A little bit of mixed emotions about this one, but all together a good first book in a series. It checked all the boxes for me, I'm interested and invested at this point, I only wish there would have been a bit more solidity in certain things by the ending.

The writing was quite beautiful, it skirted the edge of purple prose at times but ultimately I felt it wasn't too over the top for me. I thought the author did a great job at setting the scenes. There was a captivating contrast between the cold bleak backdrop of a dying town and the invigorating colorful splashes of magic at play. The fact that magic also held this undertone of mystery and danger only made it that much more exciting and intriguing.

I could see some having issue with how boisterous and exorbitantly headstrong Kallia can be. Honestly, I loved every minute of it. I loved how daring and passionate she was. In the face of a world where magic was a man's game, she unabashedly held nothing back when flaunting her talents. I thoroughly enjoyed this aspect of the story. Were there times where she used excess bravado to push back? YUP. Were there times she could have let someone in and shown a bit of the worry she struggled with? Uh huh. But I honestly totally get putting on your game face and not letting your haters, and even sometimes your friends, see the obstacles get you down. I think it made a lot of sense after Kallia was so deeply violated recently for her to be more on guard for awhile in who she let fully in.

I really enjoyed a bunch of the other characters too. Jack is a big ole mystery that I really want to know more about. He falls pretty well into this dark grey place right now, he's not the hero but I'm not sure he's the fully the villain either. There's so much to be learned about him still. I would have liked to get even a few more morsels of information about him before the end, the few crumbs we got really only made like 20 new questions emerge. Demarco was one I wasn't quite sure if I'd end up liking or not for awhile. I was glad more about him was revealed towards the end, it gave him depth that seemed to be lacking the first half of the book with him being so closed off and broody. Aaros brought a much needed cheeky lightness to the fold. I hope to see even more from him in future books. Also, the entire magic circus, more of that whole troupe please, because they were fabulous!

There was a ton of intrigue throughout this one, but ultimately not many revelations by the end. I would have liked at least a few of the many mysteries to come to some sort of fruition, but as I said before, this author can really set a scene. Where Dreams Descend set the stage for the second act and it is full of many deliciously wicked possibilities!

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and Wednesday Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. This in no way changed my opinion of the book.

So I was under the impression this was going to be kind of like Phantom of the Opera and kind of like Six of Crows. There's a mystery that needs solving and there's a team of people who each have their own secrets, but their own skills to help get the job done. I liked both of those books and I've seen this book hyped a lot by others who had read it. I was excited. I COMPLETELY missed the review from Claire Legrand comparing it to Caraval. I would've had much different expectations had I seen that.

Where Dreams Descend is mostly about a magician named Kallia, a powerful female magician who wants to prove herself on stage. She goes to the lost city of Glorian to compete in a magic competition where she meets Daron Demarco, a famous magician and judge who has a dark past. As the competition starts, unfortunate "accidents" start befalling the contestants and it's up to Kallia and Demarco to try and stop it.

First off, this book took me THREE MONTHS to get through. I was that disengaged. Every time I picked it up, I'd get a little further and then put it down again. I finally said enough's enough and forced myself to finish it. I was very bored in a book about magic and magical accidents. That should be near impossible for me. I love Fantasy books. Most of that is due to the characters. I just didn't really care about them or their goals.

-Kallia is a stereotypical "headstrong female lead" who's kind of abrasive but you know it's to hide that she's vulnerable underneath the shell. She bends the rules a lot and then gets upset when people call her out on it.

-Demarco has this secret for nearly the whole book. You can figure out what it is and who it involves pretty early on, so it's frustrating from a reader standpoint to wait until over 80% of the book is done for him to FINALLY confirm what you already knew forever ago.

-The judges of the competition, minus Demarco and another judge named Erasmus, are almost comically sexist. Like the sexist version of a mustache twirling villain who puts damsels on train tracks. Every time Kallia performs, she way outdoes the other contestants (all men) and the other judges are like "WHAT?! a WOMAN?! Performing MAGIC?!?! *clutches pearls*". It gets tedious the longer that shtick goes on. You'd think at SOME point, her talent would show them they should rethink their preconceived notions, but then we can't have it hammered over our heads that women can't be stage magicians and should be assistants, but KALLIA is a FEMALE MAGICIAN with a MALE ASSISTANT! CRAZY! Also, they make a big deal of Kallia bending the rules and call her out for "cheating", but then they blatantly cheat left and right and write it off because it's of benefit to the male contestants. They don't really have character traits other than "sexist".

