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Sleight (AVRA-K #1)

by Jennifer Sommersby (Goodreads Author)

4.0 of 5 stars 4.00 · rating details · 254 ratings · 76 reviews

Her mom is dead.
Ghosts follow her around.
Her best friend is an elephant.
And she’s about to meet the biggest game changer of all: a boy. With a secret.

When circus-dwelling Gemma Flannery learns she will be attending public school for the first time in her seventeen years, little does she know that fitting in with her 12th-grade classmates will be the least of her concerns....more

Paperback, First Edition, 328 pages

Published March 23rd 2011

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Apr 18, 2011 Britney rated it 5 of 5 stars

I adored this book. It had everything that I love to read about--paranormal, romance, adventure, and strong female characters with great writing.

A girl who grows up in the circus? And can see ghosts? I'm all in! At first I wasn't sure what to expect because I've never read a book that had a circus setting (even though people keep telling me I need to read Water for Elephants) and ghost stories can either work really well or not well at all. Sleight worked amazingly well! Jennifer Sommersby knows...more

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May 18, 2011 ABookVacation rated it 5 of 5 stars

Sommersby is a fabulous storyteller, roping in the reader in the very beginning through her pristine use of prose and characterization. I was enamored by both the characters and the writing as I read. Sommersby has a wonderful gift with words, and she captures the true nature of humanity as she creates life-like characters right on the page. Each character in the novel was created with love and care and, as you read, they become extremely real. Sommersby develops her characters so magnificently...more

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May 11, 2011 Rachel rated it 5 of 5 stars

Gemma Flannery is used to living a life on the road. Traveling with the Cinzio Traveling Players Company involved just that. Traveling. But for the first time in Gemma’s life the show has decided not to leave town.

Staying in one place and attending a regular high school is enough of a hurdle to overcome. Being gawked at or labeled a freak by the locals is nothing new for circus performers. But if her secret ever got out that she had the ability to see the dead, she would become a freak on a whol...more

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Jun 26, 2011 Ana Lucía rated it 4 of 5 stars

Sleight is a beautifully written story and is one of the most original plots I've read so far. The idea of growing up in a circus surrounded by all kind of things, traveling around the country is very appealing and makes you wonder: how would that be?
The first chapter is the hook for the rest of the book, the funeral of Gemma's mother. She doesn't even know how to feel about this, she spent her life seeing her mother in and out of psychiatric hospital and dealing with her mental illness. That is...more Sleight is a beautifully written story and is one of the most original plots I've read so far. The idea of growing up in a circus surrounded by all kind of things, traveling around the country is very appealing and makes you wonder: how would that be?
The first chapter is the hook for the rest of the book, the funeral of Gemma's mother. She doesn't even know how to feel about this, she spent her life seeing her mother in and out of psychiatric hospital and dealing with her mental illness. That is why the circus performers are her family and legal guardians, they took Gemma as their child and really care for her. Added to all this, she can see "shades" as she call the ghosts that are around her; they don't talk to her so she has learned to live with them.

Gemma's life changes completely when the circus decides to settle for a while so she needs to attend regular high school, instead of her tutors and she is not eager about it. Here she meets Henry her first friend outside the circus and immediately get along, their friendship develops naturally. Everything starts to unfold and reveals a little bit of all the mystery that surrounds the story, with lots of twists and turns and at the end, a few unanswered questions with a cliffhanger that will leave you on your toes.
There are several characters but my favorites were Gemma's uncle Irwin -funny and caring- and Henry, he is simply magnificent! Gemma on the other hand was a little difficult character, she got on my nerves sometimes because she could have been more caring, less obsessive and not take everything for granted, but at the same time it felt appropriate because of her age. And the villains perfectly portrayed, pure evil amazing!

