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Talented Saga #2
Caged
After her brush with death at Ian Crane's compound, Talia Lyons feels like a prisoner, confined in her childhood home. Plagued with seizures- the result of an unidentified drug injected in her neck by Crane's men- Talia must put her dream of becoming a Hunter on hold. So when Agency Director McDonough asks Talia to go undercover at the School for the Talented, to find the spy who set the trap for her in Nevada, Talia jumps at the opportunity. Soon she learns that her new-found freedom comes with a price- working with Donavon on a daily basis. As if that isn't awkward enough, her former teammate, Erik, also shows up at the School. But at least Talia has the unexpected company of her best friend Penny; to not only assist her in uncovering the spy, but also to deal with the complications that the guys create. As Talia becomes more entrenched in her assignment, she quickly learns the lengths that the Agency and Mac will go in the name of war. With Crane's influence spreading, Talia learns that there are few Operatives without ties to the Coalition. Forced to face hard truths and dangerous conclusions, Talia realizes that it is those closest to her who are hiding the biggest secrets. As the task of finding the traitor becomes more problematic, desperation and frustration rule Talia's world. It becomes clear that Talia can't do this alone. But who can she trust, when everyone around her is lying?
380 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 26, 2012
About the author
Sophie Davis
49 books913 followersAuthor of twenty-six books in six series, Sophie Davis is a pseudonym for best friends turned co-authors. The pair met in law school and instantly bonded over their love of great books and bad horror movies. When one longed for the ability to read minds so she wouldn't have to study for the bar exam, they created a dystopian world with superpowers that spans nine books.
While writing in genres of paranormal romance, time travel, urban fantasy, and mystery, their works have been optioned for film and translated for an international audience. You can find them teaching their dogs to enter wormholes in the desert of Southern California.
For more information, visit www.SophieDavisBooks.com
While writing in genres of paranormal romance, time travel, urban fantasy, and mystery, their works have been optioned for film and translated for an international audience. You can find them teaching their dogs to enter wormholes in the desert of Southern California.
For more information, visit www.SophieDavisBooks.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 217 reviews
April 28, 2012
I am in love! The first book in the Talented series, Talented, was brilliant. I can admit that I thought "There is no way it could get better than this. Great plot. Well-explained concepts. Exceptional characters. Unseen twists and turns. Cliffhangers. How can you improve on that?" Well, Sophie Davis must be a magician because she has managed to do just that and more in her second instalment in the series, Caged.
The end of Talented left me in shreds as seen below:
TOO MUCH EMOTION! I was confused over Erik, suspicious of Toxic in general - especially Mac, whose name brings to mind cheeseburgers -, and heartbroken over the fact that Talia was probably dying before our eyes and Donavon was the one to find the letter.
The beginning of Caged had me hooked at the first word. The story suffers no drops in audience engagement and if anything it treats the audience to even more action than the previous book. Talia has been subjected to medical procedures, rest (more like being locked up in a room and made to rest) and solitude. After her failed mission attempt to kill Ian Crane, she is given the job of spying at the school. Because, apparently, a spy is in Toxic's midst. A spy who was the reason for Talia's near-death experience.
Talia's first surprise: Donavon is at the school too. As an instructor. And let's just say both Talia and I had the same idea in mind when we found out:
But finding the spy isn't as easy as it sounds - they might even be one of the people closest to her. Talia struggles with the weight of her responsibilities, her health and the crippling feeling of weakness that overcomes her. And if there's one thing Talia hates, it is being thought of, feeling like or even seeming weak.
And then there was Erik...
Ah...Erik! I swear, there need to be more people in real life like Erik. He was amazing in this book - I will admit, in Talented, I had some doubts about him, but in Caged he was the perfect balance of Will Herondale wit and innuendo, and Darcy consideration and chivalry. Perfect!
When Talia finds out who the traitor is...
It isn't!! I was heartbroken, especially at the trial. I bawled my eyes out (I am a highly emotional human being, ok?!), I could literally feel Talia's heart breaking.
And that leads to what I love the most about Sophie Davis' writing - Talia is the most real heroine I have ever read about. Ever. Her emotions are so THERE, so human and relatable. I know it probably sounds cheesy, but she is down to earth. She experiences, not the normal character echo-of-an-emotion brand of emotion, but RAW emotion. Emotions as they feel in the flesh. Her pain, her indecision, her reasoning, her heartbreak and I adore the way she sees her slow descent into madness. Not really madness, but that feeling many of us have experienced - overload, too much to handle, hysteria. When she is at her lowest, Talia is at her most relatable. All round, she is the bravest and most broken character I have had the fortune of reading about and sharing a journey with.
If you have not read this amazing book, or the series even, I suggest you do immediately! A world full of Talents, of mind manipulators, Brains, Telekinetics and, even better, Eriks (lol) - you'll fall in love with Sophie's world. I know I did!:D
The end of Talented left me in shreds as seen below:
TOO MUCH EMOTION! I was confused over Erik, suspicious of Toxic in general - especially Mac, whose name brings to mind cheeseburgers -, and heartbroken over the fact that Talia was probably dying before our eyes and Donavon was the one to find the letter.
The beginning of Caged had me hooked at the first word. The story suffers no drops in audience engagement and if anything it treats the audience to even more action than the previous book. Talia has been subjected to medical procedures, rest (more like being locked up in a room and made to rest) and solitude. After her failed mission attempt to kill Ian Crane, she is given the job of spying at the school. Because, apparently, a spy is in Toxic's midst. A spy who was the reason for Talia's near-death experience.
Talia's first surprise: Donavon is at the school too. As an instructor. And let's just say both Talia and I had the same idea in mind when we found out:
But finding the spy isn't as easy as it sounds - they might even be one of the people closest to her. Talia struggles with the weight of her responsibilities, her health and the crippling feeling of weakness that overcomes her. And if there's one thing Talia hates, it is being thought of, feeling like or even seeming weak.
And then there was Erik...
Ah...Erik! I swear, there need to be more people in real life like Erik. He was amazing in this book - I will admit, in Talented, I had some doubts about him, but in Caged he was the perfect balance of Will Herondale wit and innuendo, and Darcy consideration and chivalry. Perfect!
When Talia finds out who the traitor is...
It isn't!! I was heartbroken, especially at the trial. I bawled my eyes out (I am a highly emotional human being, ok?!), I could literally feel Talia's heart breaking.
And that leads to what I love the most about Sophie Davis' writing - Talia is the most real heroine I have ever read about. Ever. Her emotions are so THERE, so human and relatable. I know it probably sounds cheesy, but she is down to earth. She experiences, not the normal character echo-of-an-emotion brand of emotion, but RAW emotion. Emotions as they feel in the flesh. Her pain, her indecision, her reasoning, her heartbreak and I adore the way she sees her slow descent into madness. Not really madness, but that feeling many of us have experienced - overload, too much to handle, hysteria. When she is at her lowest, Talia is at her most relatable. All round, she is the bravest and most broken character I have had the fortune of reading about and sharing a journey with.
If you have not read this amazing book, or the series even, I suggest you do immediately! A world full of Talents, of mind manipulators, Brains, Telekinetics and, even better, Eriks (lol) - you'll fall in love with Sophie's world. I know I did!:D
November 14, 2019
3.5 caged ★★★✬✩
⤐ Overall.
Aaaaand here we go again.
THE REST OF THIS REVIEW IS NOT FOR YOU IF YOU HAVEN'T READ Talented.
Make no mistake interpreting my rating. The last 45 minutes of Caged undid me in ways unknown to humankind (again). I suppose stereotypical ya is for me if the cliffhangers/plot twists are gut-wrenching enough to make me stick to it. I noticed the writing style slightly improved to the first book, which is natural, I suppose but still shouldn't go unnoticed. I also enjoyed the smart way in which the investigations added to a more diverse bookverse. Interesting snippets here and there sneakily made their way into my imagination without me noticing. In general, the story was excellent, although I experienced the plot to be a tad slower than in the first book.
