The book was very lyrical and beautifully wrote; however, I had a really hard time getting into this novel. It took me an extended time to finish as I just did not want to pick it up. However, I think a majority of people will like this novel - just was not for me.

I really thought this book sounded like a good one. A magical competition with a circus setting? Yes, please. However, it just really fell flat. Even though things were happening, performers disappearing or being injured, angsty drama between characters, I felt disjointed. I never really cared about any of the characters or their futures. This book left me with wanting so much more. I might pick up the next book but it's a big might.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for my audio copy.

Like a dream played at the crack of dawn where a hopeful sunrise is awaited but the night still lingers, Where Dreams Descend is a beautiful quilt sprawled in a cold winter, hiding thorns in the softness, and jerking one awake from their dream of freedom to find walls standing tall around them.

Reigning through a confident, magically overpowered, and an extremely talented woman—Kallia—who believes herself to be more than a mesmerizing dancer, and longingly looks at the city across a forest she has been warned to stay away from, this tale instantly makes one hopeful. And bestriding two men: an enigmatic keeper of the club where Kallia is a showgirl—Jack—and a brooding magician who is judging the competitive magical contest Kallia participates in to prove herself—Demarco—this tale makes one anxiously anticipate the complexity connecting these three characters.

Jack's lies coated in hypnotizing truths and Demarco's dark past are key propellers in this risk of illusions, mirrors, fame, and fire. Mingled with Kallia's strong headed persona determined to win the coveted spot among other young magicians, but often pulled back by the naivety of remembering her former home's long lost comfort, occasionally estranged by the perfidy of someone close, and forced to raise emotional barriers in the name of surviving against anything dangerous—but mostly heartbreak—Where Dreams Descend delivers allure and power through skillful writing and stunning imagery.

Equally thriving on a romantic tension filled with quick glances, unwarranted support, and yearning around an air of mystery, this debut strongly wraps instances and sequences as sharp as a shard of broken mirror in a delightful tenderness that only magic can perpetuate, and even shines through a themes of rebelling against a controlled environment, smashing sexism, and proving the true affinity in oneself.

An absolute favorite.

I definitely enjoyed this book but felt as though it was holding itself back.
Through reading this book, it almost seemed like the author was torn between a teen novel and a young adult - afraid of how far to push that line. I definitely think it would have benefited from additional world-building and a heavier lean into the dark broodiness of the theme.
I'm looking forward to the next one but hope that Janella delves even deeper into her characters and the beautiful world that she has started.

I wanted to love Where Dreams Descend, but I think at the time I tried to read it I had a hard time connecting with the plot. I think there was a lot of potential for the storyline, and I enjoyed the diverse characters, but I ultimately decided to DNF for now at 28%

This book was stunning! The atmosphere, the characters! Absolutely amazing, would recommend to anyone who enjoys lush writing and setting!

I was very intrigued by the first third of this book. I wanted to learn more about the world and the magical competition. After that, I pretty much didn't get any of that. I didn't care what happened to any of the characters. I never felt a sense of panic for their well-being. For a book about a magical competition, we never find out anything about any of the other contestants. This makes it pretty obvious on how the competition is going to turn out,

I did like the themes of overcoming sexism. That was a nice touch.

I'm starting to think I just do not like books based around card suits.

It's not a dislike fully. The end was pretty spectacular because it's leaves me wanting to know why the Mirrors have so much power.

I need to know more about Jack and Demarco. They both walk a fine line between good or bad.

Are further more I need to know where Kallia came from. Who she really is Kallia.

This whole book you do not really get much backstory which like it did me kept me around to find out if we get answers... SPOILER..you don't just more questions.

Where Dreams Descend was worth the wait! Magic, circus’s drama, romance, what more do i need to say? This book is as good as Caravel, and The Night Circus.

Kallia had me at our first encounter. She was feisty. determined, and brave. It took a while to really get into the story, but when it finally clicked in my head, it was entertaining and a joy to read.

The theme of setting the stage, having the story seem like it was in acts and the finale was not expected. This was like watching an opera while i sat in the theater, brava Ms, Angeles!

This book is vivid imagination.

I look forward to the next book in the series.

I loved the Caraval series and have been wanting something like that in my life and Where Dreams Descend is the perfect new substitute. No, this is not the same as Caraval, instead it is something wonderful and dark and engaging all it's own, but Where Dreams Descend has the same magical sweeping feel, a luxurious world that sucks me in and I am not sure I want to leave.

