At first I found Reverie to be a little more middle grade than I expected but it did end up being a tad bit mature later on but not so much so I would feel uncomfortable letting my middle grade reader read it. In fact I might insist.



Reverie is extremely LGBT friendly. Though I am not personally a part of this community I fully support it and think it’s great to have diverse work out there. The main character happens to be gay, other characters are implied gay and there is an esquisite drag queen. Is that an integral part of of the story? You bet in the vein of self acceptance. Can the same story be told with straight characters? Sure, we all have insecurities. But it’s perfect the way it is.



The underlying picture with Reverie seems to be acceptance of one’s self. Being okay with who you are as well as with the way others are. There is a little bit of mental health talk as well but not so much that it darkens the feel of the story. Over all that it is a really good Urban fantasy story. I felt the story was a little different than most about magic. I thuroghly enjoyed reading this book and am sorry my reading slump made me take so long to get through it.



Now to the synopsis:

Kane Montgomery is recovering from an accident. The police seem to think it was no accident that Kane drove his dad’s car into the historical Mill on purpose. The problem is he remembers nothing.


As he tries to figure out what happened and why it quickly becomes apparent that there is something more going on around Amity. Stranger and stranger things begin happening and people who he think are friends seem to be something else as well.



And then it happens, he gets sucked into a Reverie. More astonishing is that he has the magical ability to destroy it.

When someone he thought was helping him turns out was truly just using him a Reverie ends up deadly. Kane tries to withdraw again to keep those he loves safe but in the end Kane and his friends end up in his sister’s Imaginings and it cultivates an epic showdown that could end them all.



I love the characters and the world building in this book. It is very imaginative. Ryan La Sala is an artist with words.



So my bookling friends, I would recommend Reverie by Ryan La Sala for a fun, magical Urban fantasy read.

I give Reverie a fabulous 4 out of 5 stars.



Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book for a fair and honest review.

Reverie is due to release January 2020.


Aside
Tagged book review, dreams, magic, Reverie, Ryan La Sala, Urban fantasy, YA

Set in the present, this novel follows a high school student finds that he's missing large pieces of his memory. Trying to figure out exactly what happened to him, he discovers that he and others at his school can control rogue "reveries," or fantastical situations and dreams that slip into the real world. Pitted against a world-hopping con artist and magician, the kids have to figure out how to end the reveries and save people from disappearing into them forever. The idea isn't bad, but the writing isn't clear and there are all sorts of unnecessary plot elements and distracting asides and such. It needs a developmental edit and a revision.

I really enjoyed this book. Many of the main characters were LGBQT+. I mean how often is the main antagonist an epic drag queen. The world building was fantastic. I could picture the reveries beautifully. I hope this author continues writing in this world.

I received an ARC from Netflix for an honest review.

I was intrigued was soon as I saw the cover and read the summery of this book.

A young boy, Kane, try to fit puzzles pieces of his recently lost memories after an accident. He his dragged with people that claim to be his friends into dreams (reverie) thats started colliding with realitie. Really loved all the caracters. One of my faves one was Dr. Poesy, a soceress drag-queen.

Thanks to netgalley for a ecopy arc of this book.

This is my most anticipated release of 2020, and it did not disappoint. Kane's struggles of relearning his life, both the normal and the fantastical, were beautifully and realistically done. Our journey into the reveries (dreamscapes, fantasies of ordinary people) were fun and flipped clichés on their heads, and our villain was a force to be reckoned with. If you're a fan of Rick Riordan's work, I highly recommend REVERIE. Ryan La Sala is going to be a big name in the YA community for years to come.

The Quick Cut: A teen boy fights to get his memories back after a betrayal causes him to lose them. Chaos breaks loose when it comes out that dream-like states called Reveries are being used by an evil sorceress for power.

A Real Review:
Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Dreams are such an essential component to the human experience. Beyond the fact that they help us imagine the possibilities, it also allows to sleep more soundly. According to the National Sleep Foundation, it's estimated we dream two hours of sleep a night. So imagine if that process could become something...more? That is the world created in the story surrounding Kane.

