Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile
The Gifted School
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
112 posts | 100 read | 95 to read
Smart and juicy, a compulsively readable novel about a previously happy group of friends and parents that is nearly destroyed by their own competitiveness when an exclusive school for gifted children opens in the community. This deliciously sharp novel captures the relentless ambitions and fears that animate parents and their children in modern America, exploring the conflicts between achievement and potential, talent and privilege. Set in the fictional town of Crystal, Colorado, The Gifted School is a keenly entertaining novel that observes the drama within a community of friends and parents as good intentions and high ambitions collide in a pile-up with long-held secrets and lies. Seen through the lens of four families who've been a part of one another's lives since their kids were born over a decade ago, the story reveals not only the lengths that some adults are willing to go to get ahead, but the effect on the group's children, sibling relationships, marriages, and careers, as simmering resentments come to a boil and long-buried, explosive secrets surface and detonate. It's a humorous, keenly observed, timely take on ambitious parents, willful kids, and the pursuit of prestige, no matter the cost.
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
review
Rachiiebookdragon
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
Mehso-so

This book was kind of good, kind of a drag, very reminiscent of Big Little Lies but not as good…

Read for reading prompts.

Library book 📖

3.75/5

review
BarbaraBB
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image
Pickpick

A fun novel about parents lying and cheating to get their kids in the new ‘school for gifted children‘. It‘s recognisable at times, a bit too much Desperate Housewives at times and over the top most of the time. However,I listened to it on audio and that was perfect while doing other things. A light pick.

squirrelbrain Sounds perfect for audio. 8mo
Cinfhen I can see why you‘d enjoy this book for all of those reasons 😉 8mo
BarbaraBB @Cinfhen @squirrelbrain Utterly forgettable but entertaining while it lasted! (edited) 8mo
Megabooks Yes! This was definitely a fun, parents behaving badly one! 8mo
Suet624 Are you building a desk? 8mo
76 likes5 comments
review
Kangaj1
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image
Pickpick

My #bookspin for Feb was The Gifted School, and I finished it tonight. I tried it on audio first but there were so many characters to keep track of, so I switched to print. A fascinating mess of a community. @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 13mo
28 likes1 comment
review
Traci1
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image
Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
While the ending maybe was a tad disappointing, I really enjoyed this one. It had major Big Little Lies (which I LOVED) vibes. I really liked Holsinger's writing style, enough to borrow his Displacements off Libby to start tonight.

#scarathlon points: 5+1+(10hours x 4 thons x 10)=406 #teamslaughter @Clwojick #bookspin @TheAromaofBooks #31by31 @Catsandbooks #spookaween2022 @TheSpineView

TheSpineView Awesome 1y
TheAromaofBooks Great progress!!! 1y
Catsandbooks 🙌🏼🐈‍⬛🧡 1y
50 likes3 comments
blurb
RavenclawPrincess913
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image

blurb
Cinfhen
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image
Velvetfur Such gorgeous flowers! Beautiful colours 😊 2y
Cinfhen Thanks @Velvetfur they really are lovely for this time of year 😍 2y
AmyG Beautiful flowers. (edited) 2y
Cinfhen Thank you @AmyG they definitely make me happy 2y
69 likes4 comments
review
Bookwormjillk
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image
Pickpick

This was an entertaining read about competitive parents and the lengths they would go to in order to get their kids into a gifted magnet school. It was entertaining because it was true 😬

blurb
Traci1
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Awwww 💙💙 3y
Eggs Pure sweetness 📖📝🖍 3y
55 likes2 comments
review
Seeking_Serenity
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image
Mehso-so

This is my #bookspin for July. It's a good story, but
it's written in the 3rd person pov and I can't stand it. I like reading books that make me lose myself in them and the 3rd pov keeps me feeling detached, so I'm never able to get through these kinds of books. I read about 10 percent of the novel before giving up, but I was struggling to do so.
@TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks At least it\'s off the list!! 3y
34 likes1 comment
review
Colleenolivia
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
Mehso-so

Ehhh. It was an easy read and parts of it were interesting but the ending left me somewhat unfulfilled.

quote
WanderingBookaneer
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image

I have taught these kinds of children.
I‘ve had to deal with their entitled parents.
I can see cliché scenarios like these play out in real life.

Tattooedteacher I live it everyday and the kiddos are in a gifted school. 3y
69 likes3 stack adds1 comment
review
BookishMarginalia
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image
Pickpick

I breezed through this one! It has a whiff of Big Little Lies, though the parents here are friends whose children are all vying for coveted spots in a new “gifted school.” Shenanigans ensue.

