thatgirlwiththeteapot's review
3.0
Overall, this book was really quite good. I felt it took a bit too long to set up the world and get into the action, but once things started happening it became a really fast read.
As a warning, there is slight sexual content. Nothing truly explicit or anything, but worth noting.
As a warning, there is slight sexual content. Nothing truly explicit or anything, but worth noting.
dancingprince's review against another edition
*shrug* feels dated and just isn't holding my attention.
witchofthemountains's review
4.0
I've been a Klause fan since ninth grade when I stumbled across Blood and Chocolate on my English teacher's bookshelf.
Klause is good - no, great - at delivering interesting plots that should be ridiculous but are so rooted in relatable characters that they ground the whole thing. The settings are well-rendered without being overdrawn, and Klause treats the history of "freak shows" with the complex lens it deserves. Given that this is essentially a paranormal YA romance (from a male perspective I might add, which is incredibly rare) I didn't expect that kind of treatment for the source material. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised.
If you're in the mood for a historical paranormal YA, then this is the book for you. The characters are intriguing, the setting is well-rendered, and the writing itself is artfully crafted. Klause is a master storyteller and this novel is just one more piece of proof to that.
Klause is good - no, great - at delivering interesting plots that should be ridiculous but are so rooted in relatable characters that they ground the whole thing. The settings are well-rendered without being overdrawn, and Klause treats the history of "freak shows" with the complex lens it deserves. Given that this is essentially a paranormal YA romance (from a male perspective I might add, which is incredibly rare) I didn't expect that kind of treatment for the source material. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised.
If you're in the mood for a historical paranormal YA, then this is the book for you. The characters are intriguing, the setting is well-rendered, and the writing itself is artfully crafted. Klause is a master storyteller and this novel is just one more piece of proof to that.
heyshay07's review against another edition
4.0
I had some trouble getting into this audio book initially, but it ended up being good. The characters are interesting but the plot is a little slow. The whole "reincarnated star-crossed lovers" thing is a bit much but I guess the author had to have some reason for Able to leave home. Able is almost too virtuous and suffers from a superman type complex, except he thinks about and refers to sex a lot so this is more a YA high school book than middle school book. Minus the sexual references, I think the characters and plot would appeal more to middle schoolers so it is a book that doesn't fit well into either level. Also, despite the reincarnated lives thing, this book is probably more historical fiction than fantasy so if you're looking for a fantasy type book like Cirque de Freaks, this isn't what you'll get.
tatted_librarian's review against another edition
5.0
Yes yes yes yes YES! I LOVED this book and the characters in it. I love the ending. I feared they all wouldn't be together in the end, but they did and it makes me happy.
shinychick's review against another edition
4.0
I've loved Klause since I read The Silver Kiss, and even more since Blood and Chocolate, which I used as extensive background for my very favorite Gangrel, Ari Lang. This was an interesting take on freak shows of the early 1900s, and also provided a good basis for Carnivale, which Mark and I are watching now. Slightly far-fetched, but written with the same adroitness as her other offerings.
samwescott's review against another edition
3.0
While I didn't enjoy this book quite as much as "Blood and Chocolate", I did enoy this book. It's not fantastic - the plot is alternately unbelievable and dully realistic, but it was charming in its way and provided a wonderful cast of characters. I am indeed a sucker for lovable side characters. I'd recommend this as a great mindless read in between more substantial books, or for young adults.
Happy reading!
Happy reading!
booktasticallyamazing's review against another edition
3.0
This was... not a very good book.
Work death caused me to read this and yes, at least it distracted me from bloodsucking things such as ✨socializing✨
Work death caused me to read this and yes, at least it distracted me from bloodsucking things such as ✨socializing✨
abigailweas's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0