Once again, the audiobook was narrated expertly. I think it amplifies the story a great deal and I know for a fact that listening to this is the better experience, compared to reading the book.
Still, the MC was aggravating! I think her feelings are valid and depicted well throughout most of the time, but sometimes the whining was too much for me. Not only that, but Talia also has some very weird moral standards. Both of these made for an infuriating combination. She acts like she only had a meaningless fling kind of thing with Erik although it's so damn obvious that both he and she want a proper relationship. In my opinion, the already are in one. Acting like clueless eejits didn't do the story any good, and neither did the . Had the author pair depicted Erik and Talia's insecurities in a funnier and awkward kind of manner, it would have made so more sense. Insecurities would not seem stupid and ignorant but charming. Although, if I'm considering this, we're talking about teenagers. Teenagers are clueless in this regard. All of this just added up to a bit of frustration on my part. I still really want to know what's happening but I also pray to the deities of the literary world that the potential I hoped would be used here will finally unfold completely in the next book, Hunted.
⤐ What’s happening.
Sans the sleeping around, this is totally what should happen: lots of Erik-moments. After just about escaping death, Talia had months to recover but little say in her solitary confinement. Alienated from the few friends she has, she can finally pick up her duties under TOXIC to find out what turned her mission into a fatality 9 months ago. What has happened is still one big questionmark. Why is she having seizures? Her emotional and physical distress are painful. But what does her supervisor and adoptive father thinks best? The presence of her current lover (Erik) is unneccessary, apparently, but let's just have the cheating ex boyfriend come here to aid Talia in her quest. And what do we say to that?
_____________________
Writing quality + easy of reading = 4*
pace = 3*
plot/story in general = 4*
plot development = 2.5*
characters = 3.5*
enjoyability = 3*
insightfulness = 4*
_____________________
Many thanks to the author pair Sophie Davis, who provided me with an eArc in exchange for an honest review.
This book is for you if… Talented managed to suck you in. The heroine is still exhausting and you'll have to deal with another cliffhanger.
⤐ Overall.
Aaaaand here we go again.
THE REST OF THIS REVIEW IS NOT FOR YOU IF YOU HAVEN'T READ Talented.
Make no mistake interpreting my rating. The last 45 minutes of Caged undid me in ways unknown to humankind (again). I suppose stereotypical ya is for me if the cliffhangers/plot twists are gut-wrenching enough to make me stick to it. I noticed the writing style slightly improved to the first book, which is natural, I suppose but still shouldn't go unnoticed. I also enjoyed the smart way in which the investigations added to a more diverse bookverse. Interesting snippets here and there sneakily made their way into my imagination without me noticing. In general, the story was excellent, although I experienced the plot to be a tad slower than in the first book.
Once again, the audiobook was narrated expertly. I think it amplifies the story a great deal and I know for a fact that listening to this is the better experience, compared to reading the book.
Still, the MC was aggravating! I think her feelings are valid and depicted well throughout most of the time, but sometimes the whining was too much for me. Not only that, but Talia also has some very weird moral standards. Both of these made for an infuriating combination. She acts like she only had a meaningless fling kind of thing with Erik although it's so damn obvious that both he and she want a proper relationship. In my opinion, the already are in one. Acting like clueless eejits didn't do the story any good, and neither did the . Had the author pair depicted Erik and Talia's insecurities in a funnier and awkward kind of manner, it would have made so more sense. Insecurities would not seem stupid and ignorant but charming. Although, if I'm considering this, we're talking about teenagers. Teenagers are clueless in this regard. All of this just added up to a bit of frustration on my part. I still really want to know what's happening but I also pray to the deities of the literary world that the potential I hoped would be used here will finally unfold completely in the next book, Hunted.
⤐ What’s happening.
‘Really, Talia? Erik? He’d just sleep with all of the students. We’d never find the spy if he went undercover.’
Sans the sleeping around, this is totally what should happen: lots of Erik-moments. After just about escaping death, Talia had months to recover but little say in her solitary confinement. Alienated from the few friends she has, she can finally pick up her duties under TOXIC to find out what turned her mission into a fatality 9 months ago. What has happened is still one big questionmark. Why is she having seizures? Her emotional and physical distress are painful. But what does her supervisor and adoptive father thinks best? The presence of her current lover (Erik) is unneccessary, apparently, but let's just have the cheating ex boyfriend come here to aid Talia in her quest. And what do we say to that?
Con:
⇢ damage still physically impacts Talia on day-to-day basis
⇢ lover way too far away, contact not permitted
⇢ can't tell who to trust
Pro:
⇢ investigation supported by brainy friend
⇢ determination is key
⇢ cute lover is also key [boom chica wow wow]
_____________________
Writing quality + easy of reading = 4*
pace = 3*
plot/story in general = 4*
plot development = 2.5*
characters = 3.5*
enjoyability = 3*
insightfulness = 4*
_____________________
Many thanks to the author pair Sophie Davis, who provided me with an eArc in exchange for an honest review.
October 11, 2019
Audible 🎧
So many twist and turns! I am LOVING this series!!! I need the next book ASAP!!!
I’m used to the narrator now and it doesn’t bother me as much how whiny she is. Lol!!
So many twist and turns! I am LOVING this series!!! I need the next book ASAP!!!
I’m used to the narrator now and it doesn’t bother me as much how whiny she is. Lol!!
April 6, 2014
So I love Sophie Davis and Caged is another reason why. I love her writing style and I love how detailed she makes everything. I did find Caged a bit slower than Talented but I realize that t was to give us backstory and I was still at the edge of my seat. I loved finding out the secrets right along with Talia. I did guess who the spy was and I kind of figured out the bad guy at the end but that didn't make it any less exciting or shocking when I got to those parts.
I feel like a lot more of the characters are showing their true colours. Donavan is still a butt head (hello, I need to know why he did what he did), Mac is turning into a big douche bag (power is going to his head) and Erik is getting sexier everyday. Talia just needs to get her crap together and stop feeling bad for herself.
I just love this series and everything about it. The writing is so amazing and the story is addicting. I can't wait to delve into book three.
I feel like a lot more of the characters are showing their true colours. Donavan is still a butt head (hello, I need to know why he did what he did), Mac is turning into a big douche bag (power is going to his head) and Erik is getting sexier everyday. Talia just needs to get her crap together and stop feeling bad for herself.
I just love this series and everything about it. The writing is so amazing and the story is addicting. I can't wait to delve into book three.
June 17, 2012
I’m on the fence with this one. It was like an exercise in frustration. I spent the majority of the book not liking the main character, Talia. A few times, I was so disappointed in her behavior that I actually considered calling it quits. I thought we were done with the love triangle pretty early in the first book (which I was happy about), but this book put us right back where we started and I just couldn’t wrap my mind around her ability to forgive lie after lie. I’m also not sure what either guy sees in her other than her awesome Talent since if I had to describe her personality, the only descriptions I can come up with are needy, selfish and whiny. I was expecting some character growth not regress. Her only slightly redeeming quality was that she was aware of all her faults and selfishness. Her actions just didn’t make sense to me and I kept expecting to find out she was being drugged or mentally manipulated in some way which was the only excuse I could think of for her confusing behavior. It’s still a possibility I guess as there were a lot of unanswered questions as to what is going on with her health/Talents at the end. We do get some answers in this installment but they were all things I’ve suspected since the beginning so there weren’t any shocking twists for me. I wanted more action and Coalition answers and less relationship drama. Besides the big picture items, there were a lot of small unresolved details that I’m not sure if they were even important that were still bothering me at the end (the photo in the drawer, Ursula’s history with Erik, Talia’s apparent morphing ability that nobody including herself seemed to question, etc). So I’m on the fence with how to rate this. Even though I wanted to toss my kindle in frustration more than a few times, I still couldn’t seem to stop thinking about it and will definitely check out the next installment.
