The Night Circus By: Erin Morgernstern

source

• Title: The Night Circus
• Author: Erin Morgenstern
• Publisher: Doubleday
• Publication Date:  September 13, 2011
• Pages: 387
• Genre: Fantasy
• Recommended Age(s): 13+
• First Read: 2016
• Source: Library 
• Rating: 5.0 / 5.0 stars

The circus arrives without fanfare, or any warning at all. Yet at night it transforms into a spectacle filled with magic and mystery for all to behold. At the center of the circus are the performers, from the contortionists to the acrobats, to the curious red-haired twins who have called the circus home all their lives. The most interesting performer of all however is an illusionist, an unassuming girl-Celia Bowen. She has been chosen to play a game fraught with magic that spans continents and decades. Her adversary? Marco, the boy she cannot help but feel complete with. When the two of them realize that their game's outcome affects everyone in the circus, they must find a way to save everyone and everything they know...or risk the unimaginable consequences.

---

I went into this book completely blind after picking it up on a whim, so I didn't know what to expect. And wow. Wow. Wow. Any vague inklings I ever had about what this book was supposed to be was blown out of the water.  This book has honestly become one of my favorite books because of how the book just immersed me in the story. After I finished reading this book I had to take a few moments to compose myself because I was a roiling tub of emotions...and even a couple days later, I still can't fully process all the feelings...ugh...feelings.

Throughout the entire time I was reading this book, I felt like I was in a dream because the words danced so delicately on the page and painted pictures in my head full of magic. The writing was ethereal and the atmosphere made me feel heady with excitement and mystery and intrigue...it was seductive. I've read a lot of books in my life, but I've honestly read anything like this book because though the circus was the center point of the novel, I got to explore so much more without really trying. With such a simple plot, this book sure made me fall headlong into some very complex feelings about the characters and question some things about my own world.

I think this is one of those hidden gems that not many people would pick up originally because of the premise...a fantasy novel based in Victorian times. It's exactly up my alley, but not so much for others, so I hope that people leave any misconceptions they have about this book at the door because picking up this book was seriously one of the best decisions I have ever made. I was wrapped up in a dream the entire time I was reading this book and I didn't want it to end.

Dreams of Gods and Monsters By: Laini Taylor

source

• Title: Dreams of Gods and Monsters (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #3)
• Author: Laini Taylor
• Publisher: Little, Brown and Co.
• Publication Date:  April 8, 2014
• Pages: 613
• Genre: Fantasy/YA
• Recommended Age(s): 13+
• First Read: 2016
• Source: Library
• Rating: 4.5 / 5.0 stars

Karou and her friends have accomplished much, but there is still so much left to be done, especially since Jael and his army are about to invade Earth. To save both Eretz and Earth, Karou and Akiva must struggle to unite centuries-old enemies in a parody of their long-ago dream for a new world. 

As storylines converge, destinies entwine, and fates collide, Karou and Akiva must realize that there is more at stake than they know...and that a power more terrifying than anything they can hope to imagine is only a breath away from destroying their fragile existence. Transcending worlds, defying fate, and overcoming the fixed definitions of good and evil, of right and wrong, Karou, Akiva, and their friends fight the true monsters: those within.

---

This was a rollercoaster, a funhouse mirror, and a wonderful carousel ride all encased in a wonderful package. I was enchanted by the different storylines that converged beautifully at the end as I found out where everyone fit- like starting a puzzle thinking it was one thing, but in when you finished it, realizing it was something different- and way better- than you ever imagined it to be.

My favorite character in this book was Eliza because I didn't expect her storyline at all and was presently surprised at all the barriers she broke and her general badassery in this book. To quote Karou: "she's a pretty cool chick." Also, even though Karou and Akiva are clearly the main characters, I was more in love with Zuzana and Mik's relationship because it was just so sweet. Also Liraz...I am Liraz when dealing with emotions honestly and I just love her character development, from being incredibly unsure of her emotions to being able to accept them.

The plot was stellar; like I said, everything converged in this beautiful way that made sense in retrospect yet you couldn't see coming because of the possibilities. Combined with Taylor's always poetic writing with a splash of sarcasm and liberal amounts of wit, it was a perfect read. This one of those books that I thought about even when I wasn't reading it; I would catch myself thinking of the plot and characters when I was idly daydreaming and as a result would immediately want to get back to reading.  I was really sad when this series ended because it had been a while since I had a good series to sink my teeth into and this really hit the spot. I guess it's time to find another great series now...