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The Gifts #1
All Our Hidden Gifts
Maeve Chambers doesn't have much going for her. Not only does she feel like the sole idiot in a family of geniuses, she managed to drive away her best friend Lily a year ago. But when she finds a pack of dusty old tarot cards at school, and begins to give scarily accurate readings to the girls in her class, she realizes she's found her gift at last. Things are looking up – until she discovers a strange card in the deck that definitely shouldn't be there. And two days after she convinces her ex-best friend to have a reading, Lily disappears.
Can Maeve, her new friend Fiona and Lily's brother Roe find her? And will their special talents be enough to bring Lily back, before she's gone for good?
Can Maeve, her new friend Fiona and Lily's brother Roe find her? And will their special talents be enough to bring Lily back, before she's gone for good?
400 pages, Paperback
First published June 8, 2021
827 people are currently reading
36189 people want to read
About the author
Caroline O'Donoghue
9 books7,077 followersCaroline O'Donoghue is a New York Times bestselling author and host of the Sentimental Garbage podcast. She writes fiction for adults and teenagers.
I only leave five star reviews on Goodreads, and i keep two star reviews inside my horrid brain where they can’t start beef with other authors
I only leave five star reviews on Goodreads, and i keep two star reviews inside my horrid brain where they can’t start beef with other authors
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,693 reviews
September 15, 2020
I wrote this and it's a banger!
August 27, 2021
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Caroline O'Donoghue's foray into YA will definitely appeal to fans of the genre. Although I do have a few criticisms I can safely say that I found All Our Hidden Gifts to be an entertaining read.
Set in Ireland, our narrator and protagonist is sixteen-year old Maeve Chambers, the youngest in a big family. She has quite a chip on her shoulder when it comes to her 'brilliant' sisters and brothers. Unlike them she isn't academically gifted and for a period of time she was put in a slow-learning class. Maeve now attends an all-girls Catholic school and in trying to impress her peers lands herself in trouble. It just so happens that her detention includes cleaning out a cupboard know as the 'Chokey' where she finds a set of tarot cards...and it turns out that she has a skill when it comes to reading the cards.
The story takes a Labyrinth turn when Maeve's new talent results in the disappearance of her former best friend, Lily, who she'd ditched in order to climb the social ladder. Was I expecting the Goblin King to be responsible for Lily's disappearance? Maybe...
Anyhow, when the police gets involved and things get serious Maeve's life becomes quite messy. Maeve believes that a mysterious card from her deck may have stolen Lily away so she decides to deepen her knowledge of magic. Along the way she becomes close with another girl from her school and with Lily's older brother, Roe.
As the kids investigate Lily's disappearance they become increasingly suspicious of a cult-like Christian group that is very vocal in opposing LGBTQ+ rights.
I appreciated the issues O'Donoghue incorporates throughout her narrative. We have characters who are discriminated against for not being white or for not conforming to one gender. Lily wears a hearing aid, which is probably another reason why her classmates bully or exclude her, Maeve's sister is gay, Roe is exploring his gender expression (and possibly his gender identity?). As inclusivity goes, this novel is beautifully inclusive. Maeve, who is white, cis, straight (?), and from a possibly middle-class family, is called out for being insensitive or naive when it comes to discrimination. She's also somewhat self-centred, in an angsty sort of way, and this too is pointed out by other characters. Fiona also makes a point of reminding Maeve not to make other people's oppression all about herself.
While I appreciated her growth, I still struggled to sympathise or like her. I found Roe and Fiona to be much more likeable and interesting characters. Maeve was the classic 'I'm not beautiful like x or intelligent like y' self-pitying kind of gall. She was boring and sounded much younger than her allegedly sixteen years of life. Which brings to my next 'criticism': there is a discrepancy between the tone and content of this novel. The tone, which is mainly created by Maeve's direct narration, would have been more suited to a middle-grade book while her narrative's content—the issues and discussions that came up in the story—are more tailored towards a YA audience. Both Maeve and the other sixteen-year olds sounded like they were twelve a lot of the time. Which made it weird when things like sex came up.
The bad American dude was somewhat cartoonish, and that whole side-plot felt rather undeveloped.
Lily was a promising character who might have been more fleshed out with some more flashbacks. And, to be honest, I would preferred this to be a friendship-focused kind of story. The romance between Maeve and Roe did not convince me, at all. She crushes on him from the get-go of the novel, but I could not for the life of me understand or see why he reciprocated her feelings. She says some pretty shitty things now and again to him and acts in a possessive way which irked me. I get she's insecure but still....she knows she may have been responsible for his sister's disappearance...and all she can think about are his lips?
Nevertheless, this was far from a bad or mediocre book. I like the way O'Donoghue writes and I appreciate her story's themes and imagery so I would probably still recommend this. I, however, might stick to her adult fiction from now on.
Caroline O'Donoghue's foray into YA will definitely appeal to fans of the genre. Although I do have a few criticisms I can safely say that I found All Our Hidden Gifts to be an entertaining read.
Set in Ireland, our narrator and protagonist is sixteen-year old Maeve Chambers, the youngest in a big family. She has quite a chip on her shoulder when it comes to her 'brilliant' sisters and brothers. Unlike them she isn't academically gifted and for a period of time she was put in a slow-learning class. Maeve now attends an all-girls Catholic school and in trying to impress her peers lands herself in trouble. It just so happens that her detention includes cleaning out a cupboard know as the 'Chokey' where she finds a set of tarot cards...and it turns out that she has a skill when it comes to reading the cards.
The story takes a Labyrinth turn when Maeve's new talent results in the disappearance of her former best friend, Lily, who she'd ditched in order to climb the social ladder. Was I expecting the Goblin King to be responsible for Lily's disappearance? Maybe...
Anyhow, when the police gets involved and things get serious Maeve's life becomes quite messy. Maeve believes that a mysterious card from her deck may have stolen Lily away so she decides to deepen her knowledge of magic. Along the way she becomes close with another girl from her school and with Lily's older brother, Roe.
As the kids investigate Lily's disappearance they become increasingly suspicious of a cult-like Christian group that is very vocal in opposing LGBTQ+ rights.
