Caraval

It took me a minute to get into the book but I loved the theme of doing whatever it takes for a loved one. Also, there is a real twist at the end.

I really enjoyed the story. It was whimsical and It was like a puzzle slowly being pieced together, but kept you guessing. I enjoyed how color was such a prominent descriptor and how the female main characters senses were felt and seen in colors. The detailed descriptions in the story brought it to life. It was a love story, a mystery, and taught meaningful life lessons about truly living.

This was a good YA fantasy! A little jarring with a suicide that you don’t know is real or not…but still good. I hope rylie likes it too!

Caraval was an intriguing read, and I finished it pretty quickly—which says a lot, partly because I thought it was going to tie into Once Upon a Broken Heart with a surprise reveal about a shared character. The story had me hooked at times, but I found the pacing a bit uneven. Some parts dragged, while others had me flying through the pages.The book follows Scarlett, who has long dreamed of attending Caraval, a magical, high-stakes game run by the mysterious Legend. While I found her a bit frustrating at times—especially her fearfulness despite this being her lifelong dream—I do understand that her trauma, especially from her abusive father, shaped that cautiousness. Watching her character grow throughout the book was rewarding, and her bond with her sister Tella added emotional weight to the story.Julian was definitely a highlight for me. He added charm, mystery, and tension to the plot, and honestly, I think he carried the book at certain points. I found myself wishing we could have seen the story from his perspective, but I know that’s not Stephanie Garber’s style.The world of Caraval itself is vivid and imaginative—dreamlike, theatrical, and full of twists that blur the line between reality and illusion. That said, some of the plot twists felt more confusing than shocking. Still, the ending left me a little speechless, in a good way, and I’m curious to see where the series goes next.

This was so whimsical and fun! Of course none of my predictions were correct, which is so rare. I love that Stephanie keeps you guessing and with every twist and turn, when you think you know what’s going to happen, everything shifts.This is a really well told story leaving you at the edge of your seat and unable to put down the book. There’s also that underlying romance that keeps things quite warm and exciting and leaving you to wonder what’s going to happen next!For a debut novel, this is so well done. I found no mistakes which is rare. Stephanie writes like a pro, as if she’s been spinning tales for years and years. I love the artistic way she describes things, with such color and dreamlike sensation. She puts magic between her pages and it’s truly magnificent. Well worth the read.