A "finale" worthy of a very magical series. I honestly didn't know what to expect in this third installment. After two Caraval games in one calendar year, I couldn't fathom what plot Garber would create in this novel that would keep the readers spellbound until the conclusion or finale of this series. This story brought the premise of the Fates full circle. I loved getting to see how they were entwined in the lives of both Scarlett and Tell's lives. Speaking of Scarlett and Tella, the fact that this story was told in both points of view was a huge selling factor. I've grown to love both characters so much, being able to see how they have grown and developed throughout this series was very fulfilling. We also get some further developments in the relationship departments for both couples (however frustrating they may be at times. AKA... Legend). I was pleasantly surprised to see how much our Jacks character evolved and how much I have grown to love him in this series. The character and world building was spot on in this series. I found myself just as encapsulated with this third installation as I had been the first two, almost as if a magical force had me glued to the book. Often I'm disappointed with the conclusion of a series because I expect so much. This was a wonderful conclusion and a bittersweet ending. I'm not really to let go of the World of Caraval. I need more Stephanie Garber ASAP!

I am just in love with the writing in this series, and I thoroughly enjoyed this final entry in the trilogy.

The plot of Finale centers around the Deck of Destiny, the girls' mother Paloma (whose part ends up being way too small), and the Fates who are returning to their world, along with resolving their love stories. Yes, there is a lot going on.

Because there is so much going on, not all plot points get the attention they deserve, nor do all of the characters (I need an entire novel backstory on Legend and Julian please). Also, the ending, while overall was just right in terms of actions, felt a bit rushed.

Despite my complaints, I loved the book. The reason is the writing. It's simply gorgeous. Her descriptions of the world and the magic are so colorful and practically dripping with glitter - you expect to see the words actually start sparkling. I can't imagine anyone not wanting to see the world Garber has created. I'm continually reminded of Christina Rosetti's Goblin Market with these books - it's a world of wonder and delight, with a darkness lurking underneath.

The love stories and triangles are just right for YA books. Teenagers tend to fall madly in love with all the overblown passion and desire that goes with it - isn't that why people read YA romance and enjoy it, long past their own YA years? I thought the romance scenes were written with wonderful attention to what makes a girl's heart beat a little faster.

The bottom line for me is that the writing surpasses any reservation I have in any of these three books. The characters are all fun, even the villains, and the world is just one you want to dive into. If only we could all visit Caraval, just once!

Wonderful concluding to a carefully crafted story! The conclusion was fantastic and intriguing. Fantastic read!

I discovered Caraval quite by accident. I overheard two co-workers talking. I immediately read the book and was enchanted. The characters were richly developed, as was the entire world of Caraval. I moved on to the second book and was equally enthralled. I was impatient for Finale to be available to read! I received an ARC, and also read it again on my Paperwhite!
Finale answered most of my questions. Lush descriptions with lots of twists and turns. The entire series was outstanding: I can't compare it to any other book/series. I was delighted to read Finale, but sad that the adventure was over. I want more.

Finale is the third and final book in the Caraval series, which is best read in order, of course!
After the events of Legendary, Scarlett and Tella are waiting for their mother to wake up and getting ready for Legend's coronation as the next Emperor of Valenda. Scarlett has not quite decided if she wants to marry Julian, and Tella and Legend are still trying to figure out how they feel about each other. Soon the girls' mother wakes up and Tella hopes that everything will soon be back to the way they should be. Unfortunately, things do not go according to plan when they find out that a new enemy has awakened, along with the other Fates, and he wants the throne at any cost. Soon it is a race against time as Gavriel, the Fallen Star and the most powerful Fate, sets his plan in motion to take the throne and allow the other Fates to wreak havoc on the people of Valenda. Scarlett, Tella, Legend, and Julian will have to work together and make some unlikely alliances in order to save the city of Valenda, but not all stories have a happy ending.
This book was heartbreaking, at times difficult to read, and ended the series in ways I didn't see coming. I did enjoy this book and am fairly satisfied with the ending, but because of the darkness of the storyline, I missed some of the lovely magic that made Caraval so unique and wonderful. I did enjoy the parts where Legend used his magic to make beautiful illusions for Tella, and she did such a good job with the relationship dynamics throughout the story. I absolutely loved the focus on forgiveness at the end of the book and the touching and unapologetically romantic scenes between Legend and Tella and Scarlett and Julian at the end. I believe that Stephanie Garber is one of the most talented young adult authors out there, and her expert writing had me on an emotional roller coaster for most of the book. Some parts are violently graphic, so I wouldn't give this book to a younger teen, but other than that I highly recommend this book and the whole series. I am looking forward to what Stephanie cooks up next!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. A positive review was not required, and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Finale was a trip back into a world that has followed me into my dreams since I read chapter 5 of Caraval. Thrown back into the world of Caraval, a scared Legend was the last thing that I expected to see. But, he was scared for good reason and to be honest, I was too. Tella's fearless somehow makes her more likable in this book although I do question some of her decisions... Why, Legend, why?! A good read for any fans of the Caraval series, the only drawback was how the Legendary Legend got his powers. Be forewarned, if you read this book, do not hold Stephanie Garber responsible for the months of immersive dreams that are sure to follow.

