| Title | : | Gift |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1453219617 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781453219614 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | ebook |
| Number of Pages | : | 259 |
| Publication | : | First published March 27, 2012 |
High school sophomore Daisy Jones is just trying to get by unnoticed. It doesn’t help that she’s the new girl at school, lives in a trailer park, and doesn’t even own a cell phone. But there’s a good reason for all that: Daisy has a secret, unpredictable power—one only her best friend, Danielle, knows about. Despite her “gift” (or is it a curse?), Daisy’s doing a good job of fitting in, and a gorgeous senior named Kevin even seems interested in her! But when Daisy tries to help Vivi, a mysterious classmate in a crisis, she soon discovers that her new friend has a secret of her own. Now Daisy and her friends must deal with chilling dreams and messages from the beyond. Can Daisy channel the power she’s always tried to hide, before it’s too late? Extra features include:• A short graphic novel telling Vivi’s story• Danielle’s journal, revealing her deepest thoughts • Lyrics and video links for Kevin's music (songs composed by Fredrik Larsson, otherwise known as YouTube sensation FreddeGredde)
Gift Reviews
-
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book.
Good ghost story for the younger readers, but I think older teens and adults will be bothered by some of the plot holes involving Daisy's powers.
At first, Daisy's gift seems to be the ability to short out electronics. Not a cool gift.
Yes, I would like to return this gift, please. It's defective, and I would like a refund. No, I don't have the receipt. Why? Because I obviously didn't purchase this for myself! I thought the purity ring Dad got me for my last birthday was shitty, but this year he went too far! TOO FAR! Yes, store credit will be fine, thank you.
As you can probably guess, her power gets a little more useful as time goes on, but I doubt the poor girl will ever be able to own a cell phone. In fact, this was where the plot holes come in. Why can't she have a television in her home, but she can ride in cars?
I noticed this because I used to own a POS when I was in my 20's that would totally shut down whenever this certain sensor would go out. Seriously, I would be driving down the road, and that fucking turd-mobile would just stall out. You may have passed me on the side of the road...I was the girl kicking the shit out of a blue Chevrolet.
Huh. I had managed to repress those memories until I read this book. Thank you, Ms. Buchanan!
But back to the original point. Why she could she could be around some electric-powered things, and not go near others? Not a big deal in the grand scheme of life, but it bugged me.
As for the rest of the story, it was pretty good.
The story opens with Daisy being sent to check on another student, because the girl had been in the bathroom a little too long for the teacher's comfort. Turns out, the teacher was right to be worried. The girl, Vivi, was trying to OD on sleeping pills. Fortunately, Daisy managed to get help in time to save her.
This experience ties Vivi and Daisy together in a way neither one of them expects. See, Vivi has a secret, too. Since she was a child, there has been a spirit who has been protecting her. Now that she's older, she's fallen in love with him, but his presence is fading out and getting weaker by the day. He had been gone for a while when Daisy found her on the bathroom floor.
Oh. So that's why she tried to kill herself... Hmmm. Nope, she's still an idiot.
Something about Daisy's presence managed to re-energized him, and now Patrick (the ghost boyfriend) tells Vivi that he thinks Daisy has the power to help them be together. They just have to convince her to help them.
And then there's Danielle.
Danielle is Daisy's best friend, and even though she knows about Daisy's secret, she's not ready to believe Vivi about the whole ghost/soul mate thing. Well, until she and Daisy start having different versions of the same frightening dream.
Somehow their past lives were all connected, and if they want to survive this lifetime they'll need to solve a mystery that happened over a century ago.
Warning: There are some illustrations that pop up from time to time during certain parts of the book. To be very honest, the first one scared the shit out of me. I wasn't expecting it, and when I flipped the page (or pressed the button, to be more accurate) there was this creepy penciling of a chick holding a big-ass knife. I'm pretty sure I peed myself a little.
What? I've had four kids. My bladder control is shot to hell.
In the end, I'd recommend this one for someone looking for a horror-lite ghost story.
This review can also be seen at
http://www.addicted2heroines.com/2013... -
This review is for the iPad/iBooks version.
The Gift is a story about a girl trying to be normal, despite her extra-ordinary gift.
Adding multimedia to an ebook can enhance the storytelling experience. Giving it a sense of discovery and immersion that a paper book might not provide for the reluctant reader. On the other hand when the technology is used without purpose or reason, adding multimedia becomes shallow embellishments. Those "special effects" bring nothing to the story or to the reader's enjoyment. Luckily, The Gift is able to achieve a pleasing balance between "special effects" and good storytelling. -
OH HEY I GOT YOUR ATTENTION!! HEYYYY SEXY! *WINK WINK*
Overall score: 4 stars
SUMMARY. Daisy Jones had a gift. She always knew that this was something that nobody should know about and even telling her best friend was hard enough to reveal and finally admit to herself what she is capable of. Sending out electric waves and feeling each person's energy was tough enough but then she is somehow stuck with Vivi, shy and always out of it girl who says she can talk to Patrick, her soulmate. At the same time when Daisy starts hanging out with Vivi and trying to figure out what the hell is going on, her and her best friend start having the same dreams of something that actually happened many years ago that matches up all the facts. Who knew that this time, the ghost from their past was coming back to finish what he started...
THOUGHTS. Wooooooooooo totally awesome ghost story! When I first read the summary and some reviews, I was not sure how the ghosts were compatible with a more paranormal side of the book but after I read it, it could not have been perfect. The whole energy field and materializing into the standard form of the human was a great twist to the story and everything add up. There was no hiccups that you find in the books sometimes and every single detail was included. I also really like that the author tried to show the difference between the younger and adult generations and the way they interacted with each other. Like the teacher was trying to bond with students but obviously they thought he was lame, even though they liked him. Things like that. This book would have been 5 stars if not for just the overall package of it. It was an amazing read but just did not left me speechless like some of the previous books. But I would still recommend it.
-
The book blurb drew me in very quickly but the writing, plot, and the following issues turned me off as quickly:
The story opens in a way that made me think one of the protagonists was interested in the other -- and not platonically. Their thoughts about the other girl left me in no doubt about it. Then, I found out that wasn't the case at all.
Our female lead has a power that does a number on anything electrical. Okay, interesting. Random but still interesting. But why is she going to school if that's the case? Hows she using a telephone? How can she even survive in the outside world without detection? No answers were given.
