Circus Summer (Circus of Curiosities, #1)

Jul 09, 2012 Stephanie Ward rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, owned, will-trade

**Contains Spoilers**

'Circus Summer' by Kailin Gow is an interesting dystopian story set in post-apocalyptic America - now called the United - where people live in fear of the Invaders and now live menial lives without many of the luxuries of the past. In spite of poverty, health issues, and general problems, there is a bright spot that comes around to the towns of the United. It is called the Circus of Curiosities and it specializes in the unusual and dangerous. Young men and women from the tow...more **Contains Spoilers**

'Circus Summer' by Kailin Gow is an interesting dystopian story set in post-apocalyptic America - now called the United - where people live in fear of the Invaders and now live menial lives without many of the luxuries of the past. In spite of poverty, health issues, and general problems, there is a bright spot that comes around to the towns of the United. It is called the Circus of Curiosities and it specializes in the unusual and dangerous. Young men and women from the towns the circus visits are chosen to participate/compete in the circus to have a chance to perform in the Center - the biggest city in the United where there is still technology and money.

When I first started reading 'Circus Summer' and throughout the novel, all I could think about was 'The Hunger Games'. This book seems to have quite a few of the same situations, plot lines, and character types - among several other things - that compose The Hunger Games. There's the same love triangle between the strong girl who has to compete for her family; the boy who is in the competition with her who falls in love with her and helps her out; and the boy who has been a friend her whole life from her hometown who doesn't want her to go but stays by her side. It sounds like an almost exact match to 'The Hunger Games'.

There are some interesting differences that stick out in 'Circus Summer', including the Invaders and the rebel group that is secretly fighting against them. We find out the in the book that the Invaders seek out healthy humans and take over their bodies. The people of Earth have been waging a long war against these Invaders, but there is a rebel group that believes a dark truth is being hidden underneath it all. These people all have abilities such as telepathy and visions, which they are planning to use to bring the Invaders down. The heroine of the story, Leela, gets caught up in the middle of the war against the rebel humans and the Invaders - and she must make a decision to be another pawn in their game or to rise up and fight back with the others. Of course, thrown into the mix is the love triangle mentioned before, family issues, competing in the circus, hidden agendas, and quite a few other problems.

All in all, there is no denying the several similarities between 'Circus Summer' and 'The Hunger Games'. There shouldn't be comparison between the two books because they have their differences, but I believe many people will be turned off from this book because it seems to be trying to write the same story as 'The Hunger Games'. I'm glad I didn't quit reading at the beginning like I wanted to because it is an interesting read with a pretty decent backstory, although I was pretty put off in the beginning and many times throughout the book due to the intense similarities I mentioned above.

Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.(less)

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Jul 02, 2012 Megan (The Book Babe) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-on-my-site, received-for-review

Other reviews like this at The Book Babe

Note: Due to copy an paste, formatting has been lost.

This book was insane. It was scary, and full of dystopian elements, but with a hint of romance and danger. I really liked the character of Leela, because she was so determined to stay in the circus, so that she could go to the center and find a cure for her mother. I don't know if her mother's sick, or just plain crazy.

The story and plot reminded me of the Hunger Games a lot. A group of kids, sent off...more

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Aug 13, 2012 Bella rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: i-have-a-copy

What a great book! A story of survival all mixed into a circus was fascinating. Leela was one girl who had a big weight on her shoulders. Her father and older brother gone, leaving her home to take care of her sick mother and her younger brother in a world that was in crisis. Family's sending loved ones off to fight in a war they think is against people who have turned their world upside down. Then ever season a circus rolls into towns letting young boys and girls fight for a chance to preform i...more

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Jul 31, 2012 Kristin (Blood,Sweat and Books) rated it 4 of 5 stars

I received this book for review from the Author. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated in any way for them.

Review:

Circus Chronicles the lives of Lila Sinclair and her friends as they struggle living in a Post Apocalyptic Dystopian world where the only form of entertainment comes in the form of a traveling circus that appears every couple decades.

The Good

The Plot- I really liked the concept of this book, it wasn't your traditional Post-Apocalyptic story nor was it quite traditional in...more

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Jul 25, 2012 The Haunted Rose rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: ya dystopian lovers

Recommended to The Haunted Rose by: kailin gow

Shelves: circus-of-curiosities

Cover Thoughts-I like it. :) It has the circus feel to it with the horse rearing and the girl possibly Leela looking calm, collected, and determined.

First Thought-I have never heard of anything like this! A dystopian with killer circuses! This has got to be the next big thing in the book world. Secrets, romance, betrayal, and adventure await in this book.

What I liked-The Show must go on! I see this whole book through a kaleidoscope of color and music for every action scene. Everything is so vivi...more Cover Thoughts-I like it. :) It has the circus feel to it with the horse rearing and the girl possibly Leela looking calm, collected, and determined.

