actual rating: 4.5. Ava Reid, one day the people will erect statues in your honor. i can see it now!!!! you have written another literary masterpiece right here. i will never ever be over Effy and Preston’s story. they will haunt me in my dreams for the rest of my life!!! and to everyone reading this review: you BETTER buy this book when it comes out. this is a threat <3

Ava Reids writing is so beautiful and whimsical and I really enjoyed the first book of this series but this one really fell flat for me. I felt that the writing in this one was almost unemotional and monotone, I don't know if that's because of the state of mind the characters were in this one as opposed to the first but it just seemed unattached. I also felt that at times this story was very repetitive and I didn't even really understand the point of the book until about 80ish% through.. I also found Effy to be exceedingly insufferable even though I understood the almost PTSD that she was experiencing. I was let down by the romantic elements in this book because I truly just felt like Effy and Preston hated each other. I found it somewhat hard to have motivation to get through the whole book because so little happened and like I said, I didn't really understand the point of the book until it was nearly finished.

Ava Reid wrote this for the codependent girlies.
Upon immediately finishing, I felt a little disappointed that Preston didn’t have an “aha” moment and go “actually Effy can take care of herself” but Reid does this actually more subtly and beautifully. Effy doesn’t need to be punished or abandoned or smothered. She needs to be held. And so does Preston. I have a lot of feelings but none of them include disappointment!!!!

Thank you Harper Collins for allowing me to review this ARC copy!

I was so excited to receive this ARC as I had LOVED A Study in Drowning. This book did not disappoint! The writing was just as poetic, lyrical, and beautiful as the first book in this duology. Ava Reid has some of the most unique, beautifully haunting writing that I have ever read.

This was the perfect second booking answering the all of the questions that we had left from the first installment. While this book is darker then the first book, exposing the hardships of their world, it also shows the true love that Preston and Effy have for each other. The gothic, twentieth century, atmosphere was so immersive I could not put the book down.

The amount of quotes that I highlighted in this book is insane! I truly loved the continuation of Preston and Effy's story. (The plot twist got me too!)

Rating: 5 stars

I was completely entranced in Reid’s first novel in the duet, A Study in Drowning. While its main focus was the discovery of Angharad’s true authorship, the belief in magic, and the developing relationship of Effy and Preston told most prominently through Effy - A Theory in Dreaming procured the aftermath of their claims and was most heavily told through Preston. Preston and Effy share a bond that is deeply poetic based off the first novel, built on a foundation of deep understanding and unconditional support. Despite facing personal struggles and a storm of challenges, including Effy's ongoing battle with depression, their relationship remains a constant and a reliance of sanity even through the doubt that often reigns their minds. Preston’s love for Effy is pure - it isn’t conditional on her mood or mental state, and he’s unwavering in his commitment to being there, even when she feels alone and unworthy which was one of the most beautiful prospects of A Theory in Dreaming. Tackling depression is a difficult topic and Reid wrote about it in such a relatable way.
I have loved that this duet also gives off early 1900s vibes with the war and women being overshadowed by men with leaders like Effy and Angharad herself uncovering the truth of women’s authorship in the literature world which is often staked claim by men of the past and accepted as history until it is challenged.
Preston’s dreams were a focal part of the story but for me didn’t so much make it as by the end I felt he had a deeper connection to magic but did still not change who he is as a believer and scholar in what he can see as truth.
Out of all the new characters introduced, Lotto was my favorite and I actually wish we would’ve seen more of him!
Overall, I enjoyed this novel and was a strong close to Effy and Preston’s love and journey as students transcending the literacy college.

I was super excited to receive this ARC and it did not disappoint. A Theory of Dreaming was just as lyrical as ASID.

Plunging into Preston’s dreams was a treat, and trying to unravel what he was thinking and feeling kept me turning the pages. The dual POV in third person was a great choice and allowed us to see more of Effy’s inner workings, as well.

Check your trigger warnings and prepare to be wrapped in the emotional and healing follow-up to A Study in Drowning.

◛⑅·˚ ༘ ♡ a theory of dreaming (a study in drowning #2).


ੈ♡˳ final rating: 4.5/5 🌙
i received an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating, and all opinions expressed below are my own.

this is a love story in its purest form; not only is it about effy and preston and their relationship, but it also a book about the idea of love itself and how passionate it can be. love, in its essence, is a fragile, yet beautiful thing; ava has done it great justice in this world.

a theory of dreaming is more feels than anything—or at least that’s what i got out of it. the pure emotion that is emitted from this story is unlike any other piece of literature i’ve read. their love story is truly a work of art. i could go on and on about it, but i’ll spare you the details. go read this book (and a study in drowning!!) if you want to experience it for yourself. <3

thank you to netgalley and harpercollins for this arc!

