When Michael Sinclair receives an invitation to the grand opening of Cirque Somniatis, he figures it will be a good opportunity to get away from ghosts, potential in-laws, and the seemingly endless stream of rejected job applications... And a chance to spend a romantic weekend at the circus with Kate.
But nothing is as it seems as Michael, Kate, and ghost-hunter extraordinaire Luke Rainer venture onto the haunted fairgrounds in the small town of Hugo, Oklahoma. New rivals, theatrical psychics, and a Ringmaster with a dark secret of his own all wait for them under the Big Top.
Come one, come all. Do not forego. Step inside, enjoy the show...
I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.
As usual, I loved this book because I love all of Jacqueline’s books. Her writing style is just amazing.
This book was another fantastic addition to the series. There was a lot of paranormal activity in this book and I loved every second of it. I think out of all three of the books, this had the most spooks. A lot happened in this one.
The haunted carnival setting was really perfect because it introduced a lot of interesting new characters, like Rasia and Chance McDermott. I’m curious to see more of them in future books.
What I really love about this series, and this book in particular, is how it deals with death and grief in regards to both the loved ones and the deceased. It explores the nuances of both sides in great depth. The last two chapters of this book demonstrated this perfectly. Those chapters were so touching, emotional and heartfelt. If I was one of those people who could cry when reading books, I probably would have.
All in all, this was an incredible addition to the Cemetery Tours series and I cannot wait to see what Jacqueline comes up with for the next book.
I was going through my notebook and realized that I'd written a review of this book, but never actually posted it. I feel so ashamed of myself rightnow *avoids eye contact* So here we go -
This is the third book in the cemetery tours series, and I think most readers of this series will agree this is the best one yet. Smith is one of those writers who always hook me from the very first page. She uses the simplicity of her style to create worlds and characters that are so breathtakingly beautiful. When I cracked open this book, my heart opened its doors for everything the author had to offer. It made me vulnerable, but at the same time I felt rewarded too. This book is more intense than the previous ones, and it highlights the theme of rivalry. And boy, it made so freaking jealous and insecure about the things I care for in this series. I loved every minute of it lol. There is a new depth given to the characters, both old and new. The mystery unfolded it self gracefully, but made my heart race throughout, it proved all my assumptions to be incorrect. The circus created by the author is just so dazzling, and eerie. I'm sold (have been from the very first book) I love how the author doesn't loads her works with unnecessary details. I am telling y'all this is some high quality escapism in just 250 pages. I can't recommed this series enough.
Summary: This is the third book in the Cemetery Tours series. It follows Michael(who can see ghosts), Kate and Luke on yet another adventure. This time, to the circus!!! They get invited to this huge event out of the blue. Once there they run into Luke's enemy. So trying to uncover why they were invited in the first place among other troubles.
Dislikes: Honestly, there was a tiny grammatical error but honestly I don't have a complaint other than, It's over already? lol
Likes: Michael, Kate, Luke, and omg Brink. Jackie you literally broke my heart for a minute! The story was wonderful and as always I felt every emotion that the others did. I cannot wait to see if there's more.
Overall: I love this series! You need to go read it asap! This story was more heartfelt at the end than the others and I really appreciated that. Wonderful story line as always.
I just love Jacqueline! This is the fourth book I read of hers and she never disappoints! She manages to tear hysterical laughter out of me at every page. I can't politely laugh, no. I have to laugh out loud and my family thought I was going crazy. They kept staring at me. Anyway, this was a highly anticipated read for me and I loved it more than I thought I would. The humor began from the first page and then it turned into all out suspicion. This book kept me on my toes and double guessing everybody's motive as if I were a detective. If you don't already know, this series follows a guy, Michael, who has been seeing ghosts his entire life and if you know anything about me, is that I L.O.V.E. anything and everything ghost related. I sincerely love how Jacqueline is able to bring a ghost to life, no pun intended, and give them a realistic and believable past. That is one of the things that I look most forward to in her novels. Add the fact that I love circuses and I was sold into this story from the beginning. There were tears, laughter, drama, betrayal, and love. Ugh, Michael and Kate are so perfect for each other that I can't help but tear up every time they interact. I love those two together so much and will root for them 'till my last breath. Oh, and Luke. Oh... Luke. That man keeps stealing the show (I'm talking about my heart here). He is so hilarious and I just loved witnessing a side of him we rarely see. I just want him to be happy!!! (With me.) If there's ever a book focused on only him, I will die and go to Luke-heaven. (Hint, hint, Jacqueline.) We're also introduced to one of the biggest jerks in Cemetery Tour history and I will let you meet him on your own. You guys have no idea how much I just wanted to punch him in the face and throat. Hostility aside, all of the characters, both old and new, were amazing! They added something significant to the plot and I need more. If you haven't started this series yet, get on with it!
I received this copy from the author as a Christmas gift, but my review is honest, haha! Let's go :D
The Story
Michael and Kate are finally really dating after so many delays and are trapped with way simpler problems than before: are they ready for the next step? Is Kate over Trevor? Should Michael propose now or wait for a job to appear?
All those doubts are put on hold when Michael receives a weird invitation for the inauguration of Cirque Somniatis, in Hugo, Oklahoma. Kate jumps into the opportunity on the spot and convinces Michael that he should invite Luke Rainer as second escort for the event. Michael doesn’t really like the idea, as Luke seems to always causes him weeks of trouble and headache each time the three of them hooked up, put agrees nevertheless.
As always goes with people that handles with spirits, soon enough they realize that Cirque Somniatis is way darker than it should.
The Analysis
Just remembering that those were my impressions and opinion as a reader :)
THIS SERIES IS FREAKING AWESOME! After Death was even better than Between Worlds and made me crave for more like a possessed girl when I finished it and there wasn’t more. Five stars because Goodreads doesn’t allow me to give more :(
The good news is that Jacqueline assured me that Cemetery Tours is not ending any time soon! YAY, THANK YOU MY LORD!
Ok, I’m under control now. Maybe. But let’s (try to) get professional.
The narrative style is once again kept and it worked just fine for me for the whole series: third person with alternating point of views. The news is that we get to hear more of the story through Luke’s eyes, and it was awesome :D Now I officially love Luke, even with his very weird romantic notions.
The plot was breathtaking. Really, Smith evolved a lot through her books and I had no idea who were the real villains until the very end. Everybody – even Luke himself in some parts – seems to be hiding something awful. How many ghosts are there in the circus? Is the Ringmaster really a human being? Can Chance be more obnoxious? ARE THEY GOING TO FREAKING SURVIVE?!
Seriously, Jacqueline broke me with this book. I read it in one day, crazily and non-stop as much as I could.
Once again, the aspect that more appraised me were the characters. Besides our bffs Michael, Kate, Luke and Brink, we are introduced to new people and spirits. They all grew up a lot, specially Michael (again), the Luke himself points out on his parts of the book. Their friendship gets stronger and it’s just beautiful. I like Claire too, a new ghost in town, but she is kind of scaring and crazy, in the worse way possible: the innocent looking way, haha! Blink also has a big part in this book and it was heartwarming to see what Michael did for him in the end. I cried hard, tears of joy <3 But, putting all the magic aside for a moment, I have to share a theory with you guys or I may die.
There’s this guy that shows up as well, called Chance. He also owns a TV show based in ghost hunting and all, called Ghost Crusaders or some other non-sense like that. The thing is that Chance is a very jerk individual, but he is especially mean with Luke and we can clearly see that it goes beyond TV rating rivalry. In the end, his reasons are revealed, but I kinda didn’t believe him. I mean, NO ONE is so cruel for such a stupid reason without being a psychopath (which Chance wasn’t, he had too many passion in his hate for Luke). Which brings me to my theory: is Chance hiding some sort of insane and sick passion for Luke? It would make all the sense in the world for me and I was so sure that I was right that I even gasped when I read what it was all about. Seriously. Love and hate are apart thanks to a very thin and transparent line. I don’t know if Chance’s dedication to Luke’s fall is fed by only hate. I don’t think he has this notion, but I believe with all my heart THAT I AM STILL RIGHT AND THAT CHANCE IS JUST MAKING EXCUSES FOR HIMSELF.
