First Impressions

As I mentioned above, I will read anything Amanda Hocking writes. So I was overjoyed when I got to read a review copy of Freeks for the tour. I was a little worried I wouldn't like it, as carnival books aren't my thing, as well as the fact that it takes place in 1987. I'm not a huge fan of historical books, but the time setting didn't really add or subtract from the story. I devoured the book in one day and wasn't ready for it to be over when I finished.

Characters

I really liked Mara. She was an interesting head to be in. Mara knew all about the world of the occult, so the book wasn't some new awakening for her. I always enjoy books where the characters already know about the mystery/world of the supernatural. Mara was 18, so a little on the older side for YA, which showed at times. You could definitely tell that she wasn't a teen anymore, but she does still live with her mother in the circus, so it's not as big a deal that she's older.

I loved her romance with Gabe! I will read romance anywhere, anytime. That's often what makes or breaks a story for me. Gabe was mysterious and charming, and Mara and I both loved him for it. I liked how Mara both let herself like him, but also listened to her instincts that there was something dangerous about him.

I loved all the characters that were part of the sideshow. By introducing them to the reader one at a time, over the course of the first third of the book, it was easier to keep all the characters straight. There were the more typical oddities, the bearded lady and three-legged man, as well as some of the more special ones, with everything from healing to pyro-kenesis.

World-Building

This was quite a world that Hocking constructed. While there were no overt signs that it took place in 1987, there was always something. Characters would mention tapes and cassette players. And there was a distinct lack of cell phones. At the same time, Hocking developed the small town of Caudry, Louisiana. The town had a very distinct feel, with it's swamps, backroads, and the occasional mansion. I loved the little details Hocking added in as well, which you will see when you read the book!

I really wanted to rate this higher, I've read work by Amanda Hocking before and thoroughly enjoyed it. I love carnival's, the mystery behind them and their performers and I was totally prepared to be entranced by this mystical world. There is an intriguing mixture of characters and powers, and I absolutely adored almost all of them. The biggest detriment to the story for me was the insta-love focus that Mara suddenly developed with Gabe sort of over shadowed the carnival folks that were really more interesting. I would love to see another story in this universe, though maybe with less focus on any 'romance' angle (though I would be on-board for more Luka/Tim) and more focus on the carnival inhabitants themselves.

Originally posted on Forever Young Adult on 2017 Jan 03.

Disclaimer: I received an eARC from netgalley in exchange for a review. This review is spoiler free.

Come one, come all, to Gideon's Traveling Sideshow, a roving carnival traveling to their latest destination where the payout proves to be grand. As long as they make it to the vernal equinox. However, this isn't your typical side show filled with cons and shenanigans. No, many of the members of the troupe have real supernatural powers-- pyrokinesis, telekinsesis, speaking with the dead, are among the few gifts the novel mentions. No matter where Mara turns, everyone seems to have a special ability. Except for her. Even her fortune telling mother has secrets. Because of this, Mara dreams of having a normal life, free from the only show she's known. Their latest town may be more trouble than anyone bargained for.

Amanda Hocking has written a fun novel. Freeks is set in the late 80's and is filled with romance, mystery, and supernatural. I'm a big fan of Hocking's The Hallows and the Trylle series. As a tarot reader, I was insanely curious to read this book; I love books that include tarot in their plots. This book didn't disappoint. The sections are divided by hand-drawn tarot cards (psst, please make a deck.. i love the drawings and want a copy). The readings Mara's mother does in the book are spot on with modern meanings. She treats the Death card the same way I treat it in my own personal readings.

The story is cute and enjoyable. At it's heart it's a coming-of-age story for Mara, who wants love and a normal life. In this new town she meets a boy whom she thinks she can have a short relationship with before the Sideshow moves out. She learns to deal with relationships as a young adult and she talks through the difficulties of being a freak and wanting to be normal. The plot is steady. However, the main gist of the book doesn't happen till well after half-way through. Which meant, I wanted a longer book, to learn more about Mara's past and where she came from.

Bottom Line: This is an easy read. I stayed up all night long to finish it. There are many twists and turns, which is the mark of a good book for me. The world is fantastic and I found myself wishing I could hang with Mara, her mother, and others. Freeks reads as a stand alone book, but I'm hoping Hocking continues the adventures of Mara.

Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this novel and chose to review it. This in no way impacts my opinion.

