Book Title: Exiled: Kenly’s Story (Talented Saga #5)
Author: Sophie Davis
Publisher: Createspace
Number of pages: 430 pages
Genre: young adult, paranormal, romance, dystopian
Release Date: September 3rd 2014
Favorite Quotes:
“He’s still an ass, remember that. Just because he looks good without a shirt doesn’t give him a free pass.”
“James shrugged. But the iron mask that shielded his true emotions from the world had fallen away, fallen completely, for the first time since we’d met.”
“ I looked down, to where his hand was still holding mine, his thumb brushing a gentle circle over a patch of skin. When I dared to meet his eyes, the silver seared through the darkness.”
“There was barely any space between us. I hoped the darkness was cloaking the blush that crept up into my cheeks at the thought of a ‘proper thank you.’ I leaned back against the trunk again, once more facing the trees opposite us, instead of the handsome boy with the strong hands and soft lips just inches away.
“A loud crack thundered inside my head, like a deadbolt being slammed into place, locking away the hope I’d been holding onto.”
“I should have known better, I thought. The people who ask the fewest questions see the most.”
“His gaze locked with mine. That perfect platinum darted back and forth, searching for something in my brown counterparts. In the silver depths, though I found emotions that I hadn’t expected: Trepidation. Uncertainty. Longing.”
“ My heart ached for James. I wanted to assure him that blood doesn’t make you who you are. Choices do.”
Goodreads Synopsis:
Kenly Baker is on the run. As one of the Created, a new subset of Talents whose powers were exponentially increased with a synthetic substance, she is being hunted by the government.
Kenly travels across the Atlantic Ocean to the slums of London, where she finds tentative acceptance among a group of outcasts. The Talented are second-class citizens outside of America, so her new friends have spent their lives hiding their abilities, dodging shadows and barely staying alive. Kenly must quickly learn their ways if she is to have any hope for survival.
Because the government is not alone in hunting the Created. Kenly thought she knew what horrors haunt the night, but she soon learns of predators far more terrifying than anything she’s ever faced. Suddenly, she is brutally aware of humanity’s dark side.
It is aware of Kenly, as well. And it’s coming for her.
My Review
3.5/5 stars
This takes place after the events of the attack on DC, in which Erik allows Kenly to escape. Obviously if you haven’t read the previous book, stop reading now :-). Due to being one of the Created, Kenly decides to escape to England in hopes of protecting herself from UNITED. In an attempt at protecting herself and staying hidden, she befriends an old man named Tug and his granddaughter Willa, who both own a pub called the Giraffe in London. In meeting Willa, she ends up befriending her friends Riley, Honora and James. These Talented individuals all work together to protect each other from those seeking to hurt them.
From her new friends, Kenly learns of a century old lineage of families that hunt those who are Talented to be sold and kept as slaves. Unfortunately for Kenly, these families bid an exorbitant amount of money to buy one of the Created. Her new friends try their best to protect Kenly and one another. While all of this is happening, Kenly also has to cope with her new Created Talents of being a Vision.
Just like the first time I read this book, I felt as though it was very slow in the beginning and there was too much time spent just on Kenly and her thoughts. I just wished there was more time spent on Kenly’s time with Willa, Honora, Riley and James. I don’t know if it was on account of Kenly’s age, but she was way too needy and apologetic towards the middle-end of the book. Again, its probably the age, but parts of her personality really irked me.
I did like how Kenly and James’s relationship slowly developed throughout the book. In some ways, I related to James in that he was a bit standoffish initially but the more he was around Kenly, he opened up a little more.
I am looking forward to continuing the Talented series since I will be reading the rest of the series for the first time.
Happy Reading!!
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