Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for the advanced copy of Gifted & Talented in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 stars, rounded up.

I’m not sure what I was expecting, but this wasn’t it. This was my first Olivie Blake novel, and unfortunately, her writing style just didn’t click with me.

I typically enjoy character-driven stories, even with unlikable characters, but I struggled to connect here. I found the concept intriguing — a fantasy/magical realism take on Succession — but the execution fell flat for me.

The story felt repetitive, with characters who never really evolved: the prodigy daughter no one likes, the insecure son, and the timid, slightly whiny youngest daughter. The plot meanders with little payoff; their wealthy father dies, and the siblings spend the rest of the book complaining about their difficult lives and speculating about who will inherit what. That’s… pretty much it. There's the addition of some interesting secondary characters, and a few who lift right out without consequence.

The dialogue also pulled me out of the story. It often felt stilted and unnatural, with attempts at snark that didn’t land. I typically enjoy sharp, witty banter, but it just didn’t land here.

While Olivie Blake’s work clearly has a lot of fans, this one wasn’t for me.

Paranormal family drama with incredible sibling dynamics, Olivie Blake is one of my favorite writers that always surprises me with unique stories. Her ability to create these fascinating relationships and atmosphere is astounding.

4 stars

This was everything and more than what I was expecting. I loved the sibling relationships, the drama, the fantasy/sci-fi aspects. It was very hard to put this one down. This may be my favorite book by Blake yet.

I loved reading this book! I always love Olivie Blake's books, the synopsis' are so original and so are the stories they're about. This story about the drama within this family as they dealt with their father's passing, loved it!

All these of these siblings were separate, distinct characters, who were all just a little bit broken in different ways. Their father wasn't the best person or good father, and what with his death, they have to confront that damage as they process that he's really gone.

The way that this story is told, going between the siblings, as they find out about their dad's death, and all the things that they have going on in their lives, and the flashbacks of how they got there, was such a great story, as we learned more about them and why they were the way that they were. Each of them had something going on, and I loved reading their story!

I think the narrator was my favourite part of the story! Their voice, and the way that they commented on what the Wren's were doing, was just fantastic! The way that it was a part of the story, oh, that was really well done!

This was a magnificent read and I can't wait to read more by Olivie Blake!

Olivie Blake’s magic and snark meet Succession for this paranormal family drama. The Wren family is a hot mess, but it gets hot messier when Thayer Wren, the Wren patriarch and CEO/founder of Wrenfare dies. The three Wren siblings, Meredith, Arthur, and Eilidh, come together to hear the will and carry out funeral arrangements, but the sibling rivalry gets real when it comes to who will inherit the company (and by default, win their father’s approval once and for all)?

Gifted & Talented is everything that I usually love in a book. Olivie Blake writes “gifted child to damaged adult” like nobody’s business. However, G&T just didn’t totally land for me. The magic system (magitech?) was a huge part of the book, but it was very confusing and I still don’t understand it in my reflection of the book.

There were major parts of the book that drug on and on for me. Yes, characters needed to be developed, but I think that could have happened faster. The pacing was more middling than fast.

Eilidh drove me nuts, but that’s probably the eldest sister in me coming out. I loved dear Arthur, but of course Meredith was the star of the show for me.

There was a character death that made no sense to me and it felt like a weird way to tie up that plot point. There was another character that I’m still not sure how or why they were introduced because it seemed like a lot of build up for nothing.

Overall, Gifted & Talented was fine. I probably wouldn’t read it again, but I’d recommend it for some readers, like fans of magical realism. I give it a 3.5/5 (rounded to 4). Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this title. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The novel is a complex web of ambition, sibling rivalry, and the weight of unrealized potential, making it impossible not to become emotionally invested in each character’s journey. The Wren siblings’ stories are filled with moments of profound emotional depth, and the way their special abilities tie into their personal struggles adds an extra layer of intrigue to the narrative. With sharp writing, dark humor, and emotional tension that builds with every page. It is an unforgettable exploration of what happens when the drive for success, the need for validation, and the scars of past failures collide. In short, a must-read for anyone who enjoys sci-fi books with complex family dynamics, competition, and character-driven drama.

