The premise of this book was really interesting and was what drew me in initially. I haven't read a book based around tarot before. I really enjoyed how it started with the disappearance and I got really into the story at first. However, I felt that the plot and character development stalled a bit about halfway through and I found myself slowing down with my reading. By the end I wasn't enjoying it as much as I had to begin with. It is still an interesting read, but perhaps not everything I was hoping for.

This book completely had me at the word 'tarot'. I've always been intrigued by the art and origins of tarot reading so having a spooky deck of cards as the centrepiece for a novel really hooked me into the story and seemed quite different to other tropes/plot drivers that I've read about recently. Combined with a diverse band of main characters and set against a backdrop of Irish politics, this YA novel gave me plenty to enjoy.

All Our Hidden Gifts centres around our main character Maeve who finds a mysterious deck of tarot cards (along with a working cassette walkman) whilst she's on detention at her all-girls Catholic school St. Bernadettes. For someone who isn't that academic, Maeve finds it surprising easily to grasp the rules of tarot reading and begins hosting sessions for the girls at her school. Upon the strange appearance of an eerie 'Housekeeper' card and the mysterious vanishing of her former best friend Lily, Maeve embarks on a journey with sidekicks Roe and Fiona to try and solve the mystery of Lily's disappearance. On their way, they uncover peculiar happenings in their small Irish town and get drawn into the conflicting politics of religion, pride and magic.

I loved the presence of the tarot cards as a key driver in this novel - I've always had some kind of magical fascination with them and the way the peculiar Housekeeper card has such an impact on Maeve's life was gripping, I'm just so pleased that I haven't found a Housekeeper card in my own tarot deck because that would definitely freak me out!

Maeve is such a young and honest lead. Whilst some of her choices are a little naive or questionable, particularly friendship-wise, I like the honesty in which she confronts her actions. Caroline's portrayal of Maeve seems so authentic to that young, teenage girl going-through-the-motions-of-high-school that I really bought into her as a character and as someone who also went to an all-girls school.

The supporting characters complement Maeve really well. Roe's exploration of his sexuality and expression of identity was refreshing and poignant in the way it related to some of the more political conflicts going on around the main storyline. Fiona's Asian influences also drew a unique parallel with both Maeve's and Roe's experiences. Their diversity added a great deal of depth to the storyline whilst also helping Maeve to see the true values and meanings of friendship.

The magical element of the plot goes beyond just the tarot deck. Amongst the talk of otherworldly dimensions and summonings of spirits, Maeve's experiences with homemade spells and witchcraft keep this element of the story quite realistic and believable without straying too far into the realms of complete fantasy. As Maeve discovers why she has such an affinity with the tarot deck, we start to understand a little more about her powers and tie up some of the looser ends within the story.

What I really enjoyed about this story was the way the author addresses some of the more political and controversial attitudes of Irish society. In our modern world of freedom, self-expression and pride, we can sometimes forget the ongoing struggles people face while trying to be their authentic selves in communities which are still devoutly conservative or religious. Whilst this forms a central part of the narrative for Roe's character, O'Donoghue communicates this sensitively - raising awareness without giving too much of a historical/political narrative. Her tone is in-keeping with the rest of the novel and subtly gives the reader something to think about without going beyond the Teens/YA audience barrier. The Irish representation is something I haven't experienced before in stories within this genre so it added to my enjoyment of the novel.

I have a special mention of adoration for the part of the narrative centring around Sister Assumpta and her decrepit VW Beetle. I hate spoilers so I won't really mention it here but the presence of this in the story and the discoveries Maeve makes in that little car kept me flipping page after page to get to the bottom of those curiosities!

Overall, All Our Hidden Gifts is ultimately the book which broke me out of my reading slump. I loved the tarot element and the friendship between Maeve, Roe and Fiona. It was magical without being overly fantastical and is fitting of its 'Teen/YA' age bracket, although I personally feel this fits into the younger side of the YA genre. Roe's character gave me food-for-thought and the backdrop of Irish sensitivities brought a new representation to my reading diet. News has it that there's a follow-up novel planned. Whilst I'm left feeling contented about the ending of All Our Hidden Gifts, it will be really fascinating to see where O'Donoghue takes this story next.

[Review to be posted on blog 07.07.21]

I am obsessed! I don’t normally read contemporary YA But I absolutely loved this. I need the sequel ASAP!!

