Trapeze

Summer is coming, and so are summer reads ! Contemporaries are my to-go genre for the summer, and when I saw Trapeze on Netgalley, I thought it would be a great read for the beginning of June.

First of all, this is a Wattpad book. I used to love Wattpad before so many kids used it ! There were a lot of amazing stories, especially romances, and they were pretty cool to read. I'm sure there are still some around, but they're drowning in horribly written fanfictions now... Anyway, I'm super happy Wattpad one day got the idea of creating a publishing house for the gems on its website.
Some books there really deserved the love, and it's great the group is helping those stories get into the world in a more professional way.

As all teenage romances, Trapeze has a few clichés in it : Corey is the outsider, the "weirdo" and Luke, main love interest is the popular guy with a secret. Family relationships aren't great and drama is never too far, and the "villain" of the story was pretty easy to figure out.
That being said, I must admit a few things surprised me, especially towards the end, and this is why I liked the story. There are some clichés, but everything is not one, and the author still tried to make a few things realistic regarding Corey and Luke.

Moreover, the characters are really likeable, and I found myself rooting for both MCs, but also some background characters, such as Kim and George, two of Corey's friends (that could definitely be more present by the way, they're nice !)

I wouldn't say this is a spectacular book, but it's a nice cute beach read that I thoroughly enjoyed !

TOTAL THE GREATEST SHOWMAN (ZENDAYA & ZAC EFRON) VIBES. I loved that. I was really craving a cute YA contemporary romance so this was totally up my alley.

I loved that this came from Wattpad because I know there are so many amazing stories on Wattpad, but I don't use Wattpad that often (especially because there are just sooo many stories) so it's really exciting to see those stories become successful and transition into the published world!

Now back to the story, the plot was pretty unique and I definitely loved the thought and storyline behind each of the characters. It was a pretty quick read for me, but I liked that because it felt like the plot was never too slow.

Why you would enjoy this book:
You like a good romance
You enjoy those plot twists
Getting to know the background stories
Getting to know Corey! (what a cool girl!)

I can see why this story got the praise and support to transition from Wattpad to being published and I would definitely recommend you to pick it up and give it a read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Smith Publicity for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Life on the road is all Corey Ryder has known. At seventeen years old she works at her aunt’s circus as a trainee trapeze artist. Being up in the air performing every night is what she loves to do and cannot imagine her life any other way. The circus is her home and its performers her family.

The circus stops at Sherwood, California and to Corey it seems like nothing can go wrong especially when she is given the opportunity to be the lead trapeze artist for the performance. However, a rogue fire leaves her life in tatters and Corey is forced to leave the circus and revisit a part of her life which she’s been trying to forget.

Corey is thrust back into her mother’s life and the two are exceptionally awkward around each other. Her mother is quick to enter Corey into high school and for Corey it’s a clear sign that this is her new home. There would be no more travelling, instead she would be cooped up in a house which her mother obsessively cleans and having to start fresh when all she really wants is to be back on the road with her true family.

Corey is convinced she’ll never fit in to Sherwood and cannot wait for the moment that she can finally break free and return to life on the road. However, an unlikely romance blossoms between Corey and Luke Everett, the most popular boy in school, which has Corey second guessing leaving Sherwood.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and read it within a few hours! I was completely hooked from the synopsis and the book did not disappoint. The characters were well written and the universe that Leigh Ansell has created is phenomenal.

I adored Corey and how strong she was through everything that happened in this book. She was thrown into a situation which was completely out of the norm for her but quickly adapted and found herself even wanting to achieve at school. Her relationship with Luke was adorable and I was rooting for them from their first meeting in Joe’s Diner.

This book did touch on physical abuse and I’m impressed with how well Leigh Ansell wrote those scenes. Sometimes when you read books about abuse, trauma, mental illness the writer sometimes has trouble trying to make it realistic, but Leigh did a fantastic job of making it feel so real even when the matter was so dark.
I do wish I could have seen more scenes of the circus life and more scenes of Corey and her mother trying to form a relationship after seventeen years. There wasn’t much dialogue between the two and I would have just liked to see the two sit down and have a proper conversation.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and have given it a 5/5 stars. It’s such a quick but unique story about a young girl who is thrown into a situation that is so out of her element and how she deals with it. I really do recommend reading this and I cannot wait to pick up the final copy!

This was a delightful story about a girl who is a Trapeze artist who has to deal with life outside of the big top. It delved into topics of dysfunctional families, abuse, bullying and sexuality. The main character Corey is a string determined girl who faces these issues. When I began this story I thought it was going to center more around the circus life than the other issues. I enjoyed this story. Thank you Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I liked this one a lot it told me about the circus and being on the road and the main character has to be a regular kid in school when the circus stops in California and I always wanted to go to Cali!!!

This was such a unique, enjoyable book! The premise of a MC raised in the circus is so fascinating and sets readers up to want to know more about Corey right away, then I found myself just as invested in her return to "normal" life and subsequent love story. Ansell's writing is engaging and she handles some heavy topics sensitively. I recommend this to YA romance fans, The Greatest Showman fans, or anyone who loves a good story.

I want to thank Netgalley for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest review.

Honestly this book was hands down one of my favourite reads so far this year.
I was drawn in by the gorgeous cover and amazing description.
I quite literally could not put this book down it was so good!
I loved the characters and the whole circus element made it even more interesting and magical.
Both main characters come from broken family backgrounds and honestly lukes story broke my heart!
A thrilling read that kept me engaged the whole way through.
It was such a cute romance I can’t say enough how much I loved these characters.
Well deserved 5 stars.


4 stars

Set in the world of a traveling circus, Trapeze is a wonderful young adult romance that is sure to grab your attention from the first page. I absolutely loved reading more about life as a trapeze artist, especially while watching people in The Greatest Showman and America's Got Talent living out these dreams. I don't see Leigh Ansell having a day job in marketing for much longer!

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

I was given a netgalley copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a super quick but super enjoyable read. I really enjoyed the characters and how they progressed throughout the story.

My main issue was that, for a book called Trapeze, there wasn’t very much trapeze in it. I wished there was more about Corey missing it when she wasn’t doing it or even trying to find ways to practice. For something that was her whole world for 15 years, to have her not even think about it after a month seemed a little out of character.

I thought the Luke storyline was also well done and his character seemed morphed by his experiences. (I don’t want to spoil anything so I won’t say what) I think it was true to life the way he dealt with things and I liked that.

Overall it was a really good read that I would recommend to those wanting something soft and easy.

This was such a well done book! I loved the characters and the story! Ansell wrote people I could relate to! The character development was great and I could really picture the setting. I will be recommending that we purchase this one! Great summer read!

FULL REVIEW: https://wordsunfilteredbys.wordpress.com/2019/07/04/trapeze/

I literally finished reading it about an hour ago and I’m just sitting in awe. I loved this book. It was phenomenal and so, so well written. I did notice some changes from the Wattpad version and if anything, it got even better. Leigh’s writing has always been amazing but it’s only improved over the years, and this version of it is marvelous, honestly. When I finished reading it, I knew that this is a book I will be raving about to all my friends. It touches on the things we try to push away, making us realise that sometimes the cycle we’re in isn’t always right and it isn’t something we should be used to. It makes the reader realise that when seeing something — when finally seeing beneath the surface and the mask someone puts up — that is so awful and harrowing, there needs to be something done about it.

In some ways, it was reminiscent of Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen. I won’t say why. But the latter half of Trapeze really reminded me of that particular book.

Trapeze is a book that has always stood out amongst other Wattpaders, and this version is no exception.

I loved the premise! Corey was a good character. It starts off strong, and I just thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a good young adult read, and I want to read more by Leigh Ansell!

An entertaining read, Trapeze makes you think: what would you do if your whole world was turned upside down.

Trapeze by Leign Ansell is the story of Corey Ryder, a young trapeze artist, whose life if thrown into chaos when the circus she is apart of is targeted by an arsonist. She is sent to live with the mother she’s never met and forced to attend a traditional school for the first time in her life. When Corey finds herself growing closer with town golden boy Luke Everett, she has to learn to navigate her old life and her new one while staying true to the person she knows she is.

I’m not a big YA reader, but I found this book very compelling. I found the characters to be pretty multi-dimensional, which is something I find usually lacking in YA fiction. This book did a nice job navigating the teenage experience (struggling in school, making new friends, parental relationships), while also covering heavy subject material (parental abuse). It was a super quick read, but still very enjoyable. I liked the circus aspect of this book, which I thought was unique. I would definitely check this one out if you’re looking for an easy read.

ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for honest and thoughtful review.

I loved this book. It tells the story of an ex-trapeze artist and her life as a "normal" 17-year-old girls. I love the way the book is written and cannot wait to recommend this book to everyone I know.

A quick read with a unique storyline. It was a page turner.

Corey Ryder a trainee trapeze artist at her aunts circus. She’s determined.

After a tragedy strikes she’s has to go back to live with her mom. Not only that but she has to go back to public school. Where an unexpected romance might be waiting.

First time reader. Very well written. Need to check out more books.

*Received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Wow! This was a beautifully written book, which kept surprising me. The circus/trapeze element was a lovely twist to an otherwise normal teenage story about love, identity, family and friendships.
I really enjoyed this and would recommend it to anyone who loves YA.

so good! Thank you for providing me with a review copy of this book, it was really good and i wanted so much more.

In this breathtaking debut, Leigh Ansell has cooked up a compulsive and heart-stirring tale about a young trapeze artist in a travelling circus.

Seventeen-year-old Corey Ryder can’t remember a time when she wasn’t gliding through the air of Cirque Mystique’s big top. Corey wakes up every day in a different place, brimming with anticipation for each night’s performance.

Set in small-town Sherwood, California, everything seems normal, apart from meeting the exceptionally cute Luke Everett at a local diner. But that night, in the midst of the performance, tragedy strikes and flames engulf the tent. While Corey narrowly escapes the fire, the only home she’s ever known lies in the ashes of the circus pitch. Corey must now strive towards a different future without forgetting her past, get to know her estranged mother she’s never known, and negotiate the wonders of first love, as well as being true to who she really is.

First off, I must confess that I was drawn in by the striking cover. Almost all of the characters were very well rounded and possessed traits of kindness and sometimes maliciousness which made Trapeze a fascinating read. Even though I initially thought the plot would be more focused on circus life, there was plenty of scope for a compelling story within the tropes of abuse, bullying, sexuality, and dysfunctional families. Sweet but not too sugary, it was a cracking story and a book that I revelled in all the way through. It brought no disappointments and Leigh Ansell's neat plotting and writing-style helped me to fully grasp the struggles and situation of protagonist, Corey. The changes of direction paved the way for a pleasing denouement. I would love to read more from this gifted story-teller and I am delighted to recommend this book.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my request, from Wattpad Books via NetGalley and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

When Corey Ryder's life as a trapeze artist is set aflame around her, she has to learn to be earthbound. Beautiful story of life, love, loss.