Tw: abuse. Maybe I'm just not reading the right reviews, but I haven't seen any mention of this. Scarlett and Tella's father is physically abusive. Be aware of that if you read this.

I enjoyed this book. It was unique, magical, and fun, but with a darker, suspenseful undertone. I'm sure I would've flown through it if not for school.

That being said, Scarlett was the only character I really liked. She was both strong and vulnerable, and she was extremely dedicated to her sister Tella. She was levelheaded and a quick thinker. I admired her a lot throughout the book.

Everyone else, not so much. Julian was too cocky and Tella was, to be honest, kind of a spoiled brat. Even though both of them had decent character development, I just couldn't get past how bad they were in the beginning. I mean, they teamed up to kidnap Scarlett and take her to Caraval (not a spoiler, in the synopsis). How is that okay?! I don't care what their intentions were.

Also, in the end Scarlett tells Tella that she loves her and Tella replies, "I know you do." It's a complicated situation, yes, but she didn't even return the sentiment. I know Tella loves Scarlett, but I don't think she says those words once. Personally, I don't see how people like her (though Julian might be growing on me slightly) or how people praise their sisterly relationship. Oops.

The end was full of twists and turns that kept me hooked. I had a feeling a couple of things would happen, but then those lead to more events I never expected. The whole book was wild, but the last chunk was especially so. And the epilogue has me completely intrigued. I'll definitely be reading the second book, even though I know nothing about it.

So all in all, this was a really good book. It had some problems, but I enjoyed it. If you like magic and suspense, definitely check this one out. It surprised me and could surprise you too! 😁❤️