Comments (27)

What did you think about this title?
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Jul 23, 2022CozyTea42 rated this title 1 out of 5 stars
Novel dragged with the 2 separate storylines-past and present. I stopped halfway into the book.
Jul 07, 2019EljayJohnson rated this title 2 out of 5 stars
Certainly a different storyline, but ultimately couldn't quite go along with the magical realism. Props to the author for writing something so immersive.
Jul 02, 2019LPL_LeahN rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
A librarian with a troubled past makes a chance discovery of a one of a kind antique book that holds his family's dark history, and possibly the key to saving his sister's life. This is a really solid speculative read. Beautifully written,…
May 22, 2019JCLJoshN rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
It seems obvious that a librarian would like a story about a librarian, but the truth is, a lot of books, movies, and TV shows can get it wrong when it comes to what it's like to be a librarian. This novel gets it right. That's the first…
Jan 29, 2019mls2 rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
Such an interesting and good read. Kudos to this author!
Nov 18, 2018ArapahoeLisa rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
Simon Watsons life is falling apart. He's lost his job due to budget cuts at his library. His house is in serious disrepair and is slowly but surely sliding off a cliff. His capricious, tarot card reading sister, is planning an…
May 13, 2018JCLHebahA rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
I'm a sucker for moody, atmospheric books, and this story drew me right in--a mysterious manuscript, a whisper of magic, family secrets and tragedy, a carnival, and a puzzle to figure out before tragedy strikes the protagonist's unlucky…
Mar 12, 2018JessicaGma rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
I liked the story but I get where others have said this isn't quite a cracking read. Despite that, I did find the characters compelling. Simon is unable to let go of the past for many good reasons, although his sister Enola is better at…
Aug 17, 2017m0mmyl00 rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
Simon is sort of hanging on to his heritage; living in his ancestral home that is swiftly crumbling into the sea, reluctantly in love with his childhood friend/next door neighbor, and directionless as far as the future goes -- an issue…
Feb 21, 2017coloradobuck rated this title 2.5 out of 5 stars
If you are not into tarot cards and a ton of mentioning about death and curses, I would pass on this book although the "holding your breath under water" parts as well as the family piece of the novel were were endearing.
Jan 02, 2017colleenb rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
This book reminded me of all the elements of John Irving that I love. Worth a read.
Jul 29, 2016
If my house was falling in and I had lost my job and my long-lost sister appeared out of the blue, I don't think I would become entranced in an old book about a traveling circus that mysteriously appeared on my doorstep. But that's exactly…
Jul 02, 2016thomqui rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
A rich read. Incredible use of language and imagery, a glimpse into a world that is far beyond the 9 to 5 most of us experience.
Cynthia_N
Jun 23, 2016Cynthia_N rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
Enjoyable read! I like the way Library Journal described it in their review, "creates a melancholy world with hints of magic at the edges." The massive amounts of horseshoe crabs on the shore was just an added oddity for me!
Jun 23, 2016ReadsintheDark rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
For readers that enjoyed Geek Love by Katherine Dunn, this book is for you. Infused with magic realism, the book takes the reader through a cursed family history. A wonderful glimpse into carnival history as well as a fun read for…
Mar 15, 2016abcDena rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
If this wasn't a timely departure from real-to-life, bleak-as-bleak fiction for me, I might have been more critical. But, I kept on because I love any story set in a library or bookstore that includes some intrigue! I could pick this…
Mar 09, 2016
Librarians, tarot cards, a traveling carnival - what's not to like? Ever have that feeling that things are falling apart? For the main character, it is, literally!
Feb 15, 2016ehbooklover rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 stars. Mermaids and fortune tellers. A mysterious book. A crumbling home. A family curse. A librarian! What's not to love? I spent all Family Day reading this. I didn't want it to end. A fantastic book full of wonderfully unusual…
Oct 16, 2015sagewolfe rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Librarians, Archivists & Carnies, oh my. This is almost the story of my life. Granted, I don’t live in a small coastal community, have neighbors who’ve known me since I was young, or have nearly as many interesting familial skeletons…
Sep 28, 2015vv8 rated this title 2 out of 5 stars
This was a book that alternated chapters between two different but interwoven plots. The historical fiction chapters were well-written and engaging. The modern-day chapters felt flat and dull to me. I had high expectations, and…
Sep 13, 2015finn75 rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
A great mix of the supernatural with the everyday struggles of modern life and family. A really good read if you like historical fiction blended with the struggles of modern family life and a bit of the supernatural!
Aug 31, 2015mjk236sb rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
An interesting read. Wasn't sure that I would like it or finish it, but it grew on you as you began to wonder more and more where this journey was going. Interesting family history intertwined with stories of old carnivals that played an…
Aug 19, 2015librarylizzard rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
I was drawn to this book because its main character is a librarian. He was VERY stereotypically librarian-ish (awkward, insecure, obsessed with books), but this book was about so much more. Why is his family, with a history entwined with…
Aug 06, 2015horsestalktome rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
I loved this book so much I ordered it for my SIL, which I hardly ever do. Like Sibelle60, it's my kind of book. Also recently read "The Lace Readers" and enjoyed that as well, but this one was better.
Jul 27, 2015readingold rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
Ah! Family secrets. My favorite! This one has more than one. A mysterious book, strange family connections and curses, traveling carnivals , and a house just barely clinging to the edge of a cliff. The story flips between past and present…