Read this book from Netgalley. It was a very interesting story about a runaway magician trying to make a name for herself by entering a competition. She finds love during the competition but Jack from her past keeps trying to get her to return home. I’m so confused about what happened in the end so I’m thinking there must be a sequel coming. i need to know if there will be a happy ending for the two of them and if the others will ever recover.

If you love Circus and/or magic themed stories, dark romance, and magical duels this is the book for you.

I was enchanted by Janella Angeles' story, I loved the mysterious Jack and his star, Kallia. The whole story has such a great vibe to it, you just enjoy the show like being really there.

So, if you are a fan of Phantom of the Opera, Caraval, The Night Circus or movies like The Prestige, you're going to love this book!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Where Dreams Descend was an interesting and mostly entertaining read. I enjoyed the premise and the story moved along at a good pace. I did wish once or twice that some of the supporting characters had a little more depth, especially Kallia's fellow competitors. We don't really get to know much more about them than their names, which makes it hard to get involved with the excitement of the competition. The fact we are told Kallia will easily win also takes away from the suspense. The rest of the world building was okay. I did have many remaining questions when I turned the last page, but there will be a second book to conclude the story, so hopefully they will be answered then. I hope the second book will round out Jack's character a little more too. All up, this was an enjoyable read. It wasn't perfect, but it held my interest and I would like to see how things conclude in book two.

Where Dreams Descend is a breath-taking, magical extravaganza that weaves it's wonderful spell on you from the first page. A captivating read that sweeps you away, a perfect escape.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

I had a tough time getting through the beginning of the book. I didn't like how you're yanked out of a place and thrown to another without finishing the interesting background part. I felt like I didn't have enough of Kallia's life with Jack. We have no idea who he is or really any background on Kallia and the illusions Jack placed on her while Kallia lived in Jack's father's mansion.

I really hope the second books gives us more information because I got super into the end of the book.

If you’re a fan of Phantom of the Opera or Caraval- check out Where Dreams Descend in August! I really loved the fierce strength of Kallia, she is definitely a new favorite heroine. I felt like I was watching a stage curtain being slowly drawn back to reveal the dark mystery at the heart of the story. It is a bright, imaginative, and action-packed adventure. Where Dreams Descend includes magicians competing, inexplicable accidents, and a heart-pounding conclusion. I loved all of the little nods to Phantom hidden throughout! I enjoyed the positive friendships, the timely reflections on sexism, and the ending will definitely leave you wondering what happens next. I’m already excited about the sequel! Where Dreams Descend releases on August 25th, 2020. Thank you to Janella Angeles, Wednesday Books, & Netgalley for giving me a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

I have a bit of a contentious relationship with this book. It has all the good things I love, beautiful writing that flows easily, fleshed our characters, a stunning atmosphere and a CIRCUS. All things that made me love the concept and the direction of this book. The ending was fantastic, has me on the edge of my seat for the second one. However, I can’t deny that I was unfortunately bored throughout 70% of this book. I cant really tell you what didn’t hook me because I do really enjoy everything about this book but I just could not get excited about it until the very last chapter. It possibly could be a pacing issue, I am someone who does need constant stimulation in their books.

Could there be a story more thrilling than this? I loved reading through this book. It had a wonderful Magical vibe that reminded me a lot of Caraval by Stephanie Garber. The Mystery and suspense kept me on my toes and the characters were wonderful. I fell in love with them right from the beginning.

The only reason I couldn't give this book a four star is the world building. I wanted more. I wanted to know what the world was like around the characters and how the people reacted to them.

Other than that, I couldn't put this book down and have already recommended it to my close reading buddy (My mom.)

My review will be live on the blog Book Confessions on 8-18-20

A very interesting and exciting premise! A nice mix of magic and danger in a very interesting setting. The romance in the story is well done and the characters are interesting. Quite an enjoyable story all together. I like the way she described the magic and illusions, it was very well done. Even the cover on this book is intriguing. Look forward to seeing what else this author writes! Great for fans of Caraval.

This was a great read, especially if you loved Caravel or The Night Circus! The characters are believable and magical. The atmosphere is tense and magical throughout the book.

