The BookFetish Blog

When The Night Circus came out on 2011, I immediately put it on my to-read list because it sounded like it would be right up my alley. A little magic, a little mystery, a little romance.

But then I read some of the early reviews- many of which were very complementary, but a few saying “hold on, not so fast” and I let the book slip further and further down on the TBR queue. It sat there until last month, when my book club decided to read it.

Before I give you my thoughts, here’s the book synopsis:

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per­formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart.

I’m very middle of the road about The Night Circus. I certainly don’t think it lives up to the hype surrounding it at its publication time. It was entertaining, but never a page-turner for me. In fact, I read two other books start to finish while I was also reading this one.

So many things fell flat to me. I felt like the story took forever to really take off. Finally, in the last third or so of the book, things began to happen and I got curious. The training of Celia and Marco is mentioned, but never really explained. As a reader, I didn’t feel any real connection to their magic. Similarly, while their time together was magnetic, I never really felt the jolt that caused Celia and Marco to have so many strong feelings for each other. I didn’t really buy their epic romance. We also didn’t get to see terribly deep into Celia and Marco to feel a real connection with them. I felt much more engaged in the stories of Poppet, Widget, and Bailey. Their stories had a more authentic ring to me. There are other elements that were touched on and I think would have benefitted from a deeper explanation, but I would spoil if I shared those, so I won’t.

The descriptions of the circus were very well done. As a reader, I understood the circus’ pull to the spectators, experiencing all the illusions of the senses that they did.

The most visceral reaction I had to the book was at the very beginning of the story when Celia and Marco were bound to the duel.  It was a magical binding, with rules that one of them will die, and this was done to them as children, and without their consent. That their parent/parental figure could do that made me angry.

Most people in my book club thought the book was OK, although everyone agreed it was a slower than expected read.

My bottom line?  The Night Circus is OK, but there are a lot of other books I would recommend before this one.

I’m a bit of a political junkie. During Presidential election years, and sometimes when it’s only a congressional election year, I obsessively check fivethirtyeight for the latest projections on outcomes. I get a daily email from NBC News called First Read that summarizes all the main political stories of the day. I’ll get sucked into any episode of the West Wing and follw the people on Twitter who tweet as characters from The West Wing. So when HBO released it’s documentary Game Change, I couldn’t wait to see it. Now authors Mark Halperin and John Heilermann are back with Double Down, which delves deep into the 2012 election.

If you’ve only seen Game Change, then you might assume Double Down is partisan. Although I now have the book Game Change in queue to read, after listening to the audiobook of Double Down I’m going to wager (see what I did there?) that the film Game Change told only part of the story.

Double Down is instantly engaging, enlightening, and entertaining.  It profiles the challenges the Obama administration faced running for a second term. It provides insight into all the Republican nominee wannabes, Mitt Romney’s eventual nomination, and the campaigns of both Romney and Obama.  It reveals behind the scenes drama and jubilation, insights into the character of the various candidates, what worked well in a bid for President and where the outcomes fell drastically short of expectations.

There were instances where I found myself thinking “Wow, we really dodged a bullet.  I’m glad ——– didn’t end up with the nomination.”

The book uses some incredible vocabulary. More than once I found myself wishing for a hard copy of the book so I could look up the definition of a word. In fact, that is the reason I bought the book of Game Change rather than getting the audiobook for it.

Aside from character flaws and endearments, and learning more about the inner workings of a high stakes campaign, the other key insight I got from Double Down is how a handful of very wealthy people decide who our candidates are, regardless of party.

The book took me to the things about politics I like most. The Cinderella moments, the glimpses of the people beyond what we hear in a soundbite, and the general frustrations with the process.  At times I felt the same fervor I felt during the election, despite knowing the outcomes already.

The audiobook narrator was good- clear,  just the right amount of animation, and well paced.

I think anyone who enjoys politics will enjoy Double Down.

I read Emma Chapman’s debut novel, How To Be A Good Wife, in one day. It is that much of a page turner, and the first book of 2014 that I am telling friends they simply must read.

From the publisher’s summary: Marta and Hector have been married for a long time. Through the good and bad; through raising a son and sending him off to life after university. So long, in fact, that Marta finds it difficult to remember her life before Hector. He has always taken care of her, and she has always done everything she can to be a good wife—as advised by a dog-eared manual given to her by Hector’s aloof mother on their wedding day.

But now, something is changing. Small things seem off. A flash of movement in the corner of her eye, elapsed moments that she can’t recall. Visions of a blonde girl in the darkness that only Marta can see. Perhaps she is starting to remember—or perhaps her mind is playing tricks on her. As Marta’s visions persist and her reality grows more disjointed, it’s unclear if the danger lies in the world around her, or in Marta herself. The girl is growing more real every day, and she wants something.

