Book Review: The Immortal Circus by A.R. Kahler

Title: The Immortal Circus
Author: A.R. Kahler
Publisher: 47North
Date of Publication: Dec. 4, 2012
Source: bought, Kindle, 236 pages
Genre: Fantasy, New Adult, Romance, Paranormal
Fall In Love with Your Own:  Amazon | 



Goodreads Summary:

Murdered contortionists aren’t exactly what Vivienne signed up for when she ran away to join the circus. But like most things under the big top, nothing is what it seems. With a past she can't quite remember, Vivienne finds that running away forever might not be as appealing as it once sounded—especially not when she realizes the devilishly attractive ringleader Mab is the Faerie Queen of legend…and that she and the rest of the troupe are locked in an age-old rivalry between the otherworldly Courts.Aided by her friends Kingston—a feisty stage magician whose magic is quickly stealing her heart—and his smart-ass assistant Melody, Vivienne finds herself racing against the clock to discover the culprit behind a series of deaths that should be impossible. However, the answer she seeks might reveal more about her own bloody past—and future—than she bargains for.
The show's just beginning.

Step right up…

My Thoughts:
This is a fast paced, sexy as hell, romantic supernatural mystery that combines so many magical elements it creates this thrill ride that you hope will never end!

Wouldn't it be wonderful if the circuses we grew up on had this type of allure to them?  Magicians that capture our minds with spells, while the fey like performers capture our eyes with their graceful moves.  Oh what a wonderful world indeed that would be!

Lucky for us, Mr. Kahler created a world with these very powerful beings who can transform everything around us with just a blink of the eyelid.   From the very first page, we are thrust right into the dark world of the Cirques de Immortales where a performer has been murdered.  Right away, we get a glimpse of the dangerous side to this profound group of circus performers.  
It is told from Vivienne's standpoint, so we are kept in the dark, only learning things as she learns them.  There are a few times we are privy to certain conversations between other characters that help us see a little bit more into everyone's parts that they are destined to play.
I liked Vivienne for the most part.  There were times she seemed a little naive concerning the background info on the other members of the circus, but in her defense she had a lot on her plate so I guess that could be understandable.  
Besides our main character, the others are an interesting lot too.  Kingston is a heartthrob indeed!  Every time I hear his name, I imagine this tall gorgeous man wearing a top hat (magicians have to have  their top hats) and an overcoat with no shirt open.  Oh goodness me!
I, personally, love our leader of the Immortal Circus, Mab of the Winter Court.  She is sexy incarnate.  She is dark, deceptive, and yet I feel drawn to her like a magnet.  Mab has this pull which is probably why everyone found their way to her; she knew their weakness and this is how she is able to get the "contracts" from them.  

The plot threads in the story are addictive.  Everyone knows that The Winter Court despises the Summer Court and yet things are not as they seem.  I wouldn't label Mab as good in the book; but I could not give the Summer Court Fey this title either.  Both courts are devious and only interested in their own means.    After reading the book, though, I found it hard to root for the Summer court.  The winter court had some very amazing creatures helping them, even though they could have been terrifying, it still was enjoyable to see them working together helping the circus.  

There is so much more to come in these books I am going to be biting my nails waiting on the next book to come out.  Mab has many dark secrets up her sleeves and I am terrified for what Vivienne  has to play in the future of the Immortal Circus.  

I highly suggest you come to the circus, where your inhibitions can be released as you experience a magically induced sensual journey into one of the most secretive and dark fantasies to come to the pages of a book.  

I wholeheartedly give The Immortal Circus five hearts!  

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Review: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Title: The Night Circus
Author: Erin Morgenstern
Publisher:  DoubleDay
Date of Publication: Sept. 13, 2011
Source: my wonderful son gave it to me for Christmas :)
Get Your Own: Amazon | The Book Depository  | Barnes & Noble |

Book Synopsis:

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, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per­formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart.

My Thoughts:
How do I critique a book that I have absolutely no problem with?  Is that even possible?  To love something with so much passion you cannot see any mistakes at all?  I guess I have to say yes....it is possible.

And it happened.

I have been wanting to get my hands on The Night Circus for a very very long time now; but I feel like getting it for Christmas made it even more magical for me.  (Okay so I sound a little corny but please deal with me here)
My seven year old son (and his father) picked out this book for me and I am so happy they did.  This was the best book to read for me to ring in the New Year with, in my humblest opinion.

The cover of the book is mysterious with all the silver accents followed by the sprinkling of the stars in the inner cover.  And of course the circus is our main focal point fitting in the palm of a beautiful fragile hand.

(Ya'll know how I am with my covers)

The characters are vast and different; yet similar enough to relate to each other. I have never been a fan of the circus, but this type of circus,  Le Cirque de Reves, is a fantastical work of art that I found myself longing to be a part of physically, instead of just through the pages of a book.  But what made the circus even more magical, even more alluring was the people that lived among it.  The people that created it.  The people that lived, died, and loved the night circus.
Is there your typical "bad guys" in this story?  In a way, yes.  But they are more than just bad.  It is like they are supreme beings that should have known better but didn't care.
I wonder if (for the ones that has read it also) any of you have a favorite character that made your blood boil or made you feel like you were about to faint from love?  Was there a character that made you feel like you found your best friend or perhaps, a long lost sister/brother?
I, personally, loved the twins, Poppet and Widget, the most.  I loved their unusually conversations, especially how they seemed to be so much older than they acted.  They felt like old souls and truly made the story even that more interesting.  And even more appealing about them: they didn't fight like siblings do.  Perhaps that is what made them so unique (besides other things) was that they loved each dearly and respected each other's input.

Then there is the plot.  It reminded me, loosely, of the movie, The Prestige, as far as the basic plot elements. The magic, obviously, but the game also seems similar to the competition the two illusionists had going on with each other.
The writing of course is a masterpiece indeed.  The tales that Morgenstern weaves is melodic, beautifully crafted to tell us a story of heartache, a story of the ultimate power struggle and most importantly a story of love.
If you are not sure what you would like to read now but want something that flows constantly, has magic sprinkled throughout  the pages, and keeps you entertained days after you have finished this journey; then please give The Night Circus a chance.  It will be a journey that will keep you happy to the very last minute.

| Favorite Quote |

"I do not see as well without her.  I do not hear as well as without her.  I do not feel as well without her.  I would be better off without a hand or a leg  than without  my sister...."

The Night Circus, page 243