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Donovan Circus #2
Burned
“Tell Sheffield that Medved is hunting him…the Bear is coming.”
Nearly a month after Lucy Sullivan saved the Donovan Circus from certain death, she discovers that Dr. Felix Hardy wasn’t the only bad guy around. When Lucy is attacked on home ground, Sheffield Donovan reveals that there are bigger foes in their world, gifted that use their powers to kill others – including her own family, as she learns from her ringmaster mentor. Medved, a Russian thug and powerful Shapeshifter, is intent on outing the gifted world and will stop at nothing to succeed.
In order to survive, Lucy and her friends must travel to another show, the Grayson Circus, for help. The uneasy alliance with owner Albert Grayson comes with potential new friends and dark secrets about their competition, including a troublemaker named Mel and an old flame of Lucy’s father. Lucy must also contend with her feelings about Keegan and Gabriel, as well as learn how to contain her rampant emotions or risk setting the entire place ablaze.
Will Lucy be able to save the Donovan Circus again? Or will Medved and his men slaughter everyone in their path on the way to gifted domination?
Nearly a month after Lucy Sullivan saved the Donovan Circus from certain death, she discovers that Dr. Felix Hardy wasn’t the only bad guy around. When Lucy is attacked on home ground, Sheffield Donovan reveals that there are bigger foes in their world, gifted that use their powers to kill others – including her own family, as she learns from her ringmaster mentor. Medved, a Russian thug and powerful Shapeshifter, is intent on outing the gifted world and will stop at nothing to succeed.
In order to survive, Lucy and her friends must travel to another show, the Grayson Circus, for help. The uneasy alliance with owner Albert Grayson comes with potential new friends and dark secrets about their competition, including a troublemaker named Mel and an old flame of Lucy’s father. Lucy must also contend with her feelings about Keegan and Gabriel, as well as learn how to contain her rampant emotions or risk setting the entire place ablaze.
Will Lucy be able to save the Donovan Circus again? Or will Medved and his men slaughter everyone in their path on the way to gifted domination?
303 pages, Paperback
Published December 19, 2013
6 people are currently reading
154 people want to read
About the author
Liz Long
27 books229 followersLiz 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.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
January 21, 2014
I'm not going to pull any punches here - I don't like who Lucy ended up with. This is more because I think she chose the person who was convenient rather than the one who *ahem* set her on fire. But... BUT since Lucy's story looks like it's far from over, I can hold out hope that she'll come to her senses and go for the person she has real chemistry with.
Hope is a glorious thing, is it not?
Also, point to me for making a fire-related pun in the first paragraph!
Beyond Lucy's relationship issues, once again, she finds herself in the middle of something that affects all the gifted. Here's what I keep coming back to - part of me feels like she needs to push harder for answers because I don't think she has the entire story. Yes, I think she's fighting on the side she's supposed to be fighting on, but people *cough*Sheffield*cough* keep brushing aside her TOTALLY VALID questions and telling her they'll "talk later." Dude. No. Get some answers. Figure things out.
Go make out with the hot guy again.
*sly grin*
The other thing I want to touch on is that while Lucy will kill when she needs to (when her friends are put in MORTAL PERIL or she has no other option), she occasionally gets all "I don't want to hurt anyone" and then she lets someone WHO BETRAYED HER AND HER TROUPE go. No. NO. BAD IDEA. These are the types of things that come back to haunt you later, Lucy. HAVEN'T YOU EVER SEEN A SCARY MOVIE/READ A SCARY BOOK? KILL THEM ALL AND THEN KICK THEM ONCE THEY'RE DOWN TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE REALLY DEAD.
All in all, this was a fun book and I'm holding out hope that Lucy will see the light and go after the guy I want her to be with. All while protecting the Donovan Circus and killing bad guys. *nods*
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
Hope is a glorious thing, is it not?
Also, point to me for making a fire-related pun in the first paragraph!
Beyond Lucy's relationship issues, once again, she finds herself in the middle of something that affects all the gifted. Here's what I keep coming back to - part of me feels like she needs to push harder for answers because I don't think she has the entire story. Yes, I think she's fighting on the side she's supposed to be fighting on, but people *cough*Sheffield*cough* keep brushing aside her TOTALLY VALID questions and telling her they'll "talk later." Dude. No. Get some answers. Figure things out.
Go make out with the hot guy again.
*sly grin*
The other thing I want to touch on is that while Lucy will kill when she needs to (when her friends are put in MORTAL PERIL or she has no other option), she occasionally gets all "I don't want to hurt anyone" and then she lets someone WHO BETRAYED HER AND HER TROUPE go. No. NO. BAD IDEA. These are the types of things that come back to haunt you later, Lucy. HAVEN'T YOU EVER SEEN A SCARY MOVIE/READ A SCARY BOOK? KILL THEM ALL AND THEN KICK THEM ONCE THEY'RE DOWN TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE REALLY DEAD.
All in all, this was a fun book and I'm holding out hope that Lucy will see the light and go after the guy I want her to be with. All while protecting the Donovan Circus and killing bad guys. *nods*
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
July 8, 2014
Another 5 star review for Liz Long. Book 2 just blew book 1 out of the water for me, can I rate it 6 stars?! Full review to follow!