I appreciated the issues O'Donoghue incorporates throughout her narrative. We have characters who are discriminated against for not being white or for not conforming to one gender. Lily wears a hearing aid, which is probably another reason why her classmates bully or exclude her, Maeve's sister is gay, Roe is exploring his gender expression (and possibly his gender identity?). As inclusivity goes, this novel is beautifully inclusive. Maeve, who is white, cis, straight (?), and from a possibly middle-class family, is called out for being insensitive or naive when it comes to discrimination. She's also somewhat self-centred, in an angsty sort of way, and this too is pointed out by other characters. Fiona also makes a point of reminding Maeve not to make other people's oppression all about herself.
While I appreciated her growth, I still struggled to sympathise or like her. I found Roe and Fiona to be much more likeable and interesting characters. Maeve was the classic 'I'm not beautiful like x or intelligent like y' self-pitying kind of gall. She was boring and sounded much younger than her allegedly sixteen years of life. Which brings to my next 'criticism': there is a discrepancy between the tone and content of this novel. The tone, which is mainly created by Maeve's direct narration, would have been more suited to a middle-grade book while her narrative's content—the issues and discussions that came up in the story—are more tailored towards a YA audience. Both Maeve and the other sixteen-year olds sounded like they were twelve a lot of the time. Which made it weird when things like sex came up.
The bad American dude was somewhat cartoonish, and that whole side-plot felt rather undeveloped.
Lily was a promising character who might have been more fleshed out with some more flashbacks. And, to be honest, I would preferred this to be a friendship-focused kind of story. The romance between Maeve and Roe did not convince me, at all. She crushes on him from the get-go of the novel, but I could not for the life of me understand or see why he reciprocated her feelings. She says some pretty shitty things now and again to him and acts in a possessive way which irked me. I get she's insecure but still....she knows she may have been responsible for his sister's disappearance...and all she can think about are his lips?
Nevertheless, this was far from a bad or mediocre book. I like the way O'Donoghue writes and I appreciate her story's themes and imagery so I would probably still recommend this. I, however, might stick to her adult fiction from now on.
October 25, 2021
I received this book for free from the publisher (Walker Books) in exchange for an honest review.
I was very excited to read this book because it focuses on tarot and I recently just learned how to read tarot.
Speaking of tarot, I liked how there were pictures of the tarot cards scattered throughout the book. I think that is so helpful for readers who may not be familiar with tarot cards and what each card looks like.
When it comes to the characters, there is so much representation. Roe is non-binary. Maeve has a lesbian sister. But my favorite character was Fiona, Maeve’s Filipino friend. As a Filipino myself, I love seeing Filipino representation so when Fiona was first introduced, I was ecstatic. I loved that Fiona’s family was a little witchy. Her tita (aunt) is a fortune teller who helps them and tells them about the White Lady (Kaperosa in the Philippines). I found it so refreshing to see a nonwhite representation of witchcraft. So often witchcraft in books is so centered on a white perspective, but witchcraft is in every culture, as Fiona’s tita illustrates. She mentions that versions of the White Lady exist everywhere, in different cultures and places.
As for the plot, it started off really strong with the mystery of Lily’s disappearance. But about halfway through, it stalled and lost some of its momentum. I felt like it dragged on a bit in the middle. I believe there will be a sequel to this book, and I think the book did set up a sequel very nicely.
Overall, I recommend this book for anyone looking for a witchy YA read!
I was very excited to read this book because it focuses on tarot and I recently just learned how to read tarot.
Speaking of tarot, I liked how there were pictures of the tarot cards scattered throughout the book. I think that is so helpful for readers who may not be familiar with tarot cards and what each card looks like.
When it comes to the characters, there is so much representation. Roe is non-binary. Maeve has a lesbian sister. But my favorite character was Fiona, Maeve’s Filipino friend. As a Filipino myself, I love seeing Filipino representation so when Fiona was first introduced, I was ecstatic. I loved that Fiona’s family was a little witchy. Her tita (aunt) is a fortune teller who helps them and tells them about the White Lady (Kaperosa in the Philippines). I found it so refreshing to see a nonwhite representation of witchcraft. So often witchcraft in books is so centered on a white perspective, but witchcraft is in every culture, as Fiona’s tita illustrates. She mentions that versions of the White Lady exist everywhere, in different cultures and places.
As for the plot, it started off really strong with the mystery of Lily’s disappearance. But about halfway through, it stalled and lost some of its momentum. I felt like it dragged on a bit in the middle. I believe there will be a sequel to this book, and I think the book did set up a sequel very nicely.
Overall, I recommend this book for anyone looking for a witchy YA read!
February 5, 2024
Turns out, the real villain was the homophobic rally all along...
./././.
./././.
February 17, 2023
Note: I received a free copy of this book. In exchange here is my honest review:
I had some struggles getting through this one. 😬 I think it has a lot to do with me though. 🤷🏼♀️ I personally didn’t finish- just skimmed to the end- cause it just didn’t interest me. Normally this would be a one star read for me… However, it’s a cool idea and I can see how it would be entertaining to the right audience… so I’ve added a star with that in mind. 👍
Thank you @goodreads @czaronline and @walkerbooksya #goodreadsgiveaway
I had some struggles getting through this one. 😬 I think it has a lot to do with me though. 🤷🏼♀️ I personally didn’t finish- just skimmed to the end- cause it just didn’t interest me. Normally this would be a one star read for me… However, it’s a cool idea and I can see how it would be entertaining to the right audience… so I’ve added a star with that in mind. 👍
Thank you @goodreads @czaronline and @walkerbooksya #goodreadsgiveaway
May 16, 2022
This really grew on me. It's timely and complex, with many different issues and representations sliding under the main plot -- the missing friend, Lily, and the mysterious Tarot deck. I'm impressed the author managed to work so much in without hitting that "no, that's too much for one story" level.
I also appreciated that Maeve (and to a lesser extent the other kids) had some genuine character flaws. I'm bored by the current trend to idealized leads, especially in YA. I remember high school: most people were not that nice or high-minded. The confusion and awkwardness and peer pressure and saying things you immediately wish you could take back felt genuine.
I also appreciated that Maeve (and to a lesser extent the other kids) had some genuine character flaws. I'm bored by the current trend to idealized leads, especially in YA. I remember high school: most people were not that nice or high-minded. The confusion and awkwardness and peer pressure and saying things you immediately wish you could take back felt genuine.
