This is book three in a series. I loved everything about this book. The magic, the characters, the writing. All are excellent. A great final book in a brilliant series

I appreciate the shout-out to Caroline Polacheck

The final installment of the Hidden Gifts trilogy is now my favorite of the series. I know the story needed to end here, but I am sad I can’t spend more time with these characters I have come to love. Caroline O’Donoghue needs to write more YA, please.

The gang has to continue to fight against the occult powers rising up in their town while also dealing with the trials of growing into adulthood and finding a path for their lives after school. Maeve finds it especially difficult because she must focus all her time on fighting evil and because the no members of school staff are trained to find a career for a teenage sensitive. All the teenage characters are also trying to plan for their friendship after the immediate danger they are in passes. It’s hard enough to transition your childhood friendship group to adulthood, but adding a grueling fight against otherworldly spirits and a dangerous cult makes things so much more messy.

Every Gift a Curse follows the cult aspect of the story further and how cults enmesh themselves into mainstream society to avoid public scrutiny. The cult theme is my favorite in this series because I am curious about cult recruitment and their emotional tethering. This book follows up with the Children of Bridget after they have moved out of town to avoid scrutiny and to keep tighter control over their subjects. They are close enough, however, to make life difficult for Maeve and her friends.

As always, O’Donoghue uses her writing talent to cut your emotions deeply, but injects humor at the same time – which is why she is one of my favorite authors and not just because she is a fellow Caroline.

This didn’t grab me as much as All Our Hidden Gifts, but it is a satisfying end to the trilogy with plenty of queer representation. Thanks Walker Books and Net Galley for the ARC.

I have reviewed this book as part of my March Reading Wrap Up on YouTube https://youtu.be/Lkp3rLKPGnY

It has also featured in several other videos. I really enjoyed this book and it was the perfect conclusion to the trilogy

The last book in this amazing trilogy. I’ve enjoyed every single one. I have fallen in love with the wonderful characters and I enjoyed following them on there each of their journeys. I love the magic and mystery of this book. Plenty of action mixed with great character development.

The last book in the "All Our Hidden Gifts" trilogy.

We are back with Maeve and the gang...and we aren't all who are returning.

The Housekeeper is back, and Maeve needs to find out how to defeat her and save Kilbeg.
If that's not enough, the Children of Brigid are recruiting teenagers and spreading their hate over Ireland, Roe's band are about to make it big, the rest of the gang know what they want to do after the leaving cert...but Maeve loves Kilbeg and is struggling to see where her future will bring her.

Full of brilliant LGBTQIA+ rep - including learning and growth moments from our MC and others, nobody is perfect and we all can learn more!

If you like queer, supernatural, small Irish town YA or only some of these aspects then buckle up - do I have three books to destroy you!

Thank you for my eARC of this book. Unfortunately there was an issue wi5 the file so I couldn’t read it! I will update my review once I get a copy for myself.

I have so much love for this trilogy! It’s inclusive, it’s diverse and it’s got so much representation that it actually feels like quite a comforting, cosy read for me, in a way! I’m going to be honest, I’m a little devastated that this series has come to an end but what a way to go out!

For every single book, it’s been so easy for me to sit and read massive chunks in one go! The writing is always so on point, like there’s such brilliant humour to it but it also makes you feel things as you see Maeve and Lily repair their friendship a little and the strong bonds between all of them. Not to mention the struggles with identity and sexuality, as well as Maeve’s own struggles that come out again in this book with the anger and lashing out.

I think the thing I love the most about this (aside from all the rep and the strong friendships!) is how Maeve isn’t perfect. Just like none of us are. It makes her such a real, relatable character and the others are relatable in their own ways too! Both in life and love! There’s just something about Maeve that has you rooting for her extra hard and empathising with her!

I live for the romance in this book, I can’t lie and I was very nearly devastated but it was all good in the end! I love how strong the friendship between them all is and that it stays that way despite all the ups and downs. The ending, with them choosing friendship and to share the burden made me a little teary!