-There's also Jack, who is Kallia's teacher and the "Phantom" character. His big twist comes way too late in the book and before that, he's pretty much just the Phantom of the Alastor Place instead of the Opera. If you've seen or read Phantom, you'll see the similarities very quickly.

It definitely reminded me of Caraval in that the magic system was kind of random, it wasn't really explained how it works, and characters shrug off any irregularities. For example, "The cane must've been riddled with all sorts of tailoring gear somehow". This is something Stephanie Garber did, too, and it drove me nuts. The word "somehow" should not show up in reference to the magic system of your world. It sounds like even you don't know how it works. YOU created it. You should know how everything in the world works and be able to explain it. She also does that thing Garber does where the metaphors are nonsensical. For example, "falling like wishes granted". I feel like she meant to evoke a falling star here, but it sounds very flowery for the sake of being flowery and doesn't really make sense. I feel like if you REALLY loved Caraval, this is for you. I didn't, so I was irritated with this.

I know this is a duology, but the ending left a LOT open and a lot of loose threads. By the time some of the "secrets" you're waiting for are revealed, I didn't care about them anymore, so I most likely won't read book two to find out what happens. There are new characters introduced with less than 20% of the book left, which left me wondering why instead of just saving them for the second book.

The one saving grace of this book was Kallia's stage assistant, Aaros. Aaros is a cinnamon roll and needs to be protected at all costs! He's very funny and protective. He's a great friend to Kallia. I loved him. He was the only character I really cared about and I wish there had been more of him. I understand this wasn't really possible because they have to work in that love story. However, I would read a book just about Aaros and his life before he got dragged into this mess. One star just for Aaros.

All in all, if you liked Caraval, then you will probably love this. It just wasn't for me.

I'd like to begin by thanking NetGalley and Wednesday Books. I was provided an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Comparing your novel to the likes of Moulin Rouge, The Phantom of the Opera, and The Night Circus is a bold move. Ballsy, in fact. All three titles are timeless classics in their own right, or, at the very least, celebrated for being speculator debuts inside of their given genre. It's an easy sell, and a nigh impossible delivery. I'm sorry to report that Where Dreams Descend doesn't deliver. I wanted to like this book. The buzz/hype surrounding it seemed surreal and promising, especially for a first novel. It was so overhyped on Goodreads, that one comment breathlessly claimed that they 'had very strong feelings that this book would be making its way into subscription boxes this summer.' Well, yes. But not for the reasons you'd expect.

Don't misunderstand. I was swept up in the same giddy, infectious excitement. I was delighted when my request for the eARC was granted. I have a deep, abiding love for magic, over the top showmanship, magicians, and showy dance numbers. Yet, strangely, for a book that promises to incorporate all of those things and more, there was surprisingly little magic or showmanship in Where Dreams Descend. While I had high hopes for this novel, it was ultimately a disappointing slog that failed to hold my interest.

In this review, I'll do my best to outline the various issues I had with Ms. Angeles debut, as honestly as possible.


Writing quality/readability - 3/5 From a purely technical standpoint, Where Dreams Descend is an easy read. The writing style is direct and to the point. It is also, unfortunately, very spartan. For a novel that centers around showmanship, magic, and the stage, the writing is surprisingly bland. To put it bluntly: there's no magic in the writing itself. No sense of wonder or suspense. Janelle Angeles has stumbled, here; succumbing to a common pitfall of YA, where the writing feels watered down to the point where she inadvertently talks down to her audience. Forgetting, I think, that YA isn't just for ages 12 - 19. I didn't connect with the writing style, and because of that, the score suffered. The writing wasn't compelling/gripping enough to hold my attention. But, if you like no-frills and little description, Where Dreams Descend meets this criteria. In this case, I've scored purely on readability; not necessary because it's an enjoyable read.

