What do you think?
Rate this book
Spectacle #2
Sensational
Jodie Lynn Zdrok's Sensational is the thrilling follow-up to Spectacle in which a killer haunts the Paris World's Fair of 1889.
The 1889 Exposition Universelle in Paris is full of innovations, cultural displays, and inventions. Millions of visitors attend over the course of several months...so no one would notice if a few were missing, right? Maybe—but someone is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the guillotine with a display of their own: beheaded victims in some of the Exposition's most popular exhibits.
Nathalie Baudin’s ability to see murder scenes should help, but she's suffering the effects of her magic more than ever before. Fortunately she has other Insightfuls to team up with—if they can be trusted.
The 1889 Exposition Universelle in Paris is full of innovations, cultural displays, and inventions. Millions of visitors attend over the course of several months...so no one would notice if a few were missing, right? Maybe—but someone is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the guillotine with a display of their own: beheaded victims in some of the Exposition's most popular exhibits.
Nathalie Baudin’s ability to see murder scenes should help, but she's suffering the effects of her magic more than ever before. Fortunately she has other Insightfuls to team up with—if they can be trusted.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published February 11, 2020
8 people are currently reading
1853 people want to read
About the author
Jodie Lynn Zdrok
2 books118 followersJodie Lynn Zdrok holds two MAs in European History and an MBA. She enjoys rooting for Boston sports teams, traveling, doing races (to offset being a foodie), and posting cat photos to Instagram. She works in technology and lives in North Carolina by way of Massachusetts.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
February 26, 2020
Goodness what on earth happened with this book?
So, we ended book one with some interesting ideas but I feel the author just got bored of the world/characters/the story she wanted to tell and just ended it on Book 2.
The characters took a step backward in terms of development. Our focus has now obtained a boyfriend in the two year jump between book one and this book. He is an Insightful too and his power is to recall a person's noises/thoughts? He makes a crap mistake at one point of the book and you find out how she deals with it. But honestly, why care? She has been mooning over a guy who apparently is engaged to someone and she even gets jealous when another female insightful is brought on to the case. (Who, by the way, has no feelings whatsoever to Christophe but the girl just hates the fact that she is even in the same vicinity as him.)
You never meet Christophe's intended, and frankly, the relationship there was a little odd. You honestly don't know what his intentions were are about and by the end of the book you still don't know.
The killer and the plot wasn't as strongly done as book one, and it could be - again - partially due to the author wanting to abandon ship.
The way these people developed their powers (why is it only these people in France are obtaining this power and not people, say, from other countries or continents) is never really embellished on. Again, probably the author wanting to stop this series.
You can tell the author really excels in the history aspect and there was an interesting world needing to be discovered ... but honestly, this book fell flat and is a silent bow-out to what could have been an interesting series.
So, we ended book one with some interesting ideas but I feel the author just got bored of the world/characters/the story she wanted to tell and just ended it on Book 2.
The characters took a step backward in terms of development. Our focus has now obtained a boyfriend in the two year jump between book one and this book. He is an Insightful too and his power is to recall a person's noises/thoughts? He makes a crap mistake at one point of the book and you find out how she deals with it. But honestly, why care? She has been mooning over a guy who apparently is engaged to someone and she even gets jealous when another female insightful is brought on to the case. (Who, by the way, has no feelings whatsoever to Christophe but the girl just hates the fact that she is even in the same vicinity as him.)
You never meet Christophe's intended, and frankly, the relationship there was a little odd. You honestly don't know what his intentions were are about and by the end of the book you still don't know.
The killer and the plot wasn't as strongly done as book one, and it could be - again - partially due to the author wanting to abandon ship.
The way these people developed their powers (why is it only these people in France are obtaining this power and not people, say, from other countries or continents) is never really embellished on. Again, probably the author wanting to stop this series.
You can tell the author really excels in the history aspect and there was an interesting world needing to be discovered ... but honestly, this book fell flat and is a silent bow-out to what could have been an interesting series.
March 15, 2020
I really like when magic happens in a known period of time and environment. I liked how I could live the Exposition Universelle throughout Nathalie experience, discover the Eiffel Tower when it was built, and live with her the challenges of her gift.
Even if I predicted half of the intrigue, I was really surprised by the ending of the book.
Many thanks to Tor Books for the complimentary e-copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Even if I predicted half of the intrigue, I was really surprised by the ending of the book.
Many thanks to Tor Books for the complimentary e-copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
February 7, 2020
(Disclaimer: I received this book from Edelweiss. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Sensational is....truly sensational. I love the world building which combines historical fiction, magic, and sights of the Eiffel Tour. Zdrok has created a world of Insightfuls - those gifted with magic which comes at a cost. For Nathalie she can see murder scenes, but it always takes her own memories away. In Sensational she is struggling with these consequences more than ever before, as well as the guilt from Spectacle. Her powers come at a price and in Sensational we are able to meet more Insightfuls whose relationship to their powers vary.
We are asked not only what would we do for our power, but what we do to rid ourselves of our power? There's a distinct cost and responsibility which is explored in fascinating and ethical ways in Sensational. At the end we're all humans underneath our powers. In Sensational there are many different levels of mystery and intrigue which will captivate you till the end. Who can we really trust and is no one safe from the consequences of Nathalie's powers?
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
Sensational is....truly sensational. I love the world building which combines historical fiction, magic, and sights of the Eiffel Tour. Zdrok has created a world of Insightfuls - those gifted with magic which comes at a cost. For Nathalie she can see murder scenes, but it always takes her own memories away. In Sensational she is struggling with these consequences more than ever before, as well as the guilt from Spectacle. Her powers come at a price and in Sensational we are able to meet more Insightfuls whose relationship to their powers vary.
We are asked not only what would we do for our power, but what we do to rid ourselves of our power? There's a distinct cost and responsibility which is explored in fascinating and ethical ways in Sensational. At the end we're all humans underneath our powers. In Sensational there are many different levels of mystery and intrigue which will captivate you till the end. Who can we really trust and is no one safe from the consequences of Nathalie's powers?
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
February 6, 2022
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.
In Sensational, Nathalie Baudin has accepted the truth about her Insightful status, and now works alongside other Insightfuls to assist the police in investigating crimes, and murders. With her friends, and new beau, by her side, she can overcome just about everything. But when the 1889 Exposition Universelle in Paris is wracked by a number of murders on it's site, and the killer seems to be closer to home than ever, can Nathalie survive it all?
I liked this book, okay, but didn't love it. After the mystery and magic of book 1, I had high hopes, and for the most part they were met. However, I feel like there were parts missing from the story, and Nathalie's character has changed a little too much. The mystery definitely was worth it, and I enjoyed meeting some new characters. Nathalie's own challenge with her powers, and there after effects, definitely was a plus, but the ending was a bit of a let down. I just think there was so much more this book had to give, and it wasn't developed as much as it could've been.
In Sensational, Nathalie Baudin has accepted the truth about her Insightful status, and now works alongside other Insightfuls to assist the police in investigating crimes, and murders. With her friends, and new beau, by her side, she can overcome just about everything. But when the 1889 Exposition Universelle in Paris is wracked by a number of murders on it's site, and the killer seems to be closer to home than ever, can Nathalie survive it all?
I liked this book, okay, but didn't love it. After the mystery and magic of book 1, I had high hopes, and for the most part they were met. However, I feel like there were parts missing from the story, and Nathalie's character has changed a little too much. The mystery definitely was worth it, and I enjoyed meeting some new characters. Nathalie's own challenge with her powers, and there after effects, definitely was a plus, but the ending was a bit of a let down. I just think there was so much more this book had to give, and it wasn't developed as much as it could've been.
February 12, 2020
Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy for review purposes.
I thought I’d give the end of this duology a shot, since I didn’t particularly enjoy the first one, but the premise was intriguing enough that I wanted to try again. To my dismay, the same thing happened. Others seem to have genuinely enjoyed the series, so this was probably a just-me situation.
I think the biggest issue with this particular protagonist, plot and setting is that it could have been executed really well, with a change to any of those big aspects. I never connected well with the protagonist, who came off one-dimensional except when she had amusing moments of relatable pettiness; the “Insightfuls” were reminiscent of Libba Bray’s Diviners, but without sufficient series length to be brought to full fruition; late-1800s Paris did not feel like a plausible setting where a teenaged girl, only 18 in this book and only 16 in the first, could have been running around unescorted and doing so much.
There were some aspects I really enjoyed; there were some good lines, and several characters vibe-check Nathalie’s pettiness and privilege a few times, something I really felt was needed. There were cats in the book, something I can always appreciate. The side plot of the aunt in the asylum, and Nathalie’s ever-present fear that ‘something’ will be found amiss about her mind, leading to her being committed herself, was something I found fascinating and relevant to the time. Women in particular were often victims of asylum committal – and most often for no other reason than they were too outspoken or an inconvenience to have around…
Again, though, plot aspects felt too thinly-developed. Nathalie randomly has a beau at the beginning of the book whom we’ve never met, who sticks around, but she is making eyes at Christophe, the detective (who also like…has a weeks-long vacation planned that is set to occur during a murder investigation?) the whole time. The murderer was again, not someone we’d really seen around or become invested in, and his methodology, a cheesy enactment of a play through his murders, just never took off for me.
All in all, this only provided middling enjoyment for me. It had a great premise that could have been better fulfilled, so for that I'll give it three stars.