**********************************************************************************
My Thoughts on Burned:
Confession: I binge read Burned, I should probably be ashamed. But I am not. I'm Ethan and I have a problem: I. Love. The Donovan Circus Series. Everyone reading this. Be you a man, woman, child, teen, adult, American, Russian, or from another planet: READ THIS SERIES. I cannot stress this enough. If there was a 6th star, this novel is it!
I already explained my love of all things circus and paranormal in my last post, so this one will be a little shorter as I am going to jump right in with my thoughts on Burned!
When it comes to new characters, Burned has it all, PLUS some. The book's new villain, Medved, is really a bear, literally. Medved is a Russian Shapeshifter who prefers to shift into a giant bear to slaughter his enemies. Medved doesn't play around, he is the Genghis Khan of the gifted community! Pillage and rape, slaughter with no consequences: that's Medved! And here I thought Felix was a scary enemy! Liz and I have actually talked at great length about the character of Medved. I won't go into any details here so that I don't spoil anything in her future works, but this guy has one MESSED UP back story making him seriously evil. During a recent conversation with Liz, she had this to say about the development of Medved's character: "Honestly, my first and most important thought for the villain was that he would be truly gifted this go, as opposed to a human wanting to be gifted. I also picked a gift we hadn't really seen much of other than Fin's quick change up. To me, a Shapeshifter can obviously be just as dangerous seeing as how they can transform into whatever they want. I wanted the biggest, scariest thing that could be a rational threat and a bear was the immediate choice. Can stand on 2 legs, be ferocious on screen, and match up to Medved's human personality. I wanted this villain to be the opposite of Felix in every way. Where Felix had brains, Medved has brawn. Felix is obsessed because of personal reasons and wanted to control everyone - Medved seriously does just want chaos with a gifted reveal to the world." What an insight to Liz's mind! Medved really is a very complex character and I really enjoyed reading all about him. I really hope that Liz shares some more of his story with the rest of her readers eventually!
Villains aside, Liz gives us a whole new circus fell of people including a new Unbreakable (and love interest for Delia) and a family of Lightbringers who really play a super important (and very emotional) role in our story! One awesome character to watch for (and maybe my new favorite) is Elias. I won't say anything else about him to prevent spoilers, but watch his character! Miss Nance also gets a huge promotion in the cast of characters for book two and I am really excited to see what book 3 brings us for her story!
**Note: to anyone who may be confused by the lingo in this review, Liz has an awesome Gifted glossary written up on her official website. I encourage all fans of the series to check it out at http://lizclong.com/books/the-donovan...!
Burned deals with several big themes throughout the novel, but two of the biggest are what actually help to drive the plot in some of the most important ways. One, Lucy's coming to terms with the events of book one. While many have remarked that the events of book one should have messed Lucy up mentally, book two explores just how much the events did mess Lucy up. The events of book two can only add to Lucy's mental problems and I can't help but wonder what's in store for her psyche... The second theme is the "Lucy-Gabriel-Keegan" love triangle which actually comes to a halt in book 2 of the series. Lucy actually makes a decision (although I am still on the fence about how I feel on that front). Like I said in my last review, Liz does not make the romance the forefront of the story, but it plays a large role in the development of the plot so I really liked the way it went.
On that note, I do have to say something about the romance part of this novel. There IS a sex scene. *GASP* Before you freak out, hear me out. Honestly. One of the most well written "love" scenes I've ever read. Liz is not a fan of writing sex scenes so she does what's called the "black-out" method, which allows the reader to fill in the blanks. Liz merely "implies" what happens without giving ANY explicit details. That means this book is still safe for many genres and age groups, however I still place it within the upper YA-NA category!
One of my favorite scenes from the novel features Lucy interrogating a group of the Greyson Circus' clowns with hilarious results. Including a nod to passing around the "community flask". Liz definitely has a sense of humor and plays off of some strong stereotypes which is hilarious.
The storyline of the novel actually finished up with a very interesting ending that paves the way for several more books in the series. After more emails from Liz, I can happily report that book three is well on its' way to coming to us! We can hopefully expect it next Spring! I can't speak for anyone else, but I will say with certainty that this fanboy will be reading every one of the Donovan Circus books. I will also say this again from my first post: 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*!
Overall, another absolutely amazing book from Liz Long. Burned is everything I was expecting, and much, much more. It isn't often that a series gets better with each passing book, but Liz Long has definitely hit a home-run out of the Big Top with this one! I cannot WAIT for you guys to check out Burned for yourselves! Be sure to come back and let me know what you think! Also, hit up Liz on Twitter or an email and let her know what you thought of the novel! She is such a great lady and is so awesome to her fans. My biggest regret is not spending more time with her at UtopYA when we met a few weeks ago. Liz is very quickly becoming one of my all time favorites! Keep a watch on Liz Long everyone, one day she'll be the author on everyone's mind, I have no doubt!
**********************************************************************************
**********************************************************************************
My Thoughts on Burned:
Confession: I binge read Burned, I should probably be ashamed. But I am not. I'm Ethan and I have a problem: I. Love. The Donovan Circus Series. Everyone reading this. Be you a man, woman, child, teen, adult, American, Russian, or from another planet: READ THIS SERIES. I cannot stress this enough. If there was a 6th star, this novel is it!
I already explained my love of all things circus and paranormal in my last post, so this one will be a little shorter as I am going to jump right in with my thoughts on Burned!
When it comes to new characters, Burned has it all, PLUS some. The book's new villain, Medved, is really a bear, literally. Medved is a Russian Shapeshifter who prefers to shift into a giant bear to slaughter his enemies. Medved doesn't play around, he is the Genghis Khan of the gifted community! Pillage and rape, slaughter with no consequences: that's Medved! And here I thought Felix was a scary enemy! Liz and I have actually talked at great length about the character of Medved. I won't go into any details here so that I don't spoil anything in her future works, but this guy has one MESSED UP back story making him seriously evil. During a recent conversation with Liz, she had this to say about the development of Medved's character: "Honestly, my first and most important thought for the villain was that he would be truly gifted this go, as opposed to a human wanting to be gifted. I also picked a gift we hadn't really seen much of other than Fin's quick change up. To me, a Shapeshifter can obviously be just as dangerous seeing as how they can transform into whatever they want. I wanted the biggest, scariest thing that could be a rational threat and a bear was the immediate choice. Can stand on 2 legs, be ferocious on screen, and match up to Medved's human personality. I wanted this villain to be the opposite of Felix in every way. Where Felix had brains, Medved has brawn. Felix is obsessed because of personal reasons and wanted to control everyone - Medved seriously does just want chaos with a gifted reveal to the world." What an insight to Liz's mind! Medved really is a very complex character and I really enjoyed reading all about him. I really hope that Liz shares some more of his story with the rest of her readers eventually!
Villains aside, Liz gives us a whole new circus fell of people including a new Unbreakable (and love interest for Delia) and a family of Lightbringers who really play a super important (and very emotional) role in our story! One awesome character to watch for (and maybe my new favorite) is Elias. I won't say anything else about him to prevent spoilers, but watch his character! Miss Nance also gets a huge promotion in the cast of characters for book two and I am really excited to see what book 3 brings us for her story!
**Note: to anyone who may be confused by the lingo in this review, Liz has an awesome Gifted glossary written up on her official website. I encourage all fans of the series to check it out at http://lizclong.com/books/the-donovan...!
Burned deals with several big themes throughout the novel, but two of the biggest are what actually help to drive the plot in some of the most important ways. One, Lucy's coming to terms with the events of book one. While many have remarked that the events of book one should have messed Lucy up mentally, book two explores just how much the events did mess Lucy up. The events of book two can only add to Lucy's mental problems and I can't help but wonder what's in store for her psyche... The second theme is the "Lucy-Gabriel-Keegan" love triangle which actually comes to a halt in book 2 of the series. Lucy actually makes a decision (although I am still on the fence about how I feel on that front). Like I said in my last review, Liz does not make the romance the forefront of the story, but it plays a large role in the development of the plot so I really liked the way it went.
On that note, I do have to say something about the romance part of this novel. There IS a sex scene. *GASP* Before you freak out, hear me out. Honestly. One of the most well written "love" scenes I've ever read. Liz is not a fan of writing sex scenes so she does what's called the "black-out" method, which allows the reader to fill in the blanks. Liz merely "implies" what happens without giving ANY explicit details. That means this book is still safe for many genres and age groups, however I still place it within the upper YA-NA category!
One of my favorite scenes from the novel features Lucy interrogating a group of the Greyson Circus' clowns with hilarious results. Including a nod to passing around the "community flask". Liz definitely has a sense of humor and plays off of some strong stereotypes which is hilarious.
The storyline of the novel actually finished up with a very interesting ending that paves the way for several more books in the series. After more emails from Liz, I can happily report that book three is well on its' way to coming to us! We can hopefully expect it next Spring! I can't speak for anyone else, but I will say with certainty that this fanboy will be reading every one of the Donovan Circus books. I will also say this again from my first post: 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*!
Overall, another absolutely amazing book from Liz Long. Burned is everything I was expecting, and much, much more. It isn't often that a series gets better with each passing book, but Liz Long has definitely hit a home-run out of the Big Top with this one! I cannot WAIT for you guys to check out Burned for yourselves! Be sure to come back and let me know what you think! Also, hit up Liz on Twitter or an email and let her know what you thought of the novel! She is such a great lady and is so awesome to her fans. My biggest regret is not spending more time with her at UtopYA when we met a few weeks ago. Liz is very quickly becoming one of my all time favorites! Keep a watch on Liz Long everyone, one day she'll be the author on everyone's mind, I have no doubt!
**********************************************************************************
January 12, 2014
I really enjoyed the feel of the first book and was excited when I learned that the sequel was out. When the author approached me about reading it, I of course said yes right away.
I have only ever read a handful of books involving the circus in one form or another but like I mentioned in my review of Gifted, the first book in the series, I have loved all of them. Even though I don't ever intend to become part of a circus, I do love reading about how people from all walks of life come together to form one gigantic family. The love, friendship and loyalty they have for one another is truly something to be desired and appreciated.
I was really looking forward to jumping right back into Lucy's world and her life with the circus and her gifts as well as all those around her. Long really did create something that stands out in the genre.
While this one moved at a slower pace than the first one, it was still a pretty good sequel worthy of the first. It had all the same great characters that we came to love in the first book and that pesky love triangle was (finally!) resolved which, I must admit, really made me like this one even more.
In short I would say this was a captivating read that was well written well edited and the plot line moved along steadily. Some of my questions from the first book were answered in this one as well as still leaving room for more to come. The characters grew, which I love in books/series and I came to like them all the more because of it. This is a fun series that I truly think anyone will enjoy whether they are a fan of the genre or a first time reader.
I have only ever read a handful of books involving the circus in one form or another but like I mentioned in my review of Gifted, the first book in the series, I have loved all of them. Even though I don't ever intend to become part of a circus, I do love reading about how people from all walks of life come together to form one gigantic family. The love, friendship and loyalty they have for one another is truly something to be desired and appreciated.
I was really looking forward to jumping right back into Lucy's world and her life with the circus and her gifts as well as all those around her. Long really did create something that stands out in the genre.
While this one moved at a slower pace than the first one, it was still a pretty good sequel worthy of the first. It had all the same great characters that we came to love in the first book and that pesky love triangle was (finally!) resolved which, I must admit, really made me like this one even more.
In short I would say this was a captivating read that was well written well edited and the plot line moved along steadily. Some of my questions from the first book were answered in this one as well as still leaving room for more to come. The characters grew, which I love in books/series and I came to like them all the more because of it. This is a fun series that I truly think anyone will enjoy whether they are a fan of the genre or a first time reader.
December 18, 2022
“Burned” picks up not long after where “Gifted” left off. Firestarter Lucy and her circus friends are still reeling from their previous encounters, but beginning to find a new normal. But things then begin to shake up at the circus again as they are threatened by enemies wanting to expose and extinguish the gifted. The gang seeks an alliance with a neighboring circus and together take on the new enemy.
While this book isn’t necessarily the continuation of the story started in “Gifted” I would still call it a sequel because you couldn’t really read them in reverse order without discovering the ending to the first book. There is also a lot of important foundation work laid in the first book that you would be missing.
An enjoyable, entertaining read with some surprising twists. Definitely fun to revisit the characters I had grown to like. Sounds like a third book has been set up for?
While this book isn’t necessarily the continuation of the story started in “Gifted” I would still call it a sequel because you couldn’t really read them in reverse order without discovering the ending to the first book. There is also a lot of important foundation work laid in the first book that you would be missing.
An enjoyable, entertaining read with some surprising twists. Definitely fun to revisit the characters I had grown to like. Sounds like a third book has been set up for?
June 6, 2017
♥ Find my reviews here: Literary Meanderings
- - -
*Contains spoilers for Gifted: A Donovan Circus Novel (book 1 in the series)*
Burned picks up a few weeks after the final events of Gifted.
Lucy is still reeling with guilt over killing Felix in self-defense, and also reeling with her indecision over her love life. Avoiding Gabriel and Keegan makes things a tad bit easier, but Lucy knows it's only a matter of time before she must make a choice.
On top of her emotional struggle, Lucy and the Donovan Circus family are about to encounter a new threat...
One evening whilst strolling along the grounds, Lucy is grabbed. A knife is held to her neck and words are spoken into her ear...
Tell Sheffield that Medved is hunting him.Medved the shifter is a villain with immense power. Sheffield quickly calls on an old friend—a friend who happens to run a competing circus—for help.
Tell him. Tell him the Bear is coming.
The Donovan crew head off to Grayson Circus to form an alliance in hopes of beating Medved, but end up getting the opposite of a warm welcome.
While trying to win over the Grayson group, learning more secrets about her father daily, and fighting with her own feelings, Lucy is ready to explode.
Will Medved and his army be enough to take her and her friends down?
- - -
What a follow-up!!! Gifted was great, but Burned? ASTOUNDING! Liz Long is quickly moving up in the ranks of my all-time favorite authors!
The first thing I have to note is that the romance in this book is superbly done. I am so impressed with the fact that Liz didn't make it the focal point, but kept it alive with passionate and meaningful interactions between Lucy and both her love interests. I also like that I was surprised at her choice once it was made. I won't spoil it, of course, but I think you'll be surprised as well. I imagine it's quite a feat to keep up the suspense with both Gabriel and Keegan enough to make it realistic and yet still a surprise outcome. Does that make sense? I hope so. lol Anyway, the romance is beautiful and moving and very much heart-wrenching at times.
After reading the first book in the series, the characters really stood out to me. I remember being impressed with the sheer number of characters and how each one stood out so completely, remaining clear and memorable in my head even weeks after I read the book. We get all those same characters in this novel, plus some. With the Donovan crew spending a good portion of the book at the Grayson Circus, we meet new people! And the same thing happened with this book... I found them all SO SO memorable! Not only new characters, but new Gifts—some very interesting and fun ones at that. You can definitely expect new friends as well as enemies. :)
Lucy is a lovable protagonist. I found that she really stepped up in this book. She was going through emotional turmoil for many different reasons, but embraced her role as leader even when she wanted to do anything but that. She never asked to be caught up in a war her father and Sheffield began. She never wanted to have to hurt someone using her Gift. She never asked for her Gift, period. But she grew. She learned. She overcame. She is inspiring and I very much enjoyed reading from her POV; enjoyed going on that journey of growth with her.
As for the new villain. The Bear has quite a presence. This guy isn't just evil, he's freakin' insane! Sociopathic, even. He's definitely a memorable baddie! The action that accompanies his battle with Lucy and her friends is pure awesomeness. I felt like I was watching a movie. Liz did a perfect job of writing the action and keeping up the suspense. I was enthralled and glued to the pages.
All in all, Burned left me completely satisfied. The characters, both old and new, are amazing and very stand-out among the hoards of New Adult characters out there. The romance is sexy and intense. The storyline progresses nicely and leaves things open for a third book without torturing us with a cliffhanger ending! Please bring on another Donovan Circus novel... like now! I definitely recommend this book (as well as Gifted) to anyone who enjoys a unique, fast-paced NA novel with a paranormal twist. :)
- - -
Book source: From the author for review
Publisher: Createspace
June 29, 2014
http://readingandwritingurbanfantasy....