November 22, 2025
CWs: homophobic violence, religious homophobia
July 22, 2025
˚˖𓍢 ໋ 4.75 stars ࿐
⤿ 1/5 spice!
I don't know what that was, but I loved it💖
• I kinda went into this one blind. I saw it at Waterstones two years ago and thought "huh that sounds really good" and never thought about it again. Until I saw it at my local library, thought the cover looked cool, and decided to pick it up. And I am so glad I did because that was amazing! This book really took me by surprise because I honestly didn't expect to like it as much as I did.
• The characters are really complex and well developed. Our FMC, Maeve, was written so well. I found it very easy to relate to her, because she wasn't some "perfect heroine" whos only flaw is being short and tiny 🎀🥺 She had questionable motives and bad habits, and I found it very refreshing to read. i very much related to her arrogance and social ineptitude, but do i at least get brownie points for self awareness
• I mean, even the side characters are so well written. I LOVED Fiona's character! And Roe... 💖😭🙏 He was such a cinnamon roll omg, and I love a bi king <33
• The plot was a little hard to follow at first, but I picked up on it pretty quickly. I found the whole witchy tarot card thing a little confusing at first, but I appreciate how the author explained how exactly tarot cards work for the idiots who know nothing about them (**cough** me **cough**)
• minor spoiler!
• This book tackled a lot of tricky issues about cults and homophobia in Ireland. I honestly think I'm going to do more research on a lot of what was brought up, which I'm sure was the author's goal. I appreciate this book exposing people to these problems, and encouraging you to do more research on them.
Edit
⤿ Dropped the rating from 5-stars to 4 a few weeks after reading, because after comparing this book to the rest of the series, I decided that there were a couple key elements missing from this first instalment that I loved about the rest of the series <3
ೃ⁀➷ End Thoughts ⋆.ೃ࿔*:
I'm still trying to wrap my head around that ending. I honestly love books that stick in your head days after you read them, and this was one of them for me. I adored the characters, the plot, everything about this book. Excited to read the rest of the series!
Happy reading my lovelies! 🎀💐
⤿ 1/5 spice!
“Anything people come together to believe in is real. Intense, passionate energy that is focused on one spot will create something.”
I don't know what that was, but I loved it💖
• I kinda went into this one blind. I saw it at Waterstones two years ago and thought "huh that sounds really good" and never thought about it again. Until I saw it at my local library, thought the cover looked cool, and decided to pick it up. And I am so glad I did because that was amazing! This book really took me by surprise because I honestly didn't expect to like it as much as I did.
• The characters are really complex and well developed. Our FMC, Maeve, was written so well. I found it very easy to relate to her, because she wasn't some "perfect heroine" whos only flaw is being short and tiny 🎀🥺 She had questionable motives and bad habits, and I found it very refreshing to read.
• I mean, even the side characters are so well written. I LOVED Fiona's character! And Roe... 💖😭🙏 He was such a cinnamon roll omg, and I love a bi king <33
• The plot was a little hard to follow at first, but I picked up on it pretty quickly. I found the whole witchy tarot card thing a little confusing at first, but I appreciate how the author explained how exactly tarot cards work for the idiots who know nothing about them (**cough** me **cough**)
• minor spoiler!
• This book tackled a lot of tricky issues about cults and homophobia in Ireland. I honestly think I'm going to do more research on a lot of what was brought up, which I'm sure was the author's goal. I appreciate this book exposing people to these problems, and encouraging you to do more research on them.
“Je ne regrette rien," she says softly. "I regret nothing. It's a stupid phrase."
"It is?"
"If you're an even remotely empathetic or flawed person, you should feel regret. If you behave badly, you should look at it, and learn from it, and go on to treat people better.”
Edit
⤿ Dropped the rating from 5-stars to 4 a few weeks after reading, because after comparing this book to the rest of the series, I decided that there were a couple key elements missing from this first instalment that I loved about the rest of the series <3
ೃ⁀➷ End Thoughts ⋆.ೃ࿔*:
I'm still trying to wrap my head around that ending. I honestly love books that stick in your head days after you read them, and this was one of them for me. I adored the characters, the plot, everything about this book. Excited to read the rest of the series!
Happy reading my lovelies! 🎀💐
Want to read
July 1, 2021Not gonna lie, this was definitely a cover buy-
June 18, 2021
Leider hat dieses Buch meine hohen Erwartungen etwas enttäuscht! Ich hatte mich sehr auf die Tarot-Thematik gefreut - doch gerade die kam mir in vielen Momenten des Buchs etwas kurz. Vor allem im Mittelpart gehen die Fantasy-Elemente des Buchs stark unter und die Magie spürt man kaum. Generell war der Plot mir in vielerlei Hinsicht etwas zu flach und unoriginell, gegen Ende waren einige Entwicklungen und Offenbarungen dann etwas zu plötzlich und abrupt. Doch ich habe auch sehr viel Gutes gesehen! Der Schreibstil war locker und leicht, ließ sich flüssig lesen und den Großteil der Charaktere mochte ich. Sehr gut gefallen hat mir die übergeordnete Rolle der lgbtq-Rights in diesem Buch und die Aufklärungsarbeit, die bezüglich nicht-binären Personen geleistet wurde. Vor ein paar Jahren hätte mir das Buch vielleicht insgesamt besser gefallen🥰!
August 29, 2022
ОТЖЕ ОТЖЕ ОТЖЕ. мені 15 і я рада що прочитала цю книгу! по-перше, я знайшла себе в ній. це було легко. швидко. моторошно. затягуюче. якщо ви підліток(-ка) то вам зайде. особливл у віці 15-17 років!! по-друге, піднімажться питання прийняття своєї орієнтації і всякого іншого і як частина квір-спільноти мені це дуже сподобалось бо не було хєрні де романтизують геїв а про лесбійок забувають. тут і ЛЕСБІЙКИ БУЛИ АААА. словом, мені дуже навіть сподобалось але кінцівочка вийшла дивна + письменниця не дуже гармонійно розділила частини підліткових переживань та магії. але це круто!
September 10, 2022
Wow, hätte nicht gedacht dass es mir so gut gefallen würde!
