Spectacular: A Caraval Holiday Novella

Snowflakes are swelling in the air as Donatella Dragna tries to find the perfect gift for the boy - the Legend - that she doesn't want to love, but indeed loves very much. Her sister, Scarlett, is setting up for the Great Holiday Eve party, while Scarlett's beau, Julian stands there dashingly, offering support where he can. Neither are interested in Donatella's search; not even Legend. Can Donatella find the perfect gift in time for the Great Holiday Eve party when it's only Great Holiday Eve eve? And can she stay out of trouble? Okay, that last one is doubtful. To be clear, I was going into this with an open mind by knowing nothing of the main Caraval series. While I had heard of it and seen rave reviews, I regretfully have not picked up the series yet. But after Spectacular, Caraval moved way up on my to-buy list! I absolutely loved the whimsy and merriment scattered throughout the book, and town! The jolly and light descriptions were fabulous. They weren't too much, but just enough. The mystery of Great Holiday Eve and all the magical trappings that goes along with it was a joy to read and set me in the perfect mood for the holidays. The pacing was perfect. Giving things enough time to develop, while still keeping you at the edge of your seat, craving more of the sweet treats and hot cocoa that's within these pages. Speaking of hot, the art in the hardcover edition is beyond gorgeous! And I love the little notes, explaining things that happened in the main series so someone like me could understand what was going on and who the narration was talking about. There is a perfect mixture of romance, action, mystery, adventure, and holiday trappings trapped in Spectacular, making this book truly spectacular.