So, here’s the deal with A Theory of Dreaming—I didn’t dislike it, but I never fully fell in love with it either. It was one of those books that I kept putting down and forgetting to pick back up, which isn’t exactly the sign of a story that pulls you in. The pacing felt slow, and at times, it seemed like the plot wasn’t really moving forward. It wasn’t bad, just… kind of there.

Effy and Preston are still dealing with the aftermath of A Study in Drowning, which makes sense, but this book felt more like a long epilogue rather than its own distinct story. At 400 pages, it probably would’ve worked better as a novella. Their separate storylines also felt a little disjointed—without chapter headers to clarify who we were following, it sometimes took a moment to figure it out. And Preston’s “dreaming” sequences? Interesting in theory, but they didn’t feel all that connected to the rest of the story.

That said, there’s still plenty to appreciate. The setting is as immersive as ever, and the book deepens some of the themes from the first—Effy’s struggles with self-worth, the challenges of being the only woman in the literature college, and the ongoing conversation about female authorship. Preston’s storyline also adds more depth to the Llyrian-Argantian conflict, which was compelling.

So, while this wasn’t the most gripping read for me, I can see how it would appeal to fans who just want more time in this world. It provides closure to some key storylines, and if you loved A Study in Drowning, it might be worth picking up. For me, though, it landed at a solid three stars.

Once again Ava Reid captures my heart!

I loved returning to this world and these characters and the story telling was *chef’s kiss*

I enjoyed reading this, though scrambled to read the first one as I didn’t think I’d get picked to read this one when I chose it. It has amazing world building and I loved reading Effy and Preston’s story

I appreciated that this book picked up right where A Study in Drowning left off. Despite a year having passed since I read the first book, I was not lost. Enough was explained that I was able to follow the story in this book without having to reference the other. I also enjoyed learning more about the lore and history of Caer-Isel and Argant. The storytelling has a dream-like quality to it, much like the first book. Preston and Effy's love story developed more, and the insecurities both felt were very relatable. I enjoyed this book so much that I read it in 2 days.

A Theory in Dreaming was a great sequel to a Study in Drowning, following Effy and Preston as they go back to school. The dark academia vibes were once again great, and it was very interesting to follow Preston for this story. They ending felt a little rushed but it was still a story worth telling and a great wrap up of the story started in boom one. Thank you netgalley for the ARC!

Ava Reid has such atmospheric writing and I wasn't disappointed with this book! She really just has a gift for storytelling and I can't wait to read more of her books

In a word: gorgeous. A Theory of Dreaming is a romance, and yet far more than that; it is a war story, but without dramatic battles or conflicts; it’s about the remaking of a country, but no revolution is ever staged. As a reader who’s long wished for more character-driven high fantasy books whose driving force is personal stakes over apocalyptic consequences, this book was a gentle breath of air featuring characters and a setting I’d already fallen in love with. This incredibly rich, nuanced, and thoughtful story that delves into the story of after and the story of now, allowing Effy and Preston’s characters to truly flower. Reid’s writing is, as always, beautiful, and her ability to effortlessly weave together dreams, belief, mental health, and strong relationships in this book was truly amazing.

I wasn't sure if a sequel could possibly replicate A Study in Drowning's magic in a way that felt anything other than contrived. Ava Reid, however, is a far too skilled writer than that. A Theory of Dreaming is very different from the first book, but that's as it should be; while still straddling the real and unknown, this book anchors itself more in the present, focusing on the aftermath and consequences of earlier events. It also places its focus on Preston rather than Effy, though it largely splits page time between their points of view, and Preston's very different voice and background shines through.

My only real complaint with this book was not truly the content of the book itself, but with the lack of content warnings. This book is incredibly focused on misogyny, xenophobia, mental health, and grief, and contains an on-page suicide attempt. If any of these topics are even remotely triggering to you, please scroll to the end of this review, where I've done my best to detail all of these to ensure safe reading.

