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That Time I Joined the Circus
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.
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.
259 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2013
45 people are currently reading
5708 people want to read
About the author
J.J. Howard
11 books190 followersJ.J. Howard writes YA and MG books. She lives in West Palm Beach, Florida. Her assistant is named Willow—a miniature dachshund with a lot of great ideas—most of them involving dinner or at least snacks. Her books include the young adult novels THAT TIME I JOINED THE CIRCUS and TRACERS. Her middle grade novels include SIT, STAY, LOVE, Z ON LOCATION (an American Girls Book), PUGS AND KISSES, PUGS IN A BLANKET, THE LOVE PUG, and GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE PUGS.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 329 reviews
April 7, 2013
A sweet and enchanting, read, this novel brings us to a circus where New York City girl, Lexi, figures out who she is, and where she wants to go in life.
Having been a big fan of Water for Elephants, I've since had a liking for books revolving around the circus, so That Time I Joined the Circus had me instantly intrigued by its title alone. Although it is much different from Water for Elephants; where that book is dark and dangerous, this one is light and cute, I found a similar kind of adoration for it nonetheless. Moreover, the magic of the circus, while less vibrant than the intensely atmospheric Water for Elephants, is present through a different light in this friendship-filled modern day traveling circus venture.
Lexi has always been kind of a loner. She has a couple of very close friends with whom she's had a falling out with, thus finding herself alone when her father dies. Her situation is undoubtedly sad and very easy to relate to. Even if you're far from ever having been in such a situation, she has that kind of loneliness that I'm sure we all experienced once or twice during our teens. When she gets hired in the circus, she has to adapt to foreign place and situations that she never thought she'd find herself in and we really see some big character growth happening in the story. She's a determined and strong soul that I easily found myself rooting for through and through. In a situation where a lot of people would have broken down, she did what had to be done; I commend her for it!
Being set in the circus means many things, but the best of them is the colourful set of secondary characters that get to be a part of this story. Even though this cast is kept relatively small in comparison to similar settings, with only 5-6 of them, they come with fun quirks and sweet moments, developing a wonderful group dynamic. I especially enjoyed Louie's daughters; these two girls whom at first came off as cold surprised me by becoming very endearing to Lexi. Their friendship blooms throughout, giving us a lot of lighthearted moments that you usually only see from the most seasoned of friendships. There are boys walking in the midst as well. The romance is done very differently in this novel. There is no love triangle, but Lexi does make a few mistakes and life experiences before finding out who she truly wants to be with. I thought this was a realistic portrait of most teenage relationships. It's at a time in your life where you don't really know what kind of guy you're looking for. The romance itself, though, never becomes the main focus of the plot; it's simply another sliver of Lexi's self-discovery--which is, in the end, what this novel is truly about.
Friendship and family play the biggest parts in this story, with a setting that brings about a unique and exotic atmosphere filled with lights, magic, and music, and a young girl who truly finds herself, in the middle of it all.
--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
Having been a big fan of Water for Elephants, I've since had a liking for books revolving around the circus, so That Time I Joined the Circus had me instantly intrigued by its title alone. Although it is much different from Water for Elephants; where that book is dark and dangerous, this one is light and cute, I found a similar kind of adoration for it nonetheless. Moreover, the magic of the circus, while less vibrant than the intensely atmospheric Water for Elephants, is present through a different light in this friendship-filled modern day traveling circus venture.
Lexi has always been kind of a loner. She has a couple of very close friends with whom she's had a falling out with, thus finding herself alone when her father dies. Her situation is undoubtedly sad and very easy to relate to. Even if you're far from ever having been in such a situation, she has that kind of loneliness that I'm sure we all experienced once or twice during our teens. When she gets hired in the circus, she has to adapt to foreign place and situations that she never thought she'd find herself in and we really see some big character growth happening in the story. She's a determined and strong soul that I easily found myself rooting for through and through. In a situation where a lot of people would have broken down, she did what had to be done; I commend her for it!
Being set in the circus means many things, but the best of them is the colourful set of secondary characters that get to be a part of this story. Even though this cast is kept relatively small in comparison to similar settings, with only 5-6 of them, they come with fun quirks and sweet moments, developing a wonderful group dynamic. I especially enjoyed Louie's daughters; these two girls whom at first came off as cold surprised me by becoming very endearing to Lexi. Their friendship blooms throughout, giving us a lot of lighthearted moments that you usually only see from the most seasoned of friendships. There are boys walking in the midst as well. The romance is done very differently in this novel. There is no love triangle, but Lexi does make a few mistakes and life experiences before finding out who she truly wants to be with. I thought this was a realistic portrait of most teenage relationships. It's at a time in your life where you don't really know what kind of guy you're looking for. The romance itself, though, never becomes the main focus of the plot; it's simply another sliver of Lexi's self-discovery--which is, in the end, what this novel is truly about.
Friendship and family play the biggest parts in this story, with a setting that brings about a unique and exotic atmosphere filled with lights, magic, and music, and a young girl who truly finds herself, in the middle of it all.
--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
April 6, 2013
Initial reaction: Despite an atmospheric implied promo, "That Time I Joined the Circus" really doesn't quite match up to the mark of what the story's about, and was a bit of a lukewarm read for me despite several problems. Lexi's a young woman who, after a series of difficult blows in her life, searches for her mother, who might have joined a circus. She finds more than she bargained for in her journey, including three guys she has conflicted feelings for, and a mother who didn't leave under the measures that Lexi thought she had. The music/pop culture references in here were a little overmuch, but I did like some attempts of intimacy addressed with them.
Full review:
I think "That Time I Joined the Circus" could've been an even more potent coming of age/coming to terms novel that it was. In the aftermath of reading it, it was largely forgettable. It's not that I didn't appreciate the music references, the heartache the character faced with leaving home and having to make a living for herself in light of terrible events. I found that Lexi's character was trying too hard in many dimensions, not just in her actions and relationships, but in the voice of the character as well. I also had a hard time keeping track of whether she was named Lexi or Xandra, considering the crossing of different timelines and players in this story. For convenience sake, I'll call her Lexi.
Lexi literally has no money or value to her name. She's kicked out of high school, sells what possessions she owns in her apartment, and sets off to find her mother, whom she believes has joined a circus. She happens upon a circus group that had known her mother for a brief time before she took off, and goes to work for them to get enough to live off. In that time, she meets two boys who end up vying for her affections, and ends up reuniting with a third she was hurt by and left behind.
Lexi has a passion for music and often makes references to songs and artists which fit to her situation and interests. I appreciated this in spurts. I recognized the songs with ease because some of them are contemporary and others are from my generation (Keane, Radiohead, Gin Blossoms, Broken Bells - there are a lot of gems in here). At the same time, while some of these references do hit home in certain scenes, others are simply dropped in for the sake of being "cool". Even Lexi employs language that tries to be trendy and fails miserably (including use of an ableist term. *winces*)
There were moments of this novel that had resonance, such as what happened to Lexi's family that ended up pulling them apart and having her set off on her own. Yet, I was skeptical of many things, including the in and out dealings that Lexi had with the boys she knew. Particularly considering her role with Eli. It was difficult enough with the way the narrative kept jumping around on the timeline. That made it difficult to connect to certain revelations as well as they could've been. But with Eli coming back into the picture, and the way the narrative juggled Lexi dealing with each of the three guys AND then coming to terms with her mother and the revelations with that, it felt somewhat muddled to me. I really couldn't feel as strongly for any of the characters here because they weren't really given as much individual weight, nor with even progression with the way the story was told.
Even with this story being about forgiveness and coming to terms, the treatment of those matters came too quick and too light to really delve into the seriousness of them, and it wasn't supplemented well with Lexi's voice. I did like parts of the atmosphere drawn in the circus environment, and some of the workers that Lexi gets to know, but ultimately, it wasn't enough for me to say that I had more than a lukewarm impression of this overarching novel. The ties at the end show at least a hopeful road for Lexi in the future, though not with the connection I'd hoped to have with this novel.
Overall score: 2/5
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher Scholastic.
Full review:
I think "That Time I Joined the Circus" could've been an even more potent coming of age/coming to terms novel that it was. In the aftermath of reading it, it was largely forgettable. It's not that I didn't appreciate the music references, the heartache the character faced with leaving home and having to make a living for herself in light of terrible events. I found that Lexi's character was trying too hard in many dimensions, not just in her actions and relationships, but in the voice of the character as well. I also had a hard time keeping track of whether she was named Lexi or Xandra, considering the crossing of different timelines and players in this story. For convenience sake, I'll call her Lexi.
Lexi literally has no money or value to her name. She's kicked out of high school, sells what possessions she owns in her apartment, and sets off to find her mother, whom she believes has joined a circus. She happens upon a circus group that had known her mother for a brief time before she took off, and goes to work for them to get enough to live off. In that time, she meets two boys who end up vying for her affections, and ends up reuniting with a third she was hurt by and left behind.
Lexi has a passion for music and often makes references to songs and artists which fit to her situation and interests. I appreciated this in spurts. I recognized the songs with ease because some of them are contemporary and others are from my generation (Keane, Radiohead, Gin Blossoms, Broken Bells - there are a lot of gems in here). At the same time, while some of these references do hit home in certain scenes, others are simply dropped in for the sake of being "cool". Even Lexi employs language that tries to be trendy and fails miserably (including use of an ableist term. *winces*)
There were moments of this novel that had resonance, such as what happened to Lexi's family that ended up pulling them apart and having her set off on her own. Yet, I was skeptical of many things, including the in and out dealings that Lexi had with the boys she knew. Particularly considering her role with Eli. It was difficult enough with the way the narrative kept jumping around on the timeline. That made it difficult to connect to certain revelations as well as they could've been. But with Eli coming back into the picture, and the way the narrative juggled Lexi dealing with each of the three guys AND then coming to terms with her mother and the revelations with that, it felt somewhat muddled to me. I really couldn't feel as strongly for any of the characters here because they weren't really given as much individual weight, nor with even progression with the way the story was told.
Even with this story being about forgiveness and coming to terms, the treatment of those matters came too quick and too light to really delve into the seriousness of them, and it wasn't supplemented well with Lexi's voice. I did like parts of the atmosphere drawn in the circus environment, and some of the workers that Lexi gets to know, but ultimately, it wasn't enough for me to say that I had more than a lukewarm impression of this overarching novel. The ties at the end show at least a hopeful road for Lexi in the future, though not with the connection I'd hoped to have with this novel.