At A Glance
A very good sequel to Gifted, but for some reason I wasn't as excited as I hoped I'd be.
The Good
I really loved Gifted, the first book of the series. The concept of a circus full of real magically talented people is super fun and unique. I think Burned did a good job of continuing to show the struggle this circus goes through to stay safe from people who want to destroy them. This group never gets a break from the badies and I respected how they stuck together to fight as one.
Lucy's the same intelligent and logical girl we have come to know. She had a shaky start in Gifted, but now she is a solid member of her group of friends and the circus. She still battles with improving her fire gift and with making a decision on the two boys who love her. But she puts everything aside when the lives of her friends are in jeopardy by outside forces wanting to destroy them. I love how Lucy is always so willing to stick up for and fight with the good guys no matter how scared or unsure she is. It helps that her friends are always there for her. But more than anything, Lucy has a strong sense of justice.
The writing was well done. The other characters were the same and it was nice to see them again. The few action scenes were pretty scary, but it was the twists and turns that were the best part. The dark undertone throughout the story made me nervous to see who would come out alive. And people do die, so don't fell safe.
The Bad
I think my tastes/likes as a reader have evolved this past year since I read Gifted, (which I gave 4 stars) which made me fine Burned not as interesting/exciting. If I hadn't change as a reader, Burned would have been another 4 starer. It was just as good at Gifted, but it just didn't hit me that way this time.
For some reason, I wasn't as attached to the characters this time around. I also felt like not enough happened to really get me super excited about any part of the story. Last, the ending felt more like luck instead of a victory because of talent. Lucy really isn't growing that much in her power for me.
The Snuggly
Love triangle alert! I didn't mind it at all though. We have Keegan, the sweet boy, and Gabriel, the sexy bad boy. I liked and disliked them both of different reasons. Lucy does finally choose who she wants to be with, and I thought her choice was exactly what I wanted, but I found myself disappointed in the end. Which is my fault, I just don't know what I want anymore.
There is cussing but sexual content is safe for young adult readers.
Final Thoughts
I think I would read the next book in the series but I would have to get in the right frame of mind to enjoy it. I think most people will enjoy this book and series. It has a unique concept which is hard to find nowadays. Recommended.
Quotes
I shrugged. “Medved had to have been the attacker tonight, right? Why didn’t he just kill me right then and there?”
He harrumphed. “He is a predator that enjoys the fear in his prey. He likes to scare his enemies before he attacks.”
“Can’t say it didn’t work.” The memory of the cold blade against my skin made me shiver. I could almost feel Medved’s hiss in my ears.
*Free book from author for honest review*
At A Glance
A very good sequel to Gifted, but for some reason I wasn't as excited as I hoped I'd be.
The Good
I really loved Gifted, the first book of the series. The concept of a circus full of real magically talented people is super fun and unique. I think Burned did a good job of continuing to show the struggle this circus goes through to stay safe from people who want to destroy them. This group never gets a break from the badies and I respected how they stuck together to fight as one.
Lucy's the same intelligent and logical girl we have come to know. She had a shaky start in Gifted, but now she is a solid member of her group of friends and the circus. She still battles with improving her fire gift and with making a decision on the two boys who love her. But she puts everything aside when the lives of her friends are in jeopardy by outside forces wanting to destroy them. I love how Lucy is always so willing to stick up for and fight with the good guys no matter how scared or unsure she is. It helps that her friends are always there for her. But more than anything, Lucy has a strong sense of justice.
The writing was well done. The other characters were the same and it was nice to see them again. The few action scenes were pretty scary, but it was the twists and turns that were the best part. The dark undertone throughout the story made me nervous to see who would come out alive. And people do die, so don't fell safe.
The Bad
I think my tastes/likes as a reader have evolved this past year since I read Gifted, (which I gave 4 stars) which made me fine Burned not as interesting/exciting. If I hadn't change as a reader, Burned would have been another 4 starer. It was just as good at Gifted, but it just didn't hit me that way this time.
For some reason, I wasn't as attached to the characters this time around. I also felt like not enough happened to really get me super excited about any part of the story. Last, the ending felt more like luck instead of a victory because of talent. Lucy really isn't growing that much in her power for me.
The Snuggly
Love triangle alert! I didn't mind it at all though. We have Keegan, the sweet boy, and Gabriel, the sexy bad boy. I liked and disliked them both of different reasons. Lucy does finally choose who she wants to be with, and I thought her choice was exactly what I wanted, but I found myself disappointed in the end. Which is my fault, I just don't know what I want anymore.
There is cussing but sexual content is safe for young adult readers.
Final Thoughts
I think I would read the next book in the series but I would have to get in the right frame of mind to enjoy it. I think most people will enjoy this book and series. It has a unique concept which is hard to find nowadays. Recommended.
Quotes
I shrugged. “Medved had to have been the attacker tonight, right? Why didn’t he just kill me right then and there?”
He harrumphed. “He is a predator that enjoys the fear in his prey. He likes to scare his enemies before he attacks.”
“Can’t say it didn’t work.” The memory of the cold blade against my skin made me shiver. I could almost feel Medved’s hiss in my ears.
