Will`s First Signing in Seattle,WA

A little more than a month ago Ashley, Walt and I drove to Seattle for the final stop of the Fierce Reads Tour. We left a little before 3:30am, which I thought was overkill at the time. Ash drove until 5 or 6ish. Then Walt took over and we continued until breakfast at 7. The two of them switched off every so often for the drive. I wasn’t allowed to drive Walt’s car so I spent most of the drive sleeping. We arrived at the Hotel a bit before 5 and got some R&R before leaving for the signing at 6.

This was my first book signing, so I wasn’t sure what to expect going in. There was an unfamiliar energy in the bookstore. A mix of calm excitement and combustible excitement, the kind that threatens to overwhelm you at any moment and burst forth. However any calm would soon be gone, replaced with an outpour of vocalized joy, glee and love of the authors when they came onto the stage.

Once the authors were introduced, Ashley got called out by the moderator. Apparently she had mentioned that she drove over 10 hours and, as a reward for her dedication, was presented with some gift items. Naturally this blew any chance she had of stealthily stalking Leigh Bardugo as the moderator was standing right next to The Queen (that’s what Ashley calls Ms. Bardugo).

The event began with a series of questions the moderator had prepared. One of my favorites was centered around how the authors wrote their books. The Queen started off by saying that she skips around. She then elaborated on how and why that process works for her. The next author to answer was Ms. Garcia. She stated that while she has an outline, she skips around in the writing process. While these two were answering, I swear Mr. Roehrig’s face was becoming more baffled. When it was his turn to answer he questioned how the other two could possibly skip around while writing; stating something along the lines of “what happens in chapter 1 directly leads to what happens in chapter 2 which leads to what happens in chapter 3.” This sparked a brilliant volley between The Queen and Ms. Garcia, and Mr. Roehrig. I wish I had the whole debate on video so that you could all see that fantastic back and forth. When the mic finally passed to the fourth and final author, Ms. Mills stated that she does a variation of skipping around. She prefers to write the “good parts first” and then “thread them together.” This sparked another round of back and forth which left Mr. Roehrig hopelessly outnumbered. It was great fun watching this series of exchanges.

Some questions later Ms. Mills stated that the new book she is working on, which is a Young Adult Contemporary, involves role playing games (RPGs). I was caught a bit off guard by her statement, as I had not expected a video game, or the world of gamers, to come up at a book signing. As a gamer, I was very pleased to hear that an RPG was going to be referenced in a book. She said that she was shown a RPG by a friend and that “it was surprising to [her], [she] did not expect to get into that.”

After the moderator had finished her questions she turned it over for some audience questions. While doing so she offered some prizes to the best questions as chosen by the authors. Admittedly I was only half listening to the questions as I was attempting to think of a really good question. I eventually thought of a question but we were at dinner by then. It was “If you could switch places with any book character and live their life, before, during and after the story, while retaining your personality, who would you switch with and why?” incase you were curious.

After the signing both Ashley and myself went through the line to have The Queen sign our books (they were actually both Ashley’s so I was her stealthy stalking agent) and to try at pulling the Inej card. Sadly neither of us pulled Inej. With the event wrapping up we went across the street to get some dinner before returning to the hotel.

Once at the hotel we proceeded to crash so that we could make the 13 hour (I don’t know why it was so much longer going back than getting there) drive home. We stopped on the way for Voodoo Doughnuts and they were fantastic. I specifically appreciated how they named some of their menu items. If you are ever near one I would highly recommend getting something.

Overall the trip was great. I’m not sure I could’ve asked for a better group of authors for my first book signing. I am looking forward to reading some of these author’s works, especially now that I have had a taste of their unique personalities and learned a bit about their writing processes. I hope to have the opportunity to attend more signings in the future as I definitely enjoyed this experience.

Rating:

A couple of quotes from the night I liked:

“A first draft is like an awkward first date. You’re still getting to know your characters.” - Leigh Bardugo

“No means no!” - Mikaleb Roehrig on nonlinear writing

Read More

Brian Review: As Old as Time by Liz Braswell

Title: As Old as Time

Author: Liz Brazwell

Published On: 9/6/2016

Page Count: 496

Synopsis:

What if Belle's mother cursed the Beast?

