Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Review of The Gifts by Patria Dunn Rowe


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The Gifts was Patria Dunn Rowe's debut novel. With it, she will definitely make a name for herself! 

Book Description from Amazon:"When twenty-one year old Nahla Marks decides to start her junior year at Wake Forest University as an education major, instead of continuing on the path to pre-med, everything seems to fall apart. Her parents have practically disowned her, stripping all financial help and communication away. Then, there is this feeling, this color -as she calls it- that has begun to take over her body. She doesn’t know how to control it, and the more it happens, the worse it gets. 

Gideon’s bedroom, Gideon’s apartment, Gideon… had saved her, nursing her wounds. Nephilim was the word he used, but not quite, he cautioned as he told her a story -a story that explained what was happening to her, and why he now stood before her…seemingly, an angel. 

She’d never asked for this to happen to her, and didn’t want the chaos that seemed to follow her everywhere now. Not only was the media looking for her, but someone else wanted the gifts they possessed, at any cost…"





I was immediately drawn into Nahla's story, from her unusual birth and upbringing to the secret she can't seem to keep hidden. Nahla's story, while superbly entertaining and engaging, was not the only one told. I was swept away by the back story of how the Gifts came to be and how they got to where they ended up. I absolutely love to read novels that have multiple layers, as this one does. The author did an amazing job pulling the stories together in a smooth, easy read that keeps you turning pages.

Aside from the story within a story there are the multi-dimensional characters. Even as certain characters discover more about themselves than meets the eye, the author also keeps them very human. Their hopes, dreams, concerns and fears all have that human edge to them that some authors tend to loose when they start giving out powers to their characters. 

There are a few issues in the book that can be attributed to e-book formatting problems, however; Patria Dunn Rowe is such an amazing storyteller that they are easily overlooked. The tale she tells is simply too captivating to put down. 

One final note, while I wouldn't call this book a YA novel, I will say that I wouldn't be opposed to my teenage daughter reading it. I think, this book in particular, is a great for high school age and beyond.
I already have the second book in this series, Signs and WondersI can't wait to get started on it, because The Gifts will definitely leave you wanting more... more answers, more romance, and more Gifts!I will definitely post an update on the second book when I finish!You can find Patria Dunn Rowe onTwitter and Facebook.

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