No depth when it came to the characters, so I couldn't connect with any of them. The male lead happens to know everything about highly esoteric topics. Even when he hazards a guess, the lead pans out?
Of course, every teenage girl but the lead just had to fall for the villain. -
**Possible minor spoilers ahead**
"Gift" is a YA book with an interesting premise. A young girl has a complicated secret that she is desperately trying to hide: She can control electricity and even harness some of its power. I was immediately intrigued and was excited to see where the book led. The first chapter was even very promising and I started to get very high hopes. However, "Gift" doesn't quite live up to its potential.
My issue with this book is that it tries to do too much. The main character can not only control electricity but she can see people's energies and create force fields. Then comes in the plot elements of ghosts, past lives, and dream regressions. Throw in some romance and some daddy issues and my head starts spinning. The plot gets very muddled and clumsy.
In the beginning I was digging the story but as it went on I found myself losing interest. The book just got too tangled in itself for my liking. It has many redeeming aspect, especially for readers that like YA stories involving ghosts, but it just didn't hit it out of the park.
**Book provided by the publisher for an honest review** -
Not what I expected, but awesome twists. :)
From the description (or at least, my memory of it), the title, and the cover, I expected something a little more paranormal. Ghosts, arguably, *are* paranormal, but I expected that element to come from the MC, rather than on of the other characters.
I read an ARC I received from the publisher, so I wasn't able to make use of the enhanced e-book options.
I really enjoyed the twists, but some of them were a little confusing to me--mostly because my own preconceived expectations. For a long while, I wasn't sure if the villain was an angel or a ghost. I thought he was an angel at first, but it's later made clear exactly what he is.
Things I wished had happened: I wish the secret behind the MC's powers had been explained better, as well as how and why the main plot points (non-spoilery alert: revenge) worked the way they did and what made them possible. All in all, a lot more solid world building would have made me a happy camper. :) -
Daisy's got an issue that I can somewhat, nominally, empathize with: she kills technology. She doesn't have a TV, computer, cell phone, nothing too technologically current because she'd just drive it crazy. I feel that. With the trail of computer deaths in my wake, and the shrapnel of other miscellaneous freakazoid technological malfunctions I've had to deal with, I immediately connected with Daisy. I understood her. Of course she's an extreme but such is the way of books. A boring blue screen of death on a PC is nothing compared to spastic fire alarms or igniting a computer lab.
I didn't really love GIFT but I didn't not like it either. It was okay. I was entertained enough but at various points in the story I felt a little put out by it, like it was a chore to read. It dragged a bit with the dreams the girls were having, what Vivi's deal was, Daisy trying to deal with her issue (considering she'd been dealing with it her entire life her "dealing with it" now seemed kind of forced). But it was interesting nonetheless and I kept reading until the end so I could see what would happen. The pieces laid themselves out for the ending pretty early on but there is a twist in there that I kind of didn't see coming so I enjoyed that. It's always nice to be at least a little bit surprised by a story.
I liked reading Daisy's humanity, especially towards the end. She is a very strong-willed character but she has flaws and I loved seeing them. It grounded out what is rightly a fantastical story into something a bit more realistic, considering. She rationalizes, she reasons, at times she caves to temptation. I really liked that. I felt like I could relate to that, unlike some other YA heroines that seemingly stand strong the entire time. I need humanness.
Vivi and Danielle I felt were a little underdeveloped. They were just kind of there floating along in Daisy's plot while things kept happening. Not that they weren't involved but as characters I just felt their existence was to serve Daisy. Kevin was the same way except his entire being I felt was a contrivance. He just felt like he was shoved into the plot because that might have been what was "supposed" to have happen. Daisy needed a love interest and someone else to connect to. Kevin served that purpose and that was pretty much it. He provided information when it was required, he supported Daisy when she needed it and he was the perfect level of weirdness to complement hers. It just felt too easy. Their personalities were okay. I didn't dislike them. They were just really plot-serving.
The story itself was okay. The whole reincarnation/past lives things interests me by default and I liked the way the past was brought into the present in this one. It used people and manipulated them and it really took the wind out of its implied sails but again, it made it more real, for what that's worth in a paranormal story. I didn't find the set-up or execution floofy but I did think, in the end, Daisy's powers were pretty irrelevant to it all. It was a means to be used but I don't think it deserved the emphasis that it did. I felt the past life issue was so much more relevant and should have been brought to the surface more than Daisy's electrical abilities. It wasn't bad but I wasn't crazy about it either.
Like I said overall it was okay. I wasn't thrilled with it but it wasn't terrible. A decent read if you don't have much else to do. It does stand out a bit from the rest just because of Daisy's ability and the past life thing which I did really like. And the plot isn't crazy centric on the love interest, another plus. And there's only one, love interest that is. Even bigger plus. Ultimately this one didn't leave much of a mark with me but I'm sure others will find the awesomeness that dwells within and give it the love it deserves. There's nothing all that wrong with it. It just ultimately wasn't for me. -
I have to applaud the interactive ending. Usually you finish a book, you put it down, and that's pretty much it. We here get to rate and review, and some just process the contents, before moving on. Generally this is where I get upset if there isn't a sequel. With Gift, I was upset, I wanted to witness Daisy and Kevin in action, realizing their full potential(because it's definitely not set in concrete.) I want more past-life stories, or more bonding moments for the couple. And as I was fuming: "WHY IS THIS NOT A SERIES???!", I was interrupted but the discovery of the Kevin, Vivi, and Danielle chapters. My wrath tamed, I perused the art, the diary, and then finally explored the music. At first I felt that Kevin sang the wrong story to Daisy, but I listened to Don't Look Back, one more time, and then one more time. And again, and again, and started singing it, and.. Fell. In. Love. with it. What other novels can catch your heart like that, really interact with the reader, without a movie? Bravo I say. Bravo.
Now I also have to side note that, yes, there are some issues within the book. Although I appreciated being able to know what happened in the background after I finished the book(when it wouldn't ruin it anymore,) there were some discrepancies. I somewhat agree with most readers whom drew issue with Daisy's inconsistent abilities, 'How can you use electronic necessities?' But personally I mused that this was probably an attempt to connect with younger viewers, 'Don't make her an outcast, but someone that anyone who's been grounded can relate to.'