Don’t worry, Chance. I’ll keep your secret from Luke.
Ahem, back to the book.
Bonus point: the circus aspect was a huge one. Smith manages to immerse her reader on that feeling of darkness, magic, joy, mystery and decadency all the same time. I’m fascinated about circus in horror/ghost/suspense books and for its history in general, so I felt butterflies in my stomach all the time while “I was” on the circus with Michael, Kate and Luke.
Overall, this was one of the best full series that I read this year. I’m just not going to say that it was the absolute best because I’ve read all Percy Jackson’s books earlier this year for the first time and I also liked them very much, haha! But seriously, it’s the best ghost series ever. CEMETERY TOURS BEATED THE MEDIATOR SERIES IN MY HEART =O
That’s it! Thanks for reading <3 And, of course, thanks once again to Jacqueline, this awesome author that manage to find her own place in my heart :D
After Death, the third novel in the Cemetery Tours series, had me hooked from the very first chapter. I picked up the book one night before I went to sleep, thinking I was just going to read the first three chapters, and ended up finishing it in one night. When I think of words to describe this book, I think of 'haunting', 'dark' and... 'beautiful'. Honestly, not to give away spoilers, but the book made me cry in more than one chapters.
Michael, Kate, and Luke are a dynamic and amazing trio that fill out the id, ego, and superego roles perfectly. Of course, Brink tags along a few times as well, and his peanut gallery commentary made me laugh out loud on more than one occasion. The characters in this novel are well rounded, relatable, and real.
The setting in Hugo, Oklahoma, was absolutely chilling. As someone who finds vaudeville-esque clowns and circus like things a bit scary and fascinating, this book enthralled me with beautiful imagery. With this new setting comes new characters and, well, I'm not going to give anything away.
But above all, I loved this book for the dark mystery that surrounded the circus. Growing up, I devoured Nancy Drew books, and I prided myself on being able to solve the mystery before I even finished the book. This was not the case with After Death. The entire time I was left in the dark when it came to the mystery, but by the very end, everything makes sense. This writing was smart and well thought out, and I was shocked by some of the plot twists.
This book series has something for everyone - romance, paranormal, humor, and adventure. After I finished this book, I thought about it for a few days and really tried to take it in. I guess you could say that this book stuck with me ( or should I say, haunted me) in the very best way. I hope you enjoy it.
The third installment of Cemetery Tours did not disappoint. In fact, it appointed… hard! I felt the same excitement as when I read the first. Smith’s ghosts, action, and characters sync incredibly well together. And the dialogue never misses a beat. I feel like I’ve known Kate, Michael, and Luke for ages. I can’t think of a moment I did not thoroughly enjoy (a carnival was perfect ghostly setting by the way). Romance, intrigue, and another jaunt with America’s favorite ghost, Eugene Brinkley? I think I’ll read the series all over again. Maybe you should too!
What an ending!! Man! This series wraps up nicely with After Death— which follows our three favorites, Michael, Kate, and Luke as they take what they think is going to be a relaxing vacation to the grand opening of a circus. What follows after they arrive is a mystery held together by people fighting to keep their own secrets from coming to light. I truly hope she has more planned because I am just not ready to let this series go yet!!!
As usual, Jacqueline tells a wonderful tale to draw me in and keep me captivated and unable to put the book down! I adore her characters as well as her writing style that had me second guessing the whole way through! While I hate to be done with Michael, Kate, Luke, and Brink, I look forward to reading her other books! For my more complete review check out my blog post: http://christybooklust.blogspot.com/2...
Fame is fleeting. More people accept his talent. More doubt about him. And he is drawn further into the cable world of show & tell -- more is better -- and danger is not just from the living.
