This book was not totally needed. I feel like if you were in love with the first book, this was fun. But I was hoping to get more out of it with it being the second book. Like where was the plot? I think the first book was good and to not waste time on this one.

Thanks for netgalley for this arc.

Thank you so much for the arc copy of this book - I enjoyed it and was so excited to see that I received an arc copy. To experience more of Preston and Effy's story was a dream. I cant wait to do a reread.

3.5 ⭐️ 0 🌶️

Review:

I really like Ava Reid’s style in writing, it’s so beautiful! But unfortunately this fell flat for me. Much like the first, where I forgot everything after finishing it. There’s not enough of a plot to keep me intrigued all the way through. And once I got to the end I felt like there was almost no point to the story to end up exactly where we started at the beginning. It was interesting to read it more so from Preston’s POV than Effy’s. I just wish there was more reason.

Summary:

After destroying the Fairy King, Effy is struggling with how to be “normal.” While her relationship with Preston and being able to attend the literature college are areas of progression, she still finds herself haunted by the past. Which puts Preston in a difficult situation as well in trying to aid Effy while also navigating his own newfound problems; where fairytales and reality are blending together. Could their history books truly have got everything wrong? And will they both be able to find each other before everything comes crashing down?

Favorite Quote:

“Whatever faults I might have-and I have plenty-just know that I think of you, always. My mind is never empty of you. Not in waking: not even in dreaming.”

Tropes:
•trauma
•academia
•alternate realms
•exploration of truth

I was beyond excited when I found out Ava Reid wrote a sequel to *A Study in Drowning*—and it did not disappoint! Returning to the academy, Effy and Preston face new dangers as their discoveries about the Sleepers spark controversy. Effy struggles with her past and dependence on dreams, while Preston’s logical world crumbles as he gets pulled into an eerie secret project.

This sequel is darker, richer, and more intense, tackling academic corruption, societal prejudice, and the blurry line between dreams and reality. The mythology is stunning, the twists are breathtaking, and the emotional stakes are higher than ever. A must-read for fans—but definitely start with book one!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ ‘If only it were possible to shelter in dreams forever. But we have to live.’

Thank you and NetGalley and Harper Collins for an ARC in exchange for an honest review! I will yap at anyone about how much I love Ava Reid. She is MASTERFUL at atmospheric writing and A Theory of Dreaming was no exception. I will say—this book is DARK. Much darker (in my opinion) than its predecessor. At its core, our main characters are exploring how to live with trauma. Effy is lost after the events at Hiraeth and is still carrying so much pain regarding her sexual assault and the misogyny she experiences at her university. I did before and continue to feel so seen by how Reid writes Effy. Her discomfort with the attention and staring from men, the desire to make herself small when she feels uncomfortable—it’s haunting and so well written (also makes you feel ragey but I will get off my soap box). Preston is worried about Effy while also coping with rampant xenophobia as the only Argantian student as the conflict between Llyr and Argant intensifies. I will say that I loved protective Preston 😊 but overall—they are both in a dark headspace.

With both characters so lost, the story largely explores the idea of escapism due to the disappointments of the real world. This is what I mean about the book being dark. There are depictions of depression, drug abuse, and suicidal ideation. Everyone is just so sad. It is pretty dreary to read about. Reid is able to take this dark subject matter and really make you think about realities versus dreams and what it means to ‘love….until ruination’. But it is a pretty bleak slog for a pretty large chunk of the book, quite frankly.

Even though the subject matter was grim, I still (mostly) enjoyed myself. There are some really deep and thought provoking concepts explored. I think fans of A Study in Drowning will be satisfied with the second book in the duology and how the story of Effy and Preston comes to a close.

This was a great sequel to A Study In Drowning. I enjoyed following Effy and Preston again and loved the author’s writing style. I found the overall storyline to be intriguing and I loved the dark academia setting in this story. This book was almost as good as book one and I found it to be a great continuation. If you loved A Study In Drowning you’ll definitely want to pick this one up.

Thank you to Harper Collins and NetGalley for the gifted arc.

Ava Reid somehow creates this dream world that feels so rooted in reality it feels tangible. The way she explores heavy themes of grief, depression and ptsd in such a poetic way should be studied. She has once again transported us to this fantastical world where even the characters living it question its existence. I did not want it to end. I was very curious what there was to explore in this world post A Study In Drowning, because I truly loved the ending of that book and how it felt when it was finished. I was happily surprised by A Study in Dreaming. Visiting Effy and Preston again and seeing them deal with the fallout of their discovery from the last book was enthralling. I felt so deeply for both of them and enjoyed this story so much.

I loved getting to know Preston more! I had been curious about his background throughout Study in Drowning and was glad to see his character flushed out a bit more. That being said, I think that the ambiguous ending to Study in Drowning was all that the stroy needed. If there were a way to combine the two books it would be perfect, this almost felt like a bit of an after thought. Still a fun read and loved revisitng the world!