I love all the quotes at the begining of every chapter, no need for a title with such incredible research that explains a little bit of each chapter. Magic, circus freaks, ghosts, romance and mystery makes Sleight one of my favorites books and I highly recommend it to everyone. I make a bow to Ms. Sommersby and her majestic writing. (less)

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Nov 23, 2012 Kerry rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-have

Okay...the description on this book said that Gemma was best friends with an elephant....yeah, it lied. From what I read--and perhaps my book was a dud--Juniper was Gemma's best friend, and the elephants only showed up on a few occasions.

I found that I liked Henry more than I liked most of the other characters in the book. I, too, am not a fan of Shakespeare.
He wound up having more depth than any other character, and for the most part his personality kept pace with his development. The same cou...more

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Dec 07, 2011 Vickie Ramage rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was recommended to me by Cait (The Cait Files), so I bought it for my Kindle. I found it a little hard to get into but after a few chapters I liked Gemma more and more and connected with her better. I loved the idea that she lives in a travelling circus, I think that angle isn't done enough in YA books. There's a lot of swearing and violence in this, which I liked as it felt more realistic.

The story has lots of twists and turns that you don't quite expect. Gemma gets kicked around quite a l...more

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May 03, 2011 Danny rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: imm-june-2011, signed

Well that was a ride! This is the story of Gemma and Henry. Gemma lives with a circus and this setting alone is unique and fresh since I cannot recall any other book that is set around a circus. I was however skeptical in the beginning, but I turned out to absolutely love this story and world building. Gemma just lost her mom and never knew her father. She lives with her Aunt and Uncle at the circus and never knew something else. The kids were of course home schooled since the circus moves to ne...more Well that was a ride! This is the story of Gemma and Henry. Gemma lives with a circus and this setting alone is unique and fresh since I cannot recall any other book that is set around a circus. I was however skeptical in the beginning, but I turned out to absolutely love this story and world building. Gemma just lost her mom and never knew her father. She lives with her Aunt and Uncle at the circus and never knew something else. The kids were of course home schooled since the circus moves to new places ever so often...

After her mom died, the circus decided to stay at one place for a longer time which also gives the kids a chance to enroll at the local high school. The circus found a wealthy business men who founded this stay. Gemma was afraid of a normal high school with normal kids.

Also.. Gemma is not truly normal and never has been. She can see Shades, or Ghosts. They don't talk to her but she always sees them around. Nobody apart from her closed family knows about this, so of course she's also afraid someone might find out her secret.

First day at school, she meets this gorgeous boy: Henry, who is the son of Lucian Dmitri, the men that finance the circus. But not just the circus, she nearly owns the whole town. Lucian is an enigmatic man and Gemma is slightly afraid of him... There is a secret lingering around this men and the boy, something dark and mysterious which makes Gemma truly weary.

But Henry is so much different from his father and it doesn't take long for them to fall for each other. But there is more, a secret Henry is dying to share with Gemma and that will turn everything she ever knew upside down and that will change her life forever.

The plot is thick and full of mystery. You barley have time to breath since the plot moves forward so fast! I love thick and layered plots that is full of secrets for me to discover. Sleight definitely has such a plot. The world building is fantastic and the characters wonderful, deep and genuine. Even the secondary characters clearly were loved when developed and not just side objects in a novel around two main characters. Also, Jennifer Sommersby doesn't spare the reader big emotions which I always welcome, as hard as it might be.

Sleight is a magical book, the magic atmosphere of the circus only helps to underline the the mystery around Gemma and Henry. The book is so full of happenings and could have easily split in two books already, which makes me bounce with excitement about what is coming in the next book. This is a 3 book series and guessing from this one, the next books will be truly amazing and will leave you breathless.

Mystery, magic, love, romance, loss and an amazing world and plot makes Sleight a page turner par excellence. I can't wait to follow Gemma's and Henry's journey and I'm waiting impatiently to hear what will happen next and afraid about what is more to come! (less)

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Jul 06, 2011 Sandra rated it 4 of 5 stars

What a great read! It's so different from all the other YA saturated on the market, but at the same time it is equally enjoyable.