Overall score: 2/5
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher Scholastic.
May 7, 2013
This book, oh this book. It starts off rather nicely. It certainly is very readable and the protagonist, Lexi, is initially rather relatable and more importantly, easy to empathize with. Her life falls apart completely and she has no choice but to hare across the country (ish?) to find her mother who, according to her sources, is working at a circus. Only the circus comes along without her mother in it.
The trouble I had with this book is the lack of realism in the characters and the events occurring and the decidedly Mary Sue-ishness of the protagonist. I am totally cynical so I did not believe that Louie, the owner of the circus, accepts Lexi into the circus out of the goodness of his heart. Just like that. I do not believe that he would concern himself with the details of what she’s doing as long as she was doing something. I do not believe that Lexi would remain unscathed living with men in a small trailer as she does and that she has no problem abandoning a fellow girl to her fate when Louie’s daughter suddenly asks her to move in. I don’t believe anyone would be so nice as to share to limited space with a sudden friend.
Also, Lexi had the potential to be a substantial character but because things happen for her so smoothly, she just never develops into anything. At all. And apparently she’s irresistible to boys because there’s the best friend she fooled around with in New York, the ride attendant dude at the circus and this seemingly divine creature called Nick who, for reasons I cannot even begin to comprehend, falls for Lexi but out of the goodness of his heart and very noble attentions, decides to back off and let Lexi go free…yeah, I don’t get it. It’s like something out of the 18th century. And they barely knew each other, Nick and Lexi, and she’s hurting and so in love with Nick and I’m throwing up in my mouth, yeah.
I thought this would be a mother/daughter book. I was wrong. The mother does appear for all of 45 seconds because Nick being handsome, rich and noble, finds her for Lexi (out of the goodness of his heart, remember that, the man has a heart of premium gold) and somehow, Lexi’s dad turns into a bad guy DESPITE the fact that the mother CHEATED on him. And he’s the bad guy. Why yes, I barfed again a bit.
The problem with this book was that nothing seemed organic. Things didn’t happen as a matter of course, naturally due to the narrative, no. Things seemed unnatural and cobbled together because there needed to be a plot and the author needed to get from A to be B. I get it. Writing is difficult and sometimes seems downright impossible but there’s a certain art to the craft that I found this novel to be lacking.
It’s not the worst book I have read but it is one of the most ridiculous. I can’t recommend it to you guys but hey, you may like it anyway.
The trouble I had with this book is the lack of realism in the characters and the events occurring and the decidedly Mary Sue-ishness of the protagonist. I am totally cynical so I did not believe that Louie, the owner of the circus, accepts Lexi into the circus out of the goodness of his heart. Just like that. I do not believe that he would concern himself with the details of what she’s doing as long as she was doing something. I do not believe that Lexi would remain unscathed living with men in a small trailer as she does and that she has no problem abandoning a fellow girl to her fate when Louie’s daughter suddenly asks her to move in. I don’t believe anyone would be so nice as to share to limited space with a sudden friend.
Also, Lexi had the potential to be a substantial character but because things happen for her so smoothly, she just never develops into anything. At all. And apparently she’s irresistible to boys because there’s the best friend she fooled around with in New York, the ride attendant dude at the circus and this seemingly divine creature called Nick who, for reasons I cannot even begin to comprehend, falls for Lexi but out of the goodness of his heart and very noble attentions, decides to back off and let Lexi go free…yeah, I don’t get it. It’s like something out of the 18th century. And they barely knew each other, Nick and Lexi, and she’s hurting and so in love with Nick and I’m throwing up in my mouth, yeah.
I thought this would be a mother/daughter book. I was wrong. The mother does appear for all of 45 seconds because Nick being handsome, rich and noble, finds her for Lexi (out of the goodness of his heart, remember that, the man has a heart of premium gold) and somehow, Lexi’s dad turns into a bad guy DESPITE the fact that the mother CHEATED on him. And he’s the bad guy. Why yes, I barfed again a bit.
The problem with this book was that nothing seemed organic. Things didn’t happen as a matter of course, naturally due to the narrative, no. Things seemed unnatural and cobbled together because there needed to be a plot and the author needed to get from A to be B. I get it. Writing is difficult and sometimes seems downright impossible but there’s a certain art to the craft that I found this novel to be lacking.
It’s not the worst book I have read but it is one of the most ridiculous. I can’t recommend it to you guys but hey, you may like it anyway.
August 8, 2013
It's weird, I really liked this book after I finished and had originally given it a four star rating. But now the more I think about it, the more angry I get at this book.
After a sudden tragedy and a mistake that has left her friendless, Lexi Ryan finds that she has no choice but to leave New York in search of an estranged mother. She goes looking for her in Florida where she thinks that her mother has joined a traveling circus. She doesn't find her mother but has no money and has run out of options so she decides to join the circus herself.
I was originally wrapped up in this book because of its setting: the circus! I don't normally see many books about this anymore, so of course I was enchanted by the idea of it all. I wanted to be a part of all the "magic" along with Lexi. The beginning is great, it's all very realistic towards how circus life isn't all that glamorous. I like Lexi's personality and her love of music. In fact, every chapter began with different lyric quotes and this I absolutely loved. I also loved how every other chapter was kind of like a flashback that told us the story of how she came to be in the situation she was.
It all goes down hill about a little over half way through the book. This is a coming of age story and you can see that there's some character growth for Lexi in the beginning. But after that it all got messy and skipped over all the "self discovery" process that comes along with learning to forgive and coming to terms with loss. She makes some friends and gets involved in a few romantic relationships but really there was no character development for these side-characters. They were forgettable and it felt like they were just added in to make the plot "more exciting". I was perfectly fine with the story centering around Lexi's coming of age, I didn't need romantic interests to be added in just to be props, thank you!
Lexi's first "love interest" was a boy named Jamie working on the midway of the circus. I really liked his character in the beginning and I thought he was being a great friend. He was charming, funny, and smart. He was kind of a big part until out of nowhere Lexi kisses him then ignores him practically the rest of the book. I mean seriously? After that he basically wasn't even in the book and then when he's a part of it at the end, it seems as if the author switched him out with someone else.
Then all of a sudden Lexi falls in love with Nick, who supposedly is 19, but for some reason talks and acts like a thirty year old. We never see this relationship develop, so it wasn't in any way believable for me. They have like a couple conversations and then all of a sudden, they're in love? We're just told that they hang out a lot but we don't see it. Once again I felt as if though he was a character just being used as a prop in this book. Honestly this book could've done without a lot of characters that are introduced seeing as how they don't add anything to the story and are never even developed.
Then Lexi's ex-best friend (can't remember his name), the one with whom she made a horrible mistake with, comes to find her and bring her back. First off, "the mistake" is skirted around and we are never really told what exactly happened, and honestly for a big part of the book I was confused by what "the mistake" actually consisted of because I wasn't sure how far things went that night. A big chunk is skipped over and its clear that the reader is supposed to know what happened in that missing piece but honestly it could have been anything! Even in the end its not confronted head on. It's okay to say it! I don't understand why we have to go off assumptions. It's one of the problems Lexi ran away from so I don't see why the author put it in there if its never fully said in the book.
Lexi's ex-best friend coming back seems to be the tipping domino that sets off all the others because then all of a sudden a million things happen and there are all these "revelations". Honestly this is when I truly started to dislike this book. Too many things were thrown in at the end, and everything seemed rushed. The way things are resolved feels like we missed chapters because there aren't really any confrontations but yet somehow everything turns out fine & dandy. Too much goes on at the end and in too little amount of pages. It's a hectic mess and a lot of the characters actions and personalities all of a sudden change. The author didn't stay true to many of the characters.
All in all, this was a huge disappointment especially after the promising beginning. It either should have been made into a longer book so that some of the story could be fleshed out more or just not have added unnecessary plot points.
After a sudden tragedy and a mistake that has left her friendless, Lexi Ryan finds that she has no choice but to leave New York in search of an estranged mother. She goes looking for her in Florida where she thinks that her mother has joined a traveling circus. She doesn't find her mother but has no money and has run out of options so she decides to join the circus herself.
I was originally wrapped up in this book because of its setting: the circus! I don't normally see many books about this anymore, so of course I was enchanted by the idea of it all. I wanted to be a part of all the "magic" along with Lexi. The beginning is great, it's all very realistic towards how circus life isn't all that glamorous. I like Lexi's personality and her love of music. In fact, every chapter began with different lyric quotes and this I absolutely loved. I also loved how every other chapter was kind of like a flashback that told us the story of how she came to be in the situation she was.
It all goes down hill about a little over half way through the book. This is a coming of age story and you can see that there's some character growth for Lexi in the beginning. But after that it all got messy and skipped over all the "self discovery" process that comes along with learning to forgive and coming to terms with loss. She makes some friends and gets involved in a few romantic relationships but really there was no character development for these side-characters. They were forgettable and it felt like they were just added in to make the plot "more exciting". I was perfectly fine with the story centering around Lexi's coming of age, I didn't need romantic interests to be added in just to be props, thank you!
Lexi's first "love interest" was a boy named Jamie working on the midway of the circus. I really liked his character in the beginning and I thought he was being a great friend. He was charming, funny, and smart. He was kind of a big part until out of nowhere Lexi kisses him then ignores him practically the rest of the book. I mean seriously? After that he basically wasn't even in the book and then when he's a part of it at the end, it seems as if the author switched him out with someone else.
Then all of a sudden Lexi falls in love with Nick, who supposedly is 19, but for some reason talks and acts like a thirty year old. We never see this relationship develop, so it wasn't in any way believable for me. They have like a couple conversations and then all of a sudden, they're in love? We're just told that they hang out a lot but we don't see it. Once again I felt as if though he was a character just being used as a prop in this book. Honestly this book could've done without a lot of characters that are introduced seeing as how they don't add anything to the story and are never even developed.
Then Lexi's ex-best friend (can't remember his name), the one with whom she made a horrible mistake with, comes to find her and bring her back. First off, "the mistake" is skirted around and we are never really told what exactly happened, and honestly for a big part of the book I was confused by what "the mistake" actually consisted of because I wasn't sure how far things went that night. A big chunk is skipped over and its clear that the reader is supposed to know what happened in that missing piece but honestly it could have been anything! Even in the end its not confronted head on. It's okay to say it! I don't understand why we have to go off assumptions. It's one of the problems Lexi ran away from so I don't see why the author put it in there if its never fully said in the book.
