Name: Caraval
Series: Caraval #1
Author: Stephanie Garber
Publisher: Hodderscape
Format: Kindle
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Mystery
Noted Tropes: Games and Trials, Escaping Abuse, Fake Dating, Reluctant Allies to Lovers, Forced Proximity, One Bed, Arranged Marriage
Steam or Spice: None
Rating:
Synopsis: Goodreads
A legendary competition.
A mesmerizing romance.
An unbreakable bond
between two sisters.
Scarlett Dragna has never left the tiny island where she and her sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval—the faraway, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show—are over.
But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt-of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.
Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. Nevertheless she becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic. And whether Caraval is real or not, Scarlett must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over or a dangerous domino effect of consequences will be set off, and her beloved sister will disappear forever.
Welcome, welcome to Caraval . . . beware of getting swept too far away.
Review:
I really enjoyed Caraval. It was a fun, fast read! I was never bored. I was certainly doing my fair share of commentating in my head while read this, plenty of gasps followed by NO WAY! or sassy comments like don’t be stupid, stupid! (‘lil Phil DeFranco returning there!) – in my head was the only place for them as I read this mostly at work (on breaks and lunch, don’t fret!).
I found Scarlett to be pretty annoying, for MOST of the book. She is not a main character I like easy… That being said, I liked her enough at the end that I truly felt sorry for her going through all the twists and turns revealed at the end.
Tella… Well, I like her enough.
Click here for a potential spoiler on Tella
It’s probably a good thing that I think Tella is alright as it seems Legendary (Book 2) might follow Tella based on the final chapter of Caraval! I’m not necessarily sure how I feel about Tella for a whole book, but we’ll see!
Julian was a mystery to me in this book. Every time I thought I figured him out, the author threw a spanner in the works.
Click her for a potential spoiler on Julian
I even got to the last chapter and back tracked again on who I thought Julian was! I fully expected him to be revealed as Legend despite saying previously that he wasn’t. I guess Legend’s brother was close enough. This didn’t really add anything to the story for me, but it did make some things make sense!
I didn’t think I’d be talking about Dante in this review, but man I wish we’d gotten more of Dante! I think he could have been fun!
I am thrilled that for some reason my brain was on at me to read Caraval – it was a one day read! And so much fun! The writing isn’t spectacular, but I don’t need it to be! I just needed a bloody good story. And this one was! Caraval was packed full with mystery to solve, and drama and risk! As soon as I finished Caraval, I rushed to purchase the rest of the trilogy as paperbacks so I had them for my bookcase, and I can’t wait to jump into Legendary.
“Dreams that come true can be beautiful, but they can also turn into nightmares when people won’t wake up.”
Reading With Tyler 
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