I thought I’d give the end of this duology a shot, since I didn’t particularly enjoy the first one, but the premise was intriguing enough that I wanted to try again. To my dismay, the same thing happened. Others seem to have genuinely enjoyed the series, so this was probably a just-me situation.
I think the biggest issue with this particular protagonist, plot and setting is that it could have been executed really well, with a change to any of those big aspects. I never connected well with the protagonist, who came off one-dimensional except when she had amusing moments of relatable pettiness; the “Insightfuls” were reminiscent of Libba Bray’s Diviners, but without sufficient series length to be brought to full fruition; late-1800s Paris did not feel like a plausible setting where a teenaged girl, only 18 in this book and only 16 in the first, could have been running around unescorted and doing so much.
There were some aspects I really enjoyed; there were some good lines, and several characters vibe-check Nathalie’s pettiness and privilege a few times, something I really felt was needed. There were cats in the book, something I can always appreciate. The side plot of the aunt in the asylum, and Nathalie’s ever-present fear that ‘something’ will be found amiss about her mind, leading to her being committed herself, was something I found fascinating and relevant to the time. Women in particular were often victims of asylum committal – and most often for no other reason than they were too outspoken or an inconvenience to have around…
Again, though, plot aspects felt too thinly-developed. Nathalie randomly has a beau at the beginning of the book whom we’ve never met, who sticks around, but she is making eyes at Christophe, the detective (who also like…has a weeks-long vacation planned that is set to occur during a murder investigation?) the whole time. The murderer was again, not someone we’d really seen around or become invested in, and his methodology, a cheesy enactment of a play through his murders, just never took off for me.
All in all, this only provided middling enjoyment for me. It had a great premise that could have been better fulfilled, so for that I'll give it three stars.
February 29, 2020
5 stars for Stanley, Max, and Lucy. Because cats.
January 13, 2020
*I won an ARC of this book from a giveaway by the author herself. But all thoughts and opinions are my own*
This was a fun sequel to Spectacle! This gets to the action with a bang and I kept turning the pages to see what happened. I also like seeing how Nathalie grew from the first book and I liked how things turned out for her. I did like the mystery much better in tht first book, but this is a fun series that people need to pick up if you like historical fiction and murder mysteries. An author interview and review are coming very soon to the blog!
Review: https://metalphantasmreads.wordpress....
This was a fun sequel to Spectacle! This gets to the action with a bang and I kept turning the pages to see what happened. I also like seeing how Nathalie grew from the first book and I liked how things turned out for her. I did like the mystery much better in tht first book, but this is a fun series that people need to pick up if you like historical fiction and murder mysteries. An author interview and review are coming very soon to the blog!
Review: https://metalphantasmreads.wordpress....
December 12, 2019
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This second book in the series is so good! I knew it was part of a series but this one stands alone just fine!
There are some nicely creepy moments and I really liked Nathalie.
This second book in the series is so good! I knew it was part of a series but this one stands alone just fine!
There are some nicely creepy moments and I really liked Nathalie.
January 18, 2020
Spectacle Series
:
Spectacle: ★★★☆☆ (3.5)
Sensational: ★★★★☆ (4.5)
Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Review can also be found here at Booked J.
As always, a copy of this book was provided by the publisher or author in exchange for my honest review. This does not effect my opinion in any way.
Wow. Sensational is truly an accurate title for the second installment in Spectacle. This series is so enjoyable and undeniably sensational! Fully compelling in its plots, action packed and engaging. If you thought Spectacle was pure intrigue, you'll definitely appreciate the tone behind Sensational. Jodie Lynn Zdrok ups the tension and adds new layers through each chapter, building onto the suspense.
This was a nearly perfect sequel that, somehow, blows the first installment right out of the water.
The comparisons to Stalking Jack the Ripper may still be present in some ways but readers should not think too deeply on that. It ruins the experience. Spectacle is a completely different series, with its own story-arches. And, I'll say it again: this series is what I wanted the previously mentioned series to be. Rich with history, striking in its exploration of topics and mysteries, this installment is genuinely enjoyable.
You won't want to put it down.
Ever since finishing Spectacle, I've felt questions of what happens next. There's a quality to these characters, the mysterious plotline (and its conclusions) and settings, that makes you want to know as much as possible.
One of the best parts of its predecessor was how easy it was to slip into the narrative and get lost in all its suspense, history, mystery and magic. Sensational embraces its uncanny ability to get lost within a story, fully engulfing readers in a new set of questions. And I think it truly benefit from the time jump (it takes place a couple of years after the events of Spectacle) which sets the course for a new chapter.
I loved the tone and all the ties that connect Sensational and Spectacle. It felt like Zdrok did a wonderful job of refreshing our memories as well as diving into something undeniably new. As always, there's a balance in plotlines (and twists) that are deeply satisfying. The historical aspects, too, are, as always, on point
Watching Nathalie grow in both her ability and character development is nothing short of joy. I've grown even more attached to her in Sensational and felt that the way she has been portrayed is a standout to the series. From her missing memories, her abilities, to her strengths and her guilt, there is something so engrossing to how Zdrok continues to write her.
Ultimately, I adored Sensational and can firmly state that it is one of the best book sequels to come out in 2020. (I read it in 2019, I know, but sh.) This is the type of read you can't look away from. Beautifully written, enthralling and so worth the read.
Spectacle: ★★★☆☆ (3.5)
Sensational: ★★★★☆ (4.5)
Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Review can also be found here at Booked J.
As always, a copy of this book was provided by the publisher or author in exchange for my honest review. This does not effect my opinion in any way.
Wow. Sensational is truly an accurate title for the second installment in Spectacle. This series is so enjoyable and undeniably sensational! Fully compelling in its plots, action packed and engaging. If you thought Spectacle was pure intrigue, you'll definitely appreciate the tone behind Sensational. Jodie Lynn Zdrok ups the tension and adds new layers through each chapter, building onto the suspense.
This was a nearly perfect sequel that, somehow, blows the first installment right out of the water.
The comparisons to Stalking Jack the Ripper may still be present in some ways but readers should not think too deeply on that. It ruins the experience. Spectacle is a completely different series, with its own story-arches. And, I'll say it again: this series is what I wanted the previously mentioned series to be. Rich with history, striking in its exploration of topics and mysteries, this installment is genuinely enjoyable.
You won't want to put it down.
Ever since finishing Spectacle, I've felt questions of what happens next. There's a quality to these characters, the mysterious plotline (and its conclusions) and settings, that makes you want to know as much as possible.
One of the best parts of its predecessor was how easy it was to slip into the narrative and get lost in all its suspense, history, mystery and magic. Sensational embraces its uncanny ability to get lost within a story, fully engulfing readers in a new set of questions. And I think it truly benefit from the time jump (it takes place a couple of years after the events of Spectacle) which sets the course for a new chapter.
I loved the tone and all the ties that connect Sensational and Spectacle. It felt like Zdrok did a wonderful job of refreshing our memories as well as diving into something undeniably new. As always, there's a balance in plotlines (and twists) that are deeply satisfying. The historical aspects, too, are, as always, on point
Watching Nathalie grow in both her ability and character development is nothing short of joy. I've grown even more attached to her in Sensational and felt that the way she has been portrayed is a standout to the series. From her missing memories, her abilities, to her strengths and her guilt, there is something so engrossing to how Zdrok continues to write her.
Ultimately, I adored Sensational and can firmly state that it is one of the best book sequels to come out in 2020. (I read it in 2019, I know, but sh.) This is the type of read you can't look away from. Beautifully written, enthralling and so worth the read.
January 28, 2020
Let it be known that I absolutely loved Spectacle but I really wish I would have loved Sensational more.
I really enjoyed hanging out with Nathalie, Simone, Louis, and Jules again but that was really it. It might be a case of the sophomore blues but I felt the book was a bit slow and choppy like it would really get me invested and then pull me out of the story because something out of place happened. Specifically one main problem with Nathalie's character,
She was depicted as a strong woman in the first book, a woman who rebelled against society's expectations, a woman who even dressed as a man every day so she could work as a morgue reporter. In this book now that she is accepted as a reporter and a woman with no doubt of her skills, she has been reduced to a woman who keeps pining over a man, who is engaged, over and over again, fantasizing about what it would be like to be together when they are both in loving committing relationships. She always spends some part of her dialogue directed in that purpose and that made her a bit unbearable. Not only do they end up together in the most unrealistic way but it feels forced and they do it on the heels of destroying the character who was her partner (Jules) over one lie that was so unimportant for the premise of breaking them up and I found that disheartening.
The reason why everybody's insightfulness was weakening wasn't thoroughly explored and left more questions than answers, overall this book sadly did not meet my expectations, and I actually felt quite disconnected from the story because of these factors.
I really enjoyed hanging out with Nathalie, Simone, Louis, and Jules again but that was really it. It might be a case of the sophomore blues but I felt the book was a bit slow and choppy like it would really get me invested and then pull me out of the story because something out of place happened. Specifically one main problem with Nathalie's character,
She was depicted as a strong woman in the first book, a woman who rebelled against society's expectations, a woman who even dressed as a man every day so she could work as a morgue reporter. In this book now that she is accepted as a reporter and a woman with no doubt of her skills, she has been reduced to a woman who keeps pining over a man, who is engaged, over and over again, fantasizing about what it would be like to be together when they are both in loving committing relationships. She always spends some part of her dialogue directed in that purpose and that made her a bit unbearable. Not only do they end up together in the most unrealistic way but it feels forced and they do it on the heels of destroying the character who was her partner (Jules) over one lie that was so unimportant for the premise of breaking them up and I found that disheartening.