Lexi's ex-best friend coming back seems to be the tipping domino that sets off all the others because then all of a sudden a million things happen and there are all these "revelations". Honestly this is when I truly started to dislike this book. Too many things were thrown in at the end, and everything seemed rushed. The way things are resolved feels like we missed chapters because there aren't really any confrontations but yet somehow everything turns out fine & dandy. Too much goes on at the end and in too little amount of pages. It's a hectic mess and a lot of the characters actions and personalities all of a sudden change. The author didn't stay true to many of the characters.
All in all, this was a huge disappointment especially after the promising beginning. It either should have been made into a longer book so that some of the story could be fleshed out more or just not have added unnecessary plot points.
March 20, 2013
Lexi – utterly alone – but oh-so-strong!
I loved Lexi! She was a fascinating main character with a fresh voice and a story that made my cry and laugh so much! Lexi had to go through so much, and it made me gasp when I realized how utterly alone this poor girl is going to be! But it wouldn’t be Lexi if she wouldn’t find a way to deal with her situation and tries to make the best out of it. This is when she joins the circus as this might be the only chance for her! I love her vulnerability, but at the same time I admired her incredible strength. Others in her situation would have crumpled down. Even more, I loved her voice! She was snarky, but also sweet and I loved the mix!
Circus - Love and Friendship
I absolutely adored the setting! Lexi is traveling with the Circus now and finds not only friends there, but also something which feels like family. It was heart warming to see all these relationship form and bloom. There were some amazing characters, that were fresh and added perfectly to the overall amazing story.
But, this wouldn’t be a story if there would be romance missing. And fear not, we will get a lot of romance – maybe a tiny bit too much! There is not one but 3 potential love interests, however, I never felt like this would be a classic Love Triangle. It was more that each boy was there for her when she needed at most and it took her some time to figure out who is her real love! I actually enjoyed this guessing:)
The story is told in alternating chapters between “before” and “after”. Something I usually can live without as it often takes away from fully being able to connect with the story. But. as the chapters here were super short, I didn’t mind so much!
Adorably Cute!
There are no other words to describe this story better than adorable and cute! I loved this story and more importantly the characters. It was filled with love and lots of heartbreak and gasping moments of heartbreak! Emotions, is what drives a story and there was no lack thereof here! Cute were also the headlines of each chapter which made me laugh and warm and fuzzy! They were a combination of quotes from songs and just cute chapter headlines and they just fitted perfectly!
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January 22, 2015Originally at: http://yabooknook.tumblr.com/post/501...
Actual Review: 1.5 stars
Oh God I hate giving negative reviews. This pains me, I’ve literally put off having to review this for a month and half s i g h
THAT TIME I JOINED THE CIRCUS and I did not get along very well.
Here’s a thing you need to know about me: I love the circus. Love. As in, When I Was Younger I Trained To Be A Trapeze Artist sort of love, and that all didn’t work out i know you don’t care i’m stopping now, but it left me with a deep appreciation for the art and a chronic need to see the Cirque du Soleil whenever it came to town aka broke.
All of this to say that when I heard of CIRCUS I was beyond excited. YA + Circus + Pretty Cover = Yes, please!
I want to sat it was my high expectations that stopped me from liking this book… but I don’t think that was it. CIRCUS just angered me.
Here you have Lexi (or X or Xandra or whatever deer gawd just pick a name and stick with it), who is pretty meh about everything. She has two best friends: one she likes and one she, well, doesn’t really like. Her friends are, of course, a couple, which makes her the third wheel. Ok, good stuff, I like drama.
Then her Dad who is like super cool and not like a Dad at all omg so great Rufus is that u dies and (even though he’d pre-paid for her whole high school education) she ends up homeless, kicked out of school, basically penniless, and in an entirely crappy situation.
Wait. So the principal wouldn’t let her in the school because she didn’t have a guardian present? And wouldn’t give her money back? I’m sorry, what. The legal details here are as fuzzy as my vision.
So our super special X/Lexi/Xandra/I don’t care sets out to track her Mom (now her guardian) down. Her Mom supposedly joined a circus because she was a free spirit and what have you, but when she gets to the circus: no Mom. Lexi gets a job instead (this was actually very sensible. Why didn’t you stay like this?). And thus appears the one character I like: Costi. Oh, Costi, come back to me.
He has exactly 1 scene, and about -.9 lines.
Anyway, so Lexi starts working in the CIRCUS, some girls hate her, everybody else things she’s awesome and absolutely 0 fucks are given about finding her Mom until the last chapters of the book.
Did I miss something? WASN’T THIS THE PLOT? Ok, maybe not. Nvm.
This books has exactly 20% to do with the circus, by the way. It’s actually just used as a setting, which is fine, but we don’t really get any circus-y goodness and details, which, considering the title, is pretty sad.
So, Lexi is now in the circus, she’s having to do all sort of random stuff for her job and, somehow, even though she has the quirky personality of a peanut and talks about herself as plain and, quote, invisible, she ends up on the radar of 3 guys. Did you read that right? THREE GUYS. Apart from like the older men who think she’s cute, whatever.
So the Love Interests: Eli, Jamie, Nick (Nikolai? Nicholas? I don’t remember). I would tell you about them but they’re so one dimensional and irrelevant that I don’t think I can.
I don’t even know why they liked Lexi. They had about 0.5 interactions with her before they started pursuing her. Except for Eli, who was a little shit and not in a good way. I have never read a book where I didn’t want the main character to end up with ANY of her love interests. Until now.
Actually, it’s because she drives to another state pursuing one of her love interests while the other two are with her in the car that she ends up finally finding her Mom. I’m sorry, no. She didn’t find her Mom. SOMEBODY FOUND THE MOM FOR HER AND LEXI ACCIDENTALLY STUMBLED UPON HER WHILE GIVING CHASE TO ONE OF HER NOT BOYFRIENDS.
So after all that, you would think I’m done, yes? Yes?
No.
I’ve saved my biggest issue with this book for last. Oh, yeah. Get ready: portrayal of women.
OH GOD I WANTED TO PUNCH SOMETHING.
Basically, every girl that’s not Lexi or is presented as an obstacle for her harem was a bitch. From her ‘best friend’ to Lena (before she started to like Lexi) and those two random girls who were with Nick at the club. You aren’t Lexi + You don’t like Lexi = Bitch. They were described negatively, calling them ‘sticks’ or emphasizing how they wouldn’t let go of Lexi’s men (Lexi had exactly 0 claims to them), how they were fake, etc. It made me so mad. This is a book about a girl, written by a woman, that trash talks other girls.
No. Just no. I can’t anymore.
I’m gonna stop because this is seriously long and all the negativity exhausted me.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
Actual Review: 1.5 stars
Oh God I hate giving negative reviews. This pains me, I’ve literally put off having to review this for a month and half s i g h
THAT TIME I JOINED THE CIRCUS and I did not get along very well.
Here’s a thing you need to know about me: I love the circus. Love. As in, When I Was Younger I Trained To Be A Trapeze Artist sort of love, and that all didn’t work out i know you don’t care i’m stopping now, but it left me with a deep appreciation for the art and a chronic need to see the Cirque du Soleil whenever it came to town aka broke.
All of this to say that when I heard of CIRCUS I was beyond excited. YA + Circus + Pretty Cover = Yes, please!
I want to sat it was my high expectations that stopped me from liking this book… but I don’t think that was it. CIRCUS just angered me.
Here you have Lexi (or X or Xandra or whatever deer gawd just pick a name and stick with it), who is pretty meh about everything. She has two best friends: one she likes and one she, well, doesn’t really like. Her friends are, of course, a couple, which makes her the third wheel. Ok, good stuff, I like drama.
Then her Dad who is like super cool and not like a Dad at all omg so great Rufus is that u dies and (even though he’d pre-paid for her whole high school education) she ends up homeless, kicked out of school, basically penniless, and in an entirely crappy situation.
Wait. So the principal wouldn’t let her in the school because she didn’t have a guardian present? And wouldn’t give her money back? I’m sorry, what. The legal details here are as fuzzy as my vision.
So our super special X/Lexi/Xandra/I don’t care sets out to track her Mom (now her guardian) down. Her Mom supposedly joined a circus because she was a free spirit and what have you, but when she gets to the circus: no Mom. Lexi gets a job instead (this was actually very sensible. Why didn’t you stay like this?). And thus appears the one character I like: Costi. Oh, Costi, come back to me.
He has exactly 1 scene, and about -.9 lines.
Anyway, so Lexi starts working in the CIRCUS, some girls hate her, everybody else things she’s awesome and absolutely 0 fucks are given about finding her Mom until the last chapters of the book.
Did I miss something? WASN’T THIS THE PLOT? Ok, maybe not. Nvm.
This books has exactly 20% to do with the circus, by the way. It’s actually just used as a setting, which is fine, but we don’t really get any circus-y goodness and details, which, considering the title, is pretty sad.
So, Lexi is now in the circus, she’s having to do all sort of random stuff for her job and, somehow, even though she has the quirky personality of a peanut and talks about herself as plain and, quote, invisible, she ends up on the radar of 3 guys. Did you read that right? THREE GUYS. Apart from like the older men who think she’s cute, whatever.
So the Love Interests: Eli, Jamie, Nick (Nikolai? Nicholas? I don’t remember). I would tell you about them but they’re so one dimensional and irrelevant that I don’t think I can.
I don’t even know why they liked Lexi. They had about 0.5 interactions with her before they started pursuing her. Except for Eli, who was a little shit and not in a good way. I have never read a book where I didn’t want the main character to end up with ANY of her love interests. Until now.
Actually, it’s because she drives to another state pursuing one of her love interests while the other two are with her in the car that she ends up finally finding her Mom. I’m sorry, no. She didn’t find her Mom. SOMEBODY FOUND THE MOM FOR HER AND LEXI ACCIDENTALLY STUMBLED UPON HER WHILE GIVING CHASE TO ONE OF HER NOT BOYFRIENDS.
So after all that, you would think I’m done, yes? Yes?
No.
I’ve saved my biggest issue with this book for last. Oh, yeah. Get ready: portrayal of women.