Belle is a lot of things: smart, resourceful, restless. She longs to escape her poor provincial town for good. She wants to explore the world, despite her father's reluctance to leave their little cottage in case Belle's mother returns--a mother she barely remembers. Belle also happens to be the captive of a terrifying, angry beast. And that is her primary concern.

But Belle touches the Beast's enchanted rose, intriguing images flood her mind--images of the mother she believed she would never see again. Stranger still, she sees that her mother is none other than the beautiful Enchantress who cursed the Beast, his castle, and all its inhabitants. Shocked and confused, Belle and the Beast must work together to unravel a dark mystery about their families that is twenty-one years in the making.

Overall Rating:  4.5/5

I haven't very many fairy tale re-tellings before, so I went into this story not really knowing what to expect aside from having seen the disney film several times. I was really blown away by how interesting the characters were and the depth that this book had to offer. I felt like I could see different parts of the story that I already knew, but was able to learn so much more about everyone and the world around them. I was very pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the book, and am interested in the possibility of a sequel.

Cover: 3.5 / 5

I liked the color scheme used on this as well as the shadow of the beast not giving away all the details. I think that everyone reading this story will be superimposing all the disney characters on everyone in their minds as they're reading (or maybe its just me) but I do like the idea of trying to leave some things to the imagination. That said, I'm really not a big fan of quotations of any kind on the cover, and although the quote on this one is a major plot point and not an accolade, I still don't particularly like it.

Characters: 5/5

The characters were the best part of this story, hands down. I am a fan of disney already, and the idea of taking their characters and building off of them is interesting to me. The author was really able to add a lot of depth and intrigue to each of them, and you can really see the characters grow as the story progresses.

Belle: As the antagonist, I feel that Belle didn't have a whole lot of room to grow from where the original story had her. The author was able to fill in a few blanks, give her a strong back story, and a personality that wasn't as apparent in the film. A voracious reader who is somewhat misunderstood and enjoys the company of beasts and horses, I feel like I might know her parallel in the real world.

The Beast: I feel the Beast is opposite of Belle in that you don't really get to know him all that well in the film, but he goes through lots of changes in the story. You learn of his past and why he is the way he is, and get to see the world through his eyes occasionally. I found his character to be the most interesting.

Rosalind: Belle's mother, we mostly get to know her in the flashback parts of the story, dealing with the history of the family and the country they live in. Rosalind felt like the driving force behind the book's plot. If you remove Rosalind from the story entirely, you are left with the disney movie. She was a very interesting character that is able to show that not everything is black and white, and in dealing with people while protecting your own, there are always shades of gray.

Plot: 4/5

Not a whole lot to say, if you've seen the movie, you know the story. However the book shines in providing the details that you can't get in 2 hours in front of a screen. Getting to know everyone's past and their motivations was well worth the read. The book somewhat diminishes the light heartedness of the movie and shows you a reality where everyone really is suffering the effects of a decade long curse, which doesn't always provide a reason for singing and making jokes.

Read More

Brian Review: Spare and Found Parts by Sarah Maria Griffin

Title:  Spare and Found Parts

Author: Sarah Maria Griffin

Published On: 10/04/16

Page Count: 384

Synopsis: (Found on Goodreads)

Nell Crane has always been an outsider. In a city devastated by an epidemic, where survivors are all missing parts—an arm, a leg, an eye—her father is the famed scientist who created the biomechanical limbs everyone now uses. But Nell is the only one whose mechanical piece is on the inside: her heart. Since the childhood operation, she has ticked. Like a clock, like a bomb. As her community rebuilds, everyone is expected to contribute to the society’s good . . . but how can Nell live up to her father’s revolutionary idea when she has none of her own?

Then she finds a mannequin hand while salvaging on the beach—the first boy’s hand she’s ever held—and inspiration strikes. Can Nell build her own companion in a world that fears advanced technology? The deeper she sinks into this plan, the more she learns about her city—and her father, who is hiding secret experiments of his own.

Overall Rating: 4.5 / 5

I had no idea what this book was about going in. I took a look at the cover when it was handed to me and just dove in. The story I found was definitely better than I was expecting. There was a lot of symbolism and meaning in between each line, and I felt that it was able to hit an emotional level that I could really appreciate. Every character has the potential to be great and terrible, joyful and extremely depressing. After I finished, I felt better for having read it.