What’s it About? “The Cirque Somniatus almost reminded her of fairs and carnivals growing up, but it was far more elegant, more majestic, than the fairgrounds of her childhood. The colors were primarily those of gemstones: garnets and amethysts, with touches of sunlight and moonlight embellishments. It was like stepping through the door to wonderland.” When Michael Sinclair is offered three free weekend passes to The Circus of Dreams, he invites his girlfriend Kate, and ghost-hunter friend, Luke Rainer along for the ride. They find themselves in a haunted circus, at the mercy of a lost soul who interferes with Michael and Kate’s relationship; a Ringmaster who may have an ulterior motive for inviting them; an extravagant psychic who warns them off; and even worse, Luke’s rival – who lives to stir up trouble for the three! This fun, relaxing weekend quickly turns into a disaster… Will the three land on their feet? My Thoughts After Death, by Author Jacqueline E. Smith is nightmarishly awesome! I loved this installment of the Cemetery Tours book series. I’m curious if there *might* be a Cemetery Tours book 4, based on the way CT book 3 ended! Eeep! A girl can dream, right?! The world building is phenomenal. I really enjoyed the haunted circus setting as well as all of the extravagant secondary characters. The author truly can paint a scene with her words. Reading this book was such an enjoyable experience. Speaking of the characters, I loved it when Chance McDermott stepped into the novel. Luke’s reaction to Chance was priceless! My favorite character, (other than Michael, Kate, and Luke, of course,) was Claire. She added a different twist to After Death, and in the end, her interference strengthened Michael and Kate’s relationship. I just love a well-written paranormal romance. <3 Like a good mystery, every character had me guessing – are they the villain of the story? When all was revealed I was delightfully surprised. I would recommend this series to fans of ghost-hunting shows, and to people who enjoy the paranormal in general. You won’t be disappointed! FULL BOOK REVIEW: https://aprillwood.wordpress.com/2016...
(It is the third book in the series, so there are bound to be spoilers from the first two books.)
After crazy ghost hauntings and uncovering long-buried secrets, Michael Sinclair and Kate Avery have finally found a moment of peace to continue to enjoy their relationship. Out of the blue, they receive an invitation to the opening weekend of Cirque Somniatis and they look forward to having a fun weekend, but there are plenty of ghosts haunting the fairground. Michael has the unfortunate luck to fascinate a sinister ghost wrapped in beautiful packaging and his relaxing weekend with Kate takes some unfortunate turns…
Jackie really has a knack for getting inside character’s heads. All the characters in this book have such unique voices and they all are so different. There is a wonderful depth to all of the main characters and we get to see into their minds even more with this instalment of the Cemetery Tours series. The characters aren’t perfect and that’s what adds to their depth. They hurt, grow, get angry, and make mistakes like everyone does.
Michael really starts to come out of his shell in this book. I love seeing his growth over the course of this series. His relationship with Kate is also really sweet. I’m really glad that their relationship isn’t like most fictional relationships and we get to see some of Kate and Michael’s flaws.
Luke Rainer will always be one of my favorite characters. I love his personality and how he really pushes Michael to be all he can be. The addition of Luke’s nemesis showed a side of Luke that we hadn’t seen before and it only adds to this book. His struggles were so real and I easily identified with how he was feeling.
I really loved to hate Chance McDermott. He’s just such a jerk! Jackie did an excellent job writing him. So many times throughout this book, I wished I could punch him. He’s so arrogant and rude, but he was also a very fun addition to the cast.
The plot of this book was tight and flowed nicely. I never got bored while reading this book. It gets intense at just the right moments and the parts in between kept me entertained until the very last page.
I was sent a copy by the author in exchange for an honest review.
I had missed these characters so much, it was so much fun revisiting them! this is the fourth book I've read by Jacqueline and she never lets me down; she had me laughing, crying and at the edge of my seat before the book was over.
I was so happy to read that she had brought the whole gang together. I have always loved the main character Michael; his humor is so much like mine and I just connect with his character so much. Kate is so bubbly, that is something I have always loved about her, she is always the one to lighten the mood in a tense situation; well her or Luke, Luke is the one to have me rolling on the floor laughing with the crazy things he says. Finally, is Brink, he must be my favorite character of the whole series and my love for him grew so much more after reading this novel.