I’m going to be honest again and say that something about it just reminded me of Buffy and the gang, facing everything down together with Aaron as a sort of Spike figure!

This final book has so much to love, from a wide range of representation and relatable characters to lots of drama! I mean wow, what a plot twist! More than that, it’s also got heart with strong messages about feminism and friendship, not to mention a main character that shows you that it’s okay to not be perfect and to not know what you want. I wish Maeve had been around when I was about to start Uni!

I loved this series so much and I'm very sad to be leaving the company of characters that I've grown so fond of. The mixture of modern teen romance, friendships, magic, family and a dash of horror was perfectly handled.

This was a fab end to, what for me, was a fantastic YA trilogy! We continue to follow our four friends as they battle not only the harsh reality of everyday life and learning what it is to be who you are and not what the mould is trying to set you as, but also we get the gritty end of The Housemaid!

We visit old foes and learn more about them, whilst we don't excuse them in this book, and in no way humanize their attitudes and actions, we get the why and the what now, which I think is so important.

The character development continues to go from strength to strength in this and I very much enjoy O'Donoghue's writing! I can also confirm its a fab listen on audio! This wasn't my favourite story of the series, but its a solid end to the friends I've come to enjoy getting to know!

The final book in this series was another absolute joy to read. It was so full of magic and friendship, which honestly makes the story fly by because it is so lovely. I definitely did not want this series to end.

This book, the third in the series, is the most action-packed and fast-paced one.

The writing is brilliant, and the characters as so well-written (I will miss reading them). The representation is phenomenal, just slotted into the story so easily.

I adored this series and this book, and I am sad to see it end, even though it did so brilliantly.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc.

This was my first book by the author and while I haven’t read the previous books in the series, I think it can easily be read as a stand-alone book because the author has an incredible talent in depicting the characters in a way that makes you want to befriend them immediately.
The story is told at a fast pace and the settings are quite perfect for the overall plot. Young people who want to start their adult life soon have to go through so much in this period. Add in a few that still haven’t figured out what they want to do with their life and some mystery and religious beliefs that will hold anyone back, it’s a great story that kept me entertained.
I liked the characters and how they interact, with good and bad decisions but ones that will soon make them learn something more valuable for their future life.
It’s a great story that many readers will enjoy.

Every Gift a Curse was a thrilling and fitting conclusion to this series. Over these books, I've fallen in love with the characters – especially Meave, even though she often makes decisions that make me want to scream with frustration. I don't usually like series, but I was really hooked by this one and enjoyed the way we saw genuine development in all characters over the course of three books, not just Meave as our main character. I was a little sad to say goodbye to them, but I've no doubt they'll be okay.

I really enjoyed this book once again, this whole series is just so much fun.

I love the characters and the drama they all find themselves forced into and the magic in the world.

The writing is great and the whole premise is just so different. I couldn't recommend this series more

Every Gift a Curse is the third and last in the YA “Gift” series from Irish author Caroline O’ Donoghue.

I’ve loved the previous two books and was both sad that this was the last and also fearful that the ending would let me down, but I’m glad to say that this was actually my favourite of the series and it’s the perfect finale.

Maeve and her friends are almost finished school, everyone has bright plans and ambitions to leave their small Irish town, except for Maeve who is struggling to figure out her future. Before she can get to that point though, they must first deal with local dangerous religious group The Children of Brigid, who are increasing their stronghold on Kilbeg. Teenagers are going missing and the gang will have to combine their individual supernatural strengths to defeat a powerful enemy.

I loved this. There’s a constant sense of nervous energy for what’s coming next but there’s also lots of funny pop culture references and strong witchy vibes.

I’ve mentioned before that these books remind me a bit of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and I’m always sad that I didn’t have these to read when I was a teenager.

The author does a brilliant job of writing credible dialogue between teenagers, there’s excellent LGBTQIA+ representation, and the supernatural elements of the story never feel cheesy to me. I think these books are so well written and entertaining.

If you have a teen in your life or you enjoy YA I think this is the series for you!

