Scarlett has always dreamed of attending the fantastical scavenger hunt Caraval. When she gets her chance, Scarlett grows convinced that the clues will lead to her missing sister. The suspenseful story is a bit too twisty-turny, but readers invested in the sisters' fates (and the outcome of steamy tension between Scarlett and companion Julian) will enjoy the ride through this darkly beautiful magical world. (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Sisters Scarlett and Donatella "Tella" Dragna have always dreamed of going to Caraval-a once-a-year, multiday event that is part magical spectacle, part treasure hunt. With only a week before Scarlett's wedding to a man she's never met, Tella runs away to Caraval and arranges for Scarlett to be abducted by a sailor named Julian and secretly taken to Caraval too. But when Scarlett arrives, she discovers that Tella has become the prize of the game, and all the players are searching for her. In order to save both herself and her sister, Scarlett must figure out the ambiguous clues and confounding puzzles and journey through a magical world where secrets and plots abound, nothing is as it seems, and no one is to be trusted. Actor Soler's narration, by turns curious, afraid, frustrated, and exhilarated, immediately draws the listener into this world. In a story full of colorful characters, she gives each one a distinct voice that is faithful to their descriptions in the text. This magical fairy tale will thrill lovers of fantasy and mystery. Ages 13-up. A Flatiron hardcover. (Jan.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

"Caraval" is "The Night Circus" Jr., with a dash of "Alice in Wonderland" and a sprinkle of "Fantasy Island." There are wish-growing seeds, drinkable gold, bowler hats covered in taxidermy crows, and gowns "the color of late-night laughter, early-morning sunshine, and waves crashing around ankles." It's the Elantine Dynasty, and Scarlett Dragna gets an invitation to Caraval, a magic carnival run by Legend, a top-hatted ringmaster. Julian, a sailor with impressive abs, whisks Scarlett and her sister off to Legend's private isle, where the games are more sinister than Scarlett imagined. For most of the book, neither Scarlett nor the reader knows what's real and what isn't. Can players die? How tightly does Legend's magic bind his performers? As a result, there's no sense of urgency, and the pleonastic prose got me woozy: Scarlett's "smoky-ginger prickle of discomfort"; Julian's kisses that taste "like midnight and wind." But Garber's way with fashion made me swoon: a magical dress shifts on Scarlett's body in accordance with her moods. If blood and madness, "shameless curves and immoral promises" entice you, well, come to the cabaret.

Scarlett and her sister, Tella, have grown up on stories of Caraval, a magical game run by a magician named Legend stories that helped them momentarily escape their grim existence with their abusive, controlling father. Now, weeks away from marrying a man she hasn't met, Scarlett receives an invitation to the enchanting palace, and Tella is determined to go, even if it means kidnapping her own sister to get there. When they arrive, they get separated, and driven by both the enticing candy-colored magic and her urge to find her sister, Scarlett plays Legend's seemingly innocuous game. Of course, all those flying creatures, enchanted ball gowns, and miraculous estates hide something sinister, and with the help of a handsome, rugged sailor, Scarlett uncovers secrets about both her own past and the true dangers of Caraval. While Scarlett is sometimes a frustratingly inept protagonist, Garber's rich, vivid scene setting and descriptions make for entertaining reading, and the conclusion hints at a sequel focused on Tella. A colorful, imaginative fantasy with some steamy romance for good measure.--Hunter, Sarah Copyright 2016 Booklist

Magic, mystery, and love intertwine and invite in this newest take on the enchanted circus trope. Sisters raised by their abusive father, a governor of a colonial backwater in a world vaguely reminiscent of the late 18th century, Scarlett and Donatella each long for something more. Scarlett, olive-skinned, dark of hair and attitude, longs for Caraval, the fabled, magical circus helmed by the possibly evil Master Legend Santos, while blonde, sunny Tella finds comfort in drink and the embraces of various men. A slightly awkward start, with inconsistencies of attitude and setting, rapidly smooths out when they, along with handsome golden-brown sailor Julian, flee to Caraval on the eve of Scarletts arranged marriage. Tella disappears, and Scarlett must navigate a nighttime world of magic to find her. Caraval delights the senses: beautiful and scary, described in luscious prose, this is a show readers will wish they could enter. Dresses can be purchased for secrets or days of life; clocks can become doors; bridges move: this is an inventive and original circus, laced with an edge of horror. A double love story, one sensual romance and the other sisterly loyalty, anchors the plot, but the real star here is Caraval and its secrets. Immersive and engaging, despite some flaws, and destined to capture imaginations. (Fantasy. 14 up) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.