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I just don't know if I can express my love for this series and book. This ending to the Caraval series was magical and so satisfying. It had the perfect blend of plot twists and keeping me on my toes, yet still ending in a way that was perfect. I am so sad that is is over. However, I am thrilled to have a new favorite author and one that I absolutely can't wait to see what she does next.
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After the ending of Legendary, I was praying to the skies that there would be a third book because the way the second one ended was not enough! And the games, oh how I do love the games!
This one is told from POVs from both Scarlett and Tella. Scarlett has always been my favorite but Tella was good too—even though she could be frustrating at times! There was too much back and forth going on with her, Legend, and Jacks! However, I think my heart called most to the devious little Jacks. It was a pure treat getting to see Scarlett and Julian again because I love them so much!!
There was fun, games, betrayal, reveals, swoon, magic, and a perfectly descriptive world! I don't want to give too much away, but this was the perfect ending to a series that I'll want to reread time and time again!
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3.5 stars
I've had the same rating and the same general feelings about all three books in this trilogy...points for consistency, I suppose?
Finale, for the most part, had the same strengths and the same weaknesses as Caraval and Legendary. The creativity and originality of concepts and plot points are excellent and well above the norm for YA fantasy. The execution and writing is, unfortunately, below average.
While the execution is slightly better in the second and third books of the series than the first, it still doesn't hold up well under scrutiny and when compared with peers. Garber created a more unique concept than most authors in her genre (in terms of both the macro and the micro of this series' plot), but the whole thing still has a sort of half-baked feel.
This book, like its two predecessors in the series, was sloppy and in need of editing. It was also plagued by world building that has great potential but feels only partially realized. There was also way too much over-the-top, angsty dramatics in Tella's storyline in this book. Scarlett has always been a stronger and more interesting character, but Tella's chapters were borderline unbearable this time.
On the plus side, Garber continues to dazzle with creativity and small magical touches to the story, and despite some clunky writing, the book is propulsive and fun to read.
Also worth noting: This series is a good one if you're looking for YA books that are appropriate for the younger end of the demographic. There's plenty in here to keep an older audience entertained, but it's notable that there's also nothing objectionable about these for a younger crowd.
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Such a great ending to a beautiful series. From start to finish i was So excited to be back in the world of caraval.
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This book really wasn't for me. That said, it would definitely be a satisfying conclusion for those who loved the first two books in the trilogy.
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I absolutely loved the ending to the series. The entire series is one that I will reread often and one that I will recommend to my friends and students.
I really loved the way the author presented the character Jacks. I loved and hated him all at the same time. He had the trickster mood to him and gave great twists and turns in the book. His obsession with Tella was evident and it was interesting seeing how it all played out.
The Fallen Star was a new character who also was a diverse character. He also gave background on Paradise.
I really hope there is more to come from Garber as she is an amazing author. Please weave some more tales for us!
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Wonderful. Everything about this book was wonderful from beginning to end. I love that it was told from both Tella and Scarlet's perspective because it brought Caraval and Legendary together. I already know I will be rereading this series in the future and returning to the world of Caraval. The one thing I would love to see now from Stephanie Garber would be some novellas about the Fates themselves, especially the Assassin, Lady Prisoner, and Maiden Death!
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Two months have passed since the final Caraval was completed. Legend has claimed the empire’s throne and the Fates have been freed from the cards. Tella does not believe that Legend is the rightful heir to the throne and will risk more than she imagined to see her plans through. Scarlett has not gotten over Julian and is ready to meet with her former fiancé or is she? Scarlett has decided to have her own game where the winner gets to marry her. Is Scarlett in control of her destiny or are larger powers at work? Will Tella be able to stop Legend or is his fate part of her destiny?
Finale is the third and final book in the Caraval trilogy. The sisters have learned a lot about love and magic over these last few months and now they must determine what their own hearts desires are. Garber’s world is a wonderful place to escape into and readers who invested time in Scarlett and Tella during the first two books will not be disappointed to learn their fate. I am glad I was able to read all three books in a short amount of time because this trilogy is definitely devour worthy.
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Gosh, this book was amazing.
As everyone knows, Caraval is my favorite series. Stephanie Garber knows just how to weave a world I want to never leave.
Her prose draws me in. Her settings, her plots, and her characters keep me there. Her use of colors and descriptions make me feel welcome.
I struggled with Finale slightly, only because I did NOT want it to end. But all good things must come to an end, and I am so happy to say, this was such a good thing.
I'm going to miss this world and all of it's characters.
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After reading Legendary, I was VERY IMPATIENT while waiting for Finale to finally arrive. I loved loved loved this book! It's told from both Scarlett and Tella's POV. I love Scarlett and Julian so much, but Tella and Legend were almost too frustrating to me (but in a good way).
I had so much fun reading this book. If you loved Caraval and Legendary, then you will no doubt love this book. I was super satisfied with the ending, even though I didn't want this series to end...
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“But I don’t want to feel differently. I want to feel love in its every form. I used to be so scared of it, but now I think love is another type of magic. It makes everything brighter, it makes people who have it stronger, it breaks rules that aren’t supposed to exist, it’s infinitely valuable. I can’t imagine my life without it. And if you felt any love in your heart, you would understand.”
4 stars.
This was…kinda a let down from Legendary—a book that I loved oh-so much, which may have caused me to have high expectations of this last book. I heard before reading it, Finale would follow both sisters, Scarlett and Tella. But oh how I do not like Scarlett. She is sooooo boring!
However, I gave this book four stars for a reason:
1. The writing-Stephanie Garber is an amazing wordsmith. I feel that every sentence in her books are works of art (example: “He looked like a wish that had just woken up.”) See? Gorgeous!
2. Tella-She is a grade-a bad ass and I love everything about her! She more than makes up for her sister’s shortcomings.
3. Legend/Dante- I am kinda sorta in love with this character. His flaws and all.
4. The story- OHMYGOD! I love this Deck of Destiny (read: Tarot cards) storyline. It is so freaking awesome. I loved that we got to learn more about the Fates—specifically Jacks. I thought there may have been more than meets the eye—I am still trying to decide if I am right on this. And oh! That twist! Scarlett is what?! Slightly more interesting than before, yes.
5. Legend/Dante-Oops! Already said this, but whatever! I love this character so much and I worship DanTella (did that work?).
Now, it is not five stars because I thought some of the scenes were kinda lacking (gross summarization: ???: *Darth Vader voice* Scarlett, I am your father. Scarlett: Oh ok!) Also, I am not exactly sure how I feel about a happy ending, I was hoping for more drama. However, I am DanTella trash…so mixed feelings over here!
Overall, I really liked this book and I am crossing everything and praying to Mistress Luck for another series that follows Tella’s (and maybe Scarlett’s) daughter. Pretty please? With cherries and sugar on top?
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4.5/5 Stars
Author: Stephanie Garber
Publisher/Imprint: Flatiron Books
Edition: e-ARC, 324 Pages
Hardcover Publication Date: May 07, 2019
A Spine that Shines? Quite Well!
*This review is based on an e-ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley. These are my honest opinions. Thank you.*
Initial Thoughts:
Wow. My mind was definitely whirling after finishing Finale. Finale certainly feels different from both Caraval and Legendary, but it still sparkles with enough imagination to keep the reader entertained. Perhaps what I miss the most is the actual Caraval game. I was sad that Caraval ended in Legendary, and I suppose that is one of the main things that distinguishes Finale from the previous two books.
Another thought I had is that the summary blurb that is currently up on Goodreads seems strangely inaccurate. Based on the e-ARC I read, Finale is the story of how Tella, Scarlett, Legend, and Julian must work together to prevent the Fates from wreaking havoc across Valenda and the rest of the Meridian Empire.
