Running away to join the circus has been a time-honored aspirational endeavor for most kids. The teens in these fantastical YA novels live out their Big Top–dreams together with the drama and intrigue that is part and parcel of the circus world. From the star crossed romance of The Weight of Feathers to the action-packed competition in Inheritance, the thrilling stories in these two tales will enthrall and mesmerize.

Forrest, Lisa. Inheritance. 384p. ebook available. HarperCollins/ABC Books. Sept. 2015. pap. $8.99. ISBN 9780733328923.

Gr 7 Up –Forrest spins an enchanting and mysterious tale of an unusual summer camp with links to the ancient world. The night before the Cirque d’Avenir camp in Seacliff, Australia, begins, Tallulah dreams of a conflict in Justinian’s Hippodrome between circus performers lead by his queen, Theodora, and hordes of beast men. In her dream, Theodora seems to wield amazing powers using a jeweled cuff that is identical to one that Lu’s nanny, Irene, left in her care. Irene has carefully schooled Tallulah in using mind-casting powers, but Tallulah is astonished to discover that other teens at camp have powers as well. The camp has some connections to the Cirkulatti, a mysterious group of circus performers, and there are rumors about the evil Cirknero. The teens train in the highly difficult skills of circus performing and school their mental gifts, and, as with any high pressure situation, there are rivalries. A burglary at her home, followed by an attack at a friend’s antique store, convinces Lu that the competition is the least of her worries. Teens may find the Australian and circus terms unfamiliar, but it is those same elements and the author’s vivid prose that set this apart from other contemporary YA fantasies. VERDICT Readers who rise to the challenge will swiftly succumb to the alluring and magical call of the circus.–Eric Norton, McMillan Memorial Library, Wisconsin Rapids, WI

McLemore, Anna-Marie. The Weight of Feathers. 320p. ebook available. St. Martin’s/Thomas Dunne. Sept. 2015. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9781250058652.

Gr 7 Up –For almost an entire generation, the Palomas and the Corbeaus have been rivals in a steadily escalating feud that is fueled by hearsay and fantasized superstitions. Both families’ livelihood is dependent on their itinerant performances, from one town to the next, and both family shows have turned competitive, with the Corbeaus performing tightropelike acts in the trees and the Palomas presenting mermaid exhibitions in the natural waterways. Members of the families are born with particular marks that brand them according to their lineage. The Corbeaus have a patch of feathers at the base of their hairline, and the Palomas have a series of patterned scales. No Paloma, under any circumstance, should dare touch a Corbeau, or vice versa, for fear that this simple act could cause a potentially fatal catastrophe. This mandate does not keep Lucien “Cluck” Corbeau from rescuing Lace Paloma from a chemical disaster. That fateful moment spurred the beginnings of their star-crossed romance and forever changes the lives of the two clans. In this tale of magical realism, the magic is so deftly woven into the fabric of the story, readers might overlook the more subtle moments. VERDICT Told with skillful poetic nuances, this Romeo-and-Juliet story of forbidden love will entice fans of Maggie Stiefvater’s “Raven Cycle” (Scholastic) who wished for a little more romance.–Sabrina Carnesi, Crittenden Middle School, Newport News, VA