***4 ‘My Constant’ Stars***

I don’t read a lot of fantasy based books, not because I don’t like the genre, I do, it’s simply that I tend to lean more towards romance than anything else, but then I happened upon this book. The cover and title were the draw and then I read the blurb and I was hooked. I wanted to know what it meant to be the Girl in the Box, how she got stuck in it and what the deal with the curse and the charm were and I ended up really enjoying the journey this book took me on and wished there were more words to read when I reached the end.

The funny thing with this book is that while Emma, and Ben, are the focus and I did like them, I found that I was more fascinated with how the eclectic cast of characters that surrounded them dealt with the curse/charm and how they felt about it. It was an intriguing view into human nature and self preservation where there was no black or white, only grey, and it was interesting to see how it affected each person throughout the story.

As for the curse and charm. I honestly felt as if they were another character in the story because they affected the actions, thoughts and feelings of all the characters. Its origin, as well as what it would take to engineer it’s demise, were so simple and basic that I felt like slapping myself upside the head for not figuring it out, but I really did enjoy the journey the author took me on to figure it all out and in the end I find that even I am waffling over how I feel about it, but cannot say that I am unhappy with the ultimate outcome.

While the writing was engaging, the beginning did start off a bit slow for me, but I wasn’t put off by it in anyway, and by the time I reached the halfway point I had a difficult time putting it down (Thank you phone app). I loved the way the author brought the carnival atmosphere to life with her words, it made me feel as if I was right in the midst of it all. There is a bit of romance in the story, but it’s very, very slow burn and very appropriate when it comes to the YA genre. Overall, this was a fun, quick read and I’ll be keeping an eye out for more by this author in the future.

By A Charm and a Curse is a standalone young adult fantasy by debut author Jaime Questell. I love a book in a carnival setting, and one featuring magic even more, so I knew By a Charm and a Curse would be right up my alley. And it was. I really enjoyed this book. The name of the book says it all. There is a charm and there is a curse and they are tied closely together. I really loved the plot of this book. I might have even enjoyed the story more than the characters, but I did also enjoy the whole cast of carnies.

By A Charm and a Curse follows our main character Em, or Emmaline as she visits a traveling carnival with her friend. By A Charm and a Curse is told from multiple perspectives, and as we shift through some of the characters point of view we get to know a couple of the carnival performers and we learn about the charm. I’m going to tell you about the charm but I am going to be vague about the curse because it’s more fun for me that way. (no, I’m kidding…it’s better for you to discover it as you are reading. It was a really crazy moment when I saw what the curse did and I don’t want to take that away from the readers.) The carnival is protected by a charm that allows the performers and works to not age and to not get hurt. It kind of enhances there abilities. But the only way they get this awesome protection is because of the curse centered around the carnival’s fortune teller. I loved the way both the charm and the curse were explored and explained. It was really cool.

Em was a really cool character because whether she liked it or not, she was forced to go on a journey. And it took her through all kinds of different emotions. I really enjoyed getting inside of her head as she explored what was happening and how that would affect all kinds of areas in her life. But Em was only one of a really big cast of characters. Author Jaime Questell did a whole lot of character side stories in just 300 pages. It was pretty impressive. It’s one of the things I love most about a carnival setting- all of the difference personalities, so I was really happy that we didn’t only focus on Em. We also got to know Ben, and Lars, and Audrey, Lesie, Duncan and gin, just to name a few. Everyone actually played a great role in the story. Ben and Em were my favorite because I loved seeing their growing connection, but everyone was fun to read about.

The carnival’s charm and a curse had some twists and turns in it as well, which was a nice surprise for me. I thought once we figured out what the charm and the curse were their magic would feel a little static, but that wasn’t the case. It changed along with Em, which made By A Charm and a Curse a really interesting read. There were a few parts of the book that left me a litter underwhelmed, but overall this was a very good read. Fans of magical carnival books will really enjoy this fun and interesting story. I know I enjoyed By A Charm and a Curse.

By a Charm and a Curse is as colorful as you would expect a circus to be. It shines brightly and is a magical wonder. But what steals the show is the cast of characters. They are endearing and compassionate and while we don't spend too much time with many of them, they leave a little mark on your heart. I especially enjoyed Emmaline's dynamic.

