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Tarot
Anna was never supposed to exist. Born of a forbidden union between the Queen and the tyrannical King’s archnemesis, Anna is forced to live out her days isolated in the Tower, with only her mentors and friends the Hermit, the Fool, and the Magician to keep her company. To pass the time, Anna imagines unique worlds populated by creatives and dreamers—the exact opposite of the King’s land of fixed fates and rigid rules—and weaves them into four glorious tapestries.
But on the eve of her sixteenth birthday and her promised release from the Tower, Anna discovers her true lineage: She’s the daughter of Marco, a powerful magician, and the King is worried that his magical gifts are starting to surface in Anna. Fearing for her life, Anna flees the Tower and finds herself in Cups, a lush, tropical land full of all the adventure, free-spiritedness, and creativity she imagined while weaving.
Anna thinks she’s found paradise in this world of beachside parties, endless food and drink, and exhilarating romance. But when the fabric of Cups begins to unravel, Anna discovers that her tapestries are more than just decoration. They’re the foundation for a new world that she is destined to create—as long as the terrors from the old world don’t catch up with her first.
But on the eve of her sixteenth birthday and her promised release from the Tower, Anna discovers her true lineage: She’s the daughter of Marco, a powerful magician, and the King is worried that his magical gifts are starting to surface in Anna. Fearing for her life, Anna flees the Tower and finds herself in Cups, a lush, tropical land full of all the adventure, free-spiritedness, and creativity she imagined while weaving.
Anna thinks she’s found paradise in this world of beachside parties, endless food and drink, and exhilarating romance. But when the fabric of Cups begins to unravel, Anna discovers that her tapestries are more than just decoration. They’re the foundation for a new world that she is destined to create—as long as the terrors from the old world don’t catch up with her first.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published February 19, 2019
33 people are currently reading
3841 people want to read
About the author
Marissa Kennerson
4 books103 followersMarissa Kennerson received her B.A. in English Literature from the University of California at Berkeley. Before earning her master’s degree in psychology and art therapy, she worked for Wired and Glamour. She’s the author of the YA cult-suspense novel, The Family, which she did not write from personal experience, since the only cult she’s ever been in is the cult of YouTube makeup tutorials. She lives in California with her husband and son. Look for her new book, TAROT, out with Razorbill in 2019.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
did-not-finish
January 3, 2019DNF at page 69.
No RTC.
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
No RTC.
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
March 11, 2019
It technically deserves a lower rating but I am feeling generous because I did have fun. The world building feels natural in many ways but at the same time, there is a lot that goes unexplained. I liked some of the secondary characters but the love interest was MEH and a lot of the dialogue was cheesy. In general, I feel like there is so much more that could have been done with the book and the world that would have truly set it apart and engaged me more. Nevertheless, it is a quick read and entertaining as well if not always ~good.~
October 25, 2019
No quotes from this book because literally none of it stood out to me.
I don't know how this book made it past the editing stage and onto publication. This was such a tangled, lackluster mess of bad writing and 2% plot. And while I must admit I know very little about anything Tarot . . . it still didn't seem very connected to this book minus the names of things and vague characteristics??
ALSO I AM UPSET OVER CHARACTER TREATMENT!! First off, cardboard cutouts are more detailed than these characters. They are nothing more than placeholders for conversations that read so juvenile and cheesy (and not in a good way) . . . as well as horrible representation of a LGBT couple. I'm sorry, but to have the only diverse characters in here be the ones tortured only to show how "horrid" the villainous king is?? Not to mention that particular crappy plot arc IS NOT RESOLVED!! So the last you know, one is left in the dungeons and the other only appeared to serve as a plot crutch/furtherance to the MC. That ain't cool.
So beyond the terrible character portrayals and handling, the total lack of a solid plot, and minimal, confusing world-building . . . there was also THE ICKY ROMANCE. James was too-perfect, I refuse to believe they took a bath together NAKED and "just cuddled" (ahahaha yeah right), and also this was like the instalove trope taken further than I ever thought I'd read??
Literally the only element of this book that I cared about in the slightest was Topper. But he was barely interesting in the midst of such a laughable, boring book that read like fanfiction written by a sleep-deprived middle-schooler. And even then I've read award worthy fics written by sleep-deprived middle schoolers!! So, I don't really see how this made it into publication because it has just so many problems on so many levels . . .
I don't know how this book made it past the editing stage and onto publication. This was such a tangled, lackluster mess of bad writing and 2% plot. And while I must admit I know very little about anything Tarot . . . it still didn't seem very connected to this book minus the names of things and vague characteristics??
ALSO I AM UPSET OVER CHARACTER TREATMENT!! First off, cardboard cutouts are more detailed than these characters. They are nothing more than placeholders for conversations that read so juvenile and cheesy (and not in a good way) . . . as well as horrible representation of a LGBT couple. I'm sorry, but to have the only diverse characters in here be the ones tortured only to show how "horrid" the villainous king is?? Not to mention that particular crappy plot arc IS NOT RESOLVED!! So the last you know, one is left in the dungeons and the other only appeared to serve as a plot crutch/furtherance to the MC. That ain't cool.
So beyond the terrible character portrayals and handling, the total lack of a solid plot, and minimal, confusing world-building . . . there was also THE ICKY ROMANCE. James was too-perfect, I refuse to believe they took a bath together NAKED and "just cuddled" (ahahaha yeah right), and also this was like the instalove trope taken further than I ever thought I'd read??
Literally the only element of this book that I cared about in the slightest was Topper. But he was barely interesting in the midst of such a laughable, boring book that read like fanfiction written by a sleep-deprived middle-schooler. And even then I've read award worthy fics written by sleep-deprived middle schoolers!! So, I don't really see how this made it into publication because it has just so many problems on so many levels . . .
February 7, 2019
I received the ARC of this book at YALLFEST 2018. It wasn’t a book I would have picked for myself, but I was interested, and decided to read it before it was published.
I struggled through. I finished, mostly for the sake of finishing.
The writing seemed very simple, almost like a middle grade novel. Yet, there were sexually suggestive scenes that (for me) made it clear it wasn't for children. {Don't get me started on two teens getting into a tub together and just "cuddling"} The story seemed scattered and undeveloped. It was almost as if they had an idea, and hadn't really built it all up, and then forced it out. Which kind of disappointed me, because even though the books description never really made it about Tarot cards, and their "creation" - I was really interested in that premise. I felt like I stumbled on plot holes every couple chapter, as well.
The characters weren't of any essence either. Anna seemed to have no depth, and every other character fell flat for me. The Magician was by far the best character in the novel.
On a positive note, the sophomoric style of writing made the book easy to fly through. I think, depending on the audience, one may really like this story. 12 year old me, may have really thought this was a fun tale, but adult me wasn't as interested. I could go on and on about things that bugged me with this story, but I'll just say that I'd recommend a hard pass on this one.
I struggled through. I finished, mostly for the sake of finishing.
The writing seemed very simple, almost like a middle grade novel. Yet, there were sexually suggestive scenes that (for me) made it clear it wasn't for children. {Don't get me started on two teens getting into a tub together and just "cuddling"} The story seemed scattered and undeveloped. It was almost as if they had an idea, and hadn't really built it all up, and then forced it out. Which kind of disappointed me, because even though the books description never really made it about Tarot cards, and their "creation" - I was really interested in that premise. I felt like I stumbled on plot holes every couple chapter, as well.
