Finale

Finale
By Stephanie Garber

Summary

The game is over and the real challenge has begun. Donatella and Scarlett must face their greatest challenges yet as the fates have been freed. The sisters must face their history and sacrifice their futures in order to uncover hidden secrets. Legend has to make a choice that he never imagined and they all face changes that will forever define the world as they know it. Caraval may be over, but there will still be winners and losers in this dangerous game of fate.

My Review

I didn’t even take a breath between Legendary and Finale. I was able to check them out through my library app so it worked out perfectly. As soon as I finished Legendary, I looked and saw that Finale was available to borrow and started it immediately. I was so engrossed in the story I didn’t skip a beat. I kept folding laundry and just moved from one book to the next. It was perfect. All of the resolutions that I was hoping for after reading the first two books were definitely delivered in this one.

Stephanie Garber’s writing is beautiful and I absolutely loved living in this world for the duration of this series. More than that though, I enjoyed getting to know all of the characters. They really grew on me over time and I found that even ones I didn’t seem to care for in the first book, started to matter to me as time went on. I really think the best part of this series is the way that it builds on itself. The excitement within the plot but also the depth of the characters just gets richer as the story goes on. I really enjoyed getting pulled deeper into the water until I was in too deep and before I knew it the undercurrent had me. Stephanie writes in a way that is so enchanting that it swept me off my feet and into a world unlike any that I have ever experienced.

I think that for a young adult fantasy series the romance is very age appropriate and beautifully sweet. I loved the way she wove the romance into the plot as well. It made it important in more than just a teenage passion sort of way. It was a part of the magic of the world and it was a reflection of how significant love feels when you are that age.  

I was also very excited to find that Stephanie Garbers new book “Once Upon a Broken Heart” is the first novel in a spin off series from Caraval. It will follow some of the characters from this series and stay in the same world. I am thrilled that I do not have to say goodbye to these characters just yet, and may even get to see some of them get a happy ending that they deserve.

Pros: Plot and character depth builds upon the first 2 books, very exciting and fast paced.
Cons: The stories of the fates were not given enough stage time. I wish we had more time to get to know the world of the fates.

I think that any fantasy lover would enjoy this series and it is age appropriate for readers of any age.

Overall, I give Finale 4.5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐✰

-Jacqui

Characters 4/5
Setting 4/5
Writing 5/5
Plot & Themes 4/5
Romance 4/5
Diversity 3/5

Author: Stephanie Garber
Genre: YA Fantasy
Trigger Warnings: Abuse by parents, Death, Kidnapping
Age Recommendation: 12+
Length/Page Count: 11hr 24min
Format & Source: Audiobook, Libby
Narrator: Rebecca Soler
Publishing Info: Macmillan Audio