Die Story ist fesselnd, berührend und ein bisschen düster.
Maeve hat mir sehr gut als Prota gefallen, auch wenn sie fast ein bisschen zu perfekt ist was ihre Begabung angeht. Auch den Wandel, den sie charakterlich durchmacht, fand ich eher plötzlich und so richtig konnte ich nicht sagen woher er kam. Aber insgesamt mochte ich sie echt gern, genau wie Fiona und Roe.
Jetzt bin ich gespannt, wie wir Aaron loswerden😈
Die Story ist fesselnd, berührend und ein bisschen düster.
Maeve hat mir sehr gut als Prota gefallen, auch wenn sie fast ein bisschen zu perfekt ist was ihre Begabung angeht. Auch den Wandel, den sie charakterlich durchmacht, fand ich eher plötzlich und so richtig konnte ich nicht sagen woher er kam. Aber insgesamt mochte ich sie echt gern, genau wie Fiona und Roe.
Jetzt bin ich gespannt, wie wir Aaron loswerden😈
June 14, 2021
Book Reviewed on www.whisperingstories.com
Irish Teenager Maeve Chambers finds herself in trouble at school. Her punishment is to clear out the Chokey, a long deep cupboard filled to the brim with items such as furniture and things confiscated from the pupils over the years.
Whilst cleaning she comes across an old walkman with a tape titled ‘Spring 1990’ and some Tarot cards. Maeve takes both items home with her. It isn’t long before she is learning all about Tarot. She feels like the cards talk to her and she has a gift, so much so that she starts to give out Tarot reading at school to the girls in her year with strong accuracy.
When her old friend Lily is forced into having her Tarot read by the other girls in their class a card that doesn’t belong in the pack makes an appearance. ‘The Housekeeper’ card features a woman with long dark hair, a white dress, and a knife in her mouth. The reading goes badly and as Lily storms off Maeve shouts after her ‘I wish you would just disappear’. A couple of days later Lily leaves her home in the early hours of the morning and is now missing.
The other girls at school think Maeve is a witch and turn their backs on her. As Meave begins to suspect she had something to do with Lily’s disappearance she sets about trying to discover where she is and return her to her family.
I love books that are a little different, strange even, and take you away from the norm and place you in situations that are just on the edge of reality. This book certainly ticked those boxes. I absolutely adored it. So much so that every time I put it down within a few minutes I had picked it back up again needing to carry on. It was certainly a book that you can escape into.
My snapshot of the book above gives just one element of this book, there is so much more to it including a Christian cult called Children of Brigid that are recruiting damaged and lost teenagers, they aim to oppose LGBTQ+ rights. The book also is very inclusive, featuring a variety of diverse characters who all show how they feel being opposed to and trying to live the life they want to in the way they want to in a society that deems anything not white or straight as abnormal.
The plot weaves many subplots together that work perfectly. The characters all brought something different to the story, they were three-dimensional, complex characters that all had their own issues and demons. I loved the magic element of the book too.
All Our Hidden Gifts is the first book in a new series and I can’t wait to continue the teenager’s stories and see what life has to throw at them in book two.
Irish Teenager Maeve Chambers finds herself in trouble at school. Her punishment is to clear out the Chokey, a long deep cupboard filled to the brim with items such as furniture and things confiscated from the pupils over the years.
Whilst cleaning she comes across an old walkman with a tape titled ‘Spring 1990’ and some Tarot cards. Maeve takes both items home with her. It isn’t long before she is learning all about Tarot. She feels like the cards talk to her and she has a gift, so much so that she starts to give out Tarot reading at school to the girls in her year with strong accuracy.
When her old friend Lily is forced into having her Tarot read by the other girls in their class a card that doesn’t belong in the pack makes an appearance. ‘The Housekeeper’ card features a woman with long dark hair, a white dress, and a knife in her mouth. The reading goes badly and as Lily storms off Maeve shouts after her ‘I wish you would just disappear’. A couple of days later Lily leaves her home in the early hours of the morning and is now missing.
The other girls at school think Maeve is a witch and turn their backs on her. As Meave begins to suspect she had something to do with Lily’s disappearance she sets about trying to discover where she is and return her to her family.
I love books that are a little different, strange even, and take you away from the norm and place you in situations that are just on the edge of reality. This book certainly ticked those boxes. I absolutely adored it. So much so that every time I put it down within a few minutes I had picked it back up again needing to carry on. It was certainly a book that you can escape into.
My snapshot of the book above gives just one element of this book, there is so much more to it including a Christian cult called Children of Brigid that are recruiting damaged and lost teenagers, they aim to oppose LGBTQ+ rights. The book also is very inclusive, featuring a variety of diverse characters who all show how they feel being opposed to and trying to live the life they want to in the way they want to in a society that deems anything not white or straight as abnormal.
The plot weaves many subplots together that work perfectly. The characters all brought something different to the story, they were three-dimensional, complex characters that all had their own issues and demons. I loved the magic element of the book too.
All Our Hidden Gifts is the first book in a new series and I can’t wait to continue the teenager’s stories and see what life has to throw at them in book two.
September 8, 2022
я в захваті
історія дуже легка, динамічна, а головне вона дуже осіння
розглядайте її як підліткову, в стилі фільмів «Фокус Покус» та «Пригоди Сабріни» і буде вам щастя і насолода від читання
тут є і глибокі сенси, соціально важливі теми, дружба, знаходження себе, цінність себе як людини
історія дуже легка, динамічна, а головне вона дуже осіння
розглядайте її як підліткову, в стилі фільмів «Фокус Покус» та «Пригоди Сабріни» і буде вам щастя і насолода від читання
тут є і глибокі сенси, соціально важливі теми, дружба, знаходження себе, цінність себе як людини
February 27, 2021
As some would say : "All Our Hidden Gifts is an enchanting read, blending the chatty charm of Maeve Binchy with the imaginative scope of Diana Wynne Jones".
There's a very specific kind of whimsy and escapism that can be encountered in early 2000s paranormal fantasy and ALL OUR HIDDEN GIFTS captures this so well, but updates it in a way that makes it much more reflective of modern audiences (read: less girl hate, more genderqueer love interests, for example).
O'Donoghue portrays such a realistic, albeit raw, snippet of the teen experience, when everything is all at once tentative and allconsuming. The cattiness of cliques, the slightly cringe attempts to fit in regardless of the sacrifices required, the proper stupid rows between family members - ALL OUR HIDDEN GIFTS is uncanny in its verisimilitude and authenticity. Our protagonist isn't really likeable, nor does she truly attempt to make herself come across that way; instead, all she is trying to do is get by and be a little less miserable if life will allow it. She is such an absolute mess, yet so self aware in a way that's nothing short of endearing. More importantly than creating a likeable character, O'Donoghe gives the reader an interesting one, a character that may test the reader.
ALL OUR HIDDEN GIFTS does what every good fantasy would - it uses quirky magical elements to explore very real societal issues. O'Donoghue's Ireland comes alive right off the place in a perfect mirror image of the real thing, magic or not. The novel, in many ways, holds up a mirror to the nation and forces it to confront its shortcomings.
I adored this with every fiber of my being and am beyond myself that it's merely the first in a series. I cannot see what else there is in store for these characters!
There's a very specific kind of whimsy and escapism that can be encountered in early 2000s paranormal fantasy and ALL OUR HIDDEN GIFTS captures this so well, but updates it in a way that makes it much more reflective of modern audiences (read: less girl hate, more genderqueer love interests, for example).
O'Donoghue portrays such a realistic, albeit raw, snippet of the teen experience, when everything is all at once tentative and allconsuming. The cattiness of cliques, the slightly cringe attempts to fit in regardless of the sacrifices required, the proper stupid rows between family members - ALL OUR HIDDEN GIFTS is uncanny in its verisimilitude and authenticity. Our protagonist isn't really likeable, nor does she truly attempt to make herself come across that way; instead, all she is trying to do is get by and be a little less miserable if life will allow it. She is such an absolute mess, yet so self aware in a way that's nothing short of endearing. More importantly than creating a likeable character, O'Donoghe gives the reader an interesting one, a character that may test the reader.
ALL OUR HIDDEN GIFTS does what every good fantasy would - it uses quirky magical elements to explore very real societal issues. O'Donoghue's Ireland comes alive right off the place in a perfect mirror image of the real thing, magic or not. The novel, in many ways, holds up a mirror to the nation and forces it to confront its shortcomings.
I adored this with every fiber of my being and am beyond myself that it's merely the first in a series. I cannot see what else there is in store for these characters!
July 29, 2022
’Eyes not made for expression. Even calling her a she feels strange. She is not a person; she is an it. All this time, I’ve been thinking of things she might think, need or desire. But there are no thoughts, no feelings, no spite. Just a spirit with a singular purpose, briefly inhabiting human form because that is the best way to deal with humans. She is a cosmic messenger, a virus, an imbalance. She does not hate me, any more than I hate the instinct to close a door after I open one.’
The synopsis of this book gave me major Stranger Things vibes combined The Craft and Sabrina the Teenage Witch and what I got was…a mash up of all three but it somehow was so freaking bland.
The mystery wasn’t interesting in the slightest - the disappearance of Maeve’s ex-best friend, Lily was what I thought was going to kickstart this book but Maeve didn’t even start investigating or looking into it until months had passed. I was expecting some sort of Pippa Fitz-Amobi level of detective (from A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder) but I didn’t get any of that. All we got was Maeve slightly feeling guilty and then going about hanging out with her new friend, Fiona. Maybe, perhaps, that was more realistic but this book was about a creepy Housekeeper lady, tarot cards and magic so realism wasn’t really what I wanted.
Maeve as a character was a bore. She was self-centred, cruel and whiny. The things she said and did to Lily are quite unforgivable in my book. It resulted in me not caring the slightest about her and whether or not she succeeded. Roe was an interesting character (Lily’s older brother) but I don’t think he was developed enough. Fiona was an okay character - if she had been the main character maybe this book would’ve been a lot better. Lily was hardly developed whatsoever! She seemed the most interesting of them all!
The whole weird homophobic cult was just something that was completely out of the blue. I think it was a very unnecessary enemy and really I think the author should’ve focused more on the magic and the characters and them investigating.
It looked to be a promising book but I was very close to DNFing this book - I persevered though but it wasn’t worth my time. I’m not going to read the sequel - I’m glad I didn’t buy this and got a copy of it from my library
The synopsis of this book gave me major Stranger Things vibes combined The Craft and Sabrina the Teenage Witch and what I got was…a mash up of all three but it somehow was so freaking bland.
The mystery wasn’t interesting in the slightest - the disappearance of Maeve’s ex-best friend, Lily was what I thought was going to kickstart this book but Maeve didn’t even start investigating or looking into it until months had passed. I was expecting some sort of Pippa Fitz-Amobi level of detective (from A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder) but I didn’t get any of that. All we got was Maeve slightly feeling guilty and then going about hanging out with her new friend, Fiona. Maybe, perhaps, that was more realistic but this book was about a creepy Housekeeper lady, tarot cards and magic so realism wasn’t really what I wanted.
Maeve as a character was a bore. She was self-centred, cruel and whiny. The things she said and did to Lily are quite unforgivable in my book. It resulted in me not caring the slightest about her and whether or not she succeeded. Roe was an interesting character (Lily’s older brother) but I don’t think he was developed enough. Fiona was an okay character - if she had been the main character maybe this book would’ve been a lot better. Lily was hardly developed whatsoever! She seemed the most interesting of them all!
The whole weird homophobic cult was just something that was completely out of the blue. I think it was a very unnecessary enemy and really I think the author should’ve focused more on the magic and the characters and them investigating.
It looked to be a promising book but I was very close to DNFing this book - I persevered though but it wasn’t worth my time. I’m not going to read the sequel - I’m glad I didn’t buy this and got a copy of it from my library
November 16, 2024
Паранормальні підліткові драми - моя зона комфорту і це один з найвдаліших представників такого жанру.
✅️ Дуже доросла і приємна любовна лінія. Я звикла, що часто в підліткових романах, якщо є якийсь більш глобальний конфлікт, на фоні якого розгортаються відносини двух людей до 18, то вони майже завжди роблять якусь бісячу і тупу хрінь, яка веде до непотрібного непорозуміння, яке можна було б вирішити за одну розмову. Тут таких розмов багато, Рой і Мейв вирішують все, що їх турбує і реально поважають одне одного. Тільки за цей пункт я б воліла, щоб кожна людина до 14 років прочитала цю книгу.