LeahBergen This sounds fun! 👍🏻 3y
Cathythoughts It does sound fun 👍🏻❤️ 3y
100 likes1 stack add2 comments
blurb
BookishMarginalia
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image
98 likes1 stack add
blurb
Cinfhen
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image

Look what arrived today!!! Thank you SO MUCH @BarbaraBB I‘m super excited to #BuddyRead the tagged book with you. I do remember discussing this one way back🧡I‘ve already bit into the chocolate 🍫 I can‘t resist anything chocolate & mint!!! It‘s delicious 😋 I‘m so grateful for our friendship, I truly consider you a friend 👯‍♂️Happy Holidays and best wishes for the New Year/ much love xxx

Cinfhen BTW: @BarbaraBB I mailed you a very belated birthday gift last week but I honestly have no clue when it‘ll arrive. Hopefully before your next birthday 💗💗💗 3y
emilyhaldi Love this duo 👯‍♀️ @Cinfhen @BarbaraBB 3y
TrishB Lovely ❤️ 3y
See All 12 Comments
Cinfhen Thanks @emilyhaldi you‘re welcome to join our friend group anytime xxx Merry Christmas/ love to you and the Dargusch gang ♥️ 3y
Cinfhen Awwww, you know you‘re one of us too @TrishB ♥️♥️♥️and your package is also in transit 😘 3y
TrishB Aww thank you 😘 that will be a lovely surprise! ♥️♥️ 3y
BarbaraBB Well that took less than a month, not bad! I am glad you like it! I have been looking forward to The Gifted School, I think we were discovered it when voting was up for the #bunnyread. Let‘s see we if we can fit it into one of the challenges 😅🤣 3y
BarbaraBB I was thinking of that too. Maybe it‘s not really dark but I guess we‘ll need to read it in order to find out! 3y
emilyhaldi Thanks Cindy!! A belated Happy Hanukkah to you and Happy New Year!! 🍾🍾🍾 3y
LeahBergen That‘s lovely! And so are the both of you! 😘😘 3y
Cinfhen Awwww and now we have another wonderful human to add to our little group @LeahBergen @emilyhaldi @BarbaraBB @TrishB 💕💕💕💕💕 3y
66 likes12 comments
review
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image
Pickpick

Pick!
A tight-knit group of friends is torn apart when their wealthy Colorado community opens a school for highly gifted children who must pass rigorous testing for admission. The author hit on many parental insecurities and the stress of the children who bear their parents‘ expectations.
(I especially related to Emma Q. Did Holsinger see straight into my head?!)

51 likes1 stack add
review
Sungirl79
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image
Pickpick

Finally finished this book after several checkouts from the library. (Not having a lot of spare time ugh) The book was good and the ending I did not see coming. This book looks at the lives of several friends, the ups and downs of friendship. It was a long book but I did enjoy it!

review
amyf0x
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image
Pickpick

Four close friends vie for a coveted spot for their children at Crystal‘s new “gifted school,” a quietly vicious competition that threatens to destroy their families and friendships in the process.

Read July 11-16
Rated 4.5/5 ⭐️
Book 28/60

review
Kelsyereadsbooks
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image
Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 I cant believe I slept on this book for so long! It was definitely on the longer side, but the ending was worth it. Great fiction read!

blurb
Branwen
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image

I totally forgot this was coming my way, so it was such a pleasant surprise to find it in the mail today! 😀💕📚 Thank you so so so much, @InBooksILive !! You are the absolute BEST! 🤗 I can't wait to dive in!

InBooksILive I‘m glad it made it safely to you ☺️ I hope you enjoy it! 4y
Branwen @InBooksILive I'm sure I will! It looks fantastic! 😀 Thanks again so much, friend! 💕 4y
56 likes2 stack adds2 comments
blurb
EclecticReaders
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image

Susan, Tara, and Meredith discuss Bruce Holsinger's The Gifted School, with its stressed-out parents, fascinating children, and tons of drama! Listen at
eclecticreaders.fireside.fm/85 or in your favorite podcast app under Eclectic Readers and let us know your thoughts!

review
jmtrivera
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image
Pickpick