Cover: 3.5 / 5

Typically I am a big fan of off the wall covers, and when the cover artist tries to depict the meaning of the story through more interpretive designs. However, I felt that this book did enough of that on its own, and there was so much going on in this world that I would’ve appreciated seeing a picture of the artists take on the surroundings the characters were in for this story. A more traditional cover might have been better here, at least for me. The cover they chose was interesting, with a good idea behind the design.

Characters: 4.5 / 5

I really appreciated the depth in the characters for this story. Even characters you didn’t directly interact with often seemed to have their own unique voice.

Nell: The antagonist, and girl our story revolves around. Nell has a lot of inner turmoil and considers herself to be a step removed from everyone around her, including her closest friends. She doesn’t make much effort to fit in, which I appreciated, because it let her be herself. When she finally finds something she is passionate about she refuses to let anyone stand in her way, and does anything necessary to accomplish her goal for better or worse.

Ruby: Nell’s closest friend, Ruby is much more down to earth and approachable than Nell will ever be. She is sweet and kind, and tries to help Nell integrate with their society as much as she will allow, but knows she can only take her so far. Ruby came off as somewhat predictable, but most best friends are like that, and it didn’t detract from the story.

Julian: Nell’s father, the great biochemist / scientist / doctor. You hear a lot about how wonderful Dr. Crane is for his contributions to society, helping to replace lost limbs and parts for members of the town while he spends a majority of the story locked away in his lab. There is always a shadow of doubt, however, on the good doctor’s true intentions.

Plot: 5/5

This story has a lot of deeper meaning, in that if you read everything and take all the words at face value, you’re missing out on half of the story. I felt like it was reaching out to so many different types of people at once, and that there was a character or plot twist for everyone. The book itself can be broken down into fairly simple lines; ‘A post apocalyptic society is recovering from devastation and plague caused by artificial intelligence, watch what happens when some of the old technology is discovered and revived.’ However, there are so many layers to each character and the actions they take, I found myself re reading pages to make sure I hadn’t missed anything.


~Brian

Read More

Brian Review: The Beginning of Everything

Severed Heads, Broken Hearts

AKA Us Version of The Beginning of Everything

Author: Robyn Schneider

Published On: 9/1/13

Page Count: 288

Synopsis: (Found on Goodreads)

Golden boy Ezra Faulkner believes everyone has a tragedy waiting for them—a single encounter after which everything that really matters will happen. His particular tragedy waited until he was primed to lose it all: In one spectacular night, a reckless driver shatters Ezra's knee, his career as a jock, and his social life.

No longer a front-runner for homecoming king, Ezra finds himself at the table of misfits, where he encounters new girl Cassidy Thorpe. Cassidy is unlike anyone Ezra's ever met— achingly effortless, fiercely intelligent, and determined to bring Ezra along on her endless adventures.

Together, Ezra and Cassidy discover flash mobs, buried treasure, secret movie screenings, and a poodle that might just be the reincarnation of Jay Gatsby. But as Ezra dives into his new studies, new friendships, and new love, he learns that some people, like books, are easy to misread. And now he must consider: If one's singular tragedy has already hit and everything after it has mattered quite a bit, what happens when more misfortune strikes?

Overall Rating: 4.5/5

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and have to say that it really struck a chord with me on several different levels. So much so that I needed to take a few days to process it before I could sit down and write the review.

Cover: 3.5/5

The cover was serviceable, but nothing really extraordinary. I like the duality of the two faces, it has interesting symbolism, but I think there was probably room for some improvement here. I’m also not a big fan of review quotes on the cover.

Characters: 5/5

This book really hinges on the depth of its characters. In a world where you could lose interest in high school drama, you instead find yourself hanging on the end of every chapter wanting to continue.

Ezra: The antagonist of the book, we are told the story through his eyes. Ezra was an amazing tennis player before he was struck by a car and his knee was shattered. Now he has to find his footing again in school, where he feels like he doesn’t fit in with the athletes anymore. Luckily he is able to rekindle an old friendship and spend time with a new crowd in the debate team. I liked Ezra’s character, he could have been much more self pitying and dour about his accident, but makes a genuine effort to get back into the swing of things. He is definitely sad about his loss of mobility, but tries to move on.