I tried to ignore these things as I read. I also tried not to attempt strangling Daisy for being so daft and falling for the stupidest things and being a dick to her friends.
Now Gift is one of those books that you expect as an adult you can still fully enjoy if you read YA, but... I might beg to differ. Although I enjoyed it in the end, I still definitely saw it as what it was; a YOUNG teen read. Something I would have enjoyed significantly more at that age. Which is unfortunate, I really appreciate the authors than can span a wider audience age.
Netgalley read. -
I requested for this book and was granted to read it for a honest review.
First of all I was intrigue by the cover itself I thought it was like a Sci-fi thingy. But after I had read the description made me more curious then finally I was granted to read it and found out it's about a ghost and a human gift.
It's about Daisy, Vivi, Danielle, and Kevin four teenagers and Patrick the ghost. The story revolves around the fact that Daisy had this special gift which has something to do with electricity, and her struggle to keep in control of it everyday , with her friend Danielle who knew her secret so she could feel at least normal with her.
Then she met Vivi an out of the world type of a girl which made her curious that she became her person of interest. Until one day Vivi told her about this ghost Patrick and everything about her normal life changes.
As the story progresses Daisy met Kevin who's an all theory kind of guy which was useful because with his analyzing theories they figured out the situation. That helped them out in the end.
It's a bit hair raising for me when I read this kind of stuff and that Patrick the ghost manipulated the girls it was really creepy because of the way the Author told the story it will made your imagination worked.
The puzzle to solve the creepy dreams the girls had and the twist at the climax of the story was great!
I really love the additional part where Kevin was introduced with the lovely songs the Author herself written. Vivi's point of view was illustrated and finally Danielle's diary which explains the part where I got confused.
It's an amazing story and I highly recommend for you to read. -
Cross posted here and at my blog:
Take Me Away... On the Pages of Your Story
From the moment I read the synopsis I was intrigued by the premise. It truly was one that I hadn't heard of before and I just had to read the book, because I nosily wanted to know what her gift was. So I began reading... And then I couldn't stop. I finally found out that the main character's gift is the ability to mess with (or mess up) electronics, like cell phones, microwaves, and radios. Unfortunately, this is where my liking for the book stopped.
But then as I got to the meat of the story, I began to get confused. Daisy's powers were discussed in the beginning of the story, but they weren't EXPLAINED until way later in the story and I was confused about some of the things she could do. Also with her powers I noticed some details that didn't make sense. She can't use a cell phone or anything like that, but the fact that she can use a house phone.... Yeah last I checked that was electronic as well.
I also did not like the plot. It seemed like the further I got through it the more I wanted to put it down. I was definitely let down by this book. I made it through the first 2/3rds of the book and I just couldn't finish it. -
Daisy has always had a gift. A gift that is the bane of televisions, MP3 players and school firealarm systems - it is as if electricity flows through her very being, and from a young age Daisy has had to learn to control and tame her gift...keeping it hidden.
And nothing seems unusual until a girl in her class, Vivi, nearly kills herself in the school bathrooms...saying the words, "He's gone!" with a desperation that makes its mark on Daisy. Who is this 'he' that no one but Vivi seems to see? And what is the subtle connection between Daisy, Vivi and Daisy's best friend Danielle? The answers aren't clear, but as the girls begin to sense chilling presences in the halls and experience vivid and realistic shared dreams, they begin to realise that the answers do not lie in the present. They lie in a past that none of them seem to recall.
With the help of the mythology-expert and senior student Kevin, the group must try and figure out what is happening and why before somebody gets hurt. Solving mysteries from the past and present and fuelled by the responsibility and exhilaration that comes with having Daisy's abilities, this tale is a great YA novel; the added original songs by Kevin (
http://youtu.be/Gniu2fQT-os) adding another dimension to an already unique and fascinating book. -
Andrea J. Bunchanan did an amazing job on "Gift", when I first read the description I was so excited to read it. When I received my ARC copy, I raced through it. To me this book is more a mystery than anything else, with a touch of "paranormal" I guess you could say. It wasn't the BEST book I have ever read but it certainly kept me guessing.
I found the main character in the story was pushed into a corner. Her mother telling her lies and pushing her into a corner about not using her "gift" then when she begins to make friends, they too tell her not to use it. I understand not going overboard with it but her friends should of been understanding, trusted her.
I think her friends and mother not trusting her is what put her in such grave danger because she had Patrick telling her to use it, she was born with it and she was growing with it, so he pushed her to use her gift. If her friends would of stuck by her more, they would of been much more united.
Anyways, all together I liked the book. It was decently written and I think readers from young adult to adult will enjoy this book. -
I really don't have very much to say about this book. I usually take quite a lot of notes on books that I plan to review. I write down the things that I loved, things I hated, what didn't make sense to me, etc. With Gift I literally had no notes. Not a single one, good or bad.
This was a cute book. It was a fun and fluffy read. I enjoyed the concept of the story but I think that the execution could have been better. My favorite part was the characters. They all had their fun and different quirks. I especially enjoyed Peyton's best friend Danielle. She was extremely sarcastic and charmingly snarky.
My least favorite thing about this book was how predictable it was. I could see every little twist and turn in the plot coming from a mile away. It was also extremely cheesy at times, especially towards the end. It had me pausing to raise my eyebrows and say "seriously? Oh my God" on more than one occasion.
Like I said, this was a fun book. I think that a lot of Middle and some High School grade kids will really enjoy it. However, I don't believe that I will be reading this one a second time. -
Book Review originally published here:
http://www.iheartreading.net/reviews/...
Gift was a so-so read. I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it either. Daisy is a loner, but she doesn’t mind. She’d go by unnoticed by everyone, if she had the choice. But unfortunately for her, she has a secret power only her best friend – and only friend – Danielle knows about. She can send out electric waves and feel another person’s energy. Telling Danielle about is was tough enough, but then she’s stuck with Vivi, a shy, mysterious classmate in crisis, who has a few secrets of her own. Vivi is convinced she can talk to her soulmate, Patrick.
While the book hs an intriguing premise, and it’s that premise that drew me to the book in the first place, it fails to execute it well. Daisy is kind of like a Mary Sue on fire. Not only can she feel other people’s energy, then she can suddenly create force fields, then there’s ghosts, dreams of the past, soulmates. It’s all too much when cramped into one book.