The exclusive gifted school brings out the worst in the parents & at times their kids. It does so in different ways though, which was interesting to watch. The parents believe they're doing what's best for their kids; yet their mistakes are perfectly obvious. While we know the kids are the ones who will suffer from all this bad behavior, they're not quite as fleshed out. As interesting & compelling as I found the story, I wanted more of an ending.

review
Sweettartlaura
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image
Pickpick

#readyoursign #cancer
Published during Cancer

I read this one in a day - it hooks you fast & it hooks you hard.
The story follows 4 families, headed by the mothers who are friends, as a new school for gifted & talented students opens. Reminiscent of Big Little Lies, there‘s a big cast of characters with lots of secrets, big & small.
Maybe not life-changing, but resonates in today‘s parenting.

blurb
Sungirl79
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image

Starting this one since they had it available digitally at the library. 2 books going and one that I still need to finish. I need more time lol!! 🤣

blurb
EclecticReaders
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image

New month, new book!

31 likes1 stack add
blurb
jmtrivera
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image

I had a small cup of Coke with dinner - the most caffeine I've had in literally months. Now it's 1 A.M. and 100 pages later... #Oops!

review
Skeeterisme
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image
Pickpick

Interesting.

49 likes2 stack adds
review
AmberWB
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image
Pickpick

This book was fascinating—-and not all that shocking. The length people will go to in order to get their kids into “the” school, whether fictional or not, will never cease to amaze me.

blurb
Lauram
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image

Today, I intend to relax, read, drink coffee, eat shortbread, and set work aside. Be well, Littens. #flattenthecurve

JaclynW Great mug! 4y
55 likes1 comment
review
amok
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
Pickpick

Three stars for literary qualities, four stars for FUN!

review
tome.fries
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image
Pickpick

I struggled to decide where this was a pick or so-so. I decided on pick because it is a very well done literary work with interesting characters and plot with insights on parenting and privilege. I just didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped.

blurb
Aswenson
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image

Lots of great reads this month: Dry, Children‘s Blizzard, Truly Devious were favorites! #swensonreads #swensonreads20

42 likes1 stack add
review
nomadreader
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image
Mehso-so

loved reading this book fourth in #homegirlsread, as K could read the comments, notes, and questions from my three high school besties in the margins. But I didn't buy any of the characters as real people. I wanted more ⭐⭐⭐

blurb
cjk
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image

Checked this one out on a whim. Hoping to get some pages read during my weekend off. 🤞🏽

LoverOfLearning Looks like a good read! Enjoy! 4y
50 likes2 stack adds1 comment
review
MelKelsey
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image
Mehso-so

I listened to this book about the drama that ensues in a well-off neighborhood when a new school opens for gifted students. The idea is better than the execution. Very soap opera-esque, none of the characters are likable or even really despisable. The voice actor's voicing of the young boys was grating.

blurb
nomadreader
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image

I have so little sympathy for the characters in this book I have been reading it for a month and now only read it at bars🤷🏼‍♀️ #booksandbooze

review
JacqMac
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image
Pickpick

I didn‘t like anyone in this book. Everybody was a hot mess. That being said, I couldn‘t put it down.
#24B4Monday time: 17:51
@Andrew65 @jb72 @TheReadingMermaid

marleed I thought this book was so interesting. I felt it was a story where the content rather than the characters was the driver of the story. Does that make sense!? 4y
Andrew65 Well done on a fantastic time 👏👏👏 4y
j.rye Sometimes that makes the best book. 4y
60 likes1 stack add3 comments
blurb
JacqMac
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image

Morning start time and the books I‘m working my way through. The top two are audiobooks. The first two on the bottom are library books. The last one I‘m finishing up for the #MaeveBinchyBuddyRead Today looks very promising. So far.
#24B4Monday
@Andrew65 @jb72 @TheReadingMermaid

jb72 Fantastic start time! 4y
Andrew65 A great choice of books. 4y
59 likes2 comments
blurb
nomadreader
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image

I'm the fourth (and last) one to read this and I cannot wait to see the thoughts of my three best friends while I do #homegirlsread #booksandbooze

review
Tracyantoon
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image
Mehso-so

This is a very slow burn for the first 50-75%. I had a hard time keeping all the characters/relationships straight (there are 2 girls named Emma!) so by the time things got interesting I was still a little lost. I think I would have done better reading vs audio. It was however hard to look away. #parentsbehavingbadly

blurb
Tracyantoon
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image

1. Best thing-my sister @TerriGreen and my niece came to visit for a few days. It was so great having them here. I haven‘t seen them in over a year and we got to talk books 🥰. 2. Weekend plans-just set up a surprise trip to Legoland with my kiddos. Should be fun. Never been there before. 3. 20 minutes left in audio of The Gifted School Thanks for the tag @LibrarianRyan #thoughtfulthursday

