Okay! This world was really cool. Magic. Not everyone has it. There’s different types, some way cooler than others. The magic is passed down through inheritance, which was a really neat idea.
So, our FMC is Mirage, and she’s the daughter of a king killer. Basically, her dad did something real bad, and she’s suffering the trickle down effect of his shame. She’s trying to be a part of a very prestigious competition to become the Jester for the Queen, which will seriously elevate her in the world. Right now, she’s working terrible jobs for terrible pay in an attempt to survive.
There’s a rivalry with a fellow magician, who seems to have horseshoes up his butt in comparison to Mirages life lol. She hates him, obviously. Things go crazy sideways, our girl swallows a sword 😂 and there’s a giant spider. Honestly, most of the book was glossed over events, but it was seriously fun to read. It’s the kind of book that I won’t remember the entire plot of in 2 months, and will gladly read again. Although, the narrator didn’t pronounce the r in frustration/frustrated/frustrating, which was, well, you know 🤣

Would you enter a magic contest even if you don’t exactly have magic and could lose your head in the process? Jester by Brielle D. Porter is the perfect book for you!

Synopsis:

“Desperate to survive in a city glutted with power, Lisette enters into a deadly competition to become the Queen’s Jester. But without the magic her disgraced father promised, she might just lose her head.”

My rating: 4/5

This book gave me The Night Circus meets Throne of Glass vibes. There’s magic, a clever and sarcastic main character, a contest that could result in death… you can’t go wrong with this one! I adored Lisette with her humorous sarcasm, witty plotting, and badass willingness to do whatever it takes to get what she wants; what more could you ask for?! The author did a wonderful job of providing just enough descriptive details that I could see each scene in my mind (something I can’t often do) without it being fluff; a skill that many authors struggle to balance. I listened to this via audiobook, so the flashbacks to Lisette’s childhood were a little confusing at first, as well as the uncertainty surrounding some of the more important world building aspects (is it more of a medieval setting? Alternate fantasy timeline? More of a modern-day era?) the story takes place which prompted me to give a 4-star review instead of 5. However, some of the tricks done during the shows had me biting my nails in suspense while waiting for the outcome. I enjoyed the way magical powers are acquired (passed from one generation to the next to a single heir given they pass a test), which is something I have yet to read in a book before. All in all, I highly recommend adding this magical book to your TBR! Thank you for the opportunity for the ARC review!

This was really fun!! The premise was really cool, I liked that there was an end goal and the plot was working towards that final competition, it worked really well with the rivals-to-lovers trope.

There were some incredible scenes- the one where she steals his show with the gun? I had to rewind to make sure I heard it right, it was SO GOOD!! The tension was through the roof; anytime she managed to one-up him the tension between them would skyrocket!! There was also the scene at the graveyard where she's planning to steal her dad's magic which was beautifully written. It was gross and a so very twisted but it was written so well, and it made sense with the MC's desperate bid for jester- it really showed the extremes she would go to to get power. I think this worked even better because it happened early in the book, it set her up as a character willing to literally desecrate her father's grave to steal his power, which in turn made all the following shows that much more tense and the stakes that much higher. As a reader, I didn't know when she was going to do something for real or when it was an illusion, and I think this was so smart on the author's part because it brought the reader into show, into the performance which was so cool. The final scene with the fire was also REALLY cool!!

I liked her rivalry with Luc and her friendship with Cillian- it was interesting to see the two sides of her as she interacted with each one. That being said, these other characters felt a little 2D- even Luc who is a main character felt like he was only there to carry the MC's plot/character arc along. They didn't really have any substance beyond what they could do for/to the MC which was a little disappointed because it felt like a one character story.

I feel like the relationships were all very surface level, there were some interesting dynamics, especially with Cillian and Jasmine and the MC, but none of them felt fleshed out. The plot moved along at a good pace but the relationships seemed to go from one extreme to another very very fast, I didn't really have enough content to form any strong opinions about anyone who wasn't the MC.

Overall, there were some VERY good scenes but that quality wasn't maintained the whole way through the book, and it felt pretty average for the rest of the time. I wasn't shocked by any of the discoveries; if this was a longer book, and potentially if it was NA or Adult, it could've. been even better, but it was fun and I really liked the magic system and the fantasy world that was created. I wish we could've seen more of Oasis though, I didn't even realise it was a desert until over halfway through.

This story was captivating and full of mystery. I would recommend this to everyone. Reba Buhr did an excellent job narrating.

What a romp! This book was really fun and engaging. All of the stunts the two main characters pulled during their shows really kept the book moving and made it hard to put down!! I really enjoyed that the romance was secondary to the plot and didn't feel like the "purpose" of the story.

I loved the narrator. She did a great job of making this book come alive.

First of all let's take a moment to appreciate this cover! Which leads me to second off: magic, mystery, enemies to lovers what more could you want? Lisette is determined to obtain magic by any means necessary and claim the position of Royal Jester. Whimsical and magical, Jester is the story of one girl's dream for magic after losing it all and the path she will take to get there. A cross between Ace of Shades and Alice in Wonderland, this book will keep you entertained from the start and enjoying the show until the very end.

I enjoyed the story. Though, it feels like it could use a bit more description- of the characters, the place, maybe shown a bit more depth to the relationships. The premise was quiet interesting, but I didn’t connect with it as much as I think I could have- especially with Lisette being set up as such a strong Female MC. A nice summer read, but with a bit more meat to it, it could be real magic.

3.75⭐️

<i> What happens in Oasis, stays in Oasis. Lisette’s father killed the King. His execution leaves Lisette alone, disgraced, and without the magic he intended to pass on to her. In Oasis, that’s a problem. Glutted with enchanted performers, Oasis is a sin city where courtiers pay in gold to drink, gamble, and above all, be entertained. To survive on its competitive streets, Lisette peddles paltry illusions in place of magic. Desperate to prove herself, Lisette enters into a deadly competition to be chosen as the highest-ranked magician in the world, the Queen’s Jester. But her rival, the irritatingly handsome Luc, possesses the one thing Lisette does not―real magic. Lisette will do anything to win, but when evidence implicating the Queen in her husband’s murder surfaces, Lisette must choose between redeeming her family name, or seizing the fame she’s hungered for her entire life. </i>

I enjoyed this story, this felt like it could have used a bit more description- of the characters, the place, maybe shown a bit more depth to the relationships. A lot happened, and it was interesting, but I didn’t connect with it as much as I think I could have- especially with Lisette being set up as such a strong FMC. A nice summer read, but with a bit more meat to it, it could be real magic.

Reba Buhr did a lovely job with the narration.

Thank you Brielle D. Porter, CamCat Books, and NetGalley for providing this ALC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

4/5 ⭐️

First of all I would like to thank Netgalley for giving me the ARC of this book, I appreciate it! 🫶🏻

Now, talking about the book: I loved it <3 Let us just look to that cover, isn’t just amazing? I was obsessed 😍

Moving on, everything else was fantastic. The world reminded me of Alice in Wonderland and I love that book. It was the perfect combination.

What I loved the most was the characters. My favorite one was (obviously) our main character, Liz. She was a strong female character that I adored but she also had her moments where she was human, and it felt real and like she was a friend of mine, I don’t know how to explain it really, but I really enjoyed it. Also, I fell in love with Luc. I wished I could have had more of him because I wanted to know him so deeply 😩😩

Anyways, the storyline was really good and I enjoyed it. It never felt boring and I always kept looking to going back and reading it, so that makes it 10/10.

The only reason I didn’t gave it 5 stars was because I think it could have an awesome romance but it didn’t. I also believe that the ending was a little rushed.

Overall I would recommend this book to everyone but it was not an all time favorite. A fun time and a great history that I loved. Once again, thank you Netgalley 💗

Jester by Brielle D. Porter
4/5 Stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

•••Spoiler free review below•••

Lisette is determined to obtain magic by any means necessary and claim the position of Royal Jester. Whimsical and magical, Jester is the story of one girl's dream for magic after losing it all and the path she will take to get there. A cross between Ace of Shades and Alice in Wonderland, this book will keep you entertained from the start and enjoying the show until the very end.

Read this book if you like:
- Alice in Wonderland vibes
- mysterious characters
- a touch of murder mystery
- revenge

Jester is available now and if it's not already on your tbr, it should be!
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Special thanks to CamCat Books for sharing a free copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.

I really enjoyed this audiobook. The narrator was great and easy to listen to. I thought this book was fast paced, and interesting. The magic system was unique. I thought the characters were well written. I look forward to reading more books from this author.

I received a complimentary audiobook copy of JESTER by Brielle D. Porter – thank you to CamCat Books, Netgalley, and the author!

JESTER is a YA fantasy following Lisette, a young woman in a world where most magic is passed from one person to another. Her father has been executed for killing the king and he was unable to pass his magic on to her before death. This means that Lisette is struggling to live in Oasis, performing small illusions in a city of indulgences full of grand magic like her competition. Desperate for me, Lisette enters a competition to be named the best magician, but her competition has real magic so it is an uphill battle.

I really enjoyed this one! I loved seeing the differences in the types of magic. I thought it was interesting how the author built up a system where people could have natural abilities and inherited magic. Lisette doesn’t know a whole lot about magic and how to wield it going into it, so we get to learn alongside her. I also really love a book that involves competition so this one had a lot of good buzzwords for me.

The relationships in this book were well done and we’ve got some enemies to lovers vibes going with Lisette’s main competition and also some found family feelings as Lisette starts the book feeling pretty alone. There are some real stakes on the line as the competition can get vicious and liked that about it as well!

I was glad to have received the audiobook so that I got the push to finally pick this 2022 release book up! JESTER is out now!

I would like to thank CamCat Books and Netgalley for providing me with an Audio ARC.

I think this is a really strong book. Porter was able to capture a great and intriguing atmosphere. Oasis was well written as a city. The magic was interesting and really added to the world. The characters were well crafted. They were all very interesting and felt like they brought life to the book. The themes are great, and I loved getting to see how the Lissette struggles and develop. The narrator for the audiobook also did a great job.

Wow!! I absolutely devoured this book. I absolutely loved this new world of magic. Oasis sounded like the best city for all the revelers to let loose in and I loved it. I really enjoyed the different way that magic was passed on to others in this story, everything felt very original.

Lisette was absolutely amazing. I loved how hard she worked at her illusions to make people think she had magic even though she didn’t. There was definitely lots of mystery around what actually happened with her father and the king and I was completely devastated for her brother after getting to know him in the flashbacks. Luc. That mischievous boy. I love how he always taunted and messed with Lisette. He really got the tension ratcheted up between them.

I honestly can’t believe this was Brielle’s debut novel. It was everything I want in a book and I can’t wait to read more by her. The narrator of the audiobook did a fantastic job!

Thank you to NetGalley and CamCat Books for the advanced listening copy. All thoughts are my own.

Loved it! I received the audiobook from NetGalley and publishers and had an excellent time listening to it. First of all, I thought that the narrator, Reba Burh, did a great job. Regarding the plot, I thought it would go in one direction, more towards the Jester competition itself, but the author has led us into a path where the MC is faced with personal choices and character growth. That was very interesting.
In addition to that, I really enjoyed the city of Oasis, a mixture of Las Vegas meets magic, but set in an older time (can't really precise) and with a queen as a ruler. Little by little, the reader gets to know the story of Lisette's father and brother, which brings an extra touch of mystery and purpose to the whole plot.
4 stars!

Unfortunately,this book didn't stick with me as I think it would. It doesn't mean that is a bad book or anything like that. It just feel like something I've already read before. But I encourage other people to try on this one,because it surely will appease various audiences.
Thank you netgalley for this audiobook ! Also the narrator's was very good.

Thanks to Netgalley for the access to This ARC.

I enjoyed the work of the narrator, this is a well write book with a nice world building. (Sometimes I felt it was a bit rush up) but in general is such a nice universe the author created. I liked Lisette, but I felt like the storyline was something I read before what made it not so impressive and unique. I like the supernatural elements in it and the whole competition too. In general is a good YA read that I think many reader would enjoy.

I really enjoyed this story! I loved Lisette and her entire journey of self discovery. I wish we had gotten a bit more development of her friendships and a better understanding of what happened to her brother. (Did I fully miss the explanation of why he died? Or did that never get fleshed out?) But all in all it was a great storyline with relatable characters and some good twists.

An intriguing world of magic and performance where only the most daring and fantastical acts will capture the attention of the Queen in the battle for court Jester. Lis is magicless, unlike her rivals, and that means she must work harder and be braver than her rivals to stand a chance of winning the sought after position. Is she a little bit wild? Definitely. Is she determined to beat her closest opponent, the one who can charm the nobles and the crowds and defeats death in his every show? Yes, or she’ll die trying. Lis is stubborn and fierce and born to perform. I loved watching her wild schemes and following her as she courted danger at every turn. Nothing and nobody was going to stand in her way, but all is not as it seems and the mystery that begins to unravel changes things and it added an extra level of intrigue to the story that I enjoyed.

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

The Jester by Brielle D. Porter is a magical tale set in Las Vegas. It follows Lisette, the daughter of the “king killer” who is trying to win a stage performer competition to become the Queen’s Jester. Lisette wants more than anything to become Jester and make a name for herself other than the stain that has followed her family after her father’s actions. Lisette is in for a wild ride and she meets and develops connections with others, which causes her to question everything she thought she knew.

This was a fun story! The characters were interesting! The slow-burn romance (clean) was nice. There were some twists and turns as the plot progressed and I found myself wondering how the story would resolve.

Overall the quality of the audiobook was good. The narrator was able to voice multiple characters using different voices, which kept me interested as I listened.

Thank you to NetGalley (@netgalley), the publishers, and author for granting me an ARC. This audiobook is expected to come out in August 2023 (the physical book was published in August 2022).

I was given an advanced reader copy of this audiobook book via Netgalley in return for a review.

I love the narrator and narration. The reader gives each character their own voice. I love that as you instantly know who is speaking.

The cover art puts one in mind of Alice's adventures in Wonderland. The beautiful girl seems to be falling surrounded by playing cards and falling towards a crown. Its enchanting .

Then there is world the author has created. It is reminiscent of Carvel and The Night circus set against a background of a sin city esque place the known only as Oasis. It drew me in from the very first scentence. Its truely amazing.

Against this glittering , glamorous city we have a beautiful story of political intrigue and the main characters need to prove herself against all odds.

For a stand alone novel its amazing and I had to know what would happen next. Beautiful, haunting , truely magical.