Gemma has lived the with circus since she was a child, but since her mother passed away there have been some changes. The circus is staying in one spot longer, they have a new wealthy financier, and Gemma and the other circus kids are being forced to attend public school. There she meets Henry, the financiers son; they fall in love and discover they are heirs to a 300...more

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Jan 17, 2012 Sarah Simone rated it 3 of 5 stars

I keep going back and forth between 3 & 4 stars. I would rate it a solid 3.5 if I could. I stumbled upon this in a contest to rate book covers. I voted for this one as most beautiful Indie cover amongst the ones in the contest and then read the information and thought the book sounded pretty good too. I did enjoy the book but felt it was too long. I found myself skimming and skipping pages that weren't necessary to the story. I would say I skipped approximately 20 pages or so that I felt unn...more I keep going back and forth between 3 & 4 stars. I would rate it a solid 3.5 if I could. I stumbled upon this in a contest to rate book covers. I voted for this one as most beautiful Indie cover amongst the ones in the contest and then read the information and thought the book sounded pretty good too. I did enjoy the book but felt it was too long. I found myself skimming and skipping pages that weren't necessary to the story. I would say I skipped approximately 20 pages or so that I felt unnecessary and skimmed a few more than that. It took me quite a while to get through this book. That's why I gave it the lesser rating.

The book is full of quirky characters who work at the Cinzio Circus and are settling into a town to stay. Gemma is your heroine. Henry is a local boy, the hero. There is magic and some action and blood and gore. :) There's happy and sad.

The parts that were good were amazing, for a first time author you can tell she LOVED her characters. I really enjoyed the theme and the characters as well. There weren't many plot twists, it was pretty straight forward which is fine. The characters were likeable, Gemma was a sweet heroine and Henry was a hero that I found myself liking. Gemma was soft hearted and a little bit weak but that's her character. She was beginning to become stronger in herself the further the book came along. Henry was a hero in every aspect of the word, saving the day in many ways. I found him to be one of my favorite characters in the story.

There was a lot of sadness and many characters did die. This is always sad. The book did end on a cliffhanger. I would read a sequel and am excited to see that this is titled "Book One" so hopefully that sequel is in the works! I would say this is solid work and it can only get better from here. I did even take time to read the acknowledgements in the back which is something I rarely do and found that I liked the author even more after doing so.

I give it a solid 3.5 and for the price recommend that everyone read it. You can't beat a $2.99 e-read. :) Thanks for a great first book, looking forward to the sequel!!! (less)

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Jun 23, 2011 Jen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: my-favorites, x-read-in-2011, young-adult

I LOVE this book! I want to join the circus! WOW! When I first read the Blurb I was like .. "My best friend is an elephant?" Weird! But nope not at all! At least not when you grow up in the circus!!

This book is an awesome PNR for YA (or my age :)

The book starts off as we meet Gemma and her unfortunate bad luck - seems like this poor girl can't get a single break. Her mother just died. She didn't know her that well. She was sick - seriously sick. Like Gem, her mom was able to see Shades (Spirit...more

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Aug 29, 2011 Naomi rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have never written a book review before. I was recommended this book via Goodreads and so got in contact with the Author Jenn herself to see whether I could get a copy of her book as I do not have a kindle (they scare me)! Since getting to know Jenn and finally receiving her book(s), I felt compelled to write a book review.

As other reviewers have stated and I'm sure you can all read the blurb on the back cover, the main character Gemma is a bit of a loner (a rather grown up one at that for her...more

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Nov 01, 2011 Bella rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

WOW this book was breathtaking. Form the start to the end and I still want more!! It was for sure a page turner and a must read. Lots of love, actions and just all you want in a book!! There was just so much story and I really related to the characters and each of there stories, I am SO excited for the next book!! This is a must get and a must read! I hope you fall in love like I did!!

