5/5 stars!

TWs for implied/subtextual sexual assault and incest in texts within the story, as well as off-screen attempted suicide by a main character.

Bias disclosure: A Study In Drowning (ASID) was my top book of 2023, and has remained a favorite of favorites to this day. Because of this, though I was desperately excited when the sequel, A Theory of Dreaming (ATOD) was announced, I was also very nervous. The ending of ASID left the story at a point of completion I was happy with, though still curious about some aspects of the world and a general question of "what next?" for Effy and Preston.

Luckily, I had nothing to worry about!

ASID left roots in me with its prose and messaging, and ATOD, though a bit less prosey to me, has surpassed its predecessor – especially in terms of plot, story, character progression, and world building. ATOD beautifully weaves fairytale elements throughout the story without feeling heavy-handed, and feels distinctive from ASID with more focus on the lore of Effy and Preston's world, as well as the fallout from the events of the first book.

It does an excellent job of continuing themes from ASID, particularly in regards to voices silenced by those in power or with power over them; how the works we love can be stained for us by the circumstances of the writing (or the authors themselves); and the importance of balancing escapism with living in the waking world.

I was driven by the unfolding history of Argant, Llyr, and the Sleepers, desperate to see how the scattered puzzle pieces fit together. I also very much loved seeing more of the characters important to Effy and Preston in their lives. Where both were secluded with each other in ASID, here they're surrounded by classmates, professors, and friends. Preston felt more fleshed out as a character, and I loved seeing more of his thoughts, feelings, and interactions with other people besides Effy (especially Lotto!), but also especially with Effy!

I cant recommend A Theory of Dreaming more!

Songs that haunted me while reading this:
•Blinding by Florence + the Machine
•The Prophecy by Taylor Swift
•Drumming Song by Florence + the Machine
•What the Water Gave Me by Florence + the Machine

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free digital ARC for my honest review!

Ava Reid takes us back to this world where what’s real and imagined become easily blurred. On the heels of their remarkable discovery about the true author of Angharad, Preston and Effy face a whole new set of issues on campus.

It’s an intense exploration of mental health, intellectualism vs faith, and how easily any of us can spiral given the right circumstances.

Ava Reid captures the emotional struggle for both characters with such honest and intensity. Their journey is hard to read at times, but so deeply meaningful!

Again, the writing transports you to the setting. I felt the cold, the wet, the wind. This second book felt much slower and while I enjoyed it, I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first. I missed the magic and felt it didn’t show up as quickly as it did the first time.

I did like this book better than the first. It still follows a similar thread with Preston and Effy our main characters from book one. They are both struggling to deal with the aftermath from the first book each in their own way. This one more primarily follows Preston with his struggles at the literature college, bringing to the forefront the Llyrian-Argantian clash and what it means for Preston being the only Argantian at the college. Effys story continues parallel while she continues to explore other female authors whose work was wrongfully claimed by the men in their lives. If you are looking for a book/series that provokes some additional thinking, this is for you.

The criteria for judging a sequel is purely subjective, as with any review. However, as A Study in Drowning, is my most favorite book ever, I feel at odds. Should a sequel be judged as a separate entity or should it be judged off its connection to the first book? Either way I swung it, it is still a 5 star read for me for reasons different than the first.

Magical is what I would describe these books are, fitting as they are so deep in tune with the idea of that itself. A Theory of Dreaming centers more on Preston, who was introduced as a gentle yet resolute scholar who grapples with his sense of reality and truth being warped by a fantastical world bleeding from fairy tales he heard as a child. It depicts itself as a much more beautiful world than the one he lives and breathes daily, with so many external factors that tear at him and his beloved, Effy constantly. He can only enter into that seemingly perfect world when he is dreaming.

This is a heavy book - we watch an even deeper level of depression seep through Effy's bones and Preston's struggle to maintain both his world and the world in his dreams. Effy and Preston want so deeply to be happy and it is hard to view how heavy their loads are. I admit, until about 3/4 of the way through, I was not sure about this book. Although the prose was characteristically atmospheric and eerie as expected with the high caliber of Ava Reid's writing, it lacked the same spark I felt when turning the pages of the first book. I rushed to highlight phrases on almost every page of the first but a Theory of Dreaming almost feels like it was intended to be more muted. I initially was concerned but after reflecting on this, maybe it was not meant to be flooded with beautiful prose and allegories. A Theory of Dreaming is harsher and much more serious. I felt these points deeply.

I was expecting the same knockout formula as A Study in Drowning so I was shaken when it didn't have that. Don't fret, it is irrefutably its sequel. Many of the central themes are revisited and built upon and it is incredibly well done. Ava brought a new edge to the book with parts that rocked me, and took me out