OH GOD I WANTED TO PUNCH SOMETHING.
Basically, every girl that’s not Lexi or is presented as an obstacle for her harem was a bitch. From her ‘best friend’ to Lena (before she started to like Lexi) and those two random girls who were with Nick at the club. You aren’t Lexi + You don’t like Lexi = Bitch. They were described negatively, calling them ‘sticks’ or emphasizing how they wouldn’t let go of Lexi’s men (Lexi had exactly 0 claims to them), how they were fake, etc. It made me so mad. This is a book about a girl, written by a woman, that trash talks other girls.
No. Just no. I can’t anymore.
I’m gonna stop because this is seriously long and all the negativity exhausted me.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
March 29, 2015
A circus book! Lions, tigers, tight rope walkers, bearded ladies and...teenage runaways. Fun, right?
Well, mostly. While I didn't absolutely love That Time I Joined the Circus, it was a nice, quick read that I think a lot of people will love.
A lot of my bigger problems with That Time I Joined the Circus had to do with my overall feeling. I really liked runaway Lexi, and the cast of secondary characters we meet along the way. The circus was an interesting and different setting, one I thought really made my overall impression a positive one. Still, I came away feeling half-empty with the way each and every one of Lexi's relationships were resolved. There was so much potential for Lexi to make decisions in her life that put her first, and I felt that Howard neglected certain opportunities. Lexi had a strong presence throughout That Time I Joined the Circus that I really appreciated, but her spunk always seemed to waver whenever she most needed it.
I think Howard took the easy way out in regards to Lexi's relationship with her parents and friends, especially Eli. I don't really believe how Eli's rejection is explained away, because it leaves him virtually blameless; instead of having made a mistake, he's misunderstood and just a really nice guy. But I don't think he was, and all the glossing over just made me less and less impressed with him as a love interest, let alone a friend. Lexi is still Eli's second choice. Bailey, Eli's girlfriend, is kind of brushed under the rug as a "bad friend" despite doing nothing but be angry her best friend and boyfriend hooked up behind her back. But she's also rich and a little high maintenance, so Howard didn't feel Bailey deserved anything better, I guess. And Lexi’s turbulent emotional history with her mother is literally resolved in one conversation after years of estrangement. Even if Lexi had believed so wholeheartedly in her mother in the end, I found it hard to let go of the fact that they had built such a steady relationship in a week’s time. Everything was put together a little too neatly, and a little too predictably.
That Time I Joined the Circus really could have been a stronger book, but even watered down, I think it's a nice go. What this book really had going for it was Lexi. She felt honest and real, definitely relatable, even when her ultimate decisions bewildered me.
That Time I Joined the Circus was two halves for me: the half I really liked and the other I mostly tolerated. Though it had some bumps for me and a very disappointing resolution, it was a pleasant read that left me tentatively charmed.
I was given an advanced reader's copy via NetGalley for reviewing purposes.
Well, mostly. While I didn't absolutely love That Time I Joined the Circus, it was a nice, quick read that I think a lot of people will love.
A lot of my bigger problems with That Time I Joined the Circus had to do with my overall feeling. I really liked runaway Lexi, and the cast of secondary characters we meet along the way. The circus was an interesting and different setting, one I thought really made my overall impression a positive one. Still, I came away feeling half-empty with the way each and every one of Lexi's relationships were resolved. There was so much potential for Lexi to make decisions in her life that put her first, and I felt that Howard neglected certain opportunities. Lexi had a strong presence throughout That Time I Joined the Circus that I really appreciated, but her spunk always seemed to waver whenever she most needed it.
I think Howard took the easy way out in regards to Lexi's relationship with her parents and friends, especially Eli. I don't really believe how Eli's rejection is explained away, because it leaves him virtually blameless; instead of having made a mistake, he's misunderstood and just a really nice guy. But I don't think he was, and all the glossing over just made me less and less impressed with him as a love interest, let alone a friend. Lexi is still Eli's second choice. Bailey, Eli's girlfriend, is kind of brushed under the rug as a "bad friend" despite doing nothing but be angry her best friend and boyfriend hooked up behind her back. But she's also rich and a little high maintenance, so Howard didn't feel Bailey deserved anything better, I guess. And Lexi’s turbulent emotional history with her mother is literally resolved in one conversation after years of estrangement. Even if Lexi had believed so wholeheartedly in her mother in the end, I found it hard to let go of the fact that they had built such a steady relationship in a week’s time. Everything was put together a little too neatly, and a little too predictably.
That Time I Joined the Circus really could have been a stronger book, but even watered down, I think it's a nice go. What this book really had going for it was Lexi. She felt honest and real, definitely relatable, even when her ultimate decisions bewildered me.
That Time I Joined the Circus was two halves for me: the half I really liked and the other I mostly tolerated. Though it had some bumps for me and a very disappointing resolution, it was a pleasant read that left me tentatively charmed.
I was given an advanced reader's copy via NetGalley for reviewing purposes.
February 10, 2016
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this story! There were some parts where I just didn’t want to put the book down. I think when I first tried to read this a few years ago I couldn’t get past the first few chapters but the story really kicks off when Lexi gets to the circus.
I loved the kind of family/camaraderie among the people who worked behind the scenes for the circus. There was also a good female friendship between Lexi and two girls in the circus. I loved the way they empowered each other and encouraged each other to not give up on the things they wanted, no matter how big or small.
The alternating time line was interesting because we get flash backs of Lexi’s life in NYC. However, I didn’t really like that it dragged out these big secrets. I would have liked to know the secrets from the beginning so we could have gotten more story time with Lexi at the circus.
I also didn’t really care for the romance scenes. In fact I think the book would have worked better if Lexi didn’t have any love interests. She was dealing with her father’s death and I think it would have been more realistic if she mourned it more in the story.
I do recommend this book if you want a contemporary that has a circus setting. It was very captivating and I’m so happy that I gave this book another try. Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an arc of this book to review.
I loved the kind of family/camaraderie among the people who worked behind the scenes for the circus. There was also a good female friendship between Lexi and two girls in the circus. I loved the way they empowered each other and encouraged each other to not give up on the things they wanted, no matter how big or small.
The alternating time line was interesting because we get flash backs of Lexi’s life in NYC. However, I didn’t really like that it dragged out these big secrets. I would have liked to know the secrets from the beginning so we could have gotten more story time with Lexi at the circus.
I also didn’t really care for the romance scenes. In fact I think the book would have worked better if Lexi didn’t have any love interests. She was dealing with her father’s death and I think it would have been more realistic if she mourned it more in the story.
I do recommend this book if you want a contemporary that has a circus setting. It was very captivating and I’m so happy that I gave this book another try. Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an arc of this book to review.
May 18, 2019
I did not enjoy this one as much as I thought I would, having read some of the author’s other works.
Can’t put my finger on any one thing; it just wasn’t an enjoyable read for me.
Can’t put my finger on any one thing; it just wasn’t an enjoyable read for me.
March 16, 2013
I was lucky enough to receive this book via NetGalley. I am so glad I did. I absolutely loved this book. Lexi (or X) is facing a tough time. Her father recently passed away and her mother abandoned her when she was young. Forced to find her mother she heads to her mother's latest job. A traveling circus.
There Lexi doesn't find her mother, but finds a family.
I loved reading Lexi's struggles, her romance, her friendships and everything in between.
This was such an amazing book, I highly recommend to to anyone!
There Lexi doesn't find her mother, but finds a family.
I loved reading Lexi's struggles, her romance, her friendships and everything in between.
This was such an amazing book, I highly recommend to to anyone!
May 9, 2013
This book completely captivated me. I loved Lexi, with her sarcasm and her knowledge of all things music (even though I think I would've gotten along better with her dad, whose musical taste was stuck in the 80s), and I love the fact that she ran away and joined the circus AND TOTALLY NAILED IT.
The circus she joined is sort of a combination circus and carnival, not what I generally think of as a circus. It sounds completely awesome and frankly makes me want to run away and join the circus myself.
Not surprisingly, the other circusfolk are more like a family than coworkers (I would guess that living and traveling with people would make them more than your average work people) and Lexi is quickly accepted among them.
The only false note here is how quickly Lexi forgot to keep looking for her mom. But that is a minor thing and it didn't keep me from loving this sweet, fun book.
Recommended.
The circus she joined is sort of a combination circus and carnival, not what I generally think of as a circus. It sounds completely awesome and frankly makes me want to run away and join the circus myself.
Not surprisingly, the other circusfolk are more like a family than coworkers (I would guess that living and traveling with people would make them more than your average work people) and Lexi is quickly accepted among them.
The only false note here is how quickly Lexi forgot to keep looking for her mom. But that is a minor thing and it didn't keep me from loving this sweet, fun book.
Recommended.
January 31, 2013
One of the best contemporary YA novels I've read. Authentic, original, and page turning, I swept through this novel in one sitting.
March 25, 2013
Since I'll read pretty much anything that takes place at a circus, I knew I had to have this book as I saw that gorgeous cover (serious cover-love) and was thrilled when I saw it pop up on Netgalley. That Time I Joined the Circus follows teenaged Lexi's search for her mother after the death of her father. She and her father had been living in New York when he died and since his death has left her penniless and homeless, she hops on a bus to Florida to find the circus she believes her mother has joined. At the start of the book she has found the circus, but not her mother, so she joins the circus herself in order to make some money while she plots her next course of action. The book follows the present, Lexi's time at the circus, and the last few months which revolves around the complicated friendship between her and her longtime best friend, Eli.
There were things about this book I enjoyed quite a bit, including:
* Lexi--I enjoyed Lexi's character. I loved the connection with music that she had with her father (an 80s DJ). I liked that she had strong musical tastes and was an admitted music snob. I loved that she read tarot cards and liked to read.
* The trapeze sisters--I loved the girls she becomes friends with at the circus.
* The merging of the past and present--I liked the way the author bounced between the past and present before seamlessly merging the two.
* The setting--again, CIRCUS!
What I didn't care for:
* There are three boys in the picture--which was at least one, but really two, too many.
* The relationship with her mom...which I won't say any more about.
Overall, I did enjoy That Time I Joined the Circus, but I didn't love it. While what I did like outweighs what I didn't, it still wasn't the book it could have been. What saves it, for me, was that it was fast-paced and very readable. Would recommend to anyone who wants a quick, YA contemporary with an unique setting.
