Honestly im on the fence about this one. I gave it 3.75 stars most 4. But i just couldnt connect to the characters. But i loved how the author wrote this book. It was just okay to me and i hope someone will love this as much i wanted too

Read over 50% of this book and decided that I will purchase this book when it comes out. 

The concept for this book is so fascinating.
The author keeps you guessing on the mystery of it all. 
Why is Frankie having all these weird dreams?
Who is she really? What happened to her when she was young? Why does this mysterious man know her? Why does she think she know him? 

Colleen Nelson’s writing style is easy to read and understand.  I love how atmospheric Frankie’s dreams are. 

I am excited to read it physically when it comes out!

This book had a very intriguing premise of lost memories and dreams of possible past lives.  Frankie was found in an alley when she was 10 with a bump on her head and no memories.  She also had an incredibly rare skin condition that left her reptile like scales all over her skin.  She lives with her previous therapist who became her foster mother after some bumps in her road.  She starts to dream of a strange man and she draws what she remembers to try to figure it out.  A new boy at school recognizes the man and says he also has been dreaming of that man.  The story was not bad and did a pretty good job exploring some tough themes about bullying and sexual abuse.  The story started out well but seemed to lag a little.  Overall it was enjoyable and an interesting look into the historical life in a freak show.

2.5/5

It’s been a while since I requested an ARC of The Life and Deaths of Frankie D. – it didn’t even have this neat cover then – and I can’t figure out what pushed me to do it. I mean, I’m not really into stories about circuses or ones that draw from Egyptian mythology. And both serve as the basis of this novel. Was it the possibly misleading title? The vague description? Whatever the reason, I quickly realised the book wasn’t for me, but since the publisher already kindly accepted my request, I decided I’ll try to finish it anyway.

The writing style is a strong part of this book, though it seems to be targeted rather towards younger readers. This is not a debut release and you can clearly see that Colleen Nelson is an experienced writer. The narration is consistent and the pacing is satisfying, though there’s one thing that bothered me – personally, I didn’t feel the build-up that should’ve led to the climax of the story. Even the plot twist relating to one of the characters fell somewhat flat.

Nelson creates and intriguing, unique protagonist. The titular Frankie is a young girl with lamellar ichthyosis, which causes her skin to flake like that of a snake, and she has no recollection of who she is or where she comes from. We learn about Frankie’s past together with her, which I think is a very exciting way to explore characters. I just wished that most of her personality didn’t revolve around her being a goth; Frankie doesn’t fail to mention that fact every couple of pages. You’re weird, you’re a weirdo – we get it.

I honestly was expecting this to be a story about reincarnation, which would’ve been a very exciting theme to include, but instead we simply learn about Alligator Girl’s history through the protagonist’s dreams. I wish there was a better connection between Frankie and the Circus of Wonders and Marvels.

This book reminded me slightly of Laini Taylor’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone, which unfortunately I wasn’t a big fan of either. While The Life and Deaths of Frankie D. has some potential, its themes simply weren’t up my alley; if it were otherwise, I definitely would’ve upped my rating by one star. Although I wasn’t the right reviewer for this novel, I tried to stay objective.

I quite enjoyed this book however the tone of the writing was a lot more child-like / middle grade than the YA I expected however the plot was really good and dealt with some more serious issues. Overall I think this was a decent book and I wouldn’t mind adding it to my collection.

{Digital copy provided by NetGalley and Dundrum Press} 


Frankie is a loner with an equally enigmatic and painful past that lead her to her current foster mom, a brilliant woman named Kris. But strange dreams, a mysterious curiosity circus, and new friends kick off a wild and engaging tale of past lives, immortality, and what it means to be different in an often cruel world. 


This book has a lot of representation, from multiple Egyptian characters to the foster mom being gay, and as expected of a story partially centered around a curiosity show, a lot of disabled characters. I can’t quite tell if the representation is done well or not for the groups that I am not a part of, but I can say that I really appreciated Kris as a character, someone three dimensional, driven, hardworking, nerdy, and caring. 

Frankie as a narrator is a little overly analytical in a detached sense, but that’s me being picky. The dualing narrative of her figuring out the mystery, and the life of Frances she observes in her dreams is really well done in terms of suspense and emotional resonance. Especially the scenes focusing on Frances’ relationship with her proxy parents was very well done and impactful. 

The mystery was really intriguing, although the narrative was a bit stiff at times, and some plot points were a little unconvincingly done. The villain of the story could have been more multi-dimensional, and the ending was somewhat flat at times. 

I really appreciated the way abuse and sexual assault were dealt with in the book, and how the characters deal with stuggles throughout. Also having a story centered heavily on found family, foster care, and adoption was really resonant. 

Overall, an interesting short read with a few narrative weaknesses.

I loved this book. I could not put it down. The book was very engaging. I loved how it was funny and got me laughing at 2 in the morning thank you for giving me this experience and I look forward to owning it

I think the biggest pitfall for this book is that it is being marketed as YA but reads much, much younger in tone and writing style (with the caveat that it does deal with some pretty heavy trauma/ PTSD which may not be great content for younger MG readers). I went into this expecting more complex writing and magic and was ultimately disappointed. The character of Frankie felt pretty flat and I had a really hard time liking her. The plot itself was interesting but felt like nothing was fully developed.

I was intrigued by this one because of the title and the cover. Both are just really enticing. I did like certain aspects of this book but there were also a lot that I didn’t like or they just felt rushed which is why this book ended up not being one that was for me.

The first thing that didn’t work for me was the labeling of this book. It is labeled as YA but I think that the target genre is more Middle Grade. This is just how the writing style is and I don’t think there is anything wrong with it. I do think that someone in the Middle grade would really enjoy this over a teen.

The book is split into past memories and present time. I always like double timelines so this was fun to see.

I did enjoy seeing where Frankie’s story took her. There was a lot of mystery surrounding her and this circus she kept dreaming about. That part easily pulls in a reader. The thing is, I just think there were too many topics put into the plot and some of them just didn’t get fleshed out enough because of the length of the book. The ending also was rushed and I just hate when that happens.

Overall, it was okay but it just wasn’t for me.

Thank you NetGalley for the review copy of this book. 

While I was very intrigued by this book from the description, it fell flat for me in some areas. Mostly, because I wasn't really sure who this book is for. Meaning, the type of reader. There's a certain style and a way of addressing certain topics that is different for each type and age of reader, and for me, this one had a bit of a disconnect. 

I enjoyed the premise and the easy to follow plot. Sometimes I felt I could recommend this to my middle schooler  and other times to my high schooler, however as a whole I couldn't recommend to either. I think this might do well with adults and older teens that enjoy reading middle grade novels.

Thank you, NetGalley for this ARC of The Life and Deaths of Frankie D!

The cover and synopsis are really what got me intrigued, hooked, and more. But once I read it, I felt like this book should really go more for Middle-Grade rather than Young Adult. The characters and world-building are all very interesting, I found the concept of this dream-world and trying to find Frankie's other life very intriguing to read, but the more I found out about her character during the first half, the less I liked this book. Her entire personality at first consists of her character being goth, and no one else is goth-like her (which is kind of outdated, in the year 2020, because no one really cares if you're goth or not) and her life with her foster mom. Some of the side characters mainly fell flat as well, most of them like her foster mom and Max didn't really strike me as an important character to remember.

The plot also kind of fell flat for me too. I felt like it was too focused on the world-building and on Frankie's character and her problem with her dreams that when it came to the final conflict that it just kind of wasn't what I was anticipating. Although I do have to say that I did enjoy the parallels between Frankie's life and the 'Alligator's Girl' and I liked how the author included Egyptian mythology. I did find that really interesting and what saved my attention at the end.

I did enjoy this book, but I feel like the genre didn't quite fit the audience it was targeted. Instead of Young Adult, I can see this book going for Middle Graders 12+.

Life and Deaths of Frankie D. by Colleen Nelson

Not only is the copy o read an ARC but a promotional ARC! Very cool, the author’s note to the reader about the origins of the story is enough to hook you. I saw that the audience age is 12-15 I am waaay off the demographic and on the surface this is not my genre but the passion in the author’s writing forced me to read this story and what a pleasant surprise. 

A story about a “reptile girl” and a traveling freak show from the 1920’s is not something I would normally pick. I looked past my biases and read on to discover Frankie (who should be renamed Frankie the Brave) a girl with no memory of her life before the age of 10 and her social worker foster mom.  Through her dreams Frankie discovers the past which impacts her present and future.

I devoured this book in one day. With Egyptian folklore a large part of the story I am left desperate for stories of mummy’s and curses but I feel it will be hard to find one that combines folklore and a modern girl with such entertainment and ease.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this Arc in exchange for a honest review...

Not going to lie, I kinda fell in love with the cover of this book. 

Frankie, a Foster child is currently living with her care worker Kris. Frankie has no memory of her life before meeting Kris, she then starts having dreams about a travelling circus and a child called Francis with reptile like skin. 

I got a few chapters in and I was enjoying it, but being introduced to Frances the child, my liking for the book started going. Frances is a 9/10 year old child who to me is written too much as an adult, she was thinking and talking too much like a grown adult and not a child, that really put me off. Although I absolutely loved how it incorporated greatest show man and AHS vibes, Egyptian preists, afterlife and immortality. 

This would be great for teens who love travelling circuses, diversity, freakshows and mysteries!

I would like to thank Colleen Nelson and net galley for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
The Life and Deaths of Frankie D. is a bit of all genres, the two that stood out the most would be thriller and mystery. We follow Frankie a foster child who is now in her 3rd foster home with a dark and mysterious past. Frankie was found in an alleyway around the age of ten with a rare skin condition malnourished and dehydrated with a severe concussion. After resting and recovering in the hospital they soon found she could not recall anything from her past. I cannot say I saw the ending coming. I enjoyed the plot that involved Egyptian mythology intertwined into a historical fiction part. The book itself felt very well researched and not for a moment did I doubt factuality of the historical parts of the life and deaths of Frankie D. The first 100 or so pages were more of an explanation and the ending felt rushed. I do believe that if the book were longer by like 300 or so pages and the story was more stretched out it would be so much better. Besides that, it was honestly a really good book. I recommend this book to people who love diversity and scary mysterious that leave you wondering how.

I received an eARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

**Trigger warning for themes of sexual assault and child exploitation. They aren't main themes of the story however if these are triggering for you in any way, perhaps consider not reading it. I went into this not knowing so hopefully this will help others in making their choice to read this book.**

3.5/4 Stars. 

A moving and fantastical tale, that was filled with mystery. I thought that this was going to be more 'travelling show magical fantasy' and less set in the real world. But I did enjoy how the story unfolds, how the main character, Frankie, grows and discovers more about herself and her past. 

It was a quick and easy to read story, well written and filled with emotion. It is easy to connect to the characters, their motivations and dreams. I did find the 'villain' a little lacklustre, I wanted perhaps a little more from him, to build up to the ending. But all in all, I really enjoyed this book.

dnf at page 66

trigger warning 
<spoiler> trauma, ptsd </spoiler>

Foster kid Frankie has the same dream every night, which leads her guardian to believe that this might be the key to unlocking Frankie's past.

Let me start with this: I broke off because of the pain Frankie experiences. The book may lack in some aspects, but I found the depiction of PTSD very realistic - too realistic for my liking. Since my mental health is not in a good place, either, I have had to stop reading this.

Frankie is very fixated on being a goth, which leads me to believe that we might have a late middlegrade or early ya on our hands. I've been there. I don't think it's exaggerated, but it's certainly annoying to read in some parts. 
Especially if you get contradictions like Frankie telling you being goth is liking rot and decay, but then she's disgusted about the task of having to clear out the fridge. I don't think it's sloppy writing in this case, but a flawed character. Listen, you do and say stupid things when you're growing up.

I love the relationship between Frankie and her guardian. You see that they've had some difficulties and are very careful with each other, but also open. There are no lies between them, which is cool.

Some things felt rushed to me, as if the author had a list in their had that needed to be ticked off, or as if some parts had been written beforehand and needed to be patched together. It would have been nice to have more space for this novel and then get more details.

Again, the reason for dnf-ing this book is me, not the story. In different circumstances, I would have read on, so I can give no concluding thoughts.

The arc was provided by the publisher.

This story was such an interesting read. The premise is unique, the characters are well developed, and the story was intriguing. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. At times, some things did feel over the top/ the MC’s reactions to certain things could have been more realistic, but aside from that, this was a very enjoyable read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

I'm not really sure where to start on this one...I have mixed feelings on how I should rate it and feel. I liked this book and the overall storyline. I really enjoyed the Egyptian history and the plot twists, but they felt predictable and almost underexplored. Anyone could have Googled the information in here, and besides the medical condition, everything was an easy Wiki-Page search away.

I do wish there was more about what Frankie discovers about her family. It was a harsh side story that was really underdeveloped. Overall it was an okay read and I feel like others would really love it, just not entirely me.

Rated 2.5 really.

This one could have made for an intriguing story, especially since it not only ultimately goes in a different direction than one would expect, but also balances the magical adventure at its core with themes of self-acceptance, coming of age, family, friendship and sexual assault/slut shaming. The fact is, it tries to do too many things at once with too small a page-count, and a few incidents/behaviours are too convenient to ring true - not to mention, certain characters never get the chance to progress past the sketch phase. Entertaining and sympathetic, but a bit rushed/lacking.

Full review to come closer to publication date. Thank you NetGalley and Dundurn Press!

Thank you, NetGalley, Dundurn Press, and the author for the free digital ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
For a book that had such a pretty cover and a great synopsis, this sure was a let-down. 
The plot was interesting and Frankie (a poor orphan girl who's goth and hates everyone but her foster mum, which is slightly a turn-off especially in 2020, but I'll let it slide since she was a good enough narrator) is a great protagonist, but the synopsis misled me and so I didn't feel the creepiness I was anticipating from it. 
I love a good book that has a strong world-building and this definitely had it, but I also want a good writing style, or at the least, the style I expect from the book when reading the blurb. I don't wanna get too much into it, but I really hope the publisher properly takes care of the marketing and focuses on the target audience.