About the Author
Amanda Hocking is the USA Today bestselling author of the Trylle trilogy and six additional self-published novels. After selling over a million copies of her books, primarily in eBook format, she is widely considered the exemplar of self-publishing success in the digital age.Previously read titles
Trylle Series
These are Switched, Torn and Ascend. Switched is the first in the series and the synopsis is:Wendy Everly knew she was different the day her mother tried to kill her and accused her of having been switched at birth. Although certain she’s not the monster her mother claims she is – she does feel that she doesn’t quite fit in . . .
She’s bored and frustrated by her small town life – and then there’s the secret that she can’t tell anyone. Her mysterious ability – she can influence people’s decisions, without knowing how, or why . . .
When the intense and darkly handsome newcomer Finn suddenly turns up at her bedroom window one night – her world is turned upside down. He holds the key to her past, the answers to her strange powers and is the doorway to a place she never imagined could exist. Förening, the home of the Trylle.
Finally everything makes sense. Among the Trylle, Wendy is not just different, but special. But what marks her out as chosen for greatness in this world also places her in grave danger. With everything around her changing, Finn is the only person she can trust. But dark forces are conspiring – not only to separate them, but to see the downfall everything that Wendy cares about.
The fate of Förening rests in Wendy’s hands, and the decisions she and Finn make could change all their lives forever . . .
About Freek
Welcome to Gideon Davorin’s Traveling Sideshow, where necromancy, magical visions, and pyrokinesis are more than just part of the act…Mara has always longed for a normal life in a normal town where no one has the ability to levitate or predict the future. Instead, she roams from place to place, cleaning the tiger cage while her friends perform supernatural feats every night.
When the struggling sideshow is miraculously offered the money they need if they set up camp in Caudry, Louisiana, Mara meets local-boy Gabe…and a normal life has never been more appealing.
But before long, performers begin disappearing and bodes are found mauled by an invisible beast. Mara realizes that there’s a sinister presence lurking in the town with its sights set on getting rid of the sideshow freeks. In order to unravel the truth before the attacker kills everyone Mara holds dear, she has seven days to take control of a power she didn’t know she was capable of—one that could change her future forever.
My Thoughts
This book was thoughtfully sent to me by the publishers St Martin's Griffin for a true and honest review and I was asked if I would like to take part in this blog tour.First off this is a standalone book and not part of any series either now or that I currently know off in the future.
Mara is the main female protagonist of this story and has grown up with the people of the Carnival for a long time despite showing no signs of an ability herself, her mother has necromancy and uses this skill in the carnival to do readings for money.
As a character however, she has an individuality and a sass which instantly made me like her and care what was happening to her.
When we join the Carnival they are struggling financially and are uncertain if they will be able to continue when Gideon is offered to them from a small town called Caudry.
However, nothing is what it seems from the moment they arrive strange things begin to happen and Mara forms an attachment with a "townie" that may or may not be more trouble than its worth.
I have to say that this is a well written and descriptive piece of work, the atmosphere of Caudry itself however appeared to be lost and almost non existent despite the goings on in and around the Carnival camp site which was a shame.
There are paths that could lead to the answers of the strange events which I feel could have been further explored and the finality of the story although fast paced also felt somewhat rushed and could have slowly come to light.
I really enjoyed the time setting of the 80's however, the references took me right back to my childhood and the musical references I played as I read also made the book somewhat more connective.
All in all I feel that this book is somewhat on par with those 80's adventure films such as Goonies and Lost Boys and would definitely recommend it for a light-hearted read.
I rated it 3.5 stars as insta-love does tend to grate on me.
Come back later in an hour for sample chapters from the book, if you cant wait until then there are some social media links below:
http://www.worldofamandahocking.com/
http://www.hockingbooks.com/blog/
https://twitter.com/search?q=%40Amanda_Hocking&src=typd
https://www.facebook.com/amandahockingfans
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3486415.Amanda_Hocking?from_search=true
https://uk.pinterest.com/aehocking/
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