Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me access to the free advanced digital copy of this book.

I picked this one up because of the gorgeous cover and kept reading for the story! Tiffany Tudwell is cursed - she really is! But unlike most preteens she gains an ability - to steal other people’s gifts for a day. Such a fun story that will resonate with upper elementary and middle schoolers as they traverse growing up!

I enjoyed this unique story. Thayer's writing is very immersive and I felt like I was living in Tiffany's world. I enjoyed reading about Tiffany and her dad and loved how close they were. I also liked her friends in the nursing home. Tiffany grew a lot in this book and it was fun to read through her character arc.

A fascinating premise sets up this absolute gem of a book, which allows readers to explore interesting questions.

DNF at 66%. It just didn’t hold my interest. I kept dreading going back to reading it, but the plot wasn’t improving. I made it 66% and could tell where the story was going to go, so there was no need for me to finish it. Disappointing.

I was unable to provide review due to time constraints of me starting college. I look forward however to reading this book in the future simply as a fan, not a reviewer.

Mike Thayer knocked it out of the park and into the stars with this book. I always expect to be entertained by a good story and witty humor when it comes to this author, but this time I was emotionally engaged and moved. Well done!
The main character has a wonderful arc, but it was more than that. It was many relationships she had with people within her community and how they all pulled together to make a miracle happen. So many beautiful messages about community, honesty, loyalty, and self-worth.
Read this to be entertained and inspired.

Tiffany is a middle-schooler who believes she has been cursed by her grandmother. Over the past two years, she has been embarassed and had terrible luck. Because of this, she chooses to hide herself and sink into the background of her school and community to avoid the cruelty of her peers. When two meteoroids collide over her backyard, she gains the ability to take other people's talents just for a day. Tiffany learns that this newfound ability has its drawbacks and can hurt people unexpectedly. This was a fun and engaging middle grade read. I loved how it combines fantasy with astronomy and videogaming. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital advanced copy.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in return for an honest review.

4.5 stars for this engaging magical realism book. Fantasy is not usually my preferred genre but I've found in the last couple of of years that magical realism is the perfect amount of fantasy for me, and The Talent Thief is no exception. I really like the cast of supporting characters around Tiffany, particular her three best friends at the nursing home, and how Tiffany wrestles with whether it's okay to pursue good things for yourself if they come at the detriment of others. The book also made me think about what one talent I would want to steal if I could steal a talent.

Connecting astronomy and magical realism with snappy humor and heart, Mike Thayer has created another fast paced “can’t put this down” story. Tiffany discovers she has the ability to temporarily “steal” someone’s talent. This is a double-edged sword as she can use it for revenge against a bullying classmate, but she also unintentionally uses it to befuddle one of her senior citizen friends at a local retirement home. How can she control her new power and whom can she trust to help her?

Thayer lets his characters shine in their quest to help Tiffany through some tough decisions & realistic challenges. Her sweet relationship with the senior citizens is refreshing, and they find a way to surprise us all! Never underestimate the determination of Baby Boomers!

Mike Thayer understands the value of sharing a story as a family or in a classroom - to laugh and feel empathy for characters & their real life problems. As he tells his readers, “There’s a life lesson in there somewhere.” Thayer has as much fun writing stories as his fans have reading them! He never disappoints!

This was such a fun and heartwarming book! Tiffany is such a great main character, and I was rooting for her the whole time. Things have been tough for her since her grandmother died, so much so that she's begun to see herself as cursed. But when two meteors collide over her backyard, giving her the power to steal other people's talents, things start to change and Tiffany must make some tough decisions about how to use her newfound ability.

This book is both funny and heartfelt, and was written in an engaging style that I know middle-graders will enjoy. I also loved how her friends spanned from her online gaming club to the elderly residents of the Sunny Vistas Assisted Living facilities. These relationships are genuine and believable, as is her relationship with her single father. Their struggles felt very real, and I know many kids will relate.

This is such a beautiful story of self-acceptance, personal, and friendship. I can't wait to share this with the students and teachers at my school!

Absolutely LOVED the concept on which this book is based on🤩💗 The ability to steel someone's powers✨️💫

This book is very beautifully written & presented💛 The cover is also Absolutely gorgeous🥰😘


I recieved an ARC of this book so I could voluntarily read and review it. Thank you so much Netgalley, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and the author Mike Thayer for the opportunity.

A girl who believes she’s been cursed with bad luck suddenly finds herself with the ability to borrow people’s talents for a day and everything in her life is about to change as she tries to save her father’s planetarium. Tiffany Tudwell believes she’s been cursed, after her beloved grandmother has died Tiffany has had the worst luck from tripping on things to embarrassing herself and so much more. She’s had a rough year and it does not help that her bully has it out for her. When two meteors collide over her backyard and stardust falls on top of her and she makes a wish... Tiffany finds that she can steal people’s talents for a day. With this new found ability she can enter into a contest that could save her dad’s failing planetarium. Along the way she’ll receive help from an unlikely person, the cutest boy in school who is hiding his own motives, her friends in the Video Game Club, and her senior friends... and maybe just discover that despite all these powers and talents, what she truly needs is to discover her own talent and that her own talent will be the thing that saves the day. This was a super cute and magical story about growing up and about finding your own inner strength and talent. Tiffany has a lot to deal with but she’s always trying and is a really sweet protagonist. I love that we get to see her grow in her confidence and stand up against her bully as well as become more open to friendship.

*Thanks Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Feiwel & Friends for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I recieved a free eARC of this book so I could voluntarily read and review it. Thank you for the opportunity.

Tiffany is cursed. Or at least she thinks she is. She's bullied at school, has dealt with homelessness, and her Dad's job may well be closing. Except for video gaming, and the seniors at the retirement center, she doesn't have many friends.

This is a fun fantasy about wishes coming true, and consequences of your actions, and of the power of friendship. It's a fitting addition to school and community libraries and would be a fun book for shared reading and discussion.