May 2, 2012
When Ms. Davis contacted me about reading her second book in the Talented series, I was in awe. The excitement was overwhelming and my memories were flashing back to the day when I was consumed with reading Talented and getting to know the characters all over again. What a privilege to be asked to read this 2nd book of hers. I was in the clouds of happiness for this sequel. As I so want to blab all about the details of this story, I won’t put any spoilers out. That was fantastic!!! We have all the same characters back and Talia is out to see if she can find out who the spy is that put her in danger where she almost lost her life. Questions being, is Talia going to be with Donavon or Erik? Will she be returning back to the life that she so enjoyed with Henri and Erik? Who does she trust? Secrets will be told and will unfold before your very eyes. I’m telling you that it will catch you by surprise. There is definitely going to be a sequel to this and I can promise I will be one of the first to read her next book. This was a masterpiece Ms. Davis. Thank you for letting me read this. Your next book won’t be out soon enough as far as I’m concerned.
June 2, 2017
Talia is SO annoying in this book. Nothing about it made her sound like the strong, powerful Talent that she is. The love triangle is NOT resolved through most of this story line, and it just makes her more unlikable. She really, really plays the victim card hard. Continuing to read, because I -have- read this series before (though IDK if I've read all the books) and I know that some of the plot points in this story are important for the long-term story line. I just feel like her weakness was too potent, and the story line, for so few important plot points, was way too drawn out. Looking forward to the next book.. if my memory serves, it's a far more interesting read. At least, I hope it's the next one...
March 11, 2022
Well, this series is completely addicting.
July 30, 2022
I’m so confused. This books has ten repeated chapters which are marked conflict. They’re exactly the same as the previous chapter?? It was so confusing
March 21, 2014
I read book one as part of a facebook event and was given a copy of the book by the author in exchange for an honest review and a chance to win cool prizes :)
Now I have read three of Sophie Davis' books and I love love love her writing and it only increases with each book and I can't wait to continue this series, continue Blind Barriers and also start the Nightmare series. I must warn you this review will contain spoilers so look away if you have yet to read this amazing book.
Book one left me hanging so I couldn't wait to get into this one and get some answers. The fact that Talia didn't just bounce back and resume her spot as a Hunter both disappointed me and made me happy, I was disappointed for Talia's sake it is all she has ever wanted and I feel bad that she has to basically start all over, but I was happy because it is realistic and it shows the hardships of life and how sometimes we are knocked down but how we pick ourselves up is what matters. I am not gonna lie I was a little frustrated with Talia, she seemed so strong and determined in book one but in this book I found her defeated and a little whinny, but also I can understand why she acted the way she did and of course threw it all I saw her growth and self discovery, I just hope she can carry it on and find the answers that Penny was willing her to see. My least favorite of her actions was how she handled Donavan and Erik, I didn't like that she seemed to still have so much trust in Donavan after he cheated on her, and after everything Erik had done for her she did not have faith he would stick with her when he found out about the seizures, thank goodness she came to her senses and if we are being honest I came to mine as well :) Donavan may have been a jerk but he cares for Talia and I can see why she would still need him after all this time. Erik continues to hold my heart and after getting more information about his past and how he was forced into TOXIC I love him even more, I hope his presence helps Talia discover more of the truth and more about her past.
The hunt for the traitor was intense for me, how could you find someone with so little to go on, it felt like the poor team was just running around in circles and then BAM the bomb is dropped on me, I had to re read the section were Talia confronts the traitor like three times I was just so stunned I mean PENNY really....penny I was not prepared for that, but with the exceptional writing of Sophie Davis I can look back and spot a few hints. I still feel I have to take pause I don't know that I truly believe she did what she did for evil I mean she is sweet little Penny and I think she cares about Talia, she gave her those memories and her talk with Mac at the end gave me even more reason to doubt she meant harm. TOXIC has many secrets and I think Mac has even more, but with the help of Erik and maybe even Donavan I hope she will get all the truth she is looking for, after all she had been through she deserves it. I absolutely love this series and I can't wait for more.
Now I have read three of Sophie Davis' books and I love love love her writing and it only increases with each book and I can't wait to continue this series, continue Blind Barriers and also start the Nightmare series. I must warn you this review will contain spoilers so look away if you have yet to read this amazing book.
Book one left me hanging so I couldn't wait to get into this one and get some answers. The fact that Talia didn't just bounce back and resume her spot as a Hunter both disappointed me and made me happy, I was disappointed for Talia's sake it is all she has ever wanted and I feel bad that she has to basically start all over, but I was happy because it is realistic and it shows the hardships of life and how sometimes we are knocked down but how we pick ourselves up is what matters. I am not gonna lie I was a little frustrated with Talia, she seemed so strong and determined in book one but in this book I found her defeated and a little whinny, but also I can understand why she acted the way she did and of course threw it all I saw her growth and self discovery, I just hope she can carry it on and find the answers that Penny was willing her to see. My least favorite of her actions was how she handled Donavan and Erik, I didn't like that she seemed to still have so much trust in Donavan after he cheated on her, and after everything Erik had done for her she did not have faith he would stick with her when he found out about the seizures, thank goodness she came to her senses and if we are being honest I came to mine as well :) Donavan may have been a jerk but he cares for Talia and I can see why she would still need him after all this time. Erik continues to hold my heart and after getting more information about his past and how he was forced into TOXIC I love him even more, I hope his presence helps Talia discover more of the truth and more about her past.
The hunt for the traitor was intense for me, how could you find someone with so little to go on, it felt like the poor team was just running around in circles and then BAM the bomb is dropped on me, I had to re read the section were Talia confronts the traitor like three times I was just so stunned I mean PENNY really....penny I was not prepared for that, but with the exceptional writing of Sophie Davis I can look back and spot a few hints. I still feel I have to take pause I don't know that I truly believe she did what she did for evil I mean she is sweet little Penny and I think she cares about Talia, she gave her those memories and her talk with Mac at the end gave me even more reason to doubt she meant harm. TOXIC has many secrets and I think Mac has even more, but with the help of Erik and maybe even Donavan I hope she will get all the truth she is looking for, after all she had been through she deserves it. I absolutely love this series and I can't wait for more.
April 25, 2014
Caged is book two in the Talented Series. Talia wakes up after a serious confrontation with Ian Crane (the man who supposedly killed her parents). She found herself in and out of treatment and confined for quite some time. Donavan (her ex) is back in the picture, a lot more than I prefer. I can’t stand him. Erik is almost non-existent, expect for his quick hello and goodbyes.
Book two in the series was a continuation of Talented, but not as good. It was too heavy on the descriptions. Talia’s mission for this entire book was to find the spy. I didn’t mind the sleuthing, but it was a little too much at times. There was little action and the constant presence of Donavan annoyed me to no end. When Talia would get close to him, I wanted to scream at her stupidity! I love strong female leads and Talia was not one of them in this book. This is one reason I found it hard to connect with her, among other things.
Caged falls short compared to Talented - action was non-existent, the detective work was too drawn out and Talia’s stupidity for Donovan frustrated me and took away from the story itself. I do enjoy the author’s plot ideas and writing, but this book didn’t hold my attention.
Book two in the series was a continuation of Talented, but not as good. It was too heavy on the descriptions. Talia’s mission for this entire book was to find the spy. I didn’t mind the sleuthing, but it was a little too much at times. There was little action and the constant presence of Donavan annoyed me to no end. When Talia would get close to him, I wanted to scream at her stupidity! I love strong female leads and Talia was not one of them in this book. This is one reason I found it hard to connect with her, among other things.
Caged falls short compared to Talented - action was non-existent, the detective work was too drawn out and Talia’s stupidity for Donovan frustrated me and took away from the story itself. I do enjoy the author’s plot ideas and writing, but this book didn’t hold my attention.
