Another beautifully written, heart wrenching book from Akemi Dawn Bowman. (Is it even an Akemi Dawn Bowman book if it doesn't make you cry at least once?)

When Harley's parents--owners of the most famous circus in Las Vegas--refuse to listen to her dreams of becoming an aerialist, she runs away to the circus. Another circus, that is. But despite the deal she made with the ringmaster, the show's static trapeze artist refuses to train her, and Harley is left feeling like an outcast. Training every night in secret and working hard to prove she's cut out for circus life, Harley eventually carves a place for herself in the big top. But are the secrets she's keeping and the betrayals she's made along the way really worth it?

I love how character driven Bowman's books are, and Harley in the Sky is no different. Though the circus setting adds a particularly fun element, Harley's feelings and choices and relationships are still the real heart of the story. I really appreciated her complexity and the depiction of her struggles with mental illness. I definitely recommend this to everyone who's loved Bowman's other books and anyone who is a fan of character-driven contemporary YA in general.

Harley in the Sky by Akemi Bowman|Book Review|
fictiveescapes Book Reviews, Book Reviews December 13, 2019 2 Minutes
I am still new to the book blogging world but I am learning more about publishing cycles with each passing day. I first discovered this book on edelweiss plus. I instantly decided that this was one novel that I just had to read. But since I get declined for literally everything on edelweiss; i just resigned myself to the fact that this was one e-arc that was a lost cause. When I saw the listing on NetGalley I was just happy to be receiving another chance. The moment that the arc showed up on my bookshelf I instantly Egan reading; how could I not. Thank you NetGalley for making my year and I am looking forward to many more wonderful reads in 2020.



This books is available March 10, 2020

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Harley in the Sky follows Harley an 18 year old half Japanese quater Chinese girl on the cusp of college. But Harley doesn’t want to go to college; she wants to be a trapeze artist. Her parents own a circus in Las Vegas but all they care about is her continuing school so she has a “stable back up plan”. The novel focuses on Harley’s growth as a person and how she attempts to chase after her dream.

This novel really surprised me, I was just expecting a fun adventure piece that used the unique circus background, like The Greatest Showman, but this novel was actually so much more.

It’s a coming of age story that really encapsulates how it feels to leave home for the first time emotionally. And how easy it is to push relationships away when you are so focused on creating something new.

Mental illness awareness ends up playing a huge part in the narrative which was rather unexpected; there is no mention of Harley dealing with depression anywhere in the blurb just a heads up for any readers that prefer to be warned about such topics. Bowman takes the time to show that while some emotions and coping mechanisms can be helpful in a moment can also be harmful for the individual in the long run.

This novel has a wide lovable cast of characters and a setting that enraptures the reader just as much as it does Harley. Harley spends most of the novel freaking out instead of enjoying herself; which isn’t a bad thing but it has left me wishing for a spinoff or sequel novel focusing on the other characters which will probably never happen.

I wish that there was more circus focused media because everything about this setting just seems really interesting and under-utilized. Akemi Bowman has done a fabulous job creating this world and I hope to read more from her soon.



Thanks again to NetGalley for providing me with an early review copy.

This book was so good! I don't normally reach for this kind of book but i have heard so much about it. I was sucked in as soon as I started reading and the main character is so relatable. I think everyone should give this book a try. I will be purchasing this book for my libraries collection.