I would have never thought that I would love a book about a jester. But I was in awe of this one. Not only were the characters intriguing but the plot had me invested.

I enjoyed the magic system as it wasn’t just the typical 4 elemental powers, there were more unique powers.

There’s the enemies to lover trope, which who doesn’t love that?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. And I know you will too

This was an easy listen. The narrator had good pacing, and the emotion never overtook the story.

Lisette is striving to be a magician, namely the Queen's jester. However, Luke stands in her way because, well, he's better than her. Lisette won't be dissuaded though. Even lacking genuine magic, she utilizes sheer determination and intelligence to get the attention of the Queen. As the story progresses, we find out about Lisette's past, the dark underside of competition, and the disease within multiple family trees.

The ending seemed pretty predictable based on some not-so-subtle hints along the way. However, I think that this is a good YA read. It wasn't too deep or too confusing, the story kept moving, and there were a mix of characters, but never so many that it became overwhelming to try to keep up with them.

Overall: 4 stars

I'll tell my students about: magic, murder, language, trauma, gore

**Thank you to NetGalley and CamCat Books for the free ALC. All opinions expressed are my own.**

when lisette’s father killed the king, he left her without family, disgraced, and magicless. now, lisette uses illusions just to get by. but then she enters a deadly competition, figuring she has nothing left to lose, and everything left to gain. if she wins, she’ll be the queen’s jester, but her chances seem slim since her rival has real magic.

the promise of a deadly competition is enough to draw me into nearly any fantasy book, so i was very excited to pick this one up. i was even more drawn in when i realized there would be some romance as well! both of these aspects were so well explored in this book. there was also the whole mystery aspect, what with the possibility that lisette’s father was framed by the queen herself. i loved how porter combined all of these together and i can’t wait to read more from this author.

07/23/2023 || Jester by Brielle D. Porter || I just reviewed Jester by Brielle D. Porter. #Jester #NetGalley

Thank you NetGalley, Brielle D. Porter, and CamCat Books, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks for making this audiobook available!

Please note: This review may not be reproduced or quoted, in whole or in part, without explicit consent from the author and myself.

I had to DNF (do not finish) this audiobook around the 22% mark. I really enjoyed the first 10% but I started having issues following where the plot was taking me (not that it’s NOT well written, it is) and started to lose desire to continue the story. It’s well written, the characters are very strong and fleshed out, but this was not a story for me and that’s okay.

I think there’s a lot of great strong elements of magical realism, revenge, power, and a bit of a sin city meets classic magic kingdom. It’s very interesting and the MC seems to be driven purely by seeking revenge and notoriety.

This book was so unique! Lisette only wants to be Jester to the queen but eveb though she uses tons of magic techniques to try to impress she can never outrun her father's title; King Killer.

Not everything is as it appears. Is Luke going to be Jester? Will Lisette? Why did Lisette's dad kill the king?

This book had me enraptured!

Love the idea and concept but couldn't fully immerse myself in the story.

Lisette wants to compete for the new position of Jester for the Queen. One big problem, she has no real magic. All she has is determination and sleight of hand. How will she beat Luc, her biggest competitor, when he has real magic?

We follow Lisette and her journey to get her own magic. Along the way, she found the truth behind her father's death. I love reading about all the magic shows Lisette and Luc (her rival) put on. I also enjoyed the tiny bit of romance sprinkled in. However, the world-building and character development/depth were lacking. (I'm still confused about the time period.) Without proper world-building and development, everything felt manufactured.

Overall, a decent YA Fantasy despite its flaws.

***Thank you to NetGalley, Brielle D. Porter, and CamCat Books for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***

I’ll admit it, I picked up this audiobook from NetGalley’s listen now page mainly because of the pretty cover. However, I did not expect to be totally taken with the story! This is such a cute, lighthearted young adult fantasy novel. Our main character, Lisette, is fighting for the coveted position of the Queen’s Jester. But can she do it without her father’s magic? This is a book filled with magic wielding, sword swallowing, and a little bit of romancing. If you liked Caraval, you’ll love this one!

This was a very good read for me. From start to finish I was intrigued by the story. I loved both the characters and the world.

Well Written book. Although it is not my Typical book I read, it was good. If these are the type of books you like to read, then you must read.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an audiobook ARC.

I normally do not read these books but the Cover of Jester alone intrigued me to give it a try and I am glad that I did because I love Jester. The narrator also did a superb job. I have no complaints about the narrator.
The characters and plot were well developed and it meshed well together. Jester felt well thought out and complete.
Wonderful story

4.25

This was cute. A little heavier on the YA side for me in terms of how obvious the baddie is. There is also a death in this that doesn’t make sense knowing what one of the characters can do.

Dash of romance, absolutely no spice. The romance is banter filled and super sweet tho.

The audiobook narrator was top notch. Will be looking at other books she reads!

Amazon review is not approved yet, put the link to my profile for when it is you will see it listed.

I loved this book.

The characters were amazingly crafted. They worked wonderfully together, and it truly felt like they had years of relationships before the book began. It was a good story, and I genuinely didn't know where it was going to go. There were so many well-done twists. It was amazing. I can't recommend it enough.

On top of it all, the narrator did an amazing job. A narrator can make or break an audiobook, and she certainly made it.

I was curious and intrigued the entire time, wondering how Lisette will react to everything happening around her, what she will do, and how the story will develop. Luc and Lisette's interaction made me laugh and I enjoyed their chemistry a lot. I caught myself randomly smiling while listening. The narrator does a great job with the voices. They are easy to distinguish from each other. Reba Buhr's male voice is really good. I also enjoyed Brielle Porter's writing style and how she describes settings and scenes. I purchased the book so I can read it too.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me access to this book, in exchange for my honest review.

Lisette has always dreamed of having magic. However, her father is executed for killing the king before he can pass his magic to her. Now, she is a disgraced street magician, determined to become the queens Jester.

This book is what happens when Alice in Wonderland and The Illusionist has a baby. I like the magic system. The idea that magic is passed down intrigued me. I also liked the idea that everyone's magic is different. I liked the characters and the world building. It definitely gave Las Vegas vibes.

With that said, the pacing was a bit off. It started out kind of slow, and then it finally became a bit faster, almost too fast.

All in all, I enjoyed this book and I have it 4 stars.

Fun idea but would have enjoyed a more explained magic system.

Overall enjoyed the plot and narration however the final was way too fast and convenient.

As a big fan of Caraval I adored this story. It was a beautiful mix of whimsy and tragedy. I would like to see the story continued however. I enjoyed the ending, but it felt a bit incomplete. I enjoyed the character building enough to want to see where they go from here.

I listen to the audiobook. The narrator did an excellent job being this book to life. I enjoyed listening to it, the twists and turns of the story.
Lisette is a performer in a city comparable to Las Vegas. Where most performers have some magic ability, she is performing with just her skills and slight of hand. Moving from a street performer to a theater is not enough for her, she knows if she want to be the queens jester she needs real magic. Her father’s reputation and not having magic, and other performers stand in her way as she struggles to succeed.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own

5.0
I originally got this book in a book box and I read it in one sitting. I loved the magic, the tension between the two characters and most of all the love story behind it all.
It was a pleasure to receive a copy of the audio and I devoted it and will highly recommend it to all who will listen.

If you enjoyed Aelin Galathynius from Throne of Glass I truly believe you’d enjoy this book and Lisette’s story.
Lisette is the last of her family, determined to prove herself. She is witty and resourceful, but also stubborn in that she doesnt always see whats right in front of her. She is the type to act without a plan , or simply not include anyone else involved in them. Definitely a “morally grey” FMC.
The story overall centralizes the idea of “Is it worth it ?” And how far you will go to get what you want. Exploring the themes life and death in a magical las vegas-esque setting.

Some things I wish could have been flushed out a bit more. Otherwise, I truly enjoyed the twists and turns in this story, it was a fun read.

*note: I did listen to the audiobook which was done beautifully.

I really liked the idea of the book. Like, I´ve never read a book about someone trying to become a Jester!! I really really enjoyed it and since they used magic for their tricks it made the entire act even better.
Besides that I liked how the author described the acts and the plot was good too!

The ending of the book was written well too. It was a nice and easy audiobook and the voice of the narrator fit the characters very well.