This new adventure was set in a circus which is said to be haunted, when the crew gets to the carnival strange unexplainable things begin to happen to them. I really loved the Circus setting, they are already creepy so sending someone who sees spirits just amped up the creepiness. I liked the new characters that were introduced, they really brought the creepy vibe and made me suspect of everyone. Jacqueline is a master when it comes to writing these paranormal stories, this one was no exception; she even managed to break my heart, and make me cry. I absolutely love this series and cannot wait for the next book in the series. If you have not picked this series up, please do! It is the perfect Fall/October read.
*If you haven't read the first two books in the series, this review might have some minor spoilers*
I think that out of the three books, After Death was the most dark and spooky book in the series. The whole circus idea was fantastic. It felt like I was really with Brink, Luke, Kate and Michael in that Circus. If there's something I love about The Cemetery Tours books is that there's always a mad ghost, but each time angrier. In this one we had Claire, and even though I don't want to spill out many details, I have to say I was hella frightened of her. I also liked how Luke, in this book, is just having "a good time" with his friends, not being the Cemetery Tours Luke Rainer. We get to know a few more characters, but the one that annoyed me the most was freaking Chance McDermott. A disgusting copy cat of Luke who was mean, disrespectful, and was always mocking Luke and his friends. After Death was indeed a fast, hilarious and haunting read. If you're looking for scary books with a touch of humor, plot twists, and great characters, I highly recommend The Cemetery Tours series. You'll have a great time!
"Michael had always thought that seeing ghosts was stressful. Those wandering spirits were nothing compared to whatever women had going through their heads at all odd hours of the day."
Michael gets a mysterious letter inviting him and two guests to Mr. Van Dalen's circus. Michael, Kate, & Luke arrive and right away realize something odd is going on. The circus is definitely haunted. But why?
Smith invites you into another amazing, spooky world full of ghosts, circus acts, fires, rivalries, blackmail, and love. Smith's writing style sucks you in and consumes you whole. The circus is absolutely amazing and so many other ghost hunters and mediums are there. Why were all these other people invited? What is going on?
I was blown away with how this book came together at the end! So complex and creative. This was a fun, creepy little series that I absolutely loved! I highly recommend it. For that matter, I highly recommend anything and everything Jacqueline E. Smith writes!
This is not your typical ghost story. The adventure never stops. Given tickets to a circus, Michael is completely unaware of why. Encouraged by his girlfriend, Kate, they are accompanied by their television star friend. In an effort to cheer Luke up, the three journey to what they think will be a nice vacation. They could never be more wrong.
The story rolls smoothly. The changes in action add well to the plot. You can feel the emotion as family members are united and friendships become more solid. We also see Michael, Luke, and Kate all grow as they define their place in the world.
But of course, there are always hiccups. For those, you’ll have to read the story to find out. I did and loved it!
I enjoyed reading this book, the third of a series. I thought it started out slower than the first two, but I soon realized how the story began to build. It kept me reading, causing me to want to find out what would happen next. Then, through a series of clever clues and unforeseen developments, it reaches a satisfying climax and an unexpected conclusion. I recommend it, but it is best to read the previous two books of the series (Cemetery Tours and Between Worlds) before reading this one in order to understand the interactions of the principal characters. I hope there will be more of these to come.After Death
I finally found the time to sit down and read! Once again, Jacqueline does not disappoint in my favorite ghost series. The idea of the setting being at a circus is just another added bonus. I absolutely love Michael and Kate and have enjoyed watching their relationship evolve throughout the Cemetery Tours series. Very creative and a great follow up after Cemetery Tours and Between Worlds! Next on my reading list is Boy Band - I love her work!
In my view I think that the novel After Death is much better than the previous last novels. It's different and easy to read. I loved the idea of a circus. It sets the perfect problems and setting for the novel. Anyway, its a spectacular read!