Cover Image: Where Dreams Descend

Where Dreams Descend

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Member Reviews

Wow, so, like. I'm really mad at myself. I've had a copy of this ARC for so long and even before the release date was pushed back I just kept putting off reading it. I don't know why. So I'm here to encourage you to not do what I did. Because this book? Fabulous.

It may have taken me about two and a half, maybe three, weeks to read because I'm (as most of us are) slumpy or just living that pandemic lyfe, but nonetheless every little bit I would read? Was great. The story stuck with me, enthralled me, even when I put it down to be distracted by my phone or Netflix or staring at the walls.

"<i>I don't have to prove a single thing to them. What matters most is what I prove to <b>myself</b>. Giving up would be an insult to everything I know I'm capable of.</i>"

I am completely stunned this is a debut because though the story is fascinating and mysterious and compelling, the writing? It's solid. It's magical. It's polished. And it's all that while also having a very relevant dialogue about the double standards in society and the inequalities within most, if not all, fields, without feeling like it's trying to force the topic to <b>be</b> relevant, y'know?

"<i>Magician or not, we've always lived in a series of boys' clubs we're not allowed to enter. We're told we're simply lucky to be in the room, as long as we stay quiet. Make even a little murmur, and it's like we've disturbed the order of life itself.</i>"

As an added bonus, I could never quite see exactly where things were going. The teases were given, the little reveals, what you thought was true.. this was one story that was laced with the tiniest of breadcrumbs as opposed to smacking you in the face with what was coming next. I loved that.

If the comparisons to Moulin Rouge and Phantom of the Opera put you off because you worried it wouldn't live up to one or the other or both; if you've been disillusioned by YA fantasies, particularly from debut authors one too many times; if you thought maybe would be just another NIGHT CIRCUS (even if you liked it, but especially if you didn't!), I'm here to tell you.. yes. Just.. yes.

<i>For too long she'd envisioned only herself on the stage, an image that always kept her going : basking in the spotlight, hearing her name and cheers over everything else. Strange how applause was just noise, when you were all alone.</i>

My one complaint, even though it isn't really, is that while I felt the mystery surrounding the setting of this book did a great job of sucking you in, the little glimpses we were given of the world outside just didn't feel quite as fleshed out or real. Maybe that was to keep the focus on what was happening in the moment, which it did very well, but I would definitely like to know more of the world outside this pocket of events, too.

Either way, I can't wait for more and I'm so excited for book two.

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I've finally found another DNF. I couldn't really get connected, despite trying to read it on a few different occasions (hence why I am so late on this review). There's a great premise and the writing is lush and detailed, but it is slow to start and I was already working on predicting the tropes and plot points and was getting... bored. I'll try again in the future, but for now, this book wasn't for me.

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I love carnival/circus type stories and this one did not disappoint! I love the magic and I think this would be perfect for fans of Caraval!

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Thank you St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, and Janella Angeles for the ARC. Phantom of the Opera meets Moulin Rouge? SIGN ME UP. Two of my favorite musicals wrapped into one novel, I was very excited to read this one. Overall I enjoyed the story and Kallia as a main character. She was sassy, strong, and didn't care what anyone thought - a rare find in YA fantasy. The world in which this story takes place was interesting, maybe a little confusing but it didn't take away from the overall plot. The magic competition plot was a little lack luster in my opinion - I would have much preferred to follow the all lady circus! Janella writes AMAZING female characters and I'm hoping we get more of them in book 2. Although I wasn't struggling to finish this book, there was just something about it that wasn't completely pulling me in, making me want to binge read it (I think it's because I would have preferred a story focused on the all lady circus/Kallia). Nonetheless, the ending of this book setup a sequel perfectly, so it'll definitely be something I pick up.

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DNF review
I had high hopes for Where Dreams Descend. The cover is not only lush, but the book promises a circus. I can never say no to a book with the circus. While the writing of the book is rich, descriptive, and evocative, I found myself not really connecting to any of the characters. I also found the world-building to be a little lacking. I may come back to the book in the future but for now, I'm setting this one outside.

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This was a great debut from Janella Angeles. I loved these characters but felt that the plot was drawn out and almost too detailed. I would recommend to anyone looking for a different experience from what they normally read!

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I thought this book had a good premise and I tried to get through it 3 times. Each time I got a bit further, but ended up stopping at around 30% in. I liked the idea of the magic, the competition/contest, as well as the woman lead, but I could not stand Jack and how controlling he was. If I can get past his character my interest is still peaked by the mystery of it all and perhaps I will eventually finish it, but not yet.

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This dragged so hard for me. I didn't get a sense of any of the characters, or, frankly, what was going on until well past the halfway point, at which time I didn't really care all that much. *shrugs*

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Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC copy.

Oh boy. This one was a bit difficult for my to get into, despite it containing several things that should have completely ensnared my interests and held me there. It's extremely well-written and elegant, but just not something that I found meshed with me. I guess maybe it was the romance not being for me at this time or the time periods this takes place in (Think something like the Roaring Twenties with a hint of Phantom of the Opera). However, if you're looking for a strong, female lead, hints at a love triangle, and a gripping ending, I would definitely recommend this.

SN: The cover is to die for. While the story didn't work for me, seeing that cover just makes my eyes light up.

