This was a really good read i enjoyed the family dysfunction sci-fi vibes. I saw someone in the comments say this is a mix of umbrella academy and succession and i have to agree. We have 3 siblings: Meredith, Arthur and Eilidh, whose billionaire father passes away and they have to come together for the will to see which of these gifted will inherit the company.

The scifi element was done in a cool way because each of the siblings have some kind of telepathy and electro kinetic powers. I really liked all the family drama that each siblings and how they all in some way or the other just the path they are in because of their father and how he treated them. Meredith is the blunt CEO that has never really gotten over her mom’s death. Arthur is the politician who’s in love with 3 people in a unique relationship and Eilidh is an ex ballerina/actor who is reminiscent of her former days. There are multiple povs even of multiple characters aside from the 3 main characters and i loved the way it was written.

The dynamics between the siblings are very interesting and dramatic and i loved Arthur and Merediths dynamic the most. The banter between them was so fun! Meridith was my fave character she was so compelling. The character development was great and this was just a really interesting read about family, gifts and their bond. Thank you to Tor for this arc for an honest review!

𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: April 01, 2025
𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪:

I am a sucker for all books by Olivie Blake. I was so excited I squealed when I saw Gifted & Talented on the roster and I immediately had to read it. This book was everything and more. The characters and their relations and dynamics with one another was great, the storyline was on point….THE DRAMA, the CHAOS around every corner——perfect. This book kept you turning the pages, feeling as though you were inside the book, it reads as if you were WATCHING everything unfolding until the very last page. This was a favorite read this year for me and the easiest 5/5 rating. I can’t wait to see what other books we get from Olivie that I can obsess over. This book needs to be on everybody’s TBR right away.

Large thank you to our Author, NetGalley as well as Tor Publishing Group ; Tor Books.

Thank you to Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley for the arc!

When I found out that Olivie Blake was writing a family drama, I immediately needed it. This book did not disappoint!

While I adored and felt like the side characters really carried in this book — Gifted & Talented ultimately follows 3 siblings (a congressman, a ballerina/marketing exec, and a Forbes 30 under 30 techie), each with their own individual god-complexes. The siblings are essentially forced to come together after the passing of their very rich CEO of a father.

This book reads mostly realistic in nature, but I love that Blake added her magic touch in giving the siblings “gifts” (that’s all I’ll say on that).

Overall this was a such a fun, unpredictable take on family dynamics, and self-indulgence.

The poly rep was such a fun addition too.

The classic Blake writing style that I adore is alive and well in this one, and I cannot wait to officially add it to my shelf when it releases. She truly knows how to make me feel deeply for the most horrible of people sometimes 😂

(BookTok review still to come)

Gifted & Talented 𖥔 ݁ ˖⋆⭒

"That someday, if you want to you'll feel alive again."

I'm in love with everything Olivie writes, and the way she blends magical realism into her stories. This is a heavily character driven story about three rival siblings forced to work through their long standing differences after the sudden death of their father and CEO of Wrenfare Magitech.

While waiting to hear who will take over their father's company, and how the rest of their inheritance will be split, they discover there is an issue with the will that delays this process.

The children all have complex relationships with their father and are forced to unpack that as well as a slew of other issues.

Meredith the eldest daughter and owner of her own tech company, invented a device claiming to provide happiness, is now about to be exposed as a fraud by her ex boyfriend.

Then we have Arthur, the middle child and congressman, who is a chronic people pleaser. He also happens to be married to a successful lawyer, and a polyamorous relationship with an aristocrat and race car driver. Oh and did I mention he can resurrect after death?

Lastly the youngest, Eilidh, a former star ballerina turned marketing executive. Often overlooked by everyone and has a crazy ability to cause apocalyptic events in moments of serious distress.

There are a handful of side characters that add a lot to the plot, specifically their father's former assistant and someone two of the Wren siblings previously betrayed that they now need help from.

It's an interesting read with a lot of buildup, but everything snaps into place nicely.

A few highlights:
•satirical tone
•complex family dynamics
•character driven
•magical realism
•interesting side characters

Thank you to Netgalley and TOR for the eARC.

I just finished reading Gifted & Talented and I rate it 5/5 stars! I was hooked from the very beginning and I could not put this book down. I have enjoyed Olivie Blake’s books in the past and this one did not disappoint. Not only did it not disappoint this is my new favourite book in her catalog. This book focuses on the three Wren siblings whose father suddenly passes and the aftermath of his passing. I highly recommend you read Gifted & Talented when it releases April 1, 2025. Thank you so much to Tor Publishing Group, Olivie Blake and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Thayer Wren, the brilliant CEO of Wrenfare Magitech and so-called father of modern technology, is dead. Any one of his three telepathically and electrokinetically gifted children would be a plausible inheritor to the Wrenfare throne. Or at least, so they like to think.

Proof that OB can write about literally anything and I will devoure it! This was a mostly character driven novel about several really unlikable people and yet I could not put it down and was rooting for them anyway. How does she do it??

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for the ARC!

Might be my fav from Olivie Blake so far! Loved the satirical tone of the whole book. The chapters in script format were perfect. There were some parts I felt a bit lost due to the formatting of the ARC, but I assume these while be updated for the published copy!

Olivie Blake has been either hit or miss for me but this was a sure hit. I found the relationship between the siblings to be so interesting and each of them were so different from the other. I really liked them and how they operated with one another. I think their relationship was so interesting and had constant layers that I was learning about as I read a long. I think the characters truly shined in this book and I enjoyed it

As always, I’m in love with everything this author gives out. Loved this one. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for gifting me this arc.

Gifted and Talented is the story of the three (slightly estranged) Wren siblings -Meredith, Arthur, and Eilidh- who are brought back together under one roof after the death of their father, Magitech CEO Thayer. Each with their own secrets and shadowy pasts, as well as their own plus 1’s and the occasional plus 2’s, the siblings have to face each other and themselves while they wait to see whose hands the company will fall into. Chaos (and the apocalypse?) ensures.

I absolutely devoured this book. At the end of each chapter I literally couldn’t stop myself from reading the next one. I love a good messy complex family relationship story and this one delivers.

Olivie has such an honest and distinct voice as an author that just feels natural, like you are having a conversation with a friend rather than reading a story. Which to me, makes it all feel more realistic. Especially when dealing with issues like not being able to get over someone you were obsessed with when you were a teenage lol

I’ve enjoyed other books from Olivie Blake and was really excited to read this book. The characters had that feel that I wanted and enjoyed the family element to this book. It had a strong story going on and thought the family curse was really interesting for the story. I was invested in the family and the story going on with them, the rest of the cast worked well overall and left me wanting more.

When There's a Will: A Magical Tale of Power, Greed, and Family Dysfunction!

In a brilliant fusion of Succession meets fantasy with hints of The Umbrella Academy, Olivia Blake crafts a captivating, complex farce about a magical family saga that proves impossible to put down.

When tech billionaire Thayer Wren, CEO and founder of Wrenfare Magitech, unexpectedly dies, he leaves behind three dysfunctional successors with whom he maintained troubled relationships. All eyes turn to the family mansion where the inheritance revelation will determine who claims the throne. The question remains: which of his telepathically and electrokinetically gifted children will become the next CEO of the empire?

The Wren siblings, who inherited their father's ruthlessness and their power-hungry mother's ambition, are a fascinating study in dysfunction. Meredith, a young prodigy featured in Forbes' 30 Under 30, founded a groundbreaking tech company and invented the "Chip" - a device purporting to cure mental illness. However, her carefully constructed world threatens to crumble as two secrets emerge: she faked her test results, and her ex-boyfriend-turned-investigative-journalist is about to expose everything.

Arthur, the middle child, presents a striking contrast as a natural people-pleaser with the gift of enchantment. At 29, he's the youngest congressman in history, married to brilliant lawyer Gillian while maintaining relationships with aristocrat Philippa and race driver Yves Reza. His newfound ability to resurrect after death adds another layer to the succession drama.

The youngest, Eilidh, often overlooked by her siblings, transformed from gifted ballerina to Wrenfare's marketing executive following an accident. She harbors perhaps the most dangerous power: the ability to create apocalyptic events when emotionally distressed. Her relationship with her father's assistant Dzhuliya adds another layer of complexity to the inheritance dispute.

As legal complications delay the will's execution, the siblings must confront their past mistakes and seek help from someone they once betrayed. This decision sets in motion a chain of events that will transform their lives irrevocably.

While the narrative occasionally meanders and features largely unlikable protagonists, Blake's masterful storytelling keeps readers engaged throughout. Standout characters like Gillian, Yves, and a mysterious "monster" help balance the Wrens' less appealing qualities. The book's length serves its intricate plot, building to a satisfying conclusion that explores themes of redemption, power, and the true meaning of family.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars (rounded up to 5)

This spellbinding tale demonstrates Blake's ability to weave together elements of fantasy, corporate intrigue, and family drama into an irresistibly compelling narrative. Despite its flaws, it delivers an entertaining and intelligent reading experience that will keep readers invested until the final page.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for providing a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a rollercoaster of a book! When their father dies, will one of the Wren children take over the company? The siblings are fascinating characters, although not really very likeable, but the snarky tone of the narrator moves you forward. Belief much be suspended, but if you go with the flow it's a fun book.