Misogyny/toxic masculinity: Characters consistently discount Effy’s abilities and are actively sexist to her throughout. References are made to a teacher who sexually harassed her. Effy is repeatedly objectified; two male characters get into a fight and it is blamed on her clothing. One of the characters in this scene verbally harasses Effy. While all of these are challenged, arguably more concerning are Preston’s actions: he consistently presents himself as Effy’s protector and gets into a fight to ostensibly protect her. This toxic masculinity goes unchallenged and is largely portrayed as a positive manifestation of his love for her.

Xenophobia: Preston is consistently insulted, derided, and targeted on account of being from Argant.

Mental health/grief: This book focuses largely on Preston’s grief for his father’s earlier death, and dealing with how that grief influences his relationship with Effy. He exhibits significant and unchallenged toxic masculinity. Effy’s mental health experiences a steady decline throughout the novel, and she displays symptoms of what I took to be depression.

Suicide: Effy attempts suicide (chapter 26) by intentionally consuming too many sleeping pills, after a steady decline in her mental health throughout the book. While the reader is not in Effy’s head directly preceding this, we see its physical and emotional effects on Preston and her friends when they find her and are spared no detail. The rest of the book is focused on the aftermath of this for Effy and her friends, emotionally and physically. Effy makes a full physical recovery and her mental health has improved by the end of the book, but she is ultimately left understanding she needs to take better care of her mental health in the future.

"What a ruthless privilege it is, he thought, to love."
Love this one!! The dark academia elements came back in full blast, the setting is incredible and beautiful!
The dark academia vibe in the middle of winter?? Yes please!!!
Preston and Effy have carved a special place in my heart (and dreams) as they each faced incredible challenges in A Theory of Dreaming. Man, it got rough in there, but Reid approached the darker themes with elegance and highlighted the importance of the topics. I loved getting to hear more of Preston's experience, and like Effy's story last book— we get to see him have quite a few breakthroughs.
This was a great way to wrap up this story!!

📖 The Premise:

A Theory in Dreaming follows Preston and Effy as they deal with the repercussions and unintended consequences of their hard-won victories in A Study in Drowning.

As Effy attempts to cope without the safety and comfort of her fantasies, Preston turns to magical dreaming as a refuge.

While grappling with their turbulent emotions, Effy and Preston also conduct two separate investigations that lead them to once more question the truth behind the legacies of Llyr's literary heroes.

What I Liked:

✨ Ava Reid always writes characters that capture my heart and Effy, Rhia, Maisie, Preston, and Lotto are no exception to this rule! The romance, the friendships, and the found family are very well-written!

✨ The literary investigations are very interesting to both follow and try to piece together for yourself when reading! Dark academia for the win!

✨ This book feels exceptionally relevant to the modern-day political environment, especially when discussing the dangers of rewriting history and nationalist propaganda.

Thank you to the publisher for sharing an ARC with me!

I didn't realize how much I needed "A Theory of Dreaming" until I started reading it - it is a noteworthy sequel that successfully expands on the narrative established in its predecessor."A Study in Drowning" was one of my top-rated books from last year. Still, I was a bit skeptical about this sequel. I didn't want it to feel like the author was just stretching out the story for the sake of it. Luckily, that wasn't the case, and I ended up really enjoying it. It felt nice to dive back into the world and become reacquainted with beloved characters.

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Unfortunately, I could not get into this book. I found it to be incredibly dull, hard to follow at times, and had no desire/felt no urgency to pick it up once I had started. I loved A Study in Drowning (ASID), so it makes me incredibly sad that this book was not for me.

I don’t think ASID needed a sequel and it really could have stood as a standalone. I felt like all of the character development that happened for Effy in book one just didn’t carry through to this book, and it almost felt as though she had regressed as a character. I didn’t find that I felt as invested in her and Preston’s relationship either, and Preston’s POV did not interest me.

It also felt as though nothing really happened for much of the book, and it took the plot too long to pick up.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book. After loving A Study in Drowning, I was so excited to read this one, but it just didn’t have the same effect on me. I felt like the characters were a lot different from where they left off in the last book and there was a lot of confusing language that just left me not wanting to pick up the book.

Preston is a MMC we can all swoon over-the glasses, his undying devotion! I loved meeting these two characters back at the university setting. Ava’s prose reallllllly shines in the literary interludes in this book. They feel so real it makes me wonder if she’s a reincarnation of an 18th century poet. There are echoes of Coleridge “kubla khan.” (If I’m not mistaken) i found myself so angry for Preston and Effy in their clashes with their peers, and genuinely invested in their academic discoveries!