Reviews with content warning for Bullying - Once Upon a Broken Heart

(Spoiler review) when this book started off I thought: interesting…let’s see where this goes, then okay it’s very fantastical and floaty and Alice and wonderland-y, then I thought it was getting weirder but an easy quick read, then we started getting more excited and more things were lining up then it was quite exciting and that ending? Ooooh I leaned back and looked at Sean and was like. That’s an ending. I loved Evangelines hope, I HATED Marisol and her bitch ass mom, I didn’t care for Luke, and Chaos was interesting. Lala was an unexpected character and the Prince of Hearts was loveable but also way into blood for a fate that wasn’t a vampire. And what’s with the apples?? The door smiling at the end was wicked, and Evangeline realizing her strength and heroism was a lovely touch. Ummmm yeah I’m excited to see where book two goes and I guess now I have to read Caraval 😂

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adventurous emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I haven't read Caraval, but I enjoyed this! Very fairytale-esque with an interesting storytline. Kind of makes me want to go back and read Caraval because the world building in this was great! Plus, the characters make the book overall easy to read.

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

Spin-offs are always risky; you never know how they're going to measure up to the originals. I'll tell you right now - Once Upon a Broken Heart exceeded my expectations.

We return to Caraval's whimsical world to follow fan-favorite Jacks and our new heroine, Evangeline, Rose gold-haired Evangeline is a dreamer, but not gullible or helpless. Jacks is back to his heartless ways in the most infuriating yet intoxicating game of push and pull as we try to figure out if (and maybe haplessly hope) the heartless Prince of Hearts can indeed (or even cares to) redeem himself. We learn more about the Fates' history and the mysterious North and its magic as we veer from the game of Caraval into new lands (but not without a quick cameo with Scarlett & Tella first!).

Garber's imagination never fails to blow my mind. Eccentric and vivid characters, poetic writing, hopeless romance, magic, the epic twists & turns - everything I loved about Caraval comes back and doesn't fail to delight once again. I never know where Garber is going to take me in her writing, but I know I'm going to love every step of the way.

I feel like I've been totally spoiled by self-publishing authors of the world of KU I've been residing in lately who tend to pump their books out quickly because now I have to wait (who knows how long) for OUBH2 *crying emoji*

Until then, guess I'll pick up a book on the color blue...

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