First Thought-I have never heard of anything like this! A dystopian with killer circuses! This has got to be the next big thing in the book world. Secrets, romance, betrayal, and adventure await in this book.

What I liked-The Show must go on! I see this whole book through a kaleidoscope of color and music for every action scene. Everything is so vividly detailed that I feel like I am there at every performance feeling Leela's fear and determination. My favorite scene was the one where Leela and Zachary know there true feelings for each other. I felt so entirely sad for Thomas, Leela's longtime friend. Leela has to get to the Center of The United. She believes they may have the cure for her mother. Her mother and brother only have Leele to take care of them so the circus might be exactly what she needs. Of course she heard rumors but she doesn't know what she got into until the first performer dies. It is then that she knows its a competition to the death. And only the top survivor makes it to the finals. Every death defying knife thrower, trapeze, fire eater, and animal tamer scene was awesome. Leela finds herself in the middle of a war between humans and the invaders who take over peoples bodies. Somehow they made into the Center. Now it isn't just about her mother anymore its about saving the entire United now. The end just blew me away. I wanted to know what was on the note the ringmaster gave Zachary the entire time and finally I figure out what was said. This is my next favorite dystopian series! Here's a Quote: What ifs. So many what ifs, and most of them are bad. There are so many ways my life can go wrong from here, and not very many it can work out well.

What I disliked-I think it was too short. I felt like things were happening too fast. I wish I could have read a few more scenes with Leela and her mother. It seemed like she hardly saw her. The story would have been way better if there was more to it. Maybe a scene in Thomas's point of view or something. I also was reminded of The Hunger Games a lot. A love triangle, the girl and guy is part of the "games" one guy wishes he could take her place and the girl chooses the guy with her. The mother is sick and doesn't do much. There is a younger sibling. The girl does most of the work to keep the family going. I bet I could go on and on with similarities but I could also go on and on with differences. Circus Summer does have its own originality even if it is similar to The Hunger Games.

Overall Readability-Very suspenseful and an all in one sitter. I wanted to stay up all night finishing it and I was very sad to know the second book won't be out for a while. :( I strongly recommend this book to The Hunger Games lovers or to people who just love reading dystopians (books set in the future with societies that fail).

My Final Thought-If you want to live, protect the champion. *goosebumps*

5 out of 5 Haunted Roses(less)

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Jul 04, 2012 Novels On The Run rated it 4 of 5 stars

MICHELLE'S REVIEW:

RATING : 4 INTRIGUED STARS!

The circus is coming to the town of , Sea Cliff, and it is not your average circus. On the surface there are the usual events, flame eater, trapeze, high wire, knife thrower, clowns....but what is this Circus of Curiosities really about?

I did enjoy Kailin’s dystopian story, I have many questions that are bouncing about in my head. I am not saying this is a bad thing. I have a similar feeling after reading this book that I had with ‘The Hunt’ by Andre...more MICHELLE'S REVIEW:

RATING : 4 INTRIGUED STARS!

The circus is coming to the town of , Sea Cliff, and it is not your average circus. On the surface there are the usual events, flame eater, trapeze, high wire, knife thrower, clowns....but what is this Circus of Curiosities really about?

I did enjoy Kailin’s dystopian story, I have many questions that are bouncing about in my head. I am not saying this is a bad thing. I have a similar feeling after reading this book that I had with ‘The Hunt’ by Andrew Fukuda. The reader is brought into this story and away we go, the world building prior to the ‘away we go ‘ bit, we don’t have. We are fed bits and pieces , and things get revealed to us, but we still are left with not a clear picture of the set up of this world.

Invaders....well, this sounded like only one thing to me, yet this is still a bit of a mystery. We think we are getting a Hunger Games style, kids in a circus fighting to the death, or worst, but there are more layers to this story that are beginning to show themselves as I got closer to the end. I did have a tad confusion with some of the plot depth, surrounding the why these kids had certain stuff done.....I’m trying not to give anything away. Because we don’t really get the whole war, invaders etc.... this is the only reason I have some queries.

The Prologue gives us a quick insight to the danger of the circus that Dr Dex Hightower is ringmaster of, then the chapters start and we get to know Leela Sinclair, Thomas Tattenbaum and Zachary Niles.

I really like Thomas’character, he is Leela’s bff, we can see he feels strongly about her. Enter Zach who has been Leela’s school crush since she was little and things get complicated.

I really love Zachary too. He is very protective and so is Thomas, oh the conundrum for me...hehe!!

Kailin feeds us more imaginative writing as we read more. She has a very creative mind and she weaves these seeds through this story that will come to fruition in the sequels no doubt. I have not read any of Kailin’s works prior to this one, so this may be her style.

I don’t know if I really felt when children died if there was the emotional side brought into the writing. These kids do not really know what they are up against in the circus and some think they are there for a reason that maybe isn’t a reason to be there.

It is definitely an intriguing and very imaginative story, where, you want to know more about what unfolds. Where the book starts in your mind is kinda flipped where it ends.