There weren’t enough explanations for why certain things happened, and all in all, it felt more like a middle grade than a young adult book. -
You can see my review here:
http://myaddictionisreading.blogspot.... -
Originally posted @
Book Whales
The blurb made me want to read this book. I like a story that is about mystery and paranormal with a hint of romance. Gift is a good story, a light read and was written flawlessly.
The story is seen through Daisy’s point of view. She was sent to find Vivi, a broken girl who tried to kill herself by drinking loads of painkiller. Daisy saved her from her fate. The story became much more interesting, when Daisy and Danielle shares the same dreams, a dream place where they were people from the past. Who is this Patrick? Is he some kind of ghostly presence? And why is Kevin oddly protective of her? Is it curiosity or a connection between them? You have to read this book to find out.
The story started quite slow for me, it only became interesting at the middle. The dream part got me curious. It gave me chills and left me begging for answers. Who are Jane and Veronica? Like I said, you have to read this book to find out. I don’t want to give the story away.
The world building is okay. The setting is more for young readers (Middle Grade). Since the protagonist is a sophomore. It was believable and close to reality. I had some reminiscing going on while reading this book. Danielle, Vivi and Kevin reminds me of my friends back in High School :)
The characters are not that memorable. They lack impact, something that can leave a lasting impression. They seem to be like the other characters from other novels. Not quite unique. Though, I like how believable they are. You will really feel like you are part of Castle Creek High School.
As for the characters, I love Daisy. I find her power very cool “Electricity Girl”; She's smart and brave. Kevin’s character gave spice to the story. I like his sense of humor. He is hot and funny. Daisy and Kevin’s dialogues made me laugh a couple of times. I don’t like Danielle. I find her shallow, selfish and close minded. Vivi is fragile though her sweetness and vulnerability made her likable.
I also like the short graphic illustrations, telling Vivi’s story and Dannielle’s journal, revealing her deepest thoughts.
Overall, this book is a light and fast read. I recommend this book to younger readers. There was no swearing or any explicit content, a clean read for young readers.
Rating:
The blurb made me want to read this book. I like a story that is about mystery and paranormal with a hint of romance. Gift is a good story, a light read and was written flawlessly.
The story is seen through Daisy’s point of view. She was sent to find Vivi, a broken girl who tried to kill herself by drinking loads of painkiller. Daisy saved her from her fate. The story became much more interesting, when Daisy and Danielle shares the same dreams, a dream place where they were people from the past. Who is this Patrick? Is he some kind of ghostly presence? And why is Kevin oddly protective of her? Is it curiosity or a connection between them? You have to read this book to find out.
The story started quite slow for me, it only became interesting at the middle. The dream part got me curious. It gave me chills and left me begging for answers. Who are Jane and Veronica? Like I said, you have to read this book to find out. I don’t want to give the story away.
The world building is okay. The setting is more for young readers (Middle Grade). Since the protagonist is a sophomore. It was believable and close to reality. I had some reminiscing going on while reading this book. Danielle, Vivi and Kevin reminds me of my friends back in High School :)
The characters are not that memorable. They lack impact, something that can leave a lasting impression. They seem to be like the other characters from other novels. Not quite unique. Though, I like how believable they are. You will really feel like you are part of Castle Creek High School.
As for the characters, I love Daisy. I find her power very cool “Electricity Girl”; She's smart and brave. Kevin’s character gave spice to the story. I like his sense of humor. He is hot and funny. Daisy and Kevin’s dialogues made me laugh a couple of times. I don’t like Danielle. I find her shallow, selfish and close minded. Vivi is fragile though her sweetness and vulnerability made her likable.
I also like the short graphic illustrations, telling Vivi’s story and Dannielle’s journal, revealing her deepest thoughts.
Overall, this book is a light and fast read. I recommend this book to younger readers. There was no swearing or any explicit content, a clean read for young readers. The blurb made me want to read this book. I like a story that is about mystery and paranormal with a hint of romance. Gift is a good story, a light read and was written flawlessly.
The story is seen through Daisy’s point of view. She was sent to find Vivi, a broken girl who tried to kill herself by drinking loads of painkiller. Daisy saved her from her fate. The story became much more interesting, when Daisy and Danielle shares the same dreams, a dream place where they were people from the past. Who is this Patrick? Is he some kind of ghostly presence? And why is Kevin oddly protective of her? Is it curiosity or a connection between them? You have to read this book to find out.
The story started quite slow for me, it only became interesting at the middle. The dream part got me curious. It gave me chills and left me begging for answers. Who are Jane and Veronica? Like I said, you have to read this book to find out. I don’t want to give the story away.
The world building is okay. The setting is more for young readers (Middle Grade). Since the protagonist is a sophomore. It was believable and close to reality. I had some reminiscing going on while reading this book. Danielle, Vivi and Kevin reminds me of my friends back in High School :)
The characters are not that memorable. They lack impact, something that can leave a lasting impression. They seem to be like the other characters from other novels. Not quite unique. Though, I like how believable they are. You will really feel like you are part of Castle Creek High School.
As for the characters, I love Daisy. I find her power very cool “Electricity Girl”; She's smart and brave. Kevin’s character gave spice to the story. I like his sense of humor. He is hot and funny. Daisy and Kevin’s dialogues made me laugh a couple of times. I don’t like Danielle. I find her shallow, selfish and close minded. Vivi is fragile though her sweetness and vulnerability made her likable.
I also like the short graphic illustrations, telling Vivi’s story and Dannielle’s journal, revealing her deepest thoughts.
Overall, this book is a light and fast read. I recommend this book to younger readers. There was no swearing or any explicit content, a clean read for young readers. The blurb made me want to read this book. I like a story that is about mystery and paranormal with a hint of romance. Gift is a good story, a light read and was written flawlessly.
The story is seen through Daisy’s point of view. She was sent to find Vivi, a broken girl who tried to kill herself by drinking loads of painkiller. Daisy saved her from her fate. The story became much more interesting, when Daisy and Danielle shares the same dreams, a dream place where they were people from the past. Who is this Patrick? Is he some kind of ghostly presence? And why is Kevin oddly protective of her? Is it curiosity or a connection between them? You have to read this book to find out.