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Oct 11, 2011 Kim rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, read-in-2011

The book was one of my recommended reads from goodreads based on the books I have read. I loved the cover and figured why not.... Sleight is a very well written book and the subject matter was so unique. Hello...circus performers, magic, ghosts, visions, evil guy, romance, betrayal. The book was awesome but for some reason I had some trouble really getting into it. I am not totally sure why but maybe the pace. It took me a lot longer to read than I anticipated. I think that the characters are ve...more

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Jun 04, 2011 Cynthia Cene rated it 5 of 5 stars

I fell in love with this book and got teary eyed in the first chapter. Actually, I was teary eyed through a lot of this book. It opens up at a funeral where Gemma is burying her mom. She didn’t know her mom all that well, besides the fact that she was crazy, and she doesn’t know who her dad is. So, Gemma got to full fill so many kid’s dreams and grew up in the circus! That’s not even the most interesting thing about her; the most interesting thing is, she can see shades (ghost).

The traveling cir...more

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Apr 07, 2011 Jaime (Two Chicks on Books) rated it 5 of 5 stars

I received an advance copy of Sleight to review from the author Jennifer Sommersby and was very excited to dig into this book. I love stories that have magic in them and I also love the circus setting.

In a nutshell Gemma is grieving her mother's death when her whole life us upended. She soon comes to learn that her travelling circus life will stop that she has to attend a real high school and deal with all that comes with it. She is a very strong character and isn't afraid to get her hands dirty...more

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Mar 29, 2011 Kara rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: animals, ghosts, magic, paranormal, young-adult, guest-blog, review-sent-to-author, signed

Sleight. Wow. What a read. I even read the acknowledgments at the end. I'd give it more of a 4.5 stars. I'll explain why in a moment.

First, let's talk about what I loved. Amazing characters, awesome setting, and a believable plot. The balance of the three was perfect. I couldn't honestly say that it was character-driven or plot-driven, because the balance was so well done. I loved Gemma, Ash, and Marlene, but my favorite character by far was Irwin. I would've loved to have someone like Irwin lo...more Sleight. Wow. What a read. I even read the acknowledgments at the end. I'd give it more of a 4.5 stars. I'll explain why in a moment.

First, let's talk about what I loved. Amazing characters, awesome setting, and a believable plot. The balance of the three was perfect. I couldn't honestly say that it was character-driven or plot-driven, because the balance was so well done. I loved Gemma, Ash, and Marlene, but my favorite character by far was Irwin. I would've loved to have someone like Irwin looking out for me in my life. I wasn't really a Henry fan at the beginning but he grew on me by the end. He was just too sweet to Gemma. I like a little bit of bad boy in my men. I was more of an Ash fan..but Jen took care of that for me as well. I can't reveal how or why without revealing spoilers, and I try to keep my reviews as spoiler-free as I can.

I love circuses. I know they are bad for the animals, I just think they make great book settings. Water For Elephants anyone? And I love elephants. I can't believe major publishers passed on this novel. It was fantastic. But I'm glad you went and published it anyway Jen. This is a book you can be proud of. And Lucian made such a great villain. One of the creepiest villains I've encountered this year so far.

I'd like to talk quickly about what I didn't like. And I say quickly, because there isn't much. Truthfully, I just felt like the plot could've been tightened up just a bit more. There were a few parts in the book where I felt the action dragged a little bit. There weren't any specific scenes I would've removed or anything, I just felt sometimes maybe the author went into too much detail. It was a bit wordy in places. But honestly, even though I thought that could've been improved upon, the writing was beautiful and it flowed so well.

Basically I'm just dying to read the next one. I've been told it's an action movie on paper. I hope certain characters redeem themselves, but that is doubtful. This is one series I will be continuing. Guys, this is a self-published novel. It is available for purchase on Amazon in ebook form. But you need to get it. It's fantabulous.(less)

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Apr 28, 2011 Caitlin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011, own, review-book

The first chapter of this book is exceptional. We meet Gemma at the funeral of her chronically mentally ill mother. Gemma doesn't really know how to feel about this; which is understandable. She is of course sad about her mother's death, and sad about how she died, but at the same time she didn't really see her mum or know her properly as she was hospitalised for most of Gemma's life. I love Gemma's family, the circus performers that took her in as a child. They're so realistic and they obviousl...more The first chapter of this book is exceptional. We meet Gemma at the funeral of her chronically mentally ill mother. Gemma doesn't really know how to feel about this; which is understandable. She is of course sad about her mother's death, and sad about how she died, but at the same time she didn't really see her mum or know her properly as she was hospitalised for most of Gemma's life. I love Gemma's family, the circus performers that took her in as a child. They're so realistic and they obviously all care for her. The circus decides to settle in one area for a while which is fairly unusual. This means school. Gemma's best friends within the circus are thrilled with this but Gemma is less than happy with the arrangement, she enjoys her quiet circus life. However at school, she meets Henry. Her first friend outside of the circus, I really enjoy their banter-laden friendship and I wish that had carried on longer than it did. Gemma is a fantastic character. She's not an overly brave almost martyr-esque character like some we see, she's just a normal girl that's struggling to cope with the extraordinary situation she finds herself in which gradually gets worse and worse. She openly admits just wanting to go back to her normal life, and yet at the same time accepts that this isn't possible. She's not whiny in her musings, simply scared and resigned.

This plot is jam-packed. No seriously, EVERYTHING happens in this book. And yet Jenn writes so cleverly that you don't feel at all overwhelmed by this. The last quarter of the book I especially enjoyed; it involved exactly the kind of plot that I enjoy. The premise of the whole book was very unique and yet very classically representative of the genre.

My absolute favourite part of the book was the writing. I really love characters and plot but for me, the writing style makes the book. Maybe its my inner english lit student having her say? I loved loved loved Jenn's writing style. It definitely made the book that much more enjoyable for me, and I especially enjoyed the way she ended each chapter.

I would give this book a 4/5 and would highly recommend it. Please don't be put off by the fact this book is self-published because I promise it's a better book than some traditionally published books I've read.

(less)

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Apr 15, 2011 Rachel rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: x, dac-2011

Sleight is the first self-published book I’ve ever read. It would have completely escaped my attention, had I not seen two fellow book bloggers discussing it’s awesome-ness on Twitter late one night. After reading a few reviews on Goodreads, I immediately downloaded it from Amazon to see for myself.

The story itself is one of the more original plots of any YA novel I’ve read lately. Gemma is part of an extended circus family, but just happens to have a “crazy” mother, and the ability to see shade...more

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Apr 25, 2011 Jenny rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011

This is a truly great story, the idea is superb and the execution is clean and bright. I loved every minute and couldn't wait to get back to reading whenever I had to put it down to face reality. We are treated to the sometimes snarky but often vulnerable inner thoughts of Gemma as she faces first the ordeal of not fitting in at her new school and then a whole spectrum of catastrophes and new experiences that are thrown her way. And let me just say it was refreshing to read this often told story...more This is a truly great story, the idea is superb and the execution is clean and bright. I loved every minute and couldn't wait to get back to reading whenever I had to put it down to face reality. We are treated to the sometimes snarky but often vulnerable inner thoughts of Gemma as she faces first the ordeal of not fitting in at her new school and then a whole spectrum of catastrophes and new experiences that are thrown her way. And let me just say it was refreshing to read this often told story with the twist of it not being the popular girl(s) who torment the protagonist but someone else.

In a circus I would have expected no less than brilliantly colorful characters and Ms. Sommersby does not disappoint! They come in every shape and size and are all unique and well-rounded. Every character in this story is a complex individual -- even the ones who seemed periphery had backstory and were well-developed. Right down to the silent, ghostly whittler who occupies the corner of the mess tent. I was pleased to see real people living and breathing on the pages of this book. The emotions rung true with every new scene and the relationships progressed so naturally even in spite of the limited time frame.