By the end of this book, you'll be staying up late and flipping pages like I was, because it all sort of builds into this speeding train you can't look away from.

I received an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4 stars! This was way better than I thought it would be. I expected the boring carnival/circus books I've attempted to read in years prior. I expected the cliche, simple, break the curse love story of so many YA Fantasy books. Yes, the book is set in a carnival, but it is not boring! And while there is a break the curse, love story, it is so much more than that. For awhile that's what is seemed like I was getting. But then. BUT THEN! The twists! The action!

By a Charm and a Curse is a very entertaining, readable story. While the story centers around Emmaline and Benjamin, there are many other interesting characters that make up the story- psychics, knife throwers, acrobats, and horse jumpers. They are all so amazing! If anything, I wish I could have known more about those people.

Overall, a highly entertaining YA Fantasy that will stay with my for quite some time.

A magical tale set within a travelling carnival, this was a very enjoyable read. Emmaline King has moved back to her home town after several years, and is having a little trouble settling back with her old friends, they have grown up and grown apart due to the long separation. When a travelling carnival comes to town it seems like the perfect way to spend some quality time with her old friend but when they get separated Emma finds herself charmed by one of the carnival members and goes on a ferris wheel ride that will change her life.
Cursed by a kiss, she becomes the new Girl in The Box, forced to hand out fortunes until she can find someone else to pass the curse on to, and without hope of other means of escape as leaving the carnival will not only result in the curse becoming worse, it will also break the charm which feeds on the curse to protect the other carnival folk. But something is different, and now it seems like the charm is weakening, is Emma to blame or can she find a way to break the curse with the help of Benjamin, a carpenter with the carnival who dreams of an escape of his own.
WIth a magical setting and a fairytale curse, this is a wonderful book, one I would recommend for any fans of the young adult paranormal romance genre. Descriptions of the carnival life are vivid and evocative, as I reader I could almost imagine my self there, and there were many characters I would have loved to learn more about. While there are obviously magical elements to the story, it does not play as major a role as in some other books such as The Night Circus or Caraval, which this book could be compared to.

In By a Charm and a Curse, we follow Emmaline, or Emma, as she visits and gets trapped in Le Grand's Carnival Fantastic. Emma is a sweet person who gets put into a complicated situation: She must break the curse the hold her hostage, but if she does, she risks the life of the Carnival, and of everyone who sees it as home.

In this world, magic is there in the small things and as a kind of almost natural backdrop to the action? It's hard to describe the feeling of this book. While I do understand the comparison with The Night Circus, the fundamental difference is in this aspect, imho. In The Night Circus, the magical elements are everywhere, they jump at you, while in By a Charm and a Curse, it feels... gentler, almost.

I really enjoyed the chemistry between the main character and her love interest, Ben, who is also a POV character. His life could also be risked if Emma breaks her curse, which makes her decision even harder to make. Their relationship developped somewhat slowly, but the book still manages to keep a fast pace with the focus on all the action happening around the two; action that has the potential to change both their lives and the things they hold dear.

By a Charm and a Curse was as magical as promised, in multiple ways. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know this universe, with its intricate magic system and its twists and turns. Emma and Ben are great main characters to follow, and seeing Le Grand's through their eyes was an experience I recommend!

Have you been taught by now that things aren't always as they seem? That should be the motto of the Le Grand’s Carnival Fantastic, a carnival that looks like any other to the casual observer but of which carries many secrets and mysteries. One of which is that this carnival has existed for centuries, dependent on a charm that keeps its members safe from aging and injury; owed all to a curse that keeps one of the members trapped in a box.

Emmaline King think she's just attending a simple carnival with a friend, until she's tricked into becoming the next victim of the curse - trapped in the box until she can pass it along. With Emma's arrival though, something starts to change at the carnival and it leaves all wondering if the charm is losing it's strength?

Or could the curse be broken once and for all?

This was a cute and entertaining read. It was chock full of magic and mystery and definitely work picking up if you enjoy this genre. I must warn you however, that if you are looking for the next Night Circus this may no be it. It just seemed to me that By a Charm and a Curse was trying just a little too hard. The descriptors were just a little heavy handed and it took away from some of its - for lack of a better word - charm. Overall, however, it was an easily consumable read!