The story started quite slow for me, it only became interesting at the middle. The dream part got me curious. It gave me chills and left me begging for answers. Who are Jane and Veronica? Like I said, you have to read this book to find out. I don’t want to give the story away.
The world building is okay. The setting is more for young readers (Middle Grade). Since the protagonist is a sophomore. It was believable and close to reality. I had some reminiscing going on while reading this book. Danielle, Vivi and Kevin reminds me of my friends back in High School :)
The characters are not that memorable. They lack impact, something that can leave a lasting impression. They seem to be like the other characters from other novels. Not quite unique. Though, I like how believable they are. You will really feel like you are part of Castle Creek High School.
As for the characters, I love Daisy. I find her power very cool “Electricity Girl”; She's smart and brave. Kevin’s character gave spice to the story. I like his sense of humor. He is hot and funny. Daisy and Kevin’s dialogues made me laugh a couple of times. I don’t like Danielle. I find her shallow, selfish and close minded. Vivi is fragile though her sweetness and vulnerability made her likable.
I also like the short graphic illustrations, telling Vivi’s story and Dannielle’s journal, revealing her deepest thoughts.
Overall, this book is a light and fast read. I recommend this book to younger readers. There was no swearing or any explicit content, a clean read for young readers. -
I really enjoyed reading "Gift," by Andrea J. Buchanan. The story was highly entertaining, and I was riveted to every page. The way the author began the story, had me completely hooked! "I found her in the bathroom of the 300 building. Slumped in the corner, pressed up against her own reflection in the mirrored wall, she could have been crying, or sleeping, or ignoring me. But I knew as soon as I saw her that something was seriously wrong." (EARC, Loc. 44) The moment I read this initial sentence, I wanted to know who this girl was, and what was wrong with her. I thought this sentence was an amazing attention getter! There were a variety of reasons that I enjoyed reading, Gift, such as, the supernatural subject matter, partnered with mythology, the mystery, the romance, the plot twists, and how the author incorporated multi-media to tell the story in a variety of unconventional ways, from multiple point of views .
I loved all of the supernatural elements, and the use of mythology in Gift. The main character in the story, Daisy, had a unique supernatural "gift," or as she sometimes referred to it, a "curse." Daisy could control electrical currents. Anytime she touched a cell phone, or mp3 player, the battery would die. She had been kicked out of her old school when all of the computers in the lab had caught on fire. Her home was devoid of electronic devices. They didn't own a television, radio, cell phones, or even a toaster. Daisy had to work hard at staying calm through meditation, and Yoga, to keep her gift under control. The other characters in the story were Danielle, (Daisy's best friend) Kevin, (Daisy's love interest) Vivi, (Daisy's new friend) and Patrick, (the ghost.) Vivi also has a gift. Since she was a young child, she had been able to see a ghost, named Patrick. It was fun, and interesting to learn the story of Orpheus. I enjoy mythology a lot, and this was a fun surprise. Throughout the story, many parallels were drawn between Orpheus, and the plot of, Gift.
The plot in Gift was entertaining, because it contained mystery, romance, and many twists, turns, and surprises throughout the story. Both Daisy, and Danielle, consistently shared nightmares in which they were different women, in a past life. Daisy was a woman named Jane, and Danielle was a woman named Veronica. They were best friends in the reoccurring dreams, along with a servant named Lily, and Jane was in love with Veronica's brother, James. I enjoyed the mystery of trying to figure out who was sending the girls the dreams, the meaning behind the dreams, who James and Lily were in this lifetime, and how it was all connected to the present. I also enjoyed trying to figure out if Patrick was really a ghost that Vivi saw, or a product of her imagination, and if he was real, was he good, or evil... The romance in the story was written perfectly. Daisy and Kevin got to know each other really well, became friends, and liked each other a lot, but there wasn't any instant-love, which many Y.A. stories are guilty of. Also, the romance didn't dominate the story. It complimented the plot, but the main point of the story was Daisy's gift, the reoccurring shared nightmare's between Daisy, Danielle, and Patrick, the ghost. As the plot was revealed, there were many twist, turns, and surprises, along the way.
My absolute favorite part of Gift was how Ms. Buchanan used multiple forms of media to contribute to the story being unique, entertaining, fun, and creative. "Kevin," wrote songs for Daisy, and played them to her with his guitar. At the end of the story, the author has the lyrics to these songs, and the links to you-tube videos of them being sung. "Vivi," created a graphic novel to tell her perspective/point of view of the story. This is also placed after the story ends. I loved seeing the story simplified, and displayed with all of the detailed graphics, and to the point narration. This was a fun, and creative way to retell the story through Vivi's point of view. Also, throughout the book there were many graphics that depicted the girls dreams, and I enjoyed looking at them, and thought they added a fun, and creative flair to the story. "Danielle," wrote in a diary, her thoughts, feelings, and, perspective on the events that occurred in the story. This diary did an excellent job of showing Danielle's personality, and who she was as a character.
Gift was a well-rounded story that encompassed interesting, fun, and creative elements, such as, the supernatural, mythology, mystery, romance, plot twists, and a variety of artistic, and creative media, to build a great story! This story, and the way it was executed was unique, refreshing, and a nice change of pace from the typical and cliche YA books on the market. I recommend Gift, if you are looking for a unique and entertaining ghost story!
I give, Gift, by Andrea J. Buchanan, 4 Fun-Flavored, Entertainingly Creeptastic, Fast-Paced, On The Edge Of Your Seat Stars! I highly recommend this story, if you enjoy reading YA Paranormal Romance, and specifically ghost stories. This was the perfect story for readers who enjoy unraveling a good mystery, love delving into the realm of the supernatural, and enjoy the incorporation of mythology. Gift exceeded my expectations, and if you love a plot-driven story, that will have you guessing, as well as being surprised by some plot twists, and surprises. Gift is a great choice for a bookish escape!
For more book reviews, visit A Bookish Escape at
Http://www.abookishescape.com -
DNF: I am afraid this is a little too young for me.
I don't believe in scoring very low because of my taste in books hence the three stars. -
Full
Review on NetGalley -
I enjoyed the book. There were a couple of predictable spots but, the story was original for me.