The characters weren't of any essence either. Anna seemed to have no depth, and every other character fell flat for me. The Magician was by far the best character in the novel.
On a positive note, the sophomoric style of writing made the book easy to fly through. I think, depending on the audience, one may really like this story. 12 year old me, may have really thought this was a fun tale, but adult me wasn't as interested. I could go on and on about things that bugged me with this story, but I'll just say that I'd recommend a hard pass on this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 19, 2019
Quick read but *cringes* kind of matches the cover?
The writing felt very geared towards a younger crowd until there was torture and teenage "messing around." Also most of the characters were just named Magician, Hermit, Fool, King, etc. and didn't have any real back story or something to connect with. Not sure what to think about this, but then again I know nothing about Tarot, so maybe that was part of it. *shrugs*
The writing felt very geared towards a younger crowd until there was torture and teenage "messing around." Also most of the characters were just named Magician, Hermit, Fool, King, etc. and didn't have any real back story or something to connect with. Not sure what to think about this, but then again I know nothing about Tarot, so maybe that was part of it. *shrugs*
April 28, 2019
This book was quite terrible.
It's really a shame, considering how much the premise/description drew me in. I mean, forbidden bastard child, powerful magicians, enchanting lands, what more could you want? Well, what more I want is for this story to actually be interesting and not be baaaad.
Anna has spent the first 16 years of her life trapped in a tower but she doesn't seem to have been affected by it at all. Her biggest problems afterward seem to be that she doesn't know how to swim and she's pale. Honestly, I'm more socially awkward than Anna and I haven't spent 16 years trapped in a tower, but she's instantly social and chats with people and makes friends and doesn't seem to have any past trauma or anything. She's probably never seen anyone her age before since she's always been trapped up there but it's all chill all gucci she can get a boyfriend in like a week no problemo. And I'm just like ???? Realistic????
Also, the romance was so bad it was kind of laughable? It's kind of like a love triangle, but not really? I mean considering the main character falls in instalove with her love interest on like the first date (although I really couldn't tell you why since his only real character traits were being a pushover and a bland cardboard cutout lacking any sort of personality) it's not like the other guy had a chance, which leaves me wondering why Anna was like "oh! yes i have the feelings too!!"
I didn't really like the writing style of this book. I always felt pretty disconnected from the characters, and never really cared about or even identified with any of them. It was told through third person omniscient point of view, often switching from Anna, to another kid, to the king, or whatever, sometimes even in the same chapter. But although some books do this well, this one ended up just feeling really disconnected. Also, the chapters are all ridiculously short, some only one or two pages long, and the average page length was probably around five or so pages. Shorter chapters sometimes work in contemporary, but this was supposed to be this great epic fantasy, and instead we got these short choppy scenes that I never really got invested in.
I thought the world building was terrible. We're immediately set up in what seems like a typical fantasy world with a cruel king, but that's basically all I know. There were a lot of random things that were never really explored or explained. Like, apparently this kind is such a tyrant he dictates what your job is, who you marry, stuff like that, but instead of really exploring what kind of a cruel dictator that makes him, or if that's made his people have uprisings or anything, it's just mentioned like twice. There are characters with names like The Magician, The Fool, The Hermit, stuff like that, but we're never really given an explanation why. Does everyone have names like this? Then why is Anna named Anna and not The Bastard Child or something? Or is it just these people, and if so why are they special that they have these names? The king also seems to feel bad for Anna, but then his senator or adviser or something tells him he needs to get rid of her and that's that, with no explanation why he has such influence on the king, or what his role is.
All of the characters felt very one dimensional and, frankly, very stupid. Anna shows up at one point half dead and drowned, and when a guy and a girl find her, the girl doesn't want to save her and basically wants to let her drown because...she's a girl? It's not like she's hitting on the guy or anything, she's literally trying not to die and the girl is already jealous and catty and mean? At one point, a bunch of people get mad at Anna and then suddenly everyone is mad at her and destroying her stuff in that sort of go with the flow mob mentality and nobody even questions why, and then like 20 pages later she's back and people just stop being mad at her because of that sort of go with the flow mob mentality and nobody even questions why.
The only redeemable quality of this book was that it was short--I burned through it in one sitting in a couple of hours. Other than that, I'd say give this one a hard pass.
1.5 stars
It's really a shame, considering how much the premise/description drew me in. I mean, forbidden bastard child, powerful magicians, enchanting lands, what more could you want? Well, what more I want is for this story to actually be interesting and not be baaaad.
Anna has spent the first 16 years of her life trapped in a tower but she doesn't seem to have been affected by it at all. Her biggest problems afterward seem to be that she doesn't know how to swim and she's pale. Honestly, I'm more socially awkward than Anna and I haven't spent 16 years trapped in a tower, but she's instantly social and chats with people and makes friends and doesn't seem to have any past trauma or anything. She's probably never seen anyone her age before since she's always been trapped up there but it's all chill all gucci she can get a boyfriend in like a week no problemo. And I'm just like ???? Realistic????
Also, the romance was so bad it was kind of laughable? It's kind of like a love triangle, but not really? I mean considering the main character falls in instalove with her love interest on like the first date (although I really couldn't tell you why since his only real character traits were being a pushover and a bland cardboard cutout lacking any sort of personality) it's not like the other guy had a chance, which leaves me wondering why Anna was like "oh! yes i have the feelings too!!"
I didn't really like the writing style of this book. I always felt pretty disconnected from the characters, and never really cared about or even identified with any of them. It was told through third person omniscient point of view, often switching from Anna, to another kid, to the king, or whatever, sometimes even in the same chapter. But although some books do this well, this one ended up just feeling really disconnected. Also, the chapters are all ridiculously short, some only one or two pages long, and the average page length was probably around five or so pages. Shorter chapters sometimes work in contemporary, but this was supposed to be this great epic fantasy, and instead we got these short choppy scenes that I never really got invested in.
I thought the world building was terrible. We're immediately set up in what seems like a typical fantasy world with a cruel king, but that's basically all I know. There were a lot of random things that were never really explored or explained. Like, apparently this kind is such a tyrant he dictates what your job is, who you marry, stuff like that, but instead of really exploring what kind of a cruel dictator that makes him, or if that's made his people have uprisings or anything, it's just mentioned like twice. There are characters with names like The Magician, The Fool, The Hermit, stuff like that, but we're never really given an explanation why. Does everyone have names like this? Then why is Anna named Anna and not The Bastard Child or something? Or is it just these people, and if so why are they special that they have these names? The king also seems to feel bad for Anna, but then his senator or adviser or something tells him he needs to get rid of her and that's that, with no explanation why he has such influence on the king, or what his role is.
All of the characters felt very one dimensional and, frankly, very stupid. Anna shows up at one point half dead and drowned, and when a guy and a girl find her, the girl doesn't want to save her and basically wants to let her drown because...she's a girl? It's not like she's hitting on the guy or anything, she's literally trying not to die and the girl is already jealous and catty and mean? At one point, a bunch of people get mad at Anna and then suddenly everyone is mad at her and destroying her stuff in that sort of go with the flow mob mentality and nobody even questions why, and then like 20 pages later she's back and people just stop being mad at her because of that sort of go with the flow mob mentality and nobody even questions why.
