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 Caraval is the first book in a new, young adult fantasy series of the same name by author Stephanie Garber. Caraval has gotten so much excellent hype that when I grabbed a copy at ALA last year, I could hardly contain myself. I am always a little weary of books that have so, so much hype surrounding them, but I am happy to say that Caraval certainly delivered. And then some. I loved this book and I cannot wait for book 2 when we get a chance to journey back to this magical world Stephanie Garber created. 
 Caraval does have a romance in it, and it was a romance that I really enjoyed, but what I liked even more than the romance was that the main characters, and main focus, of this book were the two sisters. It was really refreshing to see such a great bond between them. And trust me, no matter what your initial impressions might be, there is a great bond between the two girls. (view spoiler)[At first, I thought the younger sister was the biggest brat on earth. I was totally not a fan. But she more than won me over as the book went on. (hide spoiler)] 
 Scarlet and Tella grew up admiring the mysterious and grand show of Caraval, an interactive circus where visitors can choose to watch the competition or participate for themselves. I loved the idea behind Caraval. It was part contest, part scavenger hunt, and a whole lot of magical and creepy. The land of Caraval was enthralling. I could not pull myself away from it. Even now, weeks after having finished the book, I still catch myself thinking about it. Part of me wants to run through those streets with Scarlet and part of me thinks I would never have the guts to participate. 
 All of the characters in Caraval are so multifaceted and super interesting. And I do mean every one is interesting. Even the actors in Carval play awesomely complex roles. A mixture of real and fake that I couldn't get enough of. Julian, who is the slow burn kind of love interest was particularly interesting. The whole book just works so well. I loved seeing the history of Carval, I loved seeing the present, I loved the characters and the world and just getting to be a part of the whole story telling experience. I need more!! Seriously, this better not be a duology. I want a long series of Caraval books! I can't wait to see what the next evolution of Carval, the game, looks like. I am addicted to this book! And I want more! 
 This review was originally posted on Book Briefs