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ekatherine26's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Torture, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Classism
dairaglynn's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Book 3 and still going strong! While I liked book 2 better, this one was still amazing!
AR and Thomas are both still very you g and this is their first “courting” so its natural there might be jealously, mistakes, and curiosity about other suitors. It was just very frustrating that AR did not confide in Thomas after she made the bargain with Mephistopheles. After everything they went through together in book 1 and 2 I felt like she should have been about to trust him and be able to play a part in her scheme.
While I am not typically into love triangles and I find them very annoying, I do think the one between AR, Thomas and Mephistopheles was played out well in this book. It gave a bit if excitement to the relationship, although it would have been better in book 2 before they “committed” to each other. Some of the time it felt like AR just wanted to see if she could trick Thomas to practice her skills, knowing full well that it would hurt him. I really didn’t like that dynamic at all. Had AR told Thomas her plan, I felt like the story could have still fallen in the same, but AR would have stayed true to her character. She always confided in Thomas in the first 2 books, and now after they made their intentions clear she decides not to? That felt wrong for her character development. Okay I feel at this point Im just ranting about the same things now.
This book was magical, and hurtful. The murders were original and beautifully done, and I can’t wait to see what AR and Thomas get themselves into in the final book!
AR and Thomas are both still very you g and this is their first “courting” so its natural there might be jealously, mistakes, and curiosity about other suitors. It was just very frustrating that AR did not confide in Thomas after she made the bargain with Mephistopheles. After everything they went through together in book 1 and 2 I felt like she should have been about to trust him and be able to play a part in her scheme.
While I am not typically into love triangles and I find them very annoying, I do think the one between AR, Thomas and Mephistopheles was played out well in this book. It gave a bit if excitement to the relationship, although it would have been better in book 2 before they “committed” to each other. Some of the time it felt like AR just wanted to see if she could trick Thomas to practice her skills, knowing full well that it would hurt him. I really didn’t like that dynamic at all. Had AR told Thomas her plan, I felt like the story could have still fallen in the same, but AR would have stayed true to her character. She always confided in Thomas in the first 2 books, and now after they made their intentions clear she decides not to? That felt wrong for her character development. Okay I feel at this point Im just ranting about the same things now.
This book was magical, and hurtful. The murders were original and beautifully done, and I can’t wait to see what AR and Thomas get themselves into in the final book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Blood, Medical content, and Murder
Moderate: Grief and Classism
Minor: Medical trauma, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
kathrynleereads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Escaping from Houdini by Kerri Maniscalco put Audrey Rose and Thomas on a ship traveling from the U.K. to New York City alongside a carnival troupe determined to make the voyage memorable. But what really sears the trip into everyone's mind are the no less than seven bodies that turn up on the ship.
While I enjoyed this book immensely, I rated it lower than the first two in the series for a few reasons.
First, while I loved Mephistopheles as a character, I found the love triangle between him, Audrey Rose, and Thomas to be wholly unnecessary.
I think he would have made a wonderful platonic companion for Audrey Rose without complicating her other relationships and I just don't think it really added anything to the story.
Next, the comparison between sleight-of-hand and science was a good one, but I think that it was stretched just a little too far.
Audrey Rose making questionable decisions in the name of science isn't a new phenomenon. However, actively hurting those around her in an effort to further her scientific understanding of the carnival "magic"? It just didn't feel authentic especially when most of what she was learning wasn't sleight-of-hand or magic in any way, it was just the ins and outs of the different carnival acts.
Finally, I found the connections between the playing and tarot cards found at the murder scenes to be interesting, but ultimately too confusing. By the end of the book, when we were finally learning what each card meant, I had forgotten which card had been found where and whose body had been staged in what enactment.
I ended up needing to go back through and write out the victims with the cards that were found near them and the ones they were posed to recreate.
Honestly, I'm not sure how this could have been done better, and it may have just been me, but I needed a way to better keep all of these straight, especially with the mixing of the playing cards and tarot cards.
In the end, I'm glad I read Escaping from Houdini, and I'm excited to dive into Capturing the Devil.