*Free book from author for honest review*
January 15, 2014
There should be a label printed clearly on Lucy's forehead: Where ever I go, trouble is sure to follow. Because that is a fact if there ever was one. Poor girl, no matter her intentions, stirs it up it somehow.
Lucy and her band of misfits is off in search of another circus of Gifted. Donovan sends them in hopes of getting an alliance together for when it comes time to defend themselves against Medved. Only it won't be an easy feat. They must convince Grayson's crew they can be trusted and this is the only sure fire way of assuring their protection. But some people will be a little harder to convince than others.
The whole first half of the book was pretty slow and I hate to admit this, but boring. It seemed the entire time lots of 'conversations and meetings' were happening. Snore! Nothing really came from the convos and some seemed repeated. But I hung in there. I knew Long wouldn't let me down. I knew she had something bigger coming and I wanted to wait and see what it was. And lo and behold, I was right!
The second half of the book picked up speed and took off! I couldn't believe how enthralled I was with it. It literally took every last ounce of energy I had to force myself to put the book down and finish it the next day. I didn’t want to stop but I was sleep deprived. This ending begged for my all my attention and by golly I needed to give it. This is only fair.
The mystery I found in the first book was still there. Just a different mystery this time around. I was scared for the group and the ending I was sure I saw coming. From the way the story is told, their future seemed bleak and rather short. And I gotta tell you, Long is a master at keeping you guessing. You never know what is going to happen.
While I wasn't crazy about who Lucy chooses to be with, I can't say I blame her. And yeah, that is all I am giving you. This is a huge part of the book. Thankfully you don't have the whole love triangle aspect bearing down on you and distracting you from the story. So that was a relief. But it does nag at your from time to time throughout. Because it really is a mystery in itself as to who she will end up with.
I recommend this story especially if you have read GIFTED. I think it is an excellent addition to the series and people will enjoy the suspense and mystery. While the romance didn't play a large role in this one, it was still an enjoyable read. And even though there was closure, the author left it open to at least another book. I am hoping she does continue on with the series.
Lucy and her band of misfits is off in search of another circus of Gifted. Donovan sends them in hopes of getting an alliance together for when it comes time to defend themselves against Medved. Only it won't be an easy feat. They must convince Grayson's crew they can be trusted and this is the only sure fire way of assuring their protection. But some people will be a little harder to convince than others.
The whole first half of the book was pretty slow and I hate to admit this, but boring. It seemed the entire time lots of 'conversations and meetings' were happening. Snore! Nothing really came from the convos and some seemed repeated. But I hung in there. I knew Long wouldn't let me down. I knew she had something bigger coming and I wanted to wait and see what it was. And lo and behold, I was right!
The second half of the book picked up speed and took off! I couldn't believe how enthralled I was with it. It literally took every last ounce of energy I had to force myself to put the book down and finish it the next day. I didn’t want to stop but I was sleep deprived. This ending begged for my all my attention and by golly I needed to give it. This is only fair.
The mystery I found in the first book was still there. Just a different mystery this time around. I was scared for the group and the ending I was sure I saw coming. From the way the story is told, their future seemed bleak and rather short. And I gotta tell you, Long is a master at keeping you guessing. You never know what is going to happen.
While I wasn't crazy about who Lucy chooses to be with, I can't say I blame her. And yeah, that is all I am giving you. This is a huge part of the book. Thankfully you don't have the whole love triangle aspect bearing down on you and distracting you from the story. So that was a relief. But it does nag at your from time to time throughout. Because it really is a mystery in itself as to who she will end up with.
I recommend this story especially if you have read GIFTED. I think it is an excellent addition to the series and people will enjoy the suspense and mystery. While the romance didn't play a large role in this one, it was still an enjoyable read. And even though there was closure, the author left it open to at least another book. I am hoping she does continue on with the series.
January 13, 2014
I received Burned in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I considered giving myself some recovery time before I started this review. Then I thought maybe I should write it while all the emotion from reading it was still fresh. Just a warning… there’s LOTS of emotion in this book. LOTS!
I’ve learned since starting this series that Liz Long is not an author who holds back. She’s not afraid to leave you gaping, wide mouthed with absolute WTF moments or reduce you to tears – more than once. Unexpected tears, I might add. Tears that are caused by the feelings and statements of characters that you never expected to cause them. Yes, she’s that kind of author. The kind that will make you fall in love with or become totally enamored with a character and then …. well… you get the picture. (There are still things that happened in this book that I CAN’T believe actually happened.)
I suppose you’ve guessed that I’ve fallen in love with Lucy and the rest of the self proclaimed ‘freaks’ that make up the Donovan Circus. They’re hard not to love. Which makes anyone who threatens them hard not to hate. Burned introduces even more characters with new talents – both good and bad. More secrets are revealed and the closer this group gets the deeper they get into the thick of the Gifted world. Yeah, Liz Long definitely has me hooked. I can’t wait to see what she has in store for the Donovan Circus next… (this may require some stalking )
Oh, and one more thing… I don’t pick ‘teams.’ Love triangle or not, the characters end up with whoever they end up with and I’m fine with that…. honest. *crosses fingers behind back*
I considered giving myself some recovery time before I started this review. Then I thought maybe I should write it while all the emotion from reading it was still fresh. Just a warning… there’s LOTS of emotion in this book. LOTS!
