The Strange Power; The Possessed; The Passion (Dark Visions, #1-3)

GIFTED AND CURSED 
Kaitlyn Fairchild has always felt like an outsider in her small hometown. Her haunting eyes and prophetic drawings have earned her a reputation as a witch. But Kait's not a witch: She's a psychic. Tired of being shunned, Kait accepts an invitation to attend the Zetes Institute, where she can have a fresh start and study with other psychic teens.

Learning to hone her abilities with four other gifted students, Kait discovers the intensity of her power -- and the joy of having true friends. But those friendships quickly become complicated when Kait finds herself torn between two irresistible guys. Rob is kind and athletic, and heals people with his good energy. Gabriel is aggressive and mysterious, a telepath concealing his true nature as a psychic vampire, feeding off of others' life energy. Together, Rob and Gabriel's opposing forces threaten the group's stability.

Then one of the experiments traps the five teens in a psychic link. A link that threatens their sanity and their lives. And Kaitlyn must decide whom to trust...and whom to love.

I'm so relieved! I finally finished reading this book after an incessant amount of procrastination...(Wow! I love that word, makes me sound like something out of Twilight!!) 

Now there's been a lot of talk on Goodreads about this being a rich, intense read with a powerful protagonist, well I beg to differ... My perception of a powerful person, is someone who can be discreet in their en-devours and can hide their emotions and fight their battles by themselves! (but sensibly, not trap everyone under the incredulously heavy pressure of your own dumb mistakes like Miss Kaitlyn Fairchild did!) The story is basically about this group of teenage psychics who're caught up in this situation which leaves their mentor thirsting for their blood, and the allegedly decent protagonist raving about the many perfections in her boyfriend Rob, who by the way never even made it clear that they were ever dating! He walks up to her one day and just assumes that he and Kaitlyn are an item, and when he begins to suspect that she's cheating...what does he do? He runs away and cries like a baby, just blubbering in a corner waiting for her to come and console him! (Honestly! I don't know what made that girl think that he was actually her radiant little savior! Because he was as predictable as Tom and Jerry, and as juvenile as Paparazzi craving lunatics!)  

Now I know my incessantly modest description may be a little blunt and well...er... modest... but, there really wasn't anything that gripped me about the book! I saw what was coming half way through and was clawing at my head towards the end, because there wasn't anything quite so satisfying about it! The  saving grace was dear Gabriel, pleasantly enigmatic, wonderfully un-predictable and refreshingly multi-faceted Gabriel!!! Compared to the other characters he was the only one who never failed to surprise, I mean you did kinda know that he would be the dark dude with a kind heart eventually, but there was so much more to him! He wasn't like Rob, an insecure, epitome of perfect boyfriend, Gabriel had his flaws and boy did  he flaunt them! 

Unfortunately the book starred a little too much of daft Kaitlyn, who did nothing but worry about her two men and kept raving about how breaking either's heart would really scar her, rather than worry about the impending doom awaiting her whole group! She was a typically Bella Swan-like weak protagonist! Not a thought for anything but her own selfish fancies and for which guy she was gonna stalk next! 

All in all I rate the book an amusing read because it's refreshing to see that predictable books aren't extinct yet! I liked it because it had a certain appealing diversity in it's story line and a wonderful guy named Gabriel, but besides that it's a little disappointing... The only reason I managed to get through it was because the bad guy was really on the whack  side, and you couldn't wait to see what twisted scheme he would deliberate next in that contorted mind of his, for truly he and Gabriel really made this book a ever so slightly likable one in my mind... Read it cause you know you like the bad guys!!! :D

Love and fist bumps as always!

Halinor Cipriano

                                                                                       I Rated it: 3 stars!!! :D (Hey! I was in a generous mood!!!)