Jacks just hands it over almost apologetically. A magical map that talks should always be presented with flair (see the Wesley twins in Harry Potter). The magical objects are also poorly introduced, and their secrets feel more like an afterthought than a revelation. The Assassin should get a really flashy intro as well, just because he's called the Assassin. When (better-named) Poisoner strikes for the first time, readers should see it happen, not see his victims after and just hear rumors. We're just told how bad they are and how they're tied to the main bad guy with the least effective bad guy name, the Fallen Star. Author Stephanie Garber, writing her first series, has some great supernatural baddie characters but has no idea how to introduce them. Live it up, romance fans.įantasy fans will notice some big cracks in the foundation, however.

How can it ever work out between Tella and Legend? It's a nail-biter until the end. That's a big one, repeated almost like a mantra to the reader. Oh, and Legend, as an immortal, actually cannot love. Both sisters, Tella and Scarlett, have their huge obstacles to love: kidnapping, temporary death, other possessive suitors, and the whole kingdom falling down around them, to name a few. Romance buffs will have the grand, sweep-y, star-crossed-lovers ending they're looking for, while fantasy fans will walk away feeling jilted by the storytelling.

The caraval series