I quite enjoyed this one, but I will disclaim that I have loved all of Hocking's previous novels and am probably not as objective as someone else would be. But this was similar and different from what she has previously written and I really enjoyed every second of it. I did have some minor issues but I would love more books set in this same world -- maybe in the present day -- to explore more of the supernatural elements of it.

It had a Hemlock Grove (the TV show not the terrible book) vibe to me and I really loved it. I was so immersed in the world and the setting , I just couldn't quite get there with the time period. It felt like there were too many winks and nudges to the things that would be there in the 80s to remind the reader over and over that it was in the 80s rather than it feeling natural. I think part of this was the idea that it is a novel and you have to acknowledge it, but I would have liked it to feel a bit more natural than what we got.

I loved the characters, especially Mara. She was so strong in how she felt about herself but still so vulnerable in how she acted around Gabe and the other townies. I think there was a good sense of self and still the insecurity that made her feel really realistic. I would have liked a bit more exploration of how she felt being a minority and not knowing her father or part of her heritage and being in the travelling show as a visible minority -- I thought the idea of her not feeling super comfortable around the townspeople and not sharing her life story with Gabe was really well done, but I felt like a piece of that was missing since her ethnicity was never really explored (at least not as much as I thought it could have been). But her relationship with Gabe felt real and natural and I ship them so hard and I also love that Hocking allows her female characters to be comfortable in their sexuality and have sex in the book because girls do that.

I thought the side characters were good and well fleshed out, but none of them really stuck out to me. I felt like they were their own personalities and characters but there wasn't the same spark to them as there was to Mara. I did however love that they had their pasts and reasons for being with the travelling show and I think I would have liked multiple POVs to explore more of their own stories and see more of their show. But I definitely could see a companion novel from Luka's POV! So !!! Please and thank you in advance.

If you're a fan of Stranger Things, Hemlock Grove, or anything that has that mysterious supernatural twinge to it where you think you know everything but you are still surprised at the end, this is the book for you. Both the US and the UK covers are beautiful, so you should buy them both (like me) and read this novel! I think it took me a total of 1.5 hours to read it because once you start, you don't want to stop. I am disappointed that this isn't a series but think this was a perfect standalone novel by Hocking.

Freeks is one of those books that will leave you wondering what the heck just happened and leave you wanting more. The intensity, suspense and built up of this masterpiece leads to a stunning conclusion that I was not expecting.

Mara has grown up in Gideon's sideshow traveling circus her whole life. Her mom can speak to the dead but she's not showing any signs of being different so she does odd end jobs here and there. With the promise of a lot of money they end up in Caudry. A place that isn't what it seems.

That's where Mara meets Gabe, a boy who's just as mysterious as the city itself. They have this amazing chemistry from the first time they meet and even though Mara knows there's something about him that she should stay away from she just can't.

I love the interaction that I read between the two. Their love for each other was new and it was a relief to me that Amanda didn't include any sex as that wasn't the focus of the story. This is a YA novel and for people to down vote it because of that is crazy.

There's also so much more to the story than just Gabe and Mara but the side characters too. I loved Lyanka, Seth, Roxy, Gideon, Luka, Hutch, and even the Siberian tigers Safēda and Mahilā. Then we have the whole issue of who or what is trying to kill them.

Any fan of Amanda Hocking's books will throughly enjoy Freeks. It's different from her Trylle Trilogy and The Kanin Chronicles but it's a good different! I'm a huge fan of hers and I've read all her books and I wasn't disappointed!

Thank you Justine from St. Martin's Press for my arc!

I wanted to love this book. The cover is gorgeous and the premise is amazing. I was so excited about the traveling carnival, but the writing was only surface deep, and I couldn’t connect with the story.

Things I liked:
Mara is a great character
So much diversity
Gabe

What I didn’t like:
The writing felt super flat and not fleshed out at all
Because of that, the diversity felt only surface-deep, like the characters had been assigned race with a paintbrush
Insta-love
The ending felt rushed

I'm familiar with Amanda Hocking and what books she has under her name. However, this is the first novel I have gotten to read from her. I was excited when I received the email to be a part of the blog tour for its release. What could be more exciting in a novel than people with supernatural powers, a strong female lead, and a sexy male to go along with it?

I will say that this novel was very interesting. The title is true to its name, even though it is spelled wrong intentionally. The characters are performers in a carnival. You might call them "carnies". Someone has super strength, someone heals instantly, and someone is able to produce flames. You can't forget about the woman, Mara's mother, that can read tarot cards with skill.

