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A Gift of Words
A magical gift is more trouble than it's worth...
Cam has plenty of things to worry about. His best friend might have broken someone’s fingers, the class bully won’t leave him alone, and staying under the radar of his teachers is much harder than it ought to be. He definitely doesn’t need magic to make his life any more complicated.
Which is good, because when he does write his name in Libris Sapientia—the book of wisdom—a whole lot of nothing happens. He is a failure, and even a book agrees. Then, Loman Lykill joins their class, bringing a whole new brand of chaos to Highgrove Secondary.
Cam has his magical gift, whether he wants it or not.
A Gift of Words is the first book in The Gifts Trilogy by Rosalind Dando.
Cam has plenty of things to worry about. His best friend might have broken someone’s fingers, the class bully won’t leave him alone, and staying under the radar of his teachers is much harder than it ought to be. He definitely doesn’t need magic to make his life any more complicated.
Which is good, because when he does write his name in Libris Sapientia—the book of wisdom—a whole lot of nothing happens. He is a failure, and even a book agrees. Then, Loman Lykill joins their class, bringing a whole new brand of chaos to Highgrove Secondary.
Cam has his magical gift, whether he wants it or not.
A Gift of Words is the first book in The Gifts Trilogy by Rosalind Dando.
- GenresMiddle GradeYoung Adult
201 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 20, 2025
3 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
July 28, 2025
This book was everything I could’ve wanted out of a middle-grade fantasy. Between the reality bending powers, the ravens, the trickster, and the complexity of the powers shown through a potentially sentient (?) book, I had the best time! And all the characters definitely kept me intrigued and always wanting to know more. Even the main bully character was someone I became invested in and I’m still dying to know what his deal was and why he was Like That. And I was especially interested to see more of his brother, but we didn’t get that in here.
I know this book is part of a series and so probably a lot more that was only touched on here will be explored later, and for the most part, it still all managed to feel complete, but towards the end, it did feel like suddenly a lot happened without the proper space to pay it all off. I love the direction and everything that did happen, and I especially love the way the ending issue was actually something that was subtly built up throughout the book as sort of a background story unraveling. It’s just that the ending did happen suddenly, which threw off the pacing a little for me, which is extra noticeable because the whole rest of the book had great pacing and flow.
Despite the minor gripe about the ending, I overall loved this book so much. The conflicts were engaging, the characters really felt so alive and endearing and intriguing. The main relationships/friendships between characters were so sweet and I absolutely loved Cam’s family and the love they have for each other really shines through in every interaction they have. From the moment they were introduced, they all gave me really strong impressions of who they are as characters. This book had me asking so many questions in a good way. I just want to know everything about the lore of this world and the witches and the book.
Another thing that really stood out to me about this book was the descriptions and the similes and metaphors, that were both fun and creative and complemented the story’s tone really well. Not to repeat myself too much, but I had the best time with this book.
Thank you so much to the author for sending me a free copy of this book! Sent as part of me signing up for the ARC for book 2, which will be an upcoming review.
I know this book is part of a series and so probably a lot more that was only touched on here will be explored later, and for the most part, it still all managed to feel complete, but towards the end, it did feel like suddenly a lot happened without the proper space to pay it all off. I love the direction and everything that did happen, and I especially love the way the ending issue was actually something that was subtly built up throughout the book as sort of a background story unraveling. It’s just that the ending did happen suddenly, which threw off the pacing a little for me, which is extra noticeable because the whole rest of the book had great pacing and flow.
Despite the minor gripe about the ending, I overall loved this book so much. The conflicts were engaging, the characters really felt so alive and endearing and intriguing. The main relationships/friendships between characters were so sweet and I absolutely loved Cam’s family and the love they have for each other really shines through in every interaction they have. From the moment they were introduced, they all gave me really strong impressions of who they are as characters. This book had me asking so many questions in a good way. I just want to know everything about the lore of this world and the witches and the book.
Another thing that really stood out to me about this book was the descriptions and the similes and metaphors, that were both fun and creative and complemented the story’s tone really well. Not to repeat myself too much, but I had the best time with this book.
Thank you so much to the author for sending me a free copy of this book! Sent as part of me signing up for the ARC for book 2, which will be an upcoming review.
April 22, 2024
Cameron Darius McLoughlin is pretty sure he’s a total loser. Kids at school pick on him, and his teachers are never quite satisfied with him, either. When his twelfth birthday rolls around, and he finally gets to write his name in his quirky family’s magic book and get his special power—pffft, nothing. And that suits him just fine, thank you very much.
That is until he accidentally invokes a certain popular mythological mischief-maker. If he can’t learn to operate his magical gift, he’ll never get his life together. With the help of his best friend Alice, Cam explores the magic of friendship and the even deeper magic of chosen family.
Rosalind Dando’s middle grade fantasy, while reminiscent of Ingrid Law’s Savvy, incorporates a clever and unique magical system that seems to follow family lines. But what really sets A Gift of Words apart is Cam himself. His voice is charming and hilarious, and his interiority and point of view lift and brighten the storytelling around some serious issues—bullying, anxiety, and self-esteem—and make it a joy to read.
I recommend this book—the first in a series—without reservation to middle-grade readers. A Gift of Words reminds us that the worst monsters we’ll ever face are the nonmagical ones, and with luck, skill, and a trusted friend, we can beat them, every time.
That is until he accidentally invokes a certain popular mythological mischief-maker. If he can’t learn to operate his magical gift, he’ll never get his life together. With the help of his best friend Alice, Cam explores the magic of friendship and the even deeper magic of chosen family.
Rosalind Dando’s middle grade fantasy, while reminiscent of Ingrid Law’s Savvy, incorporates a clever and unique magical system that seems to follow family lines. But what really sets A Gift of Words apart is Cam himself. His voice is charming and hilarious, and his interiority and point of view lift and brighten the storytelling around some serious issues—bullying, anxiety, and self-esteem—and make it a joy to read.
I recommend this book—the first in a series—without reservation to middle-grade readers. A Gift of Words reminds us that the worst monsters we’ll ever face are the nonmagical ones, and with luck, skill, and a trusted friend, we can beat them, every time.
April 21, 2024
A Gift Of Words . By Rosalind Dando : My Review
A magical gift is more trouble than it's worth!
Cam has a lot to deal with at school, he has a bully that won't leave him alone, despite his best attempts he finds flying under the radar hard and not that he wants it, but he doesn't have any magic, magical legacy be damned.
And Loman his new friend spreads chaos wherever he goes, but at least he has a friend in Alice. Before long Cam has magic wanted or not and then a breakneck adventure involving Norse Gods begins.
This is a fast paced adventure with an engaging plot, while aimed at 10+, adults will easily find themselves swept away with this story. The action is fun and well written, the plot is clever and the characters are extremely well developed, Cam has lots of issues and I could identify with him and his struggles at school quite a bit. Loman is cracking good fun and a laugh a minute. But for me Alice had my heart by turns brave and protective, but is struggling with her own issues of neglect and abuse, she defidefinitely stood out!
The other characters were well rounded in particular the very cool Aunt.
All in all this is a fantastic read. Easily worth five stars.
A magical gift is more trouble than it's worth!
Cam has a lot to deal with at school, he has a bully that won't leave him alone, despite his best attempts he finds flying under the radar hard and not that he wants it, but he doesn't have any magic, magical legacy be damned.
And Loman his new friend spreads chaos wherever he goes, but at least he has a friend in Alice. Before long Cam has magic wanted or not and then a breakneck adventure involving Norse Gods begins.
This is a fast paced adventure with an engaging plot, while aimed at 10+, adults will easily find themselves swept away with this story. The action is fun and well written, the plot is clever and the characters are extremely well developed, Cam has lots of issues and I could identify with him and his struggles at school quite a bit. Loman is cracking good fun and a laugh a minute. But for me Alice had my heart by turns brave and protective, but is struggling with her own issues of neglect and abuse, she defidefinitely stood out!
The other characters were well rounded in particular the very cool Aunt.
All in all this is a fantastic read. Easily worth five stars.
April 23, 2024
This is a very enjoyable middle-grade contemporary fantasy story. As Cam struggles to find his place within his family’s magical legacy, while negotiating the first year of secondary school and dealing with bullying, his new friend Loman spreads chaos in his wake, bringing Cam along for the ride. Although I think it is intended that Cam, the main character, be interpreted as neuro-divergent, I felt his anxieties were relatable to most of us. Alice, his best friend, is wonderful; a troubled, abused, neglected young woman, who is fiercely loyal and protective.
The story is nicely paced and well-plotted, though there were a few holes that I would have liked to see addressed. Some of the supporting characters were weak and under-developed, but given that this is the first book in a new series, I would hope to see these explored further in subsequent stories.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The story is nicely paced and well-plotted, though there were a few holes that I would have liked to see addressed. Some of the supporting characters were weak and under-developed, but given that this is the first book in a new series, I would hope to see these explored further in subsequent stories.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 25, 2025
Fun characters, lots of magic, but that ending just sucked (I mean it just ended, I was looking for more pages).
