be recommending this to my nieces.
Olivia the main character take me back 14 years ago to school and relieving all the high school insecurities, friendships, trials and tribulations it brought with it only with a difference, this high school has a few of the gifted within its peers and we read and grow with them as they learn and harness their powers.
There is some amazing imagination behind the story
Its a bit like Percy Jackson meets Sabrina
Olivia the main character take me back 14 years ago to school and relieving all the high school insecurities, friendships, trials and tribulations it brought with it only with a difference, this high school has a few of the gifted within its peers and we read and grow with them as they learn and harness their powers.
There is some amazing imagination behind the story
Its a bit like Percy Jackson meets Sabrina
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