Cassidy: An enigma, Cassidy is the new girl in school. She is definitely an oddball, with a style all her own. She joins the debate group after transferring from another school and they all seem to recognize her. Ezra becomes interested in Cassidy fairly quickly and they go on several amazing adventures together. Unfortunately she does have a difficult past, which rears it’s ugly head occasionally to make their wonderful world not as perfect. Cassidy was a fun character to read about, but frustrating sometimes when you couldn’t understand her motives. Like Ezra, she has a lot of depth, and isn’t easily summed up in a few sentences. I felt especially drawn to her character because she reminded me a lot of Ashley. Quiet confidence, refusing to conform, and the ability to effortlessly draw me (or in this case Ezra) into her world with the desire and confidence to try things you never thought you would be able to do. Ezra can’t help but fall head over heels for her, and I understood the feeling completely.

Toby: Ezra’s childhood friend, and the face of the debate team, Toby and Ezra are able to reconnect after several years of having drifted apart. I loved Toby, and I don’t know how anyone wouldn’t. He always seems to be the life of the (nerdy) party, quick witted, and always there when you need him. We should all have a best friend like Toby.

Plot: 4.5 / 5

This book’s plot relied heavily on its characters to move it along, and fortunately they were all up to the task. The setting doesn’t change a whole lot, but everyone in the story felt like they mattered and were integral. When I found myself wondering what was going to happen to some of the secondary characters in the debate group, or why Ezra’s ex-girlfriend seemed like such a terrible person, I knew the book was well written. I got about two thirds of the way through the book and I couldn’t put it down until it was finished. I honestly still don’t know how I feel about how the story ended, but the ride was entertaining, from start to finish.

Quotes:

“And I realized that there's a big difference between deciding to leave and knowing where to go.”

“You have this maddening little smile sometimes, like you've just thought of something incredibly witty but are afraid to say it in case no one gets the joke.”

― Robyn Schneider, Severed Heads, Broken Hearts

Until next time,

Brian

Read More

Brian Review: Revenge and The Wild by Michelle Modesto

Revenge and the Wild

Author: Michelle Modesto

Published On: 2/2/16

Page Count: 384

Synopsis: (Found on Goodreads)

The two-bit town of Rogue City is a lawless place, full of dark magic and saloon brawls, monsters and six-shooters. But it’s perfect for seventeen-year-old Westie, the notorious adopted daughter of local inventor Nigel Butler.

Westie was only a child when she lost her arm and her family to cannibals on the wagon trail. Nine years later, Westie may seem fearsome with her foul-mouthed tough exterior and the powerful mechanical arm built for her by Nigel, but the memory of her past still haunts her. She’s determined to make the killers pay for their crimes—and there’s nothing to stop her except her own reckless ways.

But Westie’s search ceases when a wealthy family comes to town looking to invest in Nigel’s latest invention, a machine that can harvest magic from gold—which Rogue City desperately needs as the magic wards that surround the city start to fail. There’s only one problem: the investors look exactly like the family who murdered Westie’s kin. With the help of Nigel’s handsome but scarred young assistant, Alistair, Westie sets out to prove their guilt. But if she’s not careful, her desire for revenge could cost her the family she has now.

Overall Rating: 4/5

Cover: 4/5

I really love the font used for this cover. It works with the cover art and background and altogether tells an interesting story. I usually don’t like quotes used on a book cover, but this one works very well to set the tone for the book before you open it.

Characters: 4/5

Westie: The main protagonist, Westie was a very interesting character. She is constantly struggling to overcome her past and it feels like she spends most of the novel trying to adjust. She never really got over the traumatic events of her childhood and would rather chase the ghosts of her family’s murderers than try to fit in at home.

Alistair: Another character with a tragic past, Alistair can only speak with the help of a machine created by his and Westie’s makeshift adopted father, Nigel. He grew up with Westie after being saved from cannibals, and their friendship brought them close, though their current feelings for each other are somewhat awkward. Alistair is a classic strong and silent type, always looking to protect Westie when he can, and help Nigel with his inventions.

Plot: 3.5 / 5

I need to start by saying I really enjoyed reading through this book. The story was interesting, the characters had depth and were likable, and I would absolutely recommend anyone interested in picking up this book. The only gripe I had was that the story itself felt a bit cluttered. The creatures in the book, aside from a select few, seemed tossed in for no real reason. I think that either having a few different types of creatures in the story, or having more pages to flesh out the numerous races would have made the story more enjoyable for me. While I’m trying to reconcile werewolves, vampires, fae, and goblins, Westie will turn the corner and run into a banshee and an orc. It was a bit too much for me. All of that aside, I don’t believe that it detracted from the book that much, and it was a very fun and fast read.