Things are not what they seem, and what seems is not necessarily true and real. The fact is, this world they are living in , just got a whole lot crazier and a whole lot scarier.
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Jul 14, 2012 Amy (Books, College, and Other Random Things) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

Leela Sinclair lives in a post-apocalyptic world where the Invaders have come in and changed the way everybody lives. The Invaders have taken all the modern technology that they know about and brought it to the Center, where the people in the government live.

Leela lives in Sea Cliff, a town where the Invaders have yet to invade, but have still been touched by the war through the draft system that can call on any individual when they turn eighteen. Her life is pretty predictable. She takes care...more Leela Sinclair lives in a post-apocalyptic world where the Invaders have come in and changed the way everybody lives. The Invaders have taken all the modern technology that they know about and brought it to the Center, where the people in the government live.

Leela lives in Sea Cliff, a town where the Invaders have yet to invade, but have still been touched by the war through the draft system that can call on any individual when they turn eighteen. Her life is pretty predictable. She takes care of her mom and younger brother, Mason because her mom is pretty sick. Her dad was called in the army and is presumed dead. Her older brother was drafted when he turned eighteen. When she’s not taking care of her family she’s either working at her job or at school.

One day at work, the people from the Circus of Curiosities come to town for sign-ups. People will compete and perform at the circus. Whoever wins will get to go to the elusive Center. Leela believes she will be able to provide medical care for her mother by making it to the Center. However, her friend and older brother’s friend, Thomas, tries to convince her not to sign up.

Several people from her town sign-up and includes Zachary Niles, one of the hottest guys at her school…and the richest. She doesn’t know why he would sign up. His family has loads of money.

Dex Hightower, the head of the circus, seems hesitant to let Leela compete and seems to know her mom a lot more than he should.
As circus practices advance, Leela and Zachary become closer and discover that the circus is more dangerous than curious.

I’ve only been to the circus once and can’t remember much about it. I might vaguely remember an elephant but nothing besides that. I know one thing the for sure, Circus of Curiosities wouldn’t be a circus I’d want to watch or participate in. Eep!

I was very suspicious of Dex when I found he knew Leela’s mom, and I still am. There is a big reveal in the book that I didn’t really see coming, but I did feel like something was off with the circus and expected something to be revealed about it.

I really liked Thomas and wish he was in the book more. I do like Zachary more by the end of the book, but I definitely believe I would like Thomas if he was featured more in the book. Thomas has known Leela since she was little, and Leela and Zachary barely know each other. I loved that Zachary was protective of her during the circus and expect a lot more dangerous situations in the next installment, Circus Autumn.

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Jul 17, 2012 Christina Madison rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: aliens, psychic-abilities, 2011-2012

Full review here: http://zodiacbookreviews.blogspot.com...

Leela Sinclair desperately wants to leave her small beach-side town for a better life in The Center and medical help for her ailing mother. When the Circus of Curiosities comes to town Leela, though hesitant at first, sees her chance to make it to The Center. Leela signs up as a volunteer performer, but when training begins she starts seeing signs that the Circus may be more dangerous than it appears to be. With help from fellow performer...more Full review here: http://zodiacbookreviews.blogspot.com...

Leela Sinclair desperately wants to leave her small beach-side town for a better life in The Center and medical help for her ailing mother. When the Circus of Curiosities comes to town Leela, though hesitant at first, sees her chance to make it to The Center. Leela signs up as a volunteer performer, but when training begins she starts seeing signs that the Circus may be more dangerous than it appears to be. With help from fellow performer, Zachary, the boy she's been crushing on for years, they make it through each performance even as the others suffer life-changing injuries and horrible deaths. Leela knows that she'll eventually have to go up against Zachary and as the final curtain rises on the Circus of Curiosities, it's not only Leela's life at stake but her heart as well. But as all performers know, the show must go on.

The prologue to Circus Summer gives us a brief glimpse into the Circus of Curiosities and what to expect. It's not your average circus with clowns, acrobats, and animal tamers (though they are there to save face). There is something more sinister about this circus. The performers are dying and the spectators keep coming back for more, as if unfazed by these horrible acts. What could these young men and women want bad enough for the slim chance of making it to the grand performance in The Center? Exactly who is Dr. Dex? And what is the true purpose of his circus? We learn that and more as the story progresses. But let me tell you, it's not what you expect.

The alternating POVs of Leela and Zach add depth to the story. I always enjoy reading stories from multiple perspectives. This gives insight into other characters and the choices that they make that we might not receive otherwise. Most of Circus Summer is told from Leela's POV and every once in a while we'll see from Zach's POV. Zach's perspective shows us a different world that Leela doesn't know about and secrets are revealed. Though I liked reading from Leela's perspective, I would have liked to see more from Zach's.

I like stories that make me literally feel something, kind of like a song that you can feel in your very being, and what I felt from Circus Summer was intensity, desperation, and fear. But in Leela and Zach I could feel a hope, a white light that shines through, and possibilities of a better future.

