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Kyera (8 KP) rated The Night Circus in Books

Jan 31, 2018  
The Night Circus
The Night Circus
Erin Morgenstern | 2015 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.1 (106 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Night Circus is set in the 19th Century although the Circus itself travels the globe. We don't see much of the world, rather the story is built and developed around this mysterious venture that only opens at night. Before we even get to know our two main characters they are placed in a competition that they know next to nothing about. As readers, we are not privy to much information that Celia or Marco do not know.

Both main characters are likable although we don't get to experience much of their personalities outside the use of their magic and the way they are shaped by the game. Celia is outspoken and witty when she chooses to be, unlike typical victorian heroines and it is wonderful. I wish we got to experience more of the interactions between Celia and Marco during the book but overall their time together is limited.

At times, we learn more about the Circus through the eyes and stories of its fans - the reveurs or as Bailey who dreamt of the circus since he was a little boy. As a reader, you are drawn to the magic and mystery of the Circus. Dreams of attending fill your mind and you become a reveur yourself. The story of the Night Circus fills you with its majesty and doesn't let go.

It's difficult to explain just what is so appealing about this book, but I fell in love with it almost immediately. The black and white striped tents, impossibly intricate clock, mouth-watering scents and tastes all come together in this enchanting novel - sure to spellbind teens and adults, whether fans of magic, fantasy, realistic or historical novels.
  
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Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated Furyborn: Empirium Trilogy Book 1 in Books

Jul 31, 2018  
Furyborn: Empirium Trilogy Book 1
Furyborn: Empirium Trilogy Book 1
Claire Legrand | 2018 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
9
8.3 (7 Ratings)
Book Rating
I'd seen several glowing reviews of this book, but I was always put off by descriptions of events that happened millennia apart from each other "intersecting" and affecting each other. Like, no. The past can affect the future, but the future can't change the past. That appears, however, to just be a problem in the synopsis of the book and not the book itself. At least in this, the opening volume of the trilogy, the future does not change the past. The book alternates between the two women, Rielle in the past and Eliana in the future. Each chapter flips back and forth. I was much more intrigued by Rielle's chapters, but that could be because there was a lot more magic in Rielle's time.

The magic system is really interesting! I love that through Rielle's trials we learn so much about the magic system, each school and guiding saint and prayers. It's really fleshed out and I enjoyed that.

The "shocking connections" aren't shocking, they're predictable. But the book was no less fantastic for it. I really think the synopsis is where the problems lie. The first couple chapters pretty much reveal all the surprises the description hints at, and the book details how we got to that point. (Mostly, anyway!) It was great, don't get me wrong, but the description of the book feels a little misleading.

The GLBT content in the book is only about two sentences, but it was a surprise and made me grin.

I really enjoyed this book. I'm looking forward to the rest of the trilogy to discover the rest of Rielle's story and what Eliana is going to do about it.

You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
  
    Landscape Jigsaw Puzzles

    Landscape Jigsaw Puzzles

    Games and Stickers

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    Relax your mind with landscape puzzles! Nature puzzle for stress-free zone! Revitalize and reduce...

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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2400 KP) rated The Self-Working Trick (and Other Stories) in Books

Feb 2, 2022  
The Self-Working Trick (and Other Stories)
The Self-Working Trick (and Other Stories)
John Gaspard | 2022 | Mystery
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Eli Faces Crime in This Short Story Collection
For the eighth book in the Eli Marks series, author John Gaspard decided to present a short story collection. While two have been previously released, the rest of the twelve stories here are new. Over the course of this collection, Eli must help his ex-wife and her new husband figure out what happened in a bizarre murder/suicide case. Eli finds himself being questioned by the police when someone who gave him a one-star review is found dead. Eli finds himself being sent in by the police to perform magic for a man who refuses to come out of his house. And Eli and his uncle Harry figure out what happened to a man shot in front of a crowd on Halloween night.

While a couple of the stories don’t feature a crime, they still give us a great chance to see Eli in action and let us get some insight into his character. The rest of the stories feature a crime, often with a perfect puzzle that only makes sense when Eli uses his knowledge of the principles of magic to solve it. If you want to be fooled by magic, you’ll be happy to know that these principles are discussed in such a way that the solution to the mystery makes sense, but the specifics of how a trick works aren’t ruined. I love that. Fans will love getting these small glimpses of what else Eli has been up to between the big cases we’ve already read about. If you are new to the character, you’ll find the information you need to follow these cases with nothing from the regular novels spoiled. Most importantly, these stories are fun, with a few laughs along the way as well. This is a completely enjoyable short story collection.