Wow! This wasn’t my favorite book in the series but it still blew me away! I was hanging on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happened next.

3.5 Stars

Fun. Magical. Tidy.

Finale utilizes the perspectives of both Dragna sisters, which I thought was an upside. In Legendary, I think I enjoyed  Tella’s POV more than Scarlett’s in Caraval, but it was nice to have both in Finale. Finale picks up where Legendary left off: Tella recovered her mother, Dante/Legend left her, and the Fates are free. This book follows the repercussions of those plot points, as well as Scarlett’s mess with Julian and her former fiancé Count Nicolas d’Arcy.

I don’t hate the characters in this series, I just am disappointed that they at times seem a little two-dimensional and different than they had before. Tella, the strongest female character in this series, is a little whiny about being left by Legend. And Scarlett’s games with Julian and the Count were unnecessary and kind of petty.

As much as sisterhood meant in Caraval, it’s strange to me that by Finale the focus is on love. Of course, I still believe that each would die for her sister, there’s just not as much evidence in Finale. And I missed that. Familial and friendly relationships are just as, if not more, important than love interests. And the number of love triangles, no matter how brief, is just ridiculous.

Aside from the relationship between Scarlett and Tella, the one that interested me most was that of Tella and Jacks. I at no point during this book or Legendary “shipped” them, but their dynamic was almost addictive. What is he going to do next? So, honestly, I could have used more of that in this one. By the end, he just kind of fell by the wayside.

The plot, in general, felt a little too planned? While this book kept me interested and turning pages, there were several things that just felt really convenient. Of course, I’m sure the author knew everything ahead of time and was writing based on that, but I feel like there could have been better ways for information to come out and/or be of importance. On the flip side of that, however, for over half the book, I really had no idea where the story was going—and not in a good way. I don’t want a detailed list of everything that’s going to happen, but a general idea of the direction of the plot and the goals of the characters would be nice.  And the end. I like happy endings as much as the next person, but (and this goes back to the whole convenient thing) everything here was way too tidy.

Anyway, don’t get me wrong. I didn’t hate this book or this series by any means. I was,  for the most part, invested in the characters and the plot. I just also saw a lot of faults. The world, in general, is probably the most interesting part here. The history of the Fates and Fated Objects had me hooked. Plus, with the questions left unanswered in this book, I’m seeing the potential for a spin-off series, perhaps?

Overall, a fun, entertaining read. A book that solidly fits into the YA  category.

Thanks to the Publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Finale by Stephanie Garber….Where do I begin? Anyone that knows me, isn’t surprised when I bring of Caraval because it is my absolute favorite book trilogy. Garber sucked me in and I’ve been hooked ever since. I own multiple editions in different languages. I’m obsessed with trying to track down all the UK hidden covers. I’m only short three (two of Caraval and one from Legendary). I have all the merchandise. I named my puppy Tella. Addiction at its finest. Reading Finale was a big deal. It is the end. It is final. I was in love.

I could not have asked for a better conclusion to this series and for the characters that I love. Garber definitely ripped my heart out a few times but I recovered and so did my girls Tella and Scarlett. Finale picks up with Legendary left off. Dante (Legend) is the ruler. The fates are free. Julian left. Scarlett is trying to figure out what she wants to do about this fiancé that turned up. Tella, well Tella just wants to figure out Legend (Dante).

Tella is having a hard time because now that they are no longer in the game, she is supposed confused by Legend. She doesn’t understand why he won’t just chose her and love her. Then Jacks comes to save the day. He is there to comfort Tella with anything she may need. He is just going to take the pain away right? Jacks is up to a lot more than just helping Tella out. Then Scarlett goes missing and no one knows where she is at. Let the games begin.

I enjoyed this book so much. I actually think it may be my favorite out of all of them. I think Garber has grown a lot as a writer. She added so much life to this series. She kept me hooked the entire time. I can’t even begin to tell you have many rereads I have done and how many more I will do. I love Scarlett, Julian, Legend, Tella, and Jacks so much. My heart goes out to all of them. They all work so well with each other.

You will not be disappointed with the ending to this EPIC trilogy. I just hope that Garber will come back to this world someday because my heart will always live in Caraval.

Finale, the third and final book in the Caraval series by Stephanie Garber, was high on my list of anticipated reads for this spring, and I couldn’t wait to read this book to see how the story was going to end. Even though I’m not sure I was ready to let go of the series, I am pretty satisfied with the way things wrapped up!

Let me start this by saying that I have been a fan of the Caraval series since the very beginning. I absolutely loved both the storyline and world-building for this series, as well as the really interesting characters. I can only think of one other book that I have read that is similar to this series, and I really enjoyed the originality of the story. It was fascinating, and addictive, and I’m so sad to see it come to an end!

As I mentioned above, Finale is the third and final book in this series, and I was super curious to see how things would work out in the end. The storyline follows much along the lines as the previous books, and picks up right where Legendary leaves off. I was, once again, absolutely fascinated with this story, and I flew through the pages much faster than I expected to. The ending wraps up quite nicely, and in a much different way than I expected. I’m really thrilled that all of my favorite characters got their happily ever after as well, especially Scarlett, who has been a favorite of mine since the beginning.

Overall; All good things must eventually come to an end, and while I’m still not ready to say goodbye to this story and its characters, I’m very much happy with the way things ended in Finale. I can’t wait for my finished copy of this book to arrive so I can gaze at them sitting on my shelves, and I can’t wait to read these books again soon! I will also definitely be keeping my eye out for more books by Stephanie Garber in the future, and I hope we don’t have to wait long for something new by her! If you’ve not yet checked out this series, I highly recommend you do so!

Happy Reading!

Having loved the first two books in the series, I was very excited to dive into Finale to see how the aftermath of Legendary was resolved. A satisfying conclusion to the Caraval series, Finale is filled with magic, romance, and more!

While Caraval follows Scarlet's adventures through Caraval and Legendary follows Tella's journey through the next festival, Finale follows both heroines and their adventures to defeat the Fates. One of the things I really loved about Legendary was how the history of Caraval was explored, folding in the mythology of the Fates. Finale continues to flesh out this mythology, diving deeper into each of those archetypes.

Finale was filled with so many twists and turns. Every time I thought I knew what was going on, there was a huge revelation that changed everything. My only complaint would be that while I enjoyed everything that happened in the book, I wish it had been given a little more space to breathe.

Overall, Finale is filled with gloriously swoon-worthy romance, deeply enticing mystery, and darkly enticing magic, leaving the reader on the edge of their seat, constantly guessing, and enraptured from beginning to end.

The Fates are free and causing trouble. Scarlett and Tella are each in their own perilous situations and are unsure of who to trust. They have to make potentially life altering decisions to save themselves and everyone else. All the while they learn some old family secrets.

It is told from the perspectives of Scarlett and Tella. I absolutely love Scarlett. She’s smart and cautious but will risk herself for those she loves. Her point of view was the most interesting as was her part of the story. However, I did not like Tella any better this time around. Her thoughts are repetitive. The whiny internal monologue about why Legend didn’t love her was annoying. I hate her reckless, impulsive behavior. She never learns anything from her past mistakes.

Once again I found Legend to be boring. He is painted as a character with shades of gray when in actuality he’s nothing but a nice guy. That’s why Tella’s obsession with him never made sense to me. There are other men around who are far more interesting and unpredictable. I would have thought those other men would have appealed far more to someone as adventurous as she.