I’ve learned since starting this series that Liz Long is not an author who holds back. She’s not afraid to leave you gaping, wide mouthed with absolute WTF moments or reduce you to tears – more than once. Unexpected tears, I might add. Tears that are caused by the feelings and statements of characters that you never expected to cause them. Yes, she’s that kind of author. The kind that will make you fall in love with or become totally enamored with a character and then …. well… you get the picture. (There are still things that happened in this book that I CAN’T believe actually happened.)
I suppose you’ve guessed that I’ve fallen in love with Lucy and the rest of the self proclaimed ‘freaks’ that make up the Donovan Circus. They’re hard not to love. Which makes anyone who threatens them hard not to hate. Burned introduces even more characters with new talents – both good and bad. More secrets are revealed and the closer this group gets the deeper they get into the thick of the Gifted world. Yeah, Liz Long definitely has me hooked. I can’t wait to see what she has in store for the Donovan Circus next… (this may require some stalking )
Oh, and one more thing… I don’t pick ‘teams.’ Love triangle or not, the characters end up with whoever they end up with and I’m fine with that…. honest. *crosses fingers behind back*
January 17, 2018
(this is a bit fangirl, you’ve been warned. There’s a less fangirlish bit down at the bottom, so skip to that if gushing offends you.)
So I actually read this back in September, as a beta. It’s okay though, I can relieve the moment by moment excitement by looking over my 70 comments.
I’m not kidding.
There were 70 comments.
Which, really, should count as my review. I was so involved while reading Burned that on top of the scads of “AMG SERIOUSLY?” e-mails I sent to Liz, I also made SEVENTY freaking comments. It’s that good a story.
What I liked:
This should be multiple choice, so that I have an “all of the above” option. Actually, I’ll make it multiple choice.
Lucy
Gabriel
Keegan
The growth of my favorite returning characters
The new characters
The new powers
The new villains
My desire to scratch (name removed)’s eyes out for hitting on (name removed)
Things I didn’t like:
There was only one thing. Though, grudgingly, I have to admit it makes sense.
Who I recommend the story to:
Anyone who will listen. No seriously. I’ve recommended this book to nearly all of my friends. But they all like UF/PNR, so I should probably make that a caveat.
And now for my less fangirl moment:
There were things in Gifted I didn’t love. All of those things are gone from Burned. It’s an amazing story that’s not only captivating, but also well written. You’ll find yourself loving characters, hating characters, and wanting Lucy to make up her fracking mind and pick a boy already.
So I actually read this back in September, as a beta. It’s okay though, I can relieve the moment by moment excitement by looking over my 70 comments.
I’m not kidding.
There were 70 comments.
Which, really, should count as my review. I was so involved while reading Burned that on top of the scads of “AMG SERIOUSLY?” e-mails I sent to Liz, I also made SEVENTY freaking comments. It’s that good a story.
What I liked:
This should be multiple choice, so that I have an “all of the above” option. Actually, I’ll make it multiple choice.
Lucy
Gabriel
Keegan
The growth of my favorite returning characters
The new characters
The new powers
The new villains
My desire to scratch (name removed)’s eyes out for hitting on (name removed)
Things I didn’t like:
There was only one thing. Though, grudgingly, I have to admit it makes sense.
Who I recommend the story to:
Anyone who will listen. No seriously. I’ve recommended this book to nearly all of my friends. But they all like UF/PNR, so I should probably make that a caveat.
And now for my less fangirl moment:
There were things in Gifted I didn’t love. All of those things are gone from Burned. It’s an amazing story that’s not only captivating, but also well written. You’ll find yourself loving characters, hating characters, and wanting Lucy to make up her fracking mind and pick a boy already.
July 24, 2022
“Burned” picks up not long after where “Gifted” left off. Firestarter Lucy and her circus friends are still reeling from their previous encounters, but beginning to find a new normal. But things then begin to shake up at the circus again as they are threatened by enemies wanting to expose and extinguish the gifted. The gang seeks an alliance with a neighboring circus and together take on the new enemy.
While this book isn’t necessarily the continuation of the story started in “Gifted” I would still call it a sequel because you couldn’t really read them in reverse order without discovering the ending to the first book. There is also a lot of important foundation work laid in the first book that you would be missing.
An enjoyable, entertaining read with some surprising twists. Definitely fun to revisit the characters I had grown to like. Sounds like a third book has been set up for?
While this book isn’t necessarily the continuation of the story started in “Gifted” I would still call it a sequel because you couldn’t really read them in reverse order without discovering the ending to the first book. There is also a lot of important foundation work laid in the first book that you would be missing.
An enjoyable, entertaining read with some surprising twists. Definitely fun to revisit the characters I had grown to like. Sounds like a third book has been set up for?
December 30, 2013
I enjoyed Burned, A Donovan Circus Novel by Liz Long so much, I read the majority of it in one sitting.
If you enjoyed the first book, Gifted, I'm sure you will love this one. There is more action, romance, and gifts to learn about.The protagonist, Lucy, learns more about herself, and her gift. She and her friends from the circus, along with new characters, face bigger challenges from those who want gifted to dominate the world. There were a few things I didn't see coming and I like a book that keeps me on my toes.
If you haven't read Gifted, I suggest you do, and then move from one awesome read to the next with Burned.
If you enjoyed the first book, Gifted, I'm sure you will love this one. There is more action, romance, and gifts to learn about.The protagonist, Lucy, learns more about herself, and her gift. She and her friends from the circus, along with new characters, face bigger challenges from those who want gifted to dominate the world. There were a few things I didn't see coming and I like a book that keeps me on my toes.