I found Circus Summer to be a very interesting and intriguing tale. I can't wait to read the sequel, Circus Autumn, to learn more about the war, the Invaders, the Circus, and the future of this series world and inhabitants. (less)

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Jul 26, 2012 Ashley (Firestarbooks) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs, must-review

I am going to start by saying that I had HIGH expectation for this book. I really hoped that it was a mixture of The Night Circus with The Hunger Game actual game part, but sadly it wasn't as good as I hoped.

The story was slow to start on the fighting parts. The world building wasn't much for the first half. We knew the world was a mess with the war and the plague. But throughout reading the book, I didn't feel the danger. I kept on thinking that the world was its normal self. The book was more...more

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Aug 05, 2012 Liz at Fictional Candy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, dystopia, future, ya, circus

This was a book unlike any other I’ve ever read. The subject matter, the relationships, the whole aura of it rocked me. I loved every minute. And on top of that, I received a raw print copy for review, which I’d never even seen a raw book before so I was totally stoked by that!

This is a sort of dystopian, post-apocalyptic story centering mainly around a teenage girl named Leela. Leela works in a restaurant and goes to school. But she also takes care of her ailing mother and her young brother. He...more This was a book unlike any other I’ve ever read. The subject matter, the relationships, the whole aura of it rocked me. I loved every minute. And on top of that, I received a raw print copy for review, which I’d never even seen a raw book before so I was totally stoked by that!

This is a sort of dystopian, post-apocalyptic story centering mainly around a teenage girl named Leela. Leela works in a restaurant and goes to school. But she also takes care of her ailing mother and her young brother. Her father is out of the picture, and her older brother has been drafted into the war. To say this girl has some stresses in her life is putting it lightly. Because life in Sea Cliff is definitely anything but easy.

War has torn the country apart. People will do any little thing they can to supplement their income. The modern conveniences we have now are gone; TV, movies, radio, cars… refrigeration. The wealthiest have some of the conveniences, but otherwise people are pretty much set backwards in time. The only complaint I have about this book is that the war is not really explained. We aren’t told how or when or why. But I am hopeful this will be addressed in future books in the series.

The Invaders experiment in genetic labs and many of those creatures now exist outside the labs. Mutated versions of terrifying animals are out and about; they are on land and in the water and they are a constant danger. Not much is told about the Invaders, but what we do learn is teetering on the sci-fi side of things, which I thought was a really interesting twist to the whole post-apocalyptic aspect.

Then the circus comes to town. But this isn’t any circus. It is the Circus of Curiosities, and Dr Dex is the ringmaster. The circus travels around and incorporates volunteers from each town to train and be a part of the show. They learn things like walking the tight rope and knife throwing, among more dangerous acts. The circus itself was an entire character, in my opinion. It was dark, mysterious and a bit dangerous. Much like a car accident, you couldn’t help but watch. I was just as enthralled as the audience in the story, I couldn’t even blink for fear of missing something.

Desperation will drive a person to do crazy things. Some people turn to addiction, some go to war, some love anyone with a heartbeat. And in Sea Cliff, some join the Circus of Curiosities. Leela is one of them, along with the boy she has had a crush on for nearly her entire life – Zachary. Her best friend, Thomas, tries to talk her out of volunteering, but he fails. Leela sees this as an opportunity to get more money to get her mother the medical care that she needs to possibly survive. She sees it as the only choice.

“…maybe that’s when I realized it. That this would be the rest of my life. That this would be as good as things got for the rest of my life.” – Leela, thinking about why she would join the circus.

Leela gets herself unintentionally involved in a love triangle between her, Thomas, and Zachary. I was fascinated how these three teens interacted with eachother. On one hand you have Thomas and Leela who are as close as can be. He harbors romantic feelings for her, but of course, she wants Zachary. But he is a good friend and he wants Leela’s happiness before his own. I really loved when Thomas came into a scene. His heart is huge, and the care he shows for Leela and her family is more than a bit endearing. But then Zachary was also fascinating. There is much more to him than meets the eye, and when he begins to admit that he has feelings for Leela the sparks fly.

But the circus is dangerous. People die. They actually die. But these are the lengths that people will go to, to try to survive. Dr Dex is another very interesting character. He is a man of many faces, and the more you learn about him, the more you can understand why the circus is the way that it is. I picture him as being very extravagant. He is just as mysterious as anything else in this story, and it was a bit like watching a disco ball. Whenever he was around, he shined, and you were mesmerized.

All in all, I really loved this story. I can’t wait to read book 2. This story had horror, mystery, budding romance and a love triangle. It was dark and edgy, and a bit out there. Like I said earlier, it was totally different than anything I’ve ever read. The writing is terrific and the storyline was easy to follow. Even though I, obviously, have never lived in a post-apocalyptic era, this was very easy to picture yourself there. I definitely recommend this book!
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Jul 31, 2012 Martha rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, own

There are few books that I get so into that I actually finish in mere hours! Circus Summer is one of those books. Not only am I glad that I got a chance to read this I'm also anxious for November, which is when the sequel, Circus Autumn, is scheduled to be out! Not once did I ever feel the need to put this book down. In fact, I couldn't put this book down. It had me so absorbed I barely moved from the same spot I was laying in!

