Spectacular

By: Stephanie Garber

Official Synopsis:

Welcome, welcome back to the mysteriously enchanting world of CARAVAL! Return to the legendary magic and the whimsical wonder with this beautifully illustrated holiday novella.

Snowflakes are falling.
Invitations are arriving.
And holiday magic is swirling in the capital city of the Meridian Empire.

It’s Great Holiday Eve Eve. Scarlett Dragna is planning a spectacular Holiday celebration for the city. Donatella is searching for the perfect gift. Julian is looking ridiculously handsome in green. And Legend . . .

Well, sadly Legend is not fond of the Great Holiday. Tella is hoping her perfect gift will change his mind. Unfortunately, she hasn’t found this perfect gift just yet. But it is Great Holiday Eve Eve . . . surely there’s some holiday magic swirling around.

Welcome, welcome back to the world of Caraval, where even holidays are not as they seem.

My Review:

Magical, romantic, and jolly are three words that I think perfectly describe this book. This story is perfect for the fast-approaching holiday season! I sped through this novella in one sitting with my glass of hot chocolate right next to me. Meanwhile, I listened to Sabrina Carpenter’s song “cindy lou who” in the background. While the kingdom of Valenda is filled with joy and happiness, Donatella is worried about finding the perfect gift for Legend. She wants to spend this fun holiday with her loved one but is worried that Legend does not consider her, his. 

First, I woud love to point out Garber’s incredible storytelling. Her writing transports you into the character’s mind and their world. This novella also showcases beautiful artwork, which helps bring the words to life! Every time I turned the page I fell more in love with the book. While I loved Tella in Caraval, her character became more relatable and loveable throughout this novella. Her thoughts and decisions in this story remind me of the phrase, “I’m just a girl”.  When Tella picked up the booklet on love she knew it was not helpful, but she could not help herself! We can all be delusional about love and its aspects, and Tella shows us that. 

Ultimately, this was a spectacular novel (pun intended)! I would recommend this novella to anyone who enjoyed Caraval and loves the holiday season. I have to warn you though, there are not many scarjulian appearances throughout the book. However, we take what we can get!

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Format: Hardback Book