True Talents

Talents #2

by David Lubar

It’s been over a year since fourteen-year-old Eddie “Trash” Thalmeyer and his friends from Edgeview Alternative School found out about their special hidden talents. Trash can move things with his mind, Torchie is a fire-starter, Cheater reads minds, Lucky finds lost objects, Flinch can predict the future, and Martin can see into people’s souls. Now back home with their families, all the boys want to do is get back to their normal lives, start attending high school, and keep in touch with their friends from Edgeview.
When Trash tests his power in a bank and accidentally steals a fistful of cash, he is kidnapped by the ruthless leader of a shadowy company whose purpose is to gather information about psychic phenomena—and who is willing to do anything to get it…. Torchie, Cheater, Lucky, Flinch, and Martin join forces to rescue their friend using their hidden talents, and discover their true talents in the process.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction, Middle Grade, Science Fiction, Action, Supernatural

320 pages, Hardcover

First published March 6, 2007

About the author

David Lubar created a sensation with his debut novel, Hidden Talents, an ALA Best Book for Young Adults. Thousands of kids and educators across the country have voted Hidden Talents onto over twenty state lists. David is also the author of True Talents, the sequel to Hidden Talents; Flip, an ALA Best Book for Young Adults and a VOYA Best Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror selection; several short story collections: In the Land of the Lawn Weenies, Invasion of the Road Weenies, The Curse of the Campfire Weenies, The Battle of the Red Hot Pepper Weenies, and Attack of the Vampire Weenies; and the Nathan Abercrombie, Accidental Zombie series. Lubar grew up in Morristown, New Jersey, and he has also lived in New Brunswick, Edison and Piscataway, NJ, and Sacramento, CA. Besides writing, he has also worked as a video game programmer and designer. He now lives in Nazareth, Pennsylvania.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/davidl...

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imo, a worthy sequel. Maybe not as full of earnestly explored Moral Themes/ good messages as the first, but more thrilling. And the boys still have all their own personalities, their own *true* talents besides their psi abilities. And they have their friendship. And they have cause to encounter moral dilemmas and make choices. So, yeah, all the good stuff that teachers liked in the first is here, but the adventure story/ mystery takes precedence.

[Kimberly Ho · Rating 2 out of 5]

This sequel was unnecessary.

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't read the first book, HIDDEN TALENTS, but I caught on quickly that these six boys, Trash, Cheater, Torchie, Lucky, and Martin, have powers that complicate their lives and put them in danger. Eddie, Trash, finds himself in some kind of horrible nightmare where his abilities are being tested against his will. Come to find out, an evil opportunist is trying to harness the boys' talents for his own ugly purposes. We see Bowlder as a perfect antagonist with ample resources to destroy the boys' families.

I like how Lubar uses the symbolism of 'talents' to show the bond between these outcast boys who just want to live normal lives. Hidden talents and true talents -- which will save them ultimately?

Lubar had me laughing on one page and gasping in horror on the next. His short chapters and shifting POVs give a rushing feeling to the narrative that moves us along, in fear for the boy's lives and talents. I enjoyed the multi-genre elements as well.

[Indigo B · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like that it touches on all the characters! Definitely a good re-read. I would recommend this to anyone interested in psychic based books!

[Luong Tran · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading this book, I realized my own true talent was making people around me avoid me instead of the cool "move things with my mind" thing. Pretty good book. Would have been even better if I started on the first book in the series instead of blindly picking a book from my school library out of boredom.

[Tyler Blasi]

The book I read was True Talents. The sequel continues from the first book Hidden Talents, the story of the six psychic teens who became friends at Edgeview. A year has passed since "Trash" learned he has telekinetic powers and his friends found their skills too. Cheater reads minds (he hates it because he was always getting accused of cheating), Torchie lights fires (he always catches objects on fire and causes problems), Flinch forecasts the future (he can see whats coming so he flinches), Martin sees souls, and Lucky finds missing objects (he’s always lucky to find things that are missing, some times accused of stealing). Though each pleasures a secret power, each also wants to be normal especially as they go to high school, unfortunately, that’s not going to happen. In the book Trash decides to see what he could do at the nearby bank. He steals the cash from the open vault, but is caught when he makes the telekinetic withdrawal. He is kidnapped by the leader of a evil company. The company is a squad that studies psychic phenomena. Trashes only hope is Lucky, Cheater, Marten, Torchie, and Flinch. They will have to use their HIDDEN TALENTS as a team to save him, they are going to risk their freedom to try to rescue him, but can they escape from their parents first? Unfortunately, Bowler, the leader of the nasty group, want’s to take hold of these powers and take advantage of them for his own dreadful and selfish purposes. What he doesn’t know is that they all have true talents. This is something he doesn’t know yet but he has always feared.
This book was a decent read. The author did a good job of carrying on from the first book. The first book, Hidden Talents was really interesting to me, it was a page turner, the book made me keep reading where this was more of a book that I rather just read. I felt I didn’t need to keep reading, I wanted to but never really felt like I had to. The style of the book was a little confusing. One chapter would talk about one person and what was happening then another would switch right over to someone else's story. It wasn’t that challenging but I got mixed up from time to time about who the narrater was talking about. My advice to the audience is that you should read this book, you will take pleasure in it. If you want to read this you should read the first book before, not because you won’t understand it, you will understand it very well, but because the first one is way better and it will make you want to read this book even more.
I give this book a 3 out of 5. This book isn’t the worst book I’ve read but it isn’t the best. The beginning of the book starts off a little slow but thats because it’s recapping what happened in the first book and also introducing what has happened to the boy’s over a year. I might not of read this book if I hadn’t read the first one. This book seemed so real, I felt like I was there experiencing it. It was also so serious, so serious that it involves death. But I really think that added to the whole drama aspect of the book. I can’t explain the death (who dies, how he/she dies, etc) with out causing destruction to the book or ruin the book for the audience.

[Avi K · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy how every page is different. One page is suspenseful then the next could be funny, each page varies. Other than it being about a few kids with hidden talents, they learn more about them throughout the story.
Trash (Eddie) was caught using his power and a evil group kidnapped him to find out more about it. His friends team up later on to help him. His friends have hidden powers too, the thing that makes it interesting is that they all have different talents and they all learn to use them differently. I disliked that every chapter was about a different character because it wouldn't always say who it was about so you would have to assume from what you're reading to know who it is about.
While I was reading the story it was hard to believe that it wasn't about actual people because they seem so realistic. They are just kids trying to live normal lives but they have to overcome obstacles to succeed in that goal. I learned about all of the friends and how they all learned to use their talents for good without getting accused of anything. This book would interests people who are into genres like magic, supernatural, action, suspense, and many more like these.

[MizziQ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I absulutely adored the first one, "Hidden Talents", but this one was seriously lacking. Their point of views for the stories changed too much and the plot was more unbelievable than kids with supernatural powers. :) I think for some insight on what happened after they left the school, it is good to read. It gives you a little more closure. However this story just did not pull me in like I had hoped. I really hope Lubar writes another one like he hinted in the AUTHOR'S NOTE.

[Rachel Brewer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although it was definitely not as great as the first, it was a very enjoyable book that I couldn’t put down at times.

[Timbrr · Rating 4 out of 5]

My reading this was a long time coming. As I said in my recent review of Hidden Talents, I read that book in my youth and something (probably several somethings) about it resonated with me. It's high on my list of favorite books.
But it also told a complete story by itself, and I don't know if I ever thought I wanted a sequel for it. But I'm sure at some point, even if I did, I just didn't think it would happen.
So imagine my surprise when I found out that there was a sequel. Unfortunately, upon finding out about it, I also saw reviews that were...unfavorable towards it. And so I think, for a while, I just kinda let sleeping dogs lie, for one reason or another. Maybe I was worried it would mar my memory of the first book or something, I'm not sure.
Fast forward a few years and I found a copy and decided to read it for myself, see if it was as off as I had heard.
Spoiler Alert: I enjoyed reading it.

