The formatting of the book made it nearly impossible to read. My apologies, but I couldn't make it into the book without being constantly distracted.

“Legendary” by Stephanie Garber

I received a copy of this work from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I also received this as a print ARC from Macmillan while attending the Public Library Association Annual Conference 2018. I’ll assume they want an honest review as well. The only message I received (beyond general excitement) was the mildly threatening comment that they would “find me” if I attempted to sell the ARC. I’ll play it safe and not.

The story picks up where Garber’s 2017 work “Caraval” left off though this time, Tella is our narrator and not her sister Scarlett. The two are entangled in Legend’s next game and through of poor decisions and misplaced trust, Tella finds herself pretending to be the fiancé of the heir to the throne, Jacks. Who is presumed to be a mass murderer and will stop at nothing to get the throne. It was Dante who set Tella up to take on this disastrous role in an attempt to sneak her into the next game of Caraval. The prize being worth the deception it took to get there and by no coincident, exactly what Jacks wants: Legend himself.

Jacks has more than a few secrets including his identity as a Fate, a group of godlike figures who once wreaked havoc and were trapped for the benefit of humanity. He has escaped and wishes to free the other Fates but requires Legend’s magic to do so. As extra enticement, Jacks knows where Tella and Scarlett’s mother is but will only rescue her if Tella hands over Legend. The conflict Tella faces is complex: hand over Legend to Jacks and save her mother (while dooming humanity) or prevent Jacks from getting Legend and save humanity (while dooming her mother). All of it though is contingent on Tella winning Caraval, which Scarlett has forbidden her to play.

I appreciate the complexity of the plot of “Legendary” far more so than I did with “Caraval” as well as the growth in the characters. Tella no longer seems the vapid lovesick teen but rather a complicated and determined young woman. Jacks was an interesting new character and Dante had a larger role than expected though ended the book with some predictability. The largest flaw with the book lies with the characters themselves. Being secretive with no greater purpose than to move the plot forward seems wasteful. With both books, results may have been hastened or altered had Tella and Scarlett simply spoke with honesty towards one another instead of the supposed need to protect each other via withholding valuable information.

Where do I even begin? This was one of my Most Anticipated Books of 2018, and it did not disappoint. Thank you so so SO much to Net Galley and Flatiron books for an early e-book copy in exchange for an honest review. This novel picks up the morning after the first book, and from Scarlet’s sister Donatella’s (Tella) perspective. I found Tella to be a very interesting main character, and felt she had more to her than Scarlet. She is very brave and is not afraid of a challenge, and that came in handy during this books Caraval. This game surrounded The Fates that Tella has spent her whole life obsessing over because when she was a little girl, she found a cursed deck of cards in her mothers jewelry box. Right before she was caught, she flipped over 3 cards that sealed her fate after one became true not too long after.
During this Caraval game, Tella’s task is to discover Legend’s true identity. It seemed that he created this game just for Tella, and that he knew she studied the fates so much in her life, and some clues were left just for her to figure out. I loved the romance in this book way more than the first just because I felt Scarlet to be so dependent on Julian right off the bat, where as Tella would do things on her own and wasn’t dependent on Dante nor expected a happily ever after from one kiss.
I very much enjoyed the layout of the game in this book and how it “wasn’t just a game” this time around. It was hard for Tella to tell the difference of real vs. not real (Hunger Games, anyone? lol) and at times it was hard for me as a reader as well. This novel definitely kept me on my toes, and left me NEEDING book three!!!

review will go-live on the blog May 29, 2018

What does it mean to be the hero? What does it mean to be the villain?

Legendary begins the day after Caraval ends. Tella, Scarlett's younger sister, has made a deal with her mysterious "friend" that in order to save her mother, she must bring him Legend's true name. And to find out Legend's true name, Tella must win the next Caraval.

Pro: Another magical world...that feels completely different from the last Caraval. More mysterious characters, some old, some new...some with completely new identities.

Con: Nothing felt real. Maybe that is the point, but I never felt the sense of urgency like I did when reading Caraval. With Scarlett, I always felt either she or Julian were in constant danger. With Tella, clearly she was in danger, but it didn't fill like it was real danger, even when it was.

Pro: I enjoyed the theme of hero versus villain. Not the physical struggle between the hero and the villain, but the internal struggle one has when on one side they are the hero, but on the other side they are just as easily the villain.

Con: I still don't know who was the hero and who was the villain. Maybe that is the point, but I'm still bothered by that.

Pro: Dante. Enough said.

Con: Tella. She feels so young and immature and annoying. Maybe that is the point because she is younger than Scarlett, but I just didn't connect with her like I did her older sister. Plus, I loved Julian and Scarlett together. Dante and Tella together just feels forced.

Pro: Legend's true identity is finally revealed...sort of...