Mara is a very strong female lead and I pictured her a bit older than her teenage years. A book always needs a strong female character, otherwise you are dealing with a dumb bimbo that runs toward the conflict when she should be running away for her life. We've all seen the scary movies. Mara is the one character that has the brains to come out on top and actually use said brains.

A couple of things bothered me, though. I'll just list them:

1. Gabe and Mara's relationship happens way too fast. There is immediate sexual tension the moment they meet and it doesn't take long for them to kiss and get all hot and heavy. I know fiction isn't meant to be 100% realistic. As a fellow writer, I've heard too many times that "it's unrealistic". But, a relationship happening within the first two chapters like that isn't really realistic. However, I will give props to Amanda for building a connection. It's not based on sex or kissing. Gabe and Mara have a deep connection that is more than the reader would think.
2. The injuries that some of these carnies get should really have killed them. The details about insides spilling out and trying to keep guts in shouldn't lead them to a speedy recovery in a few days time. I know one of them heals fast, but some don't have that power. It was just strange.
3. The chapters were kind of short and it caused things to really go fast. I know it's set in one week, pretty much. I felt more could have been said to where it stretched to a reasonable length. Everything was just happening like SNAP! SNAP! SNAP!.

At the end of the second to last chapter, I feel like it could definitely set up for a sequel. That chapter really seemed like an ominous cliffhanger, like there is more to cause destruction or something. Goodreads didn't really give off that there would be a sequel, like have a "#1" next to the title. Amanda Hocking is known for creating series. I think she should expand this story and make another in the future. Especially when it comes to demons and powers and finding out this big secret about Gabe, a lot more can be told.

All in all, I did enjoy this book. It kept me hooked, regardless of some petty faults. It was interesting and kept me guessing as to who the "bad guy" was or who was behind everything. Plus, I'm still a sucker for a hot romance, no matter how fast it may go.

It seems like every time I turn around, there's a new book/series that uses the circus as it's main storyline. The creatures and beings involved vary widely, but the premise is similar - various supernatural creatures and beings are all members of the circus due to the mobile nature of it. With that being said, any book that uses a traveling show needs to be something special in order to make it stand out amongst the many others using this theme, and unfortunately for me, Freeks didn't deliver on that front.

While there were many enjoyable elements to be had, Freeks started off on a bad note for me. I'm not a fan of insta-love - relationships where they meet and, Boom! We like one another! It's meant to be!, and that's exactly what happens in pretty much the opening chapters. Had the relationship had time to develop and make a more natural progression, I'm sure my enjoyment overall would have increased.

With that being said, there is still a lot to enjoy in Freeks. Not only does Hocking use supernatural beings and critters in her version of the circus, she also used the more familiar folks one associates with traveling shows - fortune tellers, bearded women, and much more. Having the familiar blend with the fantastical was really quite a lot of fun, and I'm sure many readers will like that aspect.

Bottom line - Freeks was a rocky one for me. There were things I enjoyed, but they were overshadowed by the things I didn't. In the end, it was a good story that will work for many, and I've no doubt that it will become a favorite for some. 2.5 stars.

I would like to thank St. Martin’s Griffin and Netgalley for gifting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I knew I would like this book just because I am an Amanda Hocking fan and have read a couple of her other series.

I was pretty intrigued about a story around a Sideshow and oddities and a little nervous on where she would go. Who hasn’t fantasized about life on the road in a traveling show one time or another?

I have to say that the mystery around the sideshow characters disappearances and attacks kept me on my toes. I had no idea who was after them the whole time. I knew they were asked to come for their abilities and someone was targeting them but I liked now knowing who and trying to guess who was behind it.
I heard this was a stand alone and I wish it wasn’t because I’d like to see other stories about their traveling adventures. Especially, now that Mara and Gabe are traveling together. (Sorry if this is a spoiler) Speaking of Mara and Gabe and their relationship, I want to say that it felt rushed but then I look at the fact that she was only going to be in that town for a week. So that doesn’t bother me as much as a different book would have. I liked them together and I liked the instant bond between the two. I just felt that something was missing between them. Or maybe I didn’t get to know them as well as I would have liked.

I liked the book as a whole and couldn’t put it down. I had some unanswered questions that I wish were cleared up. I would like to see more from them and see where the Sideshow takes them in the future.