The only redeemable quality of this book was that it was short--I burned through it in one sitting in a couple of hours. Other than that, I'd say give this one a hard pass.
1.5 stars
July 12, 2018
A fantastic read and a very clever idea. Turning the Tarot into different worlds is a brilliant idea. (Let's hope it helps me remember when I'm trying to learn them...)
I liked Anna, although I thought she recovered remarkable quickly from her sixteen years locked in a tower and showed very few after effects; a good sleep and a nice meal seemed to take care of everything. I'll accept 'magic' as the excuse there, though.
A brilliant read, and I'll be looking forward to reading more in the series.
Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.
Anna felt a deep pit in her stomach. She wondered briefly if she should offer him the truth. He might think she was being absurd, but she was more afraid of what might happen if Daniel believed her. She had history with the people of Cups now; unfortunately, not all of it was built on the truth.
Which was the very reason why she couldn't tell him what she'd seen. Anna had placed them in grave danger by associating herself with them, but she also couldn't bear the thought of losing the friends she'd made.
No, she had to discover exactly what was happening and exactly how to fix it. She would figure out how to protect the people of Cups from the Hierophant King. To tell them the truth now would only scare them.
I liked Anna, although I thought she recovered remarkable quickly from her sixteen years locked in a tower and showed very few after effects; a good sleep and a nice meal seemed to take care of everything. I'll accept 'magic' as the excuse there, though.
A brilliant read, and I'll be looking forward to reading more in the series.
Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.
Anna felt a deep pit in her stomach. She wondered briefly if she should offer him the truth. He might think she was being absurd, but she was more afraid of what might happen if Daniel believed her. She had history with the people of Cups now; unfortunately, not all of it was built on the truth.
Which was the very reason why she couldn't tell him what she'd seen. Anna had placed them in grave danger by associating herself with them, but she also couldn't bear the thought of losing the friends she'd made.
No, she had to discover exactly what was happening and exactly how to fix it. She would figure out how to protect the people of Cups from the Hierophant King. To tell them the truth now would only scare them.
August 19, 2018
This book was a delight which is saying something because fantasy is not usually my genre. I've always been intrigued by tarot cards though, so was thrilled when I got an advanced copy of this baby. I'll definitely be recommending it for purchase for my library. Full review to come!
July 7, 2018
A truly unique novel, woven with threads of stars, moon, and magic. Fans of Caraval will love this compelling world built of cards and kings and one girl who dreams of something better.
Want to read
December 26, 2018Why ruin such an awesome summary with a cover like that.
February 22, 2019
I was pleasantly surprised by this book.I went into it not expecting much, but don't let the cover fool you. This is a fast, fluffy, fun, and very imaginative book that I greatly enjoyed! I would say my rating is more towards the 3.5 range, and I really wish there were half star options here.
The author takes us on a tour through the world of Tarot. The tarot deck has literally been turned into four different lands. The MC escapes Pentacles to get away from her stepfather, a weak king who is frightened of her magical lineage and therefore has kept her locked in a tower and is planning on killing her once he realizes she might have magic in her blood. The MC ends up in the land of Cups, which seems very much like a land she wove together into a tapestry while locked in her tower.
The details and world building are lovely and I greatly enjoyed the fun time that was had by all in Cups. Some of the characters (including the MC) might seem a bit naive, and that plays perfectly into the story, and how the land of Cups is described. A beautiful utopia for the young and carefree. Of course, they then realize they must defend the land as the king comes searching for the MC and some growth is seen in the characters, although I would have liked to see more of a character arc her for the MC and others. The characters remain pretty static throughout the book.
Overall the book is not incredibly substantial, but it is a lot of fun. I would recommend it as a fun book that shouldn't be taken too seriously, especially if you need a break from some of the deeply dramatic or high fantasy things you've been reading lately. Or, if you're stuck in a reading rut (as I was), this is the perfect fluffy book to get you out of it!
The ending does leave things open for more books. Perhaps a voyage into the land of Swords? The MC states she wants to travel the rest of the lands, and hopefully we will get to join her on that journey soon enough.
The author takes us on a tour through the world of Tarot. The tarot deck has literally been turned into four different lands. The MC escapes Pentacles to get away from her stepfather, a weak king who is frightened of her magical lineage and therefore has kept her locked in a tower and is planning on killing her once he realizes she might have magic in her blood. The MC ends up in the land of Cups, which seems very much like a land she wove together into a tapestry while locked in her tower.
The details and world building are lovely and I greatly enjoyed the fun time that was had by all in Cups. Some of the characters (including the MC) might seem a bit naive, and that plays perfectly into the story, and how the land of Cups is described. A beautiful utopia for the young and carefree. Of course, they then realize they must defend the land as the king comes searching for the MC and some growth is seen in the characters, although I would have liked to see more of a character arc her for the MC and others. The characters remain pretty static throughout the book.
Overall the book is not incredibly substantial, but it is a lot of fun. I would recommend it as a fun book that shouldn't be taken too seriously, especially if you need a break from some of the deeply dramatic or high fantasy things you've been reading lately. Or, if you're stuck in a reading rut (as I was), this is the perfect fluffy book to get you out of it!
The ending does leave things open for more books. Perhaps a voyage into the land of Swords? The MC states she wants to travel the rest of the lands, and hopefully we will get to join her on that journey soon enough.
April 1, 2024
This would’ve been 4 stars if the climax and ending were more than 15 pages long.
August 7, 2019
I picked up this one because I needed to read a book for Divination in a HP Challenge. While I like Anna as a character I thought the plot moved very slowly, lounging at the beach, except when it has no time and rushes forward.
I agree with other reviewers that the blurb reveal far too much! It took more than half the book to catch up with the blurb. A wholly different item is the fact that Anna "drinks coconut milk straight from the [nut]" - coconut milk is made by grating the white coconut stuff and if you're drinking fresh from the coconut it's coconut water. Likewise I got confused when a character clearly used to riding and work cuts their "soft palm" pulling on a pair of reins. Horses have been a part of my life for years, I've never encountered this, but this could theoretically happen I suppose. Essentially I am doubting the research that went into the book, and I struggle to suspend my disbelief.
The ending seemed a little easy, and overall I felt like the entire book was merely an introduction to the tarot deck, especially when the Major Arcana entered the stage. It's a book with mainly two-dimensional characters and I know there's better out there.
I agree with other reviewers that the blurb reveal far too much! It took more than half the book to catch up with the blurb. A wholly different item is the fact that Anna "drinks coconut milk straight from the [nut]" - coconut milk is made by grating the white coconut stuff and if you're drinking fresh from the coconut it's coconut water. Likewise I got confused when a character clearly used to riding and work cuts their "soft palm" pulling on a pair of reins. Horses have been a part of my life for years, I've never encountered this, but this could theoretically happen I suppose. Essentially I am doubting the research that went into the book, and I struggle to suspend my disbelief.
The ending seemed a little easy, and overall I felt like the entire book was merely an introduction to the tarot deck, especially when the Major Arcana entered the stage. It's a book with mainly two-dimensional characters and I know there's better out there.
April 14, 2019
DNF.
I have tried this book three times now.
THREE.
And I can't get over how it feels like the story started in the wrong place and I felt disconnected with all the characters.
I heard great things about this book at YALLfest from multiple authors, got an ARC of it, got a galley of it through Edelweiss, and I've tried the actual, Final Copy of the book. And I just... can't.
Please still try this book and hopefully you'll enjoy it more than me.
I have tried this book three times now.
THREE.
And I can't get over how it feels like the story started in the wrong place and I felt disconnected with all the characters.
I heard great things about this book at YALLfest from multiple authors, got an ARC of it, got a galley of it through Edelweiss, and I've tried the actual, Final Copy of the book. And I just... can't.
Please still try this book and hopefully you'll enjoy it more than me.
April 11, 2020
Fantastical lands, suppressed powers, and tarot cards that truly come to life... this riveting adventure is bound to enchant readers!
First, I love tarot so I could not wait to get my hands on this. (Fun fact, I've always wanted to learn how to read tarot cards and this definitely re-ignited that desire!)
I never thought I'd read a book where tarot cards come to life so vividly. The story was wondrous, captivating, and a real page-turner. I finished it in one day! If you are a fan of magic, an underdog heroine, and fierce friendships... then add Tarot to your collection. This is a way of tarot reading like never before!
First, I love tarot so I could not wait to get my hands on this. (Fun fact, I've always wanted to learn how to read tarot cards and this definitely re-ignited that desire!)
I never thought I'd read a book where tarot cards come to life so vividly. The story was wondrous, captivating, and a real page-turner. I finished it in one day! If you are a fan of magic, an underdog heroine, and fierce friendships... then add Tarot to your collection. This is a way of tarot reading like never before!
October 12, 2020
Not a fan. This did not keep my interest and didn’t make much sense, either.
January 30, 2021
I absolutely loved this book.
August 22, 2025
I enjoyed this book, it was exactly what I needed after reading something a little heavier. It is lighthearted, whimsical, and speaks to the experiences of youth. It was imaginative and sweet. I’m wondering if there are more books after this one, but that’s what the internet is for. I gave 4 stars instead of five because there were a few loose ends in the book, and some of the writing felt as if it was still in the revising stage. Regardless, the message came across beautifully and I would encourage the writer to continue with the beautiful world she has created 🥰
October 29, 2023
1 star- arson is an understandable reaction
The whole “turning Tarot into a world” thing was cool in theory, but the story was itself was not good. I read the entire thing because I was convinced it had to get better. Spoiler alert: it didn’t. I will try to keep this relatively brief.
By far the worst part was the love story. James, aka the love interest, has 'chestnut hair', 'rippling muscles', and a tall, blonde, tan girl hanging all over him. He and Anna flirt and he eventually asks her on a date. The very next day, she finds the blonde girl naked in his bed. She dramatically runs away, asking herself how she could be so stupid, while he chases after her saying that 'it isn't what it seems' and that he ‘didn't even know she was there'. I did not sign up for a melodramatic, cliché romance. Even worse, James’s entire personality becomes 'his soft lips are pressed into Anna's'. Argh.
Which brings me to the characters in general. None of them had personality beyond a cardboard cutout. Half the characters weren’t even consistent with their backstories, and the others didn’t even HAVE one when they desperately needed one to make sense.
The plot was just as bad. All of the plot twists have been done before- I could probably find slightly less quality versions of them on Wattpad in under five minutes. And as a general rule of thumb- if you're going to make someone be a traitor, give them a CREATIVE reason for it to be justified, or just accept it as it isn’t.
I’d give this somewhere between 1 to 1.5 stars for a cool starting idea, but with seriously lacking execution.
The whole “turning Tarot into a world” thing was cool in theory, but the story was itself was not good. I read the entire thing because I was convinced it had to get better. Spoiler alert: it didn’t. I will try to keep this relatively brief.
By far the worst part was the love story. James, aka the love interest, has 'chestnut hair', 'rippling muscles', and a tall, blonde, tan girl hanging all over him. He and Anna flirt and he eventually asks her on a date. The very next day, she finds the blonde girl naked in his bed. She dramatically runs away, asking herself how she could be so stupid, while he chases after her saying that 'it isn't what it seems' and that he ‘didn't even know she was there'. I did not sign up for a melodramatic, cliché romance. Even worse, James’s entire personality becomes 'his soft lips are pressed into Anna's'. Argh.
Which brings me to the characters in general. None of them had personality beyond a cardboard cutout. Half the characters weren’t even consistent with their backstories, and the others didn’t even HAVE one when they desperately needed one to make sense.
The plot was just as bad. All of the plot twists have been done before- I could probably find slightly less quality versions of them on Wattpad in under five minutes. And as a general rule of thumb- if you're going to make someone be a traitor, give them a CREATIVE reason for it to be justified, or just accept it as it isn’t.
I’d give this somewhere between 1 to 1.5 stars for a cool starting idea, but with seriously lacking execution.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 13, 2019
This book was a mess
February 12, 2019
ARC provided to me by Razorbill (Penguin Random House) in exchange for my honest review.
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Anna has been kept in a tower for as long as she can remember; it has been her only home and while it feels like a prison, she is glad to have her friends and advisors The Magician, The Fool and the Hermit in her life, making her existence a little more bearable.
The day before she is set to be free from captivity, Anna learns her biggest truth: she is not the daughter of the king, but that of the greatest magician who ever lived and her gift for weaving tapestries might be more than it seems. The king has come to the conclusion Anna must die, but she is able to escape into a land of sunshine and laughter with the help of her closest friends.
But when the land she now lives in starts falling apart, Anna will realize her gift has always been more powerful than she ever knew.
·
Tarot by Marissa Kennerson sounds like the perfect story, one where magic abounds and the main character will be going on the adventure of her life. And while that is exactly what this is, I do wish the narrative had lasted longer than it actually did. Tarot is two hundred seventy-five pages and I was really enjoying the picturesque world the author provided which is why I wish we had been able to see more of the land of Cups as well as the other territories briefly mentioned in the book. There are quite a few characters and I would have loved to get to know them better, especially the Fool and the Magician.
This could very well be either a standalone or the first book in the series, but the truth is, I'm not even sure which category it falls on. Let me clarify: this would work wonders either way, I just wish the ending had been clearer on that end.
The author's writing is lovely and the beginning of the book made me think of an old fashioned fairytale, it almost felt like I had read it during my childhood, and it truly gave me a sense of nostalgia.
I loved reading about the tapestries and what they meant to the protagonist, as well as finding out their true meaning. It was refreshing immersing myself in a story where, you guessed it, tarot was going to end up playing a big role (although it didn't really, it was only briefly incorporated at the end of the story). The ending was rushed, but with the book being as short as it is, I can understand why the author ended the story the way she did.
With that being said and having already mentioned that the writing is lovely, I was shocked to find out the dialogue is extremely weirdly done, especially when spoken from the main character's perspective. Anna's voice felt somehow middle grade and I just can't put my finger on why. My favorite character was the Magician and I think it stems from the fact that her sentences were the most coherent and appropriate for the age range this book was written in.
Now, I overall really enjoyed Tarot, it is beautifully descriptive and the Fool has my literary heart, it probably would be getting a five star rating from me if it weren't for the fact that I think it's way too short and the dialogue left some things to be desired. I am giving this 3/5 stars.
P. S. I love the way the cover represents the story! I think that was an amazing addition.
·
Anna has been kept in a tower for as long as she can remember; it has been her only home and while it feels like a prison, she is glad to have her friends and advisors The Magician, The Fool and the Hermit in her life, making her existence a little more bearable.
The day before she is set to be free from captivity, Anna learns her biggest truth: she is not the daughter of the king, but that of the greatest magician who ever lived and her gift for weaving tapestries might be more than it seems. The king has come to the conclusion Anna must die, but she is able to escape into a land of sunshine and laughter with the help of her closest friends.
But when the land she now lives in starts falling apart, Anna will realize her gift has always been more powerful than she ever knew.
·
Tarot by Marissa Kennerson sounds like the perfect story, one where magic abounds and the main character will be going on the adventure of her life. And while that is exactly what this is, I do wish the narrative had lasted longer than it actually did. Tarot is two hundred seventy-five pages and I was really enjoying the picturesque world the author provided which is why I wish we had been able to see more of the land of Cups as well as the other territories briefly mentioned in the book. There are quite a few characters and I would have loved to get to know them better, especially the Fool and the Magician.
This could very well be either a standalone or the first book in the series, but the truth is, I'm not even sure which category it falls on. Let me clarify: this would work wonders either way, I just wish the ending had been clearer on that end.
The author's writing is lovely and the beginning of the book made me think of an old fashioned fairytale, it almost felt like I had read it during my childhood, and it truly gave me a sense of nostalgia.
I loved reading about the tapestries and what they meant to the protagonist, as well as finding out their true meaning. It was refreshing immersing myself in a story where, you guessed it, tarot was going to end up playing a big role (although it didn't really, it was only briefly incorporated at the end of the story). The ending was rushed, but with the book being as short as it is, I can understand why the author ended the story the way she did.
With that being said and having already mentioned that the writing is lovely, I was shocked to find out the dialogue is extremely weirdly done, especially when spoken from the main character's perspective. Anna's voice felt somehow middle grade and I just can't put my finger on why. My favorite character was the Magician and I think it stems from the fact that her sentences were the most coherent and appropriate for the age range this book was written in.
Now, I overall really enjoyed Tarot, it is beautifully descriptive and the Fool has my literary heart, it probably would be getting a five star rating from me if it weren't for the fact that I think it's way too short and the dialogue left some things to be desired. I am giving this 3/5 stars.
P. S. I love the way the cover represents the story! I think that was an amazing addition.
February 14, 2019
I wasn't really sure what I was getting into with this book but wanted to give it a go anyways. While it was a quick read, I'm not sure I know much more about what's going on now, after I've read it, than before.
Thanks so much to Penguin Random House for sending me an ARC of this book for an honest review, as always, all opinions are my own.
This story follows Anna, a girl who was never meant to exist. Born of her mother, the late Queen, and the King's friend-turned-enemy, Marco, a great magician, she has been locked up in a tower her whole life, under the rule of the man she believed to be her father. When the King realizes just how powerful she has become, he orders her execution. But Anna's three advisors, the Magician, the Fool, and the Hermit, help her escape and Anna finds herself in a world unlike her own. She knows that soon the King will find her and she must protect the people of this small, magical world she seems to have created straight out of her imagination.
Overall, I think this story has some good bones, but it needs a bit more fleshing out. I felt fairly indifferent from Anna's character, due to her spending her whole life in a tower, she came off as very naïve. I didn't really feel the connections she had with the other characters, everyone seemed a little one-dimensional. The story itself felt like it needed to be explained a bit better, I would have enjoyed seeing more of how the King and Marco interacted and what their relationship was like, especially because the outcome of that played such a large role in this book. I almost felt like I was thrown into the middle of a story, not the beginning.
There was a bit of romance but it seemed a little rushed to me. Basically, the first guy Anna saw, she fell in love with. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but I just thought we maybe had a bit more time to develop it a little more. Then, there was like a maybe-love triangle thrown in (but not really because there wasn't time to process feelings!)
I think my biggest issue - and this might just be me being petty - but this book has NOTHING to do with tarot or tarot cards. Sure, Anna can weave some magic tapestries that kinda come to life and create whole worlds inside of them BUT THIS ISN'T TAROT. I don't need tarot in a book, but you cannot call a book "Tarot" and have the closest thing be, like, world building!!
Overall, I found this to be a quick but, ultimately, bizarre read.
Thanks so much to Penguin Random House for sending me an ARC of this book for an honest review, as always, all opinions are my own.
This story follows Anna, a girl who was never meant to exist. Born of her mother, the late Queen, and the King's friend-turned-enemy, Marco, a great magician, she has been locked up in a tower her whole life, under the rule of the man she believed to be her father. When the King realizes just how powerful she has become, he orders her execution. But Anna's three advisors, the Magician, the Fool, and the Hermit, help her escape and Anna finds herself in a world unlike her own. She knows that soon the King will find her and she must protect the people of this small, magical world she seems to have created straight out of her imagination.
Overall, I think this story has some good bones, but it needs a bit more fleshing out. I felt fairly indifferent from Anna's character, due to her spending her whole life in a tower, she came off as very naïve. I didn't really feel the connections she had with the other characters, everyone seemed a little one-dimensional. The story itself felt like it needed to be explained a bit better, I would have enjoyed seeing more of how the King and Marco interacted and what their relationship was like, especially because the outcome of that played such a large role in this book. I almost felt like I was thrown into the middle of a story, not the beginning.
There was a bit of romance but it seemed a little rushed to me. Basically, the first guy Anna saw, she fell in love with. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but I just thought we maybe had a bit more time to develop it a little more. Then, there was like a maybe-love triangle thrown in (but not really because there wasn't time to process feelings!)
I think my biggest issue - and this might just be me being petty - but this book has NOTHING to do with tarot or tarot cards. Sure, Anna can weave some magic tapestries that kinda come to life and create whole worlds inside of them BUT THIS ISN'T TAROT. I don't need tarot in a book, but you cannot call a book "Tarot" and have the closest thing be, like, world building!!
Overall, I found this to be a quick but, ultimately, bizarre read.
April 13, 2023
This book is based on a really interesting concept, and I was really excited to read it. The tarot is all about telling stories, and exploring them seemed like a really neat structure for a novel. While I don't think the book held up to the concept, I do appreciate the creativity that went into it.
First, expectation management: this is pitched as a YA novel, but it is written more like a children's book, with very surface-level descriptions, clipped, stilted dialogue, and a very quick moving plot. It is a very easy read, with some chapters only being a page long. While there are some casually bad things that happen in the story, they leave very little emotional impact on the characters and aren't subject to any kind of real analysis from the characters. A problem is presented, and then it's overcome, and then you move on. I really don't think adults will get much out of this book, but it might really spark some creativity with a child. That being said, there is some casually graphic violence in exactly one chapter that anyone who is sensitive to things might want to skip with the understanding that it all is made better seconds after it occurs.
There are interesting ideas to this book, even if the characters and story fall a bit flat. I like Ana's power, that was fun...a bit heavy handed maybe, but I liked it. And I liked the Hierophant king, even though there wasn't enough nuance to turn the inconsistencies of the character into something really interesting; I liked the soap opera drama of his backstory and felt like there was a lot of potential to him. The story would have been interesting from his perspective. And I liked the descriptions of the Major Arcana, even if I was a bit exasperated by how they were used and how quickly they were off the scene.