~Brian

Read More

Armchair BEA: Day Four Surviving Fictional Worlds

I’m sure this will be a popular answer, but if I had the option I’d jump into the Wizarding World at the first opportunity. J.K. Rowling created an amazing reality that I would love to take part in, and I know Ashley would be right behind me. I may be a bit old to be a first year, but I would gladly do my time and take the classes and learn how to survive in that world. It looks like a ton of fun.

One of the worlds I would try to avoid would be from a book I recently finished; Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin. A fictional world ruled by the axis powers after they won the world war. That sounds awful and even though the people there might be interesting, I think I’d stay away.

The world created by Robert Jordan in the Wheel of Time series is one that I would love to see, but probably not want to take part in. There are beautiful and wonderful things in there, but also a lot of darkness and danger.


~Brian

Read More

Brian Review: Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin

Wolf by Wolf

Author: Ryan Graudin

Published On: 10/20/2015

Page Count: 388

Synopsis: Her story begins on a train.

The year is 1956, and the Axis powers of the Third Reich and Imperial Japan rule. To commemorate their Great Victory, Hitler and Emperor Hirohito host the Axis Tour: an annual motorcycle race across their conjoined continents. The victor is awarded an audience with the highly reclusive Adolf Hitler at the Victor’s Ball in Tokyo.

Yael, a former death camp prisoner, has witnessed too much suffering, and the five wolves tattooed on her arm are a constant reminder of the loved ones she lost. The resistance has given Yael one goal: Win the race and kill Hitler. A survivor of painful human experimentation, Yael has the power to skinshift and must complete her mission by impersonating last year’s only female racer, Adele Wolfe. This deception becomes more difficult when Felix, Adele twin’s brother, and Luka, her former love interest, enter the race and watch Yael’s every move.

But as Yael grows closer to the other competitors, can she bring herself to be as ruthless as she needs to be to avoid discovery and complete her mission?

Overall Rating: 4/5

Cover: 5/5  

I really like the style of this cover. From the font, to the color scheme, as well as depicting a wolf as Yael’s shadow, I felt that this cover really encompassed the spirit of the novel.

Characters:  

Yael: Yael’s character was very complex. She must take on many different roles and personas to advance her goals, and although she must become each new person completely, some parts of who she really is bleeds through. Her personality felt like it occasionally became a bit confused, and I wanted more parts of her past to be explained, but she was a great protagonist.

Felix: The twin brother of the persona that Yael takes on for the majority of the story. He is constantly worried about his ‘sister’s’ safety, and seemed fairly one dimensional to me. He has his moments, but seemed like he hit the same note for most of the book.

Luka: The opposite of Felix, at least to me. Luka’s character had a lot of depth and character development, and you are constantly guessing what he will do next. Luka obviously cares for Yael’s persona from their history, but Yael doesn’t know what really happened between them before she became Adele, which keeps the audience trying to figure it out with her. I think Luka was my favorite character overall.

Plot: 4/5   There is a whole lot going on here. The overarcing plot of the bike race across the world for fame and fortune, combined with the personal intrigue between each individual racer as they progress was very interesting. Trying to figure out who Yael can trust and who she can’t, and knowing that winning the race is only a stepping stone to complete her goals keeps you on the edge of your seat most of the time. I did feel that the book didn’t seem to have enough time to flesh out some of the details and past, and am glad to see that there will be more to this story. Overall I enjoyed the book, and would definitely recommend it, especially if you like alternative historical fiction.

Quotes:

“Her self-reflection was no reflection at all. It was a shattered mirror. Something she had to piece together, over and over again. Memory by memory. Loss by loss. Wolf by wolf.”

“Even at their most basic function, needles do two things: They give and they take away.”

― Ryan Graudin, Wolf by Wolf

Brian

Read More

Review: The Shadow Queen by C.J.Redwine

The Shadow Queen

Author: CJ Redwine

Published On: 2-16-16

Page Count: 387

Synopsis: (Found on Goodreads)

Lorelai Diederich, crown princess and fugitive at large, has one mission: kill the wicked queen who took both the Ravenspire throne and the life of her father. To do that, Lorelai needs to use the one weapon she and Queen Irina have in common—magic. She’ll have to be stronger, faster, and more powerful than Irina, the most dangerous sorceress Ravenspire has ever seen.

