For any readers who are unaware, there is a subsection of TikTok known to the community as “booktok”. It’s where readers tell everyone about their favorite reads, give reviews, and recommend books based on genre or if you like a certain trope or series. I have fallen multiple times into this rabbit hole and have read a handful of the books that have been popular on booktok. The books have always been good reads, but none ever stuck out to me. That is, until I stumbled upon author Stephanie Garber.
Garber has written 2 trilogies that take place in the same universe. The first series is called Caraval, which is centered around a performance that takes place once every year consisting of a game played by a select group of people. Protagonist Scarlett and her sister get chosen, but readers find out that things are not as they seem. It is a really good series and should definitely be read before my main focus today: Once upon a Broken Heart.
This is my new favorite series, dethroning Harry Potter (which has been my number 1 since 4th grade). It is a fictional YA fantasy series with a slow burn romance. The story follows Evangeline Fox, a pink haired orphan who lives with her stepmother and sister. When she discovers the love of her life is engaged to someone else, she turns to the immortal Prince of Hearts for help and quickly discovers why most people advise against it. This series has a very fast pace, which really helps to get you interested in the story and keep you reading. The main character is, I’ll admit, a little naïve, which can be annoying at times, but I enjoyed how human she was. Even if I was annoyed while reading certain parts, I most likely would have done the same thing or thought the same. The banter between the two main characters is to die for and had me kicking my feet or squealing while reading.
The best book in the whole series is the second book. It had me on an emotional roller coaster. I laughed, I awed, I screamed at the book and for the book when necessary. The slow burn between the two characters finally burned over and oh boy was I a mess. And then the ending had me destroyed. The last five chapters in particular ruined me. It revealed my suspicions I had while reading and some details that shocked me. The author was evil for that ending. I wish I could say more, but I don’t want to spoil it for any future reading. I’ll just leave it as this, I didn’t realize how attached to these characters I was until the ending of the second book. And Garber made me feel more from a few chapters than I have ever felt reading a full book.
I have no clue how any other book will top this series for me, this year or ever. I fell in love with the world and the characters and it’s so upsetting to me that the series is over. I will be rereading it. If I could go back in time and read one series again for the first time it would be Once Upon a Broken Heart.
