Wow this book was action packed! There was so much that happens and not a lot of down time or filler which was so great. I am so, so happy with how this series ended. It’s rare that I like the last book of a trilogy more than the first one.

Finale. I have been dying of anticipation over this book for ages, so I had built up quite a few expectations.... and Finale blew them out of the water!

In this conclusion to the Caraval series, it's been two months since the last Caraval games ended. Scarlett and Tella are still living in Valenda (although not in the palace), Legend has claimed the throne, and Paradise still has not awoken... although the Fates are certainly doing so. The girls' lives and the empire itself are falling further into turmoil as Fates awaken and wreak havoc, love and loyalty are tested, secrets are revealed, and an impossible enemy arises, who Scarlett may be the only one with the ability to defeat... at the risk of losing herself entirely.

This book was MORE than worth the wait! As I said, it blew all of my expectations out of the water with a fast-paced roller coaster of events and emotions, and man was it intense! The story was beautifully written, as I've come to expect from the author, and held me tight in its grip from start to finish. There were several plot twists that I never could have seen coming, which made it all the better... you certainly won't be bored! My only complaint was that I wish it had been even longer, I'm still starving for more of Tella and Scarlett, and of course Legend and Julian!

I absolutely adored Finale and I highly, highly recommend it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy, in exchange for my honest review.

The Finale I Was Hoping For

Finale, the last book in The Caraval series, had everything I hoped for - more Legend, more of the Dragna sisters, more danger and intrigue.

It’s been two months since the last Caraval ended and things couldn’t be more complicated. Tella hasn’t seen Legend as he prepares for his coronation, her Mother is still in an enchanted sleep, and The Fates from the deck of destiny could start wreaking havoc at any moment. Scarlet has created her own game between Julian and Count Nicholas to determine who will win her hand in marriage. When she finally feels like she’s taking the reigns and controlling her own destiny she discovers her Mother’s past could change everything.

This was a magical, gripping, and at times disturbing book that made me glad the Fates haven’t been unleashed in our world. Stephanie Garber made the world of Caraval even more deadly and fascinating with the Fates on the loose. I loved the conclusion to this trilogy which has become one of my favorite series.

"Just because something is real doesn't mean you believe in it. The fates are real, but I don't put my faith in them. I used to put my faith in you, and I want to do it again." ~Finale a. Stephanie Garber

My heart. We can all agree that being an author is a crazy, hard job and I know I would much rather be a reader then the one putting the material out there. I picked up Caravale on a whim on my almost daily walk down the Target book aisles, combing for new material to pour through. Who knew on that fateful day that I would fall so desperately for each of the characters?! I devoured the book (while administering finale exams!!) in three days... and eagerly anticipated more, wanting to know what happened next and telling all of my high school students to run out and get the book to read over the summer. Legendary could not come soon enough.... and then I finished it and lost my mind thinking "how will I wait a WHOLE YEAR TO FIND OUT THE END?!?"...

Here we are back to my heart... It has been anxiously awaiting the news of who will Tella pick?! Is Jacks going to show us that he is truly a Heartthrob ;) or is he just a sinister bad guy actually meant to be no more then that? Who is Legend? Is Scarlet going to ever find TRUE love and be loved in return? Will the FATES get theirs? SO many questions left unanswered and they chased around in my head and as publication draws close the questions kept growing.

Thankfully, I did receive an ARC of Finale (I won't lie, I screamed when I found out) and WOWOWOWOWOW!!! While I was already so utterly invested in Garber's storyline and characters, I feel that she truly stepped it up even more for Finale. The author's writing has matured and grown so much since the beginning and it shows as each storyline was drawn together and each piece weaved a little more magic into Scarlet and Tella's lives.

Scarlet - wow she has matured, changed and grown up. She will always be the beginning and the end and the driving force that makes this series work.
Tella - Fiesty little bundle of joy, eh? If I ever have to go to a battle, I want Tella on my side. Without her passion and zeal for life, I do not think anyone would have been able to notice the finer points in the story line.
Jacks - I just want to meet him. See his eyes. Sigh.
Legend - I do *not* want to see what anyone thinks he looks like. I have a perfect image in my head and my favorite two parts in the book involved the mural in his bedroom (not a spoiler, don't worry) and his decision making through the second half of the book.
Fates - shocking that some are just who you would think, others not so much but I really did see them as cards walking around hehe. Hoping a spinoff could happen with these folk?

“Every story has four parts - the beginning, the middle, the almost ending, and the true ending.”
― Stephanie Garber, Legendary

Garber expertly divides Finale into four parts. The True Ending of Finale will leave you in a beautiful little package with most of your questions answered. Some root for the bad guy... through this series, the "bad guy" could have been ANY of our characters at some point but I am happy with the author's choices. I have a few questions still lingering but honestly, I think this is a wonderful opportunity for Garber to potentially put out a novella (hint, hint).

Such an amazing read and SO happy to give it five stars!!

I loved the entire Caraval series and I truly feel that fans of this series will love this book. This was a solid ending to a debut series. There were a few parts that felt disjointed and the ending felt a tad rushed, but that could also be that the version I read was an ARC. Also, the lack of a Caraval game was rather disappointing. The note that Legend left Tella at the end of Legendary felt like it was leading up to a final game, but it wasn't. There are other things I would like to say and comment on about this book, but I will keep those opinions and observations to myself until after publication!

Finale picks up shortly after Legendary ended. The fates are free from the Deck of Destiny after Legend destroyed them to save Tella - what destruction will now be wrought upon the city of Valenda? While Finale expands upon the magic of the Fates that were introduced in Legendary, this book falls short of the Alice in Wonderland-esque whimsy that made Caraval such a fun read. The lack of a Caraval game during this book seemed to remove the grounding of the series. Instead of being propelled through the plot by a series of clues filled with magic and mystery, we instead watch Tella waffle back and forth between two impossibly beautiful men, which can grow tedious. Both choices had romantic heat in Legendary, but neither shines here. Scarlett has most of the adventure in this story, and I welcomed reading from her perspective again. Fans who enjoyed Legendary, which took a fairly sharp turn in tone and style from Caraval, will probably enjoy the direction that Finale takes to wrap up the trilogy.

Finale is EVERYTHING I wanted it to be and so much more! Scarlett and Tella have finally learned the identity of Legend and the real adventure has just begun. So many surprises at the turn of every page!

I found this to be a fantastic conclusion to an incredible series. I loved Caraval when I read it 2 years ago(I cannot believe it has been 2 years!) and I loved each next novel too!

Finale was everything I expected and more! I love this series so much and I’m so sad to see it end. Even though that ending has left me hopeful.

All of these characters infected me like the flu. I became feverish. I needed to know more about them. I needed more time. I became delusional. Thinking that it surely is not over. That ending isn’t coming. But it came and all too quickly.

I savored this book. It took me 3 days to read it. I would only read portions at a time because I wanted it to last but my curiosity and Stephanie Garber’s spellbinding writing had other plans. Before I knew it it was over and everyone was dead. Oops! They’re not dead or are they?!?! ;)

I’ll write a better review closer to release.

My heart is a little bit broken as this series has come to and end and I truly loved it! This last book was exactly what I had hope for in a conclusion to a well written series. This final chapter is told from the perspectives of both Scarlett and Donatella, bringing a new level to the story of these two sisters as they moved forward from the events of the last novel. Picking up right where things left off, Garber takes the reader deeper into the magical world she has created. I finished this book waiting for my preorder deck of destiny to arrive! The way she weaves the deck of destiny and the fates into the story is really quite impressive. The colorful writing and passion in the novel are just as strong as the first two and I really feel like this rounds out the trilogy well. I adore these characters (even Jacks!) I don't want to say to much because I am afraid I will spoil something, but I will say if you loved the first two books as much as I did, be prepared for to fly through your reading of this final installment. Be prepared to have some emotions and to enjoy a good book. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Finale... Maybe, with Tella and Scarlett, who knows what adventures could await in the future. As for the book, it was full of twists, back-stabbing, and intrigues, just what I would expect with these characters The Fates, Julian, Tella, etc). Just when you think love will win out, Ms. Garber changes the game and a plot twist ensues. She writes characters you can't help but feel for, whether it's frustration, love, anger, or helplessness. She gets you into the story and the characters emotional loves, sometimes so much to want to reach into the book and slap someone. Though the story feels long, it does flow quickly and by the end you'll wish there was more. I kind of hope there are more adventure for Legend and Tella
**I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.**

An ARC was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

First of all, I was so excited when I got approved for an ARC of this book! This was absolutely amazing. It was everything I wanted it to be and it definitely lives up to the hype.

This is one of my favorite series that I've ever read. People say the sequel isn't as good as the first book, but Stephanie Garber manages to make each book better than the last.