A Charm and a Curse holds an interesting premise. The reader is introduced to a traveling carnival, one whose performers are blessed with an eerie skill and luck. They can complete death-defying tricks without the slightest hesitation or worry.

The drawback to this magical skill? The charm that protects the performers (and keeps them from aging or getting sick) is sustained by the sacrifice of the Girl or Boy in the Box. This individual loses the ability to taste, to feel, to truly experience life in exchange for others to experience life in an extraordinary way. Fortunately for the Girl/Boy in the Box, their fate isn’t eternal; all they have to do is steal the life of another and provide a substitute.

Enter Emmaline, a teenager who’s visiting the carnival with a long-time friend. Naturally, she finds much more than she bargained for at the carnival and becomes the new lifeblood of its charm.

Emmaline is likable enough for most readers to sympathize with. She’s an average teen, nothing unusual about her until she is moved into the path of the curse.

Benjamin, our other protagonist and narrator, has grown up with the carnival. However, that doesn’t mean he wants to stay. He’s pretty firmly decided he’ll be taking off soon; that is, until he meets Emma.

A sweet romance and friendship start to blossom between the two. The pacing is slow, and the content is definitely appropriate for middle school readers. Their tentative romance is perfect entertainment for the middle school group.

I liked that the book experimented with a dual perspective. I think it’s beneficial for readers to view Emma’s curse through her own experience as well as Benjamin’s, especially considering her affliction fills her own senses.

The book takes a bit of a predictable turn when it comes to breaking the curse, but I think fans will enjoy the HEA.

DNF 40%

Unfortunately, the story and the writing style weren't my cup of tea. It was too rushed, confusing and barely developed, and I didn't care about the characters at all.

Nope. Sorry. No!
The story is about Emmaline (Emma, Em) who catches a curse and has to get it out to get her life back.
Emma's life is SO DEPRESSING... her mom left her with her dad because she went to another county and now Emma has 'no home' she feels that she doesn't fit anywhere. So, there she is in this carnival with her friend, trying to be social. In the first place I don't understand what is she doing there, I got the sense that she didn't want to be there but anyways her friend wanted her to date a boy that is in her friend circle but Emma is not comfortable with that idea. Instead of leaving she finds another guy and after he made her ONE QUESTION she feels this guy gets her, that she wants to hold his hand and then they kiss... Just like that, to a stranger! A teenager kissing a stranger just because he 'cares' about her...
That is all the investment I putted into this book. There is not going to be a carnival setting at all, so if you go to this book expecting any 'Caraval' vibes you won't find it... You are not going to find Fantasy or Magic, expect for the curse transfer.
The premise was interesting but with a terrible execution.

If you like lost love, dark and bloody, with a touch of magic and set in a circus then this book is for you.

SPOILER FREE REVIEW

I don’t remember much about the plot when I started this book, all I’m sure of was that a kiss could pass down a curse.

My interest all throughout the book was just 3 out of 5 but that kept me going. Enough to make me want to finish the book and enough curiosity that I want to know how it’ll end.

The story is just one plot, there are no side stories like if you draw a diagram you’ll end up with lots of branches. I guess that’s why I wasn’t crazy about this book because I wanted more from it. But then it’s only a standalone and so much could only be told.

“I go wherever you go. You are my constant.”

Surprising enough I was satisfied with this read. It’s not the usual genre I would go for but it is different and the characters and elements are unusual. I mostly love the parts about the relationships between characters and couples because I’m a hardcore romance fan and I must say some relationships here are heartbreaking and I don’t know why I enjoy heartbreaks so much. It creeps me out that I do.

I loved this. It was weird and strange and so very sad. If you like curses and carnivals, you'll enjoy this. #ByAcharmAndAcurse #NetGalley

I ended up really enjoying By a Charm and a Curse, but I must admit it took me a bit. My issue was Emma's reaction. What happened to her was a huge deal, but there was very little anger or blame, no bargaining or denial, just acceptance. And I just couldn't believe it. Maybe after awhile, but not immediately. So that was a big stumbling block for me, but as the book progressed I was drawn into the story. For me the second half was great. I'm definitely glad I read it.

Emmaline King calls Claremore, Oklahoma a circle of hell but for reasons most people don't know about. Her mother abandoned her and her brothers for a year with her father in order to pursue an investigation in Guatemala. Le Grand's Carnival Fantastic visits the outskirts of Claremore and Emma is thrilled to explore the carnival.

Before Emma gets to know Benjamin Singer, she is tricked and is cursed at the carnival. In order for the carnival performers to be charmed with their unnaturally lucky existence, one person is the center of the charm and is ultimately the curse that holds everyone together. The curse lives in the person and that person becomes the Boy in the Box or the Girl in the Box. The charm protects the carnival until recently. Something has changed and the charm is wearing off. People are falling and accidents are occurring. But why?

Jaime Questell writes characters that are vibrant and full of life. Each are unique in their special way. Although many are sad about Emma's circumstances, the carnival performers and employees do whatever it takes to make Emma feel at home. I love reading about the traveling carnival. Readers don't just experience the magic of the acts but they also experience the grittiness of the lives of the carnival employees.

The novel alternates chapters in the POVs of Emma and Ben. Due to the length of the book, I feel like the character development wasn't fully fleshed out. I have to say that I enjoyed reading about Sidney. Readers get to know more about Sidney's history and his life in a small period of time compared to Emma and some of the other characters. I found it fascinating to learn more about the origins of the the charm and curse. However, I found the ending to be fairly rushed. It was predictable and I wanted read more about everyone's outcomes.

Readers who want to be entranced by the magic of a carnival will enjoy reading By a Charm and a Curse. A bit of romance and bit of intrigue will make this novel a quick, pleasant read.

"The carnival is a sad and desolate place on a weekday morning. No matter how brightly painted the stalls and booths are, no matter how loud the music...it's still an empty carnival. It's veins without blood. It's lungs with no air."

Ever since I finished The Night Circus a few years ago I have been hunting for more books with that same magical carnival atmosphere. I'll admit that it's been mostly duds with a few good ones here and there. So when I picked up By a Charm and a Curse I kept my expecations pretty low.

If you want something that's bursting with magic, this might not be the book for you. But if you want something with an intriguing storyline and just a *hint* of magical woven throughout, I think you'll find that this is a real winner. Depite being set in an enchated carnival, so to speak, there isn't much description of the actual magic happening within the carnival. We get glimpses of the amazing feats the performers are able to do, but they're more of a sideshow than the main event. Instead, the story focuses on Emmaline King, a girl tricked into bearing the burden of the carnival's "curse" - an ancient spell that basically holds one person in perpetual stasis so that the other members of the carnival can take risks without ever being harmed. It's a sweet deal for everyone except the person whose life is ground to a halt under the weight of the curse. But obviously no one really cares about that person's sacrifice. It's just the way things are. That is, until Sidney, the boy who previously held the curse for a whopping 50 years, finally decides to transfer it onto the first gullible tourist he meets - Emmalilne. That's when things start to get interesting.

I really liked learning about the history of the curse, and I think the whole cast of characters in the carnival were charming. I would have liked more of the whole supporting cast, really. And while I would also have loved more feats of magic to feed my magical-carnival-cravings, I think the way Questell sets the story up works for this particular book. The carnival is a fun and slightly msytic backdrop for the romance blossoming between Emma and Ben.

Was there some insta-love? Sure. Would I have liked a slower build-up to Ben and Emma's relationship? Yes. Did I still enjoy watching their story unfold? Definitely.

I saw pretty much all of the major twists coming, but that didn't stop me from immensely enjoying the ride. There's a lot of fun adventure woven into this one and just enough magic to tie everything together!

4 stars

The story is set at a magical carnival, has romance and curses and overall seems not very original from The Night Circus, but from the first page on, I knew it would be completely different (and not in a bad way). It's about two characters, one resident of the carnival and then there's Emma, who comes to visit the carnival with her friend. Emma becomes the victim of a curse and has to be "the Girl in the Box" and therefore has to leave her home, family, and friends behind.
"Fur is a terrible, red-winged thing in the shape of my mother."

Emma is such a great character. I loved how she was both flawed and wanted to do right by everyone. She just felt very realistic. She has conflicted thoughts about what she has to do to get rid of the curse but also about how she got it and I loved seeing that conflict play out. She's definitely not a 100% good person, but she's a good person nonetheless.
“You won’t age, but you won’t live, either. Every day you’ll need to be in that booth, waiting to trap the next sucker. And the longer it takes for you to charm some boy or girl into taking your place, the more stunted and dark your heart becomes.”

I'm not a huge fan of romance stories (as you might have noticed) but this one was so cute! It was very innocent and adorable and I loved the chemistry the two characters had. Also just as characters, the two were so much fun to follow. You read the story from both their perspectives and I really liked that!

Overall it is just a very cute story, but also has some darker parts. It has the fun, vibrant setting of a carnival, but also tackles more complicated subjects such as bullying, lost love, morality.
"And I think I'm so desperate to leave the carnival so I can find a place to make my own, to make a home that feels like our little house did when my dad was there. But in the meantime, I have this. I have sugar-scented air and wide-open skies. I have noises that blend together with the chatter of hundreds of people making a song like no other. I have the hand of a girl who fascinates me securely in my own. With Emma by my side, I can actually see the carnival for the thing of wonder that it is... And it's beautiful."

I'm giving this book 4 stars because though it was very fun to read, it also was a little forgettable. It's only weeks after finishing reading, and I already had a difficult time remembering what happened in the story (though that might also be due to my current stress level). It was a lot of fun to read and I think you will love it if you love the whimsey of carnivals, with a bit of cute romance mixed in.

I really wanted to love this book because it had so much potential to be truly amazing.

While the magical circus concept was not original, what happened in the story was. Em goes to the carnival and unwillingly becomes cursed by one of the performers. Because of the curse, she is forced to stay as close to the carnival as possible or it will physically hurt her. What was also unique is that the performers themselves were also cursed, but in a good way. As long as there is a Person in the Box, the performers will not get hurt, will not get sick, and will age a lot slower than normal humans. But the Person in the Box must suffer a life as a porcelain creature.

One of the biggest issues I had with the story was how rushed the entire thing was. Sometimes I enjoy quick reads, but because this had magic in it, I expected it to go a little more slowly. There wasn't really enough explanation for how the magic system worked.

Also, Em accepted her fate way too easily in my opinion. What happened to the 7 stages of grief? At first she was SO worried about her family and best friend but as soon as she saw a hot guy, she suddenly stopped worrying. That brings me to the insta-love. Em and Ben fell for each other way too quickly, especially given her situation. But as we know, insta-love is prevalent in YA books so it wasn't surprising, just disappointing.

I was also very disappointed when the best side character was killed off. Yes, he trapped Em in the curse, but he was also the most developed, and he deserved a hell of a lot more than what he got.

Overall it wasn't a terrible book, it was just not done like it should been. The potential was there, but it need to be executed a little better.

3.5 stars for By A Charm and a Curse.

I had so many problems with this book when I first started. The cruel entrapment of Emma. How complicit everyone, including Ben, was. I knew going into the book that Emma was going to be cursed because the synopsis gives a lot away. And yet, I still had to put the book down because my feelings of anger and spite at her treatment and subsequent reaction were overwhelming. How could Emma get over it so quickly? Were was the anger? We went through the 7 stages of grief in 10 pages? How could this turn into a romance without a psychologist labeling it Stockholm syndrome?

It took another 30-50 pages for me to see that the kidnappers were also cursed. That SOME felt remorse at Emma's treatment and tried to show her kindness. It was a reminder that good people can do villainous things and villains can do good.
The rest of the book focuses on the breaking of the curse. And in end, love prevails and Emma's life and future are not sacrificed.

If you're looking for a sweet romance with a sprinkle of magic and action, this is the book for you.

This book was a lot different then i expected. I was expecting a little bit more magic and more of the carnival scene. I feel like a lot of the book took place travelling from place to place. The characters were just okay for me, I didnt really care what happened to them. The beginning was exciting however the rest of the book just fell flat.

At first I wasn't sure this was going to be one that I was going to really get in to. That quickly changed when this were further explained. I would like have liked a little more back story on some. Loved the pacing of the love interests, gradual and well written. It was a cute, fun read :)