#BookReview: The Ladies of the Secret Circus by @constancesayers

Synopsis: Paris, 1925: To enter the Secret Circus is to enter a world of wonder-a world where women tame magnificent beasts, carousels take you back in time, and trapeze artists float across the sky. But each daring feat has a cost. Bound to her family's strange and magical circus, it's the only world Cecile Cabot knows-until she meets a charismatic young painter and embarks on a passionate love affair that could cost her everything.

Virginia, 2005: Lara Barnes is on top of the world-until her fiancé disappears on their wedding day. Desperate, her search for answers unexpectedly leads to her great-grandmother's journals and sweeps her into the story of a dark circus and a generational curse that has been claiming payment from the women in her family for generations.



Goodreads | Amazon

Rating: 5 Stars
My Review: This was a beautiful and wicked book with a lot of humor.  I could not put this one down and I think readers are going to fall hard for this circus story.  This historical fiction story is lovely and so engrossing that I am just not doing this one justice. The mystery and just everything comes together to blend a dazzling story. 

Review

“Ambitious and teeming with magic, Sayers creates a fascinating mix of art, The Belle Époque, and more than a little murder.” ―Erika Swyler, author of The Book of Speculation

"A spellbinding historical fantasy....Fans of Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus will love this page-turning story of dark magic, star-crossed love, and familial sacrifice."―Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"At times decadent and macabre, The Ladies of the Secret Circus is a mesmerizing tale of love, treachery, and depraved magic percolating through four generations of Cabot women."―Luanne G. Smith, author of The Vine Witch

"Encompassing as many genres as a circus carousel has animals to ride, this is ultimately a story about love. Highly recommended for lovers of timeslip fiction, readers who enjoy their genres very bent indeed, and those who have dreamed of running away to the circus."―Library Journal (starred review)

"The Ladies of the Secret Circus is a dazzling tale, laced with sinister magic, blood and beauty, love and loss. This is a book that will haunt you long after the last page is turned."―Alyssa Palombo, author of The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel

"Romance, mystery, and a family curse — The Ladies of the Secret Circus has it all.” ―Popsugar

“Spellbinding. The Ladies Of The Secret Circus is a dazzling, high-wire feat of storytelling." ―Catherine Taylor, author of Beyond the Moon

Praise for A Witch in Time:

"A sweeping story of magical, star-crossed love, as glamorous as it is romantic. Prepare to be dazzled." --Alma Katsu, author of The Hunger

"A captivating tapestry of a tale, A Witch in Time weaves together the supernatural, historical fiction, and a humorous present day heroine, while traveling the macabre brambles of a dark curse-through lifetimes-with a compass to the heart."-- Gwendolyn Womack, bestselling author of The Fortune Teller & The Time Collector

"Fans of Deborah Harkness will devour this page-turning tale of love, reincarnation, and dark magic. A highly unique and enjoyable read!" --Hester Fox, author of The Witch of Willow Hall

"Fresh and original... a narrative rich in historical detail, brightened by flashes of humor, and filled with colorful characters and fascinating settings. A most rewarding read!" --Louisa Morgan, author of A Secret History of Witches

"I fell in love with Sayers' perfectly plotted debut. There's history and romance, humor and heartache, Paris and Hollywood, and a protagonist who's bewitching no matter the decade. It's time travel with a fresh twist!" --Karin Tanabe, author of A Hundred Suns

"Sayers cleverly twists the loves-lost-through-time motif....A smart, engrossing debut from a writer to watch." --Kirkus

"With lush historical details and a wicked sense of humor, A Witch in Time fully immerses the reader in the story of Helen and her fated demon, unpacked like nesting dolls across time and lives, fortune and chance. From Belle Epoque France to modern-day D.C., from worlds pastoral, decadent, flashy to commercial, Sayers weaves a spell of love, lust and magic to create a page-turner like no othe." --Steph Post, author of Miraculum

"Sayers traverses time periods effortlessly with lush, graceful descriptions....This spiraling narrative will appeal to fans of historical fiction and complicated love stories ." --Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Constance Sayers is the author of A Witch in Time. A finalist for Alternating Current's 2016 Luminaire Award for Best Prose, her short stories have appeared in Souvenir and Amazing Graces: Yet Another Collection of Fiction by Washington Area Women as well as The Sky is a Free Country. Her short fiction has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net. 

She received an MA in English from George Mason University. She lives outside of Washington D.C. Like her character in The Ladies of the Secret Circus, for many years, she was the host of a radio show from midnight to six. 

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Posted in: 5 Stars, Adult, Redhook, Review