If you haven't read Gifted, I suggest you do, and then move from one awesome read to the next with Burned.
August 13, 2014
Full Review at: What's Beyond Forks?
You would think after killing a major enemy and saving people, Lucy would be a hero and she is, but there are still those who doubt her loyalties and fear her ability. It seems that fight was only the beginning too. There are more threats on the horizon. Things seem to be building up to a major war between the Gifted. I think things are about to get crazier. Is that possible? I think it is.
Burned by Liz Long was kindly provided to me by the author for review. The opinions are my own.
December 28, 2014
Oh man, there is never a dull moment in the Donovan Circus! The excitement and the danger just keep on coming! Poor Lucy has just started to get comfortable with her new family in the circus after her terrible meeting with Dr. Hardy and now they all have a new enemy to face. And he's a freaking BEAR!! This is only the beginning of all the trouble surrounding Sheffield Donovan and Lucy's father. I'm amazed that Lucy doesn't go completely crazy after learning all the things from her past and having to face everything that gets thrown at her. She is amazingly brave and strong. I can't wait to see what's next for the whole crew!
January 28, 2014
I like to call books like this "beach reads for the rest of us." It's kind of YA fiction but accessible for X-Men loving type older adults too. It picks up 3 weeks after the events in Gifted. The pace is fast, she throws in some casualties you care about (and she's mapping out the death of a character for the next story-s*** gettin' real), and has crafted a good suspenseful story. There's also a sprinkle of good humor & a love triangle to round things out. But it's clear a war is coming & things are going to get worse.
June 24, 2014
Whenever I start the second book in the series I wonder if it could be just as good as the first and in this case I have to say the write has stayed energized and strong in developing the story and characters. It easy to get caught up in the lives of this quirky circus troupe and the struggles they find themselves getting caught up in as they try to stay under the radar of the humans and live peacefully. Unfortunately there are others of their kind that don't feel the same way and now I'm anxious to find out how the next book takes them further on their journey.
June 29, 2014
***I received this book from the author, in exchange for a fair and honest review***
I absolutely loved this book! Liz is a very talented and creative author, who really draws and then hooks her readers from page one. This is the 2nd book in the Donovan Circus series and definitely outdoes the first. I must admit though, I was a bit sad at who she chose =(. I found the book to be exciting and definitely kept me at the edge of my seat. I even spent more time reading than enjoying my vacation. This series is amazing!
I absolutely loved this book! Liz is a very talented and creative author, who really draws and then hooks her readers from page one. This is the 2nd book in the Donovan Circus series and definitely outdoes the first. I must admit though, I was a bit sad at who she chose =(. I found the book to be exciting and definitely kept me at the edge of my seat. I even spent more time reading than enjoying my vacation. This series is amazing!
August 20, 2014
Burned was a great second book, though maybe a bit more predictable than the first. There was still a ton of action and lots of things going on. And....sigh....Lucy makes her choice between Gabriel and Keegan, and I just don't now if I am excited about it. However, there was some implication that things may change down the road, so I am not giving up hope!
As far as the story goes, I think it was well written, lots of action. There's another bad guy, and if you like shapeshifting, conniving women, and fighting this book is for you! I definitely recommend this book!
As far as the story goes, I think it was well written, lots of action. There's another bad guy, and if you like shapeshifting, conniving women, and fighting this book is for you! I definitely recommend this book!
June 14, 2014
Another great Liz Long book. I enjoy Liz's style and get lost in her stories pretty quickly. Burned makes a seamless transition in the series. I didn't feel like it was overburdened by the recap from the first book, which is usually my issue with some series books. I can't wait to read the third book. (Love the circus theme in this series, it's refreshing)
January 11, 2015
¡I can´t get enough of this group!
Review in Spanish: http://alwaysinourownworld.blogspot.c...
Review in English: http://alwaysinourownworld.blogspot.c...
Review in Spanish: http://alwaysinourownworld.blogspot.c...
Review in English: http://alwaysinourownworld.blogspot.c...
August 9, 2016
Amazing.
Love the story that unfolds for Luce. So much is in her hands. Even when things get bad and everything seems to be falling apart, she never gives up. Can't wait to see what happens next.
Love the story that unfolds for Luce. So much is in her hands. Even when things get bad and everything seems to be falling apart, she never gives up. Can't wait to see what happens next.
December 18, 2013
Will post full review tomorrow...
in the mean time I will give you all this - FREAKING AWESOME!!
Fan.For.Life. right here
https://www.facebook.com/just1morecha...
in the mean time I will give you all this - FREAKING AWESOME!!
Fan.For.Life. right here
https://www.facebook.com/just1morecha...
May 14, 2014
3.5. It was a 4 till about half way through and then it got a bit boring.
April 20, 2017
This book was a quick, easy read. It did not shed as much light on the mysteries that were talked about in book 1 (Lucy's family's past, what was Sheffield hiding, who is Gabriel, etc). I felt like it was a tad forced, because for some unknown reason, they solved Lucy's love triangle already. I do not see why they did it that way, nor am I pleased with the choice she made, but whatever, I will live. There were some interesting characters introduced, but there was not as much development of them as I would have preferred. The major battle in this book had only one teeny tiny surprise at the end of it, and then it was rectified almost instantly. One can only wonder if this will lead to a problem in the future books? I definitely liked the first book more than this one. I hope #3 is better.
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