A dark and intense fantasy with a very original concept of the gods and the gifts they bestow. Whilst I was slow to get into this story once I was into it I really got pulled in. I found Chiara to be a very understandable and realistic character, someone that that has experienced a lot of trauma and is changed by it and is somewhat brutal with her honesty to herself even when it hurts.

I also really liked that although the synopsis alludes to a potential love triangle it didn't feel heavy handed insta love like you see in many YA books instead I could definitely see it as infatuation with the potential to be more which was more fitting with the story. This is a big plus for me as I often feel that YA books lose a lot of plot development to the potential love story.

I think my only particular criticism would be that whilst the beginning was a little slow the last 40% felt very quick. I understand that this was probably to give time to base world building and to underpinning the characters and back story. Overall though I felt that the first journey was rather long and built up and then we flew through what to me could/would have been the main quest journey in a few chapters and didn't spend enough time on that element (which also could be said of the very end). Although that could just be because I enjoyed that part of the book the most and therefore wouldn't have minded if it was longer.

I would definitely say this is not for anyone on the young side of young adult and if you have particular things regarding violence that you choose not to read I would definitely check the trigger warnings and maybe some spoilers to make sure you will be comfortable. Whilst I don't remember there being explicit detail there is enough alluded to or bluntly phrased that you should be prepared.

I read an arc of this book through netgalley

Chiara is Gifted, with powers from the God of Death. She performs unspeakable acts on behalf of the King in order to keep her sister safe, It all sounds fantastic, but actually I found it difficult to get through. Its an easy read, but there is some world building missing and I wasn't particularly sold on either of the romances. Overall, the book was just ok.

Thank you to the publisher for sending a copy for review.

I was super excited to dive into this book, as this one is a speculated book box choice for december, and it was such a nice surprise to have an arc gifted by one more chapter but sadly i had to dnf at 30%. This book really wasn't what i expected.

Beware, minor spoilers ahead.

I was promised dark fantasy with morally grey characters: the main character gifted by the god of death himself. but to say i'm disappointed, is an understatement. First and foremost, this book reads very ya, and not in a good way. The writing was very boring and even the most important things didn't have any emotion in them. Mostly things just happened, and a lot of things that probably should had caused some kind of reaction in the reader were just explained badly.

Also to have a such a morally grey main character, who supposedly only cares about her little sister, to basically have a crush on a prisoner from the first moment they see each other... i mean you get the point. very insta love, and not in a good way. even though i didn't read enough to see the actual romance happening, i know i wouldn't have liked it. and i have a very good guess who this mysterious prisoner from the enemy kingdom is.

The potential was there, the gods, gifts they give to people, but somehow after this everything just fell flat. I really didn't care at all about the main character, which made dnf:ing this so much easier. The characters didn't have any depth, and to say that the characters are morally grey and then have such black-and-white beliefs for them...

Thank you once again one more chapter and netgalley for the arc! i really hoped that i would enjoy this one.

This book is not one that wraps you up in a cozy blanket, hands you a cup of your favorite hot beverage, and tells you everything will be okay. It's one that ponders how far you can push someone, how much war and pain can destroy a person, and what happens when you face betrayal after betrayal.

There is a lot to this book. Was it always perfectly paced with everything well-laid out? No, but it also follows a fractured, damaged, pain-filled main character who has made sacrifice after sacrifice only to find out that none of it truly mattered. If dark, introspective books are not your thing, I definitely wouldn't pick up this book. However, if you're willing to take a moment to think about what abuse and trauma does to someone, it may be worth a read.

I'm curious to see how many of the twists I see coming in book 2, but I will say that despite guessing most of the twists, I enjoyed this book.

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this title overall. I feel like it’s got a bit of an identity crisis for lack of a better term. The concept is good but it felt like the romance was rushed and just kind of thrown together? I’m unsure if maybe it was me being in the wrong mood though, so take that opinion with a grain of salt for sure.

I will say, love triangles are not my favorite trope so I’m a bit thrilled with it being used but the author does do a good job of making you unsure of who to root for at the end of the day which gives you a bit more of a thrill instead of automatically knowing the endgame.

As for the plot, I did feel like it was well done but there were just a few too many twists overall for my personal taste. Your mileage may vary though, so definitely make sure to form your own opinion in that regard.

Overall, I do think I will give book two a try when it comes out to see how it goes. It’s hard to really judge a series with a single book, especially when it comes to fantasy and debut authors.

Katie Galvin’s The Gifted completely caught me off guard in the best way possible. The story follows a group of teens with extraordinary abilities trying to navigate a world that fears them, and it’s as much about developing relationships, chemistry and self-discovery as it is about survival. There’s this amazing balance of high-stakes action and quieter moments where the characters really open up and grow. I loved the twists, They kept be both hooked and shook! A couple of side plots felt rushed, but the heart of the story and the emotional depth made it such a memorable read. If you’re into gripping adventures with plenty of heart, this one’s a must-read.

I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to One More Chapter for providing me with an advanced reader copy of *The Gifted*.

I was genuinely excited to dive into this book because its premise captivated me right from the start! Chiara, the main character, is intriguing; her morally grey and complex nature adds depth to her tragic journey. She has faced incredible hardships, yet her resilience in fighting for herself and her sister is truly inspiring.

That said, I did encounter some challenges while reading. I felt it would have been beneficial to have trigger warnings for sensitive content, such as child abuse and sexual assault. These themes were quite overwhelming for me, particularly the child abuse aspect, and I found myself needing to take breaks to process my feelings.

Overall, I appreciate the depth of the story and the emotional journey it offers, but I believe clearer guidance on sensitive topics would be invaluable for future readers.

#ARC #TheGifted #SensitiveContent #Resilience #Sisterhood"

What an interesting concept for a book!

This plot had so much potential and I'm excited to see what happens further along the lines of this book! While it felt rushed and the romance slightly out of place for the reading experience, I did enjoy it as a concept on the whole!

I think this is going to be a great series as the author continues to grow as a writer and develop the plot, setting, romances further along the lines. Book one felt both too slow in the beginning and then too fast by the end, almost like it was trying to cram in as much as we could right from the get go.

The concept of it all definitely kept me reading, so I'm excited to see where it goes from here!

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC!

Thank you to Harper Collins and One More Chapter!

Let me start by saying I was looking forward to reading this and writing a review.

Sadly, I found myself struggling to read this. There were some consistency issues. For example, entering the ranks at 15 but captain by 13. In other parts of the book, it says she entered the ranks at 13. I think this book needs another round of edits to work on consistency.

I also really struggled with the lack of trigger warnings. For example, child abuse and SA are referenced. It was a bit much for me (especially the child abuse), so I had to put the book down and do something else for a bit. It was hard for me without any mental preparation or informed decision making.

Lastly, I couldn’t connect with the character, so I was detached from the story a lot.

Even though it wasn’t my favorite, I’m grateful for the opportunity to read an advance copy. Thanks again!

The Gifted is the first book in a series and is a morally dark romance. A story about a girl, Chiara, who is bound to the king to be captain in his army in order for the life of her 10 year old sister. She and her sister were sold by their mother to King Kane. While her mission with 2 princes, she learns betrayal and a hint of love. Also she learns more about herself.

It's a very dark story and if you love dark romance it's one you will have to read this one. And I'm curious about part 2.

I give it a 4-star read because I loved the writing by the author, I loved the story completely. It's my first official dark romance and I'm intrigued. I've read this one as an ARC, thanks to Netgalley, Harper Collins and offcourse Katie Galvin herself!

This book is described as gripping, dark and with unexpected twists. I found it dull and predictable. I didn’t really like any of the characters, the FMC was just annoying, one of the MMCs was a drip throughout most of the book and his “twist” I saw a mile off, I didn’t mind the other MMC but he was so cliche it was ugh. The story itself had a lot of promise, I liked the stuff about the gods and the gifts they give, but you only hear about a couple and it’s incredibly repetitive.
I also found quite a lot of consistency issues, e.g. referencing a kiss that never happens from the previous chapter, or scenes where the FMC is pinned down and the next line she’s suddenly on top with no actual movement happening. Some of this seems like really obvious editing errors so I truly hope they’re addressed before release.

I also think this book is missing trigger warnings, there’s a lot of references to rape and abuse, including if children.

Overall I gave this book 2⭐️ and that is being generous. I thought the story itself has a lot of promise but the writing was repetitive and I was bored throughout.

The Gifted is set in a medieval fantasy kingdom where Chiara fights for the King who holds her sister as a bargaining chip. Thought to be gifted by the God of War, she holds the key to winning on the battlefield - but she may be hiding which God she is actually favoured by.

The plot of this book was an interesting concept, and I was invested in seeing what happened to Chiara and what choices she would make. There is a love triangle trope, which is not for everyone, but I don't mind it and I enjoy hedging my bets on the dark, broody 'bad boy' option.

The worldbuilding could have been improved on. It felt like it was constant, but to no real benefit of the plot or details. The flow of dialogue and plot could have been more seamless to improve the reading experience. It read as quite young YA, despite being darker themes and may not be the best mix. I was also confused as to how old our heroine actually was. 15? But she was a captain? I get that she has mad skills, but the strength you would need to wear armour, wield swords, ride horses at 15 is crazy and just didn't seem realistic.

