Thank you Netgally for this audioarc!

I loved the characters and the magic system of this book it was so creative. The narrator did a great job of bringing Vanademere’s perspective to life. I do although wish there was more magic in this story as well. Although I did like this book the only thing that I would say is that some of the sexual aspects were a bit unnecessary. But other than that it kept me interested.

I do think that showcasing the circus via a historical setting was a great idea on the author's end. But I believe the execution needed some more edits before it came to the final showing. I wasn't a fan of the emotional turbulence that our narrator faced. Plus, if you are going to have the setting be in the southwest portion of the United States, I was expecting more imagery than the barely there sentences that we were given.

It was so nice of the publisher and NetGalley to have this as a free audio arc. I was definitely intrigued by the book description. I'm sad to say I didn't make it past 40%. I loved the narrator, but this book just didn't hold my attention. I have kept trying to go back to it and continue listening, but I keep finding other things to read instead. I'm just not sure I'll ever be able to finish this.

I attempted to listen to this self-published audiobook, which I assume is intended as a YA novel given that the main character is 17. However, I ultimately chose to DNF at 32% due to several issues that made it difficult to stay engaged.

One of my main concerns is the book's use of Romani culture. I did some research but couldn’t find any confirmation that the author has Romani heritage. If she does, I may be mistaken, but if not, the use of this culture—especially in combination with other problematic elements—felt uncomfortable to me.

Set in the 1930s, the novel does include derogatory terms. I understand their historical context, and the book does portray them as derogatory rather than excusing them, which I appreciate. However, that does not outweigh my other concerns.

One of the most jarring aspects for me was the way the main character’s sexuality was portrayed. While it is normal for a 17-year-old boy to have sexual thoughts, the book places an excessive and almost crude emphasis on his desires. Love and lust are used interchangeably, which adds to the discomfort. Given the use of Romani culture, this portrayal also feels like it leans into harmful stereotypes.

In the 32% I listened to, there was very little actual plot. Instead, the book delivers an overwhelming amount of background information, and only about half of it seemed relevant. Perhaps more context is given later, but at this point in a novel, I expect to feel engaged in some way—whether through the plot or the characters—and I felt no connection to either.

One thing that stood out was the author's knowledge of horses, which is evident in the writing. This isn’t necessarily a positive or negative aspect—just a clear strength of the author that is reflected in the main character’s expertise.

Ultimately, I stopped listening because, after nearly a third of the book, I found myself uninterested in both the story and the protagonist. While some might find aspects of the book engaging, it did not work for me due to its lack of compelling plot, the way it handled its cultural elements, and the uncomfortable focus on the protagonist’s sexuality.

Props to the narrator though. The performance was quite good.

I looked forward to listening to Vandemere based on the description filled with circus life and magic in the 1930s American Southwest. The writing style in Vandemere flows easily and keeps the reader captivated from the start. Unfortunately, the plot fell flat, often swerving in unnecessary directions making it difficult to follow the main storyline. I couldn't root for any of the characters (not even the hero) who were all either unlikeable or one-demential. I wanted to like this book more than I did, but it nearly made its way to my DNF list.


*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the audio version in exchange for my honest review.*

This book had so much potential to be good but had to many themes competing to really follow along. It had to many themes to really do any one theme justice.

* Although this book had a slow start i actually enjoyed it. It took me about 45% of the way through before i was really interested and wanted to finish the book, but once i actually got into the book i didn’t want to put it down. I enjoy the mystery aspect and i really enjoy that even though it leaves on a little bit of a cliffhanger it still leaves in a spot that actually makes sense to do so. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ALC for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Vandemere: Book One of the Circ de Tarot Series
Written by Kimberley D. Tait, Narrated by Kyle Shive
#Vandemere #NetGalley Thank you to Netgalley and Kimberley D Tait for the ALC

This is an easy 5-star read for me.

Listening to Vandemere was an absolute delight, largely thanks to Kyle Shive's incredible narration. He did an excellent job portraying the full range of emotions the protagonist experiences throughout his journey, from moments of despair and pain to awe and hope. The voice acting truly brought the story to life and made it even more immersive.

Vandemere follows seventeen-year-old Vandy Petruska, a trick rider in a travelling circus, as he grapples with his dual heritage and the dark forces that haunt him. Living as Vandy Davidson, he honours his father’s legacy, performing on horseback in the circus ring. But as Vandy Petruska, he wrestles with the tarot magie inherited from his Romanian mother, a power he tries to reject until he realizes that the misfortune in his life is no coincidence.

Set in the gritty 1930s American Southwest, this lyrical coming-of-age tale blends magical realism with personal growth as Vandy confronts an ancient evil tied to his family’s past. To survive, he must embrace the very magie he’s long denied.

The story explores darker themes like violence, self-harm, and sexuality, making it a raw and intense depiction of life during that era. Vandemere is the first part of a duology, promising more to come in this captivating series.

The book reminded me of one of my favourite Stephen King novels, Joyland. Both stories are coming-of-age tales, rich with emotion, mystery, and a sense of discovery. Like Joyland, Vandemere captures that bittersweet, nostalgic feeling of youth while weaving in elements of intrigue and wonder.

I eagerly anticipate the second book in this duology and sincerely hope it will be available in audio format soon, with Kyle Shive as the narrator! His performance has set a high bar, and I can’t wait to see how the story unfolds next.

This book is a gritty depiction of life in the 1930s American Southwest. It contains violence, coarse language, self-harm, and sexual situations. Some of its darker themes may be triggering to sensitive readers. Please use discretion when deciding if this book is right for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this audiobook.

Vandemere is the first book in the two-part series Circ de Tarot. It tells the story of seventeen year old Vandemere Petruska who grew up in a traveling circus. As a young boy under his now estranged father's tutelage, Vandy developed his trick riding skills and now has his own show in the circus. He also inherited a psychic ability from his mother, and someone is warning him not to use this ability, else Vandemere could lose the people he loves the most. While the story is set in the American southwest during the 1930s, parts of the book, particularly those concerning Vandy's time as a child, are told in flashbacks.

The story gets a bit dark at times which can be upsetting to some readers, and in the audiobook, the narrator provides a content warning about some of the grittier content in the book. Some of these topics include animal abuse, child sexual abuse, and sexual content. Considering the recent controversy over library books in some school districts, librarians should carefully consider whether this book would be appropriate for their students.

While I did enjoy the book as a whole, it does feel like the book is suffering from an identity crisis. There are so many different story lines going in throughout the book. There's a murder, racism, a love interest, a bully, a family curse, a father who abandoned his wife and son, a drunk, careless mother and her abusive boyfriend. It feels like the author was trying to accomplish too much in one book.

Kyle Shive's created a unique voice for each character which brings the story to life. However I had a difficult time buying the mother's supposedly Romanian accent.

I would recommend for teens age 16+.

This was a listen now option and I thought why not, I am so glad I did! I was pleasantly surprised. It is listed as a YA, I would say an older YA because of subject matter. It has topics that may be triggers and sensitive subjects to some, take heed in the warning listed in the book before you decide if this book is right for you. It did seem to end abruptly, thank goodness there is a book two. The narrator was fantastic and I hope he is the narrator for book two. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

#Vandemere was a decent fantasy novel. I found myself caring for Vandy along the way. While he does have his mother, the circus becomes a found family for him. The magie, a Romani form of seeing the future, was interesting. I thought the ending was a little abrupt. The narrator was awesome. I am interested in the sequel. 4 stars.

Usually circus books come with a wide variety of unusual and bizarre characters. In this book, we don't know much about them other than their state of virginity....or not. The MMC is an arrogant troublemaker that makes it hard to root for as he ducks in and out of his various scrapes. The narrator is pretty good though and I particularly enjoyed his take on Chi Fu from Mulan.

I gave this audiobook 3 stars. I felt it had the potential to be a good story but there was just to much going on. I also didn't like the narrators voices for certain characters. The main characters voice was fine but some of the others were weird.

I liked the setting being a circus and the main characters role in the circus, and felt that part of the story was good. It was confusing when the dark force would take over randomly and I feel that part could have been written more clearly.

I don't regret listening to this audiobook but it wasn't one of my favorites. Thank you to netgalley for the free audiobook copy.

Thank you for an audio arc of this book, I really enjoyed the narrator and I think that's the reason I was able to push through.

Unfortunately I just don't think this book was for me, the premise sounded amazing but i found the MC very unlikeable and I found myself struggling to follow along. I do like the magic realism aspect and how it slowly was turning into a mystery. I was hoping it gave us more about the actual circus/circus life. This is just personally what didn't work for me, I still recommend you giving this book a shot on your own just because my reasons for not liking it are specific and they might not bother you.

[2.5 Stars] Set in a 1930s circus, this book reminds me of the book "Night Circus," the film "Nightmare Alley," and, of course, "American Horror Story: Freak Show." Though not quite the same in story line and plot, these were the images that floated through my head while listening to this audiobook. During this storyline, we follow 17 year-old, Vandy as he navigates the magical world under the big top and the real world that has familial magic woven through.

What drew me most into this book was the lyricism in the writing. It was peaceful to listen to, and found myself clinging to the words. I also found the main character, Vandy, to be quite pleasant.

One thing I really enjoyed about this book was the disclaimer at the beginning, which goes more in-depth than the one on the back cover. I think it really sets a good age range suggestion and goes into enough detail to really prepare readers what they might experience.

In terms of set-up, this book reminded me of "Catching Fire," in that it kind of feels like a filler book, and by the end, you know that you have to read the next one to really understand what's going on. And "Catching Fire," is very much like this; it's the second book in the trilogy. When it comes to "Vandemere," this is the first book in a duology and there is a disclaimer stating that this book could be read as a standalone novel. I found that the book was lacking intrigue. There were a couple of plot lines, such as the missing girl and the dark voice within, but I felt like they were both brought to an anticlimax that left me wanting more.

When it comes to the audiobook specifically, I really liked the narrator. I thought he did an excellent job with the distinguishing different voices, and I really liked how his voice sounded. Personally, he kind of sounded like Ren McCormack in “Somebody’s Eyes,” from Footloose: The Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording.)

Overall, I look forward to listening to (or reading) the next book because I feel like there was a lot unsaid in this first and want to know more about the magie that keeps influencing things.

Thank you NetGalley for the ALC.

This series has so much potential, the dark, tense and mysterious twists and turns definitely keep you turning those pages. Perfect for anyone who loves all things whimsical and magical whilst cleverly intertwined with magic and paranormal twists. The characters were well rounded but could have been a little bit better relatable to the age group. (This reads older than the intended readership age)
Journeys and character arcs are usually what I’m drawn to with these types of stories and this book did well on that front. There were some interesting flashbacks which gave you a better interpretation of our MC which I really liked. Overall this book was a very enjoyable read and I think the series will be one that I will happily continue.

I was optimistic about this book going into it due to its promising plot, but ultimately felt disappointed by the pacing and lack of detail the book provided. The historical fantasy element was interesting, and the circus setting should have been a refreshing skew on a realistic fantasy element. However, unfortunately, I found the setting, plot and characters didn’t really live up to my expectations.

I enjoyed hearing about Vandemere’s horse antics, but the setting outside of his immediate reference to the circus ultimately fell flat. The other characters fell into stereotypical roles within a circus but didn’t really bear any significance on the narrative. Vandy’s character confused me as his laid back attitude often felt too manufactured to the point that his reactions to multiple events within the plot felt out of place. I never really warmed up to his style but am willing to look past it as my own preferences rather than necessarily the writing. However, I found this particular vibe to be consistent with each of the characters we get to know throughout this book.

I found the plot felt both too rushed and also quite slow. The entire plot of the book feels like it could have been cut down to be an introductory half of the book and largely just felt like a massive prologue for the second book. By the end of this one, there is no real conclusion to any of the plots started throughout the book and I don’t feel particularly interested in continuing the series to see the conclusions because of how little set up there was for the majority of them. I understand that Vandemere is meant to be very affected by his past, but too much of the book was focused around flashbacks to events in his past that just felt like an excuse to push exposition on the reader. Because so much of the narrative was spent with Vandemere reminiscing about his past, I still feel like most of his feelings about those people didn’t really make sense and could have done with more about his qualms with everyone in the present. It might have helped to explain his outright refusal to listen to his mum’s advice when it came to the magie, as he continuously tells the reader that his mother turned away from the magie which made her opinion invalid on it, despite the fact she spends most of the book trying to urge him to use the magie which he also pushes against whilst also using the magie in his tricks.

I had to double check that this book wasn’t written by a man considering the outrageous physical descriptions given for female characters. I understand the desire to try and write from the perspective of a 17 year old boy, but there needs to be a line between exploring that and just limiting your female characters for no reason. It felt so demeaning to hear these descriptions used for absolutely no betterment of the plot or the characters. The female characters ultimately had no purpose in the book except to be either the ‘deadbeat’ mother of the main character, or objects of desire for Vandemere. The descriptions were out of place with the plot and ultimately took me out of the story which didn’t help my desire to continue. The other characters felt like further stereotypes, including the popular guy going out with the popular girl (who Vandemere is obsessed with and hates for ‘settling’ for the popular guy when Vandemere, who repeatedly objectifies her and tells nothing of her personality, could of course treat her better), and even going so far as to have the mother’s boyfriend being Vandy’s biggest hater without ever really giving the reader any reason as to why he hates Vandemere so much.

Lastly, I think a lot of my issues came directly from the narrator of the audiobook as his tone was often at odds with what was happening within the plot. His accents for some characters were borderline offensive - my biggest example being Vandy’s mother. The narrator gave her no fixed accent and I feel we went on a tour of the whole of Europe each time she had a line, despite the fact that the story deals quite consistently with the racism faced by those with Romanian origins. I found the other accents to have been quite out of place considering the generic whiny teen voice given to Vandemere and found they took me out of the story quite a bit.

Overall, while I enjoyed the premise of the story and don’t regret reading, I struggled to find positives for the book which is ultimately why I have had to give this story 1.5 stars.

I do not know if the book did not grasp my attention because I received an Audiobook ARC but I did find it distracting to listen to, maybe because there were multiple characters and I found it hard to keep track. I am new to audiobook listening,.

The premise is fantastic, magical realism meets historical fiction and mystery. Vandemere is an intriguing look into the life of circus folks of old days, where the blur between truth and magic was often blurred, for good reason. Every time Vandemere uses his mother's tarot card, he blacks out, and forgets what happened during that time, and that is how he finds himself in the middle of a mystery.

The narrative is beautifully etched out, proving much detail into he circus life, its many residents and visitors, pets, and the workings and the plot is has you hooked.

The first in the series, I am sure the second book will delve further into the magic of the tarot cards that Vandemere holds so close to his heart. All in all, it is a good book for young readers to get into experience magical realism.

A young man's coming of age story that takes place in the 1930s at a carnival. Recommend if you love dark magic, horses, or tarot reading. For 17 and up due to the main character thinking about women and wanting to lose his virginity. The description for this book said it was dark but I didn't find it that dark. It's a step up from your basic YA novels, slowly getting into subject matter of adult novels.