Esme’s Gift
Terror was within. Terror was without.
Like her mother, she was at the water’s mercy.
In the enchanted world of Aeolia, fifteen-year-old Esme Silver faces her hardest task yet. She must master her unruly Gift—the power to observe the past—and uncover the secrets she needs to save her mother, Ariane.
In between attending school in the beguiling canal city of Esperance, Esme and her friends—old and new—travel far and wide across Aeolia, gathering the ingredients for a potent magical elixir.
Their journey takes them to volcanic isles, sunken ruins and snowy eyries, spectacular places fraught with danger, where they must face their deepest fears and find hope in the darkest of places.
Esme’s Gift, the second instalment in the Esme trilogy, is a gripping fantasy adventure for readers 12 years and over.
Available in paperback and ebook from Amazon, Bookshop.org, or your favourite online bookstore or online retailer.
$23.95
Book Details
Weight | 320 g |
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Dimensions | 216 × 140 mm |
Extent | 266 pages |
Format | Paperback |
Language | English |
Genre | Teen, Fantasy |
Release date | 30 November 2019 |
ISBN | 9781925652833 |
Imprint | Odyssey Books |
Sorcha –
Esme’s Gift is much more action packed than its successor, Esme’s Wish, but still doesn’t lose the enchanting feel. Fans of Harry Potter will love this book for its similar themes. More of the magical city of Esperance is described in detail and just makes you yearn to live there! The genuine friendship of the characters make this book a satisfying read, and hints at a healthy romance in the next book. The conclusion of the trilogy will be greatly anticipated!
Jean –
From dragons diving into volcanoes, Esme and her friends portalling out of art class and deep underwater adventures, Esme’s gift is quite simply a thrilling and exciting read. I especially loved the magical Venetian atmosphere of Esperance, which is expressed via vivid descriptions sprinkled throughout the story. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys being taken away to a beautifully creative fantasy world coupled with an equally as creative magic system all backed up by a fascinating gang of characters.
Julian –
I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC of this book and couldn’t put it down! It takes everything that was great about book 1 and makes it better. With a well developed whimsical world and heroes you can cheer for, this series has more than earned its place alongside Nevermoor.
Chelsea –
Esme’s Gift took me for an absolutely amazing ride! I was so enthralled with the book, that on my way home from work, I actually missed my train stop! The world and character development is so well balanced and you are getting the full picture throughout. Even though this is a fantasy, the reactions are so realistic and well thought out. I highly recommend this series!
Reader’s Favorite –
Esme’s Gift explores a grittier, darker, and at times more beautiful Aeolia. Elizabeth Foster’s strong world-building cultivates a story that’s even more mysterious and layered than Esme’s first swim into Aeolia. While a thriller element is woven into the fantasy plot in a way that kept me on the edge of my seat at times, where the book really stands out is in the characters.
Upping the action a bit from the first book, Esme, Daniel, and Lillian take on a lot of personal growth tasks suitable to their ages, from majestic dragons to terrifying oracles, medical secrets, Aeolia’s violent history–and the ghosts who tell it–and the sometimes accident-prone development of their own special Gifts. Esme’s Gift captures the angst, growing pains, and courage of adolescents while threading in some gentle moments of true friendship and affection.
Ona –
Wonderful, clean read fantasy. First, this is a great book. It is a classic Save-the-parents-from-themselves teen read, with some unexpected plot twists. Foster does a magnificent job of world-building with just enough classic tropes to glue the original touches together. Her characters’ magical gifts are original in nature, not mimics of the same old tired fairy tale abilities. In this one, Esme is on a quest for magical ingredients. Her journey takes her to some scary places, and some of the ingredients are scary poisons. Because the book ends shortly after she turns sixteen, there is just a hint of romance to go with her many friendships. Fun read, absolute page-turner, and amazing second book for this series. Here’s hoping there’s a third.
Flusteredduck –
The second book in a trilogy is often the last satisfactory as it lacks the starry excitement of the beginning and the usually thrilling conclusion of the ending and has to focus on development. Elizabeth Foster has managed to develop her story while also providing a story that has the ability to stand alone on its merits. I think it would help to have read the first book in the trilogy before reading this one but I suspect this book could be read in isolation.
Elizabeth Foster, like her characters, has grown as a writer and this novel reads fluently and smoothly. The story is beautifully paced and kept in motion with no flat spots and full of artfully placed details that produce plenty of “ah-ha!” moments at later points in the story. Both worlds are well developed and made realistic with the second magical world being evocatively and lyrically described. One thing I really liked was the development of the central villain with details of his back story emerging with unexpected links emerging between him and lesser villains. Secondary minor characters are also developed and Esme’s relationships with her parents are also shown to change and grow with her own development.
