"Spectacular" by Stephanie Garber

Spectacular (Oct. 22, 2024) by Stephanie Garber.

   Rosie Fowinkle, illustrator.

<This is a standalone holiday novella.>

Welcome to Valenda, capital city of the Meridian Empire. It’s Great Holiday Eve Eve. Empress Scarlett Dragna loves this time of the year, and she’s planning a spectacular Holiday worthy of a city seeped in magic and enchantment. There are life-size gingerbread houses emitting cinnamon smoke and falling snow inside the castle that never lands on the floor nor musses one’s coiffure. Plus, Julian is looking ravishing. Green is absolutely his color. Scarlett’s younger sister, Donatella (Tella), is searching for the perfect gift for Legend and stressing about it. Legend is aloof which isn’t unlike him. Perhaps he’s envious of the magic of the Holiday when he’s himself magical, but he doesn’t care for the Great Holiday or any of its Eves. Tella’s search for the perfect gift takes her to Garland Street, one that only appears on Great Holiday Eve Eve. She’s snuck away, yet again, from her guards. Here be clockwork boys, beautifully poisoned candy, a mischievous snow globe and a shady avenue in the same city currently boasting magical decor. The Great Holiday is setting up to be full of merriment, magic and mayhem.

            I still find Tella to be like a spoiled child who always gets her way and doesn’t know how to solve the smallest crumb of a problem. She continually annoys me, but my opinion shouldn’t stop anyone from reading this holiday novella. It is steeped in holiday merriment and has me wanting to decorate for Christmas and bake Christmas cookies. It swirls and twirls with magically festive world-building. Fowinkle’s illustrations are lush and gorgeous. There’s sugar and spice and poison. There’s whimsy and wonder and magic. It’s a short tale meant for the Caraval fandom, holiday enthusiasts and fairytale dreamers everywhere.

            Book One: Caraval

            Book Two: Legendary

            Book Three: Finale