Talented [Review]

Stats: 
349 pages [Kindle]
Published 17 February 2012
ASIN:  B0076Y7ON4
[Amazon::Barnes&Noble]



Synopsis:
If you always knew what people were really thinking, would you consider it a gift or a curse?

Talia Lyons is Talented. Born after a nuclear spill, she is part of a new generation that possesses special abilities; Talia can read the minds of others and manipulate their thoughts. Whether Morphers, Light Manipulators or Telekinetics, the Talented are taught to control their abilities under the protective eye of the government- to use their Talents for good. But all Talia wants is revenge.

Talia joins the Hunters, an elite group of government operatives, hoping to one day kill Ian Crane - the man who ordered the execution of her parents. Ever since she witnessed their brutal deaths, Talia has spent her life honing her abilities, determined to settle the score. But she still has a lot to learn before she can ease the pain inside. Talia turns to a boy who can mimic her Talents, a boy who truly understands her inner turmoil. But even he can’t help Talia, when she’s forced to choose between saving herself and avenging the lives of her parents.

Talented is an action-packed adventure, about a group of teenagers who aren't afraid to embrace their fears and fight for what they believe in.



My Thoughts:


Talented takes you into a post-nuclear disaster future where some people have developed "Talents" such as morphing, super intelligence, telepathy, telekinesis, etc. and the United States is split into the Agency and the Coalition (CA, NV, UT, AZ, CO, NM, TX). The Agency requires all children to be tested for Talents and is placed in the McDonough School For the Talented at age 5. The Coalition rebelled and seceded. Natalia Lyons is a teenage girl with advanced mind manipulation who is on the road to become a Hunter and hunt down the man who ordered the death of her parents, the leader of the Coalition, Ian Crane.

In Talented, you have some traditional elements of a YA book...aka the Love Triangle. However, I think that it was well executed and I attached myself to Talia and felt her feelings and her angst and confusion. The whole environment created by Davis is brilliant. Her characters are so complex. And let me tell you what...that. epilogue. was. KILLER! I HAVE to get my hands on Caged like yesterday. It was such an intense cliffhanger!

**Special shout out to We <3 YA Books! group and Sophie Davis for letting me get my hands on a copy to review**

Previous Review:
The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa {here}

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