Great historical fantasy! Nathalie (love that name too) is an easily to relate to character with a weird job: visiting the Paris Morgue's display of the unclaimed/ unidentified dead. While most people visit this to gawk, the real role of it is to allow for the bodies to be identified by family and friends for burial. Nathalie's job is do a daily write-up for the paper about the bodies there.

It's all pretty mundane for her until the day she sees the body of a brutally murdered girl and gets a vision for the perspective of the girl's murderer. These visions, and murders, propel her down a course of adventure and mystery.

Spectacle was one of my most highly anticipated books for 2019, and it didn’t disappoint! It’s an atmospheric tale of murder and magic that I found completely enthralling.

There are two main characters in this book: Nathalie, a young journalist writing morgue reports during a spate of murders, and Paris. As in, the city. I don’t exactly mean that in a Neverwhere sort of way – the city itself isn’t magical, or alive – but the impression of Paris that you get from Spectacle is so strong and detailed and textured that it almost feels like a character. Though I have never seen the places described, the way that Nathalie describes her surroundings is so immersive – I felt like I was there. It’s not always pretty in Paris (in fact, there’s a very realistic depiction of the danger and dirt of the city) but it is mesmerising.

The horror aspects of the story are really nicely done, and left me intrigued and unnerved without being outright scared. Now, I’m a huge scaredy-cat, so I don’t think people looking for full-on horror will find it here, but I thought it was the perfect spice to make the story really sing. And of course, the story is also peppered with magic, when Nathalie realises that she can relive the last memories of the serial killer’s victims. It’s kinda gruesome and fascinating in equal measure – I’m not a true-crime sort of person, but I can see why people are so interested in it, and I think this gave me some insight into how it feels to look at the darker side of humanity.

This is a fairly dense read, but it feels luxurious, like a long lunch in a Parisian café. I was so captivated by Nathalie’s need to find out about her magic that I was flipping pages like nobody’s business towards the end! I thought it was a really unique mix of historical texture and magic, and it just really worked for me – I was glad it didn’t fall into the clichés of YA too much. I think the meticulously described Paris setting stopped it from getting too fantastic, and the mysterious magic powers sent this much further up my street than a murder mystery might otherwise have been! I’m very excited to keep an eye on Jodie Lynn Zdrok in the future, as I think her writing is fantastic – those looking for some YA that breaks the mould should definitely give this a go.
Five out of five stars!

I found myself setting this one aside constantly. The beginning started off great, until the story slowed down immensely and my interest waned. The synopsis is fantastic, but the lack of action just couldn’t keep my attention. Another story that I’m sure some people will love, while others will set it aside.

I wasn't sure what to expect, but I enjoyed reading this. An interesting story with fun characters. Well written.

This book was an interesting story from start to finish. It is a definite reread. Recommending it to all my friends.

This book has everything I adore. A murder mystery, science, magic, layered heroines and a vivid historical setting. It did start out a touch slow, but once Nathalie came to terms with her ability, I found myself absolutely swept up in this wonderful story! Zdrok's writing is confident and utterly engaging, taking readers from cathedrals to catacombs, and it brings the whole world to life. The mystery was twisty without throwing in gimmicky wrenches (I won't go into much detail to avoid spoilers,) and the addition of Insightfuls added a fresh spec-fi twist to what could have become trope-y.

And that's one of the things I loved the most about SPECTACLE. It constantly subverts expectations. Potential love interests end up betrothed to another, killers are defeated by surprising sources, and secondary characters weave in and out of suspicion to constantly keep you guessing. And it really is about the *spectacle*, of life and death and magic and murder, unpredictable and unflinchingly walking through grey spaces. Again, it's a tricky one to review without spoiling, so I'll keep it brief; this book totally exceeded my expectations, and if the blurb snags your attention, it's one I'd wholeheartedly recommend.

I went into this one expecting something like the Stalking Jack the Ripper series. While it was similar, this one was a bit different with but with the same gothic vibes that I love. The authors writing was very good and I really enjoyed the switch in perspective that we get here.