June 19, 2012
The first one was too good not to go straight to buy the second one!
Ater the cliffhanger ending the first book left me reeling in I couldn't wait to find out what happens in this one!
And I was not disappointed on no, because this book left me reeling even more!
Tha ending, blew my mind! I knew as soon as Penny was arrested that the Toxic was corrupt.
Poor Penny! My heart breaks for her and Talia! I'm for sure Mac has something to do with her parents death!
Wow. This series is definitely now one of my favorites!
I am so glad that I reviewed the first for the author because I would otherwise not have known about it and I cannot imagine ever not reading this book. It is too good to go unnoticed.
Read it!! You will not be disappointed.
Plus there's Erik! Who is just fine ;).
Ater the cliffhanger ending the first book left me reeling in I couldn't wait to find out what happens in this one!
And I was not disappointed on no, because this book left me reeling even more!
Tha ending, blew my mind! I knew as soon as Penny was arrested that the Toxic was corrupt.
Poor Penny! My heart breaks for her and Talia! I'm for sure Mac has something to do with her parents death!
Wow. This series is definitely now one of my favorites!
I am so glad that I reviewed the first for the author because I would otherwise not have known about it and I cannot imagine ever not reading this book. It is too good to go unnoticed.
Read it!! You will not be disappointed.
Plus there's Erik! Who is just fine ;).
March 12, 2013
10*s. I received an eARC copy of this book directly from the author in return for an honest review.
What an exciting and extraordinary story that captured me from beginning to end. This series is very addictive and enjoyable for not only YA but adults too. This is a Must read phenomenal series that is hard to put down. I love the twisted plot of this story even more than the first book. This is an Indie Author to watch out for in future stories to come from the Talented series and many more.
Thank you Sophie Davis for the opportunity to read and review this remarkable story and I cant wait to get started on Hunted.
What an exciting and extraordinary story that captured me from beginning to end. This series is very addictive and enjoyable for not only YA but adults too. This is a Must read phenomenal series that is hard to put down. I love the twisted plot of this story even more than the first book. This is an Indie Author to watch out for in future stories to come from the Talented series and many more.
Thank you Sophie Davis for the opportunity to read and review this remarkable story and I cant wait to get started on Hunted.
April 25, 2013
I loved this book from the very beginning, it's fully detailed and Sophie has a way to describe the characters and the story line perfectly, I honestly could not put it down, I loved the first book Talented and she gave me a copy of this one in exchange of an honest review and so, here I am as promised, thank you for another amazing story, can't wait to read Hunted, you really have a gift for writing beautifully, highly recommend it to everyone.....
August 1, 2013
I was given this book in exchange for honest review (LoP). Amazing read! It begins where book 1 ends. I couldn't put this book down. Talia was captured in book 1 and injected with some drug. She now has seizures and is not a hunter. Talia is trying to find the spy. She does find the spy and you wont believe who it is I was shocked.
June 30, 2014
Interesting book. The entire series is very different than what I am used to reading.
Talia is locked up after being injected at her last mission.
Her job is to uncover which person is a spy working for the enemy. However, she goes through betrayal, fear, anger, doubt, romance and more to get there.
Excited to read the next one!!
Talia is locked up after being injected at her last mission.
Her job is to uncover which person is a spy working for the enemy. However, she goes through betrayal, fear, anger, doubt, romance and more to get there.
Excited to read the next one!!
September 12, 2017
I'm still really enjoying this series! This one read more like a who dunnit, trying figure out who the spy is. There's still somewhat of a love triangle going on. It's still not clear who the bad guys are, but Talia is starting to figure it out.
April 29, 2012
incredible!!
March 5, 2014
It's been 9 months since Talia was injected with an unknown substance and shot at Ian Crane's compound in Nevada. Since, she's had to learn to walk all over again, and has been dealing with regular seizures. Talia feels like a prisoner, she's been confined to her childhood home while recovering, with no contact with anyone, and her dream of being a Hunter on hold...possibly forever. So when the Agency director, Mac, asks her to go undercover at the McDonough School for the Talented to find the spy who set the trap for her in Nevada, Talia jumps at the opportunity.
Until she see's she'll be working with Donovan, the ex-boyfriend she's known through childhood that cheated on her. That she's not so jazzed about, to say there was some tension would be an understatement. But after a fight ends in a seizure, a tentative friendship begins to form. Enter Erik, Talia's former team mate, and make out buddy in the week leading up to her mission, and the guy she's got some very strong feelings for. But hey, atleast she's got her best friend Penny there, to assist her in uncovering the spy, and help her deal with the boy drama.
As Talia becomes more entrenched in her assignment, she quickly discovers the lengths Mac and the Agency will go to in the name of war, and what she's capable of, when the interrogation of a suspect goes horrifically wrong. Talia begins to realize that Crane's influence is spreading, and there are few operatives without a tie to the coalition. Forced to face hard truths, and dangerous conclusions, Talia realizes that it's those closest to her hiding the biggest secrets. As finding the traitor dumps Talia in to a constant state of frustration and desperation, with lies everywhere, she realizes she needs help. But who can she trust when everyone has something to hide. Who isn't who they say they are? Is Donovan responsible for her seizures? What is Mac hiding? And will Talia and Eric get to be together? You know...without the whole arguing and life threatening mission getting in the way?
So, Sophie very kindly sent me this to review, and man am I so glad for her kindness, because it looks to me like this is going to get better and better. We skip all of the recovery period and join Talia 9 months after the end of Talented, and as she's back on her feet.
The amazing world building from Talented is expanded on as we get to see one part of the world that was previously mentioned, in more detail...the school. An entire mini world is created in the world we're already familiar with, that encompasses you and sucks you in. The new scenery keeps the series fresh, and the readers engaged and interested. We also get to see more of how the world works, with the justice system and so on, which is really cool! Going back in to this world, I had to do a little happy dance, because it's so unique, and it's impossible for you to get tired of it!
The prose is just as concise with the background and details, and just as smooth flowing. The prose is so slick, you could slide right off if you where walking on it. There's just as much action, just as much intrigue and just as much humour, but on another level to Talented. I kept flashing back to Talented and how much I loved and enjoyed reading it and how I was consumed with the characters and story, much like I was with Caged all over again!
I loved all the characters in Talented, they where all so well written and full of life, and that's carried on in Caged, but we get to see even more depth to them, and find out more about them. We see Talia in a different way, she's not a Hunter, but she's still badass, but you admire her strength in dealing with the seizures and everything on her plate. I feel like I morph in to Talia, or atleast merge with her when I read, because I find myself not only following her thought process, but thinking some of the same things she does, like with Erik. Like Talia, I really thought he'd run a mile when he saw her have a seizure, because I was kind of envisioning he-slut Erik, but shame on me. I loved Erik in Talented, he was perfect, and I should have known we'd see an incredibly tender, sweet and caring side to him in Caged regarding what Talia's going through. I love his protectiveness, although the scene after the Dinner scene...I really wanted to smack him one.
Donovan is complicated for me. I was kind of meh about his character in Talented, he was a sweetheart, as I said in my review of Talented, but at the same time, he was a bit of an ass sometimes, and my opinion of him morphed in to hatred after the Incident. I am fully Team Erik. All the way. BUT. Caged, I felt, gave us more of a look at Donovan, we saw deeper in to his character. I saw he had a sweet and caring side, even more so than I originally thought, he was there for Talia even though she was (rightfully) horrible to him, he was remorseful BUT he was kinda stupid thinking she'd take him back and I enjoyed seeing a side of him that wasn't shown very much in Talented, although I was reading and thinking "HELL NO" when Talia was confused about her feelings for him.