The reason why everybody's insightfulness was weakening wasn't thoroughly explored and left more questions than answers, overall this book sadly did not meet my expectations, and I actually felt quite disconnected from the story because of these factors.
September 10, 2020
I enjoyed this so much more then the first book. First of all *spoiler* we know the killer. I hated that about the first book. I want to guess.. to be able to piece it all together. I disliked that the killer was a random stranger. The author including a mysterious killer that was never introduced until he was found out bothered me far more then it should have. The fact alone that we know the killer helped me enjoy this book more. Silly.. I know, but why have a mystery book if you are unable resolve the mystery?!?
February 13, 2020
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
I quite enjoyed Spectacle last year, and found Sensational to be a good follow up. It takes place a couple years after book one ended, which I think was a brilliant choice for the sake of realism.
What I Liked:
• Still wonderfully dark! The funny part is, it's taking place during the world's fair, which you'd expect to be an upbeat atmosphere (and it was!) all while trying to find a really messed up serial killer/beheader. Talk about a stunning dichotomy that ended up being played out exactly right!
• Nathalie has so many wonderful, meaningful relationships. I feel like she needed these friends in her life, and I am so glad that she has found them. I won't say more because book one spoilers, but this is just so necessary for her. She also comes into this book with a beau in tow. Again, I can't say much more than that, but it's a thing. Also, she's still close to her parents, which I loved. Especially as she's a young woman who could feasibly be striking out on her own, she still realizes the importance of a good familial relationship. Love it.
• The mystery absolutely drew me in. I mean, this was one heck of a well-plotted mystery, meticulously detailed in all its gruesomeness. The littlest details were simply fascinating and horrifying and I wanted to know everything.
• Nathalie really grows during the book. She's had to go through so much in these past few years, and really she needs to come to terms with who she is, along with all the terrible stuff that has befallen her. Figure out what she wants, who she wants to be, etc. I love that sort of character journey!!
What I Didn't:
• The end felt a little... anticlimactic perhaps? Hard to fully express this without spoilers, but yeah. It ended satisfactorily, in the sense that you won't be filled with any such rage, and plot is resolved and such. But I just wanted more out of it, perhaps in terms of shock factor, or level of difficulty? 🤷♀️ I hope that is helpful, sorry I can't say more.
Bottom Line: Definitely a solid follow up that will for sure answer your questions, but also give you a batshit mystery in the gorgeous backdrop of the Parisian 1889 Exposition Universelle.
I quite enjoyed Spectacle last year, and found Sensational to be a good follow up. It takes place a couple years after book one ended, which I think was a brilliant choice for the sake of realism.
What I Liked:
• Still wonderfully dark! The funny part is, it's taking place during the world's fair, which you'd expect to be an upbeat atmosphere (and it was!) all while trying to find a really messed up serial killer/beheader. Talk about a stunning dichotomy that ended up being played out exactly right!
• Nathalie has so many wonderful, meaningful relationships. I feel like she needed these friends in her life, and I am so glad that she has found them. I won't say more because book one spoilers, but this is just so necessary for her. She also comes into this book with a beau in tow. Again, I can't say much more than that, but it's a thing. Also, she's still close to her parents, which I loved. Especially as she's a young woman who could feasibly be striking out on her own, she still realizes the importance of a good familial relationship. Love it.
• The mystery absolutely drew me in. I mean, this was one heck of a well-plotted mystery, meticulously detailed in all its gruesomeness. The littlest details were simply fascinating and horrifying and I wanted to know everything.
• Nathalie really grows during the book. She's had to go through so much in these past few years, and really she needs to come to terms with who she is, along with all the terrible stuff that has befallen her. Figure out what she wants, who she wants to be, etc. I love that sort of character journey!!
What I Didn't:
• The end felt a little... anticlimactic perhaps? Hard to fully express this without spoilers, but yeah. It ended satisfactorily, in the sense that you won't be filled with any such rage, and plot is resolved and such. But I just wanted more out of it, perhaps in terms of shock factor, or level of difficulty? 🤷♀️ I hope that is helpful, sorry I can't say more.
Bottom Line: Definitely a solid follow up that will for sure answer your questions, but also give you a batshit mystery in the gorgeous backdrop of the Parisian 1889 Exposition Universelle.
April 24, 2020
Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Fantastic Flying Book Club and Tor Teen for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.
Okay now, can I just say that Tor Teen has been giving me so many amazing books to try out that I don’t think I’ve been disappointed by any of them so far? And this book is no exception! So thank you to Tor Teen for working with some amazing authors and making sure that they are able to get their stories out for people like me to read and enjoy. It’s so important.
Second of all, wow. I really love YA historical fiction, and it’s been difficult for me to find some lately with my libraries not having a lot of ebooks or audiobook options at this time. So with being able to read Sensational, I was able to scratch my YA Historical Fiction itchy spot for a little bit. I think that Zdorak did an amazing job with this sequel, and I really enjoyed the magical aspect that she included for our main character Nathalie. I think that Nathalie being able to use her magic to see the murder scenes and her detective skills that we see in this novel really help to make her a main character that I could root for. I also liked the the fact that her magic isn’t all powerful, and we do see some times where it seems to be causing her weakness. There should always be some sort of effect when using magic, and Zdorak shows that wonderfully.
I also really liked the setting of the Exposition Universelle and it being in Paris. I know sometimes Paris can seem like an overused setting for a lot of historical fiction – and that’s a gross estimation okay, please don’t take that to heart – but I still really liked this one. I felt like because it wasn’t dealing with any sort of war plot, it made me want to fall in love with this story even more. I also am not very versed on the Exposition Universelle so this gave me some insight into it and really made me want to be more educated on stuff that I usually don’t gravitate towards. It’s interesting how books do that to you, right?
Also, I’m really hoping that there’s another book coming out for Nathalie because I like her a lot.
Okay now, can I just say that Tor Teen has been giving me so many amazing books to try out that I don’t think I’ve been disappointed by any of them so far? And this book is no exception! So thank you to Tor Teen for working with some amazing authors and making sure that they are able to get their stories out for people like me to read and enjoy. It’s so important.
Second of all, wow. I really love YA historical fiction, and it’s been difficult for me to find some lately with my libraries not having a lot of ebooks or audiobook options at this time. So with being able to read Sensational, I was able to scratch my YA Historical Fiction itchy spot for a little bit. I think that Zdorak did an amazing job with this sequel, and I really enjoyed the magical aspect that she included for our main character Nathalie. I think that Nathalie being able to use her magic to see the murder scenes and her detective skills that we see in this novel really help to make her a main character that I could root for. I also liked the the fact that her magic isn’t all powerful, and we do see some times where it seems to be causing her weakness. There should always be some sort of effect when using magic, and Zdorak shows that wonderfully.
I also really liked the setting of the Exposition Universelle and it being in Paris. I know sometimes Paris can seem like an overused setting for a lot of historical fiction – and that’s a gross estimation okay, please don’t take that to heart – but I still really liked this one. I felt like because it wasn’t dealing with any sort of war plot, it made me want to fall in love with this story even more. I also am not very versed on the Exposition Universelle so this gave me some insight into it and really made me want to be more educated on stuff that I usually don’t gravitate towards. It’s interesting how books do that to you, right?
Also, I’m really hoping that there’s another book coming out for Nathalie because I like her a lot.
March 21, 2020
I won an ARC from the author via Twitter.
The 1889 Exposition Universelle in Paris is full of innovations, cultural displays, and inventions. Millions of visitors attend over the course of several months...so no one would notice if a few were missing, right? Maybe—but someone is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the guillotine with a display of their own: beheaded victims in some of the Exposition's most popular exhibits. Nathalie Baudin’s ability to see murder scenes should help, but she's suffering the effects of her magic more than ever before. Fortunately she has other Insightfuls to team up with—if they can be trusted.
Sensational (Spectacle #2) by Jodie Lynn Zdrok is a perfect send off for Nathalie and company. I don't know why I put off reading it once it arrived in my mailbox because it's ended up as one of my favorite 2020 YA releases so far. This duology absolutely deserves all the love it can get. I will say though that I'm sad it's over because I'll miss the setting of fin de siècle Paris, the creepy mysteries, the clever core cast, and Zdrok's brand of historical fantasy. I wouldn't say no to a future spin-off revisiting Nathalie in the future or a prequel focusing on Aunt Brigitte. I quite enjoyed Spectacle, but I truly loved every second of this finale.
Overall, Sensational is more than worthy conclusion to Nathalie's story arc. I have a feeling you will absolutely love this duology if you're also a fan of Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco, The Diviners by Libba Bray, Jackaby by William Ritter, and Enchantée by Gita Trelease. I can't wait to see what Jodie Lynn Zdrok will do next.
The 1889 Exposition Universelle in Paris is full of innovations, cultural displays, and inventions. Millions of visitors attend over the course of several months...so no one would notice if a few were missing, right? Maybe—but someone is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the guillotine with a display of their own: beheaded victims in some of the Exposition's most popular exhibits. Nathalie Baudin’s ability to see murder scenes should help, but she's suffering the effects of her magic more than ever before. Fortunately she has other Insightfuls to team up with—if they can be trusted.
