Book Info
Carnival Calamity by Lilith RubeumRating: Book ratings explained
Genres: Dark Romance, New Adult Romance, Romantic Suspense
Pages: 304
ASIN: B09BK95QWK
Published: 04/12/2021
Purchase at: Amazon | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Amazon AU
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Tread lightly once you step foot in our sight
Pay attention to things that go bump in the night
Come with us if you dare seek your deepest desire
But be warned your darkest nightmare may well transpire
Be wary of the evil and depravity that you will find
For we will not hesitate to manipulate your mind
Silence your psyche and let the monsters in
Your descent to madness is about to begin
Demons and ghouls will pull you into insanity
If you're certain you want to play with us
Then come and join the Carnival Calamity
Have you ever wanted to run away and join the circus? After a rather interesting night at the Carnival Calamity, that’s exactly what Mia, Karen and Lacey did, in a classic case of girl being led by her lady bits.
But, let’s start at the beginning. Our protagonist, Mia, is both an orphan and a stripper. After the club in which they work is closed for renovations, she and her friends decide to visit the circus. Thanks to a mysterious turn of events, they win a competition for free tickets including a hotel suite, and a limo to the big event. But all isn’t as it seems in the circus, and they are dragged into its spectacle.
Despite a little protestation from Mia, all three capitulate to the circus’ games far too easily. After having been drugged in the limo and coerced into joining the performance, any normal person would be running for the hills. Instead, after sleeping with the main men and realising Mia has a connection to the circus (no spoilers as to what) they easily decide to stay and join the show.
When you learn about Bash’s talent for influencing the mind, Karen and Lacey’s reaction is understandable. Mia, however, is supposedly immune yet she still agrees to go along with the plan despite her reservations. In fact, Mia tends to ignore her intuition quite a lot, which seems to bring more and more trouble to their little gang.
I dare any girl to resist the pull of an alpha male dropping his guard and begging
The steam levels between Mia and Bash are off the charts. In fact, despite Karen and Lacey dropping their knickers on their first night with the circus, it takes nearly half the book for the leading pair to get any action. Normally I’d be offended by such a wait but it was so well written that it was actually a treat. You knew that when they finally made it to the main event, it would be worth the tension. I was not disappointed!
Rubeum writes in a very relatable manner, delivering moments that will make you laugh and references to current culture that are perfectly on point. The premise of the story is inventive, and not something that’s been trotted out a thousand times before. It’s not a terribly dark book although it does have its moments and some scenes with a dark and creepy vibe. There are plenty of discoveries to be made and secrets to be uncovered. Carnival Calamity is a fabulous debut from Lilith Rubeum.
Why you should read Carnival Calamity
- Brilliantly written gothic circus vibe
- That bonus epilogue!