Jeane Grimbeek –
After Esme’s Wish, I didn’t even waste a second in diving back into the world of Aeolia and Esperance along with Esme. And it didn’t disappoint. Where Esme’s Wish was a toe dipped into the water, Esme’s Gift was the full dive into it. Aeolia and the city of Esperance never seemed more real (like with other beloved fantasy worlds) with Foster adding even more depth to this world with even more history, lore, politics, Gifts (absolutely loved the diversity) and information about magical beings and creatures (again : dragons!).
If you absolutely fell in love with Esme’s journey along with Aeolia and Esperance and want to explore this fantastical world even more, I highly recommend picking up this book. You don’t want to miss more of Esme’s adventures in Esperance.
Laurie J. Bell –
Aha! Another fabulous story. Esme’s Gift is Book Two in the Esme Trilogy and just as fabulous as the first. I’ve recently found this series and it is so much fun. A joy to read.
Esme is a young girl torn between two worlds. Her mother and the magical world of Aeolia, and her father back in “our world” and Esme’s home. Esme is also learning about her Gift… the ability to “see” the memory of water (which is a unique and clever use of magic in a series). This is a terrific book two that continues the drama and excitement of book one with high stakes and gripping emotional choices.
I love the worldbuilding of this series. The magic, dragons, gifts and mysteries of Aeolia are spectacular, so detailed and imaginative. Esme’s relationships with her friends are realistic and genuine. Oh and the baby dragon? Awwwwwwwww! I keep wondering, what gift would I want?
It is a heartfelt series and I love it. Perfectly pitched at MG 12 yrs and over.
Goodwaterreader –
I admit i had misgivings when I started reading this book, second in the series, because I was afraid it was going to be a lot about school relationships. But the story that unfolded was as interesting as in the first tome (Esme’s Wish). I had to force myself to put it down in the evening, or i would have read it in one session without sleeping. An enjoyable read, which i will recommend to my grown-up daughters.
Amie’s Book Reviews –
ESME’S GIFT is the perfect book to sit, and read right now. You can immerse yourself in the unforgettable world of. Esperance.
Currently, our entire world is on ‘pause.’ The Coronavirus dubbed Covid19 has caused a worldwide phenomenon called “Social Distancing.’ Health authorities all over the planet are asking (or demanding) people stay home to avoid catching and/or spreading the virus. The one good thing that has happened because of Covid19, is that we now have the time to read those books that we have all been wishing we had time for.
Physical bookstores may be closed right now, but just about every bookseller is allowing customers to order online and have your books delivered straight to your door. My suggestion is that you place an order for ESME’S WISH and ESME’S GIFT written by the Mega-Talented Author, Elizabeth Foster. I guarantee you will love these books and will find that time flies by because you will become immersef in this tale of magic, mystery, family ties, dragons and the fascinating and scintillating world of Aeolia.
Elizabeth Foster truly has a talent and a gift for creating fantastic worlds that readers will wish they were able to experience firsthand. Elizabeth does for water what J.K. Rowling did for Platform 9 3/4 at the train station.
In “Esme’s Gift,” the fifteen year old title character returns from the magical world of Aeolia with the intention of convincing her father that his wife, Esme’s mother, Ariane, is alive (although currently in a magical coma) in the enchanted city of Esperance. She wants to convince him to travel to Aeolia with her so that he can see for himself.
He reacts the way most of us would react if told that our daughter who had been missing for weeks, shows up one day and says that she had been in a magical city that exists only through an underwater portal. He does not believe her (can you really blame him?) Esme overhears the plan to have her checked out by doctors at a mental hospital and flees back to Aeolia.
Upon her early return, she discovers that there has been no change in her mother’s condition. But, there is hope. If she can procure the ingredients necessary for a special potion, then maybe, just maybe, her mother will awaken from her coma.
The rest of the story follows the quest for the potion’s ingredients. Esme and her friends have several crazy adventures along the way … even including a mistakenly cast spell with harrowing consequences.
Anyone who loved the Harry Potter series will enjoy this book series. It is planned as a trilogy and I am going to be eagerly awaiting the next and final installment.
The descriptions of the magical city of Esperance are so vividly rendered that it is easy to picture it in your mind. The characters are not just superficial, they are realistic and have flaws and foibles just like everyone does. These characters will draw you in and you will find them 100% unforgettable.
If you choose to read only one young adult fantasy fiction series this year, you need to ensure it is THE ESME SERIES.
Without hesitation, I rate ESME’S GIFT AS 5 OUT OF 5 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
*** Thank you to the Author for providing me with a free copy of this book. ***