That Time I Joined the Circus by J.J. Howard

That Time I Joined the Circus 
Author: J. J. Howard
Pages: 259
Published: April 1st, 2013 by Point

Summary: Lexi Ryan just ran away to join the circus, but not on purpose.

A music-obsessed, slightly snarky New York City girl, Lexi is on her own. After making a huge mistake--and facing a terrible tragedy--Lexi has no choice but to track down her long-absent mother. Rumor has it that Lexi's mom is somewhere in Florida with a traveling circus.

When Lexi arrives at her new, three-ring reality, her mom isn't there . . . but her destiny might be. Surrounded by tigers, elephants, and trapeze artists, Lexi finds some surprising friends and an even more surprising chance at true love. She even lucks into a spot as the circus's fortune teller, reading tarot cards and making predictions.

But then Lexi's ex-best friend from home shows up, and suddenly it's Lexi's own future that's thrown into question.

With humor, wisdom, and a dazzlingly fresh voice, this debut reminds us of the magic of circus tents, city lights, first kisses, and the importance of an excellent playlist.

MY REVIEW 

That Time I Joined the Circus is a story of Lexi who gets a call one evening that would change her life. She is resorted to finding her long lost mother. Last address she had was a circus down in Florida.  To her disappointment and lack of surprise, her mother isn't there.  Lexi joins the circus that her mother left. she makes friends, learns to cop with a tragedy as well as cope with a bad decision she made before leaving NYC. 

There is a lot I could say about this book and how much it disappointed me. It had such a great promise, but it did not deliver.  If you want full details, you can always contact me and ask. I do not wish to bash the writer, but I will say the cover is gorgeous. 

{Arc Review} The Boy on the Bridge by Natalie Standiford

Title: The Boy on the Bridge {Arc}
Author: Natalie Standiford
Pages: 256
Published: July 30th 2013 by Scholastic Press
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Notes: This book was given to me by Scholastic Press for a review courteously of NetGalley. Thank you.

Summary: A new breathtaking novel from Natalie Standiford about love and trust during the Cold War.

Laura Reid goes to Leningrad for a semester abroad as Cold War paranoia is peaking in 1982. She meets a young Russian artist named Alexei and soon, with Alexei as her guide, Laura immerses herself in the real Russia--a crazy world of wild parties, black-market books and music, and smuggled letters to dissidents. She must keep the relationship secret; associating with Americans is dangerous for Alexei, and if caught, Laura could be sent home and Alexei put under surveillance or worse. At the same time, she's been warned that Soviets often latch onto Americans in hopes of marrying them and thus escaping to the United States. But she knows Alexei loves her. Right?

As June approaches--when Laura must return to the United States--Alexei asks Laura to marry him. She's only nineteen and doesn't think she's ready to settle down. But what if Alexei is the love of her life? How can she leave him behind? If she has a chance to change his life, to rescue him from misery, shouldn't she take it?

MY REVIEW

Laura Reid is a college freshman who takes a semester abroad to Russia because Russia is one of her favorite countries.  It is in Russia that she meets Aloyisha. He shows her the streets of Russia and the two start to fall in love. However, Laura finds out quickly that Russian's tend to want only one thing. A ticket out. Does Aloyisha really love Laura or is he us using her as his ticket? 

I felt this novel fell flat. It was hard for me to enjoy any of the characters. I expected more. In the description it stated parties and under ground. However, this wasn't the case. It was just house parties with Aloyisha's friends. It wasn't a secret romance as well. All her friends knew of it and so did his. 

Even though the story fell flat for me, I can see it being a hit for those who enjoy romance in foreign countries. The author did do a great job describing different parts of Russia to the reader, and I did get a visual of where they were at all times. That is a good thing for someone who has never been. 

Read the novel at your own discretion. The plus side is I may pick up another Standiford novel in the future.