I was so impressed with the realistic treatment of Gemma and Henry's interactions. There was an authenticity to them that helped me stay comfortably in the story with them, living it alongside them. I especially enjoyed the fact that, while Gemma faces things she's not sure how to handle, she may want to run away but does so only when it felt appropriate that a girl her age would do so. There was no huge and unnecessary melodramatic displays of emotion that I've noticed in other YA novels. Gemma is grounded and may do silly things sometimes, but what teenager doesn't? The same goes for Henry and Ash as well.

The one thing I would have liked to have seen better developed perhaps is the relationship between Gemma and Junie. I felt that due to the constraints of the timeline in the story that we didn't get to see that fleshed out to the point that I felt we were looking at two girls who counted each other as sisters even though they both expressed that feeling toward the other at some point.

One of the best surprises is a secondary ability that Gemma develops. I've never read anything like that before and I felt it was very original, unexpected, and fun! Though the overall surprise with this book is that with its length, there is absolutely no fluff -- no extraneous scenes written just to make the book seem longer. Every scene has a purpose and furthers the plot or character development. Well done, Ms. Sommersby!(less)

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Mar 28, 2011 Heather Hildenbrand rated it 5 of 5 stars

Oh. Wow. This book, Jenn's way with words, the descriptions, the story-line, Gemma's snarky sarcasm, Henry's devotion, Lucian's deviousness... ALL of it is 5 stars. I picked it up to support Jenn and then I couldn't put it down because it was awesome!! I cannot wait for Book 2, and Sleight has officially crept into my list of top 10 favorite books of all time! Go and read it. Now.

The story is fresh and original and a new twist on "I see dead people". Gemma is likeable and relatable from chapter...more

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Jul 02, 2011 Anamy rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was persuaded into getting this by Cait at Cait Files. At first I found it difficult to get into as I'm not a massive fan of the fad with killing off of parents. However, once I started reading it I loved it. It's very witty and I adored Gemma. She is one of my favourite characters.

The storyline is very original, and I enjoyed the circus antics. Who wouldn't want to grow up in a travelling circus? Plus a pet elephant is definitely something I've wanted since watching Ong Bak. What I loved even...more

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Jun 05, 2011 Helen rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book surprisingly gave me a similar feeling to when I first read Twilight. I was quite disappointed when I got to the end and found that I wanted to read the next book, which apparently hasn't been written yet.
Gemma Flannery is a "circus kid" who has just lost her mother. Her circus family decides that the circus will remain in Eaglefern until Gemma, Junie, and Ash complete their senior year in the local public high school. There, Gemma meets Henry Dmitri whose father runs just about every...more

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Jul 27, 2011 Aimee (Coffee Table Reviews) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

What a fantastic read! I was instantly pulled in and couldn't put this book down. I love how different it is, from most other YA and paranormal type books. I loved the Circus aspect of Gemma's life. It was a great background for this character and it's so unusual that it really helps the novel stand out.

This had a lot of world building to it, and most times that can make a book a little sluggish, but Jennifer Sommersby nailed this perfectly. We got the story without any part of it being overwhe...more