Stephanie creates such a spellbinding world and I knew from the first page that this was going to be a work of art. This book blew Caraval and Legendary straight out of the water. It was completely enchanting and it hooked me with every single word on the page.

Thanks so much to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The highly anticipated final novel of a beautifully written and magical series is here, and it doesn't disappoint! Richly complex characters move through an expertly written plot -- readers will find themselves drawn in and never want to leave. As all good things must come to an end, readers should expect to feel all. the. feels.

Welcome, welcome! Caraval is over, Queen Elantine is dead, Dante is days from being crowned Emperor, and the Fates are waking. Tella and Scarlett have both played in Legend's famous games, but now one thing is clear, the fate of the empire isn't a game -- it's a mission. As the Dragna sisters work to save Valenda, they must also reckon their feelings and decide, once and for all, who is worthy of their love.

This series begins and ends with a letter written by two young women looking to escape from their lives and dive head first into the kinds of adventure we can only dream about, and damn do they get it.

“Finale” takes us through the final game where the Fates are released and more than one deadly foe stands in the way of a happily ever after as Scarlett and Tella learn the power and weakness felt through love and how far they are willing to go to save each other.

I’ll start with my critiques first just to get it out of the way because I’m not sure if it’s due to this being an arc but the beginning felt a bit clunky or rather weirdly plotted with quite a bit sharp breaks in the overall structure that weren’t felt in the early two books as they took us through this world of magic and illusion and I guess one could argue that was done on purpose as they are no longer playing a game but it was kind of distracting.

Now on to the good stuff! There was so much to unpack here with the Fates and the secrets revealed as we try to piece together the final parts of this puzzle with the rules changing at every turn. Both Tella and Scarlett go through a lot and I will say as much as I love Tella I would have liked a better blend of both she and Scarlett’s POV but what we did get really showed the differences between both sisters but also just how much they truly love each other and how that is more important than any game.

At the risk of making a million puns or sounding like a cliché this was one hell of a finale and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t hoping for an encore down the line, I’m looking at you certain duo who play a large role in the entirety of the series without us fully realizing it until this book, but I can’t say much more than that to avoid spoilers so you’ll just have to wait and see!

**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review!**

This was a mostly solid ending to the series, but I was left unsatisfied with most of the events.

I love Tella but it was annoying having to constantly deal with her messy feelings for Legend. It got repetitive and annoying QUICK. I felt it kept holding back their actual goal, and it infuriated me to no end.

I loved Scarlett and Julian in this book but I felt they got less page time compared to the other couple. Both Julian and Scar had great development, as a couple and individuals, and it was disheartening to not see more of them.

The ending lacked any emotional depth for me. I wish I felt more but... there was really nothing.

3/5 stars.

This was lovely! I think it was the darkest of the trilogy, by far, but wonderfully magical and engaging!

First, before I get into my review, If you haven't read the first book in this series, Caraval, and its sequel, Legendary, stop reading here! This series definitely can't be read out of order, and reading past this warning will definitely spoil things for you! 

Now, onto the good stuff! I think Finale was probably my most anticipated book of 2019! If you've been following my blog for a while, you probably already know that I fell absolutely in love with Caraval and Legendary, and have been eagerly awaiting the conclusion to the trilogy! 

Finale is told from both Tella and Scarlett's point of views (but mostly Tella's), which I loved. Both women were part of the same larger plot-line, while also maintaining their separate storylines, largely involving their love interests. I felt like my emotions were on a roller coaster while I was reading the book - neither love story was easy, and I felt so much love, pain, hope, and disappointment in reading the book until each story was resolved. 

As usual, Garber weaves complex stories with beautifully descriptive words. Her writing style is so unique, and I find it so pleasing to read. I absolutely get lost in the story, and was utterly consumed by the book. When I wasn't reading the book, I spent my time wishing I was, and thinking about the story and how it would end. Most of the book is spent building up to the resolution, and even with 5% of the book left, I was still trying to piece together how she'd pull off the resolution! That said, I love how the book ended. Our storylines were resolved, but open enough for a sequel, though that might just be my wishful thinking ;) 

Finale is full of themes of love, loss, betrayal, sacrifice, and independence. It's full of action and scheming from beginning to end, and I couldn't get enough of it. 

All in all, I absolutely loved the book and cannot WAIT to see what else Garber writes in the future. If you've read and loved the first two books in the trilogy, you wont want to miss this one! I have a feeling it's one that everyone will be talking about this summer. Finale comes out May 7th, so be sure to mark your calendars! I'd like to thank Flatiron books for my copy of Finale. It was my pleasure to provide an honest review.

This was defiantly worth the wait. Hardcore fans of the series will not be disappointed as Garber pulls out all the stops for the third and final book in her Caraval trilogy. As a fan of the trilogy, Finale was everything I've come to love about Caraval. Magic, intrigue,emotional torture for characters, everything. An excellent (pardon the pun) Finale.

I honestly don’t quite know where to start with this review. On one hand I have felt….a sort of emptiness, for most of the day. I mean, who doesn’t feel a kind of loss after a beloved series that you’ve been following over several years comes to an end? Especially after an epic..~Finale~, if you will, lol. On another hand I’m left slightly wanting. Don’t get me wrong, this book was great. There was a LOT of page time for my ship of ships and most of the loose ends were tied up nicely. However, I almost felt like there was too many new things introduced for a final book. The conflict was intense and original, but also made me want to know more that we didn’t really get. The basis for the first two books was Caraval, a game and intense competition that was twisty, and interesting, and so very unique. I felt like this book should have incorporated something with that. It seemed almost wrong for them NOT to have played a game of that caliber. Of course there were many, many schemes that went on and games being played on a smaller scale between characters but it wasn’t the same.

I don’t want to spend this review talking about small things that I didn’t quite like, though. No. I’d much rather spend time talking about everything that worked. The first, and maybe most important is the writing. I honestly haven’t re-read <i>Caraval</i> since the first time around but I remember there was a bit more telling than showing. That changed BIG TIME in <i>Legendary</i>. Garber’s writing got more intense, more visual, darker—everything I could have wanted and more. This book held up to that very same standard. If I wouldn’t have had to work or take care of my family, I could have easily read this in a day. I wasn’t quite sure how it was going to work with perspectives but this one features both Scarlett’s and Tella’s. Seeing them in all of their sisterly glory was amazing. They love each other so much and would do anything for each other and that part of the story really shone through in this final book. It kind of seemed like we got a little more Tella than Scarlett (??) but that was kind of fine by me bc, DANTE.

Don’t even get me started on the love interests of this series. Holy wow. Julian was so perfect in this book. Everything involving him was pure perfection. And DON’T GET ME STARTED ON DANTE. He won my heart over immediately in <i>Legendary</i> and I can honestly say that love just grew more. He and Tella had some steamy scenes. The tension!!!! Delicious. Both of their endings were….just very satisfying. :)

I don’t really want to get into the plot at all but it easily had my attention. Every with the Fates was very interesting and original. The stuff towards the end with Paradise…..blew my freakin mind. I’m itching to say more but I won’t haha. Well maybe under a spoiler tag since I can’t help myself. --><spoiler>OKAY. What the fuck I can’t believe she died like right away??!?!? I was sure she was going to come back and we’d find out she was a fate…hahaha no.. she was just dead??!?!? After all of Tella’s strife in that last book over her and she. Just. Died. I was kind of annoyed honestly. BUT. The part where Scarlett goes back in time and sees her was amazing. At first I was like oh this is good with the whole concept of “don’t talk to anyone or change anything bc then life as you know it now might disappear” ..but in THIS case. Scarlett had to of told her mom everything in order for it to happen how it did and that just WAS SO COOL. So Scarlett was able to see that her mom truly loved her girls so, so much. Looooved it. Also….thoughts on Paradise having been Elantine’s true lost heir???? I think she was.</spoiler>

Overall even though I think Garber could now get away with writing an entire new series based off the new characters/things/places/events that she introduced in this book, I was very satisfied with the ending. Intrigued, but satisfied. I’ll definintely be re-reading these for years to come.

This book was received as an ARC from Flatiron Books in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

I was excited to see this installment of the Caravale series and when it said that it was the final book of the series, I knew Stephanie Garber saved the best for last and she most sure did not disappoint. Just when things were happening as expected, the book takes a whole new turn that nobody saw coming. When reading the series, I could not stop thinking that this book is a cross between Hercules with the fates and Alice in Wonderland with the deck of cards and the empires of caravale. Each chapter just got better and better and I could not wait to read on. A spectacular ending to a powerful series.

We will consider adding this title with the rest of the series in our YFantasy collection at the library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.