Thank you, Macmillan, for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"She'd thought that she was the key to his entire game. But, of course, Legend was playing more than one game."

Caraval took my breath away last year. This sequel messed with my brain. I delayed my review for almost a month because I needed some time to process everything that happened. I felt so deceived...yet enlightened.

In Legendary, Tella learns that her mother has been trapped in a set of magical cards. To solve this problem, she makes a deal with a malicious prince. In exchange for saving Tella and Scarlett's mom, he asks her to bring the real Legend to him. The only way to unveil Legend's identity is to win Caraval, so Tella goes through the typical, difficult process of finding clues in the dead of night. However, the stakes are higher because if Tella doesn't win the game, she will die. In other words, Caraval might not be just a game this time.

Like its predecessor, Legendary is a testament to Stephanie Garber's talent for misleading her readers in the best way possible. As much I as liked the characters in this book, I absolutely didn't trust anyone of them except for Tella. It was implied that Legend could be female, so my list of suspects kept on expanding. I tried so hard to guess who was who, but my efforts were to no avail: I was caught off-guard when Legend's identity was finally revealed. My usual talent for predicting plot twists was rendered useless by the author's cunning.

Personally, I thought that Tella was quite annoying in the first book because she seemed to be just a pretty airhead. Hence, I was glad that she became likable and relatable in Legendary. Of course, she retained her flirtatious and secretive nature, but the other layers of her personality were gradually revealed. Despite her tendency to be frivolous, I rooted for Tella because of her ardent desire to be reunited with her not-so-admirable mother. I couldn't help but notice how she was more empowered than her sister.

Speaking of Scarlett, I was surprised by her suspicious behavior. Just like Tella, I had a hunch that she was in cahoots with the real Legend, who was supposedly someone close to Julian. Since Tella deceived her during the first Caraval, it was possible that Scarlett wanted to return the favor. It was interesting to see the new cracks in their sisterly bond. Still, I wanted them to me more honest with each other; it is an undeniable fact that secrets have the potential to destroy even the closest of relationships.

I would've enjoyed this book more if the male characters hadn't been so...sexualized. All of them (e.g. Dante, Julian, and Jacks) were described to be hot or handsome in Tella's eyes, and I couldn't help but sigh. Caraval was a carnivalseque event, so one would expect it to have diverse participants. So why were all of the men attractive? Oh c'mon.

Ultimately, Legendary met most of my expectations. I loved the unpredictable plot as well as the multi-faceted female protagonists. I actually expected this to be a concluding novel, but looking at the last page, I can say that another sequel is a must. Kudos to Stephanie Garber's powerful imagination.

Legendary is the sequel to Caraval which follows two sisters and their adventures in the infamous carnival attraction, Caraval. I thought this was a really fun sequel. I think I liked it more than Caraval, Tella's perspective was really interesting to read and the story was just really fast paced and exciting. After having read Caraval and starting to understand how this world works and how the game of Caraval itself works, I found myself trusting absolutely no one through the entire story because I expected everything to end up being a twist. I felt like the ending fell a little bit flat for me and the twist towards the end wasn't as surprising as it could have been just because I knew something would happen so I was prepared to see it. Legend is such an interesting character and I would be curious to know more about him and what his real motivations are because in these two books he seems almost untouchable and distant. I don't know what Stephanie Garber has planned for extending this series but if there are more books in this series, I definitely want to read them and see what happens next.

I adored Caraval, but I might even like Legendary a bit better. The world-building that has gone into these novels has blown me away. Legendary has stayed with me even more than Caraval. I love the open-ish ending and really wish I could read more....like, yesterday. I can't wait to recommend it to my students.

Like CARAVAL, LEGENDARY was an immersive and magical novel. The writing was beautiful and it was so easy to lose yourself within the story. I really loved Tella's narration, as she was such a contrast to Scarlett. With the new setting and searing romance, LEGENDARY is surely going to entice new and older readers alike.

I didn’t really care for the first book (also gave it two stars), but Tella and Dante (And Legend) were the more interesting characters in the book, so I guess I was hoping that this book would leave behind all the boring tropey things that plagued the first book, however, that wasn’t the case. The book was poorly written with the author using descriptions that “feel” like they should be important but actually communicate nothing. For ex: “he tasted of ink and nightmares”... WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?! Nothing! It means nothing- Nightmares don’t have a taste (unless maybe it’s the taste of salt from waking up sweating from them?)! The book was full of meaningless descriptive words that slowed down the book without communicating any important information. Also, it never really felt like there were any real stakes (despite the fact that this game was supposed to be real), and it was just... blah. The whole things just felt like such a wasted opportunity and it was a shame to see what could have been a good idea so poorly executed.

If you enjoyed Caraval, have no hesitation about shelling out the cash for this one. In my opinion, it's twice as good as the first in the series. The world-building seems richer and more complete; instead of a single fantastic element (Caraval), we have an emerging mythology about the Fates who once controlled the world but disappeared under mysterious circumstances. As you might expect, there's more to the myth than most realize, and the slew of traditions honoring/remembering/mocking the Fates have unrealized significance. Whereas Caraval struck me as something of a wannabe [book:The Night Circus|9361589], Legendary drove other comparisons from my mind as I sank more deeply into Garber's invented world. I also find Tella far more charming of a protagonist than I did Scarlett, maybe because she's more concerned with figuring out what she wants out of life than with mindlessly adhering to societal expectations.

All in all, this is good clean YA fantasy, with a strong female lead and an engrossing story helped along by imaginative magical characters and thriller-style pacing.

Please note that I received a complimentary advance reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

When I love a series debut I tend to get nervous for the next book. Whether is is a continuous story or a companion, I worry what will happen to the people/couple I have grown to love and be invested in. It truly makes me anxious. And that feeling was strong when I started Legendary. How did I feel when I was done? Broken. I was completely broken by how amazing the book was. If I'm honest, I loved it more than Caraval and I wasn't sure that would happen.

I think what I ended up loving the most about Legendary was Tella. Having met her in Caraval I had a rough idea about who she was, but what I didn't know was that didn't even scratch the surface. Tella was a formidable force. She was way stronger than her sister, Scarlett, made her out to be. And man was she sassy. Even when she was up against an uncertain situation she never backed down or showed her fear. But underneath all of that she was still a teenager that was figuring out her spot in life and love.

The other part I loved in Legendary was the mystery that was threaded through the book. As a reader I love thinking I have everything figured out but still find myself questioning what I thought was happening. I would be convinced I was right and then something would happen and I would have a new theory all over again. For me that's the sign of great storytelling. Whether I was right from the start of never figured it out it didn't matter because I loved every step of the journey.

In the end I loved everything about Legendary. I loved the characters, the setting, and the story. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time I was reading. Sure I was left broken by the end but what better way to know you just read a fantastic book. Now the anxiety can start for the next book.

Thank you so much to Netgalley for the ARC of this book!

Donatella Dragna has finally escaped her father and saved her sister Scarlett from a disastrous arranged marriage, and might be starting to fall for Dante, (if only she didn't know that she was doomed to unrequited love). You'd think they'd be celebrating their happiness, but Tella made a desperate bargain with a mysterious criminal, in order to uncover the truth about her mother's disappearance years before. Now she has to pay what she doesn't have: Caraval Master Legend’s true name.

Tella knows that her only chance of uncovering Legend’s identity is to win Caraval, so she throws herself into the competition once more—and into the path of the murderous heir to the throne, a doomed love story, and a web of secrets…including her sister's. Caraval has always demanded bravery, cunning, and sacrifice, but now the stakes are even higher. If Tella can’t fulfill her bargain and deliver Legend’s name, she’ll lose everything she cares about—maybe even her life.

Welcome, welcome to Caraval...the games have only just begun. But how much is a game?

Just like with Caraval, I was swept into this story and didn't want to stop reading it. How much was true and how much was just part of the game? Were Tella's calculated risks actually calculated, or was she running full-on into disaster? Who is Legend, really? And where is Scarlett going every night? And can Dante actually have feelings for her, or is that part of the game, too? ACK! SO MUCH GOING ON!
Is there a book 3? I hope there's a book 3.

3.5 stars. I loved reconnecting with the characters and their world, but I didn't LOVE it like I loved the first book. It felt repetitive, both in how it was told and the overall plot itself. The ending was well done & I loved Dante.

