Heather’s Bookshelf: Unfixed
Author: Amy L. Sauder
Released: 11/07/24
Genre: Urban Fantasy
“While the soft barley and gentle winds slowly lulled Julia from deep pondering and worry into a restless sleep, Phoebe yanked at the puppet strings holding her firm. The barely visible thread held tight though, permitting no exit of the tent. Gnawing with her teeth, pulling with all of her weight, even climbing on her desk and attempting to untie the knots at the center of the tent—all was futile; the strings had a relentless grasp.”
“Unfixed” introduces Julia Trencher. Julia’s got some “oddities”, so when she finds Geppetto’s Circus of Strange Marvels, she can’t help but hope she’s found somewhere she can fit in.
Julia is seeking a place to fit in and finds the circus, but this is no ordinary circus. With oddities on display including living puppets, it’s hard to believe the things she sees. Unfortunately for Julia, a mysterious fire destroys the circus shortly after her discovery.
Remnants of the circus, including the historical wagons, are all that remain. Max, a local young man can’t quite shake the feeling that something dark hung around the circus and the fire. He investigates, trying to find the last person to join the circus, Julia.
Both Max and Julia find themselves in danger. Will either of them be able to find safety or the truth?
Trigger Warning: violence, torture, adult language, death
Overall, I was a bit torn on this one. Told by competing point of views and timelines, the story follows Julia in the past and Max in the present. However, the timelines are mixed together, starting/stopping, and skipping around. It provides a bit of confusion while reading, especially for the start of the novel. I loved the concept of a modern and magical circus and a sadistic ringmaster with unbreakable contracts. Julia’s mission to seek and find a family of like-people is relatable and emotionally-driven drawing in the readers. However, her naivety and tendency to jump before thinking was a little too unbelievable. The world-building is well-done- descriptive without being redundant or over-saturated. However, there’s very little connection to Max or the other ancillary characters- of which there are many. By the end of the book, the story is a bit more clear but the characters are a still a bit muddled. The book also doesn’t really end. In fact, it points out that the ending is almost in the middle. It’s an unnatural stop and if you’ve read my other reviews you know I don’t love a cliffhanger. A great concept and interesting setting, but a bit too convoluted to be enjoyable.
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
An exciting and different concept that just didn’t develop due to overcomplex structure, too many underdeveloped characters, and an incomplete ending.
Want to learn more about the author?
Check out my interview with Amy L. Sauder
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Find it for purchase here
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