There were things about this book I enjoyed quite a bit, including:
* Lexi--I enjoyed Lexi's character. I loved the connection with music that she had with her father (an 80s DJ). I liked that she had strong musical tastes and was an admitted music snob. I loved that she read tarot cards and liked to read.
* The trapeze sisters--I loved the girls she becomes friends with at the circus.
* The merging of the past and present--I liked the way the author bounced between the past and present before seamlessly merging the two.
* The setting--again, CIRCUS!
What I didn't care for:
* There are three boys in the picture--which was at least one, but really two, too many.
* The relationship with her mom...which I won't say any more about.
Overall, I did enjoy That Time I Joined the Circus, but I didn't love it. While what I did like outweighs what I didn't, it still wasn't the book it could have been. What saves it, for me, was that it was fast-paced and very readable. Would recommend to anyone who wants a quick, YA contemporary with an unique setting.
June 21, 2015
Style and Language
This novel is a decent story about loss, the search for a place to be and that a family can be found even where you won´t expect it.
J.J. Howard has this novel written from the point of view from her main figure Lexi. The plot goes back and forth in time of a certain period in Lexis life. The protagonist tells the reader her story before and after her father’s sudden death. How she was dumped by her school principal and her friends, what mistakes she had made and other things. Her way to not only find her mother but the real she and how she gets there all that puts the author sensitive and very entertaining down to paper. Her tone is sometimes light, sometimes dark but never dull or boring.
Characters
Totally different characters come in this novel to life and show on one hand how life in town is, that money influences things and that not every dad is really born for a daily life. On the other hand J.J. Howard gives a glimpse inside the colorful and exotic life at a circus, and that not everything there is only pretty and light weighted. Everyone has his share of circumstances why he/she ended up at the circus or what made them chose to be there. But the single characters don´t reveal their stories right away. Some don´t do it at all.
For Lexi the circus is the only chance to find her mother. A mother she hates and hasn´t seen or spoken to in years. But the death of her father left her no other choice but to find her. As a Minor she can´t stay on her own in New York – no matter how bad she wants it. Lexis struggle with the circumstances, how she deals with them and what she finds in the end, is a wonderful journey not only for this figure, but for the reader as well.
Result
Well written and wonderful to read. Okay, sometimes I would have wished for a bit more energy between the pages, but J.J. Howard compensates that with fantastic figures and some fun to read dialogues.
April 7, 2013
That Time I Joined the Circus joins the ranks of a growing collection of circus-centric fiction, all of which, almost to a book, have disappointed me.
And yet, I find myself going back for more, as was the case with this YA title featuring an alienated, music-obsessed teen New Yorker whose father’s unexpected disappearance coincides with a misstep with her guy best friend (which is never explained in full detail but is hinted at heavily throughout the story). With no place to live (Daddy Dearest didn’t think to leave her any money? Really?) and no friends to turn to, Xandra, aka X, aka Lexi (So many names—again, really?) runs off to Florida in search of her mother who, rumor has it, has joined the circus.
As it turns out, Lexi’s mom’s wandering spirit has since led her away from the circus, but with no place else to go, Lexi sets up camp and, with the help of her tarot cards, becomes Circus Europa’s fortune teller.
There’s other stuff going on beneath the Big Top, too—like Lexi’s growing friendship with the ringmaster’s daughters, a love triangle, and general circus antics. Unfortunately, what could have been a setting rich with possibility ended up feeling a lot like this story as a whole: completely two-dimensional. The characters were mostly unmemorable, the dialogue fell flat, and even Lexi, whom I tried so hard to like, seemed to grow as a person only through a lot of contortions on the author’s part, not from any organic emotional awakening that I as a reader found believable or compelling.
Readers who love stories featuring obscure music and lyrics, love stories, and a semester away from high school (at the circus!) may find That Time I Joined the Circus enjoyable. Personally, I’m still waiting for that circus tale that offers enough magic to really dazzle me.
And yet, I find myself going back for more, as was the case with this YA title featuring an alienated, music-obsessed teen New Yorker whose father’s unexpected disappearance coincides with a misstep with her guy best friend (which is never explained in full detail but is hinted at heavily throughout the story). With no place to live (Daddy Dearest didn’t think to leave her any money? Really?) and no friends to turn to, Xandra, aka X, aka Lexi (So many names—again, really?) runs off to Florida in search of her mother who, rumor has it, has joined the circus.
As it turns out, Lexi’s mom’s wandering spirit has since led her away from the circus, but with no place else to go, Lexi sets up camp and, with the help of her tarot cards, becomes Circus Europa’s fortune teller.
There’s other stuff going on beneath the Big Top, too—like Lexi’s growing friendship with the ringmaster’s daughters, a love triangle, and general circus antics. Unfortunately, what could have been a setting rich with possibility ended up feeling a lot like this story as a whole: completely two-dimensional. The characters were mostly unmemorable, the dialogue fell flat, and even Lexi, whom I tried so hard to like, seemed to grow as a person only through a lot of contortions on the author’s part, not from any organic emotional awakening that I as a reader found believable or compelling.
Readers who love stories featuring obscure music and lyrics, love stories, and a semester away from high school (at the circus!) may find That Time I Joined the Circus enjoyable. Personally, I’m still waiting for that circus tale that offers enough magic to really dazzle me.
May 16, 2013
The book began in a promising way with a bit of a mystery but then never really delivered. Character development was flat more caricatures than characters. Plot points were questionable. She spends the night with her best friend from childhood, Eli, who is dating the only other friend Lexi has at her New York city private school. After her father dies suddenly, Lexi or Xandra (she goes by both names) goes looking for her mother at a circus in Florida but when she doesn't find her there, she gets a job with the circus and no mention is made of her mother until the book is almost done. She becomes a fortune teller without any mention or development of her interest in tarot cards. The list goes on. A forgettable book.
August 16, 2012
Scholastic's 2013 debut of That Time I Joined the Circus should be met with fanfare and excitement. JJ Howard does an excellent job depicting a self-deprecating teen, Lexi, who has to find her long-absent mother rumored to be with a traveling circus.
Lexi finds the circus but not her mom. Left with no choices Lexi joins the crew of the circus and her journey to discover herself begins. When Lexi's past merges with her present she has to face accept the past and think about the future.
JJ Howard's integration of music playlists and the insight makes Lexi come alive. This is a must read from a fabulous debut author.
Lexi finds the circus but not her mom. Left with no choices Lexi joins the crew of the circus and her journey to discover herself begins. When Lexi's past merges with her present she has to face accept the past and think about the future.
JJ Howard's integration of music playlists and the insight makes Lexi come alive. This is a must read from a fabulous debut author.
May 30, 2018
Lexi was a fun main character and I felt so badly for what happened to require her to look for her mom. It was hard to believe that she, as a minor, would be forced to look on her for her mom on her own, but putting that aside the story was quite interesting. I really enjoyed the circus parts of the book and would've liked even a little more that. The ending was good and wrapped everything up well without being too perfect. This was a good debut novel and I'd definitely read another book by this author.
October 3, 2019
I finally finished the book. I LOVED IT! I think the theme of this book is to always be positive. Even when you think all hope is lost, you need to see the bright side of things.
March 11, 2013
Why I Loved It: One word people. Circus. CIRCUS! I love the circus. Actually, I should rephrase that. I love books about the circus. Actual circuses are really a little smelly and there are lots of people and I get all shaky. Thankfully I can experience the circus in a book and it's all good.
So anyways, this book. The book of awesomeness. Here is the run-down. Lexi has this one night of her life that changes everything, and it doesn't really seem like for the good. She manages to fool around with her best friend *who has a girlfriend* on the same night that her dad dies. In addition, she is told that her mother has been given the money her dad had left, but she hasn't seen her mom in years. That last she has knowledge of her mother was that she was traveling with a circus. So Lexi, with only desperation left, leaves to track down said circus. Well mom is no where to be found, but Lexi has no money and no where to go and so is taken into the crew of the circus for the rest of the season. Eventually she is able to contribute as a fortune teller where the audience meets the oh-so-gorgeous Nick. Eventually she finds a home in this circus that she had never experienced in her previous loner-lifestyle. And then the best friend Eli shows back up. Which puts a kink in poor Lexi's world. And that's all you will get from me on the summary of the book.
Ok so not only is the book incredible and revolving around a traveling circus, Lexi is also a bit of a music snob in the best possible sense. I loved Lexi's taste in music. It was absolutely perfect. The author told me that she used Lexi's dad in the story to weave in the obscure 80's and 90's music she loves. And it worked. Every chapter starts with the lyric to some song. I am seriously considering making a "The Time I Joined the Circus" playlist for my iPod. Lexi was my girl. She was awkward and funny and she understood the specifics of making a great playlist. In addition, she also seriously enjoyed books, and she wasn't one of those characters that made ridiculous choices that leave the reader all like "WHAT??" I appreciate that.
Seriously the plot was refreshingly different with realistic and relatable characters. Lexi had such a natural and comfortable voice that didn't make me feel forced to follow along. I wanted to follow her wherever she decided to go especially when the gorgeous Nick was involved. I should say here that the book has three gorgeous men. THREE! That's a definite plus.
In the end, I had mushy gushy happy book feelings, spent a massive amount of time playing music, and reread Wandering Heights by Jane Austen *for Lexi was an Austen fan* and dreamed about traveling with the circus. I need to stop now. I could gush about this book endlessly.
Who Should Read It: I would seriously recommend this book to any fan of contemporary. People who loved Water for Elephants should definitely pick it up. And if you are like me and adore when authors incorporate music into their books, you HAVE to read it. Everyone pay attention to the name J. J. Howards because many more great things will be coming out of her writer's pen.
*Earlier*
The book has left with me the incredibly mushy feeling... This book is amazing. Simply amazing. Full review to come.
So anyways, this book. The book of awesomeness. Here is the run-down. Lexi has this one night of her life that changes everything, and it doesn't really seem like for the good. She manages to fool around with her best friend *who has a girlfriend* on the same night that her dad dies. In addition, she is told that her mother has been given the money her dad had left, but she hasn't seen her mom in years. That last she has knowledge of her mother was that she was traveling with a circus. So Lexi, with only desperation left, leaves to track down said circus. Well mom is no where to be found, but Lexi has no money and no where to go and so is taken into the crew of the circus for the rest of the season. Eventually she is able to contribute as a fortune teller where the audience meets the oh-so-gorgeous Nick. Eventually she finds a home in this circus that she had never experienced in her previous loner-lifestyle. And then the best friend Eli shows back up. Which puts a kink in poor Lexi's world. And that's all you will get from me on the summary of the book.
