Reading on a Theme: Circuses and Sideshows

We did this Reading on a Theme a couple of years ago, and I was surprised how much I enjoyed the circus setting (post here). If you too are up for more, I've got five excellent suggestions.



The Electric:
In 2065, Adri is preparing to go to Mars as a colonist. Adri's never had a family, and bonding with her ancient and new-found cousin Lily does not come naturally. But Adri becomes fascinated with a collection of letters she finds at Lily's house. Catherine, who lived during the Dust Bowl, is desperate to save her sister from dust pneumonia and believes a traveling show called The Electric may be the answer. Lenore mourns her brother after the his death in WWI and plans to sail to America. In her lovely, lyrical way, Jodi Lynn Anderson weaves these stories together in Midnight at the Electric. This slim volume about the bonds of family is so powerful and gorgeous. Review copy from Edelweiss.

Cirque American:
Wire-walker Julietta (Jules) Maroni joins the Cirque American with the hope that her family will finally receive the recognition they deserve. However, the Cirque American is also the home of a family of trapeze artists who are the Maroni's rivals, the Garcias. Together and in secret Jules and Romeo (Remy) Garcia seek to unravel the mysteries of the past, discover why their families are enemies, and who wants the past to repeat itself. Gwenda Bond's Girl on a Wire is full of mystery and the romance of the circus.  The second in the series, Girl in the Shadows, follows a new set of characters as they navigate the ins and outs of show business (and family business). 

The Gomorrah Festival:
Sorina has spent most of her life with the Gomorrah Festival, a traveling circus-city of magic and debauchery. Sorina, an illusion-worker, has a large family of misfits, who are all the more unique because they are all Sorina's own creations. Things turn dark when one of the illusions is murdered. Sorina didn't even know her illusions could die. I love the mix of fantasy and mystery (always a good combination for me) in Amanda Foody's debut. Sorina, her illusions, and the other residents of Gomorrah have this intriguing strangeness that is otherworldly and beautiful. Also, impressively, this book had several tricks up its sleeve that I did not see coming. Daughter of the Burning City is out July 2017.


Caraval:
For years sisters Scarlett and Tella Dragna have dreamed of escaping life with their oppressive father and attending Caraval, a traveling circus-like show where the visitors are part of the show. When they finally get their chance, the sisters find themselves at the heart of Caraval's high-stake competition when Tella is spirited away and the winner will be the visitor who finds her. The game suddenly doesn't feel so magical to Scarlett anymore who is worried about her sister's safety. I loved the magic in Caraval. The dreamlike setting has Scarlett questioning what is real and what is not, and the reader is right beside her asking those same questions. What a fun and mysterious debut from Stephanie Garber.


Metzger's Menagerie:
In this urban fantasy, the beasts of myth and legend are a reality and, after a devastating event in the 1980s, cryptids have no rights. Metzger's Menagerie is just one of many traveling circuses that exhibit caged cryptids to paying customers, nevermind that many are sentient, intelligent beings. Delilah Marlow was raised human, but when it's discovered that she is not, she becomes Metzger's newest display. Menagerie is dark but gorgeous. The situation these characters live in is truly horrifying. But I found the sense of dignity and family they created to be quite lovely. It's been a long time since I've read an adult urban fantasy novel, and I just devoured this one by Rachel Vincent.

Reading on a Theme: Circuses and Sideshows

For our Reading on a Theme today we have a group of recently published circus-themed novels for all age groups. Circus Mirandus is a middle-grade book. The Wanderers and The Weight of Feathers are young adult, and The Book of Speculation and Church of Marvels are adult fiction. Running themes in these circus books include magic, family history, and superstition and curses. Sounds like fun to us.

Hoping for a Miracle:
Micah Tuttle's grandfather always told him wonderful stories about The Circus Mirandus, a magical circus only for children. Now Ephraim Tuttle is dying. Micah's only hope is the miracle The Man Who Bends Light promised his grandfather. I'd describe Circus Mirandus as The Night Circus for children; I think the comparison adequately conjures the miraculous magic of the circus itself. I so enjoyed the structure of Cassie Bealey's debut; it moves back and forth between Micah's present and Ephraim's past, and Ephraim's chapters answer Micah's questions. As Micah's world is turned upside down the magic is the only thing that really makes sense. Circus Mirandus was out June 2015. 

Running from the Hunters:
Flo and her boyfriend, Jett, shifters who can change from human to animal form, have been with the circus nearly all their lives. Hidden and protected by the circus elders, they live in fear of the hunters. What are they to do when the hunters finally catch up to them? Kate Ormand's novel has an uneasy feel throughout. It mirrors a dystopian story where the audience feels that something is amiss in the main character's perception. That was my favorite thing about the novel. The Wanderers also features an interesting myth where the shifters had just one animal shape and they built their relationships with one another on shared shape, or lack thereof (as in the case of Flo and Jett). The Wanderers is out September 1st, 2015. Review copy from Edelweiss.