Plot - 1/5 Oh, goodness. Where to begin? This is perhaps a question Ms. Angeles should have asked herself as well, as Where Dreams Descend is very slow to start. Nothing of note happens until 69% of the way through the book. I'm willing to chalk this up to a rookie mistake for a first time author/ a poor pacing decision, but unfortunately, my eyes were glazing over by the time the semblance of a plot took shape. Even then, I was left with more questions than answers. This is a novel that suffers heavily from unresolved loose ends/plot holes.

There's also the fact that for a novel about magicians, magical competitions, and the stage, very little of the above is ever actually shown. It certainly isn't the focus of the novel. The blurb is misleading, in that respect. We're promised magic. What we get is an overdone heterosexual will they/won't they? romance, a stereotypical "feisty" PoC, and...plot holes. Lots and lots of plot holes.

Characterization - 2/5 In this case, the score is generous. The characters in Where Dreams Descend felt very...flat. Perhaps 'underdeveloped' is a better word. Unfortunately, across the board, Kallia, Aaros, the mysterious 'The Master' aka Jack, and even the love interest Daron were one dimensional. Kallia quickly goes from being a sympathetic character to thoroughly unlikable. She's also reduced to the role of the 'hysterical/haughty woman,' depending on who she interacts with, and (I'm still bitter about this) the 'feisty/mouthy/aggressive PoC woman.' Ugh. Just...ugh.

Jack is introduced as the antagonist early on, and plays such a minor role/contributes so infrequently to the plot that he's instantly forgettable. While it's obvious that he's meant to be a nod to The Phantom, he mostly serves as barely more than a stereotypical Scooby Doo villain for the duration of the novel.

Even the circus performers fall flat. They're hastily introduced, brought back when it's convenient to the plot, and then banished from sight/mention again, with no growth or development. Aaros is the one saving grace, and even he doesn't live up to his full potential. He's also the only thing saving this score. If I could give a 0 for this category, I would.

World Building - 0/5 The elusive 0/5 made an appearance, after all. That's because, unfortunately, there's nothing to score. Where Dreams Descend has a glimmer of a world, but unfortunately, it's never fully explored or explained. Even the characters claim that they know nothing of the city/town that the majority of the novel takes place in, beyond a certain point.

Yikes. This is unfortunately lazy writing. Irredeemably lazy writing. And incredibly frustrating, to boot.

I had high hopes for this novel. It was unfortunately a far cry from what I signed up for. I doubt I'll have the interest (or the masochism,) to return for book 2.

Where Dreams Descend follows Kallia as she auditions for a contest amongst magicians where women are not supposed to compete. During this competition, people start mysteriously getting hurt and disappearing.

This book is so disappointing that it makes me angry. It didn't live up to the books it was compared to: The Night Circus and Caraval.

There was no plot from this book other than the competition that Kallia is participating in. There were threads that were mentioned but never brought up again and side plots what had no relevance or significant meaning to them. The romance was not slow burn, it came out of nowhere. Everything is very convenient in this story. Information pops up out of nowhere to further the plot instead of subtly putting it earlier in the book.

The characters were so one dimensional. Most of them didn't have a names. The actions of the people who do have some development make no sense.

The world building doesn't exist. Kallia is an overpowered character with "born magic" which is inherently stronger than "learned magic". We don't know the boundaries of the magic system. We don't know much of anything about the world at all. This is easily explained by the fact that no one knows the history of the city, but that's just lazy writing.

The writing for this baffles me. This book is 70% feminist statements Kallia thinks up on how sexist this world is. I don't mind a feminist book, but I do mind the blatant hypocrisy of this since if the roles were reversed, Kallia would be considered sexist. She gets a pass though, since she's a woman in this story. It is not acceptable to have a female character throw feminist statements out there when this character is verbally abusive to every male character and most female characters. This female character physically abused two male characters, one of which is the love interest! This female character doesn't doesn't actually care about the feminist issues she brings up (sexism amongst stage magicians) otherwise she would be uplifting other women to do the same thing. She doesn't embody any feminist trait. She is rude, arrogant, self centered, and a hypocrite. She still somehow has a love interest!

This book is incredibly problematic and YA readers deserve better than this. YA readers should have protagonists that care about lifting other people up with them when they face sexism. There needs to be better examples of this in books, and Where Dreams Descend is an incredibly poor example.

