Families can talk about why the game in Caraval is played at night, instead of during the day. Are the actions of game participants in the end really consequence-free? After being swept up in the magical world of Caraval, Tella finally escaped her father and saved her sister Scarlett from a disastrous arranged marriage. The girls should be celebrating, but Tella isn't yet free. She made a desperate bargain with a mysterious criminal, and what Tella owes him no one has ever been able to deliver: Caraval Master Legend's true name.

Families can talk about the gossip newspapers in Once Upon a Broken Heart. How do they skew the truth? How do they sway popular opinion? Why do you think everyone in both kingdoms reads them?Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide. Get started Close What appeals to you in a romance tale? What are the characters like who fall in love? Who's your favorite female romantic hero? What does her ideal partner look and act like? Are you looking for a person like that in your own relationships? But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt-of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner. Kissing and a girl partially undressed (and embarrassed) in front of a man. Talk of a girl's many suitors and rendezvous with men, but most of it is just talk. A kissing tent with participants inside. Some teasing innuendo as main characters pretend to be engaged. Reveals the courage it takes to stand up to an abuser and get out from under their power. The issue of trust comes up repeatedly as nothing is exactly as it seems during the game. Also, boldness to make one's own choices wins out over fear of the unknown.

I found this book to have excellent world building and colorful descriptions. The main character clings to hope and kindness amid many cruelties towards her and even when all evidence points to betrayal she offers forgiveness easily. However, her desperation for romance is not a positive role model for young girls. She seems willing to be romantic with any guy who shows interest. There is a heady amount of innuendo, though I think most would go over a lot of kids heads. As an adult this felt like pg13 version of a steamy adult book. The plot could be really interesting if it wasn’t so romance focused. For us personally we saw a change in our daughters attitude towards boys after repeated reads of this book. Each parent knows what their kid can handle, mind is 14 and not ready for this. Though it was originally published in 2017, Caraval has recently been getting lots of love on BookTok. What has that experience been like for you?

Games

Every person has the power to change their fate if they are brave enough to fight for what they desire more than anything. I started writing Once Upon a Broken Heart in the spring of 2019, right after Finale came out. I finished my first draft right before Covid-19 hit, but it was revised during the pandemic, and that affected the book a lot. It was a really hard time, so I wanted to give my character even more hope and optimism. Even though it’s a story about heartbreak, I wanted to write a character who believes in fairy tales and true love and love at first sight and all of these things. The Caraval trilogy put me in the mood for stories about high-stakes competitions, magic, circuses, and the overall art of performance. Here are some book recommendations along those lines that might help with the recovery process.