The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern is about just what you'd expect--the story of a circus open only at night. It appears out of nowhere, and has no set schedule. The whole circus is black and white with just a touch of red. The tents hold the most amazing wonders; the Garden of Ice, an illusionist, a tarot card Reader, the Wishing Tree and so much more. The story tells of two old magicians who place a bet to see whose prodigy can perform the best magic. They are the Illusionists Celia and Marco, who do not know who their opponent is, how to win or what they must do to win. The beautifully described circus serves as the arena and the characters are wonderful, both good and bad. Of course, Celia and Marco fall in love, but they must play out the game, as their magic is the only thing that keeps the circus going. This is a great read you'll find hard to put down. -JM

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, 400 pages; Doubleday, 2011.

5 olives