This YA paranormal mystery has plenty of pace – and the explosive prologue certainly sparked my interest, although I’m still in two minds whether it is necessary. While that action scene is a defining moment in the book, I don’t feel Freeks requires such a blunt instrument as a hook – the initial scene pulled me into the story, anyway.

I really cared about Mara, a beautiful, edgy character whose previous experiences with townies has left her wary, while yearning for a more settled life as she watches her mother’s mental health deteriorate under the pressure of her Gift. Hocking’s depiction of the closed community of the carnival and the strong bonds between the performers is excellent. While it is undoubtedly a source of strength and solidarity, it is also a small gossipy village where everyone invariably discovers everyone else’s business – not necessarily a place to feel wholly comfortable as her own dark talents are starting to emerge just as her mother’s abilities start chewing her mind.

The growing tension as the worrying events escalate is well handled, as is the relationship between Gabe and Mara. I liked the fact that it is Gabe who makes the running, while Mara – preoccupied with the mounting problems at the carnival – is less emotionally invested. In order for this story really work, I needed to also care about the cast of supporting characters and again, I felt Hocking did a really good job in providing a cast of interesting misfits who joined the carnival because normal life doesn’t have space or acceptance for their particular abilities.

As for the mystery – I had already guessed what Gabe was before he revealed himself to Mara, but I don’t think Hocking intended it to be a huge shock. However, the denouement came as a surprise as did the conclusion, which also left a grin on my face.

It’s just as well I was reading this one during the holidays, as once I started it was difficult to put it down – to the extent that I broke off working and gave myself permission to read during the daytime, something that doesn’t happen all that often. If you enjoy a slice of paranormal escapism, then go looking for this one – it’s a cracking read. Receiving a copy of Freeks from the publisher via NetGalley has in no way affected my honest opinion of this book.
9/10

What an exciting, intriguing and spine-tingling novel! A travelling Carnival with paranormally talented members and acts? Count me in immediately!

We follow Mara, a young girl who has grown up as a member of Gideon’s sideshow, as she is pulled in different directions as she enters her final years as a teen. Desperate for an occasional escape from the sideshow, where the locals don’t view her as a freek, and she can be her own person, without the pressures of having to look after her clairvoyant mother and the sideshow family, she meets Gabe at a party, and suddenly she realises all that she has been missing out on. But even as their relationship deepens, darker forces attacking the sideshow mean that they aren’t safe, and no local person can be trusted.

I adored the carnival feel to the book, and loved getting to know the characters, the animals and seeing the feats of supernatural talent that the sideshow members could perform. Although I loved Gabe and Mara’s growing relationship, and their sweet scenes together, it was the times I spent with the sideshow cast and crew that I loved the most. I really connected to their world, their views of each other as family, and you could really get that sense of the members ‘Running off to join the circus’! I would have loved to have seen more of their acts, to experience more of the magic which we saw second-hand through Mara.

I loved how dark this story got. As a dark force hunts down the members of the Sideshow, I was sitting on the edge of my seat. What I really admired was how Mara wasn’t the girl to always save the day, but was hunted along with the others, and her powers are only discovered towards the end of the story, and not at the beginning like many ‘Chosen One’ stories.

An exciting story which packs a punch, Freeks is a definite must-read for fans of mystery, magic and family!

4 Stars!

I'm a sucker for books or stories set in the 80s. And the idea of a circus with a dash of romance. Yes!

I like she story okay. I really enjoyed the characters, but the romance was too quick. It felt almost like insta-love. And it bothered me a little, but not enough to detract from the overall story.

I enjoyed Hocking's writing, however, not as much as I did in the Trylle series. Perhaps it was the over the top supernatural elements in this one. I'm not entirely sure. The highlight was definitely the "simpler" days. And at times I'd forget and wonder why no one used a cell phone.

Overall, her fans will enjoy it, I think. Not as strong as some of her other works, but fun.

I am a huge Amanda Hocking fan. I started reading her stuff after seeing her in an Anderson Cooper episode. She started of as an Indie author and pulled an amazing feat with gaining an agent and a big name publisher. This isn't a normal fair for an author and her story is inspiring for me. I've almost read all of her books and when I found out there was another one coming, I had to try and snag it before it even hit shelves (the legal way mind you).

You can't imagine my excitement when I got an ecopy from NetGalley and that excitement only grew with this blog tour. I'm in bookfan heaven right now.