Leela is of my favorite characters with her determination, drive an

...more

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Jul 08, 2012 Anagha rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Dystopian readers

Shelves: posted

An intriguing beginning to a brand new dystopian series.

In a dystopian society where the people live in constant fear of the Invaders (who are said to destroy everything in sight), the Circus of Curiosities, which comes to town only every few decades, is the only entertainment available to the people of United. Yet no one knows what goes on inside the tents of the circus...kids who signed up to perform are dying and a rebellion is rising from the townspeople, with unexpected allies.

I didn't find...more An intriguing beginning to a brand new dystopian series.

In a dystopian society where the people live in constant fear of the Invaders (who are said to destroy everything in sight), the Circus of Curiosities, which comes to town only every few decades, is the only entertainment available to the people of United. Yet no one knows what goes on inside the tents of the circus...kids who signed up to perform are dying and a rebellion is rising from the townspeople, with unexpected allies.

I didn't find this story unique at all. The main plot was taken from Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus, and everything else seemed to be a choppy version of Hunger Games. Imagine: a fiercely determined girl protagonist torn between two guys - the one she's known all her life and stays to take care of her family vs. the hot guy she meets at the games - and hoping to not fall for the latter because she must fight him to the death in entertainment the audience watches with zeal. Katniss becomes Leela, Gale is Thomas, Peeta is Zachary and Panem is United. Nothing we haven't already seen. Even the ending felt like it was modeled after Hunger Games (oops, I just gave it away, didn't I?) The only difference was unlike HG's characters, I felt very little emotional connection to these characters. Oh sure, I was rooting for Leela and Zachary, but when one of the tributes/circus performers dies, I should feel something, anything! There was no Rue.

On top of that, the setup and background of the world was not really explained much (I'm sure the author decided to leave it to later books, but there should be a little more world-building from the beginning. You learn more about the evil government along with Leela, but she doesn't really know much either, which is sort of disappointing. The author promises that everything will be explained once they reach the "Center". I certainly hope so.

After all I've said about the lack of originality in Circus Summer, it is a fairly intriguing tale anyway. Once I started reading it, I had to finish and find out what happened. It was an interesting and quick read and I hope I can read the sequel whenever it comes out, but I am in no rush. I don't feel emotionally connected enough with Leela and her friends to agonize over a Book 2.(less)

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Dec 25, 2012 Susana rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, sience-fiction, ya

I was expecting much more from this story...
To call this a dystopia is pushing it :( it has some traces of it. The story takes place in a distant future after planet earth has undergone a war.(???) The bad guys are called invaders and they've reduced earth tecnology to minimum levels. And that's pretty much all the information that is given to us readers. So the world building is pretty reduced, leaving us with little more than a....romance. A teenage romance.

Worst of all, leaving us with a love...more

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Jul 28, 2012 Beth Cutwright added it

I reviewed an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

So now what did I find ? Kailyn Gow is an author who writes smoothly and develops her characters well. When I picked up Circus Summer, I began the book one day and finished the next and I really enjoyed it. And I really want to know what will happen to these characters as this will probably be trilogy. Leela Sinclair is a strong female character. Although she is in highschool, she is loyal to her family and wants to do what sh...more

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Jul 09, 2012 Ellen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-tours

In this dystopian fantasy set in post apocalyptic America, Leela Sinclair lives in the small town of Sea Cliff. Because of the great war against the invaders, Leela's father is missing, whereabouts unknown, and she is left to care for her mother, who has a condition that no one can seem to diagnose, and her little brother. Food and money are scarce, there are few cars anymore, and even fewer jobs. Leela works part-time at a small diner in town in order to help make ends meet. When the Circus of...more In this dystopian fantasy set in post apocalyptic America, Leela Sinclair lives in the small town of Sea Cliff. Because of the great war against the invaders, Leela's father is missing, whereabouts unknown, and she is left to care for her mother, who has a condition that no one can seem to diagnose, and her little brother. Food and money are scarce, there are few cars anymore, and even fewer jobs. Leela works part-time at a small diner in town in order to help make ends meet. When the Circus of Curiosities comes to town, everyone is intrigued. This circus is not your typical circus by any means. In each town young people can sign up to participate in the circus in a series of contests, literally to the death, and the winner gets to go the Center, the hub or capital of America now. Leela ends up signing up, despite protests from her best friend, Tom and others. Zachary Nile, a hottie who Leela has always had a crush on signs up also. Leela and Tom have been friends since they were children, but their relationship is starting to turn into something else, and she finds herself torn between Tom and Zachary. Meanwhile, it turns out that the mysterious ringmaster of the circus Dr. Dex, knows a lot more about Leela and her family than she realized. Leela and Zachary soon find that there is a lot more going on than what appears, related to the circus, the Center, the war, and the invaders. Despite all this, Leela is determined to go through with the competition. The question is, who will make it to the end?