You get a bit of Caraval and The Night Circus vibes in this slow build dark fantasy threaded mystery. The story revolves around a magical contest and a world where women are not allowed to be showmen, Kallia aims to change the game...and everyone is trying to hide their past.

This book was one of my most anticipated new releases of the year, but it did fall a bit short for me. It was a very slow start where you are left with all kinds of mystery and not a lot of answers, so I struggled to continue reading at times. While I thoroughly enjoyed the MC Kallia overall, I was not a huge fan of the other characters POVs and the sudden shifts in POV without any page/chapter break were difficult to adjust to.

The book started to take off around the final quarter and while it ended in a lot of excitement and was not totally predictable, I still found myself needing more answers to be sufficiently involved in the world and attached to the characters. The story does leave you with a cliffhanger ending and I while the first book was not right on the mark for me, I look forward to seeing how to second book in the series delivers.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for a copy of Where Dreams Descend in exchange for my honest review.

"In a city covered in ice and ruin, a group of magicians face off in a daring game of magical feats to find the next headliner of the Conquering Circus, only to find themselves under the threat of an unseen danger striking behind the scenes."

I had SUCH high hopes for this book! Magicians and a strong female protagonist? Count me in.
Where Dreams Descend was set as “Moulin Rouge meets The Phantom of the Opera”..and that's a bold statement to make for a book! Unfortunately it didn't deliver that for me.

The world-building, characters, plot or main goal for the protagonist were all a bit murky for me throughout. I was never 100% sure where it was going.

It had such promise! So I was bummed that it didn't meet my expectations. I gave this 3/5 stars.

This is one of those times in which a book is just not my taste. It's well-written, and the characters are interesting. The main character is really strong, and she carries the book. I was willing to go through a lot that didn't interest me just because she was so fascinating and engaging.
The side characters were well-developed, and I honestly often preferred watching everyone interact rather than the fast-paced plot.
The world that is set up is intriguing, especially the parts about how female magicians function inside the world. However, my biggest pet peeve with this book is that nothing is concretely established. This huge mystery that involves the past of the two main characters and the city is never solved. Nothing is resolved. I understand a cliffhanger, but there was all this build up to something that was supposed to connect every confusing detail, and nothing happened. The magic system also isn't established concretely enough for the magic show angle to work, because we're told what the main character is doing is hard, but it certainly doesn't seem it.

I have never read another book like this one, and if you're interested in a dark fantasy mystery, pick it up! No matter how I feel about the style of the book, Kallia is one of the best fantasy protagonists I've read, and I enjoyed hitching a ride alongside her journey.

Seeing all the 4 or 5 star reviews for this book I'm wondering whether I got a different version review copy.

The MC, Kallia, is a magician working as a showgirl. She escapes her golden cage, goes to the big city and enters a competition between magicians. Of course, she behaves like a big city girl from the moment she runs away from her Master. Of course, she is better than all the other competitors. Of course, nearly every other character in the book pales against Kallia...

The world building, character descriptions, the magical system,... were lacking. The sudden changes in POV were dizzying...

Well, it might just have been me and my cynicism. You might enjoy this book.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

So, wow. This book was magical to say the least. I am blown away by Angeles’ writing, and a debut! In the beginning of the story, we meet Kallia, an enigmatic, strong magician looking for something more; she lives as a show girl far away from other civilization. Once she hears of a magic competition happening in the next town over, she is immediately yearning to go and make a life for herself and learn more about the magic she yields. As magicians start disappearing from the contest and the performances become more dangerous, a dark shadow begins to plague the town and its confusing past. What is so fun about this story is following every character's separate agenda for showing up in this town and how they blend together.

I gave this book 4/5 stars, the magic system was very compelling, and to be honest I still don’t understand it totally, but there is much to build on in the second book that I think will be very interesting! It did slow down a little bit in the middle of the book, but as soon as I reached the 60% mark, I could not put it down !! As a known lover of the carnival aesthetic, I already knew I would find the book interesting, the way Angeles was able to mix so many alluring vibes into this magical, creepy, mysterious town called Glorian was so captivating.

But what really had me invested was the characters. Kallia was a refreshing, independent girl looking for a way to escape the life of a showgirl so she could become the magician she was born to be. She is willing to do anything to follow her dreams of running away, even if that means going up against the most sexist of magicians in a place where female magicians do not “exist.” With quotes like, “The worse damage is done off-stage when you try to smother out potential. When you blow out the candle before people in the room can glean its light,” Angeles accurately writes about the experience of a doubted woman. Kallia is witty and unafraid of speaking her mind, yet she too can be vulnerable at times, making her a relatable character. She also meets the Conquering Circus, a travelling girls-only circus (which sounds SO COOL) and every scene with them was truly great, I really hope to see more of them and their talents in the second book. And, I am a sucker for side characters, so when Aaros was introduced, I fell in love right away. His friendship and love for Kallia was so endearing and I loved how much he cared to help or stick up for her. Not to mention his comic relief, he was so great!!

I will say, I am definitely in love with Doran. Give me a broody, hurt boy who cares deeply about everything and I instantly swoon. Doran is a retired magician who quit after a tragic accident in his last show. After finding himself volunteering to be a judge for the magic competition, he begins his own secret agendas. From Doran's tragic past, interest in Kallia, and determination to discover more about Glorian, I was never bored with his POV’s. His chemistry with Kallia was *chef’s kiss* AND THAT ENDING. And, Jack, our mysterious, “master of the House,” was a big part of Kallia’s life. He owns this magical casino that Kallia works at, taking over after his father died. His past is very unclear, yet he seems to be hiding from something, I was very fascinated by his cryptic messages and warnings he gives to Kallia which make me more excited to see where this story goes. His motives are definitely unclear but I am intrigued!

I was told this book had Erin Morgenstern’s “Night Circus” vibes mixed with Phantom of the Opera, and I was not disappointed at all. Especially towards the end of the story, I felt like I was inside the movie “The Prestige.” In conclusion, if you want a girl-power filled Moulin Rouge-esque magical story with great characters, this book is for you! It was a fun read and now I am for sure attached to these characters.

“What you see in any reflection is a world unto itself, one you can believe in because what you see aligns with what you know surrounds you.”

This was a vivid, magical story! It reminded me a great deal of Caraval & Moulin Rouge. The story started out a bit slow, but picked up the pace as it went. The characters were intriguing, and I was never sure who could be trusted. There were tons of secrets throughout the story, and not all of them were revealed. I can't wait for the conclusion!

Janella Angeles brings us a new world of magic and mystery in the first book in her Kingdom of Cards duology. From the description it was clear I would like this based on previous reads like The Night Circus and Caraval.

The Conquering Circus is different than either of those worlds but just as compelling and vibrant. Where Dreams Descend takes place in a ruined city where magicans compete to be the headliner. Our three main magicans are:
The Star: Kallia, The Master: Jack, The Magician: Demarco. This book has everything you want in a good fantasy: action, mystery, magic, romance, and wit.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and think fans of Caraval and The Night Circus will definitely enjoy, but also fans of the Darker Shade of Magic and The Gilded Wolves series.

ARC was provided by NetGalley & Wednesday Books in exchanged for an honest review.

This review is being published before the release date (August 25th, 2020)

Content/Trigger Warnings: Alcohol and drinking, mind manipulation, controlling/possessive behavior, trauma, misogyny, mentions of blood and injury, missing persons, grief/loss, death of a parent

“For in the world of magic, a woman’s place lies in the quiet shadows of labor magic, the encouraged path. The safer one. Because the ones who dare most often disappear.”

Dearest friends, with this being one of my anticipated release for 2020, I wanted nothing more than to love this book with every fiber of my soul. The question is, did I fall in love with this book? Yes, yes I did! It captivated my attention from the very first page and left me craving more. It’s no surprise that Where Dreams Descend has made it onto my top books of 2020! I am in love with this book, Janella’s writing, and I can’t wait for all of you to pick this book up!

Kallia has been a showgirl at Hellfire House for most of her life. With a deep bond with the head of the club, Jack, and everything at her finger tips, how could she possibly want anything more? Until a flyer lands in her possession about a competition happening in Glorian where magicians compete to be the next headliner for the Conquering Circus. With an everlasting dream, powerful magic, and an ambitious desire, Kallia will start to uncover all the lies and manipulation keeping her caged at Hellfire House. When she finally flees Jack, she’ll learn just how dangerous Glorian really is for a magician especially as her fellow competitors start to disappear and everything she’s longed for is threatened.

♠️ Kallia – The Star, our main heroine, a powerful showgirl out to prove she’s the best no matter the cost. Truly proud of her powers, how hard she’s worked, with a dream to one day preform in Glorian. A cinnamon roll in every way, trying to break free from the chains and cage Hellfire House placed upon her.

♠️ Jack – The Master, controlling and mysterious, the enigmatic keeper of Hellfire House, and more than one lie told to keep the show going. Using manipulation and deception to keep Kallia caged at Hellfire House, protecting her from the dangers of the the outside world.

♠️ Demarco – The Magician, a mysterious man, the brooding judge with a past that won’t stop haunting him. He is a broken, soulful boy who used to be a powerful magician and now he’s the strictest one to prevent others from making the mistakes he made. Also, he’s unable to resist the pull of Kallia’s energy and her fiery passion.

I say this all the time, give me a book with morally grey characters and it’s a sure guarantee that I will fall in love with your book. Where Dreams Descends delivers just that, characters who are morally grey. No matter if they were a main character or a side character, I fell in love with so many of them and I truly can’t wait to see more of them. And while I’m talking about our lovely characters, we have to talk about Aros! Aros was a fiercely loyal character to Kallia. Despite their original interaction, I truly believe Kallia saw the true potential and all the best qualities in Aros. I never mattered if Kallia told him her secrets, he was always right by her side especially in the times where she needed him the most. He was a witty, charming, and such a soft character who delivered so much for me, as a reader.

Phantom of the Opera meets Moulin Rouge with Cinderella and Repunzel elements? Yes please! The writing style is lush with vivid descriptions, mysterious wonder, with an atmosphere so captivating, so familiar that it will hook you from the very beginning! I was in a complete trance of tension and anticipation as I submerged myself into this story line. Angeles has the kind of writing style that I love. One that catches you from the first page and makes you want to power read the whole book in one sitting. She laces her book with a story and plot laced with hints, clues, and truths that reveal just enough, but doesn’t show our author’s full hand. Leaving us, the readers, to theorize, wonder, and visualize what’s in store for us next. With so many questions unanswered and a cliffhanger of an ending, book two is bound to deliver a good time.

“It was wrong to justify what sort of hurt mattered and what didn’t. Anything that left scars came from hurt. Only now was she realizing the scars she bore and had trained herself not to see.”

I also want to talk about a lot of the content warnings in this book. Of course, please make sure you practice self-care and self-love when reading anything with content warnings. Even though there are clear elements of fantasy in this book, I want to say how accurate the representation is for being in a relationship or having a connection to someone who uses mind manipulation or essentially brainwashing as a tool to aid with their control and possessive behavior. I don’t want to go into too many details, but as someone who has lived with someone who has that kind of behavior, it’s an accurate representation. Ever emotion, every feeling Kallia feels due to the things Jack subjects her to, this is what it feels like to have that kind of presence in your life and to have them coming back after only short amounts of time from the last you saw them.

And of course, there’s the romance that blooms! This was the factor that surprised me the most. Even though it’s right in the description, it still took me by surprise and I still fell madly in love with it. I do wish we had more of it though. The romance was there, but there truly wasn’t enough for this to be labeled as a romance. So I’m hoping in the second book we’ll be seeing more of the romance elements that we’re all dying for!

Overall, I’m honestly shocked. It feels like an eternity since I read a ya fantasy that really reminded me of why I love the fantasy genre so much. Even after finishing this book, I’m still asking myself why I’m so surprised when it has so many elements that I love. This book is bound to be on so many readers’ top books for 2020. With this being one of my anticipated releases for 2020, I’m happy to say this was everything I wanted and more. If you’re looking for a darkly dramatic book that’s own voices then I can’t recommend this book enough to you!


The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

#netgalley #wheredreamsdescend
This book took me awhile to get into, I actually had to set it aside for a few weeks and then I came back to it. I am so glad that I did!! This was such an engaging storyline, full of adventure and romance. I loved it!

WDD is dark, stunning, magical, romantic, and overall simply AMAZING.. You do not want to miss this gorgeous book that is reminiscent of Moulin Rouge and Phantom of the Opera, but is a completely original story all on its own. Very unique and honestly one of the most beautiful books I've read all year.