Sensational (Spectacle #2) by Jodie Lynn Zdrok is a perfect send off for Nathalie and company. I don't know why I put off reading it once it arrived in my mailbox because it's ended up as one of my favorite 2020 YA releases so far. This duology absolutely deserves all the love it can get. I will say though that I'm sad it's over because I'll miss the setting of fin de siècle Paris, the creepy mysteries, the clever core cast, and Zdrok's brand of historical fantasy. I wouldn't say no to a future spin-off revisiting Nathalie in the future or a prequel focusing on Aunt Brigitte. I quite enjoyed Spectacle, but I truly loved every second of this finale.
Overall, Sensational is more than worthy conclusion to Nathalie's story arc. I have a feeling you will absolutely love this duology if you're also a fan of Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco, The Diviners by Libba Bray, Jackaby by William Ritter, and Enchantée by Gita Trelease. I can't wait to see what Jodie Lynn Zdrok will do next.
April 5, 2020
'Sensational' is the second installment in a taut young adult historical mystery that blends both thrills and the supernatural to create something fresh for the YA genre. I read the first book in the series and really liked it, so I was super excited when this finally released. I have to admit that my expectations and hopes for the book were pretty high due to the first one, but this novel held its own and then some.
The main character, Nathalie, is a very realistic female lead for the book. She has her strengths and weaknesses, like we all do, and it made connecting with her really easy right from the beginning. She's strong, determined, a loving daughter and friend, wants to do what's right and to find justice and answers to her newfound abilities. I liked getting to know Nathalie throughout the course of the book and enjoyed seeing her character change and grow as the story progressed. The plot itself was solid and intriguing, but I will admit that it took a little while for me to get really engrossed in the story. Things seemed to go too slow with too many details on unimportant details and I found my mind drifting quite a bit. As the book continues, the pace and anticipation also picks up and I found it hard to put down after that point. I wanted to know who the murderer was, why was he doing these things, and everything that concerned Nathalie. There were some twists and turns thrown in that I didn't see coming and took me by surprise, which doesn't happen often. The book is told in the third person point of view, from Nathalie's perspective. This isn't my favorite writing style and I think if the story had been written in the first person with Nathalie as the narrator, I would've been a lot more connected with her and invested in the plot as a whole. (Just like my experience with the first book in the series.) Overall, this was a great book and I definitely recommend it to fans of YA, historical fiction, mystery, thrillers, fantasy, and supernatural.
Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
The main character, Nathalie, is a very realistic female lead for the book. She has her strengths and weaknesses, like we all do, and it made connecting with her really easy right from the beginning. She's strong, determined, a loving daughter and friend, wants to do what's right and to find justice and answers to her newfound abilities. I liked getting to know Nathalie throughout the course of the book and enjoyed seeing her character change and grow as the story progressed. The plot itself was solid and intriguing, but I will admit that it took a little while for me to get really engrossed in the story. Things seemed to go too slow with too many details on unimportant details and I found my mind drifting quite a bit. As the book continues, the pace and anticipation also picks up and I found it hard to put down after that point. I wanted to know who the murderer was, why was he doing these things, and everything that concerned Nathalie. There were some twists and turns thrown in that I didn't see coming and took me by surprise, which doesn't happen often. The book is told in the third person point of view, from Nathalie's perspective. This isn't my favorite writing style and I think if the story had been written in the first person with Nathalie as the narrator, I would've been a lot more connected with her and invested in the plot as a whole. (Just like my experience with the first book in the series.) Overall, this was a great book and I definitely recommend it to fans of YA, historical fiction, mystery, thrillers, fantasy, and supernatural.
Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
February 17, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I really liked the first book in this duology "Spectacle". So I was eager to dive into the follow up "Sensational". Its a couple years after the first book. Nathalie is still writing her column for La Petit Journal and helping the morgue with her gift of being able to see the deceased last moment's alive. She is now dating another Insightful named Jules who also helps at the morgue. He can hear the person's thoughts when he touches their head. Nathalie and her friends become involved in another murder with a backdrop of the World's Fair. I loved the location and all the descriptions of the fair. I feel like I learned quite a bit about old time Paris from these books. The new killer is beheading his victims and with each murder Nathalie senses changes to her gift. Along with this she discovers something about her aunt and begins to try to learn more about what happens to Insightfuls. I enjoyed this one just the slightest bit less than the first book but I really enjoyed how the mystery unraveled. It was a satisfying duology and I'm disappointed that there are only going to be two books. Zdrok's series is very entertaining and I could see the potential for the series to go on a bit longer.
January 17, 2020
I absolutely loved this book. Sensational was, well, in a word. sensational. Zdrok capitalizes on what she created with Spectacle and took it to a whole new level. It's been two years since the Dark Artist fiasco, and much has changed for Nathalie Baudin. She still writes for the newspaper, uses her Insightful ability to help Christophe solve murder cases, but she also has a new beau. Zdrok doesn't waste any time plunging the reader into a new, enticing mystery when severed heads begin turning up at the Exposition Universelle. I loved everything about Sensational. The character development, the romance, the betrayals, the mystery, all of it. The writing is on point and fast-paced that left me unable to stop reading. Nathalie as a character was wonderful to watch as she must figure out who she is both with her ability-and maybe without it. The ending here was satisfying as well. I highly recommend reading these books for fans of Stalking Jack the Ripper. It'll leave you reeling. This is Zdrok's best book yet!
June 27, 2025
A nice read if you're a completionist (like me) with a kink for character downgrade (unlike me) - still a read to pass time.
Perfect if you want to see our beloved (maybe) Nathalie become a secret pick me mess over a man with the same charm of a granite slab and the emotional deepness of a puddle. But maybe some you like to lick rocks, what do I know.
As usual, Nathalie support system is lacking like always, with a mother and a father that refuse to have mature relationship with reality, and Simone, a best friend that constantly doubt her and prefer to get high as a kite than do something useful for her troubled friend.
Still, if you enjoy a Nathalie that jump on her high horse and fumbles around the investigation... yeah, I do wonder why I gave three stars now 🤪
Anyway, a semi compelling mystery with a killer that remains unknown until the last pages, so you can play a guessing game the whole book
Perfect if you want to see our beloved (maybe) Nathalie become a secret pick me mess over a man with the same charm of a granite slab and the emotional deepness of a puddle. But maybe some you like to lick rocks, what do I know.
As usual, Nathalie support system is lacking like always, with a mother and a father that refuse to have mature relationship with reality, and Simone, a best friend that constantly doubt her and prefer to get high as a kite than do something useful for her troubled friend.
Still, if you enjoy a Nathalie that jump on her high horse and fumbles around the investigation... yeah, I do wonder why I gave three stars now 🤪
Anyway, a semi compelling mystery with a killer that remains unknown until the last pages, so you can play a guessing game the whole book
May 24, 2020
2.5 ⭐️, rounded up mostly due to nostalgia for the first book in the series.
February 7, 2020
Rating: 3.5
eARC provided by publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
I put this off for a long time because I didn’t want this duology to end. I enjoyed getting to know the characters in the first book and it’s always sad to have to say goodbye. I went into this with high expectations and in some ways it lived up to that and in other ways it didn’t.
One of the reasons I love this author is because of the settings she gives us. I have enjoyed each one and this Paris/Exposition setting was no different. Who doesn’t love murder and the Eiffel tower?
Another thing I loved about this book was how the murderer weaved a play as to tell the story of the deaths. It was pretty interesting and I was always looking forward to the next note that would be left behind.
I also really enjoy how the author brings historical fiction and fantasy together. They meld so nicely. I usually have a harder time with historical fiction but fantasy always has a way to my heart. She never disappoints!
One complaint I had was the relationship Nathalie found herself in. It didn’t feel authentic enough and since it wasn’t really a huge part of the plot I felt that it was a bit unnecessary since she seemed to be pining over another character from book one.
The beginning was also a bit slow at times and even the murdering didn’t grasp my attention as much as book one. It was still an interesting plot but I just needed a bit more.
Overall, I’m impartial to this one. There were some great aspects and ones that I didn’t like as much. I’m glad that I got to return and read about Nathalie and her friends once again.
eARC provided by publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
I put this off for a long time because I didn’t want this duology to end. I enjoyed getting to know the characters in the first book and it’s always sad to have to say goodbye. I went into this with high expectations and in some ways it lived up to that and in other ways it didn’t.
One of the reasons I love this author is because of the settings she gives us. I have enjoyed each one and this Paris/Exposition setting was no different. Who doesn’t love murder and the Eiffel tower?
Another thing I loved about this book was how the murderer weaved a play as to tell the story of the deaths. It was pretty interesting and I was always looking forward to the next note that would be left behind.
I also really enjoy how the author brings historical fiction and fantasy together. They meld so nicely. I usually have a harder time with historical fiction but fantasy always has a way to my heart. She never disappoints!
One complaint I had was the relationship Nathalie found herself in. It didn’t feel authentic enough and since it wasn’t really a huge part of the plot I felt that it was a bit unnecessary since she seemed to be pining over another character from book one.
The beginning was also a bit slow at times and even the murdering didn’t grasp my attention as much as book one. It was still an interesting plot but I just needed a bit more.
Overall, I’m impartial to this one. There were some great aspects and ones that I didn’t like as much. I’m glad that I got to return and read about Nathalie and her friends once again.
December 23, 2019
See the full review (with plenty of gifs!) on my dumb blog here.