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Aug 12, 2011 Marcie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Sleight is a wonderfully written novel by Jennifer Sommersby. Sleight is about a girl named Gemma Flannery. Gemma has had an unusual upbringing. For most of her life she has traveled with the Cinzio Traveling Players which is a traveling circus. Gemma is raised by Marlene and Ted. They've cared for Gemma since she was little. Gemma's mother recently committed suicide after suffering for a long time with mental illness. Gemma's father is unknown. Gemma also has a secret, she can see dead people....more Sleight is a wonderfully written novel by Jennifer Sommersby. Sleight is about a girl named Gemma Flannery. Gemma has had an unusual upbringing. For most of her life she has traveled with the Cinzio Traveling Players which is a traveling circus. Gemma is raised by Marlene and Ted. They've cared for Gemma since she was little. Gemma's mother recently committed suicide after suffering for a long time with mental illness. Gemma's father is unknown. Gemma also has a secret, she can see dead people. On top of all this she's being forced to attend public high school. Despite her anxiety over school she meets Henri Dmitri. Henry is the son of the town benefactor, Lucian Dmitri. Despite who his father is, Henry is much more reserved and a bit of a loner. Gemma and Henry form an instant friendship. However they are soon forced together to stop a madman from destroying everything they care about.
This story is definitely different from other stories I've read. I especially enjoyed the circus setting. It really added to the ambiance of the book. The performers of the circus are in a way an extended family for Gemma. They all look out for her.
Gemma has not had an easy life. Sure, she's had people who cared about her but she's also had the stigma of having a mentally ill mother. Gemma can also see dead people which makes her life, to say the least, complicated. Gemma is a good character. She is caring, smart and loyal. She learns a lot of heavy information in a short amount of time and is forced to deal with it. The only thing I didn't like about her character is that I thought she cried too much. Gemma relies on Henry's support a great deal. They have great chemistry together. And by chemistry I mean some hot smooches between the two. Henry has a bit of a rough history himself. I think that's what brings them closer together. Henry is very overprotective of Gemma.
The story is set at a fast moving pace. I enjoyed the action and the mystery. I also enjoyed the history behind the 3000 year old text, AVRAKEDAVRA. I also like that Jennifer Sommersby included quotes from other books at the beginning of each chapter. I love it when authors do this. I enjoy reading them. This is the first book in this series. Jennifer Sommersby ended Sleight with a cliffhanger. I love and hate cliffhangers at the same time. I can't wait to find out what will happen next. Overall I really like Sleight. It is a great start to this series. If you haven't checked out this book yet, you need to. (less)

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Apr 22, 2011 Missy (Two Readers Reviews) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook, favorites, i-own, signed

Sleight was unlike anything that I have ever read before. The story line, characters, basically everything was completely unique to me. Have you ever read something that you loved so much you didn't even know how to describe your love for it? Well it's kinda like that with for me with this one.

Let me start with the characters. First and foremost we have Gemma. She is troubled from the start considering, as the story begins, her mother, Delia has just committed suicide. Delia has been in and out...more Sleight was unlike anything that I have ever read before. The story line, characters, basically everything was completely unique to me. Have you ever read something that you loved so much you didn't even know how to describe your love for it? Well it's kinda like that with for me with this one.

Let me start with the characters. First and foremost we have Gemma. She is troubled from the start considering, as the story begins, her mother, Delia has just committed suicide. Delia has been in and out of mental institutions for as long as Gemma can remember. Gemma can also she "shades". Shades are dead people, but they do not talk to her. They just show up in random place like part of the scenery. This is something that is kept between her and her guardians because she is afraid everyone else with think that she is crazy like Delia was. Gemma lives with Ted and Marlene who she considers her aunt and uncle. They are all part of a traveling circus.

The circus is one of my favorite aspects of the book. I have never read a book before when the circus has played such an intricate part in a story. It was really interesting to hear some of the behind the scenes things about it.

I fell in absolute love with the other chararcters too! Ted, Marlene, Uncle Irwin, Ash, Janie, Henry and Lucian. I love the name Lucian! What a perfect bad guy name right? Anyway they all played into the story and were all fabulous in the roles that they played. Jenn wrote each character so believably. She made me fall in love with just about every single one of them! I wanted Irwin to be my uncle too!

After some odd circumstances arise, the traveling circus ends up coming to a stop because of Lucian Dimitri. For the first time in her life Gemma will have to go to public school to finish out her last 4 months of her senior year. She is very unhappy about it. She loves the secluded life that she has been living with her circus family. It is at the high school that she meets Henry, the son of Lucian. She instantly has a connection with him and he, like her, has a special ability.