While I enjoyed this book immensely, I rated it lower than the first two in the series for a few reasons.
First, while I loved Mephistopheles as a character, I found the love triangle between him, Audrey Rose, and Thomas to be wholly unnecessary.
I think he would have made a wonderful platonic companion for Audrey Rose without complicating her other relationships and I just don't think it really added anything to the story.
Next, the comparison between sleight-of-hand and science was a good one, but I think that it was stretched just a little too far.
Audrey Rose making questionable decisions in the name of science isn't a new phenomenon. However, actively hurting those around her in an effort to further her scientific understanding of the carnival "magic"? It just didn't feel authentic especially when most of what she was learning wasn't sleight-of-hand or magic in any way, it was just the ins and outs of the different carnival acts.
Finally, I found the connections between the playing and tarot cards found at the murder scenes to be interesting, but ultimately too confusing. By the end of the book, when we were finally learning what each card meant, I had forgotten which card had been found where and whose body had been staged in what enactment.
I ended up needing to go back through and write out the victims with the cards that were found near them and the ones they were posed to recreate.
Honestly, I'm not sure how this could have been done better, and it may have just been me, but I needed a way to better keep all of these straight, especially with the mixing of the playing cards and tarot cards.
In the end, I'm glad I read Escaping from Houdini, and I'm excited to dive into Capturing the Devil.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
uselesspirateraven's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Hate crime, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
livingstory's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
aklovekorn's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Infidelity, Violence, Blood, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
fromjuliereads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Not my favourite of the series so far. I liked that Liza was part of the story but Mephestopheles got on my nerves a bit. And the drama in the love story felt unnecessary. The mystery was good though! It kept me guessing this time.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
s_panfil's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Medical content, and Kidnapping
Minor: Confinement, Drug use, Mental illness, Sexism, Vomit, Alcohol, and Classism
sydneyluxford's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
I’m so annoyed that I didn’t like this book more than I thought I would. I thought it’d be my favourite since it involved a carnival and tarot (I love tarot).
The plot of this book was obviously amazing. There were just some aspects that annoyed me SO MUCH.I don’t get why the introduction of a love triangle with Mepha, whatever his stupid name was, was needed . Like, I get he’s some master manipulator and stuff, but don’t come between my loves, Audrey Rose and Thomas. Never ever. You really thought she’d pick you??? Think again, bitch.
Also, can we talk about how dirty Maniscalco did Thomas in this book.Audrey Rose went sneaking around with the ringmaster guy behind his back and she never gave him an explanation (I know she couldn’t, but still) and he almost got killed?????? Audrey Rose fr annoyed me whenever she snuck out to speak to that stupid ringmaster. GIRL IF YOU DON’T GET BACK TO YOUR ROOM RIGHT NOW. Thomas actually deserved so much better in this book.
The ending of this book. Oh. My. Fucking. God. Maniscalco had no reason to put me and the characters of this book through that. I WAS LITERALLY CRYING BECAUSE I THOUGHT AUDREY ROSE OR THOMAS WAS GOING TO DIE. Literally had me so scared.
I’m glad Audrey Rose came to her senses at the end and rejected the other guy. If she didn’t, I literally would’ve slapped her silly. I’m so mad just thinking about those scenes with him (I can’t spelled his name).
Screaming into my fucking pillow.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE WAS SO UNEXPECTED, I STILL CANNOT GET OVER IT.
The plot of this book was obviously amazing. There were just some aspects that annoyed me SO MUCH.
Also, can we talk about how dirty Maniscalco did Thomas in this book.
The ending of this book. Oh. My. Fucking. God. Maniscalco had no reason to put me and the characters of this book through that. I WAS LITERALLY CRYING BECAUSE I THOUGHT AUDREY ROSE OR THOMAS WAS GOING TO DIE. Literally had me so scared.
Screaming into my fucking pillow.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE WAS SO UNEXPECTED, I STILL CANNOT GET OVER IT.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Kidnapping and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Classism
hapalyn's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail