8.20.2023 | Sunday

Freaky Days

Item: Freaky Days
Rating: 4.5
Author: Kim

category: Book Reviews
tag(s): adult
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title: Freaky Days
author: Amanda M. Lee
series: Mystic Caravan #1
published: 5 January 2016
publisher: WinchesterShaw Publications
genre(s): cozy mystery, paranormal
pages: 288
source: Kindle Unlimited
format: eBook
buy/shelve it: Amazon | B&N | StoryGraph | Goodreads

rating:

| series rating:

the blurb

The show must go on … even when monsters are afoot.

Poet Parker is Romani by birth and a fortune teller by choice. As a member of Mystic Caravan Circus, she’s spent the past ten years using her psychic talents to tell people what their future holds by day and hunting paranormal monsters by night.

You see, Mystic Caravan is more than just a circus – it’s also a force of good in a world that needs help fighting evil.

Poet is set in her ways – and happy with her life – until Kade Denton shows up and upends the entire operation. He’s loud and proud – and Poet doesn’t like anyone telling her what to do. As the new head of security, Kade thinks his only job is going to be tackling drunken revelers when they get out of hand. He’s in for a rude – and bloody – awakening.

When monsters strike and the truth comes out, Kade finds he has to learn on the job with Poet as his somewhat reluctant instructor.

Sparks are flying – both real and figurative – and when a truly terrible beast targets the circus for extermination it’s all magical hands on deck for the final showdown.
Some things are born evil, but the people in Mystic Caravan were born to fight it.

Prepare to be amazed.

my review
a few notes

I loved the premise of this book, and of the series to come. The Mystic Caravan Circus is, at least to the average person, simply a traveling circus with all the usual attractions. But there is more than meets the eye. Most of the core group are paranormal, the circus a cover for their true job… hunting down and taking care of evil paranormal beings, as well as the occasional evil human. The cast contains all kinds of paranormal types from pixies to shifters to lammia and more.

The cast is so diverse, so quirky. I loved the different personalities, the witty banter. Even when they are sniping at one another, there’s a sense of family. That was endearing.

My only quibble is with some of the characterization. Many of them come off as far more juvenile than they actually are. Some of it I understand, as there are a few who have had rough lives. On the plus, while these character flaws don’t necessarily disappear, they are explained and it lessens.

All in all, a fun read!

content warning: ❗some graphic violence❗

POV: 1st person
keywords/phrases: circus, supernatural, monsters
cover notes: gorgeous!

About Amanda M. Lee

When I was a kid, I was torn between whether or not I was going to grow up and be the Incredible Hulk or Wonder Woman. I flirted with being a Jedi Knight for awhile, but I wasn’t up for the intense travel associated with the gig. In my teens, I settled on being a writer — although I had no idea the effort that would entail.
Not only am I a writer now, but I’m a writer in several different mediums. I’m a longtime newspaper reporter, an avid reader and a voracious science fiction fanatic.