It's been a long time, but better late than never, right?
I overall enjoyed this book. I really enjoyed the main character and the random facts that were casually inserted in the book!

This book was misplaced on my kindle for a long time and I finally found it and committed to reading it. It's a story that will appeal to younger readers. I didn't particularly care for the protagonist even though I expected to, but I think she will be a likeable character that many younger girls or boys will enjoy getting to know.

Was this book weird? Totally and deliciously! It's weird along the lines of Alice in Wonderland or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or even The Wizard of Oz. We have two sisters and a rogue sailor who "fall down the rabbit hole" into Caraval, a land where magic rules and nothing is as it seems. Along the way, one of the sisters--Donatella--is kidnapped and made the centerpiece of the game. The player who gets to Donatella first wins a wish from Legend, the creepy creator of the game.

This book has everything: mystery, adventure, romance, illusions, fighting, murder, lies, beautiful dresses, and plenty of twists. Julian is a swoon-worthy love interest, and there's a nice little twist at the end as well.

I especially love the way debut author Stephanie Garber weaves color and scent descriptions into everything--the clues, the facial expressions, the emotions. Scarlett hates plum purple because it's the color of her fear. Gold is happiness. Black, of course, is blood and death. Scarlett's father smells like lavender and anise. While inside Caraval, Scarlett wears a dress that constantly changes its color and form to reflect Scarlett's mood and feelings. Just gorgeous!

Even though it's a January release, I have no doubt at all this book will make it on many "Best of 2017" lists. According to Ms. Garber's website, Caraval has already been optioned for a movie by Twentieth Century Fox. Awesome!

THEMES: sisters, abuse, lies versus truth

THE BOTTOM LINE: A must for any library serving teens! Beautifully-written and super-fun!

STATUS IN MY LIBRARY: On order. I can't wait to booktalk this one!