1/5

Rating (on a scale of 1 to 5, 5 being excellent)
Quality of writing: 3
Pace: 3
Plot development: 3
Characters: 3
Enjoyability: 3
Ease of Reading: 3

Overall rating: 3 out of 5

I really loved and enjoyed this book. It got me out of a huge reading slump! I loved the whole atmosphere of the world, the magic system was good and the characters were amazing. The book was well-paced, it took time to develop the characters, their friendships and the world but it wasn't boring and I really enjoyed reading about them.
Kallia was really powerful, a little bit too powerful at times. I couldn't really believe in her and her abilities because everyone seemed so weak compared to her. I loved all the characters, they were all well developed, the friendships were so endearing and fun to read about. I also loved the romance! It's a bit of a love triangle but I didn't mind it. I really liked the plot twist at the end, and the vilain was someone I really enjoyed seeing and reading about.
I only wish we had more POC and LGBTQ+ characters in this book. I hope there will be more of them in the next books. I Highly recommend checking this book out when it’s out!

E-arc provided by Netgalley in exchange of an honest review!

I wish this had worked for me--it has all the things I would love in a story. But the prose felt awkward and I couldn't connect. I also really wanted a better, richer atmosphere, but instead I felt there was a reliance on telling instead of showing, and ultimately I didn't even finish the book.

I enjoyed reading this, but I wish we had some answers!

The plot is interesting, there's a world where people can be born with great magical powers or acquire it through work or other means (not sure what those are), there are dark powers we don't know anything about and something sinister is going on. I liked Kallia as our lead character, she's bold and strong and won't let anyone bring her down. I enjoyed seeing her magic and her romance with Demarco is sweet.
However, the story seemed to drag and we didn't get any answers about the town's secrets, the mirror world, who or what Jack is, and what happened to Eva. It was a lot of buildup with no payoff. I wanted more than questions, we needed information so it didn't feel like stumbling around in the dark. At least tell us more about the families or what the cards mean.

I did have fun reading this and trying to guess what was going on. I also liked that the romance was a slow build and didn't take over the story. Aaros is also a great sidekick and I adore him. Plus, awesome female circus performers!

I received an advanced copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

I had to try a few times to start this book, but I am so glad I kept trying. It has been such an enjoyable read. Enough mystery to keep me reading, subtle hints of romance without being in your face, characters you can relate to even without having lived their experiences...it is all there. I will be looking forward to the next one!

I haven't finished the book yet. I think eventually I will but it's not capturing my attention and I have other books that do. It's not bad. But it hasn't sucked me in. And I feel like the main character is too trope-y, too chosen one, too special. Not realistic (which yes I know this book is about magic, am I supposed to expect realism?) I'm still intrigued about certain things and I think once I really dedicate myself to reading it I might enjoy it more. We'll see but until then this book is just okay. But with potential.

Man oh man. I loved this book. I guess I was behind because I didn’t know other people were saying it reminded them of moulin rouge until I was on a book group I’m in. I kept coming up with theories and I would dismiss them because I never knew what exactly was going to happen. I have a soft spot towards a few of the characters in this book. I just love them. I can’t wait for the next book to be released and can’t wait to hold a physical copy in my hands.

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read Where Dreams Descend before the publication date. I really went into this story with all the love and hope for a fantastical themed book. I expected a little bit of Caraval mixed with Night Circus (2 books I love) and came out with a one star review. I DNF’d this book a little over 50% read. I am a lover of characters and the characters weren’t very loveable to me. I will probably finish the book through audible when it comes out, but I will not finish the arc.

I received a free e-ARC through NetGalley from the publishers at St. Martin’s Press. Kallia has been raised off the grid by a reclusive magician, his protege and the star of the show at his club, Hellfire House, but she’s always looking toward the distant city spires of Glorian. When Kallia finally gets the nerve to break away from Jack and head for Glorian to join a competition of aspiring magicians, she has no idea what she’s getting into. The city has always been forbidden, and Kallia has to work twice as hard as any of the men to earn her place on the stage. But there’s more at work in Glorian than a competition, and Kallia might just be playing for her life. Trigger warnings: controlling/emotionally abusive relationships, captivity, severe illness, injury, blood, misogyny, stalking, threats, grief.

Ray Bradbury instilled a strong love for circus/carnival stories in me at a young age, and I had high hopes for this novel. Unfortunately, it’s very much a first novel, and it has almost nothing that I look for in books. The descriptions are vivid and lovely, but they often overwhelm the important things like plot or character development, of which there is almost none outside of the main romance. Side characters are underused or barely fleshed out, or both, and the ending fails to bring any kind of closure–plot or thematic–to the events of the story. However, I can see it working better for readers who enjoy the romance or don’t mind waiting for a second book for answers.

I really wanted to like Kallia, a poc main heroine with more power than any of the men, but who is constantly fighting for a place at the table. And I do like those things about her. I like how she pretends confidence or arrogance even when she’s doubting herself, and I like how she never steps down for anyone. I don’t like how her descriptions constantly refer to her as a “viper” or with other snakelike qualities just because she’s ambitious. The constant misogyny she faces would probably be wearying if it mattered to the plot at all, but it doesn’t. Kallia is already so far ahead of any of the male magicians in power that they can frown on her, but they can’t stop her–and that’s the other problem. There’s no development for her because she’s already at the peak of her powers. The only change in her by the end of the novel is that she’s stuck in a different cage, and she has a boyfriend now.

I wish I cared about Demarco and his sad story, but I don’t. I think we’re supposed to think he’s a lot better than the other magicians because he at least gives Kallia a shot, but he’s a little too gloomy and controlling for my tastes. I was totally prepared to love Aaros and the Conquering Circus ladies, and I probably would, except they’re little more than side characters there to propel Kallia’s story. Honestly, my favorite character is probably Jack, Kallia’s manipulative teacher/protector/captor(?), because I always love the Problem characters, and at least he knows what he is. Again, though, there’s little insight into him outside a plot reveal toward the end that, given the limited information we have, isn’t as effective as it probably could have been.

The plot, such as it is, is murky. There’s the sham of a competition that everyone knows from the auditions that Kallia will win, assuming she doesn’t die or get disqualified before then. I wanted much more out of the challenges–for example, for them to actually be challenging, or to even remember the names of one of Kallia’s competitors. The mystery around Glorian is far more compelling. It’s clear there’s a greater villain than Jack at work in the city, but the ending fails to bring any of it together. It favors shock value over logic, and it’s an obvious lead-in to the next book. I don’t like cliffhangers, but I can live with them; what I can’t tolerate is a book that completely fails to stand on its own in any capacity. Even as part of a duology, I need to leave off feeling as though I’ve made some progress, but there’s nothing at the end but a new problem to solve (without any attempts to solve the ones in this book). I’m on the fence about the sequel, so I suppose I’ll see how my feelings age before I decide whether or not to pick it up.

I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.

"Where Dreams Descend" by Janella Angeles, not gonna lie, is a heavy fantasy book. I enjoyed the recurring theme of mirrors and the deceptive way they can be use and I thought it was very intriguing to use them in the case of a magic show. However, there were times that I felt there was too much introspection and not enough action regarding a book about magic. There were also a couple of things that I wanted answers to and by the end, the answers, if any, were very vague.

However, I did enjoy Angeles's beautiful description of the world and the characters that inhabit them. I would use passages in this book to, perhaps, teach about descriptive writing and internal monologue.

This book was somehow way too long, and yet also didn't have any character development or plot or world-building at all. How is this possible? I have no idea, but wow, was it a disappointment.

This book begins with a bang, I'll give it that. The introduction to the main character, Kallia, and the performance house she lives in with her magic teacher/warden(?) Jack, was phenomenal. Kallia's desire to leave and stretch her magical wings in the neighboring city of Glorian was admirable. Kallia's arrival in Glorian to become a contestant in a magic competition should have been where the story kicked off in earnest, but instead it ground it a halt. Between each round of the competition, absolutely nothing happened. There were tiny bursts of fun interactions between characters, but overall, it felt like between the majority of the plot happened in the first ten percent and last ten percent of this book. Most of the characters felt incredibly one-dimensional, with the author relying much too heavily on dropping hints about mysterious pasts rather than just...giving her characters personality.