Overall, this wasn't a super enjoyable read for me; , both of which really turned the book into a bit of a chore to get through. The author seems like a sweetheart though, so my fingers are crossed that she'll be able to expand on some of these concepts in other writings in the future!
First, expectation management: this is pitched as a YA novel, but it is written more like a children's book, with very surface-level descriptions, clipped, stilted dialogue, and a very quick moving plot. It is a very easy read, with some chapters only being a page long. While there are some casually bad things that happen in the story, they leave very little emotional impact on the characters and aren't subject to any kind of real analysis from the characters. A problem is presented, and then it's overcome, and then you move on. I really don't think adults will get much out of this book, but it might really spark some creativity with a child. That being said, there is some casually graphic violence in exactly one chapter that anyone who is sensitive to things might want to skip with the understanding that it all is made better seconds after it occurs.
There are interesting ideas to this book, even if the characters and story fall a bit flat. I like Ana's power, that was fun...a bit heavy handed maybe, but I liked it. And I liked the Hierophant king, even though there wasn't enough nuance to turn the inconsistencies of the character into something really interesting; I liked the soap opera drama of his backstory and felt like there was a lot of potential to him. The story would have been interesting from his perspective. And I liked the descriptions of the Major Arcana, even if I was a bit exasperated by how they were used and how quickly they were off the scene.
Overall, this wasn't a super enjoyable read for me; , both of which really turned the book into a bit of a chore to get through. The author seems like a sweetheart though, so my fingers are crossed that she'll be able to expand on some of these concepts in other writings in the future!
May 9, 2020
I am a little disappointed in Tarot. I wanted to like it, but unfortunately, I didn't like it as much as I thought I would.
I did like the world, but I felt like I was missing a lot. I mean, Kennerson did draw from Tarot cards, which is cool. I do wonder if that's why I felt like I was missing something. I like the idea of some of the cards as worlds, and some of the cards as characters. I really like that idea, and it's really unique.
I'm not really familiar with the different cards and their meanings, and I can't help but wonder if that's why things didn't feel as developed as they could have.
Does it feel more developed if you're really familiar with tarot? If that's the case, it is a little sad, because a lot of the world won't feel completely developed for people like me, who don't have a lot of familiarity with it. I'm really hoping that's not the case, because the book was pretty short, so it's not like a lot of time could have been devoted to explaining the world a little more. I like the world enough that I'm hoping it's because of the length of the book.
I'm not sure how I feel about the characters. They were okay, but I couldn't begin to tell you most of their names or anything about them. Part of it is I just don't remember a lot of the characters, even though I know they exist. I know there's the Fool, the Hermit and the Magician, plus the king and Anna but I couldn't tell you who the other characters are.
It's interesting that Kennerson didn't give them another name, and that they were the Fool or the Magician the whole time. It was hard to care about them, because I felt like they were just an image from a card, and weren't important enough to have any other names.
Anna wasn't memorable either, which is disappointing for the main character. Other than being locked away in a tower for her whole life before escaping to Cups, I couldn't tell you much about her. I'm glad she got out and was able to experience life outside a tower. I liked seeing her experience things for the first time, but it also made me really sad for her. Other than that, though, I didn't really know a lot about her.
My Rating: 1 star. I liked that the world and characters came from tarot cards but I wanted more from the book.
I did like the world, but I felt like I was missing a lot. I mean, Kennerson did draw from Tarot cards, which is cool. I do wonder if that's why I felt like I was missing something. I like the idea of some of the cards as worlds, and some of the cards as characters. I really like that idea, and it's really unique.
I'm not really familiar with the different cards and their meanings, and I can't help but wonder if that's why things didn't feel as developed as they could have.
Does it feel more developed if you're really familiar with tarot? If that's the case, it is a little sad, because a lot of the world won't feel completely developed for people like me, who don't have a lot of familiarity with it. I'm really hoping that's not the case, because the book was pretty short, so it's not like a lot of time could have been devoted to explaining the world a little more. I like the world enough that I'm hoping it's because of the length of the book.
I'm not sure how I feel about the characters. They were okay, but I couldn't begin to tell you most of their names or anything about them. Part of it is I just don't remember a lot of the characters, even though I know they exist. I know there's the Fool, the Hermit and the Magician, plus the king and Anna but I couldn't tell you who the other characters are.
It's interesting that Kennerson didn't give them another name, and that they were the Fool or the Magician the whole time. It was hard to care about them, because I felt like they were just an image from a card, and weren't important enough to have any other names.
Anna wasn't memorable either, which is disappointing for the main character. Other than being locked away in a tower for her whole life before escaping to Cups, I couldn't tell you much about her. I'm glad she got out and was able to experience life outside a tower. I liked seeing her experience things for the first time, but it also made me really sad for her. Other than that, though, I didn't really know a lot about her.
My Rating: 1 star. I liked that the world and characters came from tarot cards but I wanted more from the book.
August 7, 2024
Spoilers ahead
I honestly don't know how to feel about this book. It took me the longest time to finish it because I'd promised myself I would. I'm glad I did but the language and writing style was quote painful to get through. I liked her concepts and writing a book around the Tarot in such a manner was truly unique and beautiful, but the grammar, sentence formation and character language was painfully distracting and hard to ignore.
Anna, starts out being a young lady traumatized by her step father and you can understand why the world she creates is so sickeningly rosy and idealistic, but is she a lady or just a random person with random lingo? She goes from speaking like a princess from the early 1500s to a New Yorker in the same paragraph.
Topper and James? Id that an attempt of an existing but brief love triangle? I was rooting for Toppers. I mean it does kind of end in a harem like situation.
James reminded me of a human puppy. Bouncing, glee and whatever words were used to describe him. It almost felt creepy, like those smiling clowns you'd see in horror movies. And some of the words that were just in general used to describe actions were so strange that when I actually pictured them in my head, it looked like a play gone horribly wrong. At a point the book read: It's worse than it looks. And the Daniel seemed okay after the sentence. Did she mean it's better than it looks?
Who can blame the King for being do pissed off? His wife hooked up with his best friend and they expect him to be normal after that? I mean back then he was also described to be full of life etc. and then turned bitter. She paints him as a villain and then a good guy suddenly! Stick to one variation already! Also super kudos to him killing off everyone from Cups. Thant was a pleasant surprise from all the rainbows I had read up till then.
Her but about humans being so different and not in the black and white category was my saving grace for the book. Beautiful thought and concept behind the lines.
For the idea and story I'd day it's worth it, but for it's expressive language I'd say no thank you.
I honestly don't know how to feel about this book. It took me the longest time to finish it because I'd promised myself I would. I'm glad I did but the language and writing style was quote painful to get through. I liked her concepts and writing a book around the Tarot in such a manner was truly unique and beautiful, but the grammar, sentence formation and character language was painfully distracting and hard to ignore.
Anna, starts out being a young lady traumatized by her step father and you can understand why the world she creates is so sickeningly rosy and idealistic, but is she a lady or just a random person with random lingo? She goes from speaking like a princess from the early 1500s to a New Yorker in the same paragraph.