Paris! June, 1889! The same year as The Gilded Wolves! The year of the Exposition Universelle! It’s almost time for the 100th anniversary of the Storming of the Bastille! The Eiffel Tower makes it’s grand debut! Vincent Van Gogh paints The Starry Night! The Wall Street Journal is established! Seattle, in spite of the incessant rain, somehow manages to catch fire! Bustles are slowly on their way out, but weighty ornaments added to dresses is super in! Ribbons! Flounces! Lace! Bows! All that, plus corsets laced far tighter than they should be and no air conditioning! Sounds great!
Anyway: it’s been two years since the events of Spectacle, and our heroine Nathalie is now 18. Things are going pretty great: she no longer has to hide her identity writing her morgue column for Le Petit Journal, she has a steady boyfriend in her fellow insightful, Jules, and she’s even found a workaround for the memory loss caused by her visions: she keeps extremely detailed journals, keeping a record of everything she does in case she forgets later. With the support of her family and friends, Nathalie might just be able to pull of this whole “insightful who witnesses the deaths of murder victims from the perspective of the killer for some reason then reports those visions to the police but suffers memory loss as a side-effect” gig work.
Just so long as she ignores all the lingering looks she gives to her friend, the morgue’s police liaison Christophe. And her lingering guilt over the death of her friend Agnès at the hands of the Dark Artist serial killer. And her institutionalized aunt’s deteriorating mental health.
But besides all of that, Nathalie’s life is going pretty well. She’s 18 at the height of Belle Époque, routinely attending the Exposition Universelle with her boyfriend and her best friends. Life is good!
Until Nathalie and her friends stumble upon a severed head among the sculptures of the Galerie Rapp. Then, to make things worse, a spectator jostles the pillar on which the head is sitting, knocking it over. The head falls and, without thinking, Nathalie puts out her hands to catch it.
Anyway, this causes Nathalie to have a vision, and, faster than you can say “cocaine wine,” the whole of Paris is gripped by the both the spectacle (first book title drop!) of the Exposition, and the rampage of a new serial killer who dumps his victims on Exposition grounds. The killer is soon dubbed Le Rasoir by the press, as they behead their victims with a guillotine.
So far as sequels go, Sensational gives us more of Nathalie’s story without being bogged down with exposition and questions. We get to jump into the action right away, but there are plenty of callbacks in case you may have forgotten a detail or two from Spectacle. My favorite part, of both Spectacle and Sensational is all the detail we get about what life is like in 19th century Paris. Paris is a fascinating place in general, but Paris during the late 1880s, early 1890s? During the era of the Third French Republic, Belle Époque and the birth of Cabaret? If time machines were a thing, I would definitely go and party in late 19th century Paris - hang around Montmantre, get wasted at Le Chat Noir…
The whole time I was reading Sensational, though, I was laboring under the delusion that this series would be a trilogy - I kept looking everywhere for the setup for book three, and finished the book fully believing that there would be another book. Then I learned that this series was to be a duology. Not a trilogy. And that Sensational was to be the end of the story. Honestly? I was disappointed. I kind of wish I had looked that up going in, rather than blithely assuming that all YA serieses end up trilogies (or quartets. Or just, you know, never end at all).
So while this book does give our characters a nice ending, there are still so many unanswered questions that could very well be answered by a third book. We never did find out what exactly caused Nathalie two-days worth of memory loss that made up the cliffhanger at the end of the first book. Like, what about all the other people who were affected by Dr. Henard’s magical mystery blood transfusions? How many people out there who, like Nathalie, inherited powers from their parents who took part in the experiment? Acgh, there’s just so much out there that can’t be covered in two books! Bah. That and I just need more YA mysteries set in late 19th century Paris. More, I says!
Paris! June, 1889! The same year as The Gilded Wolves! The year of the Exposition Universelle! It’s almost time for the 100th anniversary of the Storming of the Bastille! The Eiffel Tower makes it’s grand debut! Vincent Van Gogh paints The Starry Night! The Wall Street Journal is established! Seattle, in spite of the incessant rain, somehow manages to catch fire! Bustles are slowly on their way out, but weighty ornaments added to dresses is super in! Ribbons! Flounces! Lace! Bows! All that, plus corsets laced far tighter than they should be and no air conditioning! Sounds great!
Anyway: it’s been two years since the events of Spectacle, and our heroine Nathalie is now 18. Things are going pretty great: she no longer has to hide her identity writing her morgue column for Le Petit Journal, she has a steady boyfriend in her fellow insightful, Jules, and she’s even found a workaround for the memory loss caused by her visions: she keeps extremely detailed journals, keeping a record of everything she does in case she forgets later. With the support of her family and friends, Nathalie might just be able to pull of this whole “insightful who witnesses the deaths of murder victims from the perspective of the killer for some reason then reports those visions to the police but suffers memory loss as a side-effect” gig work.
Just so long as she ignores all the lingering looks she gives to her friend, the morgue’s police liaison Christophe. And her lingering guilt over the death of her friend Agnès at the hands of the Dark Artist serial killer. And her institutionalized aunt’s deteriorating mental health.
But besides all of that, Nathalie’s life is going pretty well. She’s 18 at the height of Belle Époque, routinely attending the Exposition Universelle with her boyfriend and her best friends. Life is good!
Until Nathalie and her friends stumble upon a severed head among the sculptures of the Galerie Rapp. Then, to make things worse, a spectator jostles the pillar on which the head is sitting, knocking it over. The head falls and, without thinking, Nathalie puts out her hands to catch it.
Anyway, this causes Nathalie to have a vision, and, faster than you can say “cocaine wine,” the whole of Paris is gripped by the both the spectacle (first book title drop!) of the Exposition, and the rampage of a new serial killer who dumps his victims on Exposition grounds. The killer is soon dubbed Le Rasoir by the press, as they behead their victims with a guillotine.
So far as sequels go, Sensational gives us more of Nathalie’s story without being bogged down with exposition and questions. We get to jump into the action right away, but there are plenty of callbacks in case you may have forgotten a detail or two from Spectacle. My favorite part, of both Spectacle and Sensational is all the detail we get about what life is like in 19th century Paris. Paris is a fascinating place in general, but Paris during the late 1880s, early 1890s? During the era of the Third French Republic, Belle Époque and the birth of Cabaret? If time machines were a thing, I would definitely go and party in late 19th century Paris - hang around Montmantre, get wasted at Le Chat Noir…
The whole time I was reading Sensational, though, I was laboring under the delusion that this series would be a trilogy - I kept looking everywhere for the setup for book three, and finished the book fully believing that there would be another book. Then I learned that this series was to be a duology. Not a trilogy. And that Sensational was to be the end of the story. Honestly? I was disappointed. I kind of wish I had looked that up going in, rather than blithely assuming that all YA serieses end up trilogies (or quartets. Or just, you know, never end at all).
So while this book does give our characters a nice ending, there are still so many unanswered questions that could very well be answered by a third book. We never did find out what exactly caused Nathalie two-days worth of memory loss that made up the cliffhanger at the end of the first book. Like, what about all the other people who were affected by Dr. Henard’s magical mystery blood transfusions? How many people out there who, like Nathalie, inherited powers from their parents who took part in the experiment? Acgh, there’s just so much out there that can’t be covered in two books! Bah. That and I just need more YA mysteries set in late 19th century Paris. More, I says!
March 16, 2020
Ugh. I hate it when I go into a book expecting a standalone or first in a series only to find out pages in that it's the 2nd or 3rd book! That's what happened to me with Sensational by Jodie Lynn Zdrok though. So it automatically had points against it when I figured this out (I was only on page 3).
The Story:
The story begins with Nathalie meeting her two friends, Simone and Louis at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Paris. It's there that a decapitated head is discovered among the exhibits, displayed upon a pedestal. Nathalie is an Insightful and has visions of murder scenes, which she uses in her role of reporter for a local newspaper but she also helps out the police at the morgue.
Through no fault of her own, the head is put into her hands and Nathalie is transported to the murder scene. She's no longer herself, but the killer. Trapped in a man's body as he commits the murder.
Nathalie's visions of murder scenes - which began with the Dark Artist murders in 1887 - came from placing her hand on the viewing pane at the morgue, in the room where the public viewed the bodies. For every vision, she lost a memory, however, ranging from a few minutes to several hours.
Obviously, this isn't a pleasant experience. It's even more especially unpleasant since her visions cost her dearly. Using her Insightful ability isn't without its costs. And the memory of the murder (or any murder she witnesses using her gift) steals her own memories. This is made worse when she touches the dead body directly instead of simply viewing it through glass at the morgue. The direct contact can cost her days lost forever in her memory.
I'm not sure if it's just because I didn't read the first book or what, but I had a hard time getting fully committed to this story. In the beginning, it seemed like it was just one coincidence after another setting things up. I was constantly thinking...
I enjoyed it for the most part, but it left me with the feeling of "could've been better" as we follow Nathalie through the story, trying to use her ability to track down a serial killer who kills using a guillotine.
The second half of the book was better for me than the first. It wasn't too hard to read as a standalone so in the end, I wasn't TOO upset about not realizing it was a sequel. As with the start of the story, the ending was a little "too convenient" for my liking and I could've done without the epilogue altogether.
The Characters:
Nathalie isn't the only Insightful helping out at the morgue. There's also her boyfriend, Jules. They have a seemingly sweet relationship but Nathalie is actually still (unsuccessfully) getting over her feelings for Christophe, the police liaison at the morgue (at least, I think that's his job? ). This really rubbed me the wrong way with Nathalie because I thought it was really wrong how she did Jules. He's a sweet and caring guy and considering the time period incredibly okay with Nathalie's independence and reckless streak.