In the neighboring kingdom of Eldr, when Prince Kol’s father and older brother are killed by an invading army of magic-wielding ogres, the second-born prince is suddenly given the responsibility of saving his kingdom. To do that, Kol needs magic—and the only way to get it is to make a deal with the queen of Ravenspire, promise to become her personal huntsman…and bring her Lorelai’s heart.

Overall Rating: 5/5

I love retellings with twists. CJ has done it again with strong characters that all have amazing back stories. Highly recommend for fans of her other series as well as adults who want to live their childhood over again in darkness.

Cover: 5/5 

I think the black galaxy apple already represents the story being retold, and it already has a different twist.

Characters: 5/5

Lorelai - The crown princess and fugitive, she is Snow White. Lorelai’s biggest weakness is that she doesn’t believe she is strong enough to defeat the evil queen, Irina. Her character is fierce and a leader, though she relies on the strength of those close to her.

Prince Kol - The neighboring kingdom of Eldr brings the perfect twist to this Snow White retelling, Kol, a dragon huntstman. Attempting to save his own kingdom from ogres, he strikes a deal with the evil queen. His only mission is to destroy Lorelai, a girl who saved his life, once upon a time.

Plot: 5/5

Kol’s mission is to kill Lorelai, while hers is to reclaim her kingdom from Irina.Lorelai fights with everything she has until there is nothing left for her to lose. Fast paced and full of magic, The Shadow Queen retells Snow White in a way that mixes the TV series Once Upon A Time, and the Snow White and the Huntsman.

Quotes: 

“You don’t go into battle because you’re sure of victory. You go into battle because it’s the right thing to do.”

“A warrior doesn’t focus on the odds stacked against her. She focuses on her heart, on her will to face the evil in her world and defeat it, and then she finds a way to do it.”

TTFN,

Ashley

Read More

Boyfriend Review: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The Night Circus

By: Erin Morgenstern

Published: 9/13/2011 by Doubleday

Pages: 512

Synopsis: (found on goodreads)

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway: a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them both, this is a game in which only one can be left standing. Despite the high stakes, Celia and Marco soon tumble headfirst into love, setting off a domino effect of dangerous consequences, and leaving the lives of everyone, from the performers to the patrons, hanging in the balance.

Overall Rating: 4 / 5 Stars – Thoroughly enjoyed the book though some parts were a little confusing.

Cover: 5 / 5 Stars  -  Excellent color scheme, intentional lack of detail and just enough mystery.

The Night Circus a very unique blend of romance with different types of fantasy. A circus is always supposed to be a fantastic and whimsical place, but when you add magic into the mix, it takes it to an entirely different level. This book speaks from the viewpoint of a few different characters throughout, but also takes the time to tell you a story through the eyes of an unnamed visitor to the Night Circus. Experiencing the Cirque de Reves from a first person viewpoint gave a different perspective that helped to become immersed in the story. I would recommend reading this story, and will probably read it again someday myself.

One of the most enjoyable parts of this book is the development of the characters. The story revolves around Marco and Celia, two very gifted individuals with unseen ties to the Circus and to each other. The growth of these two; from their very different childhoods and through the separate paths that lead them both to their shared destiny is very interesting and detailed. Their journey at times seems forced upon them, even though the choices they make are uniquely their own. Although they are both set up to be on opposite sides of a decades-long competition, you find yourself rooting for them both. The circus itself is also full of entertaining characters with personalities and histories that you sometimes forget that their stories are secondary to the two at the center.

The main story arc in this book revolves around the discovery and grooming of Marco and Celia to be players in a contest that is mostly unexplained throughout. They will be pitted against each other, the battleground is a Circus, but the rest is unknown. There is magic, mystery, and romance around every tent and attraction, and new performers and circus visitors to meet in almost every chapter. This story held my interest from beginning to end, and though some pieces were a little confusing at times, I will enjoy reading it again to look for parts I might have missed on my first time through.

“You think, as you walk away from Le Cirque des Rêves and into the creeping dawn, that you felt more awake within the confines of the circus. You are no longer quite certain which side of the fence is the dream.”

― Erin Morgenstern, The Night Circus

~Brian

Read More