Maeve finds a pack of tarot cards at school and discovers she has a talent for reading them. A weird card that doesn't really belong turns up in a reading she gives her ex-best friend Lily. Then Lily disappears and she believes it's the cards' fault!

Presenting an undeniable wit and mysterious to the point of being even a little hair-raising when unexplained things happen. The 1st person POV is snappy and whimsical and oh! so personal. There is a deeply rooted respect for the engaging characters. Characters that pull you in instantly, and make you want to learn more about them. Characters that are grounded in reality with quirks, flaws, etc. The dialogue flows naturally, having the flavor of actual people talking.

Full of vivid, uncommon descriptions that left me often in awe of their originality and accuracy, their undeniable flair. Gorgeous writing that is simultaneously powerful and floaty, that sweeps you into this world.

Enamored with the way the narrative tingles with bizarre occurrences and how the working theory of what is really going on keeps changing. The weaving of the plot threads leads us to an intricate but well-thought-out story path that keeps you on your figurative toes. The build-up is amazing with a devious antagonist to boot. The stakes are much higher than we initially think.

Great queer representation without fanfare but organically done.

Touching the subject of other people's expectations of us and how they can be stifling, or even obstacles, and advising as they say "You do you". The power of belief is another theme as is prejudice. Prejudice that is veiled or not so veiled, dangerously teetering on hate which festers.

This was a wonderful surprise of an incredible book: charming, with a wonderful mythology that I have not encountered before and oh so charming. I am so happy it is the first of a series.

All Our Hidden Gifts was a surprisingly amazing read for me. The first chapter had been rocky for me but the moment I hit chapter 2 I had a hard time putting it down until the end. Teenagers are dealing with hate crimes, climate change, oppression from every angle and juggling all of this while trying to find themselves, whether they're wanting to figure out/explore their sexuality, their own desires in life itself, or trying to save a fellow teen.

The emotions felt very real and the flaws in the MC made her the sort that you could grow with as you watch her navigate everything. She also gets called out for her bad/toxic behaviors which is refreshing to see her take these things and learn from them where other MCs just become purely petulant in other books.

Overall I think this tackled a lot of relevant issues while maintaining the feel of an ancient/ageless lore. The ending was extremely fitting on the outcome of the missing teen and I'd go into more but don't want to give spoilers.

There'll be a full review on my blog this week.

4.5/5 Cups of coffee from me, thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

DRC provided by Walker Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Representation: genderqueer bisexual secondary character, Filipino-Irish secondary character, lesbian secondary character, deaf tertiary character, queer tertiary characters.

Content Warning: bullying, homophobia, religious fanaticism, slurs, HP reference, self-harm, racism, violence, mentions of suicide, mentions of spousal physical abuse, mentions of homophobic assaults (physical and verbal).

All Our Hidden Gifts by Caroline O’Donoghue is a contemporary fantasy set in Ireland about friendships, old and new, love, family and magic all mixed in a cauldron (with hints of the movie “The Craft”).

Maeve Chambers always feels out of place in her family of academically proficient people. Everyone hides a hidden talent though and Maeve’s happens to fall in the category of magic and witchcraft.

I surely enjoyed reading O’Donoghue’s book, but I really did not like Maeve and her self-centredness, and at times inconsiderateness. She somewhat fits the insufferable trope of “not like the other girls” and that is what made me wish another character would have a point of view, as it becomes a little hard to continue reading only from hers. Luckily, she is accompanied by a cast of brilliant side characters whom I loved dearly (among whom there is a fantastic genderqueer character, Roe, who deserves the world, as does the lovely Fiona), which made the reading experience infinitely better.

All Our Hidden Gifts is an enjoyable and quick read despite a quite unlikeable main character.

All Our Hidden Gifts is exactly what I want from a YA book. It's inclusive, fun, easy to read, well-paced, and treats magic with respect.
I thought it was a stand-alone- and honestly, it could work as one but thank the goddess it is part one of a series because I want more. I want to explore Roe more, I want to see what happens when the powder keg lit by Aaron explodes, I want to see how the hidden gifts manifest in the future. I will say it reads a little younger than you would expect (if you took out the sex talk this could easily be middle grade) but I assume that the series will age as it goes on.

Intriguing, creepy and magical. A story of romance, friendship and tarot set in modern day Ireland.
I really enjoyed this YA magical, mystery thriller and look forward to more from Caroline O’Donoghue.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Thanks so much to Walker for the ARC!

