Caraval Series by Stephanie Garber - Reading from 'Caraval (Caraval #1)' from August 26th 2019

[✨ A ✨]

Remember, it’s only a game…

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.

[rívєαnnα]

Is this for people to join because i just started reading the first book?

[Anna 'Bookbuyer']

rívєαnnα wrote: "Is this for people to join because i just started reading the first book?"

Yes but you would be too early to join for it to count if you are reading it now. :)

[rívєαnnα]

Anna 'Bookbuyer' call me bookbuyer. ^-^ wrote: "rívєαnnα wrote: "Is this for people to join because i just started reading the first book?"

Yes but you would be too early to join for it to count if you are reading it now. :)"

oh ok

[Anna 'Bookbuyer']

rívєαnnα wrote: "Anna 'Bookbuyer' call me bookbuyer. ^-^ wrote: "rívєαnnα wrote: "Is this for people to join because i just started reading the first book?"

Yes but you would be too early to join for it to count i..."

You can join a week early to a BR so you could read this on the 27th at earliest. :)

[Tiera]

I had to start this first one early as I borrowed it from the library and someone put a hold on it so I can't recheck it out now. I'll wait for yall before I start the next one though!!


21% (view spoiler)[ Well I am really liking this so far. I like the escaping to find magic plot we have here. Sucked me in so fast! I'm not sure what to think of Julian right now.. I feel like the book may be pushing them together as a love interest and I'm not really feeling it. (hide spoiler)]
29% (view spoiler)[ Yea "I didn't invite you here so you could watch." I'm not quite so sure Scarlet is cut out for this game.. she has spent her whole life dreaming and wishing to be apart of it and now... she is spazzing left and right. I just want to shake her and say loosen up!! (hide spoiler)]
36% (view spoiler)[ "You're too quick to dive into fear," Nigel said. "What you think of as fate only applies to the past. Our futures are only predictable because as creatures of this world we are predictable." - Mind blowingly profound I think.... (hide spoiler)]
45% (view spoiler)[ I feel like I am getting whiplash from this roller coaster of deceit and not quite betrayal...yet. I can't tell what this game is actually wanting from Scar.... is it wanting her to loosen the freak up or to knuckle down... its no wonder this girl is a hotmess! (hide spoiler)]
46% - (view spoiler)[ "I think I've made a mistake.".... "The make it into something better." some more profound tid bits! (hide spoiler)]
66% - (view spoiler)[ "That's funny," the gentleman said. "All this time, I thought she was my fiancee.".........DUN DUN DUUUUNNN! Crap is getting real! (hide spoiler)]
89% - (view spoiler)[ "What is the meaning of this?" Yea Scarlet I feel ya! What the heck is going on?!!! How have we ended up here. I'm a mess! (hide spoiler)]
Finished: I feel like I have been wrung out.. I feel like this book has some really profound hidden agenda's and meanings that I am just now coming to grips with.. maybe? I will say the romance aspect left me a little disappointed.. (view spoiler)[ I really am just not all convinced in Julian and Scarlet's relationship... they didn't really have all that much chemistry to me, and almost nothing in common as well as spent the entire time annoying each other. Just still not convinced really. (hide spoiler)] Really excited to read the next one!!

[izzy]

Chapter 1-10
(view spoiler)[ we see Scarlett and her sister, Donatella, with the tyrant of a father, and also The sailor, Julian.
At first, it seems Tells is taken with Julian but not so true and the sisters greatest desire is to go to caraval, witness the game and see legend (hide spoiler)]

[izzy]

Chapter 11-20
(view spoiler)[ Tella is no where to be found, Julian has played before, Dante (kinda reminds of a darker shade of magic ' Dante')
The sharing of blood (to take a day each out of each other life is intimate and gross (yli think so) (hide spoiler)]

[izzy]

Chapter 21-30
(view spoiler)[ story has taken a turn, Legend isn't the good guy. Looks like the bad guy who promised to ruin Annalise generation of female children. (hide spoiler)]

[izzy]

Chapter 31-42
(view spoiler)[ so Donatella was playing her sister all these while? Anyways, glad that nobody is truly dead. (Stayed dead) rather (hide spoiler)]

[izzy]

Final Thoughts
I don't like this book neither do I hate it. I'm In The middle.
At times, it is engaging and at times, it gets boring. I really didn't enjoy the game.

[Tiera]

izzy wrote: "Final Thoughts
I don't like this book neither do I hate it. I'm In The middle.
At times, it is engaging and at times, it gets boring. I really didn't enjoy the game."

Yea the game was very twilight zoney and I wasn't expecting that going in.. Had me all twisted.

[Sarah Elizabeth]

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Date changed. Restarting June 25th 2019. Happy Reading ☺

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[~T~]

I’m in for this one!

