Review: The Talented by Desy Smith

THE TALENTED

by Desy Smith

Floebe Publishing

YA Fantasy

198 pages

At age 17, Carmel founds herself in a mental institution thanks to an ice dagger, and a woman who apparently isn’t human. After being rescued and arriving at the H.o.T, House of Talents. A house where no one is entirely human. She learns that she’s Talented and has the ability to control Water and Ice.

At the H.o.T, Carmel learns to control her Talent, makes new friends, a few enemies, and begins to fall head over heels for a handsome guy. Who has a few secrets of his own. Carmel begins to realize that many people want her dead because of who she is. However she has no idea why. Can she figure it out or will she die. Look inside to find out.

MY TIDBITS

I find this one difficult to review. The story did engage me. Carmel is a teenage girl, who's been through a lot. . .the book starts off with her in a mental ward. Despite her problems, she's pretty together and has a strong personality. She's a bit biting at times, but in general, easy to like and believable. When she discovers her 'talent', it was nice to see her wielding it almost effortlessly instead of struggling like characters of these novels so often do.

There's a great love interest, who has the potential to be all those swoon-worthy things a hero should be, and the friends are true-blue as well as enemies who pose a real threat. Add the action and wonderful scenes, and this is a story to dive into and enjoy.

Despite all these wonderful things, the story simply lacks a little more flow to the plot. It's a short read and could have easily been fleshed out. Several things seem to suddenly be there and expected without developing first, or relationships suddenly happen without the build-up. Several things didn't match up and there were a few logic holes. 

But despite all of this, I cared about Carmel and wanted to know what would happen to her. I wanted her romance to bloom, and I wanted them to succeed. I read this to the very end and was glad to get the chance to dive into the adventure.