As a non-fantasy person, I enjoyed this. It was entertaining and I wanted to keep reading. Full star off though because of some truly annoying writing choices that no joke made me roll my eyes every time I encountered one. (I'll try my own: The snow was white the color of promise and manifest destiny. He smelled of moonstone and forgotten dreams) ( )

Audiobook version had a good narrator, would recommend. The story though, I'm mostly confused. Side characters weren't memorable enough to recognize them later on. The protagonist is a bit of a self-sacrificing martyr, she's a bit hard to get behind and cheer on. The story doesn't feel finished, maybe the other 2 books will make it all fall in line. ( )

An enjoyable read with plenty of good misdirection. The main character comes off a little too wishy-washy for my taste, but has a good arc in the end. The author does some interesting things with color, in both her language and scenery. The atmosphere wasn't quite as spooky-circus as I hoped for, but I learned to live with the dissapointment of my own expectations (but so what else it new?) ( )

The only word I can use to describe this book is entertaining. The first half of the book left me feeling as though I was enjoying the plot, having a good time, but it was nothing overly spectacular. The last half of the book though.... I want more.

I had thought I had figured out one of the main twists of the story really early one. Then the author confirmed my suspicions only to inform me later that I was actually wrong. The twists and turns that this book took me on, especially towards the end, had me turning the pages far later into the night than I should have been. It provided mystery after mystery, with a constant question of what was real and what was part of the game.

The ending though!!! I need to immediately go out and pick up the next book in the series to figure out what that was all about. How could you leave us with such a question when everything seemed to be so neatly tied in a bow just a few pages before that.

Overall, I had a great time reading this book. It was fun, twisty, and made me love the characters. ( )

Caraval is a book about two sisters who look to brake free of their torment at home. They enter a game where it is difficult to tell what is magic, what is the truth and what are lies. What are the stakes for you to win the game and have your wish?

Who can you trust when everyone is playing a game to win?

Enter into the world of Caraval, where the magic will spin you around in a dance of madness only to leave your jaw on the floor in the end.

Who can fix this?

I must get the next installment to continue to watch the story unfold as I love these main characters, the villains, the players and the performers.

This one will stay a while in my heart and in my mind. ( )