Gifted & Talented by Olivie Blake Read Along – Week Three Breakdown

Gifted & Talented by Olivie Blake | Read Along Week Three

Welcome back to week three of our Gifted & Talented read along!

We’re starting to get some real laughs this week, which feels unexpected—but deeply welcome. Olivie Blake’s narrator continues to deliver quips with just the right balance of wit and weirdness.

Oh, and speaking of weird—Arthur dies. Again. Twice. Maybe three times? It’s hard to keep track. It’s clear his emotions are tied to his abilities somehow, and it looks like things are only going to get messier from here.

If you’re just joining us, you can catch up on Week Two here or start from Week One.

Now let’s talk about Gillian. The woman who couldn’t handle being touched in Week One just declared her love for Arthur and is now training with Yves? I didn’t expect to root for them this hard.

Meanwhile, Phillipa’s behavior has me side-eyeing everything. Is she even pregnant? Is this a money grab? And what is the dynamic between her and Yves? They clearly hate each other—yet keep orbiting Arthur.

So many questions, so few answers. And I love it.

Meredith and Jamie are giving us all the drama. Is what she told him the truth? Or manipulation? And where do her powers fit in here? Also…will she marry Cass? Or end up with Jamie again? I’m genuinely torn.

The story is gaining serious soap opera energy, and I mean that in the best way. The stream-of-consciousness style gives it this raw, tangled vibe that totally works. And then we get the bombshell—Dzhuliya might be pregnant. But with whose child? Thayer Wren? Eilidh’s father? There’s even a wild theory forming in my head that Lou and her toddler might tie in. 👀

Lou’s role in this whole thing continues to baffle and delight. In Chapter 29, we shift from “God” narration into Lou’s POV—so is she our omniscient voice? Or just another character being toyed with by fate?

What I’m loving most this week are the themes around domesticity—how it can both comfort and destroy. With parents who left emotional chaos in their wake, it’s no wonder these siblings are untethered and flailing. But could the home be the thing that grounds them again?

And where did their powers even come from? I need answers.

Finally the end of Wednesday’s part was the perfect cliffhanger.
Phillipa and Arthur? Gone. WTF?

🔮 Got predictions? Theories? Drop them in the comments below—I love seeing what you all think!

📖 Next week, we’re reading up to the start of Friday (page 401). I’ll meet you right back here.

👉 P.S. Don’t forget—our July Bite Me Box is shipping soon and features The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy by Brigitte Knightley. If you love fantasy romance, you won’t want to miss this exclusive! Grab your box here.