MoonWitch94 Thanks for playing ☺️ 4y
LibrarianRyan 😁👍🏻 4y
TerriGreen Loved our book talks! 🥰 Have fun at Legoland!! 4y
13 likes3 comments
quote
BittersweetBooks
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image

Insidious, these false versions of superiority and ease we project onto other families: how often they blind us to the surer comforts of our own ♟♟♟

17 likes1 stack add
review
rachelm
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image
Pickpick

I really enjoyed this book, and I think it would make an excellent one to talk about at a book club of parents. I didn‘t understand why the distinct voices were chosen as narrators above some of the other options until about 35% in, and from there on out I couldn‘t stop listening.

Unrelated photo of a gift I received with me superimposed on it (the top part, which was cut off, read “you can‘t please everyone...”)

blurb
rachelm
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image

This give me Big Little Lies vibes. Anyone else get that feeling? Four families, all competing for a spot at the gifted school. Will they stay friends? (Oh I‘m guessing absolutely not. No spoilers please!)

48 likes2 stack adds
review
bookandbedandtea
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image
Pickpick

This is the story of 4 families brought together 10 years ago by a chance meeting of the wives as they navigate their friendships, marriages, finances, & parenting trials while competing to get the kids into a school for gifted kids. Like the proverbial train wreck, I couldn't look away as I watched these relationships explode and implode. I'd like to see where these characters are 5 years from now. Maybe from different POVs.

review
Well-ReadNeck
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image
Mehso-so

Last read for 2019 finished just under the wire.

Happy New Year, Everyone!!!

Owlizabeth Happy New Year!! 4y
Redwritinghood Happy New Year! 4y
Bookzombie Happy New Year! 🎆 🎉🥂 4y
76 likes1 stack add3 comments
blurb
bookandbedandtea
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image

Starting this one now. #SetInColorado

Megabooks I really enjoyed it! 4y
bookandbedandtea @Megabooks I'm about 3/4 through and things are getting tense! Can't wait to get back into it tonight! 4y
12 likes2 comments
blurb
LMJenkins
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image

Thank you so much @MidnightBookGirl for the AWESOME book and chocolate! I am so excited and this gift (and my mimosa) are really putting me in the Christmas spirit. #jolabokaflodswap #litsyswaps 🌲⭐️💛🍾🎅🎁📚 @MaleficentBookDragon thanks for organizing!

MidnightBookGirl I'm so glad you like it!!! Merry Jolabokaflod! 4y
37 likes1 comment
review
Jemgirl2014
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
Bailedbailed

Had to bail on this one. Too many points of view and too few likeable characters. Also, Tessa's reckless behavior had me cringing. Anyway, time to read "Instacrush"! I'm in the mood for a good hockey romance story. The fact that it takes place around Christmas? Bonus! ??❤?

review
LouBeth
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image
Pickpick

I finished this #TBR read earlier today and it was better then I expected. I thought it would be all about the parents but I really enjoyed the perspective of the children.

#Teamfestivus @wanderinglynn

#WinterGames @Clwojick @StayCurious

wanderinglynn 👍🏻⛄️ 4y
26 likes1 comment
blurb
Cinfhen
The Gifted School | Bruce Holsinger
post image

#BookMail THANK YOU @Reviewsbylola and @Mdargusch for the wonderful books and beautiful bookmark ♥️I‘ve been wanting to read both books for months 🤗🤗🤗I really appreciate your generosity and of course friendship xx #LittensAreTheBest and both books will be used for challenges next year 💗📚💗

AmyG Severence is my book for #booked2020.... pink. (edited) 4y
Cinfhen And mine as well @AmyG 💗 4y
Reviewsbylola I hope you enjoy them! Sorry it took so long. @Mdargusch saved the day by mailing them for me. 🤣🤣🤣 4y
See All 6 Comments
Cinfhen Thanks @Mdargusch xx shipping hardcovers is no small expense 😛I‘m really excited for both books and the bookmark is already being put to use @Reviewsbylola 4y
Mdargusch I was getting worried that I did the address wrong because it was taking forever to get to you! 4y
Cinfhen Mail here can take forever 🙄 @Mdargusch 4y
83 likes6 comments