I usually love Ava Reid's books, but I thought that this one felt a bit unnecessary. I think the ending of the last book provided the closure that I needed even though it had an open ending. This book didn't give me what I was looking for at all and I honestly think it's better to just read the first one by itself. This book was also a bit confusing, which is mostly my fault because it took me so long to finish but I didn't understand a lot of what was happening in the book and it felt like certain plot lines were dropped that I wish were developed more. Other than that, it wasn't the worst thing I've ever read but there didn't need to be a second book in my opinion.

This sequel to A Study In Drowning has the same ethereal feel, while also feeling more real.
In A Theory of Dreaming, we get to see what happens when Effy and Preston return to university after writing their groundbreaking paper.
There are many more frustrating struggles for them. Preston's love for Effy is what we all want.
This might have been 5 stars for me if I had any idea what to make of the sleepers and the mythology that their entire society is made of 😬

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy for review.

I absolutely love, love this book and characters. Definitely held my attention for start to finish. Will definitely check out more books from this author.

Everything I disliked about book one was exacerbated in this book. It was constant Effy crying, being treated terribly by men, not standing up for herself/relying on Preston.

Also looking back at my review of book one I realized a some stuff remained kind of unaddressed from book one (like the climate crisis going on in the background). I guess it was nice to get more background on the countries being at war and the Sleepers, but honestly I’d forgotten so much of book one that it didn’t even have much impact on me. I guess spoilers but fact that the whole war was justified basically because of something that was fake and easily could’ve been verified if you looked at a book that was openly accessible in a museum was so dumb. Nothing happened in the plot until the end but by that point I was skimming because I was so bored and wanted to finish already.

I was thrilled for a sequel as I loved the first book. However this one just seemed off. Unfocused, where the first book hit the gothic feel on the head.

I powered through it, but my opinion remained the same through out the remainder of my read through.

This was a good story, I thoroughly enjoyed the first one and was craving to get back into this world. At times I found myself thinking that the storyline was boring and not much was going on, but I also think that was kind of the point. Effy has undergone many traumatizing experiences, and this is her and Preston's journey navigating the aftermath. I liked getting to see Preston's point of view. I just wish there was more to the overall plot. I really enjoyed my time in this world though.

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC.

I’ll start this by saying I absolutely loved A Study in Drowning. It was one of my favorite books that I read last year. Not realizing she was writing a sequel, I took it as a standalone. After reading A Theory of Dreaming, I wish it had been. I was bored throughout. Where the first was dark and mysterious, and actually earned the term gothic, this was depressing and unfocused, not gothic in any sense of the word. The characters changed drastically from one book to the next, not even a whisper of their original selves. The storyline wasn’t engaging and I found myself powering through just to finish. Unfortunately this wasn’t the sequel I had hoped for.

I adored the first book and knew I would love the second, and indeed I did. A fantastic depiction of how mental illness and grief lives within us, how little magics can be made within ourselves. Highly recommended.

A Theory of Dreaming felt more like a fiction novel more than a fantasy novel. This did not feel like part of a duology. Preston and Elly have a very codependent relationship and most of this plot surrounded that codependency.

Some trigger warnings: this story contains depictions of alcohol, use of pills, and suicide.

This review feels harsh, but I really do enjoy Ava Reid’s writing and I believe she is very talented. I will continue to read everything she publishes!

Thank you NetGalley and to the publishers for this ARC!

“The real magic was never the men themselves. It was their stories.”

Ava Reid never ceases to amaze me with her ability to write dark and atmospheric stories, without being too graphic in her YA books. A Theory of Dreaming manages to keep that eerie charm of its predecessor, with the author's unique and almost poetic style making it even more engaging.
Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it as much as the first one, and I think that was because it was too inconsistent plot-wise. Many scenes felt like filler, as if they didn't add much to the story itself, although they did help a lot to understand the main characters' healing process after the events of the first book.
However, I do recommend it for those who enjoyed A Study in Drowning. It's still a beautiful and flowery encore, which delves much deeper into the characters, although the plot isn't strong enough to save it.

“Whatever faults I might have— and I have plenty—just know that I think of you, always. My mind is never empty of you. Not in waking; not even in dreaming.”

Overall rating: 3 stars
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Pub Date Jul 29 2025

Thank you to the author, HarperCollins Children's Books and NetGalley for giving me the chance to read an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I enjoyed this story! It was a cute little YA adventure that would be fun on a vacation. Recommend for sure!

I loved this book just as much as I did the first one. I like the friendship and I like the companionship I love the mystery and the atmospheric elements. Ava’s writing is unmatched. Definitely read this in 2025!!!