Review ~ GIFTED: A DONOVAN CIRCUS NOVEL, by Liz Long

Even in a world of freaks, being a Firestarter is considered a dangerous Gift. Lucy was born with the ability to create and control fire. She longs to leave the human world for one filled with Earthshakers, Transporters, and Chameleons, to name a few. When she rejoins the circus, it’s everything she hoped it could be—new friends, a potential love interest or two, and a place where she can be herself. When troupe members begin turning up dead, however, Lucy is suspected of foul play. She must not only prove her innocence but also realize the full extent of her power. To find the real murderer, she must uncover the truth behind her father’s fiery legacy while figuring out whom to trust within her new circle. Little does she know the history of the Donovan Circus and its enemies might actually destroy the entire gifted world. ~From GoodReads

Before I get into my review of GIFTED, I have to mention the cover. What a gorgeous piece of art. The colors, the representation of fire...it's perfect and absolutely played a hand in my accepting this book for review.

So what did I think about GIFTED? I found it to be a well-written, funny, and tense story with a killer cast of characters. The story begins with Lucy Sullivan rejoining the circus she lived with as a child. Lucy wants to rejoin the Donovan Circus with as little attention as possible, but that's impossible when you're the most highly skilled Firestarter, possibly ever. When circus members begin turning up charbroiled, Lucy becomes the number one suspect. Determined to prove her innocence and find the real killer is Lucy's goal, with the help of the sexy, snarky, and mysterious Gabriel.

 I have to admit, I've never been a fan of circuses. I blame it on my aversion to clowns, beginning when Ronald McDonald scared the beans out of me when I was five. However, Firestarter (the Stephen King novel-turned movie starring Drew Barrymore) was one of my favorite movies as a kid. I seriously watched that movie over and over to hone my pyro technique, to no avail. So despite my non-love for the circus, I had to read this story about a Firestarter, Lucy.

What I learned after reading this book is that author Liz Long has an obvious talent for story-telling. GIFTED was a well-thought out, well-planned story from beginning to end. Long's writing had a nice pace, and she clearly has a fantastic flair for snark and sarcasm.

My favorite aspect of the story was the characters. I liked many, but none compared to Lucy and Gabriel. Lucy was thoughtful, yes, but so much fun. She had an endearing quality that made me want to befriend her, but best of all, she made me laugh. And yes, she is extremely attracted to Gabriel (who I'll discuss, in-depth, next), but Lucy keeps her priorities in check. Find murderer, first; fall in love, second.

Now for Gabriel. Do you all know how much I love Jensen Ackles? 'Cause I do, a lot. So, when Gabriel comes walking into the story with his dark blond hair, blue eyes, sexy smirk, and an attitude that rivals Dean Winchester, I was a goner. Add to that the fact that Gabriel has a really shady past he has worked extremely hard to overcome, and I am crushing hard.

I will say, there were moments I got lost in the action scenes. There were a lot of characters doing a lot of badass fighting. It wasn't enough to really detract from the story too much, but I did have to follow along very carefully to get the full effect.

GIFTED offers a lot to it's readers: a unique premise, engaging characters, fun dialogue, and tons of actions. I truly enjoyed it and am looking forward to more of this world.



Favorite Quote:

" 'Okay, first of all, I don't "lurk". I observe a lot,' he said, his tone finally sounding annoyed. And I don't try to seem intriguing or whatever; I keep to myself.' " -Gabe (ebook, 39%)


" 'It's not like that. It doesn't just happen. You have to grow with it, learn to control it. It takes more than having a gift to be gifted. Otherwise you're just a person who lights shit on fire using jazz hands.'"  -Lucy (ebook, 65%)

Published April 18th 2012

You can purchase GIFTED at:
Amazon for Kindle or Paperback . It will be available via Barnes & Noble and Smashwords by the end of July.

GIFTED will be FREE July 6-8. Be sure and download your copy via Amazon!

You can find Liz Long via:
Twitter  |  GoodReads  |  her blog  |  Amazon  |  Facebook

Trust me, you want to know Liz. She's awesome.


Source: Received from author in exchange for an honest review.