As for actual spoilers,
I kind of wish I didn't have any idea of what happened in the book going into it. I would love to know what my reaction to it had been without having the blemish of preconceived notions of it. Having said that, I won't lie. From the start of the story, even expecting it, I was thrown off by the complete escalation of stakes from Hidden Talents to True Talents.
In Hidden Talents, Martin and the crew mostly had to deal with bullies, the occasional rude teacher, and society looking down on them as troubled, due to their abilities causing them to unintentionally be disruptive in one way or another, as well as the government shutting down their school, which would be troublesome for them.
In True Talents, Trash escapes from a lab where he's been drugged and researched on for an undetermined amount of time. And then as the drugs wear off and his mind clears, his memory comes back. And apparently Trash had robbed a bank and killed a man (2 separate, though tangentially related events).
So from the beginning, I wasn't sure how I felt about it, having made a huge leap like that. But, as I read the book, got reacquainted with the boys and their powers, as well as seeing the surprisingly dark circumstances they were in because of them, and watched the story unfold, I did find myself enjoying it. To the point where at some point I slipped from 40% of the way through the book, to 60ish%, to close to the end of the book without realizing it.
The stakes were higher, the tone darker, but it was still that crew of 6 solving problems with their talents and their wits. And a little help and a little luck. So it was still as enjoyable ride. If a bit shaky at times.

Which is why at this point of the review, I'm still trying to figure out how I wanna rate it. Which isn't helped by the fact that Goodreads rating system is 5 stars instead of being out of 10. Even though I rave about Hidden Talents as one of my favorites, I still only gave it 4 stars, and I hesitate to rate this book the same as that, because I don't know that I would put it on quite the same level. Though maybe it would help if I gave myself time to digest the book instead of immediately going to review it after finishing it.
But on the other hand I feel like 3 stars is too low. So I guess I should just give it 4 stars, because it was a very enjoyable read, if it had its flaws. And maybe I should be giving more books 5 stars.

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this last week and put this off, whoops. I’m gonna make my reads more casual going forward since I know I’ll take longer to do them. I won’t try to rush through them and take my time. This means maybe more casual reviews since I tended to just do these for the sake of reviewing them. I’f like to cut back on that and read for you know, the fun of it.

Anyway, this was pretty solid. It switches POV to Trash with it flipping between the others as well. Writing still makes it easy to read and we get to see how they go through all this. Plot here has this former government guy seeking out these kids to study their powers. The Edgeview school is oddly not a thing here, I thought it would tie into the big plot. The first felt like it was setting up for a sequel so it’s interesting that David Lubar said that wasn't the case.

It manages to work. It feels overlong at 300 pages and can get contrived but otherwise it flowed well and stayed engaging. I liked it about as much as the first one. It’s all just pretty solid. Yeah, I didn’t have too much to say anyway so might as well make it quick. I knew I would have this as one of my last reads of the year and it’s a good one to go out on. Wish I wrote this after finishing it tho, that week gap hurt my memory lol

I hope to still have some reads next year even as I’m more casual about it. I have some ideas for January but you mostly should get hyped for the next ripoff round in February or so. See ya then. (I promise next review will be more detailed lol)

[K.F. · Rating 4 out of 5]

gritty reboot sequel?

This book surprised me…a lot. I’m such a fan of hidden talents and I was so stoked to find out it had a sequel.

The plot is a lot more far fetched than the first book, with a lot more “grown up” danger and higher stakes. But Trash as the leader of the group was really cool—he’s a bit of a sideline character in the first novel. I’ve always thought telekinesis was the most dangerous weapon (all of creation is just movement, after all). But Lubar does a good job of limiting it with spy toys and other things.