Probably my favorite part of this book, and my favorite character, was Nathalie's Aunt Brigitte. She's an Insightful as well, but her "gift" has landed her in a mental asylum. A whole other book could be written about Brigitte. I'd definitely read that!!
Overall, like the book, I thought the characters were "okay." They could've been developed more but honestly, I just didn't connect with them all that much. At times, Nathalie annoyed me and came across as too spoiled for the time she's living in.
Again, this could be because I didn't read the first book.
Conclusion:
Sensational by Jodie Lynn Zdrok was an okay read. It wasn't too hard to read as a standalone and it kept my attention but isn't something I'll be reading again or that made me want to read the first book.
***Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. This did not influence my review or opinions.***
February 11, 2020
I received a copy of Sensational through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Sensational is the second novel in Jodie Lynn Zdrok’s Spectacle series. And dare I say that it surpasses the first novel? Set in an alternate version of Paris in 1889, this novel infuses fantasy elements with detailed character development, creating a thrilling tale.
Nathalie Baudin has come to terms with her being an Insightful. At times she may not love her gift, but who can blame her? For you see, Nathalie has a very specific gift – if placed in front of a body, she can witness the murder as it happens. From the murderer’s eyes. Still, she loves being able to help out, when she can. Even if it does tend to drag her into the most fascinating of dangers.
A fact that couldn’t be truer than ever, now that the World Fair has come to Paris. As it turns out, somebody else in this city has opted to celebrate the occasion as well, but by a series of beheadings that terrorize the streets of Paris.
“This wasn’t having a vision or reading a book. This wasn’t attending an execution. This was seeing something appalling and uncomfortably compelling.”
Warnings: Sensational, much like Spectacle, features a variety of richly detailed scenes. Sometimes those scenes can become a bit much, as they depict graphic murders both during and after.
Sensational is a novel that lived up to its name. This novel was simply amazing, written in exquisite detail, full of lushly described scenes and careful character development. I was utterly enchanted by what Jodie Lynn Zdrok wrote here.
That is an impressive feat, giving the more graphic and garish nature of Nathalie’s job. Yet there was something so human and elegant about the way her story folded. There was a balance wrought here, as Nathalie’s personal life clashed with her career – and her talent.
I think what I love the most about this series (aside from the Insightfuls, but more on that in a moment) is how detailed each and every character is. Zdrok makes them come alive here, both the good and the bad. These characters are charming yet believable, meaning that sometimes it’s easy to disagree with them or dislike their actions.
As for the Insightful system? I adore it. I would happily read another dozen novels about them, if Jodie Lynn Zdrok was so inclined to write about them. It’s a fascinating element to the series, one that uses science to justify what would otherwise appear to be magic. I can’t get enough of it.
I loved the first novel when it came out, but I honestly think that I enjoyed this novel movie. Zdrok absolutely outdid herself here. And I for one can’t quite get over the story that she told. I also can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.
Check out more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
Sensational is the second novel in Jodie Lynn Zdrok’s Spectacle series. And dare I say that it surpasses the first novel? Set in an alternate version of Paris in 1889, this novel infuses fantasy elements with detailed character development, creating a thrilling tale.
Nathalie Baudin has come to terms with her being an Insightful. At times she may not love her gift, but who can blame her? For you see, Nathalie has a very specific gift – if placed in front of a body, she can witness the murder as it happens. From the murderer’s eyes. Still, she loves being able to help out, when she can. Even if it does tend to drag her into the most fascinating of dangers.
A fact that couldn’t be truer than ever, now that the World Fair has come to Paris. As it turns out, somebody else in this city has opted to celebrate the occasion as well, but by a series of beheadings that terrorize the streets of Paris.
“This wasn’t having a vision or reading a book. This wasn’t attending an execution. This was seeing something appalling and uncomfortably compelling.”
Warnings: Sensational, much like Spectacle, features a variety of richly detailed scenes. Sometimes those scenes can become a bit much, as they depict graphic murders both during and after.
Sensational is a novel that lived up to its name. This novel was simply amazing, written in exquisite detail, full of lushly described scenes and careful character development. I was utterly enchanted by what Jodie Lynn Zdrok wrote here.
That is an impressive feat, giving the more graphic and garish nature of Nathalie’s job. Yet there was something so human and elegant about the way her story folded. There was a balance wrought here, as Nathalie’s personal life clashed with her career – and her talent.
I think what I love the most about this series (aside from the Insightfuls, but more on that in a moment) is how detailed each and every character is. Zdrok makes them come alive here, both the good and the bad. These characters are charming yet believable, meaning that sometimes it’s easy to disagree with them or dislike their actions.
As for the Insightful system? I adore it. I would happily read another dozen novels about them, if Jodie Lynn Zdrok was so inclined to write about them. It’s a fascinating element to the series, one that uses science to justify what would otherwise appear to be magic. I can’t get enough of it.
I loved the first novel when it came out, but I honestly think that I enjoyed this novel movie. Zdrok absolutely outdid herself here. And I for one can’t quite get over the story that she told. I also can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.
Check out more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
Read
October 16, 2019Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge -Tor Teen for letting me read and review this book. I enjoyed it and could follow along easily with the same characters and such from having read the first book, Spectacle, which if you haven't read that one - you should go get it and read it now to get ready for this one!
This was another engrossing, fun and delightful read by Jodi Lynn Zdrok - I enjoyed the first book and this one was awesome too.
In this sequel to Spectacle, Nathalie is still using her powers as an Insightful to help out at the morgue with murder investigations while also trying to figure things out in regards to her Aunt and her Aunt's powers in relation to her powers. She is, in general, trying to investigate and understand what it means to be an Insightful and to be herself and what she wants out of life as well.
In this story, there's another crazy murderer who this time is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Guillotine and writing a play to go with their murders and victims while beheading them and leaving them around in the Exposition Universelle in Paris to be found. Nathalie tries to help find this murderer using her powers while helping out at the morgue with the cases, but this time around it seems to catch her and others off guard as well as myself as the reader. I had no clue who the murderer was until the end and I was also a bit more invested in the other parts of the story like the events with Nathalie's Aunt and her coming to terms with her grief over her friend, Agnes.
Another major part of the story that I was invested in was that in this book, Nathalie has a beau, Jules, and what happens with him and their relationship as well as what happens with Christophe, which if you've read the first book, you'll know more about the relationship issues, etc. between Christophe and Nathalie. I finally got the ending I was hoping for with her and her romantic relationships with this book.
Once I got to the end and everything was resolving itself and I realized this was the end, I was a bit upset because I have enjoyed reading about Nathalie, Christophe, Simone, Louis, Jules, all the characters and about Insightfuls and their powers. I wish there was going to be more stories with these great characters and would love to know more about them and their futures as well as more info on Insightfuls and their powers.
If you've read Spectacle, then you need to read this sequel, if you haven't read Spectacle, go read it so you are ready for this Sensational book when it comes out!
This was another engrossing, fun and delightful read by Jodi Lynn Zdrok - I enjoyed the first book and this one was awesome too.
In this sequel to Spectacle, Nathalie is still using her powers as an Insightful to help out at the morgue with murder investigations while also trying to figure things out in regards to her Aunt and her Aunt's powers in relation to her powers. She is, in general, trying to investigate and understand what it means to be an Insightful and to be herself and what she wants out of life as well.
In this story, there's another crazy murderer who this time is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Guillotine and writing a play to go with their murders and victims while beheading them and leaving them around in the Exposition Universelle in Paris to be found. Nathalie tries to help find this murderer using her powers while helping out at the morgue with the cases, but this time around it seems to catch her and others off guard as well as myself as the reader. I had no clue who the murderer was until the end and I was also a bit more invested in the other parts of the story like the events with Nathalie's Aunt and her coming to terms with her grief over her friend, Agnes.
Another major part of the story that I was invested in was that in this book, Nathalie has a beau, Jules, and what happens with him and their relationship as well as what happens with Christophe, which if you've read the first book, you'll know more about the relationship issues, etc. between Christophe and Nathalie. I finally got the ending I was hoping for with her and her romantic relationships with this book.
Once I got to the end and everything was resolving itself and I realized this was the end, I was a bit upset because I have enjoyed reading about Nathalie, Christophe, Simone, Louis, Jules, all the characters and about Insightfuls and their powers. I wish there was going to be more stories with these great characters and would love to know more about them and their futures as well as more info on Insightfuls and their powers.
If you've read Spectacle, then you need to read this sequel, if you haven't read Spectacle, go read it so you are ready for this Sensational book when it comes out!
April 7, 2020
Thanks to The Fantastic Flying Book Club and the author for providing me a review copy of this book in exchange for this honest review!
⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️
When I come across an exceptionally well written series, I can’t stop talking about it! Jodie Lynn Zdrok, is one master storyteller,
Sensational, is the second novel in Jodie Lynn Zdrok’s Spectacle series. The spectacular time of 1889 comes riveting to life in this stunning, impressive next installment!
Paris in the Belle Époque in 1889, is the year of the Exposition Universelle.The Eiffel Tower, debuted and the Exposition was held to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Storming of the Basilica, which marked the beginning of the French Revolution.
Set to the backdrop of a provocative, harsh and vibrant atmospheric richly detailed setting of Paris during this incredible exposition. The narration will completely catapulted into this immersive, Parisian, Ya historical fantasy.
Nathalie Baudin, is a French girl with an incredible gifted insight, she and other like her are known as an insightfuls. This allows her to witness an atmospheric scene of how one has died if she is placed in front of a dead body, or touches the departed. She sees completely through the murderer’s eyes, but like all gifts this one come with a dire cost.
She still writes the daily morgue column for Le Petit Journal. Her job is to summarize each day's new arrivals. Nathalie is still using her powers as an Insightful to help out at the morgue with murder investigations.
When outing with her friends, Simone, and Louis to the The Palis des Beaux Arts, at the worlds expo, and a detached head is cleverly placed on displays, among the sculptures of the Galerie Rapp. This is just a a start to a series of violent beheading. that will grip the city.
This is a wonderful thrilling read, and at times you will forget you are reading a young adult novel. The historical elements are impeccable, the writing flows perfectly. The romance is depicted well balanced. The author allows our delightful, heroine, Nathalie growth and she is easily relatable to. This one spectacular, splendidly written book that I am so glad to have had the chance to read.
The ending tied up nicely for me, I definitely could see this as a series instead of a dualogy. Both books Spectacle (#1), and Sensational (#2) are some of the best Tor Teen has published in a long while.
The ending tied up nicely for me, I definitely could see this as a series instead of a dualogy. Both books Spectacle (#1), and Sensational (#2) are some of the best Tor Teen has published in a long while.
November 26, 2019
3.25/5 stars
I'm actually quite sad i didn't like this as much as I thought I would.
If I'm being honest, I'm in the mindset that Spectacle didn't need a sequel. I liked how it ended, and it was actually one of my favorite books I read in 2018 (I got an ARC for that too). I liked how it was conclusive and yet open-ended at the same time. I also didn't expect there to be a sequel until I received this ARC, so imagine my surprise when I read it was still following Nathalie.
The book was still an enjoyable read, especially with the sense of mystery and the visions Nathalie experiences when trying to find the killer. It just lacked that magic I felt with the first novel. In the first book, we had no idea how Nathalie was able to do this, leading us on the hunt for the killer AND answers for why Nathalie can see these gruesome visions. In Sensational we already know the answers, and so some of that mystery and magic is missing. It's also worth noting that the beginning was a bit messy. It was difficult to properly follow along as there was a lack of information. There was very little recap in terms of characters and overall storyline events. The cover of this book doesn't include that it's a sequel, although the synopsis does give a sense of a direct-sequel. The synopsis sounds a bit like a spin-off novel in the same world until you read Nathalie's name, and that's a bit of an issue for new readers. That's why I feel that there wasn't enough recap in the beginning, as even someone like me who's read the first book had trouble keeping along. As I mentioned earlier, I did enjoy the book, but there just wasn't that same sense of mystery and adventure going on. I would've liked it if this book were instead a spin-off and focused on another person with powers? I don't know, all I know is that I would've liked Nathalie's story to have ended with Spectacle.
Overall a good book, but it just didn't meet my full expectations as a direct sequel for a book I adored.
ARC provided to me by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I'm actually quite sad i didn't like this as much as I thought I would.
If I'm being honest, I'm in the mindset that Spectacle didn't need a sequel. I liked how it ended, and it was actually one of my favorite books I read in 2018 (I got an ARC for that too). I liked how it was conclusive and yet open-ended at the same time. I also didn't expect there to be a sequel until I received this ARC, so imagine my surprise when I read it was still following Nathalie.
The book was still an enjoyable read, especially with the sense of mystery and the visions Nathalie experiences when trying to find the killer. It just lacked that magic I felt with the first novel. In the first book, we had no idea how Nathalie was able to do this, leading us on the hunt for the killer AND answers for why Nathalie can see these gruesome visions. In Sensational we already know the answers, and so some of that mystery and magic is missing. It's also worth noting that the beginning was a bit messy. It was difficult to properly follow along as there was a lack of information. There was very little recap in terms of characters and overall storyline events. The cover of this book doesn't include that it's a sequel, although the synopsis does give a sense of a direct-sequel. The synopsis sounds a bit like a spin-off novel in the same world until you read Nathalie's name, and that's a bit of an issue for new readers. That's why I feel that there wasn't enough recap in the beginning, as even someone like me who's read the first book had trouble keeping along. As I mentioned earlier, I did enjoy the book, but there just wasn't that same sense of mystery and adventure going on. I would've liked it if this book were instead a spin-off and focused on another person with powers? I don't know, all I know is that I would've liked Nathalie's story to have ended with Spectacle.
Overall a good book, but it just didn't meet my full expectations as a direct sequel for a book I adored.
ARC provided to me by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 12, 2020
**Disclaimer: I was given a free copy in exchange for an honest review from the author. Please also note, the below post contains spoilers for the first book in this series, Spectacle.**
Title Sensational (Spectacle #2)
Author Jodie Lynn Zdrok
Release Date February 11, 2020
Publisher Tor Teen
Description from Amazon
The 1889 Exposition Universelle in Paris is full of innovations, cultural displays, and inventions. Millions of visitors attend over the course of several months…so no one would notice if a few were missing, right? Maybe—but someone is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the guillotine with a display of their own: beheaded victims in some of the Exposition’s most popular exhibits.
Nathalie Baudin’s ability to see murder scenes should help, but she’s suffering the effects of her magic more than ever before. Fortunately she has other Insightfuls to team up with—if they can be trusted.
Initial Thoughts
I had seen this series on NetGalley and it sounded right up my alley. Unfortunately, I had a pretty full NetGalley line up last year and early this year (who am I kidding, I still do), so I missed my chance to apply. However, as luck would have it, The Fantastic Flying Book Club offered the chance to read this series and be a part of the tour. I was so excited to apply.
Some Things I Liked
Paris. I have a bit of an obsession with France, particularly, Paris. I love stories set there. Furthermore, I loved the setting in this book. The time period was amazing, there was so much going on historically and the descriptions were so vivid. I felt like I was there with Nathalie.
Subtle romance. I actually really liked that there was not that much romance in this series. I thought it was present but not overwhelming at all. Nathalie was an independent woman and I really enjoyed her character development without the need for romance.
Realism. This series had some dark moments. There was murder, character deaths, graphic descriptions of the morgue, and I thought it made the story that much richer. It’s hard to find good YA murder mysteries but I think this series has struck a really nice balance. Dark but not morbid.
Psychology. I also really loved the elements of psychology mentioned in both books but particularly in Sensational. Nathalie’s aunt is a fascinating character who brings up many questions of the human mind. I loved the way her life was incorporated into the story.
Series Value
I liked the ending in Sensational, however, I definitely wouldn’t be opposed to more of Nathalie’s adventures. The time period, characters, and premise of this series are phenomenal and I think there is tons of potential for more books. I would absolutely continue reading if Jodie Lynn Zdrok writes more in this series.
Final Thoughts
I really loved this series. I actually loved it so much, I ordered copies of both books for my home library. I’d love to see more from this series and I really enjoyed the historical fiction setting mixed with a sprinkle of fantasy.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Recommendations for Further Reading
Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco – if you liked the time period, setting, and meet-cute at the city morgue, you will love this series by Kerri Maniscalco. There is a bit more romance in that series but there are many of the same themes and feelings.
The Court of Miracles by Kester Grant – this book isn’t out yet (coming in May 2020), but if you liked the setting (late 1800s Paris), definitely add this one to your TBR.
The Beautiful by Renée Ahdieh – if you liked the time period and French influences as well as the supernatural elements of this duology, try this series by Renée Ahdieh. The Damned, the sequel, is coming out this fall.
Title Sensational (Spectacle #2)
Author Jodie Lynn Zdrok
Release Date February 11, 2020
Publisher Tor Teen
Description from Amazon
The 1889 Exposition Universelle in Paris is full of innovations, cultural displays, and inventions. Millions of visitors attend over the course of several months…so no one would notice if a few were missing, right? Maybe—but someone is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the guillotine with a display of their own: beheaded victims in some of the Exposition’s most popular exhibits.
Nathalie Baudin’s ability to see murder scenes should help, but she’s suffering the effects of her magic more than ever before. Fortunately she has other Insightfuls to team up with—if they can be trusted.
Initial Thoughts
I had seen this series on NetGalley and it sounded right up my alley. Unfortunately, I had a pretty full NetGalley line up last year and early this year (who am I kidding, I still do), so I missed my chance to apply. However, as luck would have it, The Fantastic Flying Book Club offered the chance to read this series and be a part of the tour. I was so excited to apply.
Some Things I Liked
Paris. I have a bit of an obsession with France, particularly, Paris. I love stories set there. Furthermore, I loved the setting in this book. The time period was amazing, there was so much going on historically and the descriptions were so vivid. I felt like I was there with Nathalie.
Subtle romance. I actually really liked that there was not that much romance in this series. I thought it was present but not overwhelming at all. Nathalie was an independent woman and I really enjoyed her character development without the need for romance.
Realism. This series had some dark moments. There was murder, character deaths, graphic descriptions of the morgue, and I thought it made the story that much richer. It’s hard to find good YA murder mysteries but I think this series has struck a really nice balance. Dark but not morbid.
Psychology. I also really loved the elements of psychology mentioned in both books but particularly in Sensational. Nathalie’s aunt is a fascinating character who brings up many questions of the human mind. I loved the way her life was incorporated into the story.
Series Value
I liked the ending in Sensational, however, I definitely wouldn’t be opposed to more of Nathalie’s adventures. The time period, characters, and premise of this series are phenomenal and I think there is tons of potential for more books. I would absolutely continue reading if Jodie Lynn Zdrok writes more in this series.