I absolutely adore the relationship between Caille and her assistant Aaros. What started as a relationship/partnership of convenience for one situation became a fantastic friendship and a little tiny found family (actually Caille is great at collecting people who care about her, she makes a great friend). Caille first encountered Aaros as he attempted to pickpocket and she called him out on it, making him owe her a favor- which in turn ended up becoming the best of friends and I love them together.

I hate to be that person (ok, I really don't care and I almost always root for the villain) but I really like the person the story sets up as the villain. He is complicated and torn, but really he does not seem like a complete bad guy and he has Caille's best interest at heart. I mean really, how can you not love the person who would do anything for the woman he loves... even if that means some magical torture or mischief. Yes there is romance in the story, an enemies to lovers vibe, and no it is not with this person I love (the actual love interest is also complicated and interesting- but no, not a villain).

When Dreams Descend is complicated, magical, dramatic, romantic, suspenseful, engaging, fantastical, dark, dangerous and wonderful. I am completely in love with this story and I need the sequel like 10 minutes ago! PS this has a terrible cliffhanger ending with zero resolution. You have been warned

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and cannot wait until the next one comes out. This is a strong 4.5 star read. There was just something missing to make it a 5 star. while I was absorbed by the story a lot of it just didn't stick with me. I will not mind reading it again, but it just won't stick in my memory as something greatly impactful.

I feel it reads older than YA, maybe leaning more towards New Adult than Young adult, though nothing sexual happens, just the way the characters are portrayed.

Still it was a wonderful mix of wizardry and performance with some mystery thrown in as well.
Overall I highly recommend you pick this up.

3.5 Stars

CWs: incurred sexism and sexist remarks, and allusions to manipulation and emotional abuse.

This book was pitched as "Moulin Rouge" meets "The Phantom of the Opera," and for the most part it was a lush, imaginative fantasy with strong undercurrents of darkness and danger.

I will lead by saying that I don't think it quite lived up to the pitch. There's certainly elements of both comp titles present in the set-up, especially, and with the glittering nightclub known as Hellfire House, but the story quickly turns away from that setting in favor of this glitzy magician's competition. So, in truth, the story is a bit more "Night Circus" than it is "Moulin Rouge" or "Phantom of the Opera." (And may I say, as someone who enjoyed "The Night Circus," that is not necessarily a bad thing. Just a bit different from the pitch.)

I would say I was probably most invested in Kallia out of all the characters. I found her to be a really fascinating heroine, with this powerful magic she doesn't fully understand or know how to control yet and an insatiable hunger for fame and adoration. She faces a lot of barriers and sexism throughout the story, being the first ever female magician to openly compete in this magician's contest. But she is ambitious, daring, and fearless, and she's not afraid to take risks and pull out all the stops if it means solidifying herself in history. Her passion was a huge part of what drove this story.

The element of mystery also really worked for me, because it kept me guessing the entire time. As the stages get bigger and bigger and the stakes get higher and higher, you don't know who to trust or where to look, and that ever-present feeling of danger really keeps you invested in the story as it unfolds.

I confess I wanted to see much more of Jack. I think he's a fascinating character who didn't get enough page time. In the beginning, he's sort of cast as the villain—manipulative and possessive—and the more the story progresses, the more you learn about the forces he's contending with and how they might be influencing him. He's still a horrendous person who's not afraid to use his powers to hurt people or frighten them, but that's part of what makes the dynamic between him and Kallia so intense. I felt that was a little bit underexplored, and while I realize that could be something we see in future books, I think there were definitely missed opportunities to leverage Jack's relationship with Kallia, especially in terms of her history at Hellfire House.

Overall, I would say the writing style and atmosphere of the story are definitely some of its strongest points. If you're a fan of "The Night Circus," "Strange the Dreamer," or "The Star-Touched Queen," I think this would definitely be the kind of fantasy for you. I was swept up in the imagery, the darkness, the imagination, and the drama, but all the while feeling as if I wanted just a bit more backstory and exploration of the relationship dynamics at play. But as I said, this was an enjoyable read and I think a solid start to a new series.

I made it about halfway through this book before DNFing. I just couldn't get into it for some reason. The writing is fine, the characters are fine... I just didn't care about them or what would happen next. I blame COVID fatigue depression at least in part, and I might come back and pick this up and finish the rest some day... or maybe not. The premise is really interesting, I just wish I'd connected with it more.

I am so sad that I didn't love this one as much as I was hoping. The writing was beautiful and I loved the characters, but I felt as if the first half of the book dragged and in my opinion the second half really didn't make up for that. I might read the sequel and see if I fair better with it, but for now I am a little disappointed.

2.5 stars. This book started out okay but quickly became a chore to finish. I did like the ending, but not enough to read the second book. Unfortunately this book went about 150 pages too long for my enjoyment. Do not recommend.

Definitely has some wow moments in it! Perfect for anyone who enjoyed Caraval or The Phantom of the Opera!

This book has an original story and setting with magic, danger, and romance. I loved the characters and their relationships with each other. Point for plot twists and keeping me guessing.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Two weeks, that's how long I spent reading this book because nothing in the story ever grabbed me. Maybe I need to break up with magical competition books. I didn't love The Night Circus. I hated Caraval. Kallia is the star of the competition. Jack is her evil maker/teacher. Demarco is a judge who sees something in Kallia that he can't walk away from. Demarco's backstory is not told until 85%. Jack's full motives are never known. Kallia is trying to treat it like a competition to win even though people are constantly disappearing and getting hurt like there's an evil motive behind the competition but we never ultimately find out what that is. I won't be reading the second book because nothing in this story makes me want to continue to get all the answers.

Where Dreams Descend was such a lush and original tale and I was very much swept up in this fascinating fantasy. While it borrows and plays on old tropes and certainly has homages to classics like Phantom of the Opera and Moulin Rouge, I felt it had a magic all it’s own. I loved the writing and the descriptions but the real power was in the vibrant and enchanting characters, all of them were just so wonderful. I loved how even though Kallia was so gifted and wonderful she never once put herself about the other women in the novel. She only ever treated the circus ladies as friends and equals and that was a wonderful choice.
I also am very interested in the promise of the world-building that we saw here. I say promise because while we’ve got a great foundation, I won’t fully know if it’s paid off until the next book. I had hoped more things would be answered and resolved by the end of this one but as it is, I am willing to wait and eager to see what I am sure will be a fantastic conclusion in the sequel. I also have to say that while I love Daron with Kallia, like how sweet and caring they are together, I am personally very interested in learning more about Jack in the next installment. I am 100% in support of of Kallia and Daron as theirs is a relationship built on respect and trust but that doesn’t make Jack any less sexy, if you know what I mean. A wonderful debut and thrilling first installment! I can’t wait to see what else this author has in store!

<b>Rating:</b> 3.75/5 Stars

I received an e-ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

<i>”Make no mistake, I know I don’t have to prove a single thing to them. What matters most is what I prove to myself.”</i>

In a forgotten city surrounded by a cursed wood, 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 the target of an unseen danger behind the scenes. I was told this is kind of a Phantom of the Opera meets Moulin Rouge/Caraval which had me instantly intrigued.

The story follows Kallia (The Star) who is a powerful showgirl out to prove that she is the best regardless of her gender and Demarco (The Magician) a retired magician with a dark passed who joins Spectaculore as a very reluctant judge.

What I liked:
Kallia! I loved her! She was so spunky and bold! She knew what she wanted and wasn’t going to let anyone or anything get in her way even when all the odds were stacked against her. I thought it was interesting that her flaws (brash, bold, won’t listen to others) was what made me like her even more. She gets herself in some sticky situations but the more you read the more her charms pulls you in. I also loved seeing her interact with the ladies in the Circus and her assistant Aaros. I chuckled more than once at some of their snarky conversations. There were a lot of positive feminist themes in this book without it being overbearing.
I loved the dark and dramatic flair to this story! I didn’t notice it at the beginning but as the story went on it picked up that dark, sinister vibe and really ran with it. I hope it leans into it even more in the next book.

What I didn’t like:
I struggled to connect to this book for probably the first hundred pages or so. It was honestly Kallia that kept me reading until the story grabbed me. I think the lack of connection could probably be contributed to the limited world-building. I felt lost more than I would have liked throughout the majority of the story. I generally don’t have a problem with reading something and not knowing exactly what’s going on as long as it all comes together at some point (like for a big finale). But when this book ended, I just had even more questions. I’m hoping that the second book will dive more into the world building/magic system and finally give me some much-needed answers.
I also didn’t love that the POVs changed mid chapter with no indication that it was happening. More than once I had to go back and reread something because it threw me off.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and I’m so impressed that this is Angeles’s debut! I’m excited to see where this series goes, and the next book needs to come out already because I have so many questions!

I loved Where Dreams Descend. I loved the magic and mystery and suspense. This book is filled with magic, like in magic shows- kind of Phantom of the Opera meets Moulin Rouge. I loved Kallia. She was determined and filled with spunk. I loved how she fought for equality in a "mans" world. I loved the supporting character, Aaros and the friendship that developed between him and Kallia. I loved the world building. I can't believe I have to wait till June for the 2nd book!
Thank you to the author, publisher, and Net Galley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.