Harley in the Sky

Written by Akemi Dawn Bowman

Narrated by Ali Ahn

“Earnest, poetic.”—Booklist

“Raw, engaging.”—Kirkus Reviews

 

The Greatest Showman meets This Is Us by way of Sarah Dessen in this heart-wrenching, hopeful contemporary novel about a multiracial teen who risks it all to follow her dreams by joining the circus, from the award-winning author of Starfish.

 

Harley Milano has dreamed of becoming a trapeze artist for as long as she can remember. With parents who run a famous circus in Las Vegas, she spends almost every night in the big top watching their lead aerialist perform, wishing with all her heart and soul that she would be up there herself one day.

 

After a huge fight with her parents, who continue to insist she go to school instead, Harley leaves home, betrays her family, and joins the rival traveling circus Maison du Mystère. There, she is thrust into a world that is both brutal and beautiful, where she learns the value of hard work, passion, and collaboration. At the same time, Harley must come to terms with the truth of her family and her past—and reckon with the sacrifices she made and the people she hurt in order to follow her dreams.

 

From award-winning author Akemi Dawn Bowman comes a luminous, unforgettable examination of love, loyalty, and the hard choices we must make to find where we truly belong.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: May 5, 2020
• ISBN: 9781980091707

Akemi Dawn Bowman

Akemi Dawn Bowman is a critically acclaimed author who writes across genres. Her novels have received multiple accolades and award nominations, and her debut novel, Starfish, was a William C. Morris Award Finalist. She has a BA in social sciences from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and currently lives in Scotland with her husband and two children. She overthinks everything, including this bio. Visit Akemi online at AkemiDawnBowman.com, or on Instagram @AkemiDawnBowman.

[Denise Moore · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Captivating. I finished in 2 days and wanted to see what came next! Wish there was a part 2

[Alexiane · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Good YA including the themes that the author likes, parent/children relationships and mental health. It didn't have a huge impact on me but was well-written

[heatherlinc · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

For the most part I really enjoyed this novel. I loved the circus setting and all the drama and friendships which occurred behind the scenes. I also liked the cultural diversity and how the author dealt with the issue of depression and following your dreams.

However, my biggest problem with "Harley in the Sky" was Harley herself. How she treated the people close to her was horrible and what she did to her parents to get what she wanted was unforgivable. I was disappointed with her selfish decisions and could sympathise with her parents. Harley did grow as a character throughout the novel and the ending was satisfying. A good read.

[dknight0918 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book so much. I bought the special Once Upon a Bookclub edition and it was so awesome. The gifts that came with the book were great and so spot on. I learned so much about the circus. I would love for this book to be turned into a movie. I enjoyed traveling with Harley in the circus and watching her grow as a person and a performer. I was so happy with the ending. So beautifully written.

[krau0098 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Series Info/Source: I got an eGalley of this book from NetGalley.com to review. This is a stand alone book.

Story (4/5): This is, at heart, a coming of age story about Harley who is desperate to pursue a career as a trapeze artist while her parents would prefer her to go to school. I enjoyed the circus setting and Harley’s steadfast determination to follow her dreams. It was an engaging story that was a quick read for me.

Characters (4/5): The characters are complex and well done, even the side characters are intriguing. I was a bit frustrated at how poorly Harley and her parents communicate with each other. Harley is definitely a heavily flawed protagonist, she’s bad at compromise and not willing to communicate. However, that is part of the point of this story...so, while I didn’t love Harley I did understand how these flaws were something she had to grow around.

Setting (5/5): Absolutely loved the contemporary circus setting, I am always intrigued by circus life.

Writing Style (4/5): The writing in this book flows well and is easy to read. Some of the descriptions are very well done and really make you feel like you are sitting there in the circus tent. While there’s nothing truly outstanding or spectacular here, this is still a very well written book that is easy to fall into and read.

Summary (4/5): Overall I enjoyed this book. I loved the look into circus life and it was interesting to watch Harley learn that her family and friends deserve just as much consideration as her ambitions. It was also interesting to take a look at a character that has manic depressive tendencies and see how that affects the people around her.