The concept is amazing and it allowed me to keep reading to the end. Unfortunately, the writing meant it took me twice as long to do so as it did.

I made the hard decision to DNF this book at around 20%. I really wanted to try and stick it out because I was so excited when I got accepted to receive an ARC of this. Pretty much any book that is set around or in a carnival will catch my eye, this one did especially so because 1. it's set in space, and 2. that cover is amazing. Unfortunately I just couldn't connect with the characters at all. I know, I know, 20% isn't a lot of time to give the characters a chance, but for some reason, I just could not do it, I found that I didn't really care about the characters, their plight, or the story itself. I just didn't care. So unfortunately this one is not for me, but I implore you to give it a shot if it sounds like your kind of thing, you never know, it might surprise you!

A group of intergalactic genetic "freaks" travel through space. performing shows. Every night a song plays and they transform, entertaining their guests. But there's a second layer to it. They're recruiting as they travel, because if someone in the audience also has their genetic mutation, the song will cause them to turn.

One night the song plays, but ends differentiated. Suddenly they can't turn back to normal and the song never plays again after that. The leader believes the abrupt stop is the singers way of letting them know something is wrong. So he sets out to save her.

This book was really creative and painted very vivid pictures, however, because it felt like we were trying to fit stuff in, I ended up lost in a couple of places and had to go back and reread. Overall I really liked it. It just could have been a little tighter.

This book was a disappointment. The cover and the description sounded so promising, a group of freaks performing in a carnival and taking on saving the galaxy is something a lot of us would love to read. However, this book was confusing in the manner it was told, as well as the characters themselves. Keeping track of flashbacks, new characters that sprouted up disappeared from chapter to chapter, and overall the motivation was confusing. A child pops up that might belong to a main character, but then it is just an assumed fact after a while with no real explanation. Finally, I did finish the book in hopes that something would change but the ending was evasive as well. What really happened? What will have to the remaining characters next? There are no answers and for a book that was seeking resolution to those two things throughout, it was disappointing.

Thank you NetGalley for an early copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Of course I will request any book that features a circus and is pitched as a carnival in outer space! This book was great! This is a story about Jack Jetstark and a bunch of 'freaks' who travel the universe entertaining people. This included many themes that really intrigued me, such as loyalty, leadership, and friendship. I thought the descriptive language was amazing, it really highlighted the scenes where the performers were performing their mighty acts. I couldn't get enough. I just thought it was a little short of a 5 stars, but was a delightful read nonetheless!

Jack Jetstark’s Intergalactic Freakshow has an interesting premise and when I read the description of this book I was intrigued.

Jack Jetstark has travelled the universe to locate descendants of individuals who were altered by VesCorp scientists. These self-proclaimed freaks have superpowers that are not realized until they hear a particular song which is played every night through a receptor Jack was given by the woman he loves. There is something about the song that transforms the freaks into their true forms. With the group Jack has gathered, they have created a travelling carnival on his spaceship and have been using their powers during the duration of the song to create a show to entertain the crowd. Their carnival show has been going on for years, until one night the song is different and causes the superpowers to become permanent. The following night the song does not play at all and Jack believes that it is a signal from the woman he loves that she is in danger and she needs his protection. He and his group decide to find out.

This book was enjoyable to read however it wasn’t quite what I was expecting. I’m not sure if it was the book description or the cover itself but I thought that the travelling carnival would have been more of a focus in the story. Overall, the plot moved along at a good pace and it was an interesting book. I would say that a battle against an oppressive government, agency or in this case corporation isn’t new but there was plenty of action to keep me interested in the story. Also, one of the themes was about feeling like you don’t belong and finding a place where you can fit in. I loved that message but for some reason I didn’t find myself connecting with the characters fully and it left me wanting a bit more.

Always a sci-fi fan, I knew I was going to love this but what I did not know was that ‘Jack Jetstark’s intergalactic freakshow’ would be infinitely larger than a sci-fi adventure. This is a story of accepting your uniqueness and wearing it like a badge. Being proud of who you are and where you came from. A story of love in all its transformations and ugliness. I adored every second of reading this and would not want any of my bookworm friends to miss this experience.
My complete review could be read on my blog
https://trailsoftales620253622.wordpress.com/2018/11/19/arc-review-jack-jetstarks-intergalactic-freakshow-by-jennifer-lee-rossman/

2.5 The cover and title of this book is definitely 5 stars,but unfortunately I found the book hard to follow and the characters undeveloped. The book had such promise- A traveling space freak show carnival. The carnival people are normal until a song is played at a certain time everyday and changes them into other things such as growing wings to fly,breathing fire,turning into a werewolf type creature or even invisible. The story would have been much better if these characters were more develped. I felt like the story skipped some things a lot and I had to go back and reread parts to figure out what was going on and even then it’s just like o.k. this thing just happened but how did we get to that point?
As the story develops you find out why this song has an effect on these so called freaks and the evil corporation that started it all. I really wanted to like this book but sadly I didn’t. With a little more work this would have been an interesting read.

First of all the cover is amazing. Synopsis caught my attention first. It was different kinda a space story. It was fun and intelligent. I loved it. Thanks for the arc.

Jack Jetstark's Intergalactic Freakshow is a fun little story about about a group of circus freaks who travel the universe entertaining people. Every day, a song plays, and while the song plays, this ordinary group of people transforms into strange creatures that fascinate onlookers. This life would have continued indefinitely... until something changes.

Jack's former lover, Diantha, is in trouble, and when the song changes, he realizes that he needs to go help her. Instead of being the leader of a traveling carnival, he finds himself a leader of a military rebellion that spreads into a full-on war. In the meantime, his friends that used to only transform into circus freaks during the song transform one final time and won't return to normal.

This is a story with betrayal, war, and genetic engineering. Jack finds out that the events of his past and the people in them weren't quite what he thought they were. This is also a story where the people that are a little different triumph... but not without their own struggles.

The story was written in an entertaining style. I thought that the traveling intergalactic freak show was an interesting idea, and the characters were good people.

While I enjoyed the story, I didn't enjoy it as much as some of the other stories that I've read this year. Occasionally the plot was difficult to follow. I wasn't sucked into the plot as much as I have been with some other novels. It's a cute story, but it isn't one of the best that I've read recently.

As I read Jack Jetstark's Intergalactic Freakshow (NOT Jett Jackson) and it's ridiculously long name, it kept reminding me of something. It drove me crazy because I couldn't, for the life of me, figure it out. But, suddenly, at 75% (I checked), it came to me.

Do y'all remember the Fox show Dark Angel that starred Jessica Alba? That's it. It was my favorite show for years. Sadly, it only had two seasons. And it was before its time before scifi started becoming more popular.

Anyways...
☆ VesCorp = Manticore
☆ Jack = Max (Max was bi. Fight me.)
☆ Diantha = Lydecker
☆ the whole freak thing is similar

I liked the book and even though it's plot also reminded me of Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner's scifi Starbound Trilogy, I love how Jennifer Rossman added the fantasy element. As far as I know there aren't any other carnivals set in space stories. (I usually don't like carnival stories.)

While the story is plot driven, the characters are diverse and well-rounded. Jack is a complicated flawed character but he is also very honest, kind, loyal, and real. I would love a sequel and to learn more about Lily. 🌌💔💕📚

THAT PLOTWIST THO. 😭

~Maybe no one would ever accept us, but so what? We found the few people in all the universe who did, and sometimes that’s all that matters.~

The cover is gorgous! 😍

Thank you for allowing me to read and review Jack Jetstark's Intergalactic Freakshow. I preordered a physical copy.

This is a creative adventure into an alternative and strange world. Likeable and enjoyable as a story; both imaginative and inviting.