If you've read Hocking's work, you will know her style of work. It's mostly first person and I have heard of other readers saying that she is a bit slow. Now, honestly, a good portion of her work does take a few chapters to get the groove of the story. HOWEVER, I found FREEKS to be in a completely different ball game.

The writing is smooth, fast, and keeps you turning the page. I actually read most of the book during a New Year's Eve party (because that's who I am) and my reading speed on my Kindle stated that I only had three more hours to finish the book. Now, I could have feasibly finished it in that time, but I wanted to linger in the world. The mystery behind Caudry, our setting, is just amazing. There's a darkness to it that I can't pinpoint.

I had some theories that dealt with maybe a werewolf or something. There was a lot of mentioning of horror flicks and usually you get either slasher like villians or a misunderstood person. I was leaning towards that idea, a misunderstood person. Especially since the whole community that our heroine is a part of are misunderstood people.

The mystery only deepens at 75% of the book and you are at the edge of your seat waiting for that resolution. The fact that this book is a standalone made it that much more exciting because this meant Hocking wasn't going to tease me with an evil cliffhanger (I say this as if she would do this just to torture me... I have a serious author crush). Needless to say, Hocking leaves enough out that you have to read the end to know the resolution.

The genre is supposedly a paranormal romance, but I wouldn't put it in that category alone. Yes there is paranormal romance, but there's that mystery I mentioned earlier. The heroine, Mara, isn't just filled with love issues like you would see in a regular young adult romance. Yes, that is a big thing, but the missing and injured members of her "family" takes top priority. It shows that she is a character who is more than just a love crazed woman. In contrast, Gabe seems to be more in the romance kick. Then again, he isn't dealing with the same trauma that Mara is and it's nice to see the male lead being the more lovey out of the two.

In all, I really liked this book. the romance was there, but the world was more interesting. I loved the eighties feel to it and I would love to see another book set in the same world. Not a sequel to Mara and Gabe. More like a spin-off. Then again, that could be just me having my author crush and wanting more from Hocking (there are other books of hers I'm going to be reading soon anyways, but still).

This just wasn't something for me. I wasn't a fan of the fact that they were kissing at 8%. It probably amounted to nothing in the end, but just getting there on their first date was a bit too much insta love for me. It wasn't for me, but I did like the paranormal aspect of it. I can see that others may have loved it, but it wasn't for me. I did not post the review on my blog for this reason.

Like a bad '80's horror flick without the actual awesomeness of the 80's, despite the story taking place in it. Bland characters, rushed storyline. Huge disappointment.

Freeks, by author Amanda Hocking, is a standalone novel narrated by 18-year old Mara Beznik. Freeks takes place over 10 days in the year 1987. Mara is a member of Gideon Davorin's Traveling Sideshow heading for Caudry, Louisiana where they will spend the next 10 days entertaining the citizens. It’s a good thing too because they are in dire need of an influx of money to get them to their next destination, and keep the troupe together.

Mara is a carnie who helps out where and when she is needed. Unlike the rest of the members of the sideshow, Mara is considered to be a normal. She has no known special abilities unlike the rest of the performers who have a variety of paranormal abilities, including her own mother who is a Fortune Teller/Mystic & able to speak with the deceased. Upon arrival in Caudry, Mara finds herself encountering a guy named Gabe Alvarado. Gabe invites her to a party where she also meets Gabe's sister Selena.

Mara and Gabe's encounter can be found under the dictionary meaning for insta-lust. There's no other way to explain the immediate connection the two have. If you are a fan of insta-lusts, then this story is for you. Mara is embarrassed to have Gabe learn that she is a so called Freek as some are calling the troupe. So much so that she goes to great lengths not to let him find out until its too late to do anything about it. But, as the two become closer, it becomes harder for Mara to keep her secret.

That's not all there is to the story or this would be a very short review indeed. There is something very disturbing
about Caudry and its residents. And, that becomes even more apparent after performers are attacked by something dark and nasty and one in particular goes missing. As the group starts searching for answers, and the danger becomes all that more real, that's when an important revelation is thrown out to the readers about Mara. You have to believe that it makes sense.

There are those who will ask, well, why didn't these folks have computers? Or, why didn't these folks carry cell phones? Why'd they wait so long to dig into things Lyanka should have known? Let me toss out some knowledge to you my young padawans. Cell phones in the 80's were chunky things that weren't exactly convenient to carry around with you at all times. Plus, there wasn't the coverage that cell phones today have. Also, a majority of people had landlines rather than cell phones.