Ok so not only is the book incredible and revolving around a traveling circus, Lexi is also a bit of a music snob in the best possible sense. I loved Lexi's taste in music. It was absolutely perfect. The author told me that she used Lexi's dad in the story to weave in the obscure 80's and 90's music she loves. And it worked. Every chapter starts with the lyric to some song. I am seriously considering making a "The Time I Joined the Circus" playlist for my iPod. Lexi was my girl. She was awkward and funny and she understood the specifics of making a great playlist. In addition, she also seriously enjoyed books, and she wasn't one of those characters that made ridiculous choices that leave the reader all like "WHAT??" I appreciate that.
Seriously the plot was refreshingly different with realistic and relatable characters. Lexi had such a natural and comfortable voice that didn't make me feel forced to follow along. I wanted to follow her wherever she decided to go especially when the gorgeous Nick was involved. I should say here that the book has three gorgeous men. THREE! That's a definite plus.
In the end, I had mushy gushy happy book feelings, spent a massive amount of time playing music, and reread Wandering Heights by Jane Austen *for Lexi was an Austen fan* and dreamed about traveling with the circus. I need to stop now. I could gush about this book endlessly.
Who Should Read It: I would seriously recommend this book to any fan of contemporary. People who loved Water for Elephants should definitely pick it up. And if you are like me and adore when authors incorporate music into their books, you HAVE to read it. Everyone pay attention to the name J. J. Howards because many more great things will be coming out of her writer's pen.
*Earlier*
The book has left with me the incredibly mushy feeling... This book is amazing. Simply amazing. Full review to come.
March 25, 2013
Originally Posted on Confessions of An Opinionated Book Geek
When opening, “That Time I Joined the Circus,” I was not sure what to expect. This book could have been an awful, melodramatic, silly mess. It’s not. It is one of the most enjoyable YA contemporary romance books I have ever read. It is 272 pages of excellent fun and entertainment.
Lexi Ryan is on the run. Her father has died, her best and only friend has abandoned her and she has no idea where her mother is. Enter Circus Europa in Florida. Lexi, who has never really worked a day in her life is suddenly given multiple jobs, sleeping in a room full of guys and trying to forget how her life got so bad. This book is filled with heartbreak, romance and self-discovery. A true coming of age story with a show business twist.
A book like this stands squarely on the shoulders of its heroine and narrator. If Lexi was whiny, annoying, a mary sue, a martyr or someone who just cannot survive on her own, this book would have failed. It works so beautifully, because as a reader I loved the narrator’s voice. What I love most about Lexi Ryan is that she felt like a legitimate teenager and more importantly she felt like a legitimate New Yorker. As someone who was born and raised in NYC, went to high school on Amsterdam ave and college at NYU, I often roll my eyes at “New Yorkers” in books. Not so Ms. Lexi Ryan. The way she speaks, her attitudes toward certain things and her opinions are so authentic New York, I saw myself clear as day in her. Most of all, we New Yorkers are survivors. We can survive and triumph over everything. Lexi Ryan continues that spirit as she learns to move on from the guilt and sorrow that follows the death of her father.
While there is a romance that develops, the focus of this book is Lexi discovering who she is and what she wants. When the story begins, Lexi is invisible. She has two friends, a single dad and not very much else. She basically walks the school transparent and alone. After the most difficult day of her life, Lexie leaves New York to find her mother, but finds the circus instead. At the Circus, Lexi discovers friendship, love and her dreams.
The structure of this book is very interesting. We jump back and forth from Lexi at the circus and Lexi before her father’s death. Every chapter sees us in the past and then the next in the present. Every flashback leads perfectly into something that happens to Lexi at the circus and all slowly unravels her past and presents her possible futures. This story isn’t deep. You may or may not guess where it’s going or what Lexi will decide, but even if you do, you wont care.
I loved this book. Really enjoyed it. I can’t wait to read more of this authors work.
Recommended for fans of Stephanie Perkins, readers of Young Adult fiction and anyone who would loves music or would like to join a circus!
February 22, 2013
BookNook — Young Adult book reviews
This book is just adorable. I'm getting all warm and snuggly just thinking about it again. I will say that the cover fits this book PERFECTLY. It's warm, it's bubbly, it's sad at times, it's fun and games and new experiences. There is just something so, completely, and totally awesome about a book that takes place at the circus. I LOVE that!! Even though it is listed as romance, for me this book is more of a self discovery book.
And because Lexi is a Jane Austen fan, there's even a little bit of a typical Jane Austen twist: first impressions are not always what they seem. I loved that because at first I thought some characters were going to be Ice Queen Bitches, but they turned out to be some of my favourite characters instead.
For the most part, Lexi was a fabulous main character! I didn't always get along with her in some of the "flashback" chapters because she could be really self-deprecating, but I adored her in all the current ones. She's sweet, outgoing, and takes initiative. Even though she made a "huge mistake", she really is just a good person.
I only had two real issues with this book. First: it's told in alternating time periods—before the "huge mistake" and afterwards (at the circus). Sometimes I felt like all the jumping back and forth, and skipping ahead in dates made the relationship development lack a little bit, particularly with the romances. And the romances is where my second problem is. I felt like the romance was all over the place and I couldn't quite figure it out. First Lexi is kissing Jamie, then she's flirting with Nick, and one of her old friends is still half in the picture but half out.. There was just no strong, central romance for me. The romance did have sweet moments, but ultimately I did feel a little disconnected from it.
Overall, That Time I Joined the Circus is a fun, cute read. Even though Lexi does have some big problems and there are a few heartfelt moments, I wouldn't really call this a gut-wrenching, emotional novel.. and that's not necessarily a bad thing! As the cover would suggest, That Time I Joined the Circus is all about pretty lights and trapeze artists. This is a book that I just really enjoyed reading. It was on the lighter side and it was certainly entertaining!
This book is just adorable. I'm getting all warm and snuggly just thinking about it again. I will say that the cover fits this book PERFECTLY. It's warm, it's bubbly, it's sad at times, it's fun and games and new experiences. There is just something so, completely, and totally awesome about a book that takes place at the circus. I LOVE that!! Even though it is listed as romance, for me this book is more of a self discovery book.
And because Lexi is a Jane Austen fan, there's even a little bit of a typical Jane Austen twist: first impressions are not always what they seem. I loved that because at first I thought some characters were going to be Ice Queen Bitches, but they turned out to be some of my favourite characters instead.
For the most part, Lexi was a fabulous main character! I didn't always get along with her in some of the "flashback" chapters because she could be really self-deprecating, but I adored her in all the current ones. She's sweet, outgoing, and takes initiative. Even though she made a "huge mistake", she really is just a good person.
I only had two real issues with this book. First: it's told in alternating time periods—before the "huge mistake" and afterwards (at the circus). Sometimes I felt like all the jumping back and forth, and skipping ahead in dates made the relationship development lack a little bit, particularly with the romances. And the romances is where my second problem is. I felt like the romance was all over the place and I couldn't quite figure it out. First Lexi is kissing Jamie, then she's flirting with Nick, and one of her old friends is still half in the picture but half out.. There was just no strong, central romance for me. The romance did have sweet moments, but ultimately I did feel a little disconnected from it.
Overall, That Time I Joined the Circus is a fun, cute read. Even though Lexi does have some big problems and there are a few heartfelt moments, I wouldn't really call this a gut-wrenching, emotional novel.. and that's not necessarily a bad thing! As the cover would suggest, That Time I Joined the Circus is all about pretty lights and trapeze artists. This is a book that I just really enjoyed reading. It was on the lighter side and it was certainly entertaining!
June 27, 2013
I really did NOT like this book. First of all, Xandra's dad (who is also her only real friend) dies on the same day Xandra's best friend Eli cheated on his girlfriend (her other best friend) for her. Xandra loved her dad and grew up hating her mother because she left when Xandra was about 8 years old and never looked back. When her dad died, his lawyer (who is also a liar) told Xandra that her dad left all his money to her mother, which didn't make any sense at all since they had never seen each other for years. The only money that was left was the money that was used to pre-pay the tuition for her private school in NYC for wealthy snobs. And X couldn't get that money back or return to that school until she had a guardian's signature. And her former best friend Eli, and his former girlfriend (her other best friend Bailey) aren't talking to her anymore, so she decides to leave her old life behind. And that is how she ended up going to Florida looking for her mom who apparently joined the circus. Or used to work in a circus. When Xandra finally reaches the circus, she finds out that her mother left already, and since X was broke and had no place to live or any food, she begged the owner to give her a job so she could stay. Xandra decides to start over, so she changes her name to Lexi, the nickname her dad gave her. Lexi's first job at the circus is to get rid of and clean up all the animal waste. Yeah, SO FUN right? She meets a guy named Jamie (I felt like his personality changed throughout the whole book; like he became a totally different character but had the same name) who helps her adjust to her new circus life. She becomes best friends with the owner's two trapeze daughters, which bumps up her living conditions from a tent full of guys and a girl to a nice, cozy little trailer she gets share with Lina, the oldest daughter. Oh yeah, and one time she gets homesick during the night, so she runs into Jamie's arms while he comforts her. They become BF and GF, but Lina finds out and apparently she has a huge crush on him, so Lexi stops talking to Jamie to make Lina feel better. Then, with Lina's help Lexi's job improved to being the circus's fortune teller. I'm stopping there cause I really don't like this book and don't want to recite the whole thing. It goes on though; Lexi falls in love AGAIN and AGAIN, finds her mom, blah blah blah. It was really annoying to read, but I have this motto where once I start reading a book, I have to finish it (eventually). But if you actually finished reading this review and DESPERATELY need to know what happens next, go ahead. Read it. But don't say I didn't warn you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2013
This review can originally be found at The Twins Read.
When the book basically promises you a grand time at the circus, you get excited. You wonder if there's gonna be some wild animals involved, and whether there would be a lot of drama going down in such a fun and exotic setting. But J.J. Howard's That Time I Joined the Circus isn't really more of what happens in the circus, per se.
