By a Charm and a Curse

To the casual observer Le Grand’s Carnival Fantastic seems just like any other traveling circus with it’s flashing lights, death defying shows and plenty of rides and games to entertain all who visit. But this traveling circus has existed for centuries benefiting from a curse upon one of it’s own while the others enjoy a charm that protects them. All those who perform and work for the circus stop aging at adulthood and accidents never happen to their group as long as the cursed one stays in the box with the circus until the curse can be passed on to another.

Emmaline King has moved back to the small town of Claremore, OK to live with her father while her mother is away overseas working on a grant. Emma has had a bit of trouble adjusting to her mother leaving and trying to reform the friendships she’d once had in this small town but with the circus visiting she’s determined to have a good time with her old friend. Things take a turn for Emma though when she’s left behind only to meet the boy in the fortune telling box.

By a Charm and a Curse by Jaime Questell is a romantic young adult fantasy read. Once I picked this one up I simply couldn’t put it down until finished with it’s fast pace and unique story. The idea behind this traveling circus being charmed with the exception of one poor soul was a rather intriguing concept that I couldn’t wait to find out more about.

The story is told by alternating the point of view between the two main characters of the story, Ben and Emma, both of which I came to like quite a bit during the read. One major positive here too is that Ben and Emma are not the victims of the old young adult insta-love trope, their relationship within the pages builds slowly as the action keeps a fast pace in the story around them. The author did a wonderful job giving the reader just enough at all the right times to keep the story moving and the pages turning Definitely would recommend checking this one out for those looking for something a bit unique in a young adult fantasy.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Come one, come all, and prepare to be amazed!

In Jamie Questell’s stunning debut, a traveling carnival is affected ‘By a Charm and a Curse.’ There is something unearthly about Le Grand’s Carnival Fantastic; how its performers never fall or injure themselves no matter how daring the stunts. How its members don’t seem to age like people outside the carnival. How it has existed, and thrived, for decades without financial difficulties.

The heart of this mystery lies in the heart of the carnival itself.

Teenage carnival guest Emmaline King’s life change drastically with just one kiss. She joins the Carnival Fantastic and slowly falls for its carpenter apprentice. Together they seek to uncover the origin of the supernatural curse and work to unravel it.

Author Jaime Questell’s writing is flawless. This is a nail-biting page turner worthy of the sleep you’ll miss while seeing it through to the end. The main characters are well-developed and easy to root for as they mature on their quest to break the curse.

‘By a Charm and a Curse’ is a self-contained stand-alone supernatural novel with a complete ending. It will be available from booksellers on February 6, 2018.

I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s.

#ByAcharmAndAcurse #NetGalley

REVIEW
I have read a few Circus/Carnival themed books this year so when I saw this one I felt I had to read it!

I think the cover will definitely stand out on a book store shelf with the bright pink title and author name. I love the darkness of the background of the cover, suggesting darkness possibly to represent when the Carnival is at it's busiest as well as the darkness symbolising the curse the Carnival carries around with it. There is also a Ferris wheel on the cover which plays a very big part within the book. I love the byline of "A kiss is never just a kiss" and that certainly fits the book well. Would the cover make me want to pick this one up from a bookstore shelf? Yes I know it really would!

The genres I have seen listed for this book are Sci-fi, Fantasy and Teens & YA. I suppose the curse could be classed as the Sci-Fi part but I would call that more of a Magic genre. I totally agree with the fantasy label both because of charm and curse and the fact most people at sometime in their life have dreamt about joining the circus/carnival. Though I am most certainly not a "teen" I loved reading this book but can imagine this book being very popular with the Teen and YA group of readers. I would also say the book is kind of contemporary as its set in the modern day too.

I found the book enchanting from the very beginning and immediately fell in love with the characters of Benjamin and Emmaline, the two main characters of the book. I became a little obsessed and was really looking forward to my "reading time" with this book and became quite irritated if I was interrupted during my reading!
This review is going to be so very hard to write without giving away too much, so apologies in advance if it seems a little vague in places.
The book centres on the travelling Carnival and it's history, everything is not as it seems as there is as the title says "A Charm and A Curse". Obviously the charm is the good part. It means that no one working within the carnival ever gets ill or has an accident, they also don't age. So I guess much like the Carnival performers and roustabouts most people would think this is a great gift. But there's always a catch. The catch or rather the curse of the carnival is that someone must work in the fortune teller booth, and they have no feelings of warmth, their body doesn't feel like their own anymore, it is broken and twitchy and jerky. This person cannot leave the carnival as they literally seize up and cannot move or function without being in the close vicinity of the Carnival. There is a way to pass on the curse to another and that is what happens to the main female character of Emmaline.
When the book begins Emma or Em as her close friends call her has returned with her brothers to her live with her father whilst her mum goes away to do a research project. Em is naturally quite resentful of being uprooted from everything familiar and having to go back to living with her dad. However when she meets back up with former friend Jules they decide to take a look at the Carnival that is in town for only two more days. The girls get separated and that's when Em makes the mistake of flirting with the boy in the fortune teller booth. I won't say how Em ends up dying, to be brought back to carry the curse but this section of the book is the part where the Ferris wheel is very relevant.

