"The Bones of Ruin" by Sarah Raughley

A tightrope dancer with a mysterious past who can't die.

A tournament of freaks. 

A frightening destiny.

Welcome to "The Bones of Ruin".

Iris Marlow can't die. She also has no idea of who or what she is. Ten years ago, with no memories at all, Iris stumbled into a traveling circus tent and was able to secure herself an act as a tightrope dancer. 

During the last ten years, she has done everything she can to hide her secret. But when one of her show goes wrong and her secret is revealed, Iris finds herself pulled into a world of powerful elites who have their owns plans for her unique ability and they also may be the key to figuring out who she was before the circus.  Iris agrees to participate in a deadly tournament in exchange for information about her life before the circus.

Secrets, adventure. and murder abound as Iris discovers that she is not the only one in the city with unique abilities, and all of these individuals are somehow connected. 

This book had suspense, mystery, adventure, magic, tension and even a love square (like a love triangle, but with four people instead of three). This book is set in Victorian London and contains a variety of diverse characters that should appeal to a wide audience. 

While one big question is answered by the end of this book, there are many more that are left unanswered so I will be starting book two right away. I need answers about Iris and some of the other major players in the "Tournament of Freaks".

Overall, if you are a fan of the fantasy genre I expect you will greatly enjoy "Bones of Ruin". 

Caraval by Stephanie Garber

“Welcome, welcome to Caraval! The grandest show on land or by sea. Inside you’ll experience more wonders than most people see in a lifetime. You can sip magic from a cup and buy dreams in a bottle. But before you fully enter into our world, you must remember it’s all a game.”

Two sisters. One magical adventure. The chance of a lifetime.
Scarlett and Tella have always dreamed of seeing Caraval, the once-a-year magical performance put on by the mysterious showman who is only known as Legend. Just weeks before Scarlett's marriage to a complete stranger, Tella and Scarlett receive personal invitations from Legend himself to attend this year's performance on his island home.  Seeing a chance to escape their abusive father and their dismal futures, Tella, with the help of a handsome sailor, whisks Scarlett away to Caraval.

However, Caraval is much different than the sisters expected.  Instead of a fun filled magical adventure, the sisters find that Caraval is much more deadly than they expected. Upon arrival, Tella is kidnapped by Legend and made the prize for this year's Caraval. Whoever finds Tella first is the winner and gets one wish. But if Scarlett can't find Tella before the 5 days of Caraval are up, then she may never see her sister again.
***
Caraval is one of those books that has been in my TBR pile for a while. It was always kind of in the back of my mind, whispering, "You need to read me." I finally pulled Caraval to the top of my TBR pile when one of my students told me, "Mrs. White, you need to read this. Like, right now." So I pushed aside all my other waiting books and started Caraval.
I went in to this book expecting to enjoy the story, but it was more fun than I even anticipated.

First of all, I really enjoyed to closeness between the two sisters, Scarlett and Tella. I mean, there were times when I would have liked to smack each of them upside the head, but I appreciated the positive sibling relationship that was represented in this book. Scarlett and Tella, despite their obvious differences, were both willing to sacrifice everything if it meant saving the other.

Caraval is one of those stories that keeps you guessing, theorizing, and speculating about the characters, the plot, and who can be trusted, and I found myself constantly questioning what was real in the story, what was part of the game, and what the master of Caraval really wanted with the sisters. I found myself thinking about the book whenever I had free time trying to puzzle out how the story was going to turn out. So be sure to have a nice chunk of time set aside when you start this book, and pay close attention as you go.

I found the romance in this book to be sweet, but I feel like it is nowhere near resolved. I am looking forward to reading the next two books and seeing how the relationship that began in this book develops.

So if you are looking for a magical fantasy story with dark elements and twists and turns, this may be the book for you. It is filled with deception, manipulation, betrayal and constant surprises set against the magical backdrop of Caraval. As you read, remember just one thing:

"IT'S ONLY A GAME..." 😏