There were times that I did not like Marta. She seems clingy and whiny and wants everything to stay the same. But even that annoyance wasn’t enough to stop me from wanting to know more about the source of Marta’s visions.  Is she mentally ill, or is she remembering?

Marta doesn’t know what to believe. She knows what she sees, but her husband and son insist that if she just takes her medicine, all will be fine. Something in Marta’s gut tells her that isn’t so.  But can she get anyone to listen to her?

How To Be A Good Wife walks that fine line between what could be a mental illness versus believing that everything you know is wrong, but no one will believe you.  How do you know who or what to trust, if you aren’t completely certain you can trust your own mind?

Chapman avoids the ending that would make this a typical psychological thriller.   Instead, she gives us something a lot more satisfying.  As readers, we may not be sure it is the right thing, but we understand Marta a bit more, and the ending makes sense.

If you like Gillian Flynn, books that make you wonder what is real and what isn’t, or a good psychological read, put this one on your To-Read list.

Earlier today, I reviewed The Holdout. I really enjoyed it, and now, I’m giving you an excerpt to tempt you to read. Enjoy!

My only mistake was falling in love. Other than that I played a nearly perfect game. But it doesn’t matter. Do you remember Janet Jackson’s halftime performance during the Super Bowl back in 2004? It was stunning but nobody will ever recall the actual dance because at the end of it, she showed her nipple on national television. Well, Janet and I have something in common. I didn’t think things through, I exposed myself to the nation, and now that is what I’ll be remembered for.
Except it hasn’t happened yet.
I filmed the current season of The Holdout months ago, but it’s still airing. There are three episodes yet to be broadcast, and my most humiliating moments are still to come. Right now I only occasionally get spotted on the street, but I was edited out of a lot of the earlier footage. I’m not naïve enough to believe that will be the case later on. What happened was devastating but it will undoubtedly make delicious TV.
So I’m wondering if anyone will recognize me today, and if so, will that increase or decrease my chances of being dismissed? I park my car and walk from the lot to the federal court building, clutching my jury summons in my hand. If I’m chosen, it will be the second jury I’ve been on in a year.
Inside, I give my bag to the security guards and walk through the metal detectors. They give me my bag back on the other side, and I take the elevator to the fourth floor, which is where my summons said to go. When the elevator doors open I immediately see a desk and behind it stands a perky brunette wearing an adorable suit jacket with bell sleeves and a Peter Pan collar. She totally pulls it off.
I pull on the edges of my oversized sweater and smooth out my skirt. My outfit seemed reasonable when I left this morning but I’ve never worked downtown and I’ve never owned a pair of heels. What do I know?
“Hi,” she says, with a floating voice. “Can I help you?”
I hold up my summons. “I’m here to report for jury duty.”
She takes the summons and looks it over. “Robin Bricker. Great. Please sign in.” She gestures toward a clipboard with a sign-in sheet. Mine will be the fourth signature.
“Here’s your card.” She gives me a new piece of paper, and it has a stamp with today’s date on it. “Hold on to this. If you’re selected for a jury, you’ll present it every morning to be stamped and that will be documentation for your boss.”
“Oh,” I stammer. “I’m sort of between jobs right now, so there’s no need.” I tilt my head to the side, trying to stretch away the tension. Who cares if I don’t have a regular, nine to five gig? I’m not obligated to explain how I support myself.
She nods and oozes sincerity, and even though she’s wearing heels I tower over her. She’s the sort of girl I wanted to be when I was in high school. “Well, then you’ll get paid for your time here!”

