By a Charm and a Curse by Jamie Questell

Le Grand’s Carnival Fantastic isn’t like other traveling circuses. It’s bound by a charm, held together by a centuries-old curse, that protects its members from ever growing older or getting hurt. Emmaline King is drawn to the circus like a moth to a flame…and unwittingly recruited into its folds by a mysterious teen boy whose kiss is as cold as ice.

Forced to travel through Texas as the new Girl in the Box, Emmaline is completely trapped. Breaking the curse seems like her only chance at freedom, but with no curse, there’s no charm, either—dooming everyone who calls the Carnival Fantastic home. Including the boy she’s afraid she’s falling for. 

Everything—including his life—could end with just one kiss.

 

Expected publication: February 6th, 2018

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copy received by Net Galley for an honest review.

I haven’t read anything about a carnival before and after reading the blurb I was interested. Once I got approved I dove into this book.

Emma has moved back to a small town in Oklahoma with her father while her mother is working overseas. Emma doesn’t want to be there but is trying to make the most of it. She has friends that she knew from when they lived there before so she’s trying to make the best of it by trying to rekindle those relationships. Emma ends up meeting a boy who works in the fortune telling box and this is where our story begins. 

I was engrossed after the first chapter. The story is fluid and I honestly lost track of time while reading this. I just had to know how it would end. 

I loved both Emma and Ben. The story was told in dual POV and it was pretty easy to read between the two of them. The secondary characters were also great and added so much more to the story. The world building was great as well! I could actually picture the carnival in full swing. 

If your looking for a new fantasy to pick up don’t sleep on this book. Be on the lookout for this February 2018!