While I found it hard to connect with Nathalie, I really enjoyed the plot of the story! It’s something about YA murder mysteries that pull me in. I would read something else by this author in the future.

While I didn’t dislike this book it was simply okay. I adored the characters and the bits of Paris scenery, but the plot fell short for me. I was hoping for an action packed thrill as they race against time before the killer strikes again. What I got was minor thrill with more self discovery and a somewhat satisfying, though abrupt, conclusion. There was a minor cliff hanger that could indicate a sequel, however, i’m unsure if I would be willing to pick it up

If you want to see my full review click on my link to go to my blog

3.5 stars.

I enjoyed reading this one, though to say I loved it and that this is highly recommended from me would be a stretch.

Nathalie is 16 and she writes the daily morgue column for Le Petit Journal and I find that really fascinating. Our MC is really badass and I enjoyed being in her mind. I also love the friendships she has throughout the book. But I must admit sometimes I find her voice so mature. She's only 16 but that's not a major complain of mine. I just think it would be better if I experienced her as a teenager because she's really young. But then again, she's already writing a column about deads and the plot of this story is not really for the young at heart, Nathalie gotta have mature thinking.

Speaking of the plot, it was fine. I think the blend of suspense, mystery, paranormal and the characters' charm and wit are the right blend for this book. But still, it's not enough to make me engrossed in the story. It's either it's lacking something or there are so much going on. I can't really pinpoint where this book goes meh. The setting, Paris in the 1800s, was amazing though. The author has a talent for making the setting alive.

Overall, this is an okay read and will not be the last book I'll read from the author.

I had a hard time getting into this book. The opening few chapters just didn't grab me. It is possible that I just wasn't in the mood for the dark tone of the book having just come off of reading several and felt the need for something more appealing. I didn't finish the book but I do plan to give it a second try at a later date.

Spectacle is a fantastic historical murder mystery with elements of the paranormal set in Paris, 1887.
The main character Sixteen-year-old Nathalie Baudin writes a grisly column for the local newspaper describing the unidentified bodies on display in the morgue, however one day while viewing the body of a murder victim she has a frightening and graphic vision of the girl’s murder. When a second girl is murdered Nathalie again has a vision of her death but realises her visions are from the perspective of the murderer himself! As more girls are murdered Nathalie reluctantly decides to use her visions to help discover the killer and she is soon drawn into a complex and intricate mystery involving medical experiments, individuals with special powers and her supposedly mentally ill aunt who has been incarcerated in an asylum…
I absolutely adored this book for many reasons. Firstly, I really enjoyed the author’s writing style and I thought the pacing and plot development were perfect – there is a lot going on but she connects all the different plot strands together beautifully. Also the mystery aspect was really well done – I had no idea who the killer was until the reveal and I was suspecting every character at one point. The author was obviously inspired to some extent by Jack the Ripper especially with the letters that the killer sends to the newspaper and the murders themselves are quite gory and gruesome. There is also a strong sense of menace running throughout the novel as you worry that Nathalie or one of her friends could be a victim. The 19th century Parisian setting was very enjoyable and the writing and descriptions were very evocative of that time period. The characters were also very interesting and multi-layered and full of surprises. The ending was quite sudden and mysterious so I am hoping that there will be a sequel.
I would really recommend this if you like historical murder mysteries and I would read more books by this author. E-Arc received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately I wasn't able to read this due to the formatting on my computer. The premise sounds so interesting though and I hope to pick it up in the future!

When I first read the synopsis for Spectacle, I was enchanted. Paris, murder mysteries, and a heroine with magic? It sounded right up my alley and a little bit like Stalking Jack the Ripper but with magical talents.

I absolutely loved the descriptions of Paris. Zdrok did an excellent job of bringing the city to life and making Nathalie's Paris easy to imagine. Plus the food all sounded amazing. Overall, the atmosphere was fantastic. There's one scene in the catacombs that sent shivers down my spine. I also liked Nathalie, she was determined, persistent, and brave. There were also some great female friendships and I loved how her friends challenged her instead of just following her lead.

However, the pacing in this book had major problems. It was so slow and there just wasn't enough tension to keep me interested. I think this was mostly due to the juxtaposition of the two mysteries (Nathalie discovering her powers and the murders). Separately, I would have loved them. Together, they didn't quite fit and made the two halves of the story feel disconnected. I also wasn't a huge fan of the love interest, it just felt awkward.

Spectacle had an interesting premise and I do look forward to seeing more from Zdrok in the future. While there were a few things about this book that didn't quite work for me, I do think that many readers will enjoy this one.

*Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

A suspenseful, successful blend of historical fiction and magical realism, SPECTACLE weaves a tale of murder, journalism, and teenaged life in late 19th century Paris. Nathalie brings us along with her for the ride as she poses as a boy to write the morgue column for a daily Parisian newspaper, navigates friendships, grapples with a newfound ability, and uncovers family secrets that will forever change her life. A must-have for a library collection where historical fiction with a twist is popular.

The plot summary of this book was extremely enticing but the writing and execution slightly fell flat in parts to me. Redeeming quality, the strong female lead with a high level of maturity. The author is also really great at setting a scene. I would definitely recommend.

So I haven't read a historical fiction book in a bit I usually have a hard time following along and have a hard time connecting to this but from the very start this book had gotten me intrigued that I just wanted to know more about it. I am a fan of mystery novels which could be why it was easier to get sucked into and this book was a pretty good gruesome at times mystery book. What I did find refreshing is that it didn't include a romance at all, I'm so used to reading romance or mystery / romantic suspense novels that are heavy on the romance in between solving crimes and this book did not need that all. I really enjoyed reading this book, I read it as a ARC ebook but I'm going to have to have a physical copy of this book to add to my library so I can share it with others who might enjoy and get to reread it again because it really is a good book.

I went into this novel expecting to fall head-over-heels for the Parisian mystery, but found that it fell short. While I adored Nathalie and learning about the Insightfuls, there were times the novel felt "drab" and slow.

Allow me start with what I enjoyed. I found Nathalie to be a very relatable character, and the way in which she reacted to the events around her were believable. As a sixteen-year-old girl writing the daily morgue column, one would imagine her to be strange. Que her visions.

I found the visions to be intriguing as they took place silent, and in reverse, from the eyes of the murderer killing the victim Nathalie had come across. The aspect of Nathalie losing one of her own memories in return for experiencing a vision was unique. As the story progressed, the severity of her visions increased alongside with the length of her lost memory. I enjoyed this idea of "give and take", that magic comes with a price and you must be willing to pay it. This idea was furthered by the uncovering of "Insightfuls". These magic-touched humans were so interesting to learn about and I craved information about them just as much as Nathalie. The idea of blood-transfusions granting abilities was one I had never come across before. Finding out about how these humans were hidden in general population or found accumulating in asylums just made me more intrigued. I thought that Jodie did a wonderful job expanding on this theory and she made it easy to follow.

The setting and relationships added an extra depth to the story. The French setting was gorgeous, and in no way felt forced or stereotypical. Jodie had me feeling as though I was just casually in one of the outer quarters, enjoying myself at a quaint cafe. There were certain words and sentences written in French, and this had me smiling. As a student of the French-language, the dialect furthered the immersion into the novel and helped transport me to the period. It also did not detract my attention from any of the scenes - which can sometimes happen. I

n regards to her relationships. I thought the familial aspect of the novel is very reminescent of European culture. Seeing the struggles between Nathalie and her mother had me clutching my chest. I also loved seeing how their relationship progressed throughout the novel, and how communication and truth became a big theme in their resolution. In turn of her friendships, I found the relationship between Simone and Nathalie to be very relatable. It showed how even the best of friends can sometimes fade apart and that fights do occur, but at the end of the day a true friend is someone who is there for you at your toughest times. I was heartbroken over the development of Agnes and Nathalie's friendship - and shall leave it at that.

Now, let us turn to the murder-mystery aspect. I appreciated the gruesome nature and escalation of the murders, and found the "morgue-viewing" aspect very fascinating. It is hard to imagine (in modern day) having people just come off the street and line-up to walk through the morgue and view the dead bodies of the day. After the letter from the Dark Artist is printed in the newspaper I found myself constantly guessing at who the killer could be. The only problem was that Nathalie had no interest in seeking him out herself except for one time. The "mystery" aspect of the novel was lacking, but the "thriller" aspect flourished. There is a scene with Nathalie in the catacombs that had be utterly shaken. I found myself afraid for her and just overall creeped out - which is just what I wanted from this story. Yet, there was something in the mystery that had be unsatisfied. The pacing surrounding it was constantly up-and-down, leaving you excited one minute and bored the next.

Overall, this novel had a lot of potential and I feel as though a second novel would help tie-up loose ends. It was definitely a solid read, and I would recommend to fans of historical fiction. If there is a sequel, I'd be intrigued to see how Nathalie's struggles continue.

To be honest, I was let down by this book. The premise of the book was great, but the execution was not. I had a really hard time finishing this book due to the start and stop of the plot. Things would start to build and get good and then it would stall out.

Again, the plot of historical fiction meets magic was a great idea, but I developed in such a stilted way that by the time it all came to a head it felt out of place.

I felt the ending was rushed, and I thought the last chapter would tie somethings up but instead it left me hanging, but not necessarily wanting for more.

This was a really interesting and captivating read. It kept me very entertained and kept me guessing the murderer at every page. I loved the atmosphere of the story. The author did a really good job in bringing 1800s Paris alive. The minus is that the plot drags.. The pacing can be quite slow and it bores me at times

Every day, sixteen-year-old Nathalie Baudin visits the public morgue in Paris. She writes the daily morgue column for Le Petit Journal. Her job is to summarize the day’s new arrivals. But one day, as she touches the glass case, she has a vision of the newest body. She sees the young woman in her last moments as she is getting murdered. But one thing about the vision chills her to the bone – she sees in from the perspective of the killer. When more and more bodies show up, Nathalie is determined to investigate and her search for answers sets her on a dangerous path, and one that catches the attention of the killer.

Spectacle was an enjoyable read. There were a lot of aspects that I really enjoyed, such as the setting, the murder mystery, the pseudoscience, and the psychic aspect of it. The reason I’m giving this three stars is purely because it felt like a very long book and it wasn’t but the pacing really dragged in the middle and the plot sort of stagnated. But enough of that, I’m going to talk a little bit more in-depth about the stuff I did enjoy.

Spectacle takes place in Paris in 1887 and Zdrok managed to create an eerie and suspenseful atmosphere. It is great because Zdrok shows Paris as a city that is fascinated by death, from the public morgue which the citizens treat as a form of entertainment, to the catacombs that are both frightening and invigorating for the public, and finally, to the serial killer and that the public treat gleefully as a fascinating story. For Nathalie, the threat is very real and very disturbing as she stalks the killer and inevitably catches his attention but even she finds the chase alluring.

Nathalie is a formidable protagonist, as she was inquisitive and determined, but I did also love that she had flaws. She had some really great interactions with those around her, especially her Mother. When the pacing slowed in the middle, Zdrok did rely on her characters, rather than the mystery, to move the story and I personally don’t believe she was all that successful and I would have preferred if she kept the faster pace up, but each to their own as I know some people enjoyed the slower pace. Spectacle also has an interesting psuedo-science and psychic aspect that I enjoyed too!

Overall, Spectacle was a book that I did enjoy that was mainly a hit, but did also miss the mark a little bit too. If you are looking for a slower paced historical murder mystery then Spectacle is one I would recommend you check out.