I won't reveal exactly how but Em ends up being the new person in the fortune teller booth.
The other performers and Carnival workers attempt to rally round Em to make her feel welcome and part of their travelling community but of course having been tricked by Sidney she is reluctant to trust anyone. Then her new reality sinks in, she simply has to go through it and she makes friends with some of the performers. I think it's so sweet that a first real "friend" after becoming the girl in the box is one of Mrs Potters dogs. It is Duncan and Gin help Em choose a costume to wear in her box. Naturally Em initially resists even thinking about passing on the curse and thinks she could never do what has happened to her to another human being. As time goes on though and the days and Carnival destinations slide past she comes to the conclusion if she wants to have any true feeling back in her body and to reclaim her own heartbeat she will have to pass the curse on. Then she also wonders what life would be like, if she could ever return to a normal life, could she ever return to her family that she misses so much and continue her life as it should have been.

There's one particular scene I loved and found really amusing, and it's when Sidney and Em are on the Ferris wheel. They exchange names with each other and Em comments that she thinks Sidney is a name for an old person. When Sidney replies to Em he reference her name being for an older person like Auntie Em from the Wizard of Oz!

Sadly things start to go wrong in the Carnival whilst Em is the girl in the box. Accidents begin to occur, small ones at first such as a cut hand, then there's a fall, a broken car. The Carnival performers and roustabouts are very superstitious and try to blame Em as they say she isn't carrying the duties of the curse out for enough time, or she isn't putting in enough effort. Ben sticks up for Em, as do Lars and Leslie but soon it becomes very apparent things are not as they should be.

There are so many great characters in this book from Leslie the Ringmaster, Mrs Potter who has a dog act, the Connelly family who are performers on horseback. There's also Pia and Duncan who have a fortune teller tent, and Marcel with his knife throwing act. All the Carnival performers and workers get along well together except for the Moretti's and their acrobatic act. It is the youngest Moretti brother Lorenzo that tries to coerce a new roustabout to place his hand into a fire to prove that the charm of the carnival with save him from burning himself, luckily Ben hears them and stops Mikey, the new worker from trying out the charm.

I love the four different relationships within the book, such as the roller-coaster ride that is Audrey and Sidney. Though it would be so easy to cast Sidney as the bad guy you have to take account for how long he has been the "Boy in the Box" before he tricks Em and makes her the "Girl in the Box". I think both Sidney and Audrey are quite misunderstood characters, they don't easily show their good sides preferring to appear brusque and in charge in Audrey's case.
Then there's the cute relationship between the brave horseback performer Gin and the knife thrower Marcel. It seems Marcel has been watching Gin from afar, and its the thought of leaving her behind if he goes off with Benjamin to try life outside the Carnival that gives him the final push to reveal his feelings for her. I loved Gin and her younger sister Whiskey, they both instantly accept Em and try their best to welcome her and help her get ready to begin her time as the "Girl in the Box".
I also think, though it isn't really firmly confirmed within the book that there is a kind of a little more than just friends thing going on between Lars, the Ferris wheel worker and Leslie the Ringmaster of the Carnival.
Of course there is an instant attraction between Em and Ben, though Ben's mum Audrey is really set against her son spending anytime or even looking at the new Girl in the Box. Audrey had what you could call history with the box and doesn't want to imagine something that in her opinion was a betrayal happening to her son. The fact his mum isn't impressed with Em doesn't stop Ben becoming more and more attracted to her.

I totally loved reading this book and was fascinated by the charm and the curse. I always loved the Circus (as we would call it in the UK) as a child and I honestly think everyone imagines themselves performing in the circus! The performers make everything look so glamorous and magical. As a visitor you don't see the hours of practice they have to put in. You also don't think of the work it takes to take down, transport and put back up a travelling Carnival such as the one featured in this book. If you love mysterious, magical stories set in the modern day then I highly recommend reading this book. It really does pull you in slowly then hold on to you tightly to the very last word!

My immediate thoughts upon finishing this book were, Wow, what a brilliant read. I totally fell in love with the Carnival, it's performers and roustabouts. The left me wanting more! I want to know what happened after this book to the characters and the carnival too. Also I would love a prequel that goes into more detail about the curse and the family that set it all in motion. This book reminded me a little of Daughter Of The Burning City by Amanda Foody.

By a Charm and a Curse
Jaime Questell
My Review: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Down you go little Emma into the rabbit hole. Que Cheshire Cat grin.

Roll up, roll up, come and visit the Le Grand's carnival. Daredevil stunts, performing dog, Ferris wheel, fortune tellers and all the cotton candy you can eat.

The carnival is full of mystery and magical experiences, but the Le Grand carnival has more to offer than most. Emma's time has just begun. She has just returned to town and is struggling to fit back in where she left off. Emma visits the carnival with a friend. She is drawn into the magic that surrounds kit and gets more than she bargains.

The Le Grand carnival has a secret. It has a charm that protects the carnival. No one has had an accident in years and the people perform risky stunts. They know the charm will save them from injury. It promotes good healthy lives and takes care of everything. With every good luck charm, there has to be a balance. A price to pay for their good fortune. Emma is about to find out the cost. She opens pandora box and becomes the new girl.

Benjamin and his mother have been with the carnival most of their lives. They work on the maintenance and up keeping. Ben dreams of leaving the circus and finding something he can call his own. He is trying to put a plan together to set in motion until he meets the girl in the box.

I loved this book. It's Pinocchio meets Alice in Wonderland only darker. By a Charm and a curse has mystery, suspense and romance. The story is fast paced and kept me begging for more right until the end. I couldn't put it down. I loved the magic and darkness. It is exciting and shocking. There are some really good characters in this book and they really bring the story to life. Whiskey and Gin had me laughing. Emma and Ben had me swooning. Don't even get me started on Sidney!

I could totally read this book again and that is something I almost never do.

5 stars out of 5.

*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. *


Hardcover £13.99 or £9.56 Kindle, 300 pages
Expected publication: February 6th 2018 by Entangled Publishing

I fell in the love with this book within the first few pages. It instantly. had me biting my fingernails waiting for what would happen next!! With each chapter from a different character perspective, it kept the story flowing and you didn't miss a thing! Would read this book over and over!

When Emmaline King agrees to go to the circus with her friend she had no way of knowing she would alter her destiny. Le Grand’s Carnival Fantastic is enchanted by a charm and a curse that are bound together. The charm protects the carnival and all who work there but only if someone takes the curse.
When Emma is separated from her friend a mysterious and charming young man beguiles her forces the curse onto her. Emma is now stuck as the new girl in the box, forced to travel with the circus. Unable to escape, she must decide to pass the curse to someone else or find a way to break it...sealing the others fates.

I will say I have really enjoyed all of the enchanted cirque novels lately and as soon as I read the preview of this novel I knew I had to read it. Although this novel is about an enchanted circus it is unique tale and stands apart from the others with a distinct and fresh story line. I would highly recommend this novel for anyone who loves magical stories with a touch of romance.

I had no expectations going into this young adult novel. I thought the blurp sounded interesting and that was enough for me. I have to say it exceeded my expectations. The circus part reminded me of The Night Circus (Erin Morgenstern), which is a book I loved, but the story is simpler, the characters less complicated. However, that does not mean it is any less charming.

I felt for Emma as she is lured into a kiss on a Ferris wheel with dire consequences. I liked the idea of the curse that also acts as a charm. The story pulled me in pretty quickly and I connected with Emma quite easily. There were a few times where I questioned Emma’s thoughts, considering what she was going though, but overall I thoroughly enjoyed both Emma and Benjamin’s POVs.

I would thoroughly recommend Jaime Questell’s novel to any YA reader. It is a little gem.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book.
I loved everything about this book-the writing style, the characters and of course the setting.
I thought it was an extremely well written, original and enchanting story.
It had its hooks on me from the 1st paragraph.
It is classified as a young adult/teen book but I think any adult would love this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

SO when I saw this little beauty pop up on Netgalley, I could have requested it from cover alone, but I still read the synopsis. Magic? Circuses? Yep, I'm in. I can handle a circus when they aren't all about creepy clowns. I worry though with YA romance; is it going to be too cheesy? Will I want the couple to triumph? I can, and I did, and OMG my heart for the other pairings in this book ;_;

Humph. But we must talk about the death/gore in this book. I dunno if any one ever told the author but <spoiler>DAMMIT the dog is NOT TO BE HARMED. Knocking the dog off so early! Nuuuuu! ;_;</spoiler> Yeah and doesn't shy away from it AT ALL (the violence that is) I liked that in a YA.

The story is good, and I'd really like to read more about how magic works in this world because it's all like chill over just this one place having a curse/charm on it, and it can't just be them. Need more info, please!

If you can't tell, I really enjoyed this one. It's not out for a few months, but it's definitely worth a look. Five stars.

When I saw this on Netgalley I knew I had to request it, since I am a huge sucker for carnival books. I’ve been waiting on a good one since the last one I read, and let me tell you this was just what I was looking for. I thought the concept was so unique and deceitful, I loved it. I thought the description of the Carnival was excellent! I felt like I was actually there and loved it. When it got to the backstory of the whole curse-charm thing I really liked that it was written as a journal entry. I think one of my favorite parts, is that it is a standalone, which is rare for a fantasy book.

I thought Emmaline was a great character, she was witty, blunt and absolutely hilarious. Ben was such a loyal and sincere character. I really enjoyed how it switched between Emma’s point of view and Benjamin’s. I loved that both Emma and Ben were outsider’s in their own way. Emma just moving to where she was living, and Ben not being born into the Carnival Fantastic. It made it for a much easier connection in my opinion.

Overall I would highly recommend this to fans of carnival books. This one was done in such a unique way, it won’t feel like you’ve been to this carnival before. I especially think this would be a great book for you if you’ve never read any books in a carnival setting. OK let’s be real I recommend this book to everyone because I absolutely loved it!