-
“Gift” è rimasto per diverso tempo abbandonato a sé stesso, perché non ho mai trovato occasione di leggerlo e perché come mi capita spesso avevo completamente rimosso la trama. Non mi ricordavo assolutamente di cosa parlasse e ho deciso di concedergli una chance quando il galley era in fase di scadenza.
Daisy ha un dono particolare, può entrare in contatto con l’elettricità che la circonda e far saltare in aria gli oggetti elettronici che la circondano. Un giorno il prof di inglese la manda a cercare una sua compagnia di classe Vivi che era andata in bagno e la trova prima che sia troppo tardi, visto che aveva inghiottito una quantità impressionante di pillole. In questa occasione entra in contatto con Patrick il fidanzato/fantasma di Vivi e iniziano una serie di fatti strani. E intanto conosce Kevin che insieme a Danielle, la sua migliore amica cercheranno di scoprire che cosa sta succedendo e di salvare sé stessi dai nemici. Riusciranno a salvarsi e ad essere felici?
“Gift” è uno di quei libri capaci di sorprenderti, perché ammetto che all’inizio non volevo saperne, le prime pagine mi sembravano quelle di una storia per ragazzini, infantili al massimo grado, ma dopo un po’ sono entrata nella storia, nel mistero che circonda tutta la vicenda, e anche se avevo indovinato metà trama dall’inizio ho continuato la lettura solo per vedere dove la Buchanan voleva andare a parare. Mi sono ricreduta e sono sempre disposta a concedere una chance ad un buon libro, come questo.
Ora la protagonista indiscussa della storia è Daisy, riservata fino allo stremo, capace di controllarsi anche nei momenti più disperati, che deve necessariamente nascondere la sua vera natura. Solo Danielle conosce la verità e le è di sostegno insieme alla madre, che continua a nasconderle un pezzo importante della sua eredità. Piena di inventiva, capace di prendere in mano la situazione, di rischiare la sua vita e di mettersi in gioco Daisy racconta la sua storia in prima persona. Sconvolta dalle attenzioni di Kevin, che pure nasconde un segreto, non si lascia troppo intimorire e si lancia nella sfida.
Vivi disegna benissimo, è una ragazza molto dolce, ma viene continuamente manipolata e solo l’aiuto dei suoi amici riuscirà a salvarla. Patrick riempie tutto il suo mondo finché non ne ha abbastanza e non vede l’ora di fuggire verso un luogo dove può essere libera e vivere davvero.
Ma sicuramente è Danielle il personaggio che più mi ha colpita. Scettica, incapace di credere ai sogni e ai fantasmi si ritrova coinvolta in una escalation di follia, ed è lei quella che ne rimane più colpita perché Patrick va a colpire lì dove può, a suo vantaggio.
Kevin è più grande delle ragazze ma riesce ad inserirsi nel gruppo in maniera perfetta, soprattutto per la sua intelligenza, coraggio, intuizione e gentilezza. E poi con Daisy è dolcissimo, come si può resistergli? Bello come il sole, viene considerato un po’ strano per qualcosa che gli è successo nel passato e perché è il prediletto dell’insegnante di inglese che aiuta come assistente. Ma suona la chitarra e compone canzoni, e quando ne dedica una a Daisy non si può non apprezzarlo ancora di più anche se già si è fatto valere con le sue incredibili qualità.
Seppur la romance sia trascurata rispetto al resto della storia, pure impariamo ad apprezzare Kevin che svolge un ruolo fondamentale nella storia.
Il particolare da non dimenticare? Una scatola piena di ricordi e una chitarra.
“Gift” è uno di quei libri che si apprezza davvero solo nel corso della lettura e che non si può smettere di leggere perché avventura e mistero la fanno da padroni. Non è una semplice storia di fantasmi, è una storia con una vena paranormale che parla di amore, amicizia e perdono, in un mondo in cui fin troppo spesso rimaniamo chiusi nel nostro piccolo microambiente senza tentare nulla. In più la Buchanan ci offre degli extra nei punti di vista di Danielle, Vivi e Kevin. Stupendi.
Buona lettura guys!
Ringrazio Netgalley e Open Road Media per avermi concesso l’onore e il piacere di leggere questo libro in cambio della mia opinione. Thanks!
Recensione anche sul mio blog:
http://pleaseanotherbook.tumblr.com/p... -
I received an e-copy from the publishers at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Another one of my NetGalley impulse reads. I had read a few reviews from other bloggers that I follow who were quasi-impressed with the book. I was curious whether this shortie (155 pages) would live up to the praises. I actually thought this was going to be more of a witchy-type of book instead of being about a ghost. When you think of gifts that is what you think of naturally, right? When I started to realize while reading that it wasn't what I thought, I had to completely go into it blind. I didn't reread the premise to refresh my memory on what it was about after my misunderstanding. I simply kept going to see how I would feel about it without any refresher course.
This story starts with Daisy finding Vivi in a bathroom after taking a fair amount of pills. She quickly finds out that Vivi was attempting to reconnect with her ghost boyfriend that she claims is her soulmate. Daisy, always the skeptic despite her own otherworldly attributes, doesn't quite believe Vivi but she is willing to listen anyway due to an overwhelming draw to her. She feels like Vivi and her are supposed to be friends and she wants to know why.
Not long after that, Daisy's best friend, Danielle, is dragged into things. Danielle and Daisy start sharing an interesting psychic connection that they never had experienced before. They chalk it up to the physical body challenged friend of Vivi's. Eventually their world just completely gets consumed by the paranormal to the point where they start having to delve into the past to understand their present. Along the way, Daisy inadvertently draws in the handsome, odd, senior Kevin. There are, quite literal, sparks from the moment they meet and she confides in him rather easily.
Now it is up to Vivi, Danielle, Daisy, and Kevin to figure out how to help Vivi's ghost friend, but what do they truly know about him and what is his connection to all of them?
This book kind of read like it would fit more into the middle grade genre than the young adult. Some of the situations seemed a bit more like a PBS special than anything. The overall theme of the book seemed more a lesson in "don't talk to strangers" than any real spooky ghost story. I did, however, like the back story of how the girls have been connected in the past. That was the book's saving grace as far as I was concerned. The rest of it was just... not there for me. The conversations between the characters were supposed to be funny but it was that comedy that, once again, younger individuals would relate to or find humorous. I just kept wincing and hoping they get past it fast to get back to the meat of the story. I had to muscle my way through the book because I really wanted to set it down and read something else for a while. I am never one to start something I don't plan to finish and so... I did finish... reluctantly.