Kane wakes up from an accident, unable to remember what happened or how he got there. With his memories lost, he works with a therapist to attempt to get back what he's lost. Soon enough, it becomes clear that his memory loss is connected to the Reveries: world created by the dreams or fantasies or another person. They can be dangerous, pull in other people into these worlds, and if you do not play along with the Reverie, it can become dangerous. Can Kane get his memory back and determine what is happening?

This book is described as "Inception meets The Magicians" and while I agree with that statement, this story didn't connect with me like those did. Beyond the bad guy in the story, a drag queen, the characters were fairly flat to me and did not make me want to root for them. Due to the way the book starts with Kane's memory loss and in the middle of the action, it started off slow. However, once the story started moving, then everything was going at a rapid pace and then I was on the opposite side of the spectrum: lost and confused.

The basic components here are fantastic and something phenomenal. What causes it to be a fail for some readers (like me) is the kneejerk pace change and not enough time taken to let the characters breathe. If these adjustments were made, the story would have captured my interest much more heavily.

At it's core a good start, but the details leave it dizzying.

My rating: 2 out of 5

Where do I even start? I started this book with high hopes and not only did it not disappoint, but it went beyond what I even imagined. The exact word I used in my immediate tweet reaction is "devastated" for the sole reason that I can't believe this book is stand-alone and I won't get more of these characters. I want the story of the before and all the stories that come in the after and every universe in-between. ALSO IT WAS LGBT AS HECK AND I AM HERE FOR IT.

Which isn't to say that everything about the story is perfect from the start. Both the reader and protagonist are dropped into a story that's already started and no memory of how it reached that point. Personally, this was a struggle because it felt slow as Kane tried to play by the rules because he didn't know anything else. However, once he started really questioning everything and slowly uncovering what had happened before his "accident", the story never let me go. Some of the twists were predictable and some came out of nowhere, but none of them felt out of place or rushed.

Besides Kane, you have a great collection of characters surrounding him that I want to know more about. Especially (view spoiler). And honestly DRAG QUEEN SORCERESS?! HELLO?????

I am also a huge sucker for unique systems of magic (or similar) and this book taps into a lot of what made Inception so fascinating to me. Human psychology and dreaming is such a strange topic and the idea that there is a way to almost play with that and use it to help or hurt people is so great. I have about a million highlighted quotes about dreams and dreaming and the worlds we build for ourselves in our heads on this ebook file. Definitely one that I will be buying in hardcover the second it's released so that I can fill it with post-it flags.

In the end I am stuck by one thing. It's a rare book that strikes me with the sudden urgency that I need to create something. Because dreaming about what you could do and be is great, but if those desires stay dreams forever, then you'll never actually be great.

I was recommended this novel by a friend to read during Pride month, it took me a lot longer to read than it should have but that's probably due to reading the ebook edition. This book is so different from anything else I've read recently, it's so twisty and magical and surprising! There's an overload of detail almost throughout the entire book so you really need to concentrate when you're reading it!

I was hooked from the first chapter where we are introduced to Kane our MC who's lost all of his recent memories! We follow Kane on a mysterious and tangled journey as he tries to uncover his memories and the reason they're lost to him.

The romance was mostly on the side, it didn't feel like a huge element of the story which was quite refreshing. I felt like there was more emphasis on the awesome group of magic wielding friends, I do love a good friendship group.

At times I will admit I got confused.. there's just a lot going on sometimes and the story twists and turns. The author has an incredible imagination. I would love to get my hands on a finished copy of this book for a reread. This book is due to be published in January 2020.

Kane is recovering from an accident, but he has to figure out exactly what happened during this accident. After a mental health therapist, assigned by the state, shows up knowing details about Kane's accident, Kane realizes that this accident is more than just an accident. It's a connection to a much bigger world within our world.