Topper and James? Id that an attempt of an existing but brief love triangle? I was rooting for Toppers. I mean it does kind of end in a harem like situation.
James reminded me of a human puppy. Bouncing, glee and whatever words were used to describe him. It almost felt creepy, like those smiling clowns you'd see in horror movies. And some of the words that were just in general used to describe actions were so strange that when I actually pictured them in my head, it looked like a play gone horribly wrong. At a point the book read: It's worse than it looks. And the Daniel seemed okay after the sentence. Did she mean it's better than it looks?
Who can blame the King for being do pissed off? His wife hooked up with his best friend and they expect him to be normal after that? I mean back then he was also described to be full of life etc. and then turned bitter. She paints him as a villain and then a good guy suddenly! Stick to one variation already! Also super kudos to him killing off everyone from Cups. Thant was a pleasant surprise from all the rainbows I had read up till then.
Her but about humans being so different and not in the black and white category was my saving grace for the book. Beautiful thought and concept behind the lines.
For the idea and story I'd day it's worth it, but for it's expressive language I'd say no thank you.
March 25, 2019
When it comes to book worlds, this one takes the cake. I wanted to dive into the pages and never resurface. It was tropical, eerie, and magical. I'm not usually one for details, but every description led to a deeper connection to the story. I found myself painting pictures of the chapters as they played out and quickly became entranced by the plot.
Tarot is about a princess named Anna who has been locked away in a tower for years. She lacks real life skills and is basically a newbie to everything outside her tower. Her escape is creating lush tapestries and sewing wondrous clothing. When word circles that she is to be executed, her friends/advisers aid in her escape. She isn't sure where to run, but when a bridge mysteriously appears, she can't help but cross.
Anna ends up in a lush landscape with beautiful people and a cult like feel. It is there that she starts to let go and live. She doesn't completely trust her new situation though and begins weaving stories like she does fabric. It doesn't take long before she is entwined in her own lies. When it all comes to a head and the truth surfaces, the friendships she has formed dwindle and her love interest becomes uncertain. The ending is a bit of a whirlwind, but it doesn't once lack surprise or suspense.
I think what I loved most about this read was the unique atmosphere and the simplicity of it all. The way art was portrayed was quite magical. I was surprised by how it all played out and in the end was rooting for characters that I wasn't sure about at the beginning. I thought the pace was great and the idea was really well developed. My only complaint would be that I craved more Topper and in more ways than just seeing his name pop up in the pages.... He was a wonderful character that really made the romance interesting.
All in all, I recommend this book to all who want to explore fantasy, but also stay true to contemporary romance. It's truly the best of both worlds. I can't wait to read more by this Author.
Tarot is about a princess named Anna who has been locked away in a tower for years. She lacks real life skills and is basically a newbie to everything outside her tower. Her escape is creating lush tapestries and sewing wondrous clothing. When word circles that she is to be executed, her friends/advisers aid in her escape. She isn't sure where to run, but when a bridge mysteriously appears, she can't help but cross.
Anna ends up in a lush landscape with beautiful people and a cult like feel. It is there that she starts to let go and live. She doesn't completely trust her new situation though and begins weaving stories like she does fabric. It doesn't take long before she is entwined in her own lies. When it all comes to a head and the truth surfaces, the friendships she has formed dwindle and her love interest becomes uncertain. The ending is a bit of a whirlwind, but it doesn't once lack surprise or suspense.
I think what I loved most about this read was the unique atmosphere and the simplicity of it all. The way art was portrayed was quite magical. I was surprised by how it all played out and in the end was rooting for characters that I wasn't sure about at the beginning. I thought the pace was great and the idea was really well developed. My only complaint would be that I craved more Topper and in more ways than just seeing his name pop up in the pages.... He was a wonderful character that really made the romance interesting.
All in all, I recommend this book to all who want to explore fantasy, but also stay true to contemporary romance. It's truly the best of both worlds. I can't wait to read more by this Author.
November 15, 2018
Guys, you have to see past the hideous cover, because this was actually a pretty good book!
I loved the setting and characters as well! Honestly, not much made this book a stand out from the rest of my reads this year but it was a pretty enjoyable story.
I really enjoyed the story of Anna and her fantastical ability but I do wish we got a bit more detail when it came to the plot. This was a really fast-moving book in my opinion and I would prefer the pace to be just a bit slower.
This story has loads of potential and also left a lot of small things here and there unanswered and I can’t really tell if it’s meant to draw you into the second book and leave it to be resolved there, because of this I won’t hold this against the book.
*Mini-Spoiler Ahead*- (it doesn’t really effect the plot)
I honestly don’t know how I feel about Anna’s and James’ relationship, I feel like James should have cleared up the situation with Ivy before going after Anna, it feels wrong that Ivy was hurt by this and then being villainized for this. As we see later, she truly didn’t know what her and James were from the beginning and how she’s always loved him. For this reason, I don’t feel comfortable backing up Anna’s and James’ relationship. Also, I wish we would get an update on Ivy.
*Kind of major spoiler ahead...*
Ok I loved Drake’s and the Joker’s relationship at first until Drake betrayed him, then it went downhill. Sure, time passed but after Drake screwed his friends over, the Joker just easily forgives him. I get that it’s a big character trait of the Joker to forgive and just be very kind and lighthearted AND he loves Drake very much, but it bothered me a bit that he was so friggin quick to forgive Drake.
I loved the setting and characters as well! Honestly, not much made this book a stand out from the rest of my reads this year but it was a pretty enjoyable story.
I really enjoyed the story of Anna and her fantastical ability but I do wish we got a bit more detail when it came to the plot. This was a really fast-moving book in my opinion and I would prefer the pace to be just a bit slower.
This story has loads of potential and also left a lot of small things here and there unanswered and I can’t really tell if it’s meant to draw you into the second book and leave it to be resolved there, because of this I won’t hold this against the book.
*Mini-Spoiler Ahead*- (it doesn’t really effect the plot)
I honestly don’t know how I feel about Anna’s and James’ relationship, I feel like James should have cleared up the situation with Ivy before going after Anna, it feels wrong that Ivy was hurt by this and then being villainized for this. As we see later, she truly didn’t know what her and James were from the beginning and how she’s always loved him. For this reason, I don’t feel comfortable backing up Anna’s and James’ relationship. Also, I wish we would get an update on Ivy.
*Kind of major spoiler ahead...*
Ok I loved Drake’s and the Joker’s relationship at first until Drake betrayed him, then it went downhill. Sure, time passed but after Drake screwed his friends over, the Joker just easily forgives him. I get that it’s a big character trait of the Joker to forgive and just be very kind and lighthearted AND he loves Drake very much, but it bothered me a bit that he was so friggin quick to forgive Drake.
April 5, 2019
Look, is this book a literary masterpiece, a revolutionary piece of writing that will forever change your relationship with the written word? No. Is it fun? Hell yeah it is.
It's Sunday afternoon, and it's raining, and you've got a couple of candles burning and some time on your hands. This is the perfect book to pick up. It's not overly challenging or complicated—I mean, I didn't always know what was going on, but not in way that impeded my enjoyment of the story—but rather a fun, magical romp through a world established on the concepts from the Major Arcana. I don't profess to be any kind of tarot scholar, but I do have an interest in tarot, and found this interpretation of the deck to be fun and unique.
