After a supernatural explosion at the city carnival sends Jade to the hospital, she wakes to find her life and mind inexorably changed. But her newfound ability to read the private thoughts of others becomes a second-rate concern as she discovers a mysterious man stalking her. With the demonstration of supernatural abilities of his own, he convinces Jade to come to Herondale, a boarding school for the "Gifted."Jade grudgingly leaves behind her single father and her handsome best friend in order to shut out the voices once and for all. Only then, can she come back and resume life as it should be: finishing up senior year with her best friend and finding her dad a girlfriend before she graduates.Attending Herondale presents some new difficulties in the form of making friends, enduring a cruel bully, and discovering why animals keep dropping dead around Jade. With the help of her alluring and very off-limits tutor, she discovers her abilities are much more than "mind-reading." He warns her of the dangers of letting others know the extent of her power.After a supernatural explosion at the city carnival sends Jade to the hospital, she wakes to find her life and mind inexorably changed. But her newfound ability to read the private thoughts of others becomes a second-rate concern as she discovers a mysterious man stalking her. With the demonstration of supernatural abilities of his own, he convinces Jade to come to Herondale, a boarding school for the "Gifted."Jade grudgingly leaves behind her single father and her handsome best friend in order to shut out the voices once and for all. Only then, can she come back and resume life as it should be: finishing up senior year with her best friend and finding her dad a girlfriend before she graduates.Attending Herondale presents some new difficulties in the form of making friends, enduring a cruel bully, and discovering why animals keep dropping dead around Jade. With the help of her alluring and very off-limits tutor, she discovers her abilities are much more than "mind-reading." He warns her of the dangers of letting others know the extent of her power.With the upcoming government council meeting to vote on whether the Gifted should reveal their abilities to the world, a sinister plot turned deadly encounter could sway the vote. Jade must find strength with her amateur abilities and amongst unlikely allies to persevere and possibly stop the culprit before it is too late.With the upcoming government council meeting to vote on whether the Gifted should reveal their abilities to the world, a sinister plot turned deadly encounter could sway the vote. Jade must find strength with her amateur abilities and amongst unlikely allies to persevere and possibly stop the culprit before it is too late.