‘By a Charm and a Curse’ by Jaime Questell

5 enchanting stars:

Come one, come all, and prepare to be amazed!

In Jamie Questell’s stunning debut, a traveling carnival is affected ‘By a Charm and a Curse.’  There is something unearthly about Le Grand’s Carnival Fantastic; how its performers never fall or injure themselves no matter how daring the stunts.  How its members don’t seem to age like people outside the carnival.  How it has existed, and thrived, for decades without financial difficulties.

The heart of this mystery lies in the heart of the carnival itself.

Teenage carnival guest Emmaline King’s life change drastically with just one kiss.  She joins the Carnival Fantastic and slowly falls for its carpenter apprentice.  Together they seek to uncover the origin of the supernatural curse and work to unravel it.

Author Jaime Questell’s writing is flawless.  This is a nail-biting page turner worthy of the sleep you’ll miss while seeing it through to the end.  The main characters are well-developed and easy to root for as they mature on their quest to break the curse.

‘By a Charm and a Curse’ is a self-contained stand-alone supernatural novel with a complete ending.  It will be available from booksellers on February 6, 2018.

I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book.  All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s.

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‘Enchant’ (The Enchanted Series #1) by Micalea Smeltzer

5 stars!

‘Enchant’ is a beautifully written YA paranormal romance.  Though author Micalea Smeltzer makes use of some familiar YA tropes (teenage girl unknowingly about to come into her powers on her nearing birthday and is thrown into the hidden supernatural world she never knew she was born into) this book holds its own within the genre. 

I love the witty banter and teasing between main character Mara and her protector, Theodore.  His younger sister, Adelaide, adds to the realistic and sarcasm-laced dialog.

Theo is part charming and suave, part brooding silent type, and at all times sarcastic.  His protectiveness of his sister and his charge is heartwarming, even when it leads him to be ridiculous.  His serious side is intriguing, but his playful side is book-boyfriend worthy.

Mara, for her part, holds her own with witty comebacks and dedication to learning all she can about magic, supernatural beings, and preparing for the impending battle with the group that killed her parents.  I found both her moral compass and willingness to do what must be done without whining to be refreshing.  She was a fun character to root for!

This book ends on a cliffhanger, cannot wait to find out what happens next!  ‘Enchant’ will be available on Kindle Unlimited on November 17, 2017.

I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book.  All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s.

#Enchant,Ya,MicaleaSmeltzer,EnchantedSeries #NetGalley