Torchie suffers a little from Homer Simpson syndrome—but I think the glimpses of his sweet family and dyslexia do make things a little three dimensional.

I’m really sad for Martin and really hyped for Flinch. I think it’s a really interesting commentary that Martin the empath has the most abusive home.

And of course, I love Cheater. I’m honestly surprised he wasn’t playing black Jack though (more on brand for a Chinese kid !!) But he’s def the professor X.

I also think there’s some unresolved Chekovs guns—the blood pact and everybody being drawn to Philly; explaining why Trash isn’t dead, Chester’s cousin def knowing something was up—but I’m not sure a sequel would work. Maybe a graphic novel?

I like the idea of older teen to college kids because nobody really does that transition with sci fi. And I’m def gonna be reading this book with my son when he’s old enough.

[Ethan Chan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is about a boy who has something "special" about him and his friends. One day, he finds himself alone in a room which looks like solitary confinement. After regaining parts of his memory, he sets out to escape this nightmare and find his friends before "it" finds them.
What I liked about this book was the unique personality the author gave the characters. The way he wrote in character made each protagonist so different from each other. I always feel like I'm there in the background watching each scene happen when I read the book and the choice of words he uses only makes it even better to picture!
However what I did find disappointing was that sometimes the chapters were too shorter than other chapters. For example, one of the chapters showcased a new character and gave the setting of where and who he was. And that was pretty much it. Then it moved to the next chapter. But if you're still a fan of the fiction genre, I would recommend it since it is a fiction book and has very interesting people. I'm not sure any other books which are similar to this, however. But the way the book starts reminds me of the maze runner

[Blessing Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wild,funny, Aderaline-pumping book..
Loved to see all our six boys together again..
Martin likes a girl *👀 that was weird to read* , Flinch acting cool, Trash being all grown up,Torchie cross dressing and acting embarrassed ,Cheater being crazily smart and finally Lucky finally having a peace of mind that's well deserved😓.
Did I love it ? yes😌
Though would have loved to see them going about their normal day to day lives while using their powers. Not just snippets and together as a group.
Plus a sequel with answers to this questions and more wouldn't be so bad 😑 you can try author-chan...
1) are their powers genetic? If not how did they come to possess these abilities?
2) Can it be passed down to their future kids?
3) Do they ever get to tell their parents, siblings or friends about their powers
4) Does Eddie get to work for the government,do art or become a business man?
Etc etc etc

All in all it was an adventure. There was a lot of scattered info at first and weird chapter titles/ headings but past that 😌...

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

David Lubar has a way of writing teenagers that rings so true to how it felt to be one. His characters can be weaselly, smartass kids that it's easy to see why nearby adults can't stand them, but they have such heart and determination that it reminds you of how it felt to be their age in the positive ways.

This book does a great job of showing the true friendship that exists between the boys, and the rotating POV lets us be familiar with all of them, giving each character a distinct voice and at least one memorable scene. For a book this short and quick, it's a triumph that a decade of later I can still name and describe all six boys.

The book very smartly makes it top priority to bring the whole cast together. The group scenes absolutely zing, and I could read another 200 pages with these characters.

Tone-wise, things stay fun but don't avoid mature subjects, acknowledging the serious issues without any tonal clash (this is extremely rare in YA).

One of my favorites, would recommend for teenage readers, especially fans of the more realistic Louis Sachar-style

[Kristina Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

"True Talents", the second book in the, "Talents" series, is a thrilling, exciting, page turner that keeps you wanting more. In this novel there are 6 friends that haven’t been together since they got out of a disciplinary school. Each one of these friends have special powers, Eddie (the main character), other known as trash, can move things with his mind, torchie can create fire with his mind, Cheater can read people’s mind, Lucky can find lost things, Flinch can see the future, and Martin can read people and know their secrets. After the gang finds out that there friend Trash’s secret talent leaked to the government they all help him out, using their talents, and risking their lives to try to get him out of this mess. “True Talents” is one of the best books I have ever read! It Is sad, thrilling, and funny all in one! You will fall in love with the characters, and not want to put the book down. I suggest that everyone should read this book!