Con: The ending. I feel like so many questions were left unanswered. Maybe that is the point, but I hate when a book doesn't or barely closes the story arc.

Does Legendary finish the series? Clearly not, but for some reason I thought this was a duology. Both Tella and Scarlett's story have been left open ended and I'm not sure I'm liking the direction it appears Scarlett's is going to take.

My biggest question now: "Whose POV will we get next?"

And then I have to worry: "Are both girls going to be stuck in love triangles?"

I didn't enjoy this book as much as I did the first book, but I think it's worth giving a try if you loved Caraval. I will definitely give the next book in this series a chance.

Caraval is a game and only a game. Tella knows this, because her sister Scarlette won the last Caraval. However, things start to seem a little too real for Tella this time and despite reminding herself that it's just a game, she's having doubts. She needs to win the game by the end of Caraval and discover Master Legends true name in order to save her mother. With so much at play and no good outcome either way, Tella finds herself with some difficult choices to make. What is real and what is not in this unusual game of Caraval?

Everything about this about book was just as atmospheric as the first one. In fact, I'd say that this book is even better. I loved the first Caraval, but this one blew me away. The mystery, the intrigue, the romance. It's all amazing and it'll keep you guessing until the end. Legendary comes out on May 29th and I'll definitely be picking up a physical copy. Thanks so much to NetGalley for the chance to read this amazing sequel early. If you loved Caraval, get ready, because this one is twice as good!

Thank you, Macmillan, for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"She'd thought that she was the key to his entire game. But, of course, Legend was playing more than one game."

Caraval took my breath away last year. This sequel messed with my brain. I delayed my review for almost a month because I needed some time to process everything that happened. I felt so deceived...yet enlightened.

In Legendary, Tella learns that her mother has been trapped in a set of magical cards. To solve this problem, she makes a deal with a malicious prince. In exchange for saving Tella and Scarlett's mom, he asks her to bring the real Legend to him. The only way to unveil Legend's identity is to win Caraval, so Tella goes through the typical, difficult process of finding clues in the dead of night. However, the stakes are higher because if Tella doesn't win the game, she will die. In other words, Caraval might not be just a game this time.

Like its predecessor, Legendary is a testament to Stephanie Garber's talent for misleading her readers in the best way possible. As much I as liked the characters in this book, I absolutely didn't trust anyone of them except for Tella. It was implied that Legend could be female, so my list of suspects kept on expanding. I tried so hard to guess who was who, but my efforts were to no avail: I was caught off-guard when Legend's identity was finally revealed. My usual talent for predicting plot twists was rendered useless by the author's cunning.

Personally, I thought that Tella was quite annoying in the first book because she seemed to be just a pretty airhead. Hence, I was glad that she became likable and relatable in Legendary. Of course, she retained her flirtatious and secretive nature, but the other layers of her personality were gradually revealed. Despite her tendency to be frivolous, I rooted for Tella because of her ardent desire to be reunited with her not-so-admirable mother. I couldn't help but notice how she was more empowered than her sister.

Speaking of Scarlett, I was surprised by her suspicious behavior. Just like Tella, I had a hunch that she was in cahoots with the real Legend, who was supposedly someone close to Julian. Since Tella deceived her during the first Caraval, it was possible that Scarlett wanted to return the favor. It was interesting to see the new cracks in their sisterly bond. Still, I wanted them to me more honest with each other; it is an undeniable fact that secrets have the potential to destroy even the closest of relationships.

I would've enjoyed this book more if the male characters hadn't been so...sexualized. All of them (e.g. Dante, Julian, and Jacks) were described to be hot or handsome in Tella's eyes, and I couldn't help but sigh. Caraval was a carnivalseque event, so one would expect it to have diverse participants. So why were all of the men attractive? Oh c'mon.

Ultimately, Legendary met most of my expectations. I loved the unpredictable plot as well as the multi-faceted female protagonists. I actually expected this to be a concluding novel, but looking at the last page, I can say that another sequel is a must. Kudos to Stephanie Garber's powerful imagination.

Legendary is the sequel to Caraval which follows two sisters and their adventures in the infamous carnival attraction, Caraval. I thought this was a really fun sequel. I think I liked it more than Caraval, Tella's perspective was really interesting to read and the story was just really fast paced and exciting. After having read Caraval and starting to understand how this world works and how the game of Caraval itself works, I found myself trusting absolutely no one through the entire story because I expected everything to end up being a twist. I felt like the ending fell a little bit flat for me and the twist towards the end wasn't as surprising as it could have been just because I knew something would happen so I was prepared to see it. Legend is such an interesting character and I would be curious to know more about him and what his real motivations are because in these two books he seems almost untouchable and distant. I don't know what Stephanie Garber has planned for extending this series but if there are more books in this series, I definitely want to read them and see what happens next.

I adored Caraval, but I might even like Legendary a bit better. The world-building that has gone into these novels has blown me away. Legendary has stayed with me even more than Caraval. I love the open-ish ending and really wish I could read more....like, yesterday. I can't wait to recommend it to my students.

Like CARAVAL, LEGENDARY was an immersive and magical novel. The writing was beautiful and it was so easy to lose yourself within the story. I really loved Tella's narration, as she was such a contrast to Scarlett. With the new setting and searing romance, LEGENDARY is surely going to entice new and older readers alike.

I didn’t really care for the first book (also gave it two stars), but Tella and Dante (And Legend) were the more interesting characters in the book, so I guess I was hoping that this book would leave behind all the boring tropey things that plagued the first book, however, that wasn’t the case. The book was poorly written with the author using descriptions that “feel” like they should be important but actually communicate nothing. For ex: “he tasted of ink and nightmares”... WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?! Nothing! It means nothing- Nightmares don’t have a taste (unless maybe it’s the taste of salt from waking up sweating from them?)! The book was full of meaningless descriptive words that slowed down the book without communicating any important information. Also, it never really felt like there were any real stakes (despite the fact that this game was supposed to be real), and it was just... blah. The whole things just felt like such a wasted opportunity and it was a shame to see what could have been a good idea so poorly executed.

If you enjoyed Caraval, have no hesitation about shelling out the cash for this one. In my opinion, it's twice as good as the first in the series. The world-building seems richer and more complete; instead of a single fantastic element (Caraval), we have an emerging mythology about the Fates who once controlled the world but disappeared under mysterious circumstances. As you might expect, there's more to the myth than most realize, and the slew of traditions honoring/remembering/mocking the Fates have unrealized significance. Whereas Caraval struck me as something of a wannabe [book:The Night Circus|9361589], Legendary drove other comparisons from my mind as I sank more deeply into Garber's invented world. I also find Tella far more charming of a protagonist than I did Scarlett, maybe because she's more concerned with figuring out what she wants out of life than with mindlessly adhering to societal expectations.

All in all, this is good clean YA fantasy, with a strong female lead and an engrossing story helped along by imaginative magical characters and thriller-style pacing.

Please note that I received a complimentary advance reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

When I love a series debut I tend to get nervous for the next book. Whether is is a continuous story or a companion, I worry what will happen to the people/couple I have grown to love and be invested in. It truly makes me anxious. And that feeling was strong when I started Legendary. How did I feel when I was done? Broken. I was completely broken by how amazing the book was. If I'm honest, I loved it more than Caraval and I wasn't sure that would happen.

I think what I ended up loving the most about Legendary was Tella. Having met her in Caraval I had a rough idea about who she was, but what I didn't know was that didn't even scratch the surface. Tella was a formidable force. She was way stronger than her sister, Scarlett, made her out to be. And man was she sassy. Even when she was up against an uncertain situation she never backed down or showed her fear. But underneath all of that she was still a teenager that was figuring out her spot in life and love.

The other part I loved in Legendary was the mystery that was threaded through the book. As a reader I love thinking I have everything figured out but still find myself questioning what I thought was happening. I would be convinced I was right and then something would happen and I would have a new theory all over again. For me that's the sign of great storytelling. Whether I was right from the start of never figured it out it didn't matter because I loved every step of the journey.

In the end I loved everything about Legendary. I loved the characters, the setting, and the story. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time I was reading. Sure I was left broken by the end but what better way to know you just read a fantastic book. Now the anxiety can start for the next book.

Thank you so much to Netgalley for the ARC of this book!

Donatella Dragna has finally escaped her father and saved her sister Scarlett from a disastrous arranged marriage, and might be starting to fall for Dante, (if only she didn't know that she was doomed to unrequited love). You'd think they'd be celebrating their happiness, but Tella made a desperate bargain with a mysterious criminal, in order to uncover the truth about her mother's disappearance years before. Now she has to pay what she doesn't have: Caraval Master Legend’s true name.

Tella knows that her only chance of uncovering Legend’s identity is to win Caraval, so she throws herself into the competition once more—and into the path of the murderous heir to the throne, a doomed love story, and a web of secrets…including her sister's. Caraval has always demanded bravery, cunning, and sacrifice, but now the stakes are even higher. If Tella can’t fulfill her bargain and deliver Legend’s name, she’ll lose everything she cares about—maybe even her life.

Welcome, welcome to Caraval...the games have only just begun. But how much is a game?

Just like with Caraval, I was swept into this story and didn't want to stop reading it. How much was true and how much was just part of the game? Were Tella's calculated risks actually calculated, or was she running full-on into disaster? Who is Legend, really? And where is Scarlett going every night? And can Dante actually have feelings for her, or is that part of the game, too? ACK! SO MUCH GOING ON!
Is there a book 3? I hope there's a book 3.

3.5 stars. I loved reconnecting with the characters and their world, but I didn't LOVE it like I loved the first book. It felt repetitive, both in how it was told and the overall plot itself. The ending was well done & I loved Dante.

Legendary lives up to it's name. The best plots give you just enough truth to fuel the adventure and keep just enough secrets to spark your imagination. Legendary does both extremely well.
Stephanie has a fantastical way with words. The imagery is not only descriptive, but emotive as well. You can feel the darkness, the madness and the euphoria that comes with playing Caraval.
The story is more than darkness and madness though. It's mostly about hope, and love. We're not talking about chemistry or lust, though there's a little of that too. We're talking selfless love driven mostly by the Dragna sisters and it's expertly done.
Stephanie has created two sisters who couldn't be more different in temperament, and purpose, yet more devoted. And you can feel it in Stephanie's writing. The determined logcial voice of Scarlet and the flighty passionate voice of Tella come across as you are opened up to these characters and the world of Caraval; all it can give and all it can take.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Legendary is the sequel to Caraval. Where Caraval was told from Scarlet’s perspective, Legendary is told from the perspective of her sister, Tella, and it picks up the night after the end of Caraval’s events.

Tella owes a debt to someone (no spoilers), and if she doesn’t find out Legend’s true name and hand him over her life as well as the lives of others is in jeopardy.

I found Tella to be immediately more interesting than her sister Scarlet. Tella is brave and bold, and I really enjoyed seeing Legendary’s events from her perspective. Scarlet and Julian are still around in Legendary and you do see how their relationship changes throughout the book, but they aren’t the primary focus, which is refreshing. There are a bunch of new characters, including Dante, one of Legend’s performers. He’s dark, mysterious, and brooding and I fell in love with him instantly. He is the perfect match to Tella’s bold personality.

I felt that because I had read Caraval and seen how the game was played, that I would have an idea of how the game worked this time around. I was extremely wrong, and I appreciated the different twists and turns Legendary had without being too similar to Caraval. I was definitely surprised but the end. I was constantly trying to guess who Legend was and could be, and when I found out, I didn’t expect it.

The world is dazzling and magical, and the story keeps you guessing until the very end. That being said, definitely start reading Caraval if you are interested in Legendary. They go hand-in-hand, with Caraval being the backstory for Legendary. I really hope there is another book in this series.

Fabulous! I was waiting for this book from the second I finished Caraval and I was not disappointed.

This book was different from the first, which I deeply appreciated. I found it interesting from the beginning, happy to see the sisters again, and while it dipped a little for me early on, it more than made up for it! I appreciated that it was a little darker than the first which made it feel more real and tense. In large part I think this has to due with Tella being the center of the center of the book and I adored her character development in this one.

I think this will be very popular with my high school students!

I wish I could say that I loved it as much as I did Caraval, but I can't. As a story on its own it was good, but sadly, not the magical world of Caraval that I loved. If I had read it as a stand alone, or the first book in a series, I think I might have had a different opinion... But I didn't... Don't get me wrong though, the story was great and we were still immersed in the world we loved with the characters we loved, but the vibe was different for me.

I will still give this book four stars because I really did enjoy it although I was disappointed.

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

Seriously‽‽ Now what am I supposed to do‽‽ This is now how I expected this story to go at all.

Legendary was an experience. Definitely one of a kind. Magical and mysterious with more jaw dropping scenes than I ever expected. The game has changed. This time, everything is real…or is it… I’m so glad I took a chance on this series.

Romance played a bigger role in Legendary than in Caraval. But while it was still familial, there was way more romantic love throughout it. In fact that’s probably why I enjoyed this one more. Lots of swoons scenes that had me all twitterpated.

Dante had my heart fluttering. I know he was the typical bad boy before, and he had his moments here, but he definitely showed his true colors in this one. Pleasantly surprised by him. And then just plain, downright surprised at him.

Jacks left me with a lot of unanswered questions. There’s so much more to him that we didn’t get to see. But since he’s a master at trickery, I fell under his spell.

Many times I forgot that Tella was only 16 years old. Sometimes she can act like the flighty school girl but most of the time she made difficult decisions that would give us mature adults pause. I really liked her. I think more than her sister even. My heart felt what she felt. It raced when her was racing. It hurt when hers hurt. Part of me hopes we eventually get more from her. Even a little short story. I feel like her story isn’t done yet. She has a lot of life to live.

The conclusion was way more open ended than I was expecting. In fact, it left me reeling. I can honestly say that I’m not sure how I feel. I think I wanted a definitive ending. I wanted a choice to be made. But yet there was… This just left me wanting more something. But there is no more. Gah!! My head is spinning.

This was a great follow up sequel, even though I miss the "it's just a game" aspect of foolery. My review is linked below. Thank you!