Honestly, there was a loooot going on in this book-- and not in a good way. I had trouble connecting with any of the characters (even the main character, Kane, was just kinda there), and I felt like the themes were really skimmed over. I also think that a world this complicated needs less action and more world building. Something I did like? Poesy. I have to agree with all other reviewers that Poesy is a fun, interesting character.

Kane has just been involved in a terrible accident. He can't remember anything, and as he tries to return to school and normal life, it becomes more and more obvious that he can't remember A LOT of things and something very strange is going on. He's followed by mysterious shadows late at night. A beautiful boy with haunting seafoam eyes stares at him. He discovers photos of a distant acquaintance, and those photos make it look like she and Kane are the best of friends. That's our brief introduction before we're thrust into an Inception-like environment where people have power over reality and Kane finds himself at the center.

I really enjoyed this YA fantasy. The pace is quick, a narrator missing his memories is a neat concept, and the author uses some great imagery to build the world(s). There's also very welcome diversity with several gay characters being badasses. In his acknowledgements, the author describes the flamboyant villain (yes, a drag queen sorceress!) as representing power, which is pretty cool. Many of the characters are really well fleshed out-- I felt Ursula's awkwardness, Elliot's self-loathing, and Sophia's love (and anger) for her brother.

I wish we had gotten more time with Kane and his love interest-- I think this would have fleshed out their connection more and really elevated the stakes. Like a few readers, I also agree that the book can be quite confusing in parts because it's so visual and because so much is going on. This would make an absolutely fantastic screenplay in the right hands.

Reverie is an excellent book to fill the younger YA gap that exists. It’s highly imaginative with vivid writing and a captivating storyline. Young readers will be sucked into this fantasy from the first page due to La Sala’s ability to give the reader just enough information but also keep them guessing. I highly recommend this book for all students who enjoy fantasy, vivid worlds, and unique characters.

had to sit and stare into space to think about Reverie for probably at least a full minute once I closed the book. Like, I still am not sure how I feel about.
The world building was interested and intriguing. [ Being able to create whole new universes full of your deepest wishes and desires, how fucking awesome is that! Not that you really remember after. (hide spoiler)] The mystery part kind of fell flat for me. After a strong first chapter, I was expecting more thriller. We got more of an episode of Buffy, which is cool too; again, just not what I expected. 
Definitely a great Fall read! The gay was in abundance. The romance(s?) was cute and not nearly long enough. The cover is absolutely gorgeous! The author is lovely! And I hope everyone who picks this book up enjoys it. Pick it up if you get a chance.
It's still ages before the official release and I don't want to spoil anything.

I could not put down this book. It was so interesting and the writing was great. I will definitely be recommending this to customers at my work!

this is my new favourite book!

the fantasy element and the mystery of kane's memory loss were so eerie and intense i couldn't stop reading.

the fact that queer characters were so intrinsically woven into the story made my heart swell with love.

i'm just so stunned by how amazing this book is!! 💖

There is nothing that stands out about this as not particularly good, except, of course, the sum of it's parts.

When I first read the summery for Reverie, I was intrigued but I wasn't all sure how this book would be but I thought Evil drag queen sorceress?, why not give it a go and i'm so glad I did! Reverie is an Escapist's dream book! I couldn't help love every character (even the bad ones). The storyline was original and so full of description that I was sucked in and taken along for the ride. It was Brilliant!

REVERIE’s cover tagline promises “INCEPTION meets THE MAGICIANS” but I would counter that in the latter, the students had the advantage of formal instruction in the magical arts, while Kane Montgomery is a young man forced to wing it, along with his clandestine coterie of supernaturally charmed chums, as they unravel the mysterious happenings that have laid siege to their hometown while simultaneously discovering and honing their own extraordinary powers in this spellbinding coming-of-age fantasy adventure.

While amnesia may initially strike a reader as a convention to be avoided, it’s the test of a good writer to transform such a well-worn device into something compelling and interesting, and La Sala works his own magic to justify Kane’s erased memory as he slowly eases out of his self-induced isolation following a recent calamity and tremulously tiptoes towards the source of his missing memories.

As a reader, the first chapter or two felt slow for my taste, as so many questions were introduced for which I hungered for answers, but as Kane trades timidity for temerity, I followed his headlong dive into the fractured dreamscapes that popped up at an ever alarming rate, riveted by the hallucinogenic exploits of his and his mettlesome friends.

Their meddling in the megalomaniacal machinations of a malevolent mistress of both the dark arts and the art of drag sets this freshman novel apart from other young adult fiction. While the hero’s quest is set in a world of imagination, his core is rooted deeply in the reality that many LGBTQ youth face as they grow into their identities - how to embrace their innate difference in a world that often casts THEM as the villains, and would rather erase them entirely.

As Kane muses in the book, he longs for a place where he can realize his full potential and feel like he BELONGS. "It wasn’t just about finding a world that would tolerate him. It was about imagining a world that loved him back.” Readers like me will find themselves falling in love with THIS protagonist, and will appreciate a hero whose feet are firmly planted in a welcoming world of supportive friends and family, while his flights of fancy take us to the other side of the rainbow and back.

This was a fast past adventure book that did a fantastic job at describing the journey that Kane was going through. one of the things that I really enjoyed about this book was the writing. I think La Sala did an amazing job bring thins world and characters to life. He really does know how to get emotions across and grip the ready from the very first page. Another great thing about this book was the diversity in it as well. It feels inclusive to the reader and I'm sure plenty of people will really enjoy this book.

Reverie is a fast-paced adventure that follows protagonist Kane as he tries to unravel the mystery of just how he lost his memories and apparently destroyed a beloved historical site. Gripping right from the start, readers will quickly become engrossed with a quickly accelerating plot and well-designed characters. Kane's story isn't just one of solving a mystery, it's one of self-discovery and acceptance -- lessons that young readers will feel inspired and supported by!

I feel as though I just played through an indie rpg and now the end credits are rolling and I'm happy, sad, and thoroughly perplexed at what the HELL just happened.

Am I...is this world I'm in right now, even real?
*news notifications roll in* Yup, unfortunately way too real.
Reverie, beautiful title with a beautiful cover is the debut book by author Ryan La Sala and it packs a punch and I'm still figuring things out. I'm still trapped in all of these worlds. I'm still in love with all of these amazing characters I was introduced to. I just want to say that I am so happy this book exists, it blew me away.

Reverie means to be lost in one's thoughts; to daydream. Bitch, can I relate more than ever. I wasn't even halfway into this book when I realized what it reminded me of in a great way. The synopsis states that Reverie is Inception meets The Magicians but what is really reminded me of was Persona 5, a fantastic jrpg. Teens traveling to worlds to save people from their dreams and kick ass. You just have to love it.

Characters:
The main cast are called...The Others which is very mysterious.
Kane is our lead and he's gay, recently has lost all of his memories, and has no idea what the hell is going on or why he ended up half drowned in the river by the old mill.
Ursula is a literal badass who loves baking and is as sweet as can be.
Adeline is a cold black beauty who takes no shit.
Elliot is a handsome, nerd who will not shut up.
Dean is Mr. Mysterious and gorgeous, you know he has a dark past.
And the best, my favorite, the absolute most amazing character is Dr. Poesy, a stunning drag queen who exudes beauty and class and has a love for tea. As soon as her character was introduced I fell in love.

My Thoughts:

I am not a fantasy reader. I think I've mentioned this before but I'm just not and I think this was one of my first fantasy reads in a long long time. Some of it confused me and I had to re-read it again but that was okay. I enjoyed the ride. I laughed a lot during it and the little pop references such as Sailor Moon and Avatar Korra. I loved the diversity in this. As a bi black woman it feels so good to read things with so much diversity. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author. I'm looking forward to more stories like this altogether from the book world!

Thank you very much to SOURCEBOOKS Fire and Netgalley for this Arc. All opinions are my own. Please follow my blog for more reviews:
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