Final Thoughts
I really loved this series. I actually loved it so much, I ordered copies of both books for my home library. I’d love to see more from this series and I really enjoyed the historical fiction setting mixed with a sprinkle of fantasy.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Recommendations for Further Reading
Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco – if you liked the time period, setting, and meet-cute at the city morgue, you will love this series by Kerri Maniscalco. There is a bit more romance in that series but there are many of the same themes and feelings.
The Court of Miracles by Kester Grant – this book isn’t out yet (coming in May 2020), but if you liked the setting (late 1800s Paris), definitely add this one to your TBR.
The Beautiful by Renée Ahdieh – if you liked the time period and French influences as well as the supernatural elements of this duology, try this series by Renée Ahdieh. The Damned, the sequel, is coming out this fall.
April 5, 2020
3.5
This is the second book in a duology that follows our main character Nathalie. Nathalie inherited her power from her father and it manifests itself when she touches a body or glass infant of one so she can determine if they were murdered or not. Her power works as a vision from the killers perspective right before the victim dies. This book follows Nathalie and her friends as she tries to find the killer who is beheading his victims in the fashion of the French Revolution including using a guillotine. The victims were all found around The World’s Fair that was taking place in Paris in 1889 and intooduced the Eiffel Tower.
I really enjoyed the story of Nathalie and her friends. I also thought the premise of how the blood magic worked. I found it unique and interesting. I also loved the setting, Paris is one of my favorite cities in the world and I loved following around these characters. I think it would have been so cool to experience the world exposition in Paris at that time. The Eiffel Tower was completed for this exposition and I enjoyed reading more about it. Every time the author mentioned something interesting I found myself going to down the rabbit hole of google to learn more about them. I never knew that the morgue was a tour destination at this time and that people would line up all day just to see the bodies they had on display. I also learned that vin de coca was wine laced with cocain and this led to the making of coke-a-cola. I love when a book can teach me things I didn’t already know.
What I didn’t like about the book was that the author would intermix French terms and phrases and at times I found this to be distracting. A lot of them were common phrases but a few I had never heard before and had to look them up. I was also disappointed by the ending of this book, I felt that it rushed the ending of the characters after figuring out the mystery. I wanted a little more for the characters that I had come to know while reading their story. Overall this was still a fun read and if you like your history with a little bit of magic then this is a great pick!
This is the second book in a duology that follows our main character Nathalie. Nathalie inherited her power from her father and it manifests itself when she touches a body or glass infant of one so she can determine if they were murdered or not. Her power works as a vision from the killers perspective right before the victim dies. This book follows Nathalie and her friends as she tries to find the killer who is beheading his victims in the fashion of the French Revolution including using a guillotine. The victims were all found around The World’s Fair that was taking place in Paris in 1889 and intooduced the Eiffel Tower.
I really enjoyed the story of Nathalie and her friends. I also thought the premise of how the blood magic worked. I found it unique and interesting. I also loved the setting, Paris is one of my favorite cities in the world and I loved following around these characters. I think it would have been so cool to experience the world exposition in Paris at that time. The Eiffel Tower was completed for this exposition and I enjoyed reading more about it. Every time the author mentioned something interesting I found myself going to down the rabbit hole of google to learn more about them. I never knew that the morgue was a tour destination at this time and that people would line up all day just to see the bodies they had on display. I also learned that vin de coca was wine laced with cocain and this led to the making of coke-a-cola. I love when a book can teach me things I didn’t already know.
What I didn’t like about the book was that the author would intermix French terms and phrases and at times I found this to be distracting. A lot of them were common phrases but a few I had never heard before and had to look them up. I was also disappointed by the ending of this book, I felt that it rushed the ending of the characters after figuring out the mystery. I wanted a little more for the characters that I had come to know while reading their story. Overall this was still a fun read and if you like your history with a little bit of magic then this is a great pick!
April 30, 2020
I have a new book review to share with you today. Sensational is the second book in the Spectacle Series by Jodie Lynn Zdrok. I love this murder mystery set in 1880's Paris in the midst of the Exposition Universelle. Like the first book, this story is full of historical accuracies, intrigue, murder and mayhem with supernatural twists.
Sensational is a historical fiction mixed with murder and the paranormal. It is more of a slow burn than Spectacle, but entertaining none the less. Sensational is a well written character driven story. We follow Nathalie Baudin and her friends a few years after the events of Spectacle. There are another string of grisly and dramatic murders that need to be solved with the help of our Insightful friends. The world of Insightfuls is expanded in this book as we learn more about the cost of having and using their magical abilities. There is also the introduction of a few new characters. I would have liked to learn more about Jules and Dr. Delacroix, but maybe that will come in future novels. It is not necessary to have read Spectacle to enjoy this novel, although I do recommend reading that first in order to get a better understanding of the characters and the developments of ongoing plot points.
We get the incredibly detailed world building that Jodie Lynn Zdrok is known for. Beyond glimpses of 1880's Paris life, we also get quick glimpses of other cultures as the characters visit the various representing countries' pavilions at the Exposition Universelle. The Exposition is almost its own character as it plays the backdrop for many events throughout the book. There are lots of bloody murders, plot twists, love drama, and a satisfying ending.
This gem published by Tor Teen is available for purchase from all major booksellers. I give Spectacle 4 out of 5 gems. If you love historical fiction, slow burn murder mysteries, and supernatural intrigue then read this book! I look forward to reading more stories set in this universe. Happy Reading!
Sensational is a historical fiction mixed with murder and the paranormal. It is more of a slow burn than Spectacle, but entertaining none the less. Sensational is a well written character driven story. We follow Nathalie Baudin and her friends a few years after the events of Spectacle. There are another string of grisly and dramatic murders that need to be solved with the help of our Insightful friends. The world of Insightfuls is expanded in this book as we learn more about the cost of having and using their magical abilities. There is also the introduction of a few new characters. I would have liked to learn more about Jules and Dr. Delacroix, but maybe that will come in future novels. It is not necessary to have read Spectacle to enjoy this novel, although I do recommend reading that first in order to get a better understanding of the characters and the developments of ongoing plot points.
We get the incredibly detailed world building that Jodie Lynn Zdrok is known for. Beyond glimpses of 1880's Paris life, we also get quick glimpses of other cultures as the characters visit the various representing countries' pavilions at the Exposition Universelle. The Exposition is almost its own character as it plays the backdrop for many events throughout the book. There are lots of bloody murders, plot twists, love drama, and a satisfying ending.
This gem published by Tor Teen is available for purchase from all major booksellers. I give Spectacle 4 out of 5 gems. If you love historical fiction, slow burn murder mysteries, and supernatural intrigue then read this book! I look forward to reading more stories set in this universe. Happy Reading!
January 26, 2020
I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Sensational was just as much of a delight to read as Spectacle was. I enjoyed the continuation and end to Nathalie's story greatly! The atmosphere of the story just sets you right in Paris perfectly. Every time I read I felt like I was transported back in time to Paris 1889.
Nathalie was just as enjoyable to read about in Sensational. I absolutely adore her. She become even more confident in her abilities throughout the story. Nathalie grew even more strength towards being an Insightful and life in general post Agnes's death. It was interesting watching her learn to deal with the grief even after two years since it happening. I was glad she was able to get her closure with Agnes at the end. It was such a touching moment. The addition of Jules as her love interest was a good touch. His Insightful abilities and presence brought even more to the story. I did like the relationship they shared, but I do prefer them better as friends. I was glad to see they could resolve their differences and remain friends. Also Nathalie clearly was more interested in Christophe.
This mystery murder seemed to flow more in the background, but still played the major role of the story. Sensational had a lot more scenes that just followed Nathalie on her everyday adventures with Jules, Simone, Louis, and Christophe. The mystery murder story would pop up within these scenes and I liked that. You wouldn't know when there would be another murder happening. The idea of Pelerine writing this whole play to use as a script for the murders was fascinating. It was as if there was a story within the story.
I really enjoyed this duology and Nathalie's story. I'm sad to see it come to end already, but I definitely could re-read Spectacle and Sensational in the future!
Sensational was just as much of a delight to read as Spectacle was. I enjoyed the continuation and end to Nathalie's story greatly! The atmosphere of the story just sets you right in Paris perfectly. Every time I read I felt like I was transported back in time to Paris 1889.
Nathalie was just as enjoyable to read about in Sensational. I absolutely adore her. She become even more confident in her abilities throughout the story. Nathalie grew even more strength towards being an Insightful and life in general post Agnes's death. It was interesting watching her learn to deal with the grief even after two years since it happening. I was glad she was able to get her closure with Agnes at the end. It was such a touching moment. The addition of Jules as her love interest was a good touch. His Insightful abilities and presence brought even more to the story. I did like the relationship they shared, but I do prefer them better as friends. I was glad to see they could resolve their differences and remain friends. Also Nathalie clearly was more interested in Christophe.
This mystery murder seemed to flow more in the background, but still played the major role of the story. Sensational had a lot more scenes that just followed Nathalie on her everyday adventures with Jules, Simone, Louis, and Christophe. The mystery murder story would pop up within these scenes and I liked that. You wouldn't know when there would be another murder happening. The idea of Pelerine writing this whole play to use as a script for the murders was fascinating. It was as if there was a story within the story.
I really enjoyed this duology and Nathalie's story. I'm sad to see it come to end already, but I definitely could re-read Spectacle and Sensational in the future!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews