How do you follow up with such a phenomenal book such as Strange the Dreamer? Creating an equally phenomenal sequel, that’s how. Thankfully, Muse of Nightmares was as epic and awesome as the first book, and reading it definitely gave me goosebumps! The book is definitely worth the wait and all the hype, and I’m so thankful I got to read an early review copy.

It’s clear that Laini Taylor knows exactly who her audience is, as she provides exactly the answers that we are all asking at the end of the last book. What will become of the godspawn of the Weep? Where did their powers come from? Will they get the vengeance that they are seeking, and how does Lazlo and Thyon fit into their story? Having all of these explored in detail in Muse of Nightmares was so incredibly satisfying, as Laini Taylor leaves no loose end unturned.

It was such a lavish experience delving straight into the fantastical world of Mesarthim, picking up exactly where it left off with the blue-skinned goddess Sarai, the librarian Lazlo Strange and the terrifying child-god of vengeance Minya. I loved the character development here for most of the godspawn, including Lazlo’s mysterious past and Minya’s traumatic memories. We find out more about their powers and I loved seeing them use them to their full potential. Minya’s development was one of my favourite things about this book, as we go from fearing her wrath to actually seeing where she is coming from – which is a lot to be send for a vengeful, powerful creature of wrath.

As Strange the Dreamer resulted in a sappy romance, there’s definitely more of the same here. I loved seeing different forms of love explored, whether it’s parental love, family love or the love shared between two people. Sometimes love is not what it seems though, especially the love between family members. In Muse of Nightmares, we see love that results in loss, sacrifice, fear, and of harbouring feelings of anger and resentment which had me feeling so many emotions.

We are introduced to some new characters here including Nova and Kora, who are close sisters bargained off to the highest bidder. I loved the world that was so different to Weep and was fascinated in how they linked in to the overarching story. The novel switches between scenes happening in Weep, to flashbacks, to Nova and Kora, and also Thyon as well. I did find it a bit jumpy at times, especially as the action switched to these quieter moments of reflection and banter, but it got so intense I was glad to have a reprieve at times.

If you’re wondering whether Muse of Nightmares will live up to Strange the Dreamer, it will definitely exceed them and more. Featuring a fantastical world filled with magic and dreams with lyrical writing, lots of twists and turns and extremely epic action sequences, Muse of Nightmares is definitely one of the best books of 2018. It delivers a satisfying ending to the duology, leaving you wrecked as you turn its very last pages.

This review can also be viewed on my blog on October 2nd 2018, 12 pm AEST via this link: http://trufflereads.com/2018/10/02/muse-of-nightmares-book-review/

Muse of Nightmares Spoiler-Free Book Review

This book was EVERYTHING I WANTED AND MORE. Thank you so much Hachette Australia/ Date a Book for letting me access the eARC for this gorgeous book in exchange for an honest review.

WARNING! Spoilers for Strange the Dreamer a.k.a my favourite book.

I obviously cannot say very much about this book at all because there are way too many spoilers but OMG it was amazing. This was such a beautiful book, it was exactly what I wanted and more, it was the best and it had such an amazing ending that I cried. It was just...everything for me.

I was a little scared at first because some people were disappointed with it and thought that the ending was a little rushed perhaps. For me, it was a little bit but it wasn't something that totally changed my opinion or really altered how the book was for me.

WE GOT ANSWERS PEOPLE.

In Strange, we had so many questions that were constantly popping up especially since Lazlo didn't even know what Weep and the gods were until like halfway through the book but ALL the questions were answered and it was even better than I could've imagined. There were plot twists at every turn and the action was unreal. New characters and old characters combined and the character developments were beautiful. I honestly cannot recommend this series enough.

It's almost hard to express in words how much I loved this book. I was basically shook the whole time and on the edge of my bed clutching my poor phone trying to read the tiny ebook writing as fast as I could while still trying to kind of make it last because it is so precious.

I'm honestly just super excited for my preorder to come so that I can read my favourite moments again. I shipped Lazlo and Sarai so much and we got to see a lot of what made up Mina's character and how her personality developped due to her origins in the carnage. The introductions of the new characters created so much suspense because we weren't reading from just the point of view of Lazlo and Sarai anymore but also those new characters and others such as Mina, Thyon and Eril-Fane.

Laini's writing is just as beautiful and lush as ever. Her storytelling skills are just freaking divine. Every chapter was magic rolling off the (albeit digital) pages. I really really hope that we can get some kind of spin-off because of that ending. The way she expanded the whole universe and it literally crossed genres in a matter of seconds was astounding and there are just so many possibilities and I would read them all.

I feel like I've gushed enough now about this book, either way, READ IT. READ THIS SERIES. It's just amazing and it's 100% my favourite book series/duology. Love you Laini, come to Australia. Please.

Muse of Nightmares is out TODAY - the 2nd of October if you can never figure out the date like myself, and I'm super excited and already waiting for my preorder copy to arrive.

Have you read Muse already? What did you think?

Until next time,

xx Tracy

This book was pure magic. The story was so perfectly unpredictable and the story was better than I could’ve ever imagined. It is sad to know it will be the last book but the ending for each character was so emotionally satisfying.

Lazlo Strange is a dreamer, and I am caught in one of his dreams because this is one of the most beautiful novels I have ever had the pleasure of reading. Laini Taylor’s sequel and conclusion to the phenomenal Strange the Dreamer series is a book that will stay with me for years to come.

I had thought that Taylor’s writing skills were impeccable in Strange the Dreamer, and then I read Muse of Nightmares and was blown away by her rich prose, her alluring descriptions, so realistic, it felt like I was a character in the novel myself. What I find most beautiful is her ability to seamlessly flow between narrator and storyteller: one, a writer who relates the story as it unravels, chronicling the action and the plot; the other, an artist who paints vivid pictures with her words. Aside from Strange the Dreamer, Daughter of Smoke and Bone is the only other Laini Taylor novel I have read, and I will rectify that immediately because if her other works are anything like Muse of Nightmares, they are books I should be reading.

Muse of Nightmares picks up immediately after the end of Strange the Dreamer, with Sarai now a ghost, beholden to the revenge-fuelled Minya, and Lazlo a smith god, the only being capable of harnessing mesarthium, the metal of the gods. But Minya wants retribution against those, including Sarai’s father, who murdered her people fifteen years ago, and now that she holds Sarai’s soul, she can make Lazlo do anything … even start a war between the monsters in the sky and the humans down in Weep.

I wish I had the words to explain how much I adore each and every character in this series. My absolute favourite character is Lazlo Strange, that gorgeous little nerd who walks into walls because he’s trying to read and walk at the same time. Lazlo has come a long way from war-torn orphan turned junior librarian — he’s now a god, and not just a god, but one of the most powerful gods there is within the Mesarthum race. But Lazlo is still Lazlo: he still blushes fiercely, still loves with all his heart, and still finds wonder and joy in the most mundane things. I love this sweet boy.

Sarai has come so far from the young girl she was from Strange the Dreamer. Sarai seeks to alter her god-like powers: she no longer wants to be the Muse of Nightmares, rather, she wants to cast off that last yoke leftover by her cruel mother, Isagol, and become her own goddess. I’m immensely proud of this young woman for all she achieves, and yes, I’m aware I’m talking about her as if she is a real person in my life (but she’s real to me!). Sarai and Lazlo’s relationship is the most precious romance I’ve ever read. They’re both sweet together, understanding that what they have between them is precious and soft and sacred. They are a tender and gentle couple who deserve the world.

I have had a soft spot in my heart for Thyon Nero since he first appeared in Strange the Dreamer. Yes, he’s arrogant and uncaring and cruel, even at the beginning of Muse of Nightmares, but, friends, he goes through some exceptional character development! Thyon has never spent any portion of time with someone of a lower class than he, until he joined the delegation to Weep. He comes from a world of the highest privilege, and he’s awkward around people because he doesn’t know how to talk to them — but he desperately wants to. Thyon aches to be friends with someone, to form a connection with someone who might care for him in return, the first in his life. As the novel progresses, Thyon comes to understand his past behaviour was deplorable, and he sets about earning the respect of Lazlo’s friends, one of whom — a young man (but I won’t say his name!) — Thyon slowly begins to develop feelings for. I knew my boy was queer.

The biggest surprise of the novel is how much I came to treasure Minya. Taylor shows us time and time again that Minya is not inherently evil, she is a young woman (in the body of a child) who is dealing with her trauma in the only way she knows how: by tending to the hate and anger growing inside of her for fifteen years, to the point where she can no longer differentiate between herself and her pain. She is the strength holding up the small group of godspawn, protecting them for years and years, while submersing herself in darkness. But, like Thyon, there are depths to Minya’s character, depths you can’t even begin to imagine — some of which Minya is not even aware of herself. It’s a heartwarming reminder that the people we think are cold or heartless have complexities.

Eril-Fane is perhaps the most sympathetic character of the novel. I don’t think anyone reading this series could stop themselves from caring for this man and the pain that he has endured. He had to make a terrible decision years ago, one that still haunts him, one that he will not allow himself to move on from. In Strange the Dreamer, Eril-Fane helps his city heal from the wreck the gods left behind, but he will not let himself heal — but in Muse of Nightmares, he’s finding ways to come to terms with his regrets and let himself feel again with his wife, Azareen.

I think it is safe to say that Muse of Nightmares is not a novel I will be forgetting anytime soon. These wonderful characters have burrowed their way into my heart and they are not leaving. I want you to read this series. I want everyone to read this series, because you won’t regret it.

Hi all!

Today I am so excited to share my spoiler-free review of Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor, which is the sequel to Strange the Dreamer. I was very lucky to have received an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) from NetGalley. To find out how to become a member, check out my previous post here. This review will be completely spoiler free, however it will contain spoilers from the first book, so if you haven’t read Strange the Dreamer, you may not want to look any further. Muse of Nightmares will be released October 2nd, 2018. Click here to pre-order a copy. I hope you enjoy all of my thoughts and opinions on the final book in this beautiful duology. Let’s get into it!

STRANGE THE DREAMER BRIEF SUMMARY
“The dream chooses the dreamer, not the other way around.”

In this fantastical world, we follow orphan and junior librarian, Lazlo Strange, who has been obsessed with the mythical lost city of Weep his whole life. It has been two hundred years since it was cut off from the rest of the world. One day, Lazlo is invited to venture where no outsider has ever been before and restore Weep to greatness. In the lost city, five godspawn reside in a floating citadel, away from the humans they fear and despise. Each godspawn possesses a unique ability. Sparrow can make things grow, Ruby can ignite fire, Feral controls the clouds, Minya can tether the souls of ghosts to her person and Sarai can enter people’s dreams and provide them with nightmares. When Sarai discovers that Lazlo can see her in his dreams, the pair begin to fall in love, but it isn’t long before the humans who journeyed with Lazlo, attempt to bring the citadel and its inhabitants down. This leads Sarai to fall, impale herself on a pole and sadly die. Through these events, Lazlo discovers that he too is a godspawn (the son of Skathis). Via the power of his mind, Lazlo is able to manipulate the ancient metals holding up the citadel, which in turn sees his own flesh turn blue. Minya, who was present at The Carnage (a giant massacre that involved slaughtering innocent children), seizes the opportunity to hold Sarai’s soul hostage with a promise to disintegrate it forever unless Lazlo does as she commands. It is her ultimate desire to wreak torture and havoc upon the humans who were responsible for the deaths all those years ago. This is where we leave off…

THE PLOT
This book is divided into several parts. At the beginning of each part, we readers bear witness to flashbacks involving new characters and sisters, Nova and Korako. We are given insight into how they gained their powers and where Wraith (the white ghost bird) originated. We also see the mysteries of the Mesarthim resurrected. Back in present day, Minya is determined to see Lazlo do her bidding and descend upon the city with a vengeance. If he does not comply, she will release Sarai’s soul into the ether forever. Desperate to keep the love of his life close, Lazlo sees no choice but to give in. In the town itself, the humans band together to rescue Lazlo, unaware of Minya’s evil intentions. When Ruby buys her fellow godspawn some time, Sarai is given the opportunity to enter Minya’s nightmares and learn more about The Carnage. Whilst it is implied that Minya is the primary villain, a more sinister threat from the past looms large…

THE CHARACTERS
I loved revisiting the world of Weep and its lovable characters. It was interesting to meet Nova and Korako, who possessed an interesting dynamic as sisters and allies. Korako is placid and loving whereas Nova is fiery and determined. The sequel definitely explores more secrets and answers many questions that surfaced in the first novel. As mentioned above, we are given a glimpse into Minya’s traumatic past and are finally able to sympathise with why she is so hellbent on revenge. Lazlo sees the most character development, as he evolves from a shy and awkward librarian into a confident and powerful godspawn. The relationship between Eril-Fane and Azareen is given more depth as is Ruby and Feral’s. Even alchemist Thyon Nero, is portrayed in a new, much more likable light. There is so much more but I cannot discuss it without revealing spoilers.

THE WRITING STYLE
Laini Taylor is an absolutely beautiful writer. She is descriptive beyond compare. I love the way she invites readers into her magical world by painting such a vivid picture you just want to be a part of. There is something so whimsical and enchanting about her writing style. I am keen to read more of her works.

My main issue and disappointment with this book (and why I gave it a lower star rating) is that I just wanted more. In my personal opinion, it needed to be expanded into a trilogy not a duology. It felt like the ending was too abrupt and certain parts dragged. I didn’t feel the same adoration that I did for Strange the Dreamer. I found myself skim-reading sections that bored me slightly. I still enjoyed it but unfortunately it didn’t meet my very high expectations.

STAR RATING
3.5/5

I hope you enjoyed this honest, spoiler-free review. Once again thank you to NetGalley and the publishing company for sending me the ARC. Feel free to pre-order a copy for yourself from the link above.

Thank you for reading

Peace & Love xoxo

Disclaimer: This post contains links to my Book Depository Affiliate which helps fund my blog, I am not being paid or sponsored for this post/products – all my thoughts/opinions are my own

Fantastic! Laini has written another wonderful novel, and it perfectly wraps up and answers any questions left over from the first novel, Strange the Dreamer. Laini has such a beautiful way with words that once you start reading, you want to stay there forever. Weep is such an interesting place, and the characters that you've grown to love in the first book are back and just as wonderful as the first time. I spent a lot of the end of this book crying! Some parts were just devastating and some were so beautiful you couldn't help but cry.

You all have to pick this book up when it comes out!

p.s. that ending!

So once again, I entered the world of Weep.
In the first chapter, Muse introduces 2 new characters to the lineup, Kora and Nora. Initially they seemed irrelevant, like they had been placed there simply to increase word count. After watching them wait for a ship to rescue them and help them discover their inert powers, the story cuts back to Weep.

Reeling from the events of the end of Strange the Dreamer, this story opens literally minutes after Minya's backstab as she asks, nay commands, Lazlo to take her down to the city. A good start. From here though, the story feels forced for a good 20%, so much so that I almost gave up. When the action finally got going, I felt a little like Minya's transformation was out of place. Not saying I don't like where she finished up but still, out of place nonetheless.

Worldbuilding and all the essentials were there. To be honest, it wouldnt be a Laini Taylor novel if it wasn't present. With the majority of events occurring on the godsmetal seraphim. it provided a new insight, especailly since Lazlo once again took on a large portion of the narration and he had never actually been on the ship before.

All the main characters of Strange returned and had their own new(ish) arc's whereby they matured and not only discovered new things about themselves but also about their powers. Down in Weep, the prince also managed to help himself by helping out the survivors of Skathis. He grew some moral fortitude which I really enjoyed.

The story carried itself adequately but I felt it could have been more. While Taylor's signature gut wrenching twists and heart stopping storylines were existent in part, I felt there could have been more action, more twists, more something... It was just missing her usual punch.

I also felt it could have been shorter and still as effective. As previously mentioned, the first 1/5 kind of dragged. By the time I got to 94(ish)%, I felt the story was done. But then it kept going. I understand this was for closure for readers etc but it felt unnecessary and just left a bad taste.

Overall I liked it but as was the same with Strange I didnt LOVE it.

A huge thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review

I have finally taken some time to think about this book before reviewing so here it goes.

Overall, I very much enjoyed this sequel to the beloved Strange the Dreamer. I definitely prefer the first book for a few reasons. The first is that I felt book one was smaller in scope than Muse of Nightmares. This sequel was full of quite a few new characters and whilst they are all very fleshed out, I was surprised at the new cast we are introduced to.

I guess I was not expecting the direction that this sequel went in at all. There are a number of different perspectives and I definitely enjoyed them all. I was just kind of disappointed because I got something very different to what I had anticipated.

I think this book has some problems with pacing as well. There are bits and pieces that should have been brought in earlier and there are sections that needed to be more frequent in the story. The writing as always was beautiful as was the world-building. We got a lot more world-building in this one and you will either like it or you may think it is dumping a bit too much on you.

I really liked this sequel. It is unpredictable, beautiful to read, full of interesting characters, very atmospheric and I really wish there were more books in this world. I just wasn't blown away like I was in book one and it took a different turn to what I was expecting.

Wow, Laini Taylor, you've done it again.

I can definitely say, that I enjoyed Muse of Nightmares a lot more than Strange the Dreamer. I can't say why though. I felt that the pacing was a lot better, and the writing just as beautiful and magical.

Muse of Nightmares is the follow up novel to Strange the Dreamer. It picks up exactly where StD left off, however, it does take a slight detour on the way. In MoN we are thrown back into the world where, Lazlo has become godspawn and has ridden up to the citadel with Sarai's body in his arms, astride Rasalas. Minya is still seething with pure hatred and rage and a terrifying need for vengence. This installment delved even deeper into the characters we've come to know, love and even hate at times, as well as the incredible world that Taylor has created. We find out that the world extends SO much further than one could even fathom, and I think that is pure brilliance. We learn so much more about the past of the godspawn, and their predecessors. Everything comes together in a slow building cataclysm that just keeps dropping bombshell after bombshell.

In this story we learn of two new characters, Kora and Nova, sisters who dreamed of nothing more than the skyship coming to their small seaside town and taking them away to a life they are sure is theirs. Their story is peppered throughout our main story, however ends up crashing into the main story line in an amazing way. I loved the addition of these two characters, it helped give us more of an idea about the mesarthim and partly about how they came to be. It also answered a lot of questions from StD as well.

The character building itself was spectacular. Taylor's ability to make you hate a character so much, yet suddenly understand exactly why they feel what they're feeling, why they make the decisions that they do, is second to none. As well as the world building, the revelation of what the world is a part of is immense, I couldn't even imagine creating something so in depth, so complex. One thing that did stand out, was reference to the world of Daughter of Smoke and Bone, this I loved, it made me smile and long to see a possible world of crossovers.

I have literally just finished it and I just don't know what more to say. It's a beautiful conclusion (or is it?) to a powerful start and I am in awe.

Muse of Nightmares is a wonderful continuation of the beautiful tale and mythology crafted in Stranger the Dreamer. From the start, the action and characters swept me back into the story, and I eagerly turned each page, desperate to know what would happen next. Things took a turn I hadn't expected, but I liked the way the tale finally ended. It is a satisfying conclusion, yet it does still leave an opening for more. Taylor's prose is easy, gripping reading, and her characters are always larger than life. There was one scene where I thought the presence of so many characters was unnecessary, since most of them just stood there and watched, uninvolved in the action. However, that is a small complaint in an otherwise excellent work. This is definitely a story I could happily reread in the future, and the two books are certain to appeal to fans of YA fantasy.

I’ve struggled a bit with this review, as the strange formatting made it quite difficult to lose myself in the story. There were red numbers everywhere, and words that were split over lines. I really, really, really needed to finish this book though, so I made it. Three and a half stars, but I’ll bump it up to four, because I’m sure it was the darn formatting!

I found myself a little disconnected from Lazlo and Sarai. Perhaps because of the formatting, perhaps because (despite one of them being DEAD) their story was in many ways finished. They were happy together, in love, united against outside forces. I was more interested in the other characters, and their story arcs.

There were definitely some of those arcs that I LOVED. The evolution of Thyon the “Golden” was beautiful. He had always been the hero, not only of his own story, but of the wider story of his society. Finding himself as a side-character led to him actually finding himself as a person, as a man. In losing, he won. Plus there was a beautiful moment where, almost by accident, he was able to save someone with something he basically had in his pockets. He was able to free himself from all of the expectations and pressures, even the ones he put on himself. Loved it.

I adored Kora and Nova. Not only was I invested in them, but I loved how their story ran alongside the main narrative, right up until a dramatic and terrible collision. It provided a history to the Mesarthim, in a way that wasn’t just exposition. It is a brilliant example of ‘show don’t tell’ that teachers everywhere try to cram into their students brains.

Possible my favourite part was the redemption of several villainous characters. If not pure villain, at least hard and brutal
Minya being able to accept the past and let loose her burden. Kora, who swallowed and stole the memories of hundreds, thousands of people. Nova, who fought her way through centuries, becoming the thing she had hated so much.

Oh, and Erik-Fane and Azareen? Thank you Laini Taylor. That was the perfect ending (or maybe not quite the end......)

I received an eARC of this book from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, this in no way impacts my thoughts on the book.

However.

When I found out I was approved for this eARC, I practically squealed. Muse of Nightmares has long been one of my most anticipated releases, Strange The Dreamer was and remains one of my favourite books of all time, the story of Lazlo and Sarai, and the magical world of Weep instantly drew me in, and never once let go of my heart.

So it’s safe to say I had high expectations for Muse of Nightmares. I’m going to keep this short, purely because I know a lot of people are excited for this book too!

Laini Taylor’s writing remains as flawless as ever, the writing and characters were just as perfect and vivid as I remembered, and the opening of this book gripped me instantly!

I was instantly drawn in by the new characters, yet I still felt a longing for Lazlo and Sarai, something which soon filled my heart once more, and threw me on the edge of my seat. There were some scenes that made my heart ache, and some scenes that made me shriek from a mixture of feelings, fear, and anticipation. I felt like so much could have happened in this book, and it did! There was truly never a dull moment and I couldn’t get enough!

Laini Taylor is one of my favourite authors, and this book just captivated me once again and I felt like I just fell in love with this world all over again! There’s just nothing I can fault about this second instalment of one of the best series I’ve ever read, and the events in this book will be something I’ll never forget! I laughed, I cried, and I fangirled, a lot.

Thank you again to Hachette Australia and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC to review. I cannot wait to re-live all of these wonderful emotions so you can surely say I’ll be re reading this beauty upon it’s release in October!

Happy Reading,

Brooklyn.

There are some things in life that you look back at with regret and mixed feelings. Things that have changed you - for better or for worse. Once you’ve changed can you ever get your life back? Do you want it back? This book is woven together from multiple points of view. Full of self-discovery, love, loss and changes; "Muse of Nightmares" is the Disney Pixar ending to "Strange the Dreamers" Bothers Grimm.