This was a great book. I am a big fan of dystopian novels and Circus of Summer did not disappoint. I really liked Leela. She was quite the heroine. The book has similar qualities to The Hunger Games, with the competition to the death between the young people, but was also unique with its own exciting story line. I had a hard time deciding which guy I was going to root for. Zachary and Tom were equally hot, and both seemed to love Leela, so I was torn between the two. The book was fast-paced and entertaining, and I read it in one sitting. Circus Summer incorporates romance, danger, mystery, and conspiracy, which makes for a really interesting read. The ending was good and leaves you wanting to know what happens in the next novel. Kailin Gow has written another great book and if you enjoy YA dystopian fantasy and romance, then this is one book you will want to check out. (less)

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Jul 25, 2012 Ashley - The Bookish Brunette rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian, 2012-release

"They'd seen their own children fighting and occasionally dying."

In what was once known as America, a war has raged for too many years to count. Drafters can claim anyone male or female at age 18 to fight for them- most never return. Raiders come from out of nowhere and take food, women or whatever else may strike their fancy. And then the monsters escaped the labs in which the Invaders had been experimenting on them...

I KNOW right?

There's not enough food, there's not enough doctors, there's no...more

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Jul 07, 2012 Tiffany Mahaffy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: wish-list, to-buy, arc, signed, own, paperback

The show must go on... Even when the people around you aren't making it out alive. In this dystopian novel the circus is only normal on the outside. For those that want to become a part of it, it could become the last thing they do. You will hold your breath while the participants go through the testing and start to compete in shows and cringe at some of the things coming. To many there is no after and to the others life will never be the same.

I love the prologue and the quick glimpse into the...more The show must go on... Even when the people around you aren't making it out alive. In this dystopian novel the circus is only normal on the outside. For those that want to become a part of it, it could become the last thing they do. You will hold your breath while the participants go through the testing and start to compete in shows and cringe at some of the things coming. To many there is no after and to the others life will never be the same.

I love the prologue and the quick glimpse into the true nature of the circus that it gave. I got that this wasn't going to be your run or the mill clowns and elephant kind of circus but I didn't expect the level of intensity that the place produced. This is a life or death circus that can provide you with everything or take it away. In the war torn world even the horrors and possibility of not making it is worth the risk to help put your family in a better place.

The book was told from two points of view. Leela and Zach both have their fair share of the spotlight. The alternating view between the two competitors makes the novel a lot more interesting and brings a better understanding of the two people. They really aren't all that different when you look at it. They are both strong, determined and wise. They work well together and become each others strength while at the circus. It also helps that Zach knows more than he lets on. He is defiantly one of the better good guys and even if he isn't out right about it all the time he cares deeply for Leela.

The biggest question I have is about the war and invaders. What I do know is that the invaders started the war. Not only did they come for us but they have been taking technology away. The Center is the only place that seems to have full technology and communication. Rather than the odd auto-mobile there isn't much for transportation either. This doesn't even really leave us much to fight the war with either. However rather than finding out a little bit extra near the end (I'm not telling what) that is all you really know about them and the war. This is just another one of Kailin Gow's awesome ways of entrapping you in her books. Always just leaving a little to the imagination so that you need more.

This book kind of reminded me of the trials that happen in Divergent. The world is different and the characters are far from the same but the danger they endure to be a part of something just gave me that feel. Actually it was a constant intensity like that. There was something beyond the practices and the shows but when it all came down to it, it is all of the pressure that each participant faces that draws you in. When you lost a person it was like that pregnant pause where no one knows what to say. Even if the character wasn't a well developed one you still felt it.

Kailin Gow's creative and imaginative mind shines in this novel. Bringing a reality that is cruel and horrible but balancing it out with compassion and bravery. When entering this book I was excited and curious, I finished this book excited and in need of the next one!! This is another one of Kailin Gow's masterpieces and one more series for me to need and wait for each release anxiously!(less)

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Jul 04, 2012 Michelle novelsontherun rated it 4 of 5 stars

RATING : 4 INTRIGUED STARS!

The circus is coming to the town of , Sea Cliff, and it is not your average circus. On the surface there are the usual events, flame eater, trapeze, high wire, knife thrower, clowns....but what is this Circus of Curiosities really about?

I did enjoy Kailin’s dystopian story, I have many questions that are bouncing about in my head. I am not saying this is a bad thing. I have a similar feeling after reading this book that I had with ‘The Hunt’ by Andrew Fukuda. The read...more RATING : 4 INTRIGUED STARS!

The circus is coming to the town of , Sea Cliff, and it is not your average circus. On the surface there are the usual events, flame eater, trapeze, high wire, knife thrower, clowns....but what is this Circus of Curiosities really about?