Seeking to Break a Curse:
All the women in Simon's family are circus performers. When Simon receives an old circus register it propels him into an investigation of his family's past. He learns that the mysterious deaths in his family are more than coincidence, and it seems fate is about to step in once again. Erika Swyler's debut novel alternates between the events in Simon's present and the story of an eighteenth-century circus troop. The one word that comes to mind as I think about this book is, "wet," and, as water plays a large part, I suppose that's such a not a bad thing. The book is also dark, dreary, and atmospheric. The Book of Speculation was out in June 2015. Review copy from NetGalley.

Searching for a Sister:
Church of Marvels interweaves three stories. Odile, the daughter of a famous Coney Island sideshow performing, is searching for her sister in Manhattan. Sylvan, a night soiler, has found an abandoned baby, and Alphie, a young wife, is trapped across the river in Blackwell's Lunatic Asylum. Leslie Parry's debut novel is evocative and gritty. Set in New York in 1895, the historical and physical setting of the book really leap from the pages. Parry masterfully weaves these three stories together, and, as they become more and more entangled, the tale becomes more and more griping. Happily, I was shocked by some of the twists. Church of Marvels was out in May 2015.

Healing an Old Wound:
Lace Paloma and Cluck Corbeau's families are at war. Their circus acts have been competing forever, but for the last twenty years, it has been cutthroat. The family legends are so extreme that very few know the true reason for the feud. But when Lace is kicked out of her family and finds herself working for Cluck's, the truth begins to come to light. Anna-Marie McLemore created a beautiful piece of magical realism. The tone of the book is calm and soothing, and I simply fell into it. The characters, particularly the matriarchs, are fascinating, and I love each family's circus act. The Weight of Feathers is mesmerizing and lovely and is out September 15th, 2015. Review copy from NetGalley.



Circus Mirandus, The Book of Speculation, and Church of Marvels reviewed by JoLee.
The Wanderers and The Weight of Feathers reviewed by Paige.

Blog Tour: Girl in the Shadows by Gwenda Bond | Review + Giveaway

I'm so thrilled to be part of the Girl in the Shadows Blog Tour, hosted by Xpresso Book Tours, today! Two years ago I read the first book in Gwenda Bond's Cirque American series, and I just jumped at the chance to share my love for this series.

Enjoy the post, enter to win a copy of Girl in the Shadows below and follow the blog tour!

Girl in the Shadows by Gwenda Bond

Publisher / Year: Skyscape - July 5, 2016

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Source: Review copy from the publisher  

 

Eighteen-year-old Moira Mitchell grew up in the shadows of Vegas’s stage lights while her father’s career as a magician soared. More than anything, Moira wants to be a magician too, but her father is dead set against her pursuing magic.

When an invitation to join the Cirque American mistakenly falls into Moira’s possession, she takes action. Instead of giving the highly coveted invitation to its intended recipient, Raleigh, her father’s handsome and worldly former apprentice, Moira takes off to join the Cirque. If she can perform alongside its world-famous acts, she knows she’ll be able to convince her dad that magic is her future.

But when Moira arrives, things take on an intensity she can’t control as her stage magic suddenly feels like…real magic. To further distract her, Raleigh shows up none too pleased at Moira’s presence, all while the Cirque’s cocky and intriguing knife thrower, Dez, seems to have it out for her. As tensions mount and Moira’s abilities come into question, she must decide what’s real and what’s an illusion. If she doesn’t sort it out in time, she may forever remain a girl in the shadows.

 Goodreads | Amazon | Audible | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound | The Book Depository

Before I get started with my thoughts, why don't we just take a moment to appreciate the splendor of this cover! I love everything about it. I love the font and the colors and how it is all arranged, but I also love the little details of the mask, the playing cards, the knives, and the hearts, all of which are significant to the story. Bravo cover designers! Bravo!

Girl in the Shadows is a companion novel to Girl on a Wire, the first book in the Cirque American series, and my appreciation of this book was definitely that much greater because I had read and enjoyed the first book. The two books have different main characters, but the setting is the same, and, more importantly, the central conflict in each revolves around the same small magical object. Beyond that it was so much fun for me to visit some old characters, even if they weren't taking center stage this time around. (Hello, Jules! Hello, Remy!) And, I also enjoyed getting to know some of the side characters from Girl on a Wire a little better in this second book. (Dita, darling, you are swell.)

Last year we did a post featuring books set in circuses and sideshows. In putting together that post, I found that the circus is a setting that really appeals to me, and, I quickly rediscovered that love within the first few pages of Girl in the Shadows. I think I like how circus folk have a life that is so outside the mainstream, and that is definitely the case with Moira. She grew up traveling with her famous magician father and working behind the scenes at his Las Vegas show.  

Moira wishes to become a magician herself, and her father is adamantly against this. So, feeling like she has no other option, Moira auditions for the Cirque American. Right away strange things begin to happen, and herein is another reason I enjoy circus settings--they present the perfect opportunity to mingle stage magic with the real deal. Moira's magic, its origins, and her estranged mother play a large role in the mystery of Girl in the Shadows. 

Moira truly has a lot on her plate. There's the whole proving herself to her father thing (and who are we kidding, to herself as well), the issue of controlling her newly awakened power, and being on her own for the first time. As if things aren't complicated enough there's this knife-throwing love interest that the reader is not quite sure can be trusted for most of the book. Really, it's a pretty great time. Girl in the Shadows is all the sleight of hand and tricks of Now You See Me plus the magical underworld of White Cat. It's a book full of mystery, magic, and suspense.
  


a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

About the Author: 

 

Gwenda Bond is the author of the young adult novels Lois Lane: Fallout and Girl on a Wire, among others. Lois Lane: Double Down and Girl in the Shadows, a companion novel to Girl on a Wire set in the Cirque American, are next up in 2016. She’s also hard at work on some secret projects you don’t know about yet.

Her nonfiction writing has appeared in Publishers Weekly, Locus Magazine, the Los Angeles Times, and many other publications. She has an MFA in writing from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. She lives in a hundred-year-old house in Lexington, Kentucky, with her husband, author Christopher Rowe. There are rumors she escaped from a screwball comedy, and she might have a journalism degree because of her childhood love of Lois Lane.

Visit her online: Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Follow the Girl in the Shadows Blog Tour.

The Story Continues: Lois Lane Double Down and Girl in the Shadows

2016 was a good year for fans of Gwenda Bond's series with new additions to both the Lois Lane and the Cirque American series. And, since we are fans of both series, we decided to bring those new books together in a special addition to The Story Continues feature.

Lois Lane Double Down by Gwenda Bond

Publisher / Year: Switch Press - May 1, 2016

Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction

Source: Review copy from the publisher via NetGalley

The sequel to Lois Lane: Fallout catches up with Lois right after her first big story. She thought the first story would be the hardest, but now she finds herself with something to prove. Why can't all stories be big stories? She agrees to do a human interest piece (grudgingly), but stumbles onto something with big potential in the process. This could be more than news-breaking; it could affect all of Metropolis.

The Lois Lane series is a superhero origin story, combined with a mystery and a tenacious main character. Double Down is a fun read because it in it we get to know many of the characters from the first book even better. We learn about Maddy's twin sister and spend more time with Smallville Guy. The mystery surrounding his identity really deepens in Double Down.

Things get more complicated for Lois in this second installment. The story she's researching affects her friend, Maddy, personally, making the pressure all the more unbearable. There's also a lot going on with SmallvilleGuy. Lois has unanswered questions about their relationship and his identity, and the chatroom is full of confusing buzz that could prove dangerous.

I think the mystery in Double Down is what really kept me reading. I love the feeling of unovering the truth with Lois as she investigates and prepares her story. The reader only knows what Lois knows and it's fun to make deductions along side her.

Lois Lane: Double Down is a fabulous second installment. Gwenda Bond has me eager for more about Lois and her friends in Metropolis.

Girl in the Shadows by Gwenda Bond

Publisher / Year: Skyscape - July 5, 2016

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Source: Review copy from the publisher via NetGalley

Girl in the Shadows is a companion novel to Girl on a Wire, the first book in Gwenda Bond's Cirque American series, and my appreciation of this book was definitely that much greater because I had read and enjoyed the first book. The two books have different main characters, but the setting is the same, and, more importantly, the central conflict in each revolves around the same small magical object. Beyond that it was so much fun for me to visit some old characters, even if they weren't taking center stage this time around. (Hello, Jules! Hello, Remy!) And, I also enjoyed getting to know some of the side characters from Girl on a Wire a little better in this second book. (Dita, darling, you are swell.)

Last year we did a post on Intellectual Recreation featuring books set in circuses and sideshows. In putting together that post, I found that the circus is a setting that really appeals to me, and, I quickly rediscovered that love within the first few pages of Girl in the Shadows. I think I like how circus folk have a life that is so outside the mainstream, and that is definitely the case with Moira. She grew up traveling with her famous magician father and working behind the scenes at his Las Vegas show.

Moira wishes to become a magician herself, and her father is adamantly against this. So, feeling like she has no other option, Moira auditions for the Cirque American. Right away strange things begin to happen, and herein is another reason I enjoy circus settings--they present the perfect opportunity to mingle stage magic with the real deal. Moira's magic, its origins, and her estranged mother play a large role in the mystery of Girl in the Shadows.

Moira truly has a lot on her plate. There's the whole proving herself to her father thing (and who are we kidding, to herself as well), the issue of controlling her newly awakened power, and being on her own for the first time. As if things aren't complicated enough there's this knife-throwing love interest that the reader is not quite sure can be trusted for most of the book. Really, it's a pretty great time. Girl in the Shadows is all the sleight of hand and tricks of the film Now You See Me plus the magical underworld of White Cat. It's a book full of mystery, magic, and suspense.

Lois Lane: Double Down reviewed by Paige.

Girl in the Shadows reviewed by JoLee.