Thank you to HarperCollins UK and One More Chapter for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Narration: Single character POV, first person POV

Tropes:
- One Horse
- Rebellion
- Love Triangle
- Gifts from the Gods
- Morally Grey MC's
- Hidden Bloodlines

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc!

This book gave me such whiplash. On the one hand it’s a juvenile romance with fantasy strappings on the other hand it’s super dark and heavy with themes and on page action that came out of nowhere and felt gratuitous.

Thankyou to Harper Collins and One More Chapter.

Gripping from beginning to end!

With a tyrant king using her sister to keep her in line, Ciara is the best weapon of war the king has.
Gifted by the gods, she is deadly with her power but even deadlier with a blade.

After being summoned back to the castle from the front lines with a prisoner of war in tow, Ciara is sent on a fools quest to acquire an artifact that will end the war in the tyrant king's favour. Unfortunately for her, she is sent with 2 princes from different kingdoms that seem to permanently be at each other's throats.

With her sister always in mind and feelings for a prince emerging, Ciara is forced to play the games at hand to keep them all alive, unaware that other players are not as they seem.

4✨️- I couldn't put this down!

Katie Galvin’s The Gifted is a compelling blend of fantasy, mystery, and coming-of-age drama that had me hooked from the start. The story introduces a richly imagined world where individuals with extraordinary abilities must navigate a society fraught with intrigue and danger. Galvin's talent for world-building shines, immersing readers in a setting that feels vibrant and lived-in.

The protagonist’s journey of self-discovery and empowerment is both emotional and inspiring. The character development is nuanced, with relatable struggles and meaningful growth. The relationships, whether friendships, rivalries, or budding romances, are layered and genuine, adding depth to the narrative.

What truly sets this book apart is Galvin’s seamless writing style, balancing action with introspection, and mystery with revelation. Each twist kept me on edge, eagerly turning pages to uncover more about the secrets of the Gifted.

Perfect for fans of Divergent or The Gilded Wolves, this book offers adventure, heart, and a touch of magic. I highly recommend it to fantasy lovers looking for a story that’s both thrilling and thought-provoking!

I liked parts of this book but ultimately I didn't like it. Some of the dialogue was too modern and out of place. There were inconsistencies. I don't know if I didn't pay enough attention to the description or something but this had mentions of SA and I didn't know that going in and I just can't handle that kind of content. There's a lot of abuse that this books deals with which is fine I just can't always handle that kind of content.

Thanks to NetGalley, harper Collins UK, and onemorechapter for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Chiara is magically gifted by a god with some mysterious powers. The king, who's a super dick, uses her sister as leverage to force her to do his bidding. She's tasked with bringing a prisoner to him, but along the way she starts to feel something for him.

This book starts incredibly dark with pages and pages of depressing murder and political abuse and phycological torture. It then implies that a parent prostitutes her small child by chaining her to a bed. As the story goes on, more torture and murder happens, and more mentions of forced child prostitution. The issue that I really had with this is that the book cover looks YA, the MC is young, and the "romance" is very young... but the triggers were intense. It didn't really feel like a dark romance, but honestly hard to get into a love triangle when the story is like "Ohh this one is a bad boy who secretly cares, this one has a secret... she's struggling with intimacy because of being sold for sex to adult men when she was six... but will she choose the blonde or the brunette?"

Ultimately I think the story could have been cool, the magic system was cool, the Gods were cool. The brutality of all the murder was a bit depressing, but could have worked if the characters were a little more charming and if there was a little more romance. But all the weird child abuse was such a gross turn off for me that I didn't enjoy a majority of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins UK and One More Chapter for the advance reader copy.

Unfortunately this wasn’t a book I enjoyed. The first 30% was a b out of a struggle and then everything kind of kicked off. The ending felt very rushed.

I didn’t like any of the characters and the ‘romance’ didn’t feel like it fit into the story more as a thrown in addition.

The concept was so good and I think the execution could have been a lot better. There was a lot of room for some amazing world building and that fell to the wayside as well.

I didn't really gel with this one and it was a DNF, I liked the concept but the execution was lacking, enjoyed the romance element but found it hard to keep reading I wasn't invested or engaged

This book has potential, and I enjoyed reading it; however, I believe a trigger warning should have been included due to some sensitive content, such as child exploitation.

There are also scenes that don’t make sense. For instance, why would the king entrust his only son, the heir and healer of their kingdom, to join Liam and Chiara in the quest to find and obtain the chains of God? This decision seems irrational for a king. Captain Chiara, who doesn’t have his trust and is only following orders due to the king having her sister as leverage, is paired with Liam, the prince of their enemy?

Furthermore, King Kane is incapacitated, and his kingdom's soldiers are still holding Prince Callum, their only heir, while Liam, the enemy prince, walks around freely and gives orders to kill their own prince. There is no mention of the king instructing his soldiers to follow the enemy’s commands.