It's through Henry that all sorts of revelations come about and Gemma finds out who she really is, why she has the ability she does and who her "real" family is. This puts Gemma and her circus family in great danger.

I LOVED this book. Actually love is probably putting it lightly. I am slightly obsessed with the story. It was absolutely fascinating. We are left with quite a cliffhanger and I don't know how I am going to wait until this fall to find out what happens. I might have to Twitter stalk Jenn until she tells me all about it!

Overall I HIGHLY recommend this book to people who are interested in YA paranormal. It was a fantastic and quick read. Jenn is a fabulous author and I can't wait for the next installment

This is another one of those books that kept me up late into the night and then followed me to work the next day. There was no way that I could wait a whole 8 hour shift before picking it back up again. Shhhh don't tell my boss! :)(less)

2 likes · like · see review

May 21, 2011 Bewitched Bookworms rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: review-posted, 2011-debut

You barley have time to breath since the plot moves forward so fast! I love thick and layered plots that is full of secrets for me to discover. Sleight definitely has such a plot. The world building is fantastic and the characters wonderful, deep and genuine. Even the secondary characters clearly were loved when developed and not just side objects in a novel around two main characters. Also, Jennifer Sommersby doesn't spare the reader big emotions which I always welcome, as hard as it might be.

R...more

1 like · like · see review

Jul 05, 2011 Angieleigh rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bc11-12

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my review that was posted on Amazon.

I wasn't sure I would even like this book as the description that was sent to me didn't exactly entice me to want to read it, but to be fair I decided to give it a try.

I loved, loved, LOVED this book so much! It captured my attention from the get go with a very interesting quote...each chapter is given a quote that pretty much sums up what that chapter will be about.

The only thing I didn't like abo...more

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Jul 13, 2011 Tee loves Kyle Jacobson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Warning: This book is very addictive and you will not be able to put it down!

My Rating:5 Elephants!

I absolutely loved the cover of this book. There is this beautiful girl with long red curly hair lying with her eyes closed relaxing on the green grass.

Let me start out by saying this was a wonderful read from what I had been reading. This is a story set in the circus. I have never read a book that had that scenery so it caught my eye. I absolutely loved the book.This is a story that takes you thr...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 30, 2012 Drottni rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, paranormal-fantasy, really-good-reviews

I am baffled by the number of great reviews this book has received. I don't understand. This book was nothing amazing and did not hold my interest at all. It became a chore to read it and finish it. I had wanted to like this book a lot (especially after reading the acknowledgments page) but sadly I can't even give a 3 star rating because honestly this book was "just ok". Yes the idea was sort of original (the magic and seeing dead people part was kind of a bore). The part that really had me intr...more

2 likes · like · see review

Aug 02, 2012 Cheryl M-M rated it 5 of 5 stars

I knew after reading the first few chapters that this was going to be a gem of a story (pardon the pun). It kept me captivated and made me grumble when it ended. The circus setting within the folds of a mysterious ancient magical set of books,which in turn are connected to the individuals who created them, thousands of years ago, is an interesting and amusing choice of scenario. Although perhaps sometimes reminiscent of Darren Shan (Vamp. Assistant) at times. The villian is portrayed by the desc...more

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About Jennifer Sommersby

I am a writer, copy editor, lazy photographer, and mom of four living in the Great White North. Originally from Portland, Oregon, in 2002 I relocated from Los Angeles to the suburbs of Vancouver, BC, with my Canadian husband and miniature humans. I studied English, political science, and criminology through Washington State University, as well as copy and substantive editing (2005-06) through Simo...more

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Quotes from Sleight

“You know what they say. When God slams a door on your fingers, he opens a window so you can scream for help.” — 15 people liked it

“I've never trusted calm; there has always been the hint of a gathering storm just around the corner.” — 10 people liked it

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