There were many obstacles to face. Some of them were solved too easily, which was a little disappointing. Overall I loved the way it ended. It was highly satisfying.

This book was a great ending to a really good series. I loved all the twists that were put into the story, enough that you never knew exactly what was going to happen until it did. I would recommend this series to anyone who enjoys YA and love fantasy with some mystery throw in. Look forward to seeing what this author comes up with next.

I had a huge freak out to get approved for this title! The third book to Caraval didn't disappoint! Please write another book and don't let the magic end there! Write another series! I loved this series! Its amazing! The magic in this story allows you to be transported into a whole other world of mystery and love. Thank you to the author Stephanie Garber for writing this series and letting me live in the world you created in those pages...
Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for a honest review.

Saddened that this series is over. Stephanie Garber’s imagination is vividly amazing. Book three did not disappoint! Binge read all three!!

This definitely wrapped the series up but I don't think I loved it nearly as much as the other books. To me, I felt like the ending was the ending that we deserved but I almost didn't want it.

Great series! Absolutely loved it! Can’t wait for more from this author! I have recommended this series for all my fantasy readers!

This wasn't my favorite book in the series but overall I was satisfied with the ending. In this book we get both Tella's and Scarlet's Point of views. I am much more partial to Tella because I find her a more interesting and developed character, but I felt like her character development slipped a bit in this book. Even Scarlett felt one dimensional most of the time. The strong female leads I loved in the previous books faltered to boy crazy girls in this one. I also felt like some of the major plots were wasted in the end. I especially didn't like the ending for a certain character. The Fates plot also felt underdeveloped. We didn't get a whole lot of backstory and they would randomly pop up throughout the story and then disappear. I think it could have been a more intriguing story if they took a different route with them. I also missed the Caraval aspect in this book. The magic of the story was just lacking to me. Overall, it was entertaining enough to keep my attention and I enjoyed it overall.

I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to the publisher for an e-ARC of this title for an honest review.

Finale picks up right where Legendary ends, Tella and Scarlett dealing with the Fates being released from The Deck of Destiny and dealing with magic and seriously duplicitous characters all around them. I have to be honest, after Caraval and Legendary this book seemed a little flat to me. I enjoyed it but I was able to walk away from it much easier than I was the other two titles. Parts of this book seemed really rushed but all in all I would say it pretty enjoyable.

<em>Finale</em> by Stephanie Garber is the latest book in Fantasy that showcases cartomancy and tarot prominently in not only the plot, but of the lore of the series. Cartomancy and tarot are both forms of divination that use playing cards, which fits perfectly into most fantasy worlds that feature any kind of magic.

There is a difference between cartomancy and tarot, one being that cartomancy simply uses what we would call a normal playing deck of 52 cards, whereas tarot is comprised of its own unique deck of usually 78 cards. Both cartomancy and tarot have four suits in their respective decks of cards, with cartomancy usually augmenting their deck by adding both jokers and the blank cards that come with the decks.

In tarot each of the four suits (swords, wants, coins, and cups, but there are multiple names for each suit and these are what I personally use) have 14 cards, numbered one through ten, along with the queen, king, knight, and page as opposed to cartomancy’s king, queen, jack, and ace.

Along with the four suits in tarot that make up the Minor Arcana there are the 22 cards that make up the Major Arcana that have allegorical and exoteric meanings when the deck is used for divination and occult purposes.

In Fantasy authors either use the Major Arcana that already exists, or they are ambitious enough to make their own. Stephanie Garber is one of the ambitious writers who made their own. Her deck is called the Deck of Destiny that is similar to tarot.

The Deck of Destiny is comprised of 32 cards with a court of 16 Immortals, eight Fated Places, and eight Fated Objects. Broken down further there are Greater and Lesser Immortals, similar to tarot’s Major and Minor Arcana.

While the Deck of Destiny didn’t play a major part of <em>Caraval</em>, it really came into play in <em>Legendary</em> when The Prince of Hearts makes an appearance when the Fates start escaping from the deck itself. <em>Finale</em> revolves heavily around the deck when The Fallen Star appears as the Big Bad in the final book in the Caraval series, along with most of the places, objects, and other Immortal Fates.

The Caraval series also features a character whose sole purpose during Caraval (a dangerous game that plays with ones mind, blurring the lines between what is real and what is fake) is to tell people’s fortune via tarot readings.

Kerri Maniscalco’s Stalking Jack the Ripper series’ third book, <em>Escaping from Houdini</em> features both cartomancy and tarot, but not in a divination sense. A slew of murders are stylized after certain cards in the Major Arcana throughout the book, along with certain playing cards and tarot cards being left at the scene of each crime as a calling card. Not only are cards used in the book, which features the Midnight Carnival aboard a ship called the RMS Etruria, but also features another popular type of fortune-telling, divination via crystal ball.

Kerri Maniscalco uses the imagery created in the more popular illustrations of the tarot deck, along with the allegorical meanings behind each as Audrey Rose Wadsworth and Thomas Cresswell figure out who the killer amongst the passengers of the RMS Etruria is before it’s too late. A lot of the chapter titles are named after both playing deck cards as well as cards from both the Major and Minor Arcana.

<em>Ace of Shades</em> by Amanda Foody, while not strictly about cartomancy, features it by the creation of The Shadow Game within this fantasy world. The Shadow Game just so happens to also be the name of the series, which I wrote about recently. The Shadow Game uses playing cards to invite the people of New Reynes to play a deadly game, where no one gets out alive.

Well, no one but one had survived playing The Shadow Game except one prior to both Enne and Levi receiving their own invitations in <em>Ace of Shades</em>. Who knew that receiving a playing card could be so ominous and chilling? The titles of The Shadow Game also reference playing cards, with the titles <em>Ace of Shades</em> and <em>King of Fools</em> that have a play on words that mixes both cartomancy and tarot.

I, for one, can’t wait to see what the third book will be called. I’m hoping for something along the lines of Queen of Coins, considering the usage of Ace and King, along with the magical abilities in the world that Amanda Foody created. Only time will tell if my prediction is true!

<em>The Bone Season</em> by Samantha Shannon features seven types of clairvoyants that use different methods of connection to the aether, or the Source, which gives them their powers. The seven orders are Soothsayers, Augurs, Mediums, Sensors, Jumpers, Furies, and Guardians.

<em>The Bone Season</em>’s world building is unique and its magicks, while based in common divination techniques, takes it a step further by connecting magic users to their power and giving each order a hierarchy by how powerful they are thought to be. Soothsayers are cartomancers, since they use tarot cards to connect to the aether in order to predict the future. The character Liss is a cartomancer, but almost loses her powers when her deck of cards is burned.

If you haven’t checked out <em>The Bone Season</em> now is the perfect time to as Samantha works on the fourth book in the series, giving anyone plenty of time to catch up in this amazing series full of rebellion and clairvoyance that, while magical, is based in our own world in the future.

Maggie Stiefvater’s The Raven Cycle highlights tarot readings more so than the other books mentioned because not one, not two, but three of the characters use tarot throughout the series. The main character, Blue Sargent, grew up in a house of psychics, though she isn’t a psychic herself but an amplifier. Her mother, along with aunts and friends who are as good as family, have a fortune-telling business that operates out of their house.

When Blue comes across a group of Raven Boys who show up at her house to get their cards read early on in the series, along with Blue herself that always pulls the same card.

Blue’s card is the Page of Cups (which represents innocence, but in a youthful dreaminess and emotional openness sense) , and when Richard Gansey asks her to pull a card for him, she of course pulls that one, and her mother immediately tells him that the card wasn’t meant for him, but she could have been lying. When Gansey pulls his own card, he pulls Death, which is one of the Major Arcana.

Usually the Death card doesn’t mean that someone is fated to die, but about transformation and change. It’s eerie because Gansey is fated to die within a year at the beginning of <em>The Raven Boys</em>. His friend, Adam Parrish, pulls the card The Magician, which is the first card of the Major Arcana and usually means that they are versatile and resilient, which Adam most certainly is.

Throughout the series the psychics pull multiple cards for different people, such as The Gray Man and Barrington Whelk, while some flat out refuse to have a card pulled for them (Ronan Lynch).

No matter if you believe in cartomancy and tarot, or find it interesting in regards to fantasy, it’s fun to think about the different meanings of the cards and spreads, in both books and in real life.