When Lexi suddenly lost her dad to a traffic accident, she has nowhere to turn. The private school basically suspends her from getting an education, and she might have screwed things up with her friends when she hooks up with her best friend, Eli. Oh, and she's getting booted from the place she's staying at. Her best chance of survival is to find her estranged mom, and the rumor is that she was hanging with the circus. With nothing left to lose, Lexi then wanders into the circus and tries to figure out her part in the grand scheme of things.
Lexi would be the kind of protagonist I would love to push into the dung she shoveled when she first started out. She's whiny, almost always focuses on the ME! ME! ME! aspect, and plays the poor-little-old-me-boo-freaking-hoo card every chance she gets (Hoo boy, and can she play it.) Did I mention that she claims to "feel something" for every cute guy that catches her eye? Oh, and she lands the fortune teller gig, because girlfriend is of course, coincidence of coincidences, pretty good at reading tarot cards. She also judges people pretty harshly before she actually gets to know them, and I couldn't help but wish that she'd just keep her petty little observations to herself. The love interests were banal and predictable at best, and I'd just have to say that Lexi must have saved a country in her past life because the girl is so lucky that almost everything goes her way in the end. (Cue the endless rolling of eyes.)
If you're actually contemplating picking this book up for the circus aspect, you'd be disappointed. I often thought that the sequence of events were just so random and all over the place. If anything, this is a shot at a confusing (and annoyingly frustrating) teenage romance that just happens to take place around the circus.
When the book basically promises you a grand time at the circus, you get excited. You wonder if there's gonna be some wild animals involved, and whether there would be a lot of drama going down in such a fun and exotic setting. But J.J. Howard's That Time I Joined the Circus isn't really more of what happens in the circus, per se.
When Lexi suddenly lost her dad to a traffic accident, she has nowhere to turn. The private school basically suspends her from getting an education, and she might have screwed things up with her friends when she hooks up with her best friend, Eli. Oh, and she's getting booted from the place she's staying at. Her best chance of survival is to find her estranged mom, and the rumor is that she was hanging with the circus. With nothing left to lose, Lexi then wanders into the circus and tries to figure out her part in the grand scheme of things.
Lexi would be the kind of protagonist I would love to push into the dung she shoveled when she first started out. She's whiny, almost always focuses on the ME! ME! ME! aspect, and plays the poor-little-old-me-boo-freaking-hoo card every chance she gets (Hoo boy, and can she play it.) Did I mention that she claims to "feel something" for every cute guy that catches her eye? Oh, and she lands the fortune teller gig, because girlfriend is of course, coincidence of coincidences, pretty good at reading tarot cards. She also judges people pretty harshly before she actually gets to know them, and I couldn't help but wish that she'd just keep her petty little observations to herself. The love interests were banal and predictable at best, and I'd just have to say that Lexi must have saved a country in her past life because the girl is so lucky that almost everything goes her way in the end. (Cue the endless rolling of eyes.)
If you're actually contemplating picking this book up for the circus aspect, you'd be disappointed. I often thought that the sequence of events were just so random and all over the place. If anything, this is a shot at a confusing (and annoyingly frustrating) teenage romance that just happens to take place around the circus.
July 20, 2014
The thing I love about contemporary is the more direct and realistic life lessons it hands out. Not that there isn’t a bit of wisdom to be found in science fiction or fantasy, just a different variety of it. THAT TIME I JOINED THE CIRCUS dishes out some hard to learn lessons in particular to our hero, Lexi, such as finding that people aren’t always who you think they are and that even good people can make terrible mistakes. People can do you wrong, and still be exactly who you need them to be. These messages are delivered with an honest story, fun, and a touch of snark.
This book blends a great story with the excitement of the circus. We get a glimpse into the life of a working circus, which filled that hole inside of me (and more than likely you) that always did want to run away and join the circus. Lexi didn’t run away or join the circus for the more traditional reasons (you know, like fun), and that makes the story more relatable and believable. She is rational and in need of a family, which the circus can provide. I liked that the book highlights the highs and lows of circus work while tying it into a beautiful story of self discovery.
This is the paragraph that I would put negative aspects about the book in. I don’t have anything to put here so this is a paragraph about nothing. THAT TIME I JOINED THE CIRCUS wasn’t a perfect book that pulled at all my feels, but there isn’t anything bad to say.
There was a sweetness to this story that I wasn’t expecting. It has very uplifting messages about being who you are and who you want to be and was an all around feel good novel. I was surprised many a time within this novel, reminding me that books -- and life -- usually go exactly where you don’t expect them to.
This review is also posted on my blog Where the Mome Raths Outgrabe
This book blends a great story with the excitement of the circus. We get a glimpse into the life of a working circus, which filled that hole inside of me (and more than likely you) that always did want to run away and join the circus. Lexi didn’t run away or join the circus for the more traditional reasons (you know, like fun), and that makes the story more relatable and believable. She is rational and in need of a family, which the circus can provide. I liked that the book highlights the highs and lows of circus work while tying it into a beautiful story of self discovery.
This is the paragraph that I would put negative aspects about the book in. I don’t have anything to put here so this is a paragraph about nothing. THAT TIME I JOINED THE CIRCUS wasn’t a perfect book that pulled at all my feels, but there isn’t anything bad to say.
There was a sweetness to this story that I wasn’t expecting. It has very uplifting messages about being who you are and who you want to be and was an all around feel good novel. I was surprised many a time within this novel, reminding me that books -- and life -- usually go exactly where you don’t expect them to.
This review is also posted on my blog Where the Mome Raths Outgrabe
August 25, 2013
I'll admit it; it was the cover that drew me to this book. I am not a circus fan, but the lights, coloring and flying people made it look like a fantasy land and I couldn't wait to get my hands on it.
The story starts off with a bang. It alternates time frames and you know Lexi has had some issue in the past months but you aren't exactly sure what happen - this really drives the story. You want to know why this city girl ended up in the middle of a FL field waiting on the circus.
Lexi's life with the circus started out slow and I was a little disappointed with the similarities to Water for Elephants. Lexi impressed the leader and went from one job to another as soon as he learned she was educated. But that is where the similarities end. Lexi bonds with a family of circus performers and they give her something she hasn't had in a long time - a normal family life.
Lexi finally seems to be settling into her new life - she has friends and a boyfriend. Her life was completely turned upside down in last few months, but things finally are working out for her- then bam her past shows up. And another world wind adventure begins.
I really enjoyed the titles and song lyric for each chapter. It definitely gave you a "theme" for the next part of Lexi's story. JJ Howard's vivid emotional writing draws you in, you feel like you are a spectator at the circus, watching every last detail unfold. My favorite part of the story is how nothing is how it seems. Everything seems pretty straight forward, but nothing is - it is all an intricate weave of story lines. This has been my favorite 2013 Debut so far.
The story starts off with a bang. It alternates time frames and you know Lexi has had some issue in the past months but you aren't exactly sure what happen - this really drives the story. You want to know why this city girl ended up in the middle of a FL field waiting on the circus.
Lexi's life with the circus started out slow and I was a little disappointed with the similarities to Water for Elephants. Lexi impressed the leader and went from one job to another as soon as he learned she was educated. But that is where the similarities end. Lexi bonds with a family of circus performers and they give her something she hasn't had in a long time - a normal family life.
Lexi finally seems to be settling into her new life - she has friends and a boyfriend. Her life was completely turned upside down in last few months, but things finally are working out for her- then bam her past shows up. And another world wind adventure begins.
I really enjoyed the titles and song lyric for each chapter. It definitely gave you a "theme" for the next part of Lexi's story. JJ Howard's vivid emotional writing draws you in, you feel like you are a spectator at the circus, watching every last detail unfold. My favorite part of the story is how nothing is how it seems. Everything seems pretty straight forward, but nothing is - it is all an intricate weave of story lines. This has been my favorite 2013 Debut so far.
July 3, 2015
The first hundred pages are a dazzling whirlwind of new experiences, the near-mystical excitement of the traveling circus juxtaposed against the heartbreak of her reason for being there, the modern-day equivalent of a penniless orphan. This was the story I came for, a girl forced to grow up too soon but finding her way in a new life.
Too bad what I got after that turned into a convoluted mess of way too many boys and a distinct loss of the circus atmosphere by winter break, at which point it felt like this should have been part of a different book.
I still feel a connection to the non-boy-crazy version of Xandra (who reminded me of Alexis from "Castle," only a little more solitary and musically-inclined), and enjoyed the lyrical headers, but by the time the book was done, too many interpersonal relationships were in shambles and/or everyone had been revealed to be a terrible person. She made the choices I wanted her to make about love and life by the end, but she got to the love choice in such a wrong way that it wasn't as satisfying as it should have been.
Too bad what I got after that turned into a convoluted mess of way too many boys and a distinct loss of the circus atmosphere by winter break, at which point it felt like this should have been part of a different book.
I still feel a connection to the non-boy-crazy version of Xandra (who reminded me of Alexis from "Castle," only a little more solitary and musically-inclined), and enjoyed the lyrical headers, but by the time the book was done, too many interpersonal relationships were in shambles and/or everyone had been revealed to be a terrible person. She made the choices I wanted her to make about love and life by the end, but she got to the love choice in such a wrong way that it wasn't as satisfying as it should have been.
May 9, 2013
I was so excited to read That Time I Joined the Circus. The synopsis hooked from from the first sentence and I wanted desperately the read a sort of coming of age YA book mixed with the fun of a circus and great music. I thought it would be a mixture of something like Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist mixed with a modern day Water for Elephants based on the summary. And to some readers, I suppose it was. Unfortunately, That Time I Joined the Circus didn’t work for me and it fell flat.
That Time I Joined the Circus was told from two different time periods: before Lexi joined the circus when she was attending prep school in NYC and after Lexi joined the circus and her life fell apart. The reader doesn’t really know what the major catalyst, besides her father’s death, was in the “before” part, so we find out along the way. Before the circus, Lexi lived with her beatnik father, attended a prep school he worked hard to pay for, and hung out with her best friend Eli, until he became enamored with a girl named Bailey, or “Adventure Barbie” as Lexi refers to her. The three of them were a tricky group after Bailey came and shook up the dynamics. And something happened around Lexi’s father’s death and inability to pay for prep school between them and Lexi found herself alone. Her last resort was to find the mother who ran out on her and joined the circus. The circus ended up changing Lexi’s life and made her a better person, which was sort of the point. She met interesting people, grew up, gained confidence, etc.
