#BookReview: Tarot by Marissa Kennerson

Synopsis: 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.


Goodreads | Amazon

Rating: ⭐⭐
My Review:  I love the Tarot and finding this story that is based on it I was like YES PLEASE!!! But that is where my love for this book ends. The cover I think could have based upon a tarot deck a little more. This looks like a mash up of colors and really doesn't do for me at all. The story was ok but at times things felt underdeveloped and at times it felt like things happened with no explanation at all. I mean I love fantasy and this world and the start of the book were very interesting but once it really got going it just started to fall apart.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 8 Up—Kennerson creates a believable fantasy world replete with a king whose methods of running his kingdom are questionable. Readers meet Anna, the king's daughter, who is almost 16 and has never stepped foot out of her tower—ever. The only people she sees are the Magician, the Fool, and the Hermit. She considers them her friends as they sit with her, bring her bland food, and allow her to weave tapestries. Anna imagines entire worlds as she weaves: people, animals, cities. With years of practice, she has become adept at weaving and with nothing to keep her mind from roaming—adept at stories. Her tapestries are beautiful—perhaps too much so. As her 16th birthday approaches, the king comes to visit. As the king views the tapestries for the first time, he is overwhelmed by the magical quality of them and stunned by the image of a moon (once a traitor who seduced his wife and was banished from the kingdom). He is annoyed that Anna has caused him so much trouble. Anna, worried she has somehow angered the man she thinks is her father, must unravel the truths the kingdom has hidden and find a way to survive them. Reminiscent of books by Tamora Pierce, with a strong female character who is coming into her own, this action-adventure fantasy will find many fans. VERDICT A must-have for fantasy lovers who enjoy a good romp through new worlds.—Cathleen Ash, Manor High School Library, TX

Review

"Reminiscent of books by Tamora Pierce, with a strong female character who is coming into her own....A must-have for fantasy lovers who enjoy a good romp through new worlds." –School Library Journal
"The relationships between the characters--their secrets, their loyalty, and their friendship--are the highlights of the novel." –VOYA
"This gorgeous and lush fantasy is as fun as it is clever, a magical ride through a living Tarot deck. I loved it!" –New York Times bestselling author Rachel Hawkins
"Marissa Kennerson brings the mesmerizing and mystical world of Tarot to life — literally. Readers will be entranced by this intricately woven tale brimming with magic and romance!" –Pintip Dunn, New York Timesbestselling author of Forget Tomorrow 
 "Tarot is a mind-bending tale that unfurls in a whirl of colorful characters and landscapes, like one of Anna’s dazzling tapestries." –Romina Russell, New York Times bestselling author of the Zodiac series
 

About the Author

Marissa Kennerson received her B.A. in English literature from the University of California, 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. Visit her at marissakennerson.net or follow her @MarissaAlexK.

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Posted in: 2 Stars, RazorBill, Review, Young Adult