I did enjoy the writing style quite a lot. It was pretty without going overboard into disgustingly flowery. This society frowns on female magicians, but the reason why isn't really explained, so while I can appreciate the author trying to throw some female empowerment in there, it felt a little clunky. The epilogue gave some hints as to what might happen in book 2, sort of a found family, Six of Crows-esque dynamic, which I think could be quite fun. Although I was disappointed in the execution of many aspects of this book, I am still intrigued by the world and I'm interested in seeing where the story goes next.

Gah! My heart.

When looking for my next read I like to ask the question: how do I want to be emotionally destroyed today? Welp, look no further! Where Dreams Descend has all the makings of a stellar series and in this first installment we are introduced to a solid cast of characters and a story that quickly jumps off the page.

Kallia is pretty badass in my opinion - the type of character that doesn't take lip from anyone. She's fierce in her decisions and dares you to prove her wrong. But she's also torn between a past that won't leave her alone and a future that refuses to let her go.

Jack and Demarco are the two guys in Kallia's life. She's constantly pulled into two different directions, struggling between her head and her heart - what she's known and what she's willing to take a chance on. I won't get into spoilery details, but I will say that I acquired a new book boyfriend hella quick! Brooding and mysterious wrapped in conflict? Uh, yes please!

I can't end this review without mentioning the ending that literally clicked with me 1.7 seconds before everything hit the fan and left me screaming into my pillow long after the dust had settled on my scattered brain.

Where Dreams Descend is a delicious, layered fantasy set in the world of magic and magicians. Part mystery, part romance that will leave you wishing you had magic if only to have the next book in your hands today. Highly (highly!) recommended!

First and foremost I would like to thank Wednesday Books and St. Martin's Press for the early access to this title in order to read and review. A more thorough review will be posted for my blog tour upon the release of this book as well as to GoodReads.

This book is a solid 5 star read for me. It has everything in a book that I look for. Magic, thrills, danger, romance... these are all things I dive in head first for. I really enjoyed the multiple view points, had an easy to understand magic system, and I felt connected to the characters. I am interested in seeing where they go in the next book. With that being said, I did feel like the book was a bit slow and dense. This wasn't a huge issue for me as I realized that this book is a set up for the next.

I loved Kallia and how brash and impulsive she was. She just has that aura of confidence that I always strive internally to be. I loved the banter within this book and the slow burn romance!

I definitely think that if you are a fan of Caraval or The Night Circus, you'll enjoy this book!

"Not all magic is good magic. Few people can use it, even fewer are born to it."

A desperate, dying city. A chance to achieve greatness. A competition of a lifetime. A showgirl who aspires for more. A magician without power. A shadowy master of illusions.

Spectaculore.

Kallia has spent her entire life at Hellfire House, and is the star of the show, descending from a golden chandelier to dazzle the audience with her magic. But she desires to be a true stage magician, and runs away to take part in a cut-throat competition to fulfill her dreams. However, nothing is as it seems and her past keeps haunting her--literally. What sinister secrets lie beneath the stage where dreams descend?

A dazzling debut from Angeles, "Where Dreams Descend" is a magical, twisting, burning, binding tale where "Caraval" meets "Moulin Rouge" to create a spellbinding work of genius.

I do love books about circuses, among my favorites are The Night Circus and the Caraval series. So when I saw this beauty, I had to request to read any early copy, especially when I saw it had Phantom of the Opera undertones!

The stage is set with Kallia, a showgirl with “born” magic who performs in a gilded cage for Jack, a mysterious and manipulative benefactor. After she realizes the extent of Jack’s control over her, she escapes to a town and auditions to be in a competition for the next headliner of the Conquering Circus. She is decidedly not welcomed, as all of the other magicians auditioning are men. Besides the ringleader, her only ally (albeit begrudgingly) seems to be one of the judges, Demarco, who is harboring secrets of his own. They are soon caught up in a world of magic, intrigue and suspicion, as contestants begin to vanish and come to harm.

I find that in books about circuses and magic, I prefer ones where the descriptions are many and lush. Kallia’s clothing is always presented as a splotch of color against the dismal backdrop of the town, and flowers and mirrors are utilized to set the scene.

I liked the characters of Kallia and Demarco, but I never felt very strongly for them. I found myself being the most emotionally involved with Jack, I think he was the most well written character (and Lottie, love her snark). Jack was so infuriating and yet also so many things were unexplained about him that I couldn’t help but wonder what his backstory is.

Now for the magic - I found the explanation of the magic system to be confusing. Some people can be born with it (though this is rare) and others can learn it. However, what confused me is that I didn’t really understand if people that “learn” magic have it legitimately, or if they’re merely trained in illusions.

There were a few other things that confused me, especially with regards to the town, but I hope they’re explained in the sequel.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, especially the last half, when the tension really began and the pace moved quicker. If you enjoy tales about magic and the circus, you should give it a try.

3.5 STARS


Where Dreams Descend is nothing short of a spectacle.


When Kallia sees the opportunity to escape her life as a showgirl and take center stage as a magician, she takes it. In her world, performing under someone else's wing is not enough, not when she has magic and power the likes of which the world has never seen. A born magician, she knows she can own any stage, captivate any audience.

And when a competition gives her the opportunity to do just that, despite all the odds, there's no stopping her. No matter the obstacle, the spotlight is going to be hers.


"The ones who dare most often disappear."


In a world where women are labor magicians, not show magicians, Kallia finds obstacles stacked against her left and right. The judges of the contest have no respect for her. Her fellow competitors are equally dismissive. The world simply refuses to make room for a female magician, even one as talented as Kallia.

Which means Kallia makes room with her own power.

This, I think, was the main draw of Where Dreams Descend, in my eyes. Kallia is not only a charming heroine, confident in her power and charisma. She's ambitious, dead certain what she wants and willing to go to any lengths to get it. As much as I love a good dose of the reluctant hero trope, it truly was refreshing to see a main character take charge of her story so willingly, with such certainty. No matter who or what stands in Kallia's way, she does her best to remain three steps ahead.

Plus, she's under no illusions that the men who look down on her will change their minds just like that. She's well aware that she has to work twice as hard as anyone else for half the recognition. But even more importantly, she's not in it for their approval. Instead, she's in it to prove to herself that she's good enough to walk the stage. Kallia aims to make of her life whatever she chooses, not what someone else dictates, and I honestly adore her for it.


Speaking of disappearing, though...where's the heart of the story?


Kallia carried most of the book on her back, and for good reason. She's the star of the show, and shouldn't be side-lined! However, a good book is more than just its main character, and this was the area I found Where Dreams Descend to be a little lacking in. Sure, we have a brilliant, vibrant main character, and she's navigating an uncanny, dazzling new setting while grappling with a past that refuses to unhook its claws from her. That alone is powerful stuff, convincing enough to keep me reading. But there needed to be more, namely in two areas: side characters, and plot.

The side character problem is far easier to explain. With a vibrant cast like the Conquerers, Aaros, and Demarco featuring so prominently, I should have felt more for them. Aaros in particular had a cheeky sort of demeanor that I adored. The problem was, though, that they were often pale beside Kallia. Less interesting, or perhaps simply less developed. And in a story where Kallia must learn that friends can be more valuable than simple allies, I wish more time had been spent really fleshing out those friends.

As for the plot, this is more of a gripe with the conclusion. A duology, of course, can't resolve everything in one book. Otherwise, it would be a standalone. But by the end of Where Dreams Descend, I felt that only one small question had been answered, while plenty of others had been opened up. It shaped the final scenes not into a startling crescendo worthy of all this showmanship, but something of a tailspin that left me frustrated. I plan to read the second book because I so desperately want the answers, but there's no escaping the way the finale left something to be desired.


Release has been pushed back to late August, so there's still time.


Time to pre-order, perhaps time for changes to be made to the book, and time in general to prepare for Kallia to take the stage! Not that you can really prepare for the wonders she's capable of, to be honest. Where Dreams Descend is now hitting shelves on August 25th, about three months from now, giving you plenty of time to place a pre-order or request it through your local library. If the dazzling flash of the stage is your thing, or you want to watch a competition take on a dangerous life of its own, I recommend you get this book on your TBR today!


CW: gambling, drinking, loss of a loved one, gore

[This review will go live on Hail & Well Read at 12pm EST on 5/28/20.]