Sure, the romance-turned-possible-love-triangle didn't make a ton of sense, but honestly, few YA romances do (that's right, I said it). Sure, the protagonist could at times be a little Mary Sue-ish. Sure, the cover is fairly...bleh. (I actually don't mind the cover all that much, but I do firmly understand the criticisms.) These things and other perceived shortcomings would normally be enough to turn me off from a book, but honestly, I just had a fucking good time. I liked the advisors, I liked the world of Cups, I liked the concept of tapestries as gateways to other worlds, and I liked ideas that this story was built on. This story is big and magical and weird and silly and fun, and yeah, I just liked it.
Is this book a five-star book? Probably not. But did I have a five-star enjoyment of it? Sure. Though it doesn't appear from the Goodreads page that this is the first in a series, Kennerson definitely left a door open for herself to continue Anna's adventures, and if a sequel does come out, hell yeah I'm going to read it.
It's Sunday afternoon, and it's raining, and you've got a couple of candles burning and some time on your hands. This is the perfect book to pick up. It's not overly challenging or complicated—I mean, I didn't always know what was going on, but not in way that impeded my enjoyment of the story—but rather a fun, magical romp through a world established on the concepts from the Major Arcana. I don't profess to be any kind of tarot scholar, but I do have an interest in tarot, and found this interpretation of the deck to be fun and unique.
Sure, the romance-turned-possible-love-triangle didn't make a ton of sense, but honestly, few YA romances do (that's right, I said it). Sure, the protagonist could at times be a little Mary Sue-ish. Sure, the cover is fairly...bleh. (I actually don't mind the cover all that much, but I do firmly understand the criticisms.) These things and other perceived shortcomings would normally be enough to turn me off from a book, but honestly, I just had a fucking good time. I liked the advisors, I liked the world of Cups, I liked the concept of tapestries as gateways to other worlds, and I liked ideas that this story was built on. This story is big and magical and weird and silly and fun, and yeah, I just liked it.
Is this book a five-star book? Probably not. But did I have a five-star enjoyment of it? Sure. Though it doesn't appear from the Goodreads page that this is the first in a series, Kennerson definitely left a door open for herself to continue Anna's adventures, and if a sequel does come out, hell yeah I'm going to read it.
July 26, 2019
I bought this book because I sort of liked the cover and was interested how the author would write about the tarot in her plot.
I was disappointed. Anna is a girl trapped in a tower but released by the Magician, Fool and Hermit that are her teachers and also prisoners of the Heirophant King. In her escape she lands on an island of sorts which she calls Cups full of teenagers, no children no adults and proceeded to live her life there while keeping secret her origins.
Spoilers ahead...
.
.
.
Okay. Anna never seems to grasp her magic fully until the last chapter and even then it’s like she really just calls for help and the Major Arcana come to her aid. And really that’s the only inclusion of the tarot is them fighting the battle scene. Hints run throughout but not enough to really define the tarot.
The language is plain, like an actual teenager and not a writer so that was disappointing in a way because when reading a book I want description, a setting and a better dialog between the characters.
And finally, this looks like a one off book which seems odd to me. Anna should visit the other tapestries of places she created into existence; the land of Wands and the City of Swords. But she stays in Cups? Also Cups is a world she created where the teens have no past and possibly no future until the end where she births the universe???? Please explain further since the Empress (who only appears in the last chapter) describes the world building will go on now that it is birthed and doesn’t Anna want to see the world? And the unresolved connection between her and Topper is annoying. Is it a love connection or a family connection?
Ugh. Maybe it was supposed to be a series but the first book turned out so lame the rest were canceled.
I was disappointed. Anna is a girl trapped in a tower but released by the Magician, Fool and Hermit that are her teachers and also prisoners of the Heirophant King. In her escape she lands on an island of sorts which she calls Cups full of teenagers, no children no adults and proceeded to live her life there while keeping secret her origins.
Spoilers ahead...
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Okay. Anna never seems to grasp her magic fully until the last chapter and even then it’s like she really just calls for help and the Major Arcana come to her aid. And really that’s the only inclusion of the tarot is them fighting the battle scene. Hints run throughout but not enough to really define the tarot.
The language is plain, like an actual teenager and not a writer so that was disappointing in a way because when reading a book I want description, a setting and a better dialog between the characters.
And finally, this looks like a one off book which seems odd to me. Anna should visit the other tapestries of places she created into existence; the land of Wands and the City of Swords. But she stays in Cups? Also Cups is a world she created where the teens have no past and possibly no future until the end where she births the universe???? Please explain further since the Empress (who only appears in the last chapter) describes the world building will go on now that it is birthed and doesn’t Anna want to see the world? And the unresolved connection between her and Topper is annoying. Is it a love connection or a family connection?
Ugh. Maybe it was supposed to be a series but the first book turned out so lame the rest were canceled.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 1, 2019
Tarot by Marissa Kennerson, 275 pages. Razorbill (Penguin Random House). 2019 $18
Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: PG13 (Teen kissing, messing around); Violence: PG13 (mild torture).
BUYING ADVISORY: HS -OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
Anna lives in the land of pentacles, trapped in a tower by her father, the King. Her only friends are the Fool, The Magician and the Hermit. She spends all her time spinning worlds into tapestries. When her friends help her to escape, she travels to a new land, Cups. It seems like paradise, everyone is her age, happy, and carefree. But things start to go wrong, storms and earthquakes and Anna is blamed. Will Anna find out her true parentage and being able to hone her latent power before its too late?
I was definitely drawn to this book by its cover and topic (coincidentally I was featured in a tarot deck by the amazing cover artist), I think students will be as well. The story itself was kind of odd and didn’t really mesh well with the tarot concept –in fact, the whole story could have been sans any tarot references and played out exactly the same. While the different cards are mentioned as people and places, it seemed more like an after thought than central to the tenants and outcome of the story. I felt zero connection to Anna -she was kind of dull character. I didn’t gel with her love triangle. Overall, I could pass on this story, but it couldn’t hurt to have it at your library.
Reviewer: Stephanie MLS & Author.
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2019...
Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: PG13 (Teen kissing, messing around); Violence: PG13 (mild torture).
BUYING ADVISORY: HS -OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
Anna lives in the land of pentacles, trapped in a tower by her father, the King. Her only friends are the Fool, The Magician and the Hermit. She spends all her time spinning worlds into tapestries. When her friends help her to escape, she travels to a new land, Cups. It seems like paradise, everyone is her age, happy, and carefree. But things start to go wrong, storms and earthquakes and Anna is blamed. Will Anna find out her true parentage and being able to hone her latent power before its too late?
I was definitely drawn to this book by its cover and topic (coincidentally I was featured in a tarot deck by the amazing cover artist), I think students will be as well. The story itself was kind of odd and didn’t really mesh well with the tarot concept –in fact, the whole story could have been sans any tarot references and played out exactly the same. While the different cards are mentioned as people and places, it seemed more like an after thought than central to the tenants and outcome of the story. I felt zero connection to Anna -she was kind of dull character. I didn’t gel with her love triangle. Overall, I could pass on this story, but it couldn’t hurt to have it at your library.
Reviewer: Stephanie MLS & Author.
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2019...
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