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lubar, David True Talents, 320 p. TOR –

As Trash starts to wake, he finds himself in the midst of a nightmare – kidnapped and held prisoner as someone experiments with his power to moves objects telekinetically. A narrow escape only leads him into more danger. Somehow he needs the help of the rest of his group of friends from Edgeview Alternative – Cheater, Lucky, Flinch, Torch and Martin. And they will need his help too, as the evil which captured Trash discovers their potential also.

In plot, in dialogue. in writing and in sheer genius, this sequel to Hidden Talents far outstrips the original. Which is saying a lot, because the original is SOOO AWESOME! I am so glad that Lubar waited for the exact perfect inspiration before he wrote a sequel (unlike Sachar and the disappointing Small Steps), because I just can’t say enough good things about this book. Thank you for another masterpiece!

EL, MS - ESSENTIAL

[Karalynn Shade · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was much better than the first one, in my opinion. This book is all about the action and what would happen if someone knew about their powers. I loved it. It was kind of predictable, and everything is figured out really fast at the end, which is why I’m only giving it three stars again, but it was a nice easy read with some great characters.

I would recommend this book to anyone ages 12-17. There is some death so if you are younger, you might not be ready and any older and this book may be too easy of a read for you.

[Jood · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable read. definitely not as good as the first book but this one has its gems. I enjoyed the story overall, it was funny, dramatic, and engaging. I'm glad lucky got that "disruptor" to make his life better. since its a children's book I don't expect it to delve deeper into dark topics so I don't have a problem with the way it handled certain conflicts. Sometimes I found myself annoyed with how the characters are being written and the story felt kind of messy or like it was lacking something. But overall a satisfying enough sequel.

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another one of my childhood faves I picked up at my mom’s house- it’s actually kind of wild rereading this and realizing how much I must have favored the first book bc I barely remembered the second. This one is a lot darker, more of a thriller- the boys are out of HS and now are escaping evil forces that want to use their power for good. Finch was not that funny to be a compelling comedian, but the book was good enough, kept me on the edge of my seat

[Maximilian Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book because I think it is cool that Lucky, Cheater, Trash, Torchie, Flinch, and Martin have talents, like lifting stuff with their minds, looking into people's minds, and making fire with their minds. I also liked this book because it shows other talents like playing the bagpipe. Because in the last book it only showed the talents I mentioned before the bagpipe.

[Nicole Dust · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I expected, I enjoyed this WAAAAAYYYY more than the first book. XD I loved getting the POV of Trash (although I wanted more of Lucky! I’m still slightly bummed about that) and seeing what everyone’s been up to.

The characters, plot, and world are pretty simple, but still fun to read about!

I will be reading this series again, eventually. I like Lucky too much to abandon it. XD

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book 2! It's been awhile since I read Hidden Talents, but not only did I fall right back in with these kids, the way Lubar wove the story together was impressive - and fun. I did not see that final scene coming. It was perfect.

[Kristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely not as good as the first one. Felt the books was basically a group of boys running all around like Scooby Doo gang with some explosions. Took me while to finally finish book for that reason, but raced through it once I realized this detail.

[Kailynn Ayers · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book was a lot darker than the first one but still an interesting time
there are characters in mental hospitals
heart-stopping and people getting hurt for cheating at card games.
Have fun I hope you enjoy it.

[Bryce Stanley · Rating 5 out of 5]

good book, book good

[vivienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, I loved the sequel more than the original which is rare for me and I loved this book so much when I was a kid, god. I want to re-experience reading this series for the first yime.

[Soro !!]

I want those powers.

[Bookwarrior · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good sequel. So much fun!

[Seojoon]

👍