Her perfect brown bob curls just so, right under her ears. Maybe if I blow-dried my hair every morning I could get my hair to do that too. “You’re a little early, but go ahead and have a seat in the lounge. There’s coffee, juice, and muffins, and in about half an hour, we’ll get started!”
I thank her and walk into the lounge, a large room with oversized windows and strategically placed tables and chairs. Although I’ve had breakfast, I grab a chocolate muffin because I’m still hungry, and besides, it’s my policy never to turn down anything chocolate. I lost a lot of weight while filming The Holdout, but even if I gain it all back I’ll still be thin. For the first eighteen years of my life I hated that I was always the tallest, scrawniest girl in my class. No cute curves for me. But once I went to college I appreciated that I could eat cafeteria food and still fit into my size six jeans, while my friends all struggled with the freshman fifteen.
I sit down in one of the many cushy chairs, take out my book, and settle in to read while enjoying my muffin. Who said jury duty has to be awful? But then the television that’s mounted to the ceiling switches from the morning show to commercial, and an ad for The Holdout comes on. My castmates are walking along the beach, some wearing teeny tiny bikinis, others shirtless in swimming trunks. Joe Pine’s voice can be heard over it all, loud and clear.
“This week, on The Holdout. The stakes are high, loyalties are tested, and hearts are broken.” Then it switches to a close up of Grant. He’s sitting and smirking; even the way he blinks seems self-satisfied while the waves lap the shore behind him.
“The Holdout is a game,” he says, “and I’m not here just to play. I’m here to win. I’ll do whatever it takes.”
Then – oh my God – it switches to a shot of Grant and me, locked in an embrace. But even worse, it switches again, and now Grant and Klemi are making out. Finally it switches back to Grant, sitting alone on the beach, laughing to the camera and clapping his hands. Joe Pine’s voice comes on again. “Will lover boy Grant endure? Will he persist? Will he be The Holdout?”
The commercial ends and I shrink down in my seat. I look around the room and see that others are all busy on their phones or reading the paper or nodding off as if they’re practicing sitting in the jury box. Nobody seems to recognize me, which is my goal. I’ve cut my hair since the show and I dyed it a darker blonde. I’d have gone more extreme, but contractually I’m only allowed to make minor changes to my appearance. So I’m wearing thick rimmed glasses with fake lenses, and I dress in ways that will hopefully help me blend into the wallpaper.
All my life I’ve wanted to be famous. Now that my day has arrived, I’m clinging to my old, faceless existence like J.D Salinger gone into exile after writing Catcher in the Rye. Except instead of publishing a groundbreaking classic novel, I got duped by a pretty boy and his girlfriend and cheated out of a million dollars. What’s worse though, is soon the world will see it all play out on national television.

You can get your copy of The Holdout here.

I’ve looked forward to Laurel Osterkamp’s books since I first read Starring in the Movie of My Life in 2011. Laurel’s latest release, The Holdout is here, and I’m excited to be a part of the blog tour celebrating the book’s release.

Robin wanted to win The Holdout, a cutthroat reality TV show, so she gave it her all, challenge after challenge. Then she fell for Grant, with his irresistible eyes and heartbreaking life story.

But Grant was only using Robin as they competed for a million dollars. Once home, Robin wants to hide from the humiliation as episodes of The Holdout are aired, and she worries her family was right all along; she’s not a survivor.

Yet she could surprise everyone, and have the last laugh.

Besides, Robin now has jury duty. And as she forges ahead, confronting her demons about bravery, justice, and romance, Robin will come to decide which is more important: the courage to stand alone, or the strength to love again.

I enjoyed The Holdout.  Like many of Laurel’s heroines, Robin is very relatable. She has her insecurities- and in this case, they get to play out in front of a national television audience.   Robin doesn’t completely wallow in her insecurities, though. She steps out of her comfort zone while serving on a jury, and learns to stand up for herself.  There is legitimate character growth in The Holdout, and I don’t think the ending is a foregone conclusion from the beginning of the story. Laurel could have gone a lot of ways with the story, and I like the way it unfolds.

One of the things I particularly enjoyed was how Robin’s family dynamics play out. I don’t have siblings, but I think Laurel shows well how the roles we have or are given as children follow us into adulthood within our families. Sometimes it is hard for our families to see us as who we have become rather than who we were as children. Robin finds herself caught in this trap. Speaking of Family, some of the characters from Laurel’s earlier books (Campaign Promises, November Surprise) make appearances in The Holdout. I like that continuity, the feeling that we’re getting to catch up with old friends.

I think Laurel is underrated, and I hope more people learn about her books. Check out these links to learn more about Laurel and get your own copy of The Holdout.

About Laurel:

Laurel Osterkamp’s award winning novels have been hailed as funny, intelligent, snarky and poignant. She is the author of four novels and two novellas, including the November Surprise series, which, like The Holdout, features the Bricker family. Laurel was recently on a federal jury, and she loves watching Survivor.

Connect with Laurel:

Website: www.laurelosterkamp.com
Blog: www.laurelosterkamp.blogspot.com
Goodreads author page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/970925.Laurel_Osterkamp?from_search=true

Twitter: @laurelosterkamp
Buy the Book!
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F2LSB6W/ref=s9_simh_gw_p351_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0FMD5STXSMV1XEKM48XP&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1688200382&pf_rd_i=507846

*Anyone who leaves a comment on the tour page will be entered to win a $20 Amazon gift card! Anyone who purchases their copy of The Holdout before January 24 and sends their receipt to Samantha (at) ChickLitPlus (dot) com will get 5 bonus entries!*

http://www.clpblogtours.com/2013/11/the-holdout-by-laurel-osterkamp.html

Book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIJaYzB5Xjc