Speaking of the Fates, I am so excited that Garber finally expanded on these magical beings! That was one area in which I had thought Legendary was lacking. But in Finale, we get to experience what multiple Fates are like – and even some of the Fated objects and Fated places. There is an enchanted key that can take the owner of the key to any person they wish to see. A magic map shows you the route to the place you want to visit. There is also a magical market that will help you find something you desperately need, but it will require a time sacrifice in exchange. There is even a magical library! Yes! Unfortunately, the history of the Meridian Empire and the world-building itself is still not super detailed, but I think it is adequate for the story. I continue to be impressed with Garber’s creativity. She even weaves a bit of time travel in there!
Another creative aspect I enjoyed was the communication via dreams that occurs between two characters. (Reylo vibes, anybody? I know it’s not the same thing as a “Force Skype,” but still.) So cool and magical! I really enjoyed reading about the scenes that were dream illusions.
Finale's pacing is excellent as well. I was completely addicted to the story, flipping the digital pages on my device as fast as I could. I can’t think of any spot where something felt boring.
Characters:
Finale alternates between the POVs of Tella and Scarlett. Personally, I felt more drawn to Tella’s POV, but it just depends on your preference. The sisters are as passionate and spunky as ever, determined to bring down an evil Fate that wants to take over the Empire. Their sisterly love for each other is admirably unyielding. In terms of the romance, I did find it slightly irritating that Tella and Scarlett are at first willing to toy a bit with their different suitors if they already know with whom they want to be. There is a lot of back-and-forth throughout. But I am happy with how it all turns out in the end.
Legend and Julian’s handsome faces also return in Finale. While Legend is dark and brooding, Julian is sweet and protective. Garber does have a talent for creating dreamy boys. But I think Legend shows more character development than Julian in this book; Legend learns something about himself that he previously didn’t know – or didn’t want to accept.
The villainous Fate in this tale is quite evil. I think he is the most well-crafted villain Garber has created thus far. His presence in the story really raises the stakes. You’ll see what I mean if you read Finale yourself.
Final Thoughts:
Let’s talk about why I didn’t give Finale a full 5-star rating.
While there is definitely a lot going on in the book, one of the main things that drives Finale is the romance. It is romance-heavy. Thus, how much you enjoy Finale may depend on how you feel about romance-heavy plot lines. Personally, I enjoyed it for the most part. However, some of the blood exchange scenes did make me feel slightly uncomfortable. And the obsessive aspect of the romance felt a bit unhealthy.
Furthermore, there is an event that occurs fairly early in the story that left me feeling disappointed, but I can’t be very specific since it would be a spoiler. I’ll just say that it felt as if an earlier plot line was abandoned rather quickly, and it kind of shifted the direction I originally thought the story was going to take.
Nevertheless, I totally think Finale is worth reading if you enjoyed the first two books! If it weren’t for the points listed above, Finale probably would have been a 5-star read for me. The ending provides a satisfying conclusion to the series, and there are some really good twists that surprised me! Definitely check it out when it releases on May 07th! Thanks for reading, and I hope this review was helpful.
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I was really reluctant to read this book because (1) I didn't want the series to end and (2) I loved the first book so much (and enjoyed the second) that I didn't know how Finale could possibly compare, so I honestly cannot believe how enthralling and satisfying I found the conclusion(?)! I love that this books alternates between both Scarlet and Tella's perspectives. There were times in which I felt like I was being punched in the gut while cringing my toes and times in which I was giddy with glee and everything in between. This book has all the magic.
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This book was as great as the last two! It was fast paced, had intriguing characters and a fascinating story. You get to see some the characters grow and change and learn more about ones you that you barely met before. Only downfall...it's the end of the story but it didn't feel like an ending! I have questions! I hope that a new series with some (or all??) of the characters comes out........
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Garber's conclusion is spectacular; it's a thrill ride from start to finish.I found it satisfying and will be sure to read any new titles by Stephanie Garber. Highly recommended.
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I feel so torn and confused. How is this the end of Caraval? Stephanie, how can you end it like that? It was great, it was magnificent, but I NEED MORE. I don't even feel like I can do a proper review because I'm not over it. This can't be the end. I don't believe it. Someone pinch me.
Thank you NetGalley and Flatiron books for the ARC!
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Awwwww...it was amazing. I’m lucky to be able to read it early. This was the perfect end to this magical trilogy. Loved it!
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<i>Thank you to Netgalley and Flatiron for providing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review! </i>
I still remember reading the first book in this series so vividly because I was so engrossed that I ignored my whole family on Christmas eve and read that book while everyone was hanging out and talking because I couldn't put it down. I had a very similar feeling while reading the final installment in this series.
A lot of why I love this series is Stephanie's writing. The moment I start reading it, I immediately feel like I am transported into a magical world, so it really is not hard to jump back into these books. There was still that magical feeling about Finale, but it was a little different than both Caraval and Legendary, because this time we didn't have the Caraval game going on. This one lacked the feeling of not knowing what to trust and what not to trust, a lot of the time things were more straight forward, and that threw me off a little because that's what I liked most about the first book. While that did disappoint me a little, I really did like what we got in exchange, and that was learning more about the fates and actually meeting them. When I was reading Legendary I felt like never fully could keep everything about the Fate's straight, and not only did Finale help with that, but I actually grew to like some of them and would not mind reading more about them.
While I did like having more of the fates in this book, there was one Fate that I honestly could have had less of, and that was Jacks. I KNOW I KNOW, lots of people really love him, but I just don't quite fall into what they feel. I didn't like the fact that he created this love triangle with Tella, I really didn't like Tella when she was around him, and I just don't think he was redeemable. Had this been a different story, had we not had Legend, and had we seen Jacks have more redeemable qualities, l probably would have fell head over heels for him, but that just wasn't for this story.
I also had a hard time with Legend. I absolutely loved when he was just Dante in Legendary, but I was never able to picture those two characters as the same character in this book, it all together it just felt a little weird to me. To me he was only Legend, and I felt like I had lost the character that I fell in love with. Don't get me too wrong, I still like Legend at times in this book and was rooting for him, it just wasn't the same.
Back to things that I really liked, I was thoughtfully invested in both points of views. I have always loved both Scarlet and Tella, and the fact that we got both of them in this book made me so happy.
While this book was not everything I wanted it to be, it was still magnificent to me, and I had such a fun time with the new plot of trying to take down the creator of the Fates and learning more about Tella and Scarlet's life. I am extremely sad to be done with this series, but like I said in the beginning of this review, I would really love to see more done in this world, especially since while we did get an ending for our main characters, I feel like there was enough left open about certain side characters that I definitely could see expanded on in a companion series.
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As you can see from the blurb we have left off on a crazy cliffhanger with all sorts of drama going on for the Dragna sisters! I had wished this one had actually involved Caraval once again because that was one of my favorite aspects from the other two books, but alas, it sets its drama in a regular setting. That doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot going on, but it means we don’t have mysterious magical backdrop to play it against.
Scarlett really shines is novel because she has to figure out what to do with a crazy situation that doesn’t involve boys like Tella’s life. I thought she was far more fleshed out than her sister in this novel and I really really enjoyed discovering what she was going to do next. Tella was fine, but it was mostly revolving around her, Jacks, and Legend. She does some great things, but it was mostly spent trying to figure out her love life!
There’s a lot of action, intrigue, and some passionate moments that you’ve come to expect from the series. I enjoyed it, but I didn’t love it, but I do however think that the author can most certainly explore this world in subsequent books! The Fates are quite interesting and I was very pleased by how everything wrapped up, so don’t worry Caraval fans, you will not be disappointed!
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FINALE was a decent conclusion to this series. I do feel as though the book was rushed and some resolutions were tied too neatly in a bow. Nor do I understand the purpose of two separate love triangles. There were plenty of entertaining stakes and risks in the story. Watching Scarlet and Tella bounce between two love interests felt more "filler" than "fulfilling". You know exactly who which sister will end up with, which was why my rating dropped. The story ends on a nice cliffhanger which teases the possibility of another book. I look forward to see what else Stephanie Garber has in store for us for the world of Caraval and even beyond that.