April 13, 2024
I loved this book!
The characters. The story. The writing. I loved it all.
Cam resonated with me. I was him (barring the magical heritage of course) when I was his age; a ball of anxiety trying to keep my head down at a school where I never thought I'd quite fit in.
Alice is the kind of plucky and headstrong teen I wish I had been.
Loman is wisecracking and every time he is on the page, he is the centre of attention (which makes sense the further into the book you get).
And Cam's aunt Frankie is the definition of a cool aunt ( having become an aunt myself last year, I an now determined to be just like her!)
This book might be intended for Middle Grade audience, but as a woman in her thirties, I could not put this down. It is a must have for my shelf and if you like magic, mischief, a smidgen of teen rebellion and a wonderful sense of family (found or otherwise) then Ros's book is for you.
The characters. The story. The writing. I loved it all.
Cam resonated with me. I was him (barring the magical heritage of course) when I was his age; a ball of anxiety trying to keep my head down at a school where I never thought I'd quite fit in.
Alice is the kind of plucky and headstrong teen I wish I had been.
Loman is wisecracking and every time he is on the page, he is the centre of attention (which makes sense the further into the book you get).
And Cam's aunt Frankie is the definition of a cool aunt ( having become an aunt myself last year, I an now determined to be just like her!)
This book might be intended for Middle Grade audience, but as a woman in her thirties, I could not put this down. It is a must have for my shelf and if you like magic, mischief, a smidgen of teen rebellion and a wonderful sense of family (found or otherwise) then Ros's book is for you.
April 8, 2024
Buckle up, buttercup, because this book is a glorious whirlwind of a ride! It uses just the right sprinkle of teen reality, a dollop of magic, and a big ol' squirt of Norse gods for good measure for a perfect reading treat.
The characters leaped off the page and into my heart - even (especially?) the more mischievous of the bunch! And Cam (our twelve-year-old protagonist with more baggage than an airport carousel) I felt I'd been friends with for my whole life. I'm pretty sure I've met his mum and aunt at one point or other (possibly I am his aunt?...)
Anyway! It's a great mix of fun, edge-of-seat peril, and that quintessential soupçon of whimsical mystery to create a gripping, great reading experience. Two big thumbs up and well done, Rosalind Dando! Can't wait for the next in the series!
The characters leaped off the page and into my heart - even (especially?) the more mischievous of the bunch! And Cam (our twelve-year-old protagonist with more baggage than an airport carousel) I felt I'd been friends with for my whole life. I'm pretty sure I've met his mum and aunt at one point or other (possibly I am his aunt?...)
Anyway! It's a great mix of fun, edge-of-seat peril, and that quintessential soupçon of whimsical mystery to create a gripping, great reading experience. Two big thumbs up and well done, Rosalind Dando! Can't wait for the next in the series!
April 20, 2024
To say I liked this middle grade fantasy would be an understatement. I loved it. The characters (especially Cam, the protagonist) were so real and relatable. I loved how supportive Cam's family were throughout the book (the kind of strong family rep that would make anyone feel loved and warm). Alice was the kind of best friend anyone could wish for and her struggles felt authentic without being over the top. Loman brought the perfect amount of mischief and comic relief to the table without it feeling forced. I hope this is only the first book in a series because I'd love to spend more time with the characters. And, if you're a Magnus Chase fan, you will too!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 29, 2024
A Gift of Words hooked me from the start. The main character, Cam, is so relatable in his awkwardness and introverted but kind nature. I connected with him immediately, wanted to pull him into a tight hug at the same time I wished to bolster him. The book follows him through a coming-of-age that feels believable, even as he’s surrounded by magic and shenanigans.
The writing is superb, the similes hilarious, and the heart-warming moments had me filled with the coziest feeling. I would recommend this book to anyone who is drawn to the above in a HEARTBEAT.
The writing is superb, the similes hilarious, and the heart-warming moments had me filled with the coziest feeling. I would recommend this book to anyone who is drawn to the above in a HEARTBEAT.
January 15, 2025
This charming book follows Cam and bestie Alice as they navigate the emergence of a magical gift in our ordinary world. To complicate matters, Loki is accidentally summoned to join them... as a middle schooler. Cam is full to the brim with anxiety, and you can't help but wish for the best outcome for him. The real scene stealer, though, is Alice, a well-fleshed out character with her own trials. You really just want to mother these two kiddos.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews