Finale is the final book in the Caraval trilogy. It would be advised to read the prior two books before starting this one. The story follows two sisters ( any many other characters) who couldn't be more different if you tried.

Scarlett doesn’t just play in Caraval, she wins Caraval. During the game she finds true love and discovers the power of a wish. But Caraval is more special than that to Scarlett. It teaches Scarlett how to be strong after years of thinking she could settle for being safe.

Tella has always been bold, if not reckless. She easily barters away anything she may need in order to get what she wants. However, will Tella be able to trust Legend after everything she has been through. And how are the Fates going to affect her goal?

I love this series so much. The magic and darkness are mesmerizing. I fell in love with Scarlett in the first book! I was so invested in her and Julian, but that second book left me so unresolved. Luckily, the second book brought me Tella, Dante, and Legend, which was a crazy amazing story line. Now we get book three and we can find out what happens to them all! I love that the characters are messy and struggling with difficult choices throughout the Caraval.

The world Stephanie has built is so magical and unlike anything else I've ever read. Each small facet adds to this spellbinding story. The twists and turns will keep you enthralled to the last second. I don't want to spoil anything, so I would recommend that you read this whole series ASAP!

Thank you to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

A stunning trilogy that will leave you breathless! Finale was definitely my favorite book in the series, but I'm sad it's over. This story weaves such an enchanting tale that has you mesmerized with it's magic. I won't give any spoilers, but I can't wait to do a re-read and dive into the world all over again.

“Every story has four parts: the beginning, the middle, the almost-ending, and the true ending. Unfortunately, not everyone gets a true ending. Most people give up at the part of the story where things are the worst, when the situation feels hopeless, but that is where hope is needed most. Only those who persevere can find their true ending.”


~FINALE by Stephanie Garber



Do you ever regret reading a book you desperately want to read from Page 1 because it will never be the first time again? My heart isn't ready to say goodbye to this fantastic series just yet. It wasn't when I started, and it isn't two weeks after I finished reading, either. I love this series so much, and want the world to flourish and expand forever. CARAVAL was my third favorite book of 2017 and LEGENDARY was in my top five last year -- and even better than its predecessor! The expectations on FINALE were huge for me, and thankfully, it lived up to all of them.

For those of you reading this review, I do want to let you know there is a misconception out there that this is a series about the circus. It isn't. One of my friends recently said she wouldn't read it because of that. It has been compared to THE NIGHT CIRCUS by Erin Morgenstern, but that's more due to its atmosphere and the way setting and objects are brought to life so visually than it is due to a circus being involved. She also recalled one of the UK covers having a circus-like design. So if this is what's keeping you away from the series as well, I highly recommend trying it out anyway. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is about a game both lovely and vicious. It is about sisters. It is about discovering who you are. It is about falling in love. It is about Fate and magic and whimsy. It is about so many things, and I can't describe them all fully or properly here. Check out my review of CARAVAL and sneak peek, spoiler-free look at LEGENDARY for more!

I will say that, while I promise not to spoil FINALE in this review, I can't say the same for previous books, especially when it comes to LEGENDARY. There's some stuff that happens in the back half that impacts the entirety of FINALE, and it's impossible to talk about this new book without spoiling those secrets. So if you haven't read the series and don't want to hear spoilers, I would stop reading this review now!

I have loved different things about each book in this series. In CARAVAL, I loved the worldbuilding and the fact that Scarlett has a form of synthesia, making the world vibrant and extra visual. In LEGENDARY, my fairy tale/mythology loving heart was enamoured by the Fates and the possibility they could be real. Stakes were higher and I couldn't turn pages fast enough. In FINALE, the encounters are vicious and deadly, and the world is on the line.

FINALE begins about two months after the events of LEGENDARY. The beginning is slow-moving as roads are being built and the Fates have yet to awaken and grounded a bit more in "reality" than other books. As magic and curses and danger ramp up, so does the story, and the back half will hold readers captive as they hurl toward the finale.

The whimsy is still there, too -- and so is the breathtaking wardrobe. There is a dress with butterflies that I wish I could see in reality. There is a library full of animals created from the pages of books that I would love to live in. The truth behind Scarlett's magical dress was stunning, and a shining moment of the book. And I'm going to stop there before I start giving away secrets and let you experience the magic for yourself.

What I loved the most, aside from reuniting with beloved characters, was the fact that Stephanie Garber laid down the possibility of Fates in LEGENDARY --and brought them to life in FINALE. They are real. Cruel. Vicious. Deadly. Legend's decision to free them from their cursed deck resulted in a huge blow for humanity. The death toll is rising and it may not be possible to defeat these gods and goddesses now that their powers have returned to them. Sisters Scarlett and Donatella never dreamed that by taking part in Caraval, they would unearth secrets from their past that could destroy everything they ever wanted and hoped for and loved....

I am truly not ready to say goodbye to this series. I also have a lot of thoughts that I can't discuss just yet. All I can do is wait with bated breath for you to catch up to me so we can discuss all the things.

This is one of the top titles I was waiting for, and here I am again, unsure how to rate/review it... Wow, I loved reading this one, and while there were plenty of feels, it actually wasn't as...magical...as the other two, instead this one seemed to deal a lot more with what was 'real'. What really happened/happens, what characters really feel, what things really mean. It was beautiful and tragic and gruesome, and I loved it! I didn't end this one in a euphoric high that books sometimes leave, but instead this is one of those that gives me everything I need in a closing, yet still leaves enough for me to imagine that the characters' stories go on, even if our look at it is over. That satisfying feeling that lasts longer than the euphoric high, and overtime never fades.

I was so excited to receive this book a little early so I could see how this series ends.

I have to say this one starts off with a more of an equal story between the two sisters, Donatella and Scarlett. I really liked that in the first two books each one of them got to tell their own story but I missed seeing them together. I feel this book finally brought every major character into one place, which I highly appreciated.

I really enjoyed that we finally got to see both of the sisters acting more mature and able to handle the world around them. They were both able to start seeing what really mattered to them in this story and I felt that the romance was amazing and off the charts in this book. You really have to care about the characters and like romance mixed with magic for this book to suck you in. I found the combination to be very satisfying and I loved that this book blended all of the elements I liked from the first two.

Ultimately, the messages in this book about growing up, magic, illusion and love were perfect. I really was swept away with this book and I have to say it is my favorite of the entire series. There were a few things that I felt were a little rushed or left open ended but the majority of the plot came full circle and I loved watching the journey.

I was enchanted and captivated by CARAVAL back in 2017. I have since read the book 5 times and I know I will continue to revisit this world again and again. LEGENDARY gave me a whole new perspective on this story and Stephanie Garber swept me away once again in her second novel. She has such a beautifully magical way of writing. As you can probably guess, FINALE was one of my most anticipated reads of 2019. When I received an advanced copy it took everything inside me not to drop my current reads and devour it!

I read FINALE in a little under a week. I probably would have finished it sooner, but I tried to savor the last bits of this story. Goodbye's are so hard. When I finished reading it on Saturday evening I was left with the biggest smile on my face and my heart was bursting with love. Such a perfect ending to one of my favorite trilogies. I'm not going to lie, I would love for Stephanie to write more books in this world (hey, a girl can dream right?!). I can't wait for everyone to read this book and experience the last adventure for Scarlett and Tella.

Finale was the perfect finish to the world of Caraval. It’s definitely a series where the books just keep getting better and better as they go along.

I loved how much this final book brought out the details of the Fates, Fated Places and Fated Items. We get to learn so much about these different pieces of the Deck of Destiny and it also is of course, very magical. Before when it was just Legend’s Caraval it felt like the magic was contained. The Fates, however, don’t have a script to follow and when people die, they stay dead. It gives it a bit of a thriller feel to the book as Tella and Scarlett find their own ways to restore order.

Tella and I continue to have a very love/hate relationship. Her character is so interesting in so many ways. I’m glad that parts of her still didn’t change. We see her very selfish moments, as well as, her very loving moments. The tug and pull of her emotions over choices she has to make are very interesting. She stays pretty strong in having faith in the thing that at the beginning of the series she might not have.

I love Scarlet. I’m not sure why, maybe because she is safe but also determined. Just because she isn’t reckless doesn’t make her weak. Her steadiness is what makes her strong. She is the compliment to Tella’s personality. They are kind of the ying and yang of sisters. They probably could be their own card in the Deck of Destiny. Now I’m picturing what the card would look like.

I thought the plot was really really good and was perfect way to finish the series. I don’t want to accidentally give anything away but there was something that I suspected and felt like the series as a whole had dropped clues about it. Little Easter Eggs. I was found the story fast pace and satisfying. Again I love characters who develop but in the natural way so they don’t lose who they are.

Ahh the book is just so amazing!!! I don’t want to say to much! So get out there and enjoy it!

OMG!!! I couldn’t have asked for a better ending to this series and Ms. Garber did an amazing job bringing this epic story to a wonderful conclusion. It has been two months since the Fates have been freed from the Deck of Destiny and Legend abandoned Tella after she sacrificed everything to win Caraval to learn the fate of her missing mother. This book starts from there and will be a non-stop roller coaster ride as the sisters work together to learn how to defeat the Fates that were released.

I loved watching Tella’s character grow over the course of these books because she has come to a point where she was willing to do whatever it takes to protect the people that she loves. Even if it means sacrificing herself, which I feel she wasn’t ready to do in the first book compared to her older sister, Scarlet. In the beginning, Tella seemed like a girl that was just looking to have a good time and never cared about the consequences but that definitely changed in Finale.

“I’m the villain, even in my own story.”

Throughout most of this book, I didn’t know whether to hug Legend or smack the living crap out of him. For Tella, Legend could hide the devil behind that beautiful smile and she never seemed to know where she stood with him. Were his feelings genuine or was he just playing another game with her to keep his secrets safe?

That is the funny thing about love. You soon find that you will accept everything about that special person even the things that you may not like because you are in love. Tella wanted everything about him in her life and I think a part of her always knew that she would choose Legend. Even after everything that they have been through together, she would still choose him.

Finale brings this amazing story full circle where the characters learn that love is always worth the sacrifice and that true love will always win in the end. I want to thank Ms. Garber for this wonderful series and I know that this series will always have a special place in my heart because Caraval is more than just a game for this reader.

Love it! I was so excited to finally know the ending of Scarlett and Donatella. There were some parts that were kind of slow for me but I last few chapters had me speed reading to know what was going to happen!

4.75 stars

After the ending of Legendary, I have been crazy excited to dig into Finale and find out how this story was going to wrap up. I feel incredibly fortunate to have gotten an arc of it, and I have to say that for the most part, I thought this was a beautiful ending to this wonderful story.

I absolutely loved that this book had both Tella and Scarlett's POV. I definitely missed Scarlett in Legendary. I mean, sure, she was there, but she obviously wasn't the center of that book, since it was about Tella, and having loved Scarlett's character in Caraval, I definitely missed her and her personality. Seeing their completely different personalities intertwine was one of my favorite things about the book, because even though they are so different, their POVs worked so well together and made for such a rich storytelling.

I also really loved the development in this, not only with the sisters (specially Scarlett, who I felt like took way more risks and was more willing to be reckless in this book, while, in my opinion, still maintaining all of the little features that made Scarlett such a lovable character for me in the first book), but also between the boys. I think both Julian and Dante really learn so much in this story, and really grow as people that both Scarlett and Tella could go on to love.

I also have to take my hat off to Garber for her mind. Her storytelling is absolutely compelling from the beginning to the end, and she has managed to create such a wonderfully gorgeous world. Ending this book just made me sad because all I could think about was how I now had to say goodnight to this magical world Stephanie has created. Her world building is so breathtaking, and the plot (specially the one for legendary and finale, with the fates), is incredibly compelling from start to finish. Her descriptions also left me so captivated, you can really see her attention to detail in every single paragraph, and that was one of my favorite things in this entire series.

Another thing I absolutely love about this series, and that this one did not lack on, were the plot twists! From the very first book, they've left me at the edge of my seat, wondering what would happen next. I can't remember how many times I genuinely gasped while reading Finale, that's how surprising a lot of these twists were.

The romances were just so swoony as well. After finishing Legendary, I wasn't exactly sure who I was rooting for, I loved Tella's moments with Dante, but I also loved her moments with Jacks. This one definitely solidified me as Legend/Tella shipper though, and I am so happy that they got the happy ending that they deserved.

I was also so happy to see that everything worked out for Scarlett and Julian as well. They were actually my favorite couple to read about in this universe, and I've been rooting for them ever since Caraval, so it was bittersweet to see their story come to an end, but I thought it was a very satisfying ending to their love story.

Now, the main reason why I did not give this book 5 full stars was because of the ending. I felt like it was incredibly rushed. The heroes won so easily; in one moment they were struggling, and then suddenly they were able to destroy the bad guy and live happily ever after, I personally thought it was very anticlimactic, and not very believable. Unfortunately, the book felt very short on that for me. *sad face*

Even with my tiny disappointed with the end, I still felt like this was a very appropriate and satisfying ending to this mesmerizing trilogy. There were a lot of things in the end that wrapped up in a way that made me so happy, and that little letter in the end was my favorite thing in the whole world! I am definitely going to miss these amazing characters, and cannot wait to see what else Stephanie Garber has in store for us with her amazing storytelling.

Finale by Stephanie Garber is the 3rd book in the Caraval series. I recommend reading the first book Caraval, than Legendary, than finally Finale for a better understanding. I love this series, it is utterly delightful in every sense of the word. Be prepared to be swept up in this story and these characters. Very unique young adult story, I strongly recommend this book/series.

I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and the publisher. Thank you.

This was not for me. Which was very disappointing. The first two books in the series are absolutely amazing. I felt wonder and amazement as the books grabbed me and wouldn't let me go. Finale does not live up to my expectations. I'm not sure what wasn't working for me. The story line felt convoluted and I couldn't get into it. Also maybe there were just too many love interests for me? The first time I read Caraval, it was like a magical out of body experience. I wanted the magic to be real. I wanted the story to be real. Legendary was just as good. I wish I could give this book more stars. If you haven't read Caraval do yourself a favor and DO read it. It is that wonderful.

ARC provided by the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

It's hard to believe it, but the conclusion for Caraval is here! Finale is the third and final novel in the Caraval series by Stephanie Garber. If you haven't read any of this series yet, but have been debating it, I strongly recommend that you give it a chance!
Finale follows two sisters, Scarlett and Tella, as they each face their own set of adventures and dangers. Scarlett is trying to decide on who she should be with, while Tella isn't done playing games with Legend. Unfortunately for both of them, there's something much larger looming on the horizon.
I should confess that until recently I hadn't actually read the whole series. I had been meaning to since Caraval came out, but something else (usually another book) always got in the way). Well this week I sat down and read all three books in just as many days. And I have no regrets about it, other than perhaps wishing I had read them sooner.
This series has absolutely lived up to all of the hype I've heard, and then some. I'm so glad that I gave the series a chance. Though of course now I'm sad to see the series conclude...
Finale was the perfect end to this series, and in so many ways. It was everything us fans could have hoped for, and best of all it really held true to the core themes of the series. All the references and moments that the series has been building up to came to fruition.
I had high expectations of this novel, partially because of the binge session I had leading up to it. But I can honestly tell you that it lived up to those expectations. Just like the previous two held up to all of the hype.
Finale is different from the first two novels, and for a variety of reasons. For one thing, there are two main perspectives in this novel, instead of just the one. That's right, both sisters get to tell their story in this novel, bouncing back and forth between the two.
This technique changed the storytelling methods a little bit, but I honestly think it worked out perfectly. The pacing was controlled by a series of jumps from one sister to another, for one thing. And we got to get a chance to not only say goodbye to both sisters, but to see both of their plots come to a true ending (not just a false ending, as the series would like to have pointed out).
There were so many breathtaking moments in this novel, I don't even know where to begin. The threat level and intrigue in this series hit a peak during Finale. There was more at stake than ever before, but that didn't mean that the original problems were resolved either. Together – and separately – Scarlett and Tella had to find the solutions to everything around them. All while making some extremely difficult decisions along the way.
I really loved the inclusion of the Fates. I especially liked the thematic way they were all introduced, and the way they carried on with their known tropes and stereotypes. It was fascinating to see them out in the real world once again, interacting with both humans and other fates.
The twist with Scarlett and Tella's mother was...unexpected. But it also made sense, when I stopped to think about it. I'm not sure if there was any other way to handle it, actually. Not without having it end up feeling hollow. I think Stephanie Garber had this planned the whole way through, as the progression felt perfectly natural, if somewhat surprising.
The romantic subplots were everything I had hoped for. I'm sure by now everyone has their favorite ship, either Dante/Legend and Tella, or Julien and Scarlett. I was pleased with how both were represented in this novel, though of course for very different reasons. I won't say more than that though, as I think it's very important to see the story as Stephanie Garber intended it. Though I will say that my favorite, as with before, was Scarlett and Julien's side of the romantic subplot.
I'm sad that this series has come to an end. But I'm also looking forward to seeing what Stephanie Garber will come up with next. I don't see her giving up on writing anytime soon – she's got a knack for it, to put it mildly. Here's hoping she'll stick with fantasy, as I love the world she's created within Caraval.

https://lispylibrarian.weebly.com/lispy-librarian-vlog-blog/lispy-librarian-49-finale-by-stephanie-garber-review

This will be a spoiler-free review.

I remember reading Caraval and falling in love with these characters and this world. It was unique, despite what others had said. It is easy to compare this series with other stories, but after reading the whole series now, there is a clear distinction that sets this series apart from anything else.

Finale is the last book in the Caraval series. Stephanie Garber has kindly handed over her characters and this world to us, and now it is for us to cherish. Leading up to this story, I paused reading Legendary until I was able to read Finale. It wasn’t easy waiting overall, but waiting for another book beyond a cliffhanger ending is much worse.

As I’m writing this review, words are simply escaping my brain to fully capture the essence of how I feel. I read Finale immediately after my reread of Caraval and Legendary. I was able to understand the story uninterrupted, and in doing so, I feel like it was easier to remember all of the games played within the series. The culmination of each story, told through Scarlett and Tella, has led us to this point. While Caraval is a game played in this empire, it feels like there are so many games yet to be completed.

Finale is told through the both Scarlett and Tella’s eyes. These sisters represent the best and worst of us. They are both curious and cunning, filled with strength that surprises me. I enjoyed who they have evolved to be, and seeing their journey individually as well as together has been fascinating. I love Scarlett, but can’t help and have a soft spot for Tella. Each sister bring forth a different side of the story, and as they tell their tale in Finale, we get to know them even more.

There are many highs and lows in this book. My heart ached as much as it soared. Stephanie knows how to draw her readers in, and all at the best possible times. It was easy to get lost in the details of this world, only to get sucked into a scene and moments. I constantly lost track of time, and I really, really loved that about this story.

I cried. I got angry. I laughed. Finale is a great ending to this series, but I will always wish for more. The end was satisfying, and I’m ready to reread this series all over again.

*Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.*

Garber is an amazingly beautiful writer! This was a great ending to the trilogy, although it was heartbreaking because she had me so entranced in the story, I hated for it to be over. It definitely felt like a big finale and made your heart break in many pieces!
I will be highly recommending to the members of Chapter Chatter Pub!

This is it, the finale of the Caraval series! Stephanie Garber has wowed us again but this time the novel has more characters and more twists and turns. Garber's storytelling is compelling, charismatic and intricately descriptive. With the Immortal Fates loose from the cards, Legend's powers are diminishing. He goes to his creator to ask to borrow her magic. The coronation is near and Dragna sisters want to prevent Legend from taking the throne.

After reading Legendary, I couldn't wait to get my hands of Finale. Both sisters had won a game of Caraval even though they risked their lives to win. The Fates weakness is the same weakness that Legend carries. It's the only way to beat them.

Finale has alternating chapters with Scarlett's and Tella's point of views. We find more about the sisters' mother in this book. Scarlett is torn between Julian and Nicholas while Tella is confused about Legend and Jacks. Scarlett and Tella are in danger if the Fates are from from the cards. They are warned to leave Valenda but cannot. The only way to find out more about this stunning and enchanting story is to pick up Finale!

Finale is the finale of all finales! Join the Dragna sisters in a world full of magic, swoon, deception and betrayal. Who can you trust? Welcome, welcome to Caraval...all games must come to an end.

It breaks my heart that this series is over, but I couldn’t have asked for a better finale (ha). This book was exactly what I needed it to be that I never knew I needed it to be. This is undoubtedly a series I will come back to time and again and suggest to everyone I possibly can. It was expansive and magical and overwhelming in a way that anyone could lose themselves in. And I don’t think anybody could ever be disappointed with this conclusion. Garber had a plan from the beginning and the way that her plans come to fruition by the end of this book makes it one you certainly won’t want to miss.

If you’ve read the earlier two books in this series, Caraval, and Legendary, you’ll be familiar with the tone you can expect from this book. But this final book in the series takes everything from the first two and elevates it all to a whole new level. It encompasses everything the other books were working towards and brings it to a beautiful finish. The most obvious proof of that is the perspectives of each novel. Caraval was told entirely from Scarlett’s point of view, and Legendary was told entirely from Tella’s point of view. Finale literally combines them and we get alternating perspectives from both sisters. The single perspectives worked very well in the other books. There were twists and secrets that would have been spoiled had we seen both sides of the story all along. Those books wouldn’t have worked any other way. But here they come together and let us get a wider sense of the story throughout the book. The plot has developed to the point that the games we see are of an entirely different nature compared to the games we saw in the first two books. Our Dragna sisters aren’t keeping the same kinds of secrets from each other and they’re playing for a lot more than just a Caraval victory. The games they are in now have much higher stakes, and losing will mean more than disappointment. They may just lose their lives.

Garber’s writing is really extraordinary, and the story she weaves will leave you awestruck. At this point in the series, you should know to expect surprises and blow-your-socks-off twists. And yet, it’s so easy to get caught up in the magic of this world that you forget to anticipate them. You get swept away, and no matter how many times you tell yourself not everything is as it seems, no matter how many times you remember there are always games afoot, you will be surprised. I never could have anticipated some of the twists Garber had in store here, and that is a high compliment. I know I’ll be able to reread this countless times because I’ll always hold on to that feeling of shock that I had on this first read-through. Even though I’ll know all of the surprises, I’ll be able to remember what it felt like to not know. Sometimes knowing the end makes you feel finished with a book. You’ve figured it all out and there’s no need to go through it all again. But this is a story that you will never be fully finished with. The world is so complex, the mythology so fascinating, the characters so compelling, that you won’t want to ever leave it fully behind. As much as I love our characters of these books, I would equally love a different story in this world. The Fates we began to learn about in Legendary are major players in this book, but I would still love to learn more about them. A prequel about this world during the centuries that the Fates ruled the land would be amazing. And until we get more, if we ever get more, I will absolutely be happy to read this series over and over.

The ways that our well-loved characters truly come into their own during this book is one of the most beautiful aspects of the story. There is so much action and intrigue going on, that the personal development could have gone under the radar, but Garber didn’t let that happen. Scarlett, who has always had to be both sister and mother to Tella and always put her own wants to the side, recognizes and uses her inner strength to become a force to be reckoned with in a way that I always wanted for her but never would have expected from the beginning of the series. She was so cautious, so unwilling to believe herself capable back in the first book. She has grown so much since then, having gone through two Caravals, but here is where we get to see her explore what she is really capable of. The stakes are so high that she really doesn’t have any other choice. There is nothing and no one to fall back on, so she really has to put her faith in herself, and it inspires such a feeling of triumph to see her even try. And Tella has grown in a very complimentary way. She was so reckless in the first two books because it was Caraval, and Legend wouldn’t let anything actually bad happen, at least not irreversibly. She is so used to playing games that it’s hard for her to get out of that mindset, to stop playing. But she has never been one to give up, and her determination to get the outcome she wants is the driving force of this novel. She will fight tooth and nail for those she loves, and without her tenacity it would have been all too easy for everyone else to take the easy way out. She may make mistakes, but she’s young and you can’t expect her to be perfect. She never stops though, and it is her persistence that keeps everyone else going. The sisters’ strengths all stem, most importantly, from the strength of their love. Their love for each other, for those around them, for their world. It’s what keeps them going and what makes them the perfect candidates to save everyone.

Their love is its own kind of magic. And it pairs well with the actual magic in the world of this series. Magic is tricky and always comes with a price, but it is also enchanting and capable of making dreams come true. It is almost tangible, the way it’s written. As you read, the magic in the books lifts off the page and surrounds you in a constellation of sparkling stars, sweeps you off your feet and transports you somewhere else entirely. The magic system here is not easy to control, and the price for using magic to get what you want can be steep, but it can deliver you exactly what you need if you know how to ask, and that’s what makes it so tantalizing. It is not without consequences, so you never feel as though the use of magic is a cop-out like it can in other magic systems occasionally. It is a measured use, sometimes a reckless use, but it is never a deus ex machina, solve all of our problems use. Half the time using magic causes as many if not more problems than it solves, and that helps give this story, and the other novels in the series, such great depth. But when it works, you can’t pull yourself away, because it is just so magical.

At the conclusion of this story, all I can say is I never wanted it to end. Not this book, not this series, none of it. But I can also say that it ended exactly the way it needed to, whether or not it fits into all the visions I had of what I wanted to see happen. It was still the correct ending for this narrative. So be prepared to lose yourself to this book. Be prepared to grow ever fonder of Scarlett and Tella. Be prepared to fall ever more in love with Julian and Legend. Be prepared to be fascinated by the Fates and Valenda and their entire world. You will want more, but you will be so happy with what you have that it will almost make the fact that this is the last book in the series bearable. Almost. Let the magic of Caraval and Legend and all they have to offer sweep over you once more. It’s your last chance, and you won’t ever want to let that magic go. I know I don’t.

Wow. As the third, and concluding, book in a series it’s a little more difficult to review Finale without spoiling it. In this installment we follow both sisters, Tella and Scarlett, as they attempt to fix and accept everything that’s happened. There are strong themes of love, loss, redemption, magic, endings and beginnings. I loved this book, even though it was far from perfect, it was so enjoyable. The plot, the characters, everything about it was gripping and entertaining. I think the Carval series has now become one of my favorites. I can’t wait to see what Stephanie Garber does next!