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Thursday 3 February 2022

Book Review: The Gifts That Bind Us by Caroline O'Donoghue

The Gifts That Bind Us by Caroline O'Donoghue book cover

AD* | Maeve and her friends have revealed their powers and banded together as a coven: Roe can pick locks, Lily sends sparks flying, Maeve can read minds and Fiona can heal any injury.

And even better than their newfound talents? Roe and Maeve are officially an item.

But with strange things happening at school, and old enemies appearing in new places, it soon becomes clear their powers are attracting all the wrong attention. It's not long before Maeve's gift start to wane, drained by someone - or something - that's hiding even from her second sight...

When I read it last year, I adored All Our Hidden Gifts, the first book in the series of the same name. The sequel jumped straight onto my tbr list and as soon as I could get my hands on a copy, I jumped at the chance! 

Perhaps surprisingly for the first book in a new series, there weren't many loose threads left hanging at the end of All Our Hidden Gifts. This meant I was left intrigued as to the angle that the sequel would end up following. 

In some ways, The Gifts That Bind Us feels more like an extension of the first book than a separate book in its own right. It builds on the lore and the magic explained previously, delving into greater detail to add more richness to the story. All the familiar faces are back again too, yet with different relationship dynamics to explore. This book effortlessly balances magic and the supernatural with all the teen drama you'd expect from a YA novel.

Yet despite all that, I struggled to recapture the magic of the first book. I was captivated by the story, but I just wasn't spellbound. It's not you, it's me...

The Gifts That Bind Us is still an enjoyable read, although I do strongly recommend reading All Our Hidden Gifts first - if you haven't already - to get a flavour for the style, characters, and world. 

Will I be back again for book three? Of course - I have to see where the story ends!

Rating: 3 stars 

The Gifts That Bind Us is available to buy now.

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* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Are you a fan of the series? Share your thoughts in the comments below! 

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