I adore Caroline, her podcast and her adult fiction. And as a massive fan of YA and fantasy this was an auto request for me. I enjoyed this book so much! If you're after a witchy, magical and engaging read - this one's for you!

I loved how tarot was integrated in the story, this added another level of mysteriousness for me, and I've never seen it done quite like this. I also appreciated how Irish culture and the current political climate were spoken about using very fantastical elements. I thought this was done really well and added so much more to the narrative.

Very fun! I didn't want the book to end.

I'd love to see Caroline go into more fantasy - adult fantasy?? Yes please!

What I thought was particularly clever about the way this book was written was the way the magical side of things gradually increased. It went from being a pack of tarot cards, to being able to read them, to something much, much darker by the end of the book. This constant build up of both suspense and power really kept my attention from wandering as I needed to know just what was going to happen next.

I also thought this book managed to send out some really powerful, important messages from within its pages. Obviously – don’t do hate crime. It makes you an arsehole. Big message there. But there were also other messages, those about struggling to fit in as a teenager, trying to find our place in the world and not always handling it well, and more positive messages, about learning how to set healthy boundaries for ourselves and others around us.

I ended up rating this book four stars on Good Reads; it’s a book I would happily recommend to friends who are both / either LGBT and / or interested in the occult, but also those who enjoy young adult fiction and want examples of why I read it now. This book was such a positive example of modern young adult fiction in many ways that it’s a great demonstration of why the genre is so popular, with young adults, and with adults too.

This book was a fascinating read, and it keeps you turning the pages from start to finish. The plot is so unique and the author fully delves into how complex teenage friendships are, and the angst surrounding them.

Okey, it took me a while to finish it. I love everything related to tarot so of course I need it in my life.
I liked the mystery behind Lily disappearance, but after few chapters in just stopped working for me. What I actually loved the most about the book was the representation, the different characters will get your curiosity quickly so that’s a great point that definitely will help me to recommend it in the store. Not the best read of the year but I’m definitely reading the sequel.

All Our Hidden Gifts is an intricate layered and riveting debut that explores and sheds light on the world of tarot and delves in to complex nature of friendships.

"All Our hidden gifts" is finally available. All Our Hidden Gifts stands out from the rest of the youth book market. It's about Maeve who finds an old tarot card game and lays the cards to her classmates. When she lay the cards for Lilly, Lilly suddenly disappears. Will Maeve manage to save Lily? First of all, I have to say that this book is very diverse. Maeve's sister is lesbian, Roe (Lily's sibling) is non-binary and bisexual, and much more. The author gives an interesting insight into the world of tarot, but also into Irish folklore that is woven into the story. O’Donoghue also handles social criticism in the portrayal of today's youth in an excellent way. The realistic part of this paranormal story is actually one of the strengths of the story. A fine tension runs through the story .The book simply fascinated and enchanted me. Especially Roe's identity and how it is dealt with. Maeve is going through a evolution and you can feel that so well. The book is a book that we need. A book that says: "Hi, it's 2021." You won't regret it <3

If you are a fan of young adult supernatural fiction, then All Our Hidden Gifts from Caroline O ‘Donoghue should be on your reading list. The book is an enchantingly modern coming of age story, wrapped in a supernatural mystery, steeped in Irish folklore. It speaks with an authentic young adult voice and is packed with relatable and refreshingly diverse characters. Central protagonist Maeve is warts and all, far from perfect, but she echoes every teenager who just wants to fit it. Her relationships with gender queer boyfriend Rory and best friend biracial Fiona are grounded and adorable. The backdrop of a present-day Ireland and all its myth, history, religious tensions, race, and gender inequalities really grounds this novel and culturally reflects the call for change from our youth, whose voices are represented by these characters.

Magic is present throughout the book, but it is approached in a very real way including the dangers and consequences, so do not be disappointed by the lack of Hogwarts level spell casting. What you will find is a page turner of a book, full of exciting characters that I hope we see more of in the future.

Exciting, heart warming young adult supernatural fiction at its best 4 out of 5.

This was a truly magical ride.

All Our Hidden Gifts by Caroline O’Donogue held me captive from the first page and did nothing but burrow into my heart.

