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abby_ace_of_books
We've gotten to the point where I'm now hearing Epic: the Musical songs ("Legendary") when I'm not even reading something Greek mythology related...
Legendary is the second book in the Caraval series, and I think of the three, it might be my least favorite. I don't know if it's because I always take a while to adjust to Tella or if I find it as a reiteration of book 1 in that they're very similar in plot structure, but I think of the trilogy, this is my least favorite. That being said, I still did enjoy reading it, and the series as a whole remains one of my favorites.
Like I said earlier, this book is very similarly structured to book one: we follow Tella as she plays Caraval this time, with the intention of uncovering more secrets about her family, specifically her mother. I think the pacing is a little slower in this book, and there's less of a focus on the game of Caraval itself so much as its history, which, in my opinion, works against it, given how fast-paced the first book was and how much I liked the original vibes. The ending sections and the implications for book three are probably my favorite parts, but overall, I think it suffers a little from second-book syndrome. I still really liked it, but I think it's the weakest of the series.
This also could stem from the lack of Scarlett and Julian content. I know it's kind of a joke between readers that Scarlett and Julian got their main character roles usurped in the series, but I wish they hadn't because I really liked them. I think I like Tella as a main character, I just struggle to relate to her sometimes. She's much more active and fierce than Scarlett, which I appreciate, but something about her just doesn't click with me. I have mixed feelings about Dante because there are parts of his personality that I enjoy, but with all snark and no substance, I don't love him as a love interest in this particular book. However, I don't like Jacks more. I've read the first two books of the sequel series, and I remember liking him then, but I really don't like him now.
Legendary is the sequel to Caraval, and while it suffers a bit from second-book syndrome, it promises an exciting conclusion to the series in the next book.
4.25/5
Legendary is the second book in the Caraval series, and I think of the three, it might be my least favorite. I don't know if it's because I always take a while to adjust to Tella or if I find it as a reiteration of book 1 in that they're very similar in plot structure, but I think of the trilogy, this is my least favorite. That being said, I still did enjoy reading it, and the series as a whole remains one of my favorites.
Like I said earlier, this book is very similarly structured to book one: we follow Tella as she plays Caraval this time, with the intention of uncovering more secrets about her family, specifically her mother. I think the pacing is a little slower in this book, and there's less of a focus on the game of Caraval itself so much as its history, which, in my opinion, works against it, given how fast-paced the first book was and how much I liked the original vibes. The ending sections and the implications for book three are probably my favorite parts, but overall, I think it suffers a little from second-book syndrome. I still really liked it, but I think it's the weakest of the series.
This also could stem from the lack of Scarlett and Julian content. I know it's kind of a joke between readers that Scarlett and Julian got their main character roles usurped in the series, but I wish they hadn't because I really liked them. I think I like Tella as a main character, I just struggle to relate to her sometimes. She's much more active and fierce than Scarlett, which I appreciate, but something about her just doesn't click with me. I have mixed feelings about Dante because there are parts of his personality that I enjoy, but with all snark and no substance, I don't love him as a love interest in this particular book. However, I don't like Jacks more. I've read the first two books of the sequel series, and I remember liking him then, but I really don't like him now.
Legendary is the sequel to Caraval, and while it suffers a bit from second-book syndrome, it promises an exciting conclusion to the series in the next book.
4.25/5
Caraval themed deck of cards + card games coming when?
Finale is the third and final book in the Caraval trilogy, and I think in terms of my enjoyment, it ranks second overall. The worldbuilding is really what I love about this series; I like the magical vibes, and while this book definitely expands the worldbuilding even further (which I don't always enjoy), I actually liked the added magical elements. I plan to finish the sequel series now, and we'll see how many opinions on Jacks change now that I'm fresh off a Caraval reread.
The Fates have been released from their cards, and Scarlett and Tella must stop them before they regain control over the kingdom. Of all the books in the series, I think this one is the slowest in terms of pacing. This could be just the life circumstances during my read-through, but the plot is very Tella heavy even though I feel like the majority of the tension comes from Scarlett's chapters. There is a fair bit of action, especially toward the end, but I do kind of feel like the conclusion is a bit anticlimactic. I did really enjoy the suspense built throughout the story, especially in Scarlett's chapters, and I thought the ending was action-packed and eventful. Honestly, Scarlett's chapters are really what kept this from being a lower rating like book two.
I also think that the multi-POV nature of this book helped speed the story along and keep me invested. As I said earlier, Tella's chapters are a bit less interesting. She takes care of the meat of the story (some of the more boring developments and romance issues), but I think I prefer Scarlett to her. I do love Tella's feistiness, and I think she's clever in ways Scarlett isn't, but she's super concerned with romance in this one, and I just don't like Jacks in this series. Scarlett's POVs were more interesting in terms of suspense, so even though I wasn't fond of certain character developments for her, she's still my favorite character. We need more characters in tune with their emotions...literally. Of the main male leads, I prefer Julian to Legend, but I don't really have a reason why. Jacks just makes me mad sometimes, but I don't hate him.