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Where Dreams Descend is exactly what I wanted out of a book with a dark, circus-y, magical storyline. I found myself comparing it to The Night Circus, and was definitely not disappointed. Though it took me a little bit to get into it in the beginning (I almost needed a little more background in a few places), I was able to figure it out pretty quickly and loved it. The characters were wonderful. Kallia was strong and interesting, as were each of the new important characters introduced. There were one or two characters that I would have liked to have a little more exploration into, but I thought they all played off of each other very nicely. I did like the mystery to this book, and it ended with not all of the mystery explained, leaving plenty of room for a sequel. I can't wait to get my hands on the next one and see where this story goes from here. I'm definitely glad I picked this one up!

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Wondrously magical fantasy that sweeps you away... or your feet right from under you. Written with beautiful prose to set the tone and build an atmospheric world seeped in secrets and magic, comes a tale of an ambitious woman on a mission in a new and relatively unfamiliar territory whom finds herself joining a high stake magic show competition that could mean life or death for Kallia. It's Moulin Rouge meets Caraval meets Phantom of the Opera meets Ace of Shades mixed with old gothic vibes. I was absolutely entranced first by the prose then the mystery of Glorian then the characters until I was completely invested in the characters and their relationships. Janella Angeles blew me away with her craft for storytelling, slow burn romance and that. cliffhanger. I can't wait for the sequel! I need it.

Thank you for the opportunity to read in advanced.

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This was the first advanced epub I ever had the honor of receiving, I am so incredibly grateful and I really enjoyed this book. It was a great YA fantasy, and I cannot wait for future releases from Janella Angeles.

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A dazzling fantasy with a remarkably strong female lead. The blend of elements from Moulin Rouge and Phantom of the Opera made this a wholly unique YA novel that I devoured within a few short days. The descriptions were exquisitely crafted and I cannot wait to get my hands on the sequel.

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I was really excited for this book: circus and magic!? yes!!

I can tell it has potential for the sequels, this book is more of an introduction with the world and characters and i wished they were more explored and fleshed-out. Some parts were a bit confusing too. I loved the mystery and the circus-y vibe but the pacing was a bit slow.

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I truly think this was just not my cup of tea and that's ok. I needed MORE from it. I had entirely too many questions at the end of this and I was a bit confused on the magic system while reading it. The characters needed a bit more development, I wasn't too attached to them. The cover really drew me in and I kept hearing good things about this but for me, it wasn't my favorite.

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Where Dreams Descend is one of my most anticipated books in 2020. Aside from the gorgeous cover (!!!) and the intriguing summary, I was excited because this was written by a Southeast Asia author, which I rarely find in US publishing. Sadly, it's not going to be my next favorite. I didn't exactly hate it, but I didn't love it either, and here's why :

The good :
+ The friendship between Kallia and Aaros in this book is probably my favorite thing!! I feel like it's quite rare to see platonic friendship between man and woman in a book, and Where Dreams Descend deliver it in the realest way possible.
+ I didn't particularly like Kallia (or any of the characters, I suppose), but I do admire her strength and bravery in dealing with sexism from fellow magicians in the competitions. In this book, stage performers/magicians world are dominated by man, and the very few women who became one often vanished (not sure why tbh, but I think it was implied they were eliminated?). Anyway, throughout the competitions, Kallia often faces discrimination from the judges, eventhough it's clear that her performances are the best compared to others. It definitely takes some strength to get through it all.

The bad :
+ I'll be honest first, the mystery surrounding the vanished/injured magicians is what kept me going, and yet it's also the source of my disappointment. I love reading mystery book, but here's the thing : you have to let the crumbs fall once in a while to keep the readers engaged. Throughout the book, I was quite frustrated because it kept repeating the same info over and over again. By the time the truth was revealed (or like, 1/5 of it because there's still SO MANY questions. Book 2 has a lot to answers), I already lost my interest with it.
+ The world-building actually has potential, but I feel like it's underdeveloped here. By the end of the book, I still can't get a clear picture about how this world works.

All in all, I think I'll still read book 2, but I'll lower my expectations of it.

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Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles is the first book in the young adult fantasy Kingdom of Cards series. The Kingdom of Cards series is a dark magical fantasy with this first book only being the beginning of these characters story so it’s definitely best to read the series in order.

Kallia is a showgirl at the top of her magical game but has been trapped by Jack, the master of the club. Only wishing for escape to compete against others Kallia takes her opportunity when it comes and heads to the city where she enters the magical competition where she meets the brooding Demarco.

Where Dreams Descend is yet again another young adult fantasy that made me question why I continue to pick up this genre. Anyone who has read my reviews before have probably come across my one biggest complaint in fantasy in them moving just way too slowly with not enough progress to pull me in. This time it didn’t help that I also didn’t particularly care for the protagonist, Kallia. As much as I love a strong female lead I felt instead of strong she came off arrogant which was annoying to me. When it was all said and done this one only came in at two and a half stars for me but of course I’m more in the minority with my rating.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

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This was exquisite! A lush and richly gorgeous story thats akin to Caraval. The characters are aboslute gems and the underlying themes of the plot are very louf and impactful! I cannot wait to read more by this author.

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This book is a magical debut with lush writing. Circus books are normally not my thing but this was really good. The setting and descriptions were magnificent, Fans of Caraval and The Night Circus will eat this up. I also agree that this book has vibes of Phantom of the Opera & Moulin Rouge. The characters are compelling and the atmosphere mysterious. I do think the world-building could have been a little better but since this is a debut I'll let that slide.

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I enjoyed the freshness and personality given to this story and feel like it is perfect for needs of mere entertainment rather than looking for a story that has some deeper philosophical umph.

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