Legendary lives up to it's name. The best plots give you just enough truth to fuel the adventure and keep just enough secrets to spark your imagination. Legendary does both extremely well.
Stephanie has a fantastical way with words. The imagery is not only descriptive, but emotive as well. You can feel the darkness, the madness and the euphoria that comes with playing Caraval.
The story is more than darkness and madness though. It's mostly about hope, and love. We're not talking about chemistry or lust, though there's a little of that too. We're talking selfless love driven mostly by the Dragna sisters and it's expertly done.
Stephanie has created two sisters who couldn't be more different in temperament, and purpose, yet more devoted. And you can feel it in Stephanie's writing. The determined logcial voice of Scarlet and the flighty passionate voice of Tella come across as you are opened up to these characters and the world of Caraval; all it can give and all it can take.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Legendary is the sequel to Caraval. Where Caraval was told from Scarlet’s perspective, Legendary is told from the perspective of her sister, Tella, and it picks up the night after the end of Caraval’s events.

Tella owes a debt to someone (no spoilers), and if she doesn’t find out Legend’s true name and hand him over her life as well as the lives of others is in jeopardy.

I found Tella to be immediately more interesting than her sister Scarlet. Tella is brave and bold, and I really enjoyed seeing Legendary’s events from her perspective. Scarlet and Julian are still around in Legendary and you do see how their relationship changes throughout the book, but they aren’t the primary focus, which is refreshing. There are a bunch of new characters, including Dante, one of Legend’s performers. He’s dark, mysterious, and brooding and I fell in love with him instantly. He is the perfect match to Tella’s bold personality.

I felt that because I had read Caraval and seen how the game was played, that I would have an idea of how the game worked this time around. I was extremely wrong, and I appreciated the different twists and turns Legendary had without being too similar to Caraval. I was definitely surprised but the end. I was constantly trying to guess who Legend was and could be, and when I found out, I didn’t expect it.

The world is dazzling and magical, and the story keeps you guessing until the very end. That being said, definitely start reading Caraval if you are interested in Legendary. They go hand-in-hand, with Caraval being the backstory for Legendary. I really hope there is another book in this series.

Fabulous! I was waiting for this book from the second I finished Caraval and I was not disappointed.

This book was different from the first, which I deeply appreciated. I found it interesting from the beginning, happy to see the sisters again, and while it dipped a little for me early on, it more than made up for it! I appreciated that it was a little darker than the first which made it feel more real and tense. In large part I think this has to due with Tella being the center of the center of the book and I adored her character development in this one.

I think this will be very popular with my high school students!

I wish I could say that I loved it as much as I did Caraval, but I can't. As a story on its own it was good, but sadly, not the magical world of Caraval that I loved. If I had read it as a stand alone, or the first book in a series, I think I might have had a different opinion... But I didn't... Don't get me wrong though, the story was great and we were still immersed in the world we loved with the characters we loved, but the vibe was different for me.

I will still give this book four stars because I really did enjoy it although I was disappointed.

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

Seriously‽‽ Now what am I supposed to do‽‽ This is now how I expected this story to go at all.

Legendary was an experience. Definitely one of a kind. Magical and mysterious with more jaw dropping scenes than I ever expected. The game has changed. This time, everything is real…or is it… I’m so glad I took a chance on this series.

Romance played a bigger role in Legendary than in Caraval. But while it was still familial, there was way more romantic love throughout it. In fact that’s probably why I enjoyed this one more. Lots of swoons scenes that had me all twitterpated.

Dante had my heart fluttering. I know he was the typical bad boy before, and he had his moments here, but he definitely showed his true colors in this one. Pleasantly surprised by him. And then just plain, downright surprised at him.

Jacks left me with a lot of unanswered questions. There’s so much more to him that we didn’t get to see. But since he’s a master at trickery, I fell under his spell.

Many times I forgot that Tella was only 16 years old. Sometimes she can act like the flighty school girl but most of the time she made difficult decisions that would give us mature adults pause. I really liked her. I think more than her sister even. My heart felt what she felt. It raced when her was racing. It hurt when hers hurt. Part of me hopes we eventually get more from her. Even a little short story. I feel like her story isn’t done yet. She has a lot of life to live.

The conclusion was way more open ended than I was expecting. In fact, it left me reeling. I can honestly say that I’m not sure how I feel. I think I wanted a definitive ending. I wanted a choice to be made. But yet there was… This just left me wanting more something. But there is no more. Gah!! My head is spinning.

This was a great follow up sequel, even though I miss the "it's just a game" aspect of foolery. My review is linked below. Thank you!

3.5 stars

Conceptually and imaginatively, this book is a triumph. In terms of execution, I found it wanting.

Stephanie Garber certainly doesn't lack for imagination. The concept behind the series has been fascinating and unique from the start, and Garber doubled down here with the more-than-it-appears Deck of Destiny, which actually proves to be an even more compelling and intricate plot thread than Caraval itself.

Unfortunately this book, much like the first in the series, suffers from a huge gap between the quality of the idea behind it and the quality of the execution of that idea.

It isn't that the execution is awful, and Garber isn't a terrible writer, though she's also definitely not a great one. The issue is that the whole thing felt a little sloppy and jumbled, intricately detailed at times, hurried and fractured at others.

This is at least in part of failure of the editor rather than just the author. Better structure and organization would have allowed Garber's tremendous imagination to ultimately result in better world building and a more tightly structured plot.

This is better than the first book, but it hasn't been able to kick the structural problems that also plagued Caraval. It's worth a read because it's fun, but it still smacks of wasted potential.

LEGEN...wait for it...DARY!

Oh my, this book was fantabulous! I enjoyed it from the first page (hence while I read it so fast haha). This book had me going in circles shouting: WHO IS LEGEND? It took me way too long (in a good way to figure out what was going on. Tella, Dante, Legend, & Jacks kept me on edge, never knowing quite what was happening. The world itself was amazing. I was drooling over the thought of having those dresses!! I would want Jacks in my life just to get me dresses hehe. Though, I have alllllll the heart eyes for Dante. Definitely should add this to your TBR! It comes out in May!!

Extend review on Book Reviews On The Run!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Flatiron books for the digital ARC!

Caraval (the game, that is) is back at it again, but this time, Tella is our freaking heroine. OMG she kicks butt!

I was hesitant about this book being from Tella's point-of-view because I didn't like her in the first book, but she's so strong and determined and hilarious there is no way I can't like her.

Legendary basically starts where Caraval left off. Scarlett and Tella are still staying with the Caraval performers, and this year, Caraval is happening twice in a year - we're getting some world-building, guys. The sisters travel with the performers to Valenda, the capital of the Meridian Empire, to celebrate the empress' birthday with an honorary game. Turns out, though, Tella doesn't want to sit this one out like Scarlett does, for she has a "friend" who she has been exchanging letters and favors with for a while. Her friend wants something Tella must play the game to earn: Legend's real name. But is nothing as it seems, like the last game? Or is this game a little too believable to be imaginary?

First thing, the only thing I could criticize about the literary content, itself, is that the world-building was a little sudden. The series is known for its mysteriousness, but in the first book, there is close to no actual world-building, just learning about Caraval. Now, the scope is widening a bit to encompass magic and a little politics. As far as magic goes, we learn that there were Fates who had magnificent yet terrifying abilities and who oppressed the entire world, but a powerful witch banished them from the earth centuries ago... or so the legend says. However, there weren't any hints to this whatsoever in Caraval, so it seemed to me a little unrealistic and like Garber came up with the legend while writing the second novel. Normally, that would be fine, but personally, it didn't feel very well-executed or developed. Plus, I still want to know what the actual world looks like!

On a brighter note, that's really the only aspect I have to criticize. (Minor Spoiler in next sentence).

I love Tella and Dante together! I'm getting tired of the whole dark, brooding, handsome, "bad boy" love interest, but Garber does it differently. He would probably not be my type, but I didn't roll my eyes like I do sometimes with this overly-used trope, and I think that's because Tella gives him a run for his money. She doesn't let his "bad boy" persona seduce her any - when she does fall for him, it's because she loves him, not because he is a handsome bad boy; he's a really genuine guy on the inside. I have to say, though, that ending... UGH I don't know what to think about him - the situation just got a whole lot more complicated.

Legendary made me super anxious, I have to admit. It took me about a fifth of the book to really get hooked, but once I did, there was no holding back! I wanted to know how it was going to end because I know that Garber had done something super genius with this novel: she turned the plot of Caraval up on its head. In the first book, we had no idea so much was going to be part of the game, so there is where the shocking twists came in. In this one, however, we're expecting that now... so Garber makes the game REAL, and none of the characters outside of Legend's posse believe that, including Tella.

Personally, I thought this book was A LOT better than the first one, so GUYS GO READ THIS BOOK (though you kinda have to read Caraval first 😉 ).

Thanks for reading, and au revoir, my fellow bookworms!

And thanks, NetGally, Stephanie Garber, and Flatiron Books for getting this arc to me in exchange for an honest review.

For more bookstuffs, visit my blog at http://ashtonread.blogspot.com/ .

The magic of Caraval never disappoints, and Lengendary is no exception. Tells is given an impossible task in the quest to save her mother, and just when you think things can't get anymore difficult, earth-shattering revelations come forth. Lengendary was a fun journey, tugging my heartstrings along with it. Can't wait for the next installment!

I'm between 4 and 4.5 stars here.

Legendary, the second book in Stephanie Garber's Caraval series, takes you on a kaleidoscopic ride full of dazzling imagery, incredible magic, and so many twists and turns, you wonder what will come with each subsequent page. It's a little dizzying, a little mesmerizing, and immensely memorable.

"Legend truly did deserve the name he'd given himself. Tella wondered if Legend's games ever ended, or if his world was an endless maze of fantasy and reality that left those caught inside it forever suspended somewhere between the two."

Caraval is a magical performance which usually occurs once a year. It is a grand spectacle, where no one is sure what is real and what is merely part of the game, and yet lives are forever changed by what happens within it. Everything that happens in Caraval is orchestrated by the world-renowned Caraval Master, known only as Legend. No one knows Legend's true identity—in each game he is portrayed by someone else, taking on another form. But few have more power.

Donatella (Tella) Dragna is a feisty, almost-fearless young woman who found herself swept up in the madness of Caraval when her older sister Scarlett escaped the island on which their father was holding them both prisoner. After rescuing Scarlett from an uncertain fate and saving her from an arranged marriage sure to ruin her, the sisters made it through Caraval, and now have their lives ahead of them, finally free of their father's control. But why aren't they happy?

Tella, it seems, is determined to uncover the truth behind a painful family secret. To do so, she has made a bargain with a mysterious and dangerous criminal, who has promised to give Tella what she so desperately longs for. But of course, there is a price: this person wants to know Legend's true identity, so he can use it for nefarious purposes. There really is no perfect solution for Tella, but getting what she wants means more than almost anything, so she agrees to his bargain.

Tella must immerse herself in a special round of Caraval, where the stakes are higher than ever before. Along the way, she will tempt fate—and her own mortality; encounter a dangerous heir to the throne whose power is very real; and she'll question the intentions of everyone she comes into contact with—including her own sister. She'll also be challenged by her own heart, which she never believed would lead her to love, and even if it is, she's not sure that the person at the end of the path is worth the risks and sacrifices she must take. All the while, Tella isn't sure what is real and what is merely part of the game.

"She liked the thrill that came with taking risks. She loved the feeling of doing something bold enough to make her future hold its breath while she closed her eyes and reveled in the sensation that she'd made a choice with the power to alter the course of her life. It was the closest she ever came to holding real power."

This is a fascinating series of books, and Legendary is a worthy sequel to Garber's first book, Caraval (see my review). The world she has created is fascinating, dazzling, a combination of fantasy and magic that paints pictures in your mind which are utterly glorious. I would love to see these books as movies, just to see how a filmmaker could capture this tantalizing universe.

When you're reading a book where the main character isn't sure what is real and what is artifice, things tend to get a little confusing from time to time. I had to re-read some paragraphs here and there to make sure I understood what I read. And there are a lot of different storylines and legends being unwoven in this book, so at times my attention wandered a bit until the story focused back on Tella's efforts to win Caraval. When the book hits its groove, you just want to devour it and experience it all at once.

I feel like I've been saying this a lot in my reviews recently, but this is definitely not a book for everyone. If this interests you, I'd recommend starting with Caraval first so you can truly appreciate the magic Garber creates here. This reminded me a little bit of Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus, so if you loved that book, definitely give this series a try. I definitely hope Garber takes us back to Caraval once more!!

NetGalley and Flatiron Books provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making this available!