With Donovan and what was going on with him and Talia in Caged, I've seen a couple of people saying "Oh I thought the love triangle was out the way in Talented" and blah blah blah. Well, let's be real. Throughout the whole confusion with the guys (which was very realistic by the way and well done) Talia states she has stronger feelings for Erik, and he's who she wants, and I doubt she'll go for Donovan as second best. Donovan's kind of like a safety blanket for Talia, he makes her feel safe at a time when she doesn't. You need to remember that Talia's known him for years, so for me, it wasn't really a love triangle, because I was confident that Erik would prevail, and he did. It was more she wanted to be friends with him, and didn't want to lose her new friendship with him.
Back to Donovan, I'm interested to see what happens with his character. Can they be friends? Can he get out from under his father's thumb? Speaking of Mac, I personally saw him as a pretty great guy in Talented, Talia's rescuer and protector who took her in, and cared for her. In Caged...well....he's shady. He's up to something, and he's done something, and it is killing me not knowing what and trying to guess.
Everything you thought you knew about the characters when you finished Talented....well...in Caged it gets turned upside down, no more so than with Penny. You see different sides to everyone, and get to know the characters a bit more, they're all built on from Talented, and some of them aren't what you thought they where.
Now. Penny. I really didn't see that coming, I came to the realization after Talia did, when she went storming into the room. I'm simultaneously gutted, because you know....betrayal of my favourite character, but at the same time, I'm intrigued, particularly about the revelation in the last 5% of the book I think it was, during the court scene. I'm frothing at the mouth with anticipation for the next book!
While i'm talking about Penny and shocking revelations, let's move on to the plot. As I said, it's action packed all the way through, we have romance, we have regular drama, bitchy girl drama (seriously, someone smack Cadence) and boy drama. For every question that's answered there are a million more. There's a tonne of twists and turns, and shocking plot twists that I guarantee you even Nancy Drew couldn't predict. You're incapable of putting the book down, but you don't want it to end. Seriously. I was on a night out for a friends birthday and I was thinking about the book.
Davis has a knack for giving you exactly what you want in the book, answering all your questions, but also giving you a load more of intrigue ready to be answered in the next book, but still leaving you satisfied and ready for more. I honestly cannot get enough, and I feel like the books are just going to get better and better.
Caged ends on a hell of an explosive note, and the anticipation is ramped up as you get closer to the ending. The plot is rich, and complex, and blends the over arching storyline for the series, seamlessly with the storyline for this portion of the series. A lot of sequels aren't as good, but Caged isn't one of them, it's better. A lot of authors put more emphasis on the overarching storyline, and setting up things for the next book. Not Davis. Setting up the next book is provided, but it's not the sole focus. I can't stress enough how perfectly written these books are, and how much you will regret never reading this series!
Until she see's she'll be working with Donovan, the ex-boyfriend she's known through childhood that cheated on her. That she's not so jazzed about, to say there was some tension would be an understatement. But after a fight ends in a seizure, a tentative friendship begins to form. Enter Erik, Talia's former team mate, and make out buddy in the week leading up to her mission, and the guy she's got some very strong feelings for. But hey, atleast she's got her best friend Penny there, to assist her in uncovering the spy, and help her deal with the boy drama.
As Talia becomes more entrenched in her assignment, she quickly discovers the lengths Mac and the Agency will go to in the name of war, and what she's capable of, when the interrogation of a suspect goes horrifically wrong. Talia begins to realize that Crane's influence is spreading, and there are few operatives without a tie to the coalition. Forced to face hard truths, and dangerous conclusions, Talia realizes that it's those closest to her hiding the biggest secrets. As finding the traitor dumps Talia in to a constant state of frustration and desperation, with lies everywhere, she realizes she needs help. But who can she trust when everyone has something to hide. Who isn't who they say they are? Is Donovan responsible for her seizures? What is Mac hiding? And will Talia and Eric get to be together? You know...without the whole arguing and life threatening mission getting in the way?
So, Sophie very kindly sent me this to review, and man am I so glad for her kindness, because it looks to me like this is going to get better and better. We skip all of the recovery period and join Talia 9 months after the end of Talented, and as she's back on her feet.
The amazing world building from Talented is expanded on as we get to see one part of the world that was previously mentioned, in more detail...the school. An entire mini world is created in the world we're already familiar with, that encompasses you and sucks you in. The new scenery keeps the series fresh, and the readers engaged and interested. We also get to see more of how the world works, with the justice system and so on, which is really cool! Going back in to this world, I had to do a little happy dance, because it's so unique, and it's impossible for you to get tired of it!
The prose is just as concise with the background and details, and just as smooth flowing. The prose is so slick, you could slide right off if you where walking on it. There's just as much action, just as much intrigue and just as much humour, but on another level to Talented. I kept flashing back to Talented and how much I loved and enjoyed reading it and how I was consumed with the characters and story, much like I was with Caged all over again!
I loved all the characters in Talented, they where all so well written and full of life, and that's carried on in Caged, but we get to see even more depth to them, and find out more about them. We see Talia in a different way, she's not a Hunter, but she's still badass, but you admire her strength in dealing with the seizures and everything on her plate. I feel like I morph in to Talia, or atleast merge with her when I read, because I find myself not only following her thought process, but thinking some of the same things she does, like with Erik. Like Talia, I really thought he'd run a mile when he saw her have a seizure, because I was kind of envisioning he-slut Erik, but shame on me. I loved Erik in Talented, he was perfect, and I should have known we'd see an incredibly tender, sweet and caring side to him in Caged regarding what Talia's going through. I love his protectiveness, although the scene after the Dinner scene...I really wanted to smack him one.
Donovan is complicated for me. I was kind of meh about his character in Talented, he was a sweetheart, as I said in my review of Talented, but at the same time, he was a bit of an ass sometimes, and my opinion of him morphed in to hatred after the Incident. I am fully Team Erik. All the way. BUT. Caged, I felt, gave us more of a look at Donovan, we saw deeper in to his character. I saw he had a sweet and caring side, even more so than I originally thought, he was there for Talia even though she was (rightfully) horrible to him, he was remorseful BUT he was kinda stupid thinking she'd take him back and I enjoyed seeing a side of him that wasn't shown very much in Talented, although I was reading and thinking "HELL NO" when Talia was confused about her feelings for him.
With Donovan and what was going on with him and Talia in Caged, I've seen a couple of people saying "Oh I thought the love triangle was out the way in Talented" and blah blah blah. Well, let's be real. Throughout the whole confusion with the guys (which was very realistic by the way and well done) Talia states she has stronger feelings for Erik, and he's who she wants, and I doubt she'll go for Donovan as second best. Donovan's kind of like a safety blanket for Talia, he makes her feel safe at a time when she doesn't. You need to remember that Talia's known him for years, so for me, it wasn't really a love triangle, because I was confident that Erik would prevail, and he did. It was more she wanted to be friends with him, and didn't want to lose her new friendship with him.
Back to Donovan, I'm interested to see what happens with his character. Can they be friends? Can he get out from under his father's thumb? Speaking of Mac, I personally saw him as a pretty great guy in Talented, Talia's rescuer and protector who took her in, and cared for her. In Caged...well....he's shady. He's up to something, and he's done something, and it is killing me not knowing what and trying to guess.
Everything you thought you knew about the characters when you finished Talented....well...in Caged it gets turned upside down, no more so than with Penny. You see different sides to everyone, and get to know the characters a bit more, they're all built on from Talented, and some of them aren't what you thought they where.
Now. Penny. I really didn't see that coming, I came to the realization after Talia did, when she went storming into the room. I'm simultaneously gutted, because you know....betrayal of my favourite character, but at the same time, I'm intrigued, particularly about the revelation in the last 5% of the book I think it was, during the court scene. I'm frothing at the mouth with anticipation for the next book!
While i'm talking about Penny and shocking revelations, let's move on to the plot. As I said, it's action packed all the way through, we have romance, we have regular drama, bitchy girl drama (seriously, someone smack Cadence) and boy drama. For every question that's answered there are a million more. There's a tonne of twists and turns, and shocking plot twists that I guarantee you even Nancy Drew couldn't predict. You're incapable of putting the book down, but you don't want it to end. Seriously. I was on a night out for a friends birthday and I was thinking about the book.
Davis has a knack for giving you exactly what you want in the book, answering all your questions, but also giving you a load more of intrigue ready to be answered in the next book, but still leaving you satisfied and ready for more. I honestly cannot get enough, and I feel like the books are just going to get better and better.
Caged ends on a hell of an explosive note, and the anticipation is ramped up as you get closer to the ending. The plot is rich, and complex, and blends the over arching storyline for the series, seamlessly with the storyline for this portion of the series. A lot of sequels aren't as good, but Caged isn't one of them, it's better. A lot of authors put more emphasis on the overarching storyline, and setting up things for the next book. Not Davis. Setting up the next book is provided, but it's not the sole focus. I can't stress enough how perfectly written these books are, and how much you will regret never reading this series!
December 26, 2019
I really enjoy these books, but they leave you guessing at the end. They really leave you wanting to find out what will happen next.
May 1, 2020
I loved the parts with Eirk, otherwise it was boring.
Want to read
July 20, 2022🎁 FREE on Amazon today (7/20/2022)! 🎁
June 11, 2013
I originally received Talented for free, and I don't typically follow through on a series unless the first book completely captivates me. Talented did just that, so I immediately had to go out and get Caged. I loved it!!!
Talia is still recovering from her encounter with Crane and undergoing tests due to her seizures. She's back in her childhood home with Mac and his wife Gretchen, but this time it feels like a gilded cage. Being under Mac's thumb and being undercover trying to find the spy who betrayed her to Crane makes Talia question how far both sides are willing to go in this war, and how much she truly knows. She still questions what Crane said to her in his compound.
I hated seeing Talia go through her medical problems, and I wanted to question what exactly where they giving her and why she didn't demand more answers. As Talia deals with not being a Hunter anymore she is forced to work with Donovan again at the School while she, Penny, Eric and others are all trying to uncover who the spy could be. I had a feeling exactly who the spy would be, but I never expected the surprise of what the spy could do. I don't want to spoil the surprise for anyone else, but trust me; it's an exciting lead up to the discovery. Once the discovery is made Talia is even more confused as to just what exactly is going on with Toxic and the Coalition.
I really enjoyed this book, I flew through it. I was so frustrated with everyone keeping secrets from Talia, or "just assuming she knew" something. Davis drops hints through this book that I eagerly picked up and formed my own conclusions to just what was happening to Talia. I discovered I was right in the next book, Hunted. So, I recommend setting aside time to read not just Caged, but Hunted as well because I guarantee you're not going to be able to stop at Caged. I love when authors like Davis leave tine breadcrumbs for readers to follow, because it makes me so much more invested in the book. Granted, I get exasperated when the characters seem to wander around in the dark; but I recognize that they don't pick up the clues as quickly since those seem to be more of a benefit/prize to the reader.
Caged continues with the character development and I love that Talia and Eric get to be together. I don't want to say too much and ruin Hunted for anyone, but pay attention to the little details and you'll be even more excited for Hunted!
I definitely recommend this book/series for anyone who enjoys this genre. The "talents" are extremely intriguing and creative and the storyline is interesting. While almost all books in any dystopian world or book involving superpowers follow the same basic plotline, each author has a chance to put his/her own spin on the characters and exactly how the plotline develops. Davis' strength is her excellent character development and interaction. She takes a girl who has always believed the world she lived in was right and just, and now she has to question just how much of that is a lie. Caged was interesting on its own, but also a great bridge into Hunted. Davis has true talent herself in drawing readers into her world!
Talia is still recovering from her encounter with Crane and undergoing tests due to her seizures. She's back in her childhood home with Mac and his wife Gretchen, but this time it feels like a gilded cage. Being under Mac's thumb and being undercover trying to find the spy who betrayed her to Crane makes Talia question how far both sides are willing to go in this war, and how much she truly knows. She still questions what Crane said to her in his compound.
I hated seeing Talia go through her medical problems, and I wanted to question what exactly where they giving her and why she didn't demand more answers. As Talia deals with not being a Hunter anymore she is forced to work with Donovan again at the School while she, Penny, Eric and others are all trying to uncover who the spy could be. I had a feeling exactly who the spy would be, but I never expected the surprise of what the spy could do. I don't want to spoil the surprise for anyone else, but trust me; it's an exciting lead up to the discovery. Once the discovery is made Talia is even more confused as to just what exactly is going on with Toxic and the Coalition.
I really enjoyed this book, I flew through it. I was so frustrated with everyone keeping secrets from Talia, or "just assuming she knew" something. Davis drops hints through this book that I eagerly picked up and formed my own conclusions to just what was happening to Talia. I discovered I was right in the next book, Hunted. So, I recommend setting aside time to read not just Caged, but Hunted as well because I guarantee you're not going to be able to stop at Caged. I love when authors like Davis leave tine breadcrumbs for readers to follow, because it makes me so much more invested in the book. Granted, I get exasperated when the characters seem to wander around in the dark; but I recognize that they don't pick up the clues as quickly since those seem to be more of a benefit/prize to the reader.
Caged continues with the character development and I love that Talia and Eric get to be together. I don't want to say too much and ruin Hunted for anyone, but pay attention to the little details and you'll be even more excited for Hunted!
I definitely recommend this book/series for anyone who enjoys this genre. The "talents" are extremely intriguing and creative and the storyline is interesting. While almost all books in any dystopian world or book involving superpowers follow the same basic plotline, each author has a chance to put his/her own spin on the characters and exactly how the plotline develops. Davis' strength is her excellent character development and interaction. She takes a girl who has always believed the world she lived in was right and just, and now she has to question just how much of that is a lie. Caged was interesting on its own, but also a great bridge into Hunted. Davis has true talent herself in drawing readers into her world!
November 13, 2013
So, this book sealed the deal with me on this series. I feel that I have so many Feels going on that I am having FEELS seizures while I'm reading these books. I am so deeply invested at this point that I am crying, rooting, and I really REALLY want to kick Donovan in the crotch...
How did she not figure out that he had a kid with that blonde chick? The moment I saw her grab the picture I was like, "That two-faced cow."
I love how this story arch is written. There are a few reasons. I love how the parents of Donovan are acting like what he did is normal and ok, and that Talia should basically just deal with it because, "He really does love you." But then I SOOOOO appreciate Miss Davis as an author writing Talia as forgiving but not trusting Donovan and realizing that she does 'love him' she's just not in love with him. It was a great way to flesh out that relationship and not turn Talia stupid. She is aware that his actions were wrong, and that he does keep lying to her. It makes me feel so much better as a reader that their are authors out there and make it NOT OK for men to cheat and for women to stand up for themselves when it happens to them.
There is so much I want to say about this book and I feel like I will just drown on like an idiot.
I do think the author doesn't trust her readers with the world.
She did a lot of repeating of the events of the first book in the first three or four chapters of this one. Giving the readers a subtle recap in the first chapter through the mind of Talia would have had us flowing a lot better. I believe having a few more honest and strong beta readers on her side will flush out this minor issues with the story flow.
There are still some grammar errors I would like to see worked out. Missing words, wrong words, that sort of thing. Nothing that drew me from the story too much, because if I am being the honest the power behind the story and the writing is much stronger than the little errors sprinkled throughout the book.
I still say that this book is better than Divergent. I think where Divergent when wrong was trying to push the readers limits so much she made them all start acting uncharacteristic by the second installment and it totally pulled us from the enjoyment. This story doesn't do that. All the characters are holding true and they are smart, powerful, and the ones we aren't supposed to like--well, we don't like.
I want to continue with this series SO BAD! I will be grabbing the rest of the series up to date once I am more caught up with some books I'm behind on--its gonna kill me, but it must be done!
Again, you like Divergent.. I say grab this series, I think it will make you feel a lot better in the long run.
*I received a copy of this book from the author via Lovers of Paranormal Group on Goodreads in exchange for an honest review.*
How did she not figure out that he had a kid with that blonde chick? The moment I saw her grab the picture I was like, "That two-faced cow."
I love how this story arch is written. There are a few reasons. I love how the parents of Donovan are acting like what he did is normal and ok, and that Talia should basically just deal with it because, "He really does love you." But then I SOOOOO appreciate Miss Davis as an author writing Talia as forgiving but not trusting Donovan and realizing that she does 'love him' she's just not in love with him. It was a great way to flesh out that relationship and not turn Talia stupid. She is aware that his actions were wrong, and that he does keep lying to her. It makes me feel so much better as a reader that their are authors out there and make it NOT OK for men to cheat and for women to stand up for themselves when it happens to them.
There is so much I want to say about this book and I feel like I will just drown on like an idiot.
I do think the author doesn't trust her readers with the world.
She did a lot of repeating of the events of the first book in the first three or four chapters of this one. Giving the readers a subtle recap in the first chapter through the mind of Talia would have had us flowing a lot better. I believe having a few more honest and strong beta readers on her side will flush out this minor issues with the story flow.
There are still some grammar errors I would like to see worked out. Missing words, wrong words, that sort of thing. Nothing that drew me from the story too much, because if I am being the honest the power behind the story and the writing is much stronger than the little errors sprinkled throughout the book.
I still say that this book is better than Divergent. I think where Divergent when wrong was trying to push the readers limits so much she made them all start acting uncharacteristic by the second installment and it totally pulled us from the enjoyment. This story doesn't do that. All the characters are holding true and they are smart, powerful, and the ones we aren't supposed to like--well, we don't like.
I want to continue with this series SO BAD! I will be grabbing the rest of the series up to date once I am more caught up with some books I'm behind on--its gonna kill me, but it must be done!
Again, you like Divergent.. I say grab this series, I think it will make you feel a lot better in the long run.
*I received a copy of this book from the author via Lovers of Paranormal Group on Goodreads in exchange for an honest review.*
January 28, 2017
☆☆ SPOILERS FROM BOOK 1 ☆☆
At the end of book 1, Talia was rescued by Donovan after being shot in the back during her Hunter's Solo Mission. In the nine months since, she's been having mysterious seizures thought to have been brought on by whatever drug Ian Crane injected her with during her failed mission. Worse, due to her fragile health, she was forced to move back into Mac's house and not allowed outside contact.
So when Mac approaches Talia, and asks her to pose as an assistant instructor at the McDonough School to look for a possible Coalition spy, she jumps at the chance. The deeper she digs, the more apparent it becomes that betrayal comes in many forms.
☆ END SPOILERS FROM BOOK 1 ☆
Had I known that the first book in this series, 'Talented', was a debut book from two brand new authors, I would have graded on a curve and given it 4 stars instead of 3. That being said, I still cannot honestly claim that this one was better. It started out well,especially with the brief back story in the first few pages that immediately reminded the reader of what happened it the previous book. The last several chapters were also well done. Those chapters were nicely paced, filled with suspense, urging the reader to say 'just one more page'.
Unfortunately, it's the middle of the book that dragged. Being presented in the first person, the book became weighed down by all of Talia's inner dialogue, opinions and feelings. But, Sophie Davis is far from the only authors that are guilty of that. Also I was disappointed in the character of Talia in this book. The first book showcased her as a semi strong heroine. Now she has become a blubbering, fickle, mess who constantly wants to ride the nonstop pity train.
Lastly the love triangle that began in book 1 (that we thought was resolved at the end), continues on once again. 70% of the book focuses on Talia's confusion of the feelings she has for both Eric and Donovan. The only thing worse than reading about her feelings towards both boys in book one, was reliving it (almost verbatim) in book two.
Overall, despite my critiques, the book wasn't bad. I enjoyed the storyline, and thoroughly appreciated that the sequel was not a rinse and repeat. As in, the story has a different setting, location and scenarios. As I've just finished book three, I can tell you that the next one gets quite good. Also having read the latest book by this author duo, I can honestly say that these two ladies are quite talented in their writing ability, and are definitively worth checking out.
At the end of book 1, Talia was rescued by Donovan after being shot in the back during her Hunter's Solo Mission. In the nine months since, she's been having mysterious seizures thought to have been brought on by whatever drug Ian Crane injected her with during her failed mission. Worse, due to her fragile health, she was forced to move back into Mac's house and not allowed outside contact.
So when Mac approaches Talia, and asks her to pose as an assistant instructor at the McDonough School to look for a possible Coalition spy, she jumps at the chance. The deeper she digs, the more apparent it becomes that betrayal comes in many forms.
☆ END SPOILERS FROM BOOK 1 ☆
Had I known that the first book in this series, 'Talented', was a debut book from two brand new authors, I would have graded on a curve and given it 4 stars instead of 3. That being said, I still cannot honestly claim that this one was better. It started out well,especially with the brief back story in the first few pages that immediately reminded the reader of what happened it the previous book. The last several chapters were also well done. Those chapters were nicely paced, filled with suspense, urging the reader to say 'just one more page'.
Unfortunately, it's the middle of the book that dragged. Being presented in the first person, the book became weighed down by all of Talia's inner dialogue, opinions and feelings. But, Sophie Davis is far from the only authors that are guilty of that. Also I was disappointed in the character of Talia in this book. The first book showcased her as a semi strong heroine. Now she has become a blubbering, fickle, mess who constantly wants to ride the nonstop pity train.
Lastly the love triangle that began in book 1 (that we thought was resolved at the end), continues on once again. 70% of the book focuses on Talia's confusion of the feelings she has for both Eric and Donovan. The only thing worse than reading about her feelings towards both boys in book one, was reliving it (almost verbatim) in book two.
Overall, despite my critiques, the book wasn't bad. I enjoyed the storyline, and thoroughly appreciated that the sequel was not a rinse and repeat. As in, the story has a different setting, location and scenarios. As I've just finished book three, I can tell you that the next one gets quite good. Also having read the latest book by this author duo, I can honestly say that these two ladies are quite talented in their writing ability, and are definitively worth checking out.
March 12, 2014
After her brush with death at Ian Crane’s compound, Talia Lyons feels like a prisoner, confined in her childhood home. Plagued with seizures- the result of an unidentified drug injected in her neck by Crane’s men- Talia must put her dream of becoming a Hunter on hold. So when Agency Director McDonough asks Talia to go undercover at the School for the Talented, to find the spy who set the trap for her in Nevada, Talia jumps at the opportunity.
Soon she learns that her new-found freedom comes with a price- working with Donavon on a daily basis. As if that isn’t awkward enough, her former teammate, Erik, also shows up at the School. But at least Talia has the unexpected company of her best friend Penny; to not only assist her in uncovering the spy, but also to deal with the complications that the guys create.
As Talia becomes more entrenched in her assignment, she quickly learns the lengths that the Agency and Mac will go in the name of war. With Crane’s influence spreading, Talia learns that there are few Operatives without ties to the Coalition. Forced to face hard truths and dangerous conclusions, Talia realizes that it is those closest to her who are hiding the biggest secrets. As the task of finding the traitor becomes more problematic, desperation and frustration rule Talia’s world. It becomes clear that Talia can’t do this alone. But who can she trust, when everyone around her is lying?
MY THOUGHTS
This book was full of twists & turns!! There is a lot more action in this book then the previous one. In the last book Talia was injured and being subject to medical procedures. Since becoming a Hunter is on the back burner right now she goes to be a spy at a school. Then she quickly discovers that Donavon is there as well!! I thought her finding the spy would be fairly easy, but I was wrong. I was heartbroken when I discovered who it was! I knew something was up with Toxic (I had my suspicions before) after the trial.
I really hate Mac. I can't say that enough! I hated him from the beginning and as the series continues I hate him even more.
I like the relationship between Talia & Erik :)
Soon she learns that her new-found freedom comes with a price- working with Donavon on a daily basis. As if that isn’t awkward enough, her former teammate, Erik, also shows up at the School. But at least Talia has the unexpected company of her best friend Penny; to not only assist her in uncovering the spy, but also to deal with the complications that the guys create.
As Talia becomes more entrenched in her assignment, she quickly learns the lengths that the Agency and Mac will go in the name of war. With Crane’s influence spreading, Talia learns that there are few Operatives without ties to the Coalition. Forced to face hard truths and dangerous conclusions, Talia realizes that it is those closest to her who are hiding the biggest secrets. As the task of finding the traitor becomes more problematic, desperation and frustration rule Talia’s world. It becomes clear that Talia can’t do this alone. But who can she trust, when everyone around her is lying?
MY THOUGHTS
This book was full of twists & turns!! There is a lot more action in this book then the previous one. In the last book Talia was injured and being subject to medical procedures. Since becoming a Hunter is on the back burner right now she goes to be a spy at a school. Then she quickly discovers that Donavon is there as well!! I thought her finding the spy would be fairly easy, but I was wrong. I was heartbroken when I discovered who it was! I knew something was up with Toxic (I had my suspicions before) after the trial.
I really hate Mac. I can't say that enough! I hated him from the beginning and as the series continues I hate him even more.
I like the relationship between Talia & Erik :)
March 13, 2014
So have you ever finished a book and automatically need to read book two in the series? Well that is what happened with this one. I finished book one Talented (which is free on Amazon and B&N) and I just had to get my hands on book two! I was so involved with the story that it was hard for me to even put the book down.
Caged takes place nine months after book one ended. Talia had been injected with something and rescued but she hardly remembers much. All she really remembers is what Crane told her about what the Agency does to innocence people. Talia is still dealing with her feelings with Donovan and Erik. I found myself giving Talia a high-five in my head for not making things easier with Donovan after what he did to her. I love how Talia's temper gets out of control, it just goes to show how much power she truly has but I don't think she fully understands that.
Now there will be secrets that come to light and Talia is NOT happy that things have been kept from her. Towards the end there is a OH WOW didn't see that totally coming and I was glad for that surprise.
There is so much drama, action, feelings written within the story that you just find yourself lost within it all. I know my favorite character is Talia because even though she is in a weaken state she doesn't back down and I LOVE that.
The Talented World that Sophie keeps giving us is just full of surprises and is wonderful written that you can not put the book down. The characters are so well written that it is truly hard to say I like this character better than this one.
And there is a huge cliffhanger at the end that I have got to get my hands on book three as soon as I can!!!
April 9, 2014
Caged is a perfect second book to an exciting series. Talia wakes up after the dangerous but yet intriguing confrontation with Crane. Unfortunately, Talia did not come out of the meeting unscathed; Crane injected her with a mysterious liquid. Now, due to this Talia has been taken off the main lines and asked to uncover the spy at the School for the Talented. As much as I hate Donavon, he is around a lot in this book and sometimes seems to be somewhat helpful. However, he made me hate him even more in this book because he expected to be let off the hook so easily! But for whatever reason, I think Donavon might prove a bit useful or helpful in the future.
Erik is in the picture for a small part of the book but I have hopes for him being a bigger picture in the future books! Most of the book is devoted to finding the spy and I was extremely surprised of who it was, I didn’t see it coming. Even after the things that Crane said to Talia and Erik’s note, I am very surprised that Talia hasn’t been questioning the Agency more. I am not sure if this will take the turn like most dystopians do where the Agency is the bad cop and the Coalition is the good cop but I am excited to see where these books go!
As always the first book in the series is free so go grab it, if you haven’t already!
Link: http://thepassionatebookworms.com/rev...
Erik is in the picture for a small part of the book but I have hopes for him being a bigger picture in the future books! Most of the book is devoted to finding the spy and I was extremely surprised of who it was, I didn’t see it coming. Even after the things that Crane said to Talia and Erik’s note, I am very surprised that Talia hasn’t been questioning the Agency more. I am not sure if this will take the turn like most dystopians do where the Agency is the bad cop and the Coalition is the good cop but I am excited to see where these books go!
As always the first book in the series is free so go grab it, if you haven’t already!
Link: http://thepassionatebookworms.com/rev...
May 29, 2014
Ok, so if you have read the first book then you probably hate Donavan! I too hate him. I know that in parts of this book he is helpful to Talia but I DO NOT CARE! He broke her heart and I cried!
Now she has to work with him, what the HELL??? Did Sophie Davis really do this to us? WELL, it makes for one helluva story.
Not only is she emotional crippled because of all the abuse from Donavan but now she has to contend with seizures? This poor girl. I am not sure that many would be able to function under the pressure, but Talia manages. Sophie Davis built a strong, beautiful, fighter when she created Talia!
Erik, oh sweet Erik! He truly love Talia and is determined to be a rock for her. Although he was always a playboy and a little on the player side, that all changes when Talia captures his heart. Their love is built on passion and equality. I adore them as a couple.
So, who will be the spy? Do you think Talia has taken enough hits or are they just starting? I am pretty sure I know early on but I did NOT want to believe it. My POOR heart can't take anymore.
Enough with this review! I am on to the next book!!! Don't bother me because I will be in my reading bubble inhaling Hunted!
www.tarazormier.weebly.com
Now she has to work with him, what the HELL??? Did Sophie Davis really do this to us? WELL, it makes for one helluva story.
Not only is she emotional crippled because of all the abuse from Donavan but now she has to contend with seizures? This poor girl. I am not sure that many would be able to function under the pressure, but Talia manages. Sophie Davis built a strong, beautiful, fighter when she created Talia!
Erik, oh sweet Erik! He truly love Talia and is determined to be a rock for her. Although he was always a playboy and a little on the player side, that all changes when Talia captures his heart. Their love is built on passion and equality. I adore them as a couple.
So, who will be the spy? Do you think Talia has taken enough hits or are they just starting? I am pretty sure I know early on but I did NOT want to believe it. My POOR heart can't take anymore.
Enough with this review! I am on to the next book!!! Don't bother me because I will be in my reading bubble inhaling Hunted!
www.tarazormier.weebly.com
March 24, 2013
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I was reading as fast I could to find out who the traitor was and what was wrong with Talia, and generally speaking I wasnt disappointed and Sophie Davis didnt fail to deliver yet again. I am so excited to start the next book, I almost didnt take the time to write this review!
check out the rest of my review at my blog:
http://beautysinbreakdown.blogspot.co...
The author did not disappoint. She continued to write and imaginative as the first book. Again, I felt that the story line moved at the appropriate speed, there wasnt much "left out" meaning, I felt like whatever she didnt write to close it off, was on purpose (I guess Ill find out soon!) and I was impressed with how alive her scenes and the feelings she wrote came alive. I enjoyed that the characters relationships built over time, and not in one instant or scene. I enjoyed that she made sure that every detail was included so that the reader gets the full picture from Talia's perspective. I truly enjoy her writing and look forward to more of her books!
check out the rest of my review at my blog:
http://beautysinbreakdown.blogspot.co...
The author did not disappoint. She continued to write and imaginative as the first book. Again, I felt that the story line moved at the appropriate speed, there wasnt much "left out" meaning, I felt like whatever she didnt write to close it off, was on purpose (I guess Ill find out soon!) and I was impressed with how alive her scenes and the feelings she wrote came alive. I enjoyed that the characters relationships built over time, and not in one instant or scene. I enjoyed that she made sure that every detail was included so that the reader gets the full picture from Talia's perspective. I truly enjoy her writing and look forward to more of her books!
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