This book is a wickedly smart and emotionally intense ride that blends family drama, supernatural abilities, and a heavy dose of sibling rivalry. The stakes are high, and it’s impossible to look away from the Wren siblings as they navigate the deadly game of family legacy. The world-building here is electric, literally. The telepathic and electrokinetic abilities of the siblings add an extra layer of intrigue and danger to their already complicated relationships. The tension between them is palpable, and as you follow their journeys, you can’t help but be drawn into their internal struggles. These characters are beautifully flawed, each one desperate to prove they’re more than just their father’s legacy. But this book isn’t just about superpowers or inheritance; it’s about how far people are willing to go to prove their worth. The weight of family expectations and unresolved rivalries twists everything, turning love, approval, and redemption into things that are almost unattainable. It’s messy, dark, and deliciously complicated, and if you love family sagas with a supernatural twist, this one is absolutely unmissable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for providing this book, with my honest review below.

Gifted & Talented is a great blend of family drama, supernatural thriller, and biting narrative of those who grow up deemed gifted and talented. Following the three offspring of Thayer wren (who is awful), Meredith, Arthur and Eilidh (almost as awful, generally) are vying to see who get to inherit his massive company, Wrenfare Magitech. All have secrets including the shared one around their special abilities. With critique from God himself, there’s nowhere to go but down for these siblings, surely? The ride they take the reader on is a lot of fun if only as someone looking in doing some healthy judging. The character development and study is none other, though also enjoyed the world Olivie Blake was able to build through this story.

I’ve seen some compare this to Succession and Umbrella Academy, and while I’ve not watched either to a great extent to be able to say it it’s a good comparison, from what I’ve read of those shows it feels spot on.

For me this was a nearly perfect book. Three pretty awful siblings vying for the inheritence of their father's company. In true Blake fashion this is a slow character study. While I won't spoil the ending for you I will say it is a nice change of pace to have an omniscent narrator who also things the MCs are awful!

4.5 stars!

Thank you Tor and NetGalley for the ARC!

Unfortunately I DNF'd this title for now as I wasn't a big fan of the voice, writing style, and characters. I also struggled with Olivie's The Atlas Six - while I loved the concept and the vibes, I struggled with the characters. I had high hopes I would enjoy this one more, but ultimately I had similar issues with it.

When Meredith, Arthur, and Wren receive news that their father died, they all hurry home. Despite the sadness of the event, all anyone can talk or think about is who will inherit his business empire.

Told omnisciently from a god-like narrator, the narration is crass and unfeeling. Often, each of the siblings are called “assholes” or something equally unflattering. While each of them has some degree of talent and has made something of their life, in general we are frustrated with all three of them and the little they have accomplished with the resources they have been given.

The book went by so slowly. Maybe this was because I was not invested in three bad people, or perhaps the author didn’t do much to hold my attention, but I definitely had trouble coming back to this book and picking it up.

If you like books about horrible people, this might be a good fit for you, but if you would like your characters to have redeeming characteristics, maybe skip this one.

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.From the start, the novel drew me in with its mix of intellectual intrigue, well-developed characters, and subtle mystery. Blake's writing is engaging, and the exploration of ambition, pressure, and self-discovery felt both authentic and thought-provoking.

The characters were complex and relatable, each with their own struggles and growth. The pacing was excellent, with just enough suspense to keep me hooked, while the dialogue was sharp and meaningful.

Overall, Gifted and Talented is a captivating and insightful read, perfect for fans of character-driven stories with intellectual depth.

This book reminded me of Inheritance Games meets Umbrella Academy. I absolutely love Olivie Blake and this book was no exception. I love her writing style, and she weaves sci-fi dystopian books like no one else. Three siblings wondering if they will inherit their father's legacy, and all the while, they have gifts. This book was amazing and if you are a fan of Olivie Blake, you have to read this one!

Each character was fully fleshed and well rounded. I especially enjoyed getting to read about a predominantly female cast against a patriarchal setting. The magic system was a bit too confusing for me to fully grasp, and I think the book ran on a little bit longer than it really needed to, but otherwise it was an enjoyable reading experience.

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!