I did enjoy Kailin’s dystopian story, I have many questions that are bouncing about in my head. I am not saying this is a bad thing. I have a similar feeling after reading this book that I had with ‘The Hunt’ by Andrew Fukuda. The reader is brought into this story and away we go, the world building prior to the ‘away we go ‘ bit, we don’t have. We are fed bits and pieces , and things get revealed to us, but we still are left with not a clear picture of the set up of this world.

Invaders....well, this sounded like only one thing to me, yet this is still a bit of a mystery. We think we are getting a Hunger Games style, kids in a circus fighting to the death, or worst, but there are more layers to this story that are beginning to show themselves as I got closer to the end. I did have a tad confusion with some of the plot depth, surrounding the why these kids had certain stuff done.....I’m trying not to give anything away. Because we don’t really get the whole war, invaders etc.... this is the only reason I have some queries.

The Prologue gives us a quick insight to the danger of the circus that Dr Dex Hightower is ringmaster of, then the chapters start and we get to know Leela Sinclair, Thomas Tattenbaum and Zachary Niles.

I really like Thomas’character, he is Leela’s bff, we can see he feels strongly about her. Enter Zach who has been Leela’s school crush since she was little and things get complicated.

I really love Zachary too. He is very protective and so is Thomas, oh the conundrum for me...hehe!!

Kailin feeds us more imaginative writing as we read more. She has a very creative mind and she weaves these seeds through this story that will come to fruition in the sequels no doubt. I have not read any of Kailin’s works prior to this one, so this may be her style.

I don’t know if I really felt when children died if there was the emotional side brought into the writing. These kids do not really know what they are up against in the circus and some think they are there for a reason that maybe isn’t a reason to be there.

It is definitely an intriguing and very imaginative story, where, you want to know more about what unfolds. Where the book starts in your mind is kinda flipped where it ends.

Things are not what they seem, and what seems is not necessarily true and real. The fact is, this world they are living in , just got a whole lot crazier and a whole lot scarier.
(less)

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Jul 06, 2012 Wendy rated it 4 of 5 stars

I wasn't sure what to expect with this book. Since I knew it was dystopian, but also dealing with the circus, I was thinking it might be something like The Night Circus crossed with either her Desire series or The Hunger Games. Suffice to say, I loved The Hunger Games, but hated The Night Circus so I was a little worried if I would even like this book. However, I thought it was great! While this is definitely a setting-up book, there was never a time I felt that the story really dragged. Sure, t...more

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Jul 21, 2012 Michelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-tour, own, review-on-blog

Each book I have read from Kailin Gow I have enjoyed more than the last one. Circus Summer is my favorite one yet. The concept is creepy, interesting and really well developed. It's a dystopian, I have noticed that a good amount of dystopians start out with a similar base. This book is kind of like the Hunger Games, in that there is a super corrupt government and there are teenagers competing to be named champion. But that is pretty much where the similarities stop. In Circus Summer, the teenage...more Each book I have read from Kailin Gow I have enjoyed more than the last one. Circus Summer is my favorite one yet. The concept is creepy, interesting and really well developed. It's a dystopian, I have noticed that a good amount of dystopians start out with a similar base. This book is kind of like the Hunger Games, in that there is a super corrupt government and there are teenagers competing to be named champion. But that is pretty much where the similarities stop. In Circus Summer, the teenagers actually have to choose on their own to try and join this super dangerous and creepy circus. They each have their own reasons, but no one is forced to join. I liked that. Even though I can't imagine that I could even come up with a good enough reason to make me join after seeing so many people get injured or die from the circus.

Leela is the main character and she is a strong girl. She is also pretty inquisitive, which I loved about her. She doesn't simply accept things at face value. Actually both of the main characters have a healthy dose of skepticism, and I don't blame them. The world is at war with these people called "the invaders" and no one seems to know that much about them at all. Even the readers. The invaders are never really fully explained, because I think at this point in the story they are still a mystery to everyone. I am dying to find out more about them.
Zachary is her potential lover interest/fellow competitor. He is a very interesting character. I really enjoyed reading parts of the book from his point of view. I really like that about Kailin's books. She normally splits the point of views up by chapters, which is a style that I simply love!

The world in Circus Summer is certainly not one that I would ever like to live in or even visit. There are crazy mutant animals, dangerous experiments gone bad, and little to no technology because the invaders are drawn to technology and they have somehow destroyed it all. How they accomplished this was never really developed. I would like to see some of these questions get answered in the next book.

It seemed crazy to me that the towns people would be ok with the circus after seeing all the horrific things the kids have to go through, but no one really protests it. I think the nation is so oppressive that no one really feels free enough to protest anything. There are some pretty big secrets in Circus summer and some twists and turns within its pages. It is such a great book. I really enjoyed every minute of it. I thought the pacing was great, and the series looks like it is going to be pretty darn awesome!(less)

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Jul 01, 2012 Candace (Lovey Dovey Books) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Originally posted on Lovey Dovey Books

Circus Summer is more than what I expected! Kailin Gow fills readers with mystery, danger, and downright scary action. From its brave-hearted characters and underlying tension, the first book of the Circus of Curiosities series will definitely turn heads.

