Caraval by Stephanie Garber

     When I received this, I hadn't heard much about it. I saw a couple people were excited for it and I was fairly interested and wanted to get it. My excitement towards it gained full steam as it got closer and closer to January and time to finally get to read it. And let me just tell you, it was everything I wanted it to be. And then some.

"Magic like this was only supposed to live in stories, but this dress was very real, leaving Scarlett unsure what to think.'"

Pg. 67

     For years, Scarlett has wanted to be part of the game of Caraval. After hearing about it from her grandmother, she fell under the game's spell and contniuously hoped that one day she would be able to get to go. And then, one day, her invitation comes. Scarlett and her sister Tella escape to play the dangerous game and end up with so much more than they bargained for.

"Dreams that come true can be beautiful, but they can also turn into nightmares when people don't wake up.'"

pg. 77

     Starting with the writing style and prose, I cannot say enough how or in the right words how much I loved it. Everything she wrote I could clearly imagine. It had the perfect imagery. Her writing style immediately sucked me away to Triseda and then all the way to Caraval.

"Inside the house violin music , richer than the darkest chocolate, started playing. It seeped outside and whispered to Scarlett as _____'s smile turned seductive, all shameless curves and immoral promises. An invitation to places that proper young ladies didn't think about, let alone visit."

pg. 87

     I also really loved the way suspense and surprises. There were so many times I assumed I knew something about the plot, but then when it comes down to it, I find out I didn't really know it at all. This kept me on my toes and I can't say that about many books. This was definitely a pleasant surprise.

"People think no one sees all the nasty things they do in the dark."

pg. 309

     The only things that stopped me from giving it a full five stars is two really small things: I wasn't a huge fan of Scarlett. For her wanting to know so much about the world she was so cautious and scared. I wanted her to get brave and risk things so much sooner than she did in the story. And also there was the short information dumps in the beginning. I took a break in the middle of reading this and that helped a bunch. Had I not taken a break, I'm not sure where I would've put this one.

"Hope is a powerful thing' Some say it's a different breed of magic altogether."

pg. 318

     Caraval is so magical and lovely. I can see myself re-reading this in the near future, if nothing else to just have a means of escape from the world. (And homework if I'm being honest! lol)