With huge thanks to @netgalley and @walkerbooksuk @walkerbooksya for the opportunity to read #EveryGiftACurse, which is available to buy now!

#IrishBookstagram #Bookstagram #YA #BookReview #Books2023

This book was just as magical as the first two! I loved it so much. It was fully engrossed and could not put it down, I need more books like this. Better if Caroline O'Donoghue writes more.

Unfortunately, I didn't get time to read this before the book timed out on the NetGalley app, so unfortunately i cannot review this book accurately.

Yes, I’ve got the worst head cold of all time, but let me tell you: the conclusion to Caroline O’Donoghue’s Gifts series is guaranteed to cure any and all ailments.

Every Gift A Curse picks up where the second novel left off. Having trouble remembering where exactly that was and what happened? Don’t worry. Within a few pages you’ll be fully immersed in the world of Kilbeg once more.

What I love about this series are the friendships and that no matter what happens Maeve and her gang of misfits will always have each other’s backs. And what’s more clear than ever in this book? There’s more than one way to define what makes a family.

This is probably the most action packed of the three books and alongside all the magic and intrigue, there’s also a central message that it’s okay to not know who you are or what you want to be when you’re a teenager. That’s totally normal and okay. You’ll find your way eventually. How I wish these books existed when I was a teenager.

And that reveal? If you’ve read it, you know the one I mean… Genius.

I’ve loved this trilogy from the very first book, and while I’m sad to say goodbye to Maeve, Roe, Lily and Fiona, I was even more desperate to find out how everything resolved and I ended up devouring it in two sittings…

Caroline O’Donoghue’s writing is so immersive and easy to read, and the characters have thoroughly wormed their way into my heart, but in case you need a refresh on what ‘Every Gift a Curse’ is all about:

With the return of the Housekeeper on the cards, Maeve must find out everything she can about the vengeful tarot spirit in order to finally defeat her. Crossing over into a parallel dimension inside the old school building, she explores the history of the Housekeeper – and spends too long in a world and a mind not her own.

With the Children of Brigid closing in once more, and Maeve's friend group now fractured across Ireland, can they hope to ultimately save the town – and Maeve – from the grip of a power greater than they ever imagined?

Themes of religion, power, faith and spiritualism have changed and developed across the trilogy and while I generally don’t enjoy novels that heavily feature religion, I found the way that the novel explored religion as a way to accrue power and influence and exert control really interesting. The ramifications of it were so much wider than the people immediately involved and the effects it has through communities and even further via the media.

Another strength of this novel is the open, jubilant support of trans and non-binary people, especially kids and teenagers through Roe’s experience and evolution throughout the series. While I do not identity as either of trans or non-binary, I do believe Roe’s experience’s were handled with sensitivity and deftness; they as a character have the power and potential to really help a teenager in a similar situation see themselves in literature finding love and being happy in themselves.

It’s to talk about the nitty gritty of the plot of a third book in a series without dumping a load of spoilers, and I’m not about the spoiler life, so I guess I just have to say: hold on to your hats, peeps. The twists! The shocks! I literally gasped aloud several times. It’s masterfully done and I devoured it all.

I genuinely think it’s going to take me a while to get over the ending of this book. The final chapter choked me up completely and even made me teary, and I finished the book in a bit of an emotional flap. It’s so bittersweet and beautiful and the perfect ending to a really wonderful trilogy.

A soaring series about friendship, finding your place, and the magic of both of those things. It’s magic.

An excellent and fitting conclusion to the 'Hidden Gifts' trilogy, full of heartache and hope. The characters are so engaging and realistic it is a pleasure to witness them grow and develop as the story progresses and they move away from their school days and try to figure out what kind of life they want to have as adults. This is a fantasy book so there is plenty of magic to enjoy but I think the real beauty of all the books in the trilogy is how truly relatable and rooted in modern life they feel, the fantasy elements enhance rather than take over the underlying 'coming of age' tale. Refreshing, original and thoroughly enjoyable, particularly for an Irish audience!
Thanks to Netgalley.co.uk and Walker Books for the free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.