[Claire]

I'm starting this a bit early due to poor time management skills :D

Chapters 1-5
(view spoiler)[Well, both these sisters are ridiculously naive, albeit in opposite ways. But then again if I had to live with a father like that I'd probably do something really dumb just to get away too.

The letters at the start were a pretty cool idea, I liked that.

Not a fan of storylines about child abuse so I'll be happy if we never hear from their father ever again.

Minor complaint: Did anyone else notice that the girls claimed to have no idea where this island was, but then somehow knew that it was 2 days travel without being told? What was up with that? (hide spoiler)]

[Claire]

Chapter 6-7 (This is a theory so possibly spoiler if my guess is correct)
(view spoiler)[Calling it now, Julian = Legend, I'm almost sure of it. (hide spoiler)]

[Claire]

Chapter 8-12
(view spoiler)[Lmao "No one ever saw Legend, or if they did, they didn't know it was him."

It's almost TOO obvious 🤣🤣🤣 (hide spoiler)]

[Claire]

Chapter 13-26
(view spoiler)[I could not be more confused, this book is like a fever dream, what is even going on at this point? 😂

I'm still not convinced that Julian is exactly who he says he is but I guess he's not Legend after all? I was holding onto that theory for so long.

Also that count she's supposed to marry is definitely some we've already met, I guarantee it. Maybe he's actually Dante who was only pretending to be dead or something lol I dunno I'm just making stuff up. (hide spoiler)]

[Claire]

Chapter 27-32
(view spoiler)[Aha, I finally got one thing right, the count IS someone we've seen around.

Can't wait for Scarlett's piece of actual garbage father to die a painful death 😘

So Legend finally shows up then, tbh I was still clinging on to Julian=Legend but looks like I was way off. (hide spoiler)]

[Claire]

Finished!
(view spoiler)[Lmao what the actual heck was that?

Okay so one of the reasons I refused to trust Julian no matter what happened and wasn't convinced that Dante really was dead was because of the book tagline, 'Remember it's only a game'. I kinda wish that wasn't there, since it kinda spoiled the book for me, if only subconsciously.

I did enjoy this book overall but it had too many layers of twists that by the end, it just got to the point that it felt way too convoluted. And I'm someone who enjoys a good twist or three usually, but this was just so ??????????

The whole thing ending up being nothing but a game is exactly what we were promised in the tagline and yet it still felt like a cop-out. This book was so damn dramatic and in the end, literally none of it really mattered.

Sorry if I'm being really harsh on this book, I did have a good time reading it, it's just that the entire plot felt like a huge mess and the ending was rather anticlimactic in my opinion.

I am interested in continuing with the series but it's not high on my priorities.

Edit: Oh hey it looks like the 2nd book follows Tella instead of Scarlett? I'm actually a bit more interested in reading it now, I liked Tella more than Scarlett. (hide spoiler)]

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

Claire wrote: "I'm starting this a bit early due to poor time management skills :D

Chapters 1-5
Well, both these sisters are ridiculously naive, albeit in opposite ways. But then again if I had to live with a fa..."

@Claire Lol my time management skills are kicking me in the butt now that June is nearing a close. I should have started this when you did but I’m trying to wrap up two other series to round out the month smh.

So I have a question or two?!?! Should I rush and squeeze this in? Did you love it and are you anxious to read the next books?

[Claire]

Absolutely no rush, take your time!

I haven't bought Legendary yet but will soon. Honestly I'm not 100% sure I'll even have time to read it until like late July/early August anyway (poor time management yet again)

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

Lol I’ll take the fact that you’re not pushing everything aside to read Legendary as no need to rush and I’ll just continue on the path I’m on with the Red Queen series!! 🤫 I’ll pick this up again eventually, maybe by then I’ll be able to catch up with you (probably, hopefully by August lol) Thanks!!

[Claire]

Sounds good! :D

[Shahana]

Starting

[Shahana]

25%
(view spoiler)[
Soo far good..scarlett who is fond of legend writes letter to him..aftr years he writes back inviting her also attaches the ticket fr her and fiance.
She never left her island..coz her fathr will never allow it..be is brutal..
She ends up in a boat with julian on the way to caraval.befre the caraval door closes scarlett enters but julian cudnt..
Is julian conncted to this??coz he seems unaware of all the things happening
(hide spoiler)]

[Shahana]

50%
(view spoiler)[
She is playing in the caraval with julian..she finds julian cute..
Tella is nowhere to be seen..and all the fortune and aika..iam soo much confused..i hope all thngs will be cleared..the disappointng things is the scarlett is soo clueless .. I think she is nt apt fr the play..
(hide spoiler)]

[Shahana]

Claire wrote: "Chapter 6-7 (This is a theory so possibly spoiler if my guess is correct)
[spoilers removed]"

I thot the same too..coz many thngs is fishyy abt him

[Shahana]

65%
(view spoiler)[
Soo julian is nt legend ..he is rose brother..and annalise is nana..so thts why legend is after them..
Is it legend tht her father wnted her to marry??..or wht is fathers role in this?
(hide spoiler)]

[Shahana]

Chapter 80%
(view spoiler)[
Scarlett met legend and julian is his ally?? Iam confused abt,evrythng
(hide spoiler)]

[Claire]

Shan wrote: "Chapter 80%

[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[Hahaha I know right? My entire experience reading this book was basically 'Uh... What?' 😂 (hide spoiler)]

[Shahana]

End
(view spoiler)[
I still dnt knw who is legend..julian is legends brothr.. All of a sudden ending reveleald a lot many things which was diffcult for me accept..the relation shipbetween julian and scarlett was nt satisfying..
(hide spoiler)]

[Sarah Elizabeth]

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Date changed. Restarting August 26th 2019. Happy Reading ☺

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[steph]

chapter 1-4 (view spoiler)[ i really enjoyed the letter correspondence in the beginning and thought it was a unique way to start off the story. scarlett and tella haven't really captured my attention yet but their personalities are already pretty apparent. scarlett is more cautious and tella is headstrong. what i don't understand is why tella would insist on leaving the island if she knows that scarlett will be punished for her own actions. the writing is pretty good but not really loving the constant color references. (hide spoiler)]

[Bex's Bookshelves | Bookstagram | Book Reviewer]

Stephanie wrote: "chapter 1-4 [spoilers removed]"

Your already ahead of me now. I feel bad. I will catch up today!

[Bex's Bookshelves | Bookstagram | Book Reviewer]

Chapter 1-4

(view spoiler)[I like this whole letter thing. It’s quite refreshing and a very different way to start a book off. Safe to say I hate their father already. I’m really intrigued to see where this goes. They seem like the kind of sisters who would do anything for each other. I am also interested to see how much of a bigger role if any that Juilliard will play. I really hope that when their father finds out he doesn’t do anything stupid. What he made Scarlett witness was just damn right horrible. Who does that to their own daughter then threaten them. Seems to be something seriously wrong with him! (hide spoiler)]

[steph]

Rebecca at Reading Under the Covers wrote: "Chapter 1-4

[spoilers removed]"

i agree...their dad is the worst.

also sorry i've been in a slump recently and havent been reading this book much. will try to get some more reading in.

[steph]

Rebecca at Reading Under the Covers wrote: "Chapter 1-4

[spoilers removed]"

i have no doubt that their father will do something stupid, as you say. i'm curious on how when the game ends scarlett will avoid punishment or consequences.

[steph]

chapter 5-8 (view spoiler)[so tella and julian have "kidnapped" scarlett to go to carnaval. i really enjoy the whimsical atmosphere that the island has, especially the descriptions of the shops that scarlett and julian pass.

i can already tell that scarlett is going to be one of those love-sick protagonists by the way she and julian are interacting. i mean she's drowning and gasping for air and all she can think about is the close proximity julian is when he's trying to cut her dress away.

also, still not loving the color descriptions. they're a bit too on the nose for me. (hide spoiler)]

[Bex's Bookshelves | Bookstagram | Book Reviewer]

Chapters 4-27

So I may have jut blitzed it to this part of the book and I am not sorry!!! I love this book.

(view spoiler)[Loving the chemistry between Scarlett and Julian. When she saw Julian in that dream and thought he was Legend, my heart broke for her. And look the father is back. But I did not expect her Grandmother to be the girl Legend loved. (hide spoiler)]

[Bex's Bookshelves | Bookstagram | Book Reviewer]

I'm finished and I feel utterly betrayed. I don't know whether I like the truth or not but I can not wait to read the next book.

[steph]

!! i’m about 2/3 done. what did you think overall?

[Bex's Bookshelves | Bookstagram | Book Reviewer]

steph ★彡 wrote: "!! i’m about 2/3 done. what did you think overall?"

Overall I love it but I feel like with all the lies and all the secrets completley betrayed all of Scarletts personal relationships. That ending makes me want to read the next book. She left so many unanswered questions.

[steph]

chapter 9-27 (view spoiler)[ okay so i also flew thru the middle half. i like the pace of the book and while scarlett is not my favorite mc ever, i enjoy seeing her trying to figure out the puzzle. and when her father came, i was shocked bc i totally forgot that happened! (hide spoiler)]

[steph]

Rebecca at Reading Under the Covers wrote: "steph ★彡 wrote: "!! i’m about 2/3 done. what did you think overall?"

Overall I love it but I feel like with all the lies and all the secrets completley betrayed all of Scarletts personal relations..."

yay im glad you liked it! im definitely intrigued to see what happens in the rest of the series

[steph]

chapter 28-end (view spoiler)[ okay, so the last 1/3 was pretty wild. i enjoyed that. i'm pretty shocked to see that their mom is still alive and i can't wait to meet the real legend in future books. (hide spoiler)]