Gift is a book that would appeal to the younger generation of the young adult genre.
-
What if you had the power to affect electricity and electrical devices? Would you struggle, daily, if not hourly, to keep your power under control, or would you allow yourself the freedom to let go? This is one of the dilemmas facing Daisy Jones, the 16-year-old protagonist of Andrea Buchanan's teen lit novel, Gift. As Daisy says:
I told her how when I was a baby my mom noticed the radio garbling or going static if she happened to be holding me while she touched it to switch stations or fiddle with the volume. I told her how as a toddler I was able to change the channels on our television when I pressed my hands against the screen, trying to say hi to Cookie Monster. How anything - everything - electric went on the fritz when I touched it. Cordless phones, digital watches, microwaves, blow dryers. I told her how it was kind of a family joke when I was little, or a joke between me and my mom anyway, since that was all the family we had - there goes another toaster, Daisy must have sneezed - and how for a while that's all it was: a joke. How as I got older it got more intense. How people started noticing, how stuff happened at school, how it stopped being funny.
To combat her "gift," Daisy practices yoga breathing exercises, which keep her emotions under control. Over the years, she discovered that if she can't moderate herself, things tend to go haywire. This, of course, could be a metaphor for teenagers everywhere, electrical gifts or not.
But then Daisy starts to experience bad dreams, nightmares in which she knows she is in danger. She is not "Daisy" in these dreams, but rather a woman named Jane. Her best friend, Danielle, is in the dream, too, as is another classmate, Vivi. Like Daisy, they are not themselves, but she knows that it's them, nonetheless. One of them wields a bloody knife, another one is missing, and the third is in peril.
The girls struggle to interpret the dreams. Brought together when Daisy rescues Vivi from an apparent suicide attempt, the three bond. Daisy and Danielle have the same dreams, and Daisy begins to be visited by Vivi's ghost/soulmate/guardian angel, Patrick. Also helping them out is Kevin, who is smitten with Daisy and determined to help her understand what is happening.
Is Patrick the beacon of goodness that Vivi believes him to be? Does he have Daisy's best interests at heart when he urges her to use her powers? Or is there a darker, more sinister motive afoot? And what about Kevin and Danielle?
Gift is an engrossing, entertaining book that middle and high school kids will enjoy. Most teenagers experience friction in their friendships, and this book explores that. They also struggle with accepting themselves, the good and the bad. Daisy's gift symbolizes that torturous high school experience.
As I tend to do, though, I found myself distracted by questions I wanted answered. If Daisy short circuits electronics by touch, what will happen when she needs to do schoolwork on a computer? Does her mother write a note or something? What about when she goes to college? How will she avoid computers then? One scene that took place in a hospital room also kind of threw me, because I started wondering what would happen if she got ill and needed treatment or tests.
But those questions are not the point of Gift. Entertaining, relatable characters and an interesting story are.
Thanks to NetGalley for the preview copy. This review also appears on
. -
This one I requested off Netgalley, originally because I thought it was a re-pub of some '90s teen paranormal book - and I love those cheesy things to death! :) So imagine my surprise when I saw a Twilight reference in the dialogue - but it was a nice surprise. The main character Daisy is the new kid in school for what seems like the millionth time when she and her Mom move because of trouble at her last school. She has an ability that they've kept a secret, to manipulate electricity and it makes her a death sentence to things like cell phones, computers, mp3 players, and anything electrical. The only person she tells is her new friend Danielle, until Daisy saves another classmate Vivi from an overdose in the school bathroom. Afterwards Vivi confesses to Daisy that she has her own personal ghost, Patrick, who's been with her since she was little. And he says that the girls are connected somehow. When Daisy, Vivi and even Danielle start sharing dreams of things that never happened to them, and people they've never met - but who really did exist in the past - they begin to wonder what it all means. With the help of cute senior boy Kevin, the girls begin to piece things together and discover that not everyone is who they say they are, and that someone wants revenge on them. Can they stop evil from destroying them all or will it consume them completely?
It was a little bit short and did read kind of young for my tastes. But I really enjoyed the fact that for the most part, the main character's special powers weren't the focus of the book. They were just a part of who she was as a person. The main focus is really on the relationship between Vivi, Danielle and Daisy, how their past lives intersected and why Patrick (who Vivi is in love with and calls her 'angel') is haunting the three of them. As the plot moves along, things do get a little bit convoluted with Daisy's inability to be around technology without breaking it getting glossed over and the situation with one of the teachers being solved way too neat and tidy in the end. Honestly the sarcastic quips, overdramatic flair and fun personality of Danielle kept things moving along for me as a reader. I liked Daisy, who as a sweet, shy, good-girl was a nice foil for Danielle's over the top ways and Vivi's naïve, stupid, head in the sand life philosophies! Kevin as a love interest was very sweet and boy next door, but I liked his banter and interactions with Daisy. I also highly enjoyed how present Daisy's Mom was in the book and in the best possible way. So nice to see a parent represented in a YA book and not made into a monster, or a complete cliché. The ending wasn't a complete surprise but the twists and turns kept me going through the book. Plus this release included some really cool extras: a graphic novel by Vivi of what happened in the book, the lyrics of Kevin's songs and a link to his YouTube channel, and Danielle's diary which clears up some confusing things about her possession. The inclusion of mythology was nice and the fact that it was the story of Eurydice and Orpheus was pretty awesome - they don't get a lot of play in contemporary fiction. Overall an enjoyable read and I would recommend it to those who don't mind books that read younger. It has an awesome enough premise and execution to make up for it.
VERDICT: 4/5 Stars
*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book was published March 27th, 2012.* -
Quick review:
"Gift” by Andrea Buchanan is an animated and entertaining read. I enjoyed the characters and found the story intriguing. Daisy must somehow disentangle her dreams and learn to channel her unnatural ability before it is too late. Determining who is a friend or foe is hard enough in high school without including the supernatural. The witty comments keep the atmosphere light while the mystery and suspense keep the reader turning pages. “Gift” is sure to appeal and satisfy a wide range of readers with its assimilated mystery, paranormal, and romance.
