In a world of magical visions and pyrokinesis, Mara just wants to have a normal life. But is that possible?
Mara has become used to the extraordinary. Roaming from place to place with Gideon Davorin’s Traveling Carnival, she longs for an ordinary life where no one has the ability to levitate or predict the future.
She gets her chance when the struggling sideshow sets up camp in the small town of Caudry and she meets a gorgeous local guy named Gabe. But before long, Mara realizes there’s a dark presence lurking in the town that’s threatening the lives of her friends. She has seven days to take control of a power she didn’t know she had in order to save everyone she cares about—and change the future forever.
my thoughts:
I’ll admit, I started Freeks with some skepticism. Having never read anything by Amanda Hocking before, and with most reviews of her work falling into the “neither exceptional nor terrible” category, my expectations were modest. Still, I’d been meaning to explore her writing, and Freeks promised a unique storyline—something I’ve actively sought lately. To my surprise, I found myself genuinely enjoying the story, the writing style, and the overall fun atmosphere of the book.
One unusual aspect of Freeks is its 1987 setting. This wasn’t immediately apparent, but the historical context makes perfect sense. Modern-day traveling carnivals—let alone freak shows—are virtually nonexistent, and a contemporary setting would have strained believability. While it took me some time to adjust to the era, I eventually became fully immersed in both the time period and the narrative.
As someone who loves romance-driven plots, I particularly appreciated how central the relationship between Gabe and Mara was to the story. Their connection developed quickly, but given Mara’s mere ten-day stay in town, a slow-burn romance wasn’t feasible. Both characters carried secrets, and their relationship faced significant obstacles, yet I found myself wholeheartedly rooting for them. Gabe’s genuine sweetness felt like exactly what Mara needed.
The carnival and freak show setting stood out as one of the novel’s strongest elements. Beyond The Night Circus and Caraval, few books explore circus environments, which made this setting feel fresh and intriguing. Hocking dedicates substantial page space to the carnival, with Mara providing detailed insights into what it’s like to grow up constantly moving with such a community.
That said, the book had some shortcomings. The werewolf element felt predictable (especially with the wolf depicted on the cover), and while its execution differed from my expectations, several plot twists remained foreseeable. The Blossom subplot also seemed underdeveloped—after driving the initial thirty pages, her disappearance largely fades from focus. Additionally, Mara’s prejudice against “townies” sometimes made her appear hypocritical, considering how frequently she condemned others for judging her community.
Overall, Freeks serves as perfect escapist reading for a rainy day. While it may lack profound depth, it’s engaging and quickly pulls you into its world. I definitely plan to read more of Amanda Hocking’s work in the future.
“It’s not the amount of time that makes something real. It’s what happens in that time,” he said solemnly. “Each moment is weighted against the next, and the moments I’ve spent with you have been more meaningful than almost all the ones I’ve had before it.”
-Amanda Hocking, Freeks
What Others Are Saying About Freeks:
Wonderless Reviews: “I started Freeks yesterday and finished it this morning. I literally couldn’t put it down.”
The Plot Bunny: “There were things I really liked, and some things I really did not, but it all balanced out.”