Caraval

                                                                          Caraval 

        By: Stephanie Garber 

       5/5 LOVED IT 

Caraval gets 5 stars from me for what it is in it's category of YA Fantasy, Caraval was very immersive and as claimed magical, so very magical I enjoyed every minute of the read.
Scarlett the main character is finally given a ticket to Caraval after years and years of asking the Caraval Master Legend to come to her Isle of Trisda, from which she is not aloud to step foot from. Scarlett and her little sister Tella are plagued by a cruel and abusive father, their mother went missing years ago; and Scarlett is soon to be married to a faraway Count, whom she has never met, to procure further riches and rank for her repugnant father.

The sisters and a random (handsome) sailor Julian, end up on Caraval's secluded island in time for the game and from the start embark on a mind-bending adventure, where so many people have come to compete for the grand prize of a wish. Scarlett is instructed to keep her wits about her, don't believe everything you see and or hear, and never ever get too swept up in the game. 
As a reader I had a hard time following those rules, I read with trepidation, never knowing who to trust and what was real, so who could blame Scarlett? The island is overridden with illusions and dangerous people and beautiful places that can suck you in, I loved it! It was a gorgeous setting, and Garber created such magic with her words. 
Some aspects of the story seemed juvenile to me but those "scenes" we'll call them moved on quickly and were easy for me to ignore and get right back into the story. 
The ending was confusing, but in a good way, it definitely fit with the "don't believe anything" theme, also there was a huge door left WIDE open on the very last page, I NEED a sequel now... I'm demanding it, I could do with a few more answers and of course more magic from the world of Caraval!  

                           -xoxoTHISRAVENCLAWREADER