The Charm (Olivia Hart and the Gifted Program) [Kindle Edition]

Alana Siegel (Author)

Book Description

THE CHARM is a young adult fantasy novel and book #1 in the Olivia Hart and the Gifted Program series.

Imagine what high school would be like if your ex-boyfriend fired lightning when he was angry, the sporty girl in your class had enough strength to lift a flatbed truck, and you could charm your way out of trouble.

When shy, sixteen year old, Olivia Hart, witnesses the actual rainstorm her ex-boyfriend, Max Smarr, creates in Pandora high school's cafeteria, she’s convinced she’s lost her mind. Nothing will prepare her, however, for the discovery of her own special Gift.

Olivia Hart has always been satisfied living in the shadows of her peers, and so high school doesn’t get any easier when her charismatic brother goes off to college and her relationship with her edgy boyfriend comes to an end. When she comes across an antique charm, she finds out that she can compel people with her mind and hiding is no longer an option. With the help of her friends in the Gifted Program and each of their special Gifts, what happens next in this young love and coming of age story will force Olivia into the spotlight, test her friendships, and cause her to question her role in a society.

The Retreat, book #2 in the Olivia Hart and the Gifted Program series, is available now!! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008WVP2U2

Product Details

• File Size: 440 KB
• Print Length: 178 pages
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B006LE44HE
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #319,100 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Charm (Olivia Hart and the Gifted Program) January 8, 2012

By Robin Valinoti

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Paranormal and magical events reminiscent of Harry Potter,romance reminiscent of Twilight (and, well, just about any teen romance)...Alana Siegel takes these elements and makes them her own. This is no formulaic YA story. I found it to be fresh, relatable,and a thoroughly entertaining guilty pleasure. Highly recommend!

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A Protagonist with Hart :) January 16, 2012

By Ricki Wilson

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

As a high school teacher, I am always on the lookout for novels I can recommend to my students. Alana Siegel's The Charm is certainly going on the list. Siegel accurately captures the voices of high school students as they forage their own paths through the hallways of self-discovery. Weaving ordinary characters into the fabrics of mythology and fantasy, The Charm centers on a group of talented students who, through the charming protagonist, Olivia, learn that their true strength is their friendships - a worthy lesson for all of us. Siegel is a *gifted* writer.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Gifted writer April 17, 2012

By Ross Kitson

Format:Kindle Edition

The YA market is dominated still by paranormal romance books; with high schools jammed full of vampires, werewolves, demons, witches etc. So it was refreshing to read a novel set in a high school with a different spin--individuals with superpowers, who nonetheless have an angst ridden time of it all.
Olivia is struggling along in school. She's bright and likeable but is paying the price for a recent relationship with the school bad-boy. This is compounded by the fact her brother has left schoool for college and she feels insecure and exposed. Then a set of bizarre events begin to occur and she discovers that the undelying cause of these events are linked to her and a group of fellow students...the Gifted.
Siegel melds together a suitably teenage angst ridden storyline-- full of relationship concerns, insecurities and fall-outs-- with a backdrop of partly mythical partly supernatural fantasy. The appearance of the powers has the vibe of a kind of high school version of Heroes, or perhaps even a lower key superhero story. The powers and how they emerge from the Gifted produce intruiging devlopements in the characters and their relationships. In fact tis book lays the ground work for some potentially excellent story arcs.
The prose, which is in first person, is snappy and exciting and very engaging. For someone whose nearest experience to YA is trying to ignore my wife watching Vampire Diaries and Twilight on the TV I was pleasantly suprised how into the story I got and the author should be very pleased that she's managed that in a grump like me.
The only mild criticism I have of this book is the occassional stereotyping of characters-- we have a silent but strong type (a la Stefan) and a bad-boy who has some redeeming features (a la Damian), with a few Jocks and geeks slung in.... This may be what US High school is like, but I thought perhaps Siegel could have been a bit more adventurous with her male MCs (is every male school kid in the US ultra-buff??). It's a minor point as the book is so well written I found myself getting involved in the story like I'd been to school in America anyway!!!
I have no hesitation in giving this 5 stars. They are well deserved. A Charmed book, indeed. Read more ›

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars THIS IS NOT YOUR MOTHER'S GIFTED PROGRAM!! March 29, 2012

By Patricia Paris

Format:Kindle Edition

In THE CHARM, author Alana Siegel takes her readers by the hand and leads them right through the front doors and into the halls of Pandora High School to live her story with the ease of a very talented writer. Siegel's characters are captivating, believable and her depiction of the teenage experience, high school, and all the pressures, joys, and dreams that encompass that age and time smack with reality.

The book's heroine, Olivia, is extremey likable and the reader is soon cheering her on, ready and anxious to join her as she tries to figure out what all the strange events are that keep happening at her school. When Olivia and a few other sudents are asked to attend a meeting for the Gifted Program, they soon discover there's more to their favorite teacher and being "special" than they ever imagined. Their small group is confronted with evil forces that will require them to overcome their individual insecurities and differences to band together if they hope to overcome them.

A captivating tale of friendship, magic, and coming of age that I could easily envision as an ongoing series. THE CHARM is fresh, fun, and extremely well done! I am anxiously awaiting the next installment. Kudos to Alana Siegel!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it!!!! March 24, 2012

By Sarah

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Absolutely loved reading this!! Took me right back to my high school days and was full of wit, suspense and charm (pun intended;) Made my few days home sick from work actually enjoyable!! Very well written so you really grew to know and love the characters. Highly recommend this perfect magical teen romance!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Love! March 17, 2012

By Andrea Kissel

Format:Kindle Edition

I loved this book from the beginning to the end. I can't wait to continue the journey with the characters in the next book!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful read for all ages. March 16, 2012

By Kufans4ever

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I normally don't read YA books, mainly because high school wasn't my favorite time in life. The peer pressure, anger, snobbery, and all the other things I identify with high school was included in this fantastic book, without trying to gloss over anything. I discovered The Charm from reading reviews, and I'm glad I did. Alana Siegel is an author that is on her way to bigger and better. She is my kind of author, building a character until you know them, then jumping into the story, holding your attention the entire time. Her descriptive style is wonderful, as is her story of high school, friends, and magic. I have told my daughters that this is a must read. I totally enjoyed this book, and I only give it a 5 star rating because there are no higher ones.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A great read that I have proudly handed down to my daughter! March 10, 2012

By Sarah's Exotic Tales

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I read this book with relish and could hardly put it down because I felt like I was one of the characters, reliving my teenage years, as one of Olivia's friends. Olivia Hart is your typical awkward high school student who managed to hide behind the shadow of her popular big brother until his graduation, after which she had to pull her own weight! Siegel successfully brings out the good, the bad and the ugly of high school years and offers her characters an escape route from their trials and tribulations through paranormal activity! A great read that I have proudly handed down to my daughter!

More About the Author

Alana Siegel is the author of the Olivia Hart and the Gifted Program fantasy young adult series. She was raised on Long Island, New York. She was the valedictorian of Plainedge High School and graduated with a B.A. and double major in Finance and Accounting from the Leonard N. Stern School of Business at New York University. She currently lives in San Francisco, California, with her fiancé, Stefan Mag, and their ragamuffin cat named Zeus. Since early childhood she has loved to read fantasy books. Add a little romance and a happy ending and in her eyes you have a perfect afternoon of reading.

website: http://www.oliviahartbooks.com

Twitter: @AlanaSiegel