✅️ Атмосфера, можливість поринути у культуру Ірландії і трошки більше дізнатись про становище філіппінських мігрантів. Це не відчувається як "типовий західна історія про відьом", тут у кожній главі так чи інакше тобі нагадують, дивись, ти в маленькому місті в Ірландії! Тут автобусів можна чекати і не дочекатись, купа пабів, подекуди і підлітків пускають, замість поліції - ґарди, а ще ти знала, що тут розлучення були заборонені до 1995?
✅️ Головна героїня має розвиток, в кінці кінців переборює свої проблеми і стає трошки кращою людиною. Так, вона реально наробила ділов у ммнулому і поводилась як гівнючка, але хто так не робив підліткою?
Мінусів я для себе не знайшла, тому і проковтнула книжку за добу. Це прям підліткова історія про дорослішання, розуміння себе та інших, вистраювання своїх цінностей і принципів. Якщо вам вони не подобаються, то наврядчи сподобається ця.
✅️ Дуже доросла і приємна любовна лінія. Я звикла, що часто в підліткових романах, якщо є якийсь більш глобальний конфлікт, на фоні якого розгортаються відносини двух людей до 18, то вони майже завжди роблять якусь бісячу і тупу хрінь, яка веде до непотрібного непорозуміння, яке можна було б вирішити за одну розмову. Тут таких розмов багато, Рой і Мейв вирішують все, що їх турбує і реально поважають одне одного. Тільки за цей пункт я б воліла, щоб кожна людина до 14 років прочитала цю книгу.
✅️ Атмосфера, можливість поринути у культуру Ірландії і трошки більше дізнатись про становище філіппінських мігрантів. Це не відчувається як "типовий західна історія про відьом", тут у кожній главі так чи інакше тобі нагадують, дивись, ти в маленькому місті в Ірландії! Тут автобусів можна чекати і не дочекатись, купа пабів, подекуди і підлітків пускають, замість поліції - ґарди, а ще ти знала, що тут розлучення були заборонені до 1995?
✅️ Головна героїня має розвиток, в кінці кінців переборює свої проблеми і стає трошки кращою людиною. Так, вона реально наробила ділов у ммнулому і поводилась як гівнючка, але хто так не робив підліткою?
Мінусів я для себе не знайшла, тому і проковтнула книжку за добу. Це прям підліткова історія про дорослішання, розуміння себе та інших, вистраювання своїх цінностей і принципів. Якщо вам вони не подобаються, то наврядчи сподобається ця.
July 16, 2024
4,5⭐️
✨Мої враження 🔮
Ця книга підхопила мене як течія річка та плавно колихала на хвилях цікавості до самого кінця. Це чудова атмосферна адекватна підліткова книга, що піднімає важливі теми: квір спільноти, прийняття/пізнання себе та оточуючими, різноманіття, гомофобія, булінг, підліткова дружба, расова дискримінація, вірування та вплив сект тощо.
Мені було всього в міру - детективна складова (іноді моторошна), гумор, ритуали та ворожіння. Я разом з Мейв ви дізнаєтесь про небінарних людей, лесбіянство; буде закохуватися у Рорі/Роя.
Я приймала емоціі, думки та сумніви Мейв щодо своєї крутості, прийняття темних сторін; розсипалась від заподіяного болю подрузі та знову жевріла надією на краще.
Таро та магія прописані цікаво. Вже дістала свої карти і хочу вчитися Таро, але давайте без зустрічей з Господинею😅
Я дуже прониклася різними моментами про Ірландію - ставлення до квір людей, право на аборти, міфологія та фольклор, відомі шоу та особистості.
Любовна лінія тут досить здорова і навіть “доросла”, без надлишкової драми. Рекомендую підліткам і їх батькам до читання.
✨Мої враження 🔮
Ця книга підхопила мене як течія річка та плавно колихала на хвилях цікавості до самого кінця. Це чудова атмосферна адекватна підліткова книга, що піднімає важливі теми: квір спільноти, прийняття/пізнання себе та оточуючими, різноманіття, гомофобія, булінг, підліткова дружба, расова дискримінація, вірування та вплив сект тощо.
Мені було всього в міру - детективна складова (іноді моторошна), гумор, ритуали та ворожіння. Я разом з Мейв ви дізнаєтесь про небінарних людей, лесбіянство; буде закохуватися у Рорі/Роя.
Я приймала емоціі, думки та сумніви Мейв щодо своєї крутості, прийняття темних сторін; розсипалась від заподіяного болю подрузі та знову жевріла надією на краще.
Таро та магія прописані цікаво. Вже дістала свої карти і хочу вчитися Таро, але давайте без зустрічей з Господинею😅
Я дуже прониклася різними моментами про Ірландію - ставлення до квір людей, право на аборти, міфологія та фольклор, відомі шоу та особистості.
Любовна лінія тут досить здорова і навіть “доросла”, без надлишкової драми. Рекомендую підліткам і їх батькам до читання.
November 23, 2021
Maeve ist schon eine etwas anstrengende Protagonistin, die mir nie so richtig sympathisch wurde, aber ich würde schon sagen, dass sie einer stereotypischen, trotzigen Teenagerin entspricht, die erst noch herausfinden muss, was sie vom Leben eigentlich will. In dieser Zeit fällt ihr dann ein Tarotkartenspiel in die Hände und sie hat nicht nur Spaß daran, sie ist auch unglaublich gut im Karten legen und kann immer gut spüren, was sie bedeuten. An wahre Magie glaubt sie eigentlich nicht, aber dann häufen sich die Mysterien.
