About the Book:
In this heart-pounding, richly imagined fantasy set in the Belle Époque, a trapeze artist fights to win a deadly tournament amid the glamour and illusions of a magical circus. But survival isn’t her only goal—she wants revenge.
It’s 1896. Beneath a hotel in the heart of Paris is the famed le Cirque des Ombres, led by ringmaster and Enchanteur Jean-Pierre. But behind the dazzling spectacles, the circus performers are bound by magical contracts, also making them potential players in the annual Game of Oaths, an underground bloodthirsty tournament watched by the wealthy elite. Twelve will compete. Eleven will die.
Seventeen-year-old trapeze artist Falan Sunkara is out for revenge. After her sister ended up as one of the unlucky eleven last year, Falan wants nothing more than to make Jean-Pierre pay for her death. When she’s chosen to compete in this year’s tournament, Falan is not above playing dirty and forging unlikely alliances. But to be the last one standing, she has to determine whom to trust and whose motives to question. Vengeance on top of survival is a dangerous gamble—and in games like this, the house always wins.
*Review Contributed by Jan Farnworth, Digital Manager/Blog Assistant and Staff Reviewer*
The Game of Oaths is the kind of YA fantasy that knows exactly what it’s selling: a deadly magical competition, a glittering circus atmosphere, revenge, betrayal, and enough danger to keep you side-eyeing every character. And honestly? I ate that up. The Game of Oaths is one of those books where the premise alone hooks you—eleven competitors enter, only one survives, and our heroine Falan is not there to make friends. She is there for revenge, and that sharp edge gives the story a tension that keeps everything humming.
The real magic here is the atmosphere. The Belle Époque-inspired circus setting is lush, eerie, and theatrical in that “beautiful but probably hiding something horrifying” kind of way. There’s glamour layered over brutality, high society treating death like entertainment, and a sense that danger is lurking behind every dazzling performance. If you like your fantasy dark, dramatic, and dripping in spectacle, this absolutely delivers.
Once the competition gets underway, this book hits its stride hard. Alliances get messy, trust becomes basically nonexistent, and the twists keep coming in a way that makes tournament fantasy so addictive. Falan is a strong protagonist because she’s not walking into this bright-eyed—she’s fueled by grief, anger, and a need to survive, which gives the story emotional bite beyond just the deadly games.
That said, the beginning does take a little time to get moving. There’s a lot of setup, world-building, and character introductions before the chaos fully kicks in, so if you’re waiting for the bloodsport madness right away, you’ll need a little patience. But once the game starts? Oh, it starts.
This is a dark, twisty YA fantasy that blends magical circus vibes with deadly competition chaos, revenge-fueled stakes, and a heroine willing to risk everything. If The Hunger Games and gothic fantasy had a dramatic circus baby, this would be hanging from the trapeze in sequins and plotting murder.
*Find More Info & Buy It Here!*