The Internet itself wasn't accessible to most people until the late 1980's & early 1990's. See, back in the day, we actually WROTE letters to each other with envelopes and stamps and pens and paper. We didn't have easy access at our finger tips like we do today. Thus, why I believe Hocking does a good job portraying a group of people stuck in the late 80's, and not in the 21's century. Had she wrote this story about today's world, things would have been much, much different.

As with other books I have read by Hocking, the ending to this story left me with questions. But, I will say that traveling shows have always fascinated me, and she does a really good job with the secondary characters from Roxie, to Seth, and especially Gideon the leader of the troupe.

That cover is so awesome. It really makes you want to reach out and pick up the book and start reading it. And the book does not disappoint. Ms. Hocking has created a very interesting world populated by some fascinating and endearing freeks. The story keeps you on the edge, wondering who or what is attacking the carnival. And then when you think you have it almost figured out, sharp right turn over a cliff, into something you didn't expect but then you nod your head saying, "yes of course!" I loved the relationship between Mara and all of her family and friends. I thought Gabe was perfect and even though I guessed his secret before it was revealed, I was rooting for their relationship to continue even after the curtain closed on the sideshow. I really enjoyed spending time with Gideon Davorin’s Traveling Sideshow, and hope this isn't really a stand alone. The ending is left in such a way that we could easily follow Mara and Gabe into their next adventure.

It’s all happening at Gideon Davorin’s Traveling Sideshow. The audience thinks they are seeing slight of hand and optical illusions but there are no illusions here. Gideon’s sideshow is the real thing, a magical place where you’ll encounter levitation, pyrokinesis, necromancy and all manner of dark arts.

The sideshow has set up camp in Caudry, Louisiana, against the better judgement of those who experience premonitions and forewarnings. The performers have little choice, living from gig to gig, they are all broke and simply need to last it out for seven days.

Mara is the daughter of Lyanka, a famed fortune-teller with a direct link to the dead. On their first night in Caudry, Mara takes a walk across town and happens upon a house party. There she meets Gabe, intense and witty with just the hint of a deep secret about him.

Despite the mystery, Mara and Gabe become inseparable within days. But what of Caudry? There is a sinister presence lurking at the edges of the campsite and worse than that, there are attacks occurring with ever-increasing frequency. Who or what is it that is attacking the performers and how can it be stopped?

Freeks is the latest book from Amanda Hocking, a veteran young adult writer and author of the Trylle and Kanin series.

There is so much to say about Freeks and it is difficult to know where to begin. Perhaps it would make most sense to start with the gorgeous cover. I realise that it is the first day of the year but I’m willing to place a wager that this will be my favourite cover of 2017. It is colourful, mysterious and alluring and embodies everything that this book is.

I loved the concept of the travelling sideshow and the Supernatural feel of the book. Whereas Supernatural has us singing along to the classic rock hits of the 1970s, Freeks is set in the middle of the 1980s and I loved spotting all the pop culture references and songs that came out in my teenage years.

Mara is one of my favourite protagonists in a long while. Confident and self-assured, she was no Mary Sue waiting for a boy to come along and save her and in fact at one point, she muses about how she is going to break Gabriel’s heart when the sideshow leaves town.

In addition to Mara and Gabe, Freeks is full of intriguing characters, each with their own history and reasons for joining the sideshow. It is such a rarity when authors pen diverse, interesting characters and it was greatly appreciated and enjoyed. With such a diverse cast, I would love to see this book hit television or the big screen. Amanda Hocking has thought about it too and says she envisaged Cassie Steel and Ryan Guzman as possible actors who could play Mara and Gabe.

At its core, Freeks is a fascinating paranormal fantasy where the tension builds up and the threads slowly come together to unearth the peril that is facing Gideon Davorin’s Traveling Sideshow. I’ll be honest and say that I guessed part of the final reveal but that detracted in no way from my enjoyment of the story. In fact, I felt rather smug for picking up on the clues Hocking left throughout the book.

There is no news yet on whether there will be a sequel to Freeks and indeed, it is being marketed as a standalone novel, but can I just say that I really hope there is one?

I give Amanda Hocking's Freeks a superb five out of five stars and recommend it to all lovers of the paranormal and unexplained and fans of young adult fiction.