In diesem Buch ist schon eine ganze Menge los. Das Verschwinden der ehemaligen besten Freundin, die Magie der Tarotkarten und eine seltsame Sekte, die plötzlich überall auftaucht. Aber eine sehr große Rolle spielen auch die LGBTQ-Community und ihre Rechte. Ein sehr wichtiges und auch aktuelles Thema, für das auch Maeve sich einsetzt, auch da sie enge Kontakte zu LGBTQ-Personen hat, und ich fand es eigentlich auch ganz gut dargestellt, auch im Kontrast zu den unheimlichen Kindern Brigids, die hart gegen alles "unkonventionelle" vorgehen. Ich fand aber auch, dass es zu weit vom magischen Thema des Buches entfernt ist. Die Sekte bildet - abgesehen von den Charakteren - eine Brücke zwischen den beiden Hauptthemen der Geschichte, allerdings blieb genau das mir am Ende zu offen. Obwohl noch viele Fragen nicht geklärt sind und das Ende ziemlich offen ist, weiß ich aber nicht, ob ich die Fortsetzungen noch lesen möchte.
Die Geschichte teilweise schon spannend, aber oft auch etwas einfach gestrickt. Die Magie der Rituale und Beschwörungen fand ich ganz interessant und zusammen mit den anderen Themen ist es schon ein traditionell magisches, aber gleichzeitig modernes und aktuelles Abenteuer. Leider fand ich aber, dass die einzelnen Elemente nicht so gut harmonieren und die Charaktere fand ich auch nicht so sympathisch.
Fazit
"All Our Hidden Gifts" unterhält mit der ersten Liebe, Ritualen und Beschwörungen, LGBTQ-Themen, einer sektenähnlichen Gruppierung und einem verschwundenen Mädchen. Leider fand ich aber, dass die Elemente nicht immer so gut harmoniert haben und auch die Charaktere konnten mich nicht ganz überzeugen. Trotzdem ein süßes magisches Abenteuer mit einer etwas nervigen Protagonistin.
In diesem Buch ist schon eine ganze Menge los. Das Verschwinden der ehemaligen besten Freundin, die Magie der Tarotkarten und eine seltsame Sekte, die plötzlich überall auftaucht. Aber eine sehr große Rolle spielen auch die LGBTQ-Community und ihre Rechte. Ein sehr wichtiges und auch aktuelles Thema, für das auch Maeve sich einsetzt, auch da sie enge Kontakte zu LGBTQ-Personen hat, und ich fand es eigentlich auch ganz gut dargestellt, auch im Kontrast zu den unheimlichen Kindern Brigids, die hart gegen alles "unkonventionelle" vorgehen. Ich fand aber auch, dass es zu weit vom magischen Thema des Buches entfernt ist. Die Sekte bildet - abgesehen von den Charakteren - eine Brücke zwischen den beiden Hauptthemen der Geschichte, allerdings blieb genau das mir am Ende zu offen. Obwohl noch viele Fragen nicht geklärt sind und das Ende ziemlich offen ist, weiß ich aber nicht, ob ich die Fortsetzungen noch lesen möchte.
Die Geschichte teilweise schon spannend, aber oft auch etwas einfach gestrickt. Die Magie der Rituale und Beschwörungen fand ich ganz interessant und zusammen mit den anderen Themen ist es schon ein traditionell magisches, aber gleichzeitig modernes und aktuelles Abenteuer. Leider fand ich aber, dass die einzelnen Elemente nicht so gut harmonieren und die Charaktere fand ich auch nicht so sympathisch.
Fazit
"All Our Hidden Gifts" unterhält mit der ersten Liebe, Ritualen und Beschwörungen, LGBTQ-Themen, einer sektenähnlichen Gruppierung und einem verschwundenen Mädchen. Leider fand ich aber, dass die Elemente nicht immer so gut harmoniert haben und auch die Charaktere konnten mich nicht ganz überzeugen. Trotzdem ein süßes magisches Abenteuer mit einer etwas nervigen Protagonistin.
September 29, 2022
ой, ну було дуже непогано. мені подобаються підліткові історії, де реальність не ігнорується. тут події відбуваються в Ірландії, тож на місці більшість ірландських issues: молодь не знає мови, не так давно дозволили розлучення, католики vs протестанти.
головна героїня Мейв вважає себе не дуже обдарованою, бо вона п'ята дитина в дуже забезпеченій родині, яка не має якихось академічних успіхів, батьки мусять платити за неї в школі (заклад для дівчаток із монахинями!), але потім вона знаходить карти Таро і розуміє що вона відьма. сюжет крутиться навколо того, що героїня випадково змусила зникнути свою екс-подружку, а потім усвідомила це і хоче виправити ситуацію.
цікаво що лав інтерес Мейв - небінарна персона, якому важкувато прийняти себе і своє місце у світі. не пам'ятаю підліткових книжок про небінарочок українською.
було б добре дочекатися наступних частин історії.
головна героїня Мейв вважає себе не дуже обдарованою, бо вона п'ята дитина в дуже забезпеченій родині, яка не має якихось академічних успіхів, батьки мусять платити за неї в школі (заклад для дівчаток із монахинями!), але потім вона знаходить карти Таро і розуміє що вона відьма. сюжет крутиться навколо того, що героїня випадково змусила зникнути свою екс-подружку, а потім усвідомила це і хоче виправити ситуацію.
цікаво що лав інтерес Мейв - небінарна персона, якому важкувато прийняти себе і своє місце у світі. не пам'ятаю підліткових книжок про небінарочок українською.
було б добре дочекатися наступних частин історії.
June 18, 2021
*Thank you so much to the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange for review!*
If you want a witchy, magically mysterious YA book, this is a good shout for your next read. I enjoyed it and had a great time in this world.
As fantasy books go, this was really easy to pick up and follow along with. The magical elements were well done and engaging, and I didn’t get confused at any point while following the plot. I loved how much tarot was integrated into this story, I haven’t read many witchy books but the ones I have read haven’t touched much on tarot. I have tarot cards myself that I used to play around with an honestly this just made me want to go and pick them up again. I just absolutely adore the vibes in this book, it was so spooky and magical.
I had no idea going into this book that it was set in Ireland, but I loved that aspect and think it played such a key role in the storytelling of this book. We had an amazing depiction of the current cultural climate of Ireland, with a particular focus on the Catholic church and how this feed into people’s perceptions and politics. It felt very politically current and really added an extra layer to the narrative that I wasn’t initially expecting – it pleasantly surprised me. I think it really helped bring dimensions to these characters as well.
I wasn’t expecting a romance in this story, but the romance we did get was so wholesome I genuinely couldn’t have been happier with how it turned out. There was amazing communication and an understanding between the two of them that was just so pure and made my little heart happy. We actually have a love interest who is openly (at least to our protagonist) bisexual and that brought discussion of sexuality, self-expression and gender into the story that I wasn’t expecting. I thought it was really well done and relatable in many instances.
My only criticism is that I feel the book could’ve been longer just to expand on a couple of the plot points a bit more. While the ending rounded things up nicely, it was a bit abrupt and could’ve been fleshed out a bit more. Still overall very fun!
If you want a witchy, magically mysterious YA book, this is a good shout for your next read. I enjoyed it and had a great time in this world.
As fantasy books go, this was really easy to pick up and follow along with. The magical elements were well done and engaging, and I didn’t get confused at any point while following the plot. I loved how much tarot was integrated into this story, I haven’t read many witchy books but the ones I have read haven’t touched much on tarot. I have tarot cards myself that I used to play around with an honestly this just made me want to go and pick them up again. I just absolutely adore the vibes in this book, it was so spooky and magical.
I had no idea going into this book that it was set in Ireland, but I loved that aspect and think it played such a key role in the storytelling of this book. We had an amazing depiction of the current cultural climate of Ireland, with a particular focus on the Catholic church and how this feed into people’s perceptions and politics. It felt very politically current and really added an extra layer to the narrative that I wasn’t initially expecting – it pleasantly surprised me. I think it really helped bring dimensions to these characters as well.
I wasn’t expecting a romance in this story, but the romance we did get was so wholesome I genuinely couldn’t have been happier with how it turned out. There was amazing communication and an understanding between the two of them that was just so pure and made my little heart happy. We actually have a love interest who is openly (at least to our protagonist) bisexual and that brought discussion of sexuality, self-expression and gender into the story that I wasn’t expecting. I thought it was really well done and relatable in many instances.
My only criticism is that I feel the book could’ve been longer just to expand on a couple of the plot points a bit more. While the ending rounded things up nicely, it was a bit abrupt and could’ve been fleshed out a bit more. Still overall very fun!
September 20, 2022
This book was kind of bizarre because I feel like a lot happened with the characters but the plot didnt really go anywhere. Overall the book was meh, I dont really have a desire to read the next one.
March 11, 2022
this was such a good concept done so badly!!!
March 11, 2021
I couldn’t finish this book. Got about 65% of the way through and just couldn’t deal with the teenage drama anymore. I skipped to the end. Well written, but bland. The author clearly attempted adventure and excitement, but didn’t make it in my opinion. I’m used to more exciting reads.
July 28, 2021
Original, addictif et vraiment bien mené, j’ai adoré l’ambiance un peu creepy et les sujets abordés ! Une belle découverte !
April 4, 2022
Вау. Не читала ще нічого схожого.
Карти Таро, містика, відьомство, багато уваги приділено квір спільноті і це не виглядало притягнутим за вуха, а ніби органічно вплетено в сюжет.
Захопливо! Загалом тут про вічне - протистояння добра і зла. І буде продовження (англійською от тільки вийшло), але тут норм завершення, не обривається на найцікавішому місці.
Карти Таро, містика, відьомство, багато уваги приділено квір спільноті і це не виглядало притягнутим за вуха, а ніби органічно вплетено в сюжет.
Захопливо! Загалом тут про вічне - протистояння добра і зла. І буде продовження (англійською от тільки вийшло), але тут норм завершення, не обривається на найцікавішому місці.
June 24, 2022
Доволі несподіваний роман про підлітків. Я очікувала книги про підліткові проблеми, можливо, елементи фентезі і внутрішнє "я" головної героїні. Натомість отримала роман про стосунки в сім'ї, ЛГБТ спільноту, магічні ритуали і спокійне ставлення головної героїні до того, що вона відьма.
О, а ще додайте до цього зникнення найкращої подруги Мейв, а за сумісництвом молодшої сестри хлопця головної героїні і отримаєте містичний і місцями дуже моторошний роман. І це круто, і цікаво.
Навіть не знаю, інколи просто здавалося, що авторка намагається написати про все одразу, і підняти усі проблеми, які можуть цікавити підлітків. І я б не сказала, що це завжди виходило гармонічно.
Але, якщо брати враження в цілому - то це було вражаюче, книга не відпускала і я би почитала продовження історії.
О, а ще додайте до цього зникнення найкращої подруги Мейв, а за сумісництвом молодшої сестри хлопця головної героїні і отримаєте містичний і місцями дуже моторошний роман. І це круто, і цікаво.
Навіть не знаю, інколи просто здавалося, що авторка намагається написати про все одразу, і підняти усі проблеми, які можуть цікавити підлітків. І я б не сказала, що це завжди виходило гармонічно.
Але, якщо брати враження в цілому - то це було вражаюче, книга не відпускала і я би почитала продовження історії.
December 4, 2021
the actual plot was okay but i didnt like the characters and i didnt like the romance and i didnt like the way queer issues was just used as a filler subplot. I mean i liked some parts but still a subpar novel
maeve (weird + jealousy issues and a lot of entitlement)
needs a reality check?? being in her head was exhausting though. she's so pathetically into roe 😐 everytime she says "oh my God i have a boyfriend!!" I die a little bit inside. he told you to shut up and all you're thinking is "I'm glad he's still talking to me"???
roe (was rude and annoying + his only character trait was being queer?)
maeve needs a reality check but not from you?? why is he always so condescending i swear
maeve (weird + jealousy issues and a lot of entitlement)
needs a reality check?? being in her head was exhausting though. she's so pathetically into roe 😐 everytime she says "oh my God i have a boyfriend!!" I die a little bit inside. he told you to shut up and all you're thinking is "I'm glad he's still talking to me"???
roe (was rude and annoying + his only character trait was being queer?)
maeve needs a reality check but not from you?? why is he always so condescending i swear
August 27, 2021
Definitely a new favourite of mine!!:)
November 7, 2021
I liked the beginning of the book but as it went on the story was dragged out. It got really dull and repetitive once Lily went missing. I also got pretty confused towards the end of the book when they started to explain the reason behind Lily’s disappearance. Nothing eventful happened until the last 50 pages of the book and by then I was too fed up with the story. I would not recommend.
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