Finale is, as the title suggests, a stunning finale to a beautiful YA fantasy trilogy that highlights sisterly bonds set in a world practically drowning in magic.
4.5/5
SPOILER STUFF
I just have a few details I wanted to mention earlier, but they contain mild spoilers:
1) Are we just ignoring the fact that Tella gave up her firstborn child's secret? When will she do this? Spinoff series, perhaps?
2) Julian's mask at the end was literally the only thing I remembered about the book, and I still don't understand what the point of it was. To make him ugly? Like, why?
3) I completely forgot the count actually died...like I kept waiting for him to come back but apparently I hallucinated him not being dead somehow.
Overall, I just felt like the ending was a bit rushed, and there are a lot of plot points that go unresolved or don't have much development, but I still like the story.
I just wanna know why they bothered to give Julian the mask...
Finale is the third and final book in the Caraval trilogy, and I think in terms of my enjoyment, it ranks second overall. The worldbuilding is really what I love about this series; I like the magical vibes, and while this book definitely expands the worldbuilding even further (which I don't always enjoy), I actually liked the added magical elements. I plan to finish the sequel series now, and we'll see how many opinions on Jacks change now that I'm fresh off a Caraval reread.
The Fates have been released from their cards, and Scarlett and Tella must stop them before they regain control over the kingdom. Of all the books in the series, I think this one is the slowest in terms of pacing. This could be just the life circumstances during my read-through, but the plot is very Tella heavy even though I feel like the majority of the tension comes from Scarlett's chapters. There is a fair bit of action, especially toward the end, but I do kind of feel like the conclusion is a bit anticlimactic. I did really enjoy the suspense built throughout the story, especially in Scarlett's chapters, and I thought the ending was action-packed and eventful. Honestly, Scarlett's chapters are really what kept this from being a lower rating like book two.
I also think that the multi-POV nature of this book helped speed the story along and keep me invested. As I said earlier, Tella's chapters are a bit less interesting. She takes care of the meat of the story (some of the more boring developments and romance issues), but I think I prefer Scarlett to her. I do love Tella's feistiness, and I think she's clever in ways Scarlett isn't, but she's super concerned with romance in this one, and I just don't like Jacks in this series. Scarlett's POVs were more interesting in terms of suspense, so even though I wasn't fond of certain character developments for her, she's still my favorite character. We need more characters in tune with their emotions...literally. Of the main male leads, I prefer Julian to Legend, but I don't really have a reason why. Jacks just makes me mad sometimes, but I don't hate him.
Finale is, as the title suggests, a stunning finale to a beautiful YA fantasy trilogy that highlights sisterly bonds set in a world practically drowning in magic.
4.5/5
SPOILER STUFF
I just have a few details I wanted to mention earlier, but they contain mild spoilers:
1) Are we just ignoring the fact that Tella gave up her firstborn child's secret? When will she do this? Spinoff series, perhaps?
2) Julian's mask at the end was literally the only thing I remembered about the book, and I still don't understand what the point of it was. To make him ugly? Like, why?
3) I completely forgot the count actually died...like I kept waiting for him to come back but apparently I hallucinated him not being dead somehow.
Overall, I just felt like the ending was a bit rushed, and there are a lot of plot points that go unresolved or don't have much development, but I still like the story.
I just wanna know why they bothered to give Julian the mask...
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Not gonna lie, the vampire section of this book is kind of tempting me to look into vampire books even though I've refused outright up until this point...
I read Once Upon a Broken Heart several years ago, but never finished the series because I didn't enjoy it as much as I did the original Caraval series. Since it's gotten popular within the online book community, I've been meaning to reread it for a while. I think I still prefer Caraval, but the rest of the series still has the potential to change that opinion, and it's already really close in terms of enjoyment (Caraval just had slightly higher stakes). I also really enjoy the worldbuilding of the Magnificent North; it reminded me a lot of Marissa Meyer's Heartless, but also it just nailed the fairytale vibes in general. And, like I said earlier, I know the vampires were a kind of random addition to such a pastel/soft feeling world - and maybe it's just the reading mood I'm in -but I kind of want to try vampires again.
After Evangeline Fox makes a deal with Jacks, the Prince of Hearts, to stop her lover's wedding to her stepsister, she becomes indebted to him in the form of 3 kisses. But Fates are cruel and have games far more complex than Evangeline understands, and so she is quickly embroiled in the political world of the North. I would say the plot begins as a mix of romance and politics, but there's a level of mystery incorporated about halfway through that really caught my attention and had me read 2/3 of this in one sitting. It's a bit lower stakes than Caraval - at least in my opinion, and only in this book so far - but the ending was very fast-paced, and overall, the story and world draw you in from the beginning. I vaguely remember being fooled by plot twists the first time I read this, so the fact that I called them this time right before they happened doesn't mean much, given I've read this before, albeit 2 years ago. I'm also excited to continue the series and actually get to book 3 this time so I can know how it ends.
I really enjoyed the dynamics between the characters of this book. Marisol reminded me a lot of Catherine from Heartless, probably because they both like baking. I don't really have any strong opinions on her or Tiberius, but I'm assuming they'll be more relevant later on (I remember nothing about book 2 in the slightest). The same goes for Luc: he intrigues me and I hope he returns. I remember not liking Lala the first time I read this, but I really liked her on this read-through, and her friendship with Evangeline is super fun. I also didn't have opinions on Chaos during my first read-through, but I want more page-time for him as well. Evangeline and Jacks though? Their dynamic is the reason this series is popular. Jacks is a character that I still have mixed feelings about because sometimes he really gives me the ick, but other times I adore him. His banter with Evangeline gives me life, and their reluctant allyship was probably one of my favorite parts of the book. I also really like Evangeline. She's a protagonist who isn't afraid to reach out to others for help, she's curious about the world of the North, and she cares deeply for others. Sometimes it's nice to have a break from morally grey assassin protagonists, and that's why I like Evangeline so much. (Also, for some reason, as I write this now, Jacks and Evangeline are kind of reminding me of Nick and Judy from Zootopia in terms of vibes, and I can't explain it). Edit: I forgot Apollo, and y'know what? That says everything it needs to about what his character means to me.
Once Upon a Broken Heart delves deeper into the world established by the Caraval series while mixing romance and mystery, amazing banter, and entertaining characters to create a "fairytale" aesthetic story perfect for fantasy readers who need a break from all the grit and darkness.
4/5
I read Once Upon a Broken Heart several years ago, but never finished the series because I didn't enjoy it as much as I did the original Caraval series. Since it's gotten popular within the online book community, I've been meaning to reread it for a while. I think I still prefer Caraval, but the rest of the series still has the potential to change that opinion, and it's already really close in terms of enjoyment (Caraval just had slightly higher stakes). I also really enjoy the worldbuilding of the Magnificent North; it reminded me a lot of Marissa Meyer's Heartless, but also it just nailed the fairytale vibes in general. And, like I said earlier, I know the vampires were a kind of random addition to such a pastel/soft feeling world - and maybe it's just the reading mood I'm in -but I kind of want to try vampires again.
After Evangeline Fox makes a deal with Jacks, the Prince of Hearts, to stop her lover's wedding to her stepsister, she becomes indebted to him in the form of 3 kisses. But Fates are cruel and have games far more complex than Evangeline understands, and so she is quickly embroiled in the political world of the North. I would say the plot begins as a mix of romance and politics, but there's a level of mystery incorporated about halfway through that really caught my attention and had me read 2/3 of this in one sitting. It's a bit lower stakes than Caraval - at least in my opinion, and only in this book so far - but the ending was very fast-paced, and overall, the story and world draw you in from the beginning. I vaguely remember being fooled by plot twists the first time I read this, so the fact that I called them this time right before they happened doesn't mean much, given I've read this before, albeit 2 years ago. I'm also excited to continue the series and actually get to book 3 this time so I can know how it ends.
I really enjoyed the dynamics between the characters of this book. Marisol reminded me a lot of Catherine from Heartless, probably because they both like baking. I don't really have any strong opinions on her or Tiberius, but I'm assuming they'll be more relevant later on (I remember nothing about book 2 in the slightest). The same goes for Luc: he intrigues me and I hope he returns. I remember not liking Lala the first time I read this, but I really liked her on this read-through, and her friendship with Evangeline is super fun. I also didn't have opinions on Chaos during my first read-through, but I want more page-time for him as well. Evangeline and Jacks though? Their dynamic is the reason this series is popular. Jacks is a character that I still have mixed feelings about because sometimes he really gives me the ick, but other times I adore him. His banter with Evangeline gives me life, and their reluctant allyship was probably one of my favorite parts of the book. I also really like Evangeline. She's a protagonist who isn't afraid to reach out to others for help, she's curious about the world of the North, and she cares deeply for others. Sometimes it's nice to have a break from morally grey assassin protagonists, and that's why I like Evangeline so much. (Also, for some reason, as I write this now, Jacks and Evangeline are kind of reminding me of Nick and Judy from Zootopia in terms of vibes, and I can't explain it). Edit: I forgot Apollo, and y'know what? That says everything it needs to about what his character means to me.
Once Upon a Broken Heart delves deeper into the world established by the Caraval series while mixing romance and mystery, amazing banter, and entertaining characters to create a "fairytale" aesthetic story perfect for fantasy readers who need a break from all the grit and darkness.
4/5