Full review:
Andrea Buchanan delivers an extraordinary tale of suspense with her book, “Gift.” Each character is appealing in his or her own right, which is refreshing and appreciated. Often there is a character that is terribly abrasive or implausibly perfect; this is not the case with Buchanan’s cast. I found myself interested not only in the fate of the group, but quickly became invested in the individuals as well. The similarities between the personas in the dreams and the people in reality are immediately evident making the sequence of the dreams a powerful story narrative. The story effectively transitioned from the dream world to modern day reality while captivating the reader in both realms.
Daisy, our female protagonist, possesses an otherworldly bond with electricity that has forced her to be an outsider her entire life. Daisy’s only friends, Danielle and Vivi, accept Daisy’s condition but never fully embrace its implications. Kevin, Daisy’s love interest, is much more empathetic and relates to her in such a way that ultimately a genuine connection develops. The element that truly unites these individuals, however, is Patrick. Throughout the book, Patrick is an enigma. The characters, along with the reader, question both his existence and his purpose. The cryptic dreams and ambiguous Patrick keep everyone guessing and create quite a compelling plot. I recommend this book to teens and adults alike; the traces of paranormal and romance develop an appealing backdrop for the prevailing mystery genre.
Andrea Buchanan -
Normally I’m not a big fan of ghost stories. When it comes to supes my preference is normally witches, vampires, and then werewolves. However, my curiosity got the best of me after I read the synopsis; I became instantly intrigued. I have to say, out of all the books I’ve ever read, Gift has one of the best and most-alluring opening chapters I’ve ever seen. By the time the first chapter ended I was was desperate to read on.
Gift starts off with introducing our main character and heroine, Daisy Jones who is in a serious predicament. She’s been searching throughout her school for a fellow classmate, named Vivi. She finally finds Vivi keeled over in a girl’s bathroom, clutching a bottle of Advil PM. (This is the part where I knew I was instantly hooked.) Vivi:
"“You don’t understand,” she sobbed. “It’s the only way we can be together. I just have to sleep, and then-” She stopped suddenly, focusing her heavy-lidded eyes on a space above my head. “Patrick you came back.” A smile briefly transformed her face as she closed her eyes and slumped to the floor."
Crazy right!? At this point I had a dozen or so questions bubbling in my mind. Was Vivi going to be okay? What drove her to OD? And also, who the heck was Patrick?! At the time I was unaware, but I soon learned that this first chapter was but the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the crazy, mysterious, and awesome, that is Gift.
It’s a slight spoiler… but Vivi does end up living through this first incident and in doing so becomes quite close to Daisy, and Daisy’s best friend, Danielle. The three girls quickly discover shared experiences revolving around bizarre dreams and visits with a supernatural entity. Early on in the book we find out that Daisy has a very peculiar “gift” that she constantly wishes she could give back. She’s able to manipulate energy in a some-what uncontrollable way which causes her to steer clear from electronic gadgets such as TVs, celephones, mp3s, etc. in order to hide her anomaly. It surprises everyone including Daisy when they discover her gift is connected to “Patrick” and the weird things that begin to happen.
Gift is all about the three girls, and a boy named Kevin (he comes along later) who are desperately trying to figure out what some crazy shared dreams mean and what “Patrick” really is and wants with the girls. Towards the end I was kind-of able to guess the big revelation, but the majority of the book; I was stumped. I think that Gift’s plot was really unique and I loved how they fit a little Greek mythology into the story. Instead of incorporating Greek characters, the author took a different approach by incorporating Greek themes instead.
I give this book a 3/5 star rating because there’s some parts I didn’t care for. For instance, I mentioned that the first chapter hooked me right in, however the chapters following were kind of a slump for me. The story was moving very slowly and only my deep need to know what or who “Patrick” was, kept me going. I was also confused in how Gift ended in the sense that I wasn’t sure if we could expect a sequel or some type of continuation. I really hope there is another book because Daisy had a tiny, family revelation and it never really played out. If there is another book I’m anxious to see if we get more on that development. -
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book looked incredibly interesting and different, which is why I requested to review it. The story is mainly about Daisy, a high school sophomore that has a secret power. To Daisy, being able to make electronics go haywire seems more of an inconvenience than a power. Fortunately, she is able to control her abilities to some degree and tries to fit in at her school. When a teacher asks Daisy to look for Vivi, Daisy finds her on the brink of death. Vivi and Daisy become fast friends as she tries to explain what happened. Vivi has a soulmate and he’s not alive. Patrick is a ghost.
This turn of events brings Daisy’s best friend Danielle, Daisy, and Vivi together as they try and figure out what is happening. They are having strange dreams and only Vivi seems to be able to communicate with Patrick. Daisy ends up meeting a dreamy senior named Kevin when she was supposed to meet up with Vivi for lunch. She finds out he’s a TA for her favorite teacher and asks him for help with her situation in the guise of writing a story.
The plot combines dreams, ghosts, Daisy’s electrical power, and the past for an interesting adventure for the four teenagers. Daisy and Kevin find out that have a connection, as well, which added the element of romance to the book. I found the plot to be unique, though somewhat predictable after a certain point. While there were surprises thrown my way, I felt as if I figured out the main mystery before Kevin did.
The characters were well developed, but I couldn’t connect with any of them. I felt as if there was something missing. The best developed character was Danielle, but I couldn’t stand her. There were avenues explored in this book that didn’t work with me because they didn’t end up really connecting to the plot or they were only explored vaguely.
While the plot was strong, I felt like there were elements that didn’t quite fit in and wondered why they were even there to begin with if they weren’t going to connect in some way. For instance, the three girls and Kevin use their favorite teacher’s classroom as a place to get together during lunch to discuss their strange events. They were afraid that he would eavesdrop and occasionally, he would make a comment that made it seem like he was listening, but nothing ever happened after the plot got rolling to suggest he ever was listening. I guess I expected him to have some sort of role as the plot developed and nothing happened. Also, Daisy’s father is not in the picture and she discovers that her mom may be hiding something. Once she found out what her mom was hiding, I figured that secret would also connect to the plot, but it only served to steer Daisy in the wrong direction and nothing about her father was ever spoken of again.
Because the plot was so unique and combined many various elements, I guess I just expected something more. I finished reading with slight disappointment and wished there was just more to it. It was a great read and certainly something different and I would still recommend it, but it left me wanting more the entire time I was reading.
