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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
magsdiary'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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, and Gore
Moderate: Classism
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
bookish_kori's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Still an okay book, but definitely a step down from books 1-2. Focused on Audrey Rose and her flaws but doesn’t prompt her to self-reflect. Very “I’m just a girl” vibes 🤷🏻♀️. Does explore how she feels about her chosen career path though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Violence, and Murder
leahlovesloslibros's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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? Yes
5.0
- LOVED the tarot card integration with each murder; it was unique and interesting
- Really didn't know who to trust until the very end - did a good job keeping us guessing
- Love the trust and independence that Cresswell gave Audrey Rose, despite being jealous of her and Mephistopheles
- Really didn't know who to trust until the very end - did a good job keeping us guessing
- Love the trust and independence that Cresswell gave Audrey Rose, despite being jealous of her and Mephistopheles
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Medical content, and Murder
Moderate: Grief and Alcohol
issiwerro's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Murder, and Alcohol
disnelyse's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
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? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Gore, Violence, and Kidnapping
Minor: Classism
tanvi45's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Minor: Classism
ittybittyninja12's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
3.5
This one upset me. I feel like it strayed from the tone of the first two and hate what they did to her and Thomas's relationship. It just didn't sit right with me and the boom didn't feel as focused on the dead bodies. Just briefly here and there. I understand the author was trying to liven up the books but at the same she butchered a lot of things. It felt like she was bored and just threw in something that felt out of character. I'll finish the series still, in hopes that the last book is bette. Adding a love triangle felt very cheap to our main character who is supposed to be super in love and betrothed. She jumped in way too quickly with another man and it felt completely out of character. It's like the author didn't know what to do with Thomas anymore and was bored. So she wrote out this little fantasy romance that didn't need to be added. She could have kept the same characters in this hook minus the romance and cheating. I feel extremely bad for Thomas as he trusts and loves her so much.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Gore, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol