Ok, I LOVE AMANDA HOCKING. So now that I have that out of the way I can review this properly. I loved the setting, the characters and the idea behind this book. I enjoyed it...a lot. However, I did find it as pulled together as I would have hoped. The parts that were supposed to be intense just seemed mild and that took away from the story for me. Overall it was a good read but not anything amazing like I had hoped.

Mara isnt like her mother who possesses the Necromancer ability to join along with her mother at Traveling Side Show so she works the side jobs for them. Struggling to keep the sideshow open the owner takes up an offered large sum of money to stay in Caudry for week. Mara longs for a normal life which makes it harder for her to deal with when she meets a local boy Gabe knowing it'll end soon. Gabe doesn't know Mara is apart of the traveling show and he makes her feel normal for a change. When some of the acts start disappearing or found mangled the struggling sideshows need to find out whats going on before there is no one left.

A couple years back I had met the author which is why I was drawn to this book. When the second book of the Trylle Trilogy came out and I went to NYC to get my books signed. I know I have a picture of me and her buried in my computer of that day but she seemed like a pretty cool person and I really loved her books. The second thing that drawn me to this book was the beautiful cover because it's really well done and even without reading the synopsis I would've swiped it off the shelves to purchase because of how it looked. After reading the synopsis I was sold to wanting to get my hands on this book because it sounded like something I would really love to read. I got this as a ARC on my kindle so when I head to the books store I'll be sure to buy myself a copy because this book belongs on my bookshelves. :-)

Anyways It's been awhile since I've read a paranormal book and this book reminded me why I like the genre. I loved the characters and how some points of the book managed to surprise me. I loved that there was hits of clues when it came to a certain character and I couldn't help but think to myself I know what that character is I was just waiting for it to be revealed and loved that my guess was correct. As for Mara I wished what was revealed about her wasn't done towards the end because it seemed rushed when it came to the time where everything seems to go nuts but it was still enjoyable. You don't understand how hard it is for me to be vague as possible and still want to be able to talk to others about this book because it really was a great book and I really enjoyed it.

If you are looking for a great paranormal read with a set of interesting characters then look no further because you'll want to get your hands on this book! Highly Recommend.

Although I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher (via NetGalley) all opinions are my own.

This was such an interesting book. Kept me guessing from page one. I loved the details of the circus life and the idea that there are people out there just born with this supernatural ability. There is a bit of romance in this book, but I feel like it adds to the drama of the story. Hocking does a wonderful job keeping the characters true to themselves despite what is going on around them.

Anyway, wonderful book. Mystery with the supernatural tied right in. Great read, but just not by yourself at night.

FREEKS was good fun! I truly enjoyed reading about this traveling show. Mara is part of a traveling sideshow. Her mother is a fortuneteller but Mara is more like a roadie surrounded by people with unique looks or abilities. Traveling from town to town, Mara wishes she just could live a normal life. She knows not to get too attached to anyone in the towns they visit. Their latest stop is in Caudry, Louisiana. everyone is getting a bad vibe from the town, but they need the money. Mara’s true feelings about her fellow carnies comes out full force when some of them start disappearing. Mara finds she isn’t just a powerless extra for the show.

The fun stuff: We got a fun glimpse into life for the traveling sideshow. Right away in this story we are on the road. This story is set in the 80s. Mara is 19 years old. Although she was more new adult age, she is more young adult in her maturity. Mara is a genuinely likeable person. She is everything I would imagine a 19 year old in her situation would be. Mara is a good friend to her “family” in the sideshow.

Her love interest Gabe was also a great character. They meet and have a genuine “like” for each other right away. I imagine the newness of each other is what drew them together. They also seemed to be living the dream way the other one wished for. Mara and Gabe get along so well, I really liked them together. Things between them happened really fast. I am more a fan of slow burn type romances, but this relationship worked for me.

There is a genuine mystery happening in this town. I won’t talk too much about it because it was what really kept me turning pages. Instead, I want to tell you that the descriptive writing in this story will put you right there. I could easily imagine the whole scenes and the characters.

The bad news: There was a lack of emotion in some of the characters. There wasn’t enough outrage in a certain scene. There also wasn’t too much of the show itself. No acrobats? I wanted the author to describe them! The mystery in the story ended pretty abruptly. I seriously wish this were a series, the fact that it is not is so disappointing. There was much more that could have been explored in this world.

All in all, this was a fun read in an awesome setting. I really enjoyed this read. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys fantasy and paranormal reads.

I received an eARC of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

As my first read of 2017, Freeks by Amanda Hocking was an interesting choice. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed it, but it isn’t my typical read. To be honest, it was the cover that drew me in. Circus/carnival stories have always fascinated me so I was curious and hopeful for this one. Freeks follows a girl in a traveling sideshow but with a twist. The people actually possess the powers they claim: psychic, necromancer, fast healing, etc. I liked this addition!

Mara is a character that jumps off the pages. I could easily see her in real life. She’s inquisitive, a bit of a misfit, and makes no apologies for it. She hides behind the carnival, the sideshow of fellow freaks she travels with. She stays behind the scenes, claiming she has no powers, though in reality they just haven’t manifested yet. Mara longs for a steady life, one with a house and home phone number, but she can’t imagine leaving her makeshift family.

The story really begins when the carnival enters the town of Caudry, a small community in Louisiana they were invited to perform in. From the moment they cross the bridge into town, the paranormals in the camp feel a sense of dread. Their powers are off, and then one of their own goes missing. This adds a touch of mystery to the plot. I actually enjoyed this. I spent the majority of the book trying to guess what was happening. Let me be the first to tell you just to enjoy the read and not guess. You won’t get it right!

With any good story comes a little romance as well. This one in the form of a young man with a kindred spirit to Mara. She feels a gut instinct that she should be frightened of him, but she can’t seem to stay away from Gabe. Gabe is mysterious, kind hearted, and infatuated with her. He returns to the carnival almost daily just to see her, knowing she leaves at the end of the week. Personally I liked him, but I worried through the entire book that he might have a hand in the events that were happening.

Overall, I enjoyed Freeks! Set in the 1980s (though I believe that it could have been set in any time period), the story jumped off the pages. I felt that I was there in the carnival, seeing the mysterious sights and watching the events unfold. Mara wasn’t my favorite character though. I felt her a bit selfish and too focused on Gabe rather than her friend that was missing and the thing that was attacking them. Despite this, I still enjoyed the mystery and suspense of the story. While there are elements of paranormal, they are not the main focus. If you enjoy urban fantasy though, I still recommend the book!

I've read a lot of Amanda Hocking's books, and this wasn't my favourite one. That said, this had an interesting storyline and likeable characters and was definitely a better read than I thought it would be.

I found this book to be a little unoriginal though, hence the 3 stars. It was well written and overall enjoyable.

Thanks to Netgalley and St.Martin's press for sending me this.

By definion, a “freek” is a person or animal on exhibition as an example of a strange deviation from nature; monster. Freeks are outcasts, the bane of society. There are some though, that find beauty in the unusual. Perfection is overrated.

Mara and the sideshow act that she travels with are considered outcasts, looked down upon because of their differences. Yet people flock to the show wherever it travels, just to ogle the “freeks” they find so abhorrent.

Mara meets Gabe, a local boy, but hides her identity from him and they eventually fall for each other. There is a pull between them that they just can’t figure out but relish having.

As the people from the sideshow start disappearing, questions arise about the travelers and the town that they have come to entertain. I enjoyed the mystery element of Freeks. While it is labeled YA Fantasy/Paranormal, it is definitely a mystery, as well.

Amanda Hocking’s storytelling was amazing, as per usual. She has a way of weaving a wonderland of characters that immerse the reader in the story.

The ending had me holding my breath as I learned the fate of the sideshow and the secrets of the characters. I wholly recommend this book to readers who are little for something a little different and who revel in the strange and unusual.

I don't think I've read any of Amanda Hocking's other books, but the cover for Freeks was beautiful and the blurb intrigued me enough that I decided to join this blog tour.

Freeks starts when Mara, her mother and the rest of the circus that they belong to arrive in the tiny town of Caudry. There, Mara experiences an instant attraction to Gabe, one of the local boys there, an attraction that he returns. But the budding romance is interrupted by the fact that someone is stalking and killing (or at least severely injuring) the circus workers with otherworldly abilities.

I believe that anyone who has read a few of my reviews will know my feelings toward instalove. This is something that Mara and Gabe have in droves, so I won't really comment on that. I'll just say that it wasn't "stop the book" annoying, but I really could have done with a more natural romance.

The mystery part of the book was fairly interesting. It was pretty obvious that whatever was hunting them wasn't human, but I had no clue what it was. I did appreciate that the solution seemed somewhat obvious in retrospect, and the plot twist wasn't unbelievable at all.

Oh, and I didn't notice this, but I saw that the author mis-used a Hindi term or something like that. But it seemed to be more of a googling error than outright malice, and I did receive an ARC, so hopefully that has been fixed before publication.

Overall, I quite enjoyed the book (even with the instaromance), and I think that if I had the time, I might pick up one of her earlier books.

Disclaimer: I got a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for a free and honest review.

Mara is traveling with her mother and the rest of the carnival to yet another location where they are promised a nice check of money for the entertainment they can provide. What could go wrong in this little, seemingly friendly if a bit strange town?

It seems quite a lot. Starting with some strange vision, disappearing member of the troop and a brutal attack on another. But there are also good things in this town, especially for Mara. Or rather one thing that's of particular interest to Mara - a rather interesting guy with a curious glint in his eyes.

I was surprised that I enjoyed this book so much. When I see a book about circus or carnival I'm not instantly dragged to it, but the books blurb (and the cover) were so intriguing that I couldn't resist. I'm not disappointed, which is perfect since I already have two of Amanda's books on my TBR list and not I'm just a step closer to actually reaching for them ;).

Anyway, there are several things I liked about this book. First of all - the setting - the carnival and the 80's and the little town close to a dangerous swampland. All mysterious and interesting. Add to that the magical and supernatural members of the carnival itself - a fire wielder, ghost whisperer, strongman that is definitely supernatural. And the town's people aren't so normal either. Well, they seem so at first.

The mystery doesn't disappoint, although there are several things that were rather predictable, but I didn't mind since it still read well and smoothly.

And the romance, well yes it is a love at first sight thing, but it felt like a crush at first, so it was rather reasonable and I did like the dynamic between Mara and Gabe. It was enjoyable and looked like a start of something bigger and not an instant "I can't live without you" thing and I like it.

Even though this novel seems to be a stand-alone story I kind of wish to know what else might await these people, what other adventures, how will the romance blossom (or maybe it won't) and what other curiosities they might find on their journeys.

~~~~

To sum it up - an enjoyable, fast read (for 400 pages) that I'd recommend to everyone who likes young adult stories with a lot of supernatural.

Freeks (yes it is spelled wrong on purpose, it explains in the story) by Amanda Hocking is a fun read about a young women who travels with a carnival. This particular carnival is loaded with people who have special abilities, such as the acrobats who can levitate and a necromancer fortune teller. Mara is one of only a handful of non-supernatural people and her mother is the necromancer. They set up shop in a small town Caudry, Louisiana and that’s where it gets interesting. Strange things begin to happen, the carnival people are disappearing and getting hurt by an unknown entity. In addition to this worrisome development, there is a boy, because of course there is. He is from a local family and Mara really likes him but doesn’t want to tell him she travels with the carnival. So she is trying to hid one part of her life half the time and then defend them the other half. It shouldn’t have worked, but it did.

I enjoyed the plot of Freeks and liked that it was a different type of supernatural read. It was set in 1987 so I loved the shout outs to 80’s music and culture strewn throughout. Amanda Hocking is not an author I have read a lot from. I have read her Trylle series and while I read the whole series, nothing really stood out to me. She has grown tremendously as a writer and it clearly shows. She was able to mix many disparate elements and have them all work well and play off of each other. The pacing was very fast as the book encompasses just 10 days. The world built was very real as were the emotions. I liked the majority of the characters but would have liked a little bit more bulk to the supporting cast. I didn’t feel as if I knew them as well as I had wished.

When all was said and read, I really enjoyed Freeks and finished it in just under two hours so it is a quick read. While a few bits could have used more fleshing out and the instalove was super present, the detailed supernatural elements and the unique setting made me not mind those small issues. Now I need to go read some more of Hocking‘s books, as I feel I have been missing out.

https://lynns-books.com/2017/01/03/freeks-by-amanda-hocking/
Freeks is quite a crazy little number that I enjoyed reading. Set in a travelling sideshow run by Gideon Davorin the crew are a strange bunch that bring together the archetypal images of the bearded lady and the strong man but add a fantasy element with necromancy, pyrokinesis and other strange and wonderful phenomenon. Put basically, the world that exists here is a strange confection of paranormal and darkly creepy mixed up with regular human.

The thing is for me personally, travelling sideshows hold something magical, romantic maybe, and mysterious. They also conjure up images of things that are maybe a little bit scary and it all adds to the allure somehow.

So this particular sideshow moves to Caudry, Louisiana. They're in trouble. They have no money and they need a gig and Caudry is the only offer on the table. An offer that looks almost suspiciously tempting except that maybe Caudry need something to help generate interest as much as Gideon's show need money. Perhaps the deal is mutually beneficial to both sides - until, that is, something seems to start stalking people from the sideshow and killing them in very grisly circumstances.

Okay, Freeks has this lovely urban fantasy feel - without the urban. The Sideshow are camped out in a field, they set out their stalls everyday and the setting is written in a great way that really puts you in the middle of the situation and makes it easy to imagine.

In terms of characters, the main one obviously is Mara. I liked Mara, I liked that she gave a bit of insight into her particular life. The constant moving, the lack of attachment to other characters, the longing for more personal space. These things came across really well. I didn't particularly feel that Mara always acted in the most sensible or safest way and I also felt just a tad more disappointed that she didn't have a little more about her She seemed to be carried along on the crest of a wave somehow, a participant rather than a player.

Gabe is the love interest. He's one of those characters that seem casually privileged. He's always well dressed and has this indifferent sex appeal that he's unaware of. He also hides secrets and maybe needs to be kept at arms length.

I felt that the instantaneous love between the two was a tad much. I mean, we are literally talking a few days here and the two of them don't exhibit such a lot of chemistry. Maybe they would have over a longer time frame but this just felt a bit rushed, I thought they both got on okay but I wasn't quite feeling the love.

In terms of the rest of the characters, I wish that we could have spent more time with them as it felt a little like all the others were just 'fodder' for whatever was stalking them. Rose's mother, Gideon and Roxie had parts that were slightly more integral but still not given enough page time.

The setting. I enjoyed the show-ground. A lot of attention was paid to the mobile homes and we frequently spent time looking at the work that needed to be undertaken around the place. What was lacking a little was a sense of impending doom. Everyone knew that something bad was going to happen, in fact one of the members of the show had already gone missing and yet nobody took it as seriously as I would have expected. They were nestled up to a swamp with tales of terror abounding and a member of their crew gone astray and yet there was a notable lack of fear.

The plot was interesting, not totally gripping, but intriguing nonetheless. Why was the the sideshow staying and in fact what was keeping them there. It was an interesting premise. Personally, I think it could have been kept a bit more simple. It could have revolved more around the supernatural and horrific elements and maybe relied upon more of a gothic feel, in a way it feels slightly like a missed opportunity, like a good way to bring yet another 'love' story to the YA arena.

In spite of that I enjoyed the story. The pacing was reasonable, the characters likeable, the story entertaining and the setting intriguing. Put bluntly, it was a fun read with elements of horror. It didn't quite live up to the horror or gothic expectations that I had but even so was still a good read.

I received a copy via the publisher courtesy of Netgalley for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

I would first like to thank St. Martin’s Press for inviting me to join this blog tour! This is the very first blog tour which I am participating it, and I am very grateful to have been allowed to join the tour for this particular book!

I found Freeks to be very enjoyable for a number of reasons. The first (and most important to me) is Mara’s independent and overall strong nature. This book was narrated in first person style (a style which I am not usually fond of due to some of the whiny character-narrators which I have encountered in books using this style). Mara, however, is none of those things. She is very self-sufficient, knows how to make decisions for herself, and is confident in herself most of the time. Mara also, while falling for someone, does not spend paragraphs or pages talked about how love-sick and attached she is. Nor does she constantly analyse her love interest’s every action and every word.

There is also a dark side to Mara’s strength as a character too, I have found, in that she reacts unrealistically to certain situations (particularly the dangerous ones). While she will run in fear in certain instances, she will not blink an eye at some very gruesome scenes, or step directly into danger’s path. Maybe the issue I have found with this aspect of her character is a lack of thorough descriptions, or Mara’s mental processes. But in either case, this is a very minor flaw.

Returning to the subject of Mara’s love interest, I found the romantic scenes to be fairly accurate for characters their age, and also to be a bit more descriptive than what I am used to encountering in YA (save for one scene). This scene, which I will not identify for the sake of avoiding spoilers, left me somewhat unsatisfied and blinking in confusion.

What did not leave me confused, however, was the array of characters in this book. Not once did I mix one character up with another, or had to flip back through the book to figure out who a particular character is. They were all described in sufficient detail (although I will never say “no” to more detail), and they were also very distinct. I could picture them all clearly, and when they interacted, I never had to wonder who said what, or who was standing where, or doing what.

Another aspect of this book which I really enjoyed was the pervasive use Tarot, not only by Mara and her mother, a fortune teller, but the names of Tarot cards were also used for some of the chapter titles, while images of Tarot cards were also used to separate the book into the 10 days during which the plot takes place. It was all very well done, adding some nice aesthetics to the book’s layout for those looking at the surface, and a little more depth to the story for those who know and are willing to look deeper/closer.

The setting could have used some more description (though this may be because I am in love with the Louisiana landscape, and can never get enough of hearing about it), but was sufficiently well-depicted for me to understand the physical attributes of the location. As for the time-frame, I particularly liked that this book was set in 1987, a time period which I had not encountered in YA until this book. Being a fan of that period, I really enjoyed the references to the fashion and music of the time, and would not have said “no” to there being more of both.

Overall, this book was very entertaining, and the overall plot was very gripping. I finished reading this book in just a little over 24 hours, despite being very busy (although there was a road trip in there somewhere, which allowed for a few hours of reading). I would recommend this book to those who enjoy super powers, a hint of horror, some romance, and a dash of the bizarre.

**4.5 Stars**

Freeks by Amanda Hocking is a standalone YA novel filled with suspense, danger, and the allure of the supernatural. Against the backdrop of a mysterious small-town and a traveling carnival, Ms. Hocking invites readers to a strange and intriguing world where everyone is more than meets the eye.

The story follows Mara Beznik and her friends and family of Gideon Davorin’s Traveling Carnival. Without any known supernatural powers like her mother or the other performers in Gideon's sideshow, Mara has spent her life traveling from town to town amongst the extraordinary. Longing for normalcy, Mara is excited for a taste when she meets a local, Gabe Alvarado. However, what seems like a regular stop in a new town for the carnival soon turns into anything but, especially when something not at all normal starts attacking the sideshow performers in the middle of the night. Caudry is hiding something dark and sinister, and Mara only has a week to figure out what and how to stop it.

As I was reading Freeks, in my mind, I kept envisioning a mix of the tv shows Carnivale and Grimm, especially the latter once Mara finds out more about the power she didn't know she had and her family's legacy. I really enjoyed the paranormal mystery surrounding Caudry and the carnival, as well as, the building of suspense as the characters faced their unknown threat.

Ms. Hocking does a wonderful job in her world-building and giving life to her characters. I liked Mara as a heroine. She was strong and relatable. I also loved the romance between her and Gabe. Furthermore, with an ensemble of more than ten characters, Ms. Hocking does a great job of giving each their own personality and providing backstories for some without the story losing its pacing or feeling overloaded with information. My only qualm about the story was how fast the ending occurred.

Overall, Freeks by Amanda Hocking is a great YA paranormal novel that had me riveted from beginning to end. I happily recommend and look forward to reading more by Ms. Hocking.

(I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book I received from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my fair and honest review.)

In a place where mysterious powers and oddities claim the norm, the dark shadows and creepy moments unfold into an intriguing adventure which captivates until the last page.

The traveling side-show is Mara's whole life, and although she sometimes dreams of a little more 'normality', her heart and soul belong to the freaks around her. When money forces the show to a small town, a strange, dark aura hangs over their heads. Strange beast attacks and missing performers are only the beginning of the sinister darkness the side-show must face.

The cover and blurb draw attention and mark the atmosphere of the story. There's mystery, oddities, a lovely sprinkle of the unknown and a lingering darkness which hangs as a continual, light fog. Then, in complete contrast, there's the real world, and that adds a nice twist of familiarity and light. Mara is a teenage girl, and pretty normal in almost every way. She's hard working, caring, and protective while still being a little cautious and mistrusting. She loves her odd family, but still would like to fit in sometimes with regular teenagers-something which is hard for her to do.

A steady pace holds from the beginning of the book to the end, marked not only with tense moments, mystery and danger, but also with a large variety of characters, which add extra spice at the right moments. Each personality has its own quirks, keeping the plot on its toes.

There's a romance, which is a bit sudden and takes flight quick. The background surrounding this also adds a few layers, which are not only unexpected but almost weigh down with too many variables. The last chapters are chucked full of different angles, which follow logical order but stuff the plot box pretty full.

The end wraps up everything nicely, leaving no loose strands, although it was a bit sudden as if something still should have come.

Summed up, this is an enjoyable read with tons of delicious paranormal aspects and eerie dark shadows.

This book was partly an interpretation of the social stigma against people that are different. Society is cruel to those we don't understand, and while Ms. Hocking chooses to portray those differences in terms of supernatural powers like telekinesis, pyrokinesis, etc., it could be easily applied to how foreigners, the handicapped, and other "different" groups are treated in our homogeneous societies. So while the story itself, of Mara discovering the truth behind the attacks and the weird atmosphere of Caudry, was 3 stars, the overall message of the need for acceptance deserved an additional star. This message is especially important in the world we live in right now, with hate and ignorance overpowering common sense, and while I don't believe that this book fully addresses this issue, the theme is one of understanding our differences, and I appreciate the positive message it shares.

The main conflict in this book was between the Freeks from the travelling circus and the strange "forces" that are attacking them. Throughout the book, Mara and the other Freeks from the circus are trying to figure out what/who was attacking them, and why exactly their powers were so weak in Caudry. The mystery and tension starts building from page one, with Mara's mom's headache, until when the demon is finally discovered. A lot of the mystery rests with Gabe's family, whose mother was the my main suspect since Mara's first encounter with her.

Gabe was a conundrum, and sadly there wasn't too much character development with him until the very end. Mara, however, we get to know very well, and while she, unlike many MC, didn't seem like she was actively trying to solve the mystery, she is eventually the one that puts the pieces together, with the help of her mother and Gideon. I feel that the suspense was dragged out a bit too much and because of this, during the actual climax, I didn't really feel that excited nor relieved at finally figuring out who was behind everything, as my suspicions were proven to be true.

One thing I wished was explained in more detail, however, was the deal between the werewolves and the Kirpka, but the fact that such a deal existed made sense in the context of the story and all the loose ends were tied up quite neatly at the end.

SPOILER. The deaths of both Blossom and Selena were both shocking and sad, and I couldn't help but hate Della Jane; her character was too straightforward and we didn't really get to see her as a person but rather just the villain.

There were a lot of really cool quirks, such as how they travel in trailer homes- I've never heard of Winnebago until I read this book- and the tarot card reading, which is always super creepy yet interesting. Also, the story itself is really unique and I haven't read a single book with a premise quite like this one- a traveling circus/refuge for supernaturals? It's pretty interesting, and filled with cool characters, such as Roxie, with pyrokinetic powers, and Luka, with super healing.

I recommend this book to those who enjoy a good mystery and are interested in the paranormal.

Well, honestly, I only finished it because I was reading an ARC and needed to review it. The 3 is because there were some interesting bits of mythology and other lore and even some fun with the carny atmosphere. However, this was just not a well-written book. It was silly when it should have been serious and tried to be moving with romance and sex far too soon. I didn't believe the feelings that developed immediately between the lead characters nor did I believe that others could not immediately see "what" Gabe was, as I figured it out in the second chapter.

Even the final line was trite and embarrassingly goopy. I did not like this book.

Addictive and entertaining, this story set around the eighties, presents the lives of the people in a traveling Show that are invited to perform in a new town. They desperately need the revenue that will generate from this job, but there is a catch, they need to perform for ten days or they will not get paid.
What starts as a solution to their current financial problem, becomes a potentially dangerous situation when members with supernatural abilities start to disappear and get injured by an unknown entity.
There is a pinch of romance, and a dash of suspense as we try to determine what the killer is.

*I received an eARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review and this has in no way affected my review.*

Review:

I was approached to participate in this blog tour because I got an ARC of another of Amanda’s books through NetGalley a while back. I was kinda freaking out because a major publisher had emailed me and asked me to participate in a blog tour so I signed up for this tour for that and also because I thought why not broaden my horizons of the books I read?



The beginning of this one was really rough because it starts with a sort of road trip montage. Mara is part of a traveling circus of gifted performers along with her mother and her mom’s boyfriend. The book starts out with an ominous prologue with a monster chasing someone, setting up the overall problem in the book. This overall problem though isn’t even dealt with ‘til after the 10% mark and a bunch of travelling circus day-to-day actions. Up to the 10% mark, it’s road trip and party with strangers time. The party was where I actually started to get into the book and not glance and skip around the book.



However, once you get to about the 10% mark, it’s back to circus stuff and that really didn’t interest me and I just couldn’t connect or get a real good sense of the characters in these parts.

That’s what I think problem #1 was for me. Problem #2 was the genre. Supernatural type books are a hit-or-miss genre for me. Sometimes they are super amazing and I love them (Clockwork Angel series, etc.) or they are like this one and just don’t reel me in. After 10%, there’s a lot of talk about those who work in the circus, what they do, and their lives. I just never really got into any of the characters so these parts were extremely rough for me. Problem #3 was the pacing. For me it just felt really slow and the scenes with actions just didn’t seem all that great.



But don’t let that deter you. This is a different book that feels like Scream Queens season 2 meets a traveling circus, I know some people love supernatural books and I think if you are really into that genre, this might be for you.


Happy Reading!