The Circus of Curiosities is a show that must always go on. No matter that its dangerous and violent. No matter that the participants, or contestants, are only teens. The Circus is more than meets the eye an...more Originally posted on Lovey Dovey Books

Circus Summer is more than what I expected! Kailin Gow fills readers with mystery, danger, and downright scary action. From its brave-hearted characters and underlying tension, the first book of the Circus of Curiosities series will definitely turn heads.

The Circus of Curiosities is a show that must always go on. No matter that its dangerous and violent. No matter that the participants, or contestants, are only teens. The Circus is more than meets the eye and it's not evident to all except for Leela Sinclair and Zachary Niles. The two Sea Cliff residents find their destinies in becoming circus performers, and even beyond if they win.

Leela and Zachary are brave souls. There's much suspicion regarding the circus, an aura of danger and violence surrounds the excitement. That doesn't stop the two from signing up or not quitting when the circus acts become deadly. Not even when they learn about the truth of the Invaders, who are somehow connected to the Circus of Curiosities. The Invaders are the source of strife for many towns across the country referred to as The United. The Invaders, the war, and the fact that the standard of living is not well are a few details that label Circus Summer as a dystopian novel. However, while reading I didn't quite feel post-apocalyptic vibes and I believe that stemmed from not knowing enough about 'the war', what has caused Leela's world to decline, or the parameters of who in the world has been affected by the war. I felt like I was placed in a point of Leela and Zachary's story without knowing what factors brought me to that point.

There are just so many questions regarding the world Circus Summer is set in and Kailin only dishes out a few answers. My brain is all over the place trying to put the pieces together, but I can't because I don't know everything. This is one of my favorite aspects of Kailin's novels. She never reveals too much information right from the beginning of a series, and her writing always hints that there's a bigger picture.

The characters are lovable with perfect traits: protective, determined, and wise. With the exception of the prologue, the entire story is first person perspective. Every so often readers read a chapter from Zachary which is a brilliant way for many sides of the story to come to light. Zachary knows things about the circus that Leela doesn't and his insight helps keep the story on the right track.

Anyone who picks up Circus Summer is in for a wild ride. There's no way to stop reading once started. After discovering so many strange events it's appropriate to say that the Circus of Curiosities series will only get "curiouser and curiouser".(less)

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Aug 26, 2012 Micheleann rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: kailin-gow

circus summer was a very interesting story about a girl who wished go join the circus of curtiousites to help save her mother but the circus wasn't what she thought it would be everyone around her kept trying to keep her from the realities of the circus ad time went on the challenges kept keep getting more dangerous but in the mist of it all leeela wasn't torn between two guys. the one guy she knew all her life and her circus partner s a book worth reading and I would highly recommend this book...more

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Oct 05, 2012 Tina Jeademann rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian, highschool, ya, alien, invasion, mutants, kailin-gow

This was good book, and very well written. It is a mix of Hunger Games, and Invasion with mutants thrown into the mix. I am curious to see what comes next, however I am not counting the minutes until the next book in this series comes out. I believe the next book will have a lot more action and reveal more to story.

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Jul 20, 2012 Veronica rated it 2 of 5 stars

Although I liked it, I'm forced to admit its 60% identical to Hunger Games, 30% similar to Night Circus and 10% of originality. It definitely did not feel new despite the 10% new and genuine plot device.

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Feb 04, 2013 ☆Jessie☆ (Ageless Pages Reviews) marked it as will-not-read

http://www.thebooklantern.com/2013/02...

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Jul 07, 2012 Shieka( Doctor's Notes) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Review to follow for upcoming blog tour.

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Nov 23, 2012 Nicholle Blaine rated it 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars

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Jul 15, 2012 Hannah added it

Shelves: didn-t-finish

Egh....I know it's wrong, but I couldn't get past the glaring similarities to The Hunger Games, which is disappointing because I love anything involving circuses/carnivals. I think I could have got past these things had the writing been good, but it just wasn't. The main characters narration only annoyed me. I'm not giving this a rating, because it's not fair really.

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Jun 13, 2013 Lily E rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, urban-fantasy, dystopsia

New to me plot, which is always a plus. I enjoyed the dystopian elements and thy way they were introduced. I'm also a faw of how there's a hint of the future books without the book ending in a huge cliffhanger.

Less well achieved it's the alternating point of views, but overall it's a lovely story.

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Jul 23, 2012 Brooke rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Night Circus and The Hunger Games ~ this is not, though it tried to be a funky combo of both. Though no where near as well written as those, it was an easy enjoyable read.

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Circus Summer (Circus of Curiosities #1)

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