I felt like That Time I Joined the Circus has the perfect formula for a great story. The added element of Lexi’s life at the circus had tons of potential and Lexi even became a temporary fortune teller due to the need for the position and her ability to read tarot cards. Each chapter had a quote from some sort of song, which I liked, especially because music was so important to Lexi. And of course, between Lexi’s unhealthy attachment to her best guy friend and then losing everything only to gain new confidence in the circus makes for a great story. But somehow, all of these elements weren’t executed to the best of their abilities.
I didn’t connect with any of the characters and Lexi’s own growth was too obvious. She was obviously a doormat in prep school, except she had no idea it had more to do with her attitude and less to do with circumstances and she played the whole “woe is me” card without trying very hard to fix anything. She had this whole warped perspective about how guys only talk to girls like Bailey and ignore her, even as guys were coming up to her. But, of course, that was only because they felt bad for her. Or whatever her issue was. It just drove me crazy. And of course, the entire growth of her character was based on her realizing her own potential and she took forever to do it. The whole internal conflict was just too obvious and induced too much eye rolling from my perspective. The rest of the characters were pretty flat, too. I wanted more of everyone, especially the friends Lexi made at the circus. Lina and Liska could have been awesome, but I felt like I didn’t get enough of them to really care about them. Even after so much of Eli in all of the before sections, when the time came to meet him, I wasn’t sure who I met. No one stood out to me. And it made all of the conflict a bit underwhelming.
And then there was Nick. Lexi fell for him pretty quickly and I loved the banter between them, except it was short. And then for some reason they couldn’t be together and that was the conflict and she tried to prove him wrong. I’m still not really sure what the problem was. I hate this type of conflict, thought.” We can’t be together because our lives aren’t going in the same direction even though I love you” isn’t a conflict that works for me immediately after falling for someone. If the character’s have been together awhile, I feel like it’s believable because life gets in the way of love sometimes. Or if one of them is like… a demon and the other kills demons for a living. Something like that. But as a rule, if you love someone, you try. And if you don’t try, I don’t believe you are in love. So this whole relationship didn’t work for me either.
I didn’t care for the writing, either. Lexi’s point of view lacked descriptions. I can’t even really explain the circus because it wasn’t described to its full potential. Perhaps this was the biggest problem of all. Between Lexi’s point of view, the lack of character depth and development, and the lack of world building, I felt like I was left with a mediocre story. Lexi’s adventures at the circus, when described in detail, reminded me so much of Jacob’s story in Water for Elephants (minus the time period difference) that I didn’t feel like I was gaining anything new by hearing Lexi’s story. I wanted more newness, more circus, more enchantment. And because the little descriptions I got reminded me so much of Water for Elephants, I couldn't help but notice the elephant performer's name was Marina (and it was Marlena in Water for Elephants) and I just cringed. It was too much.
I feel horrible for giving such a negative review because I wanted to love it so much. It had elements that should have worked for me and had me falling in love with it. I think it would be the perfect story if it was better executed or it was marketed more as a coming of age for Lexi than an adventure involving a circus. If I expected more of a story about a girl in a prep school who had her life turned upside down and had to deal with losing her parent and her friends at the same time rather than a girl who joins a circus (which imply two very different forms of conflict in my opinion), I would have loved it more. Perhaps someone without such high expectations would enjoy it. But as a lover of both Water for Elephants and The Night Circus, I wanted something of that caliber and that’s not what I got.
That Time I Joined the Circus released on April 1, 2013. It has an average of 4 out of 5 stars, so don't just take my word for it!
Review originally published at Love, Literature, Art, and Reason book review blog: http://meganm922.blogspot.com/2013/04...
That Time I Joined the Circus was told from two different time periods: before Lexi joined the circus when she was attending prep school in NYC and after Lexi joined the circus and her life fell apart. The reader doesn’t really know what the major catalyst, besides her father’s death, was in the “before” part, so we find out along the way. Before the circus, Lexi lived with her beatnik father, attended a prep school he worked hard to pay for, and hung out with her best friend Eli, until he became enamored with a girl named Bailey, or “Adventure Barbie” as Lexi refers to her. The three of them were a tricky group after Bailey came and shook up the dynamics. And something happened around Lexi’s father’s death and inability to pay for prep school between them and Lexi found herself alone. Her last resort was to find the mother who ran out on her and joined the circus. The circus ended up changing Lexi’s life and made her a better person, which was sort of the point. She met interesting people, grew up, gained confidence, etc.
I felt like That Time I Joined the Circus has the perfect formula for a great story. The added element of Lexi’s life at the circus had tons of potential and Lexi even became a temporary fortune teller due to the need for the position and her ability to read tarot cards. Each chapter had a quote from some sort of song, which I liked, especially because music was so important to Lexi. And of course, between Lexi’s unhealthy attachment to her best guy friend and then losing everything only to gain new confidence in the circus makes for a great story. But somehow, all of these elements weren’t executed to the best of their abilities.
I didn’t connect with any of the characters and Lexi’s own growth was too obvious. She was obviously a doormat in prep school, except she had no idea it had more to do with her attitude and less to do with circumstances and she played the whole “woe is me” card without trying very hard to fix anything. She had this whole warped perspective about how guys only talk to girls like Bailey and ignore her, even as guys were coming up to her. But, of course, that was only because they felt bad for her. Or whatever her issue was. It just drove me crazy. And of course, the entire growth of her character was based on her realizing her own potential and she took forever to do it. The whole internal conflict was just too obvious and induced too much eye rolling from my perspective. The rest of the characters were pretty flat, too. I wanted more of everyone, especially the friends Lexi made at the circus. Lina and Liska could have been awesome, but I felt like I didn’t get enough of them to really care about them. Even after so much of Eli in all of the before sections, when the time came to meet him, I wasn’t sure who I met. No one stood out to me. And it made all of the conflict a bit underwhelming.
And then there was Nick. Lexi fell for him pretty quickly and I loved the banter between them, except it was short. And then for some reason they couldn’t be together and that was the conflict and she tried to prove him wrong. I’m still not really sure what the problem was. I hate this type of conflict, thought.” We can’t be together because our lives aren’t going in the same direction even though I love you” isn’t a conflict that works for me immediately after falling for someone. If the character’s have been together awhile, I feel like it’s believable because life gets in the way of love sometimes. Or if one of them is like… a demon and the other kills demons for a living. Something like that. But as a rule, if you love someone, you try. And if you don’t try, I don’t believe you are in love. So this whole relationship didn’t work for me either.
I didn’t care for the writing, either. Lexi’s point of view lacked descriptions. I can’t even really explain the circus because it wasn’t described to its full potential. Perhaps this was the biggest problem of all. Between Lexi’s point of view, the lack of character depth and development, and the lack of world building, I felt like I was left with a mediocre story. Lexi’s adventures at the circus, when described in detail, reminded me so much of Jacob’s story in Water for Elephants (minus the time period difference) that I didn’t feel like I was gaining anything new by hearing Lexi’s story. I wanted more newness, more circus, more enchantment. And because the little descriptions I got reminded me so much of Water for Elephants, I couldn't help but notice the elephant performer's name was Marina (and it was Marlena in Water for Elephants) and I just cringed. It was too much.
I feel horrible for giving such a negative review because I wanted to love it so much. It had elements that should have worked for me and had me falling in love with it. I think it would be the perfect story if it was better executed or it was marketed more as a coming of age for Lexi than an adventure involving a circus. If I expected more of a story about a girl in a prep school who had her life turned upside down and had to deal with losing her parent and her friends at the same time rather than a girl who joins a circus (which imply two very different forms of conflict in my opinion), I would have loved it more. Perhaps someone without such high expectations would enjoy it. But as a lover of both Water for Elephants and The Night Circus, I wanted something of that caliber and that’s not what I got.
That Time I Joined the Circus released on April 1, 2013. It has an average of 4 out of 5 stars, so don't just take my word for it!
Review originally published at Love, Literature, Art, and Reason book review blog: http://meganm922.blogspot.com/2013/04...
March 17, 2020
Living in the circus is a pretty tough thing to do. At least that’s what Lexi — Alexandra? Xandra? X? Lex? well whatever her name is — thinks. What she doesn’t expect is finding her mother, making trustworthy friends, and a chance at true love. One thing you need to know about her is that she’s a magnet for boys. She literally made out with every boy in the circus. Well except one but that was because he disappeared all the time. The one she SHOULD HAVE stayed with was Nick. Cocky, charming, mysterious Nick. They were just perfect! Why did you have to let her go, Nick?! Actually I think she would have strayed with Jamie which was her first kiss at Europa, the circus’ name. But she just had to avoid after that because she felt weird about it. I loved Lina and Liska! They really opened up to Lex. The book was descriptive, not too much that they book was boring and dragged, but not too little that you didn’t know what it was. It had a happy ending, though it didn’t exceed my expectations.
Overall, it deserves a round of applause and a 3.5!
Overall, it deserves a round of applause and a 3.5!
September 9, 2017
That Time I Joined the Circus is about a teenage girl who runs away to the circus to find her mother after her father dies. Her mother's gone, her father's gone and her friends are no longer her friends. She is alone and lost.
I related to the main character quite a bit, especially the part of her feeling lost and invisible. I loved how the main character was so honest with her inner monologue and how she settled into the circus with ease.
However, I didn't really understand the appeal with Nick, one of the boys she fell in love with. Even though they got along well, I didn't think he treated her all that nice. I actually preferred Jamie. He had this confident, welcoming demeanor about him that I liked. Her best friend, Eli, was weak in my opinion and kind of pushy and selfish.
Overall, though, I liked the story. I had moments where I wasn't sure where it was going, but I loved the neatly tied ending and the journey of the main character.
I related to the main character quite a bit, especially the part of her feeling lost and invisible. I loved how the main character was so honest with her inner monologue and how she settled into the circus with ease.
However, I didn't really understand the appeal with Nick, one of the boys she fell in love with. Even though they got along well, I didn't think he treated her all that nice. I actually preferred Jamie. He had this confident, welcoming demeanor about him that I liked. Her best friend, Eli, was weak in my opinion and kind of pushy and selfish.
Overall, though, I liked the story. I had moments where I wasn't sure where it was going, but I loved the neatly tied ending and the journey of the main character.
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