I have a weakness for books about witches and magic, and books that introduce casual queerness and this books has both in spades!
I enjoyed the mystery, the family bonds and the character growth, so much so that I am crossing all my fingers and toes that this is not a stand alone!

Though our MC was both naive and occasionally too stubborn I felt like Maeve could have been me at any given moment of my life and for that this book truly shined for me.

All Our Hidden Gifts is the first instalment in the eponymous darkly magical young adult series with a spellbinding supernatural plot and a mystery precipitated by amateur tarot card reading. 16-year-old Irish teenager Maeve Chambers is a loner and has been since she ditched her best friend Lily three years ago. The sole idiot in a family of geniuses, she has always struggled to fit in. But when she finds a pack of dusty old tarot cards in a cupboard at her school and begins to give scarily accurate readings to the girls in her class, she realises she’s found her gift at last. Things are looking up. Until she discovers a strange card in her deck – one that shouldn’t be there. Then a reading for her ex-best-friend Lily goes very wrong. And two days later, Lily disappears. Consumed by guilt, Maeve teams up with the only two people who believe Maeve’s version of events: new friend Fiona, a talented acting prodigy; and Lily’s alluring older brother, the gender-fluid, lipstick and leather jacket-wearing Roe. All three have unnatural talents that are only now waking up.

Will their strange gifts be enough to find Lily and bring her back, before she’s gone for good? This is a bewitching and immersive story and the mesmerising way the author weaves the intriguing, mystical thread of tarot into the teenagers’ world is captivating and original with a few surprising twists and a mystery of a missing girl at its centre. As Maeve gets to grips with her newfound talent she quickly discovers that there's both positive and negative energy competing for the upper hand and for a beginner this can be quite daunting and dangerous if the power to produce scarily accurate readings is placed in the wrongs hands. The characters are complex and multilayered and chilling imagery of the cards, especially one known as the Housekeeper, linger in your mind. Woven into the narrative are influences from Irish folklore, and I wasn't expecting the book to address human rights and civil liberties. An entertaining, compelling and addictive fantasy featuring elements of both reality and the fantastical.

Fantastic YA book from Caroline. I am a big fan of her 'adult' books and I was thrilled to read this.
The characters are brilliant; interesting, funny, imperfect. This was a superb story and one that I am sure will be a big hit with readers.

TL;DR Recommendation:
Liked. Nice story with witchy vibes but didn’t steal my heart.

As a kid, I was oddly obsessed with anything witchy. Chanting? Done it. Bought spells for beginners? Uh huh. Stank my house out with incense? You bet’cha. So when I see this book kicking around, I was like hell yes I am here for this. This is what you’ll be in for if you grab this book:

✨ Catholic all-girls school in Ireland where it’s clique central
✨ A spoo000ooOo0Ooky mystery involving tarot cards
✨ 00s teenage angst horror movie vibes
✨A diverse AF bunch of characters

Your main gal for this story is Maeve. A 15-year-old girl trying to fit in with the cool kids at school at any expense. Like many teenagers who don’t quite fit in with the status quo, they get into shit often and, before long, she’s thrust into the cupboard full of crap that’s been confiscated over the years. Drawn to one box, she finds an old Walkman (yes with a banging mixtape in it) and a pack of very pretty tarot cards. The cards come naturally to her and soon she’s giving readings to any git that asks.

Her booming popularity quickly goes down shit creek when her ex-bestie, Lily, goes missing. Tapping into that newly found power, Maeve creates a new gang with her tarot business pal (Fiona) and Lily’s gender-fluid sibling (Roe) to find her.

This, for me, is definitely on the younger end of the Young Adult category. I can’t really explain why, but there was just something that didn’t hook me in. I loved the premies and the diversity in the characters was amazing/didn’t feel wedged in, but I just wasn’t lying on the sofa after reading it going OH MY GOD GIVE ME MORE OF THAT PLS. Perhaps it’s a set-up book whilst I just craved more magical stuff and that’s ok!

It did, however, lead me down a Google hellhole where I’ve found an amazing set of cat tarot cards that I’m 100% buying.

Set in Ireland, Maeve feels like an outcast in her school when she discovers an old pack of tarot cards in a school cupboard. She very quickly learns to read them, and becomes popular in school as a result. When she reads the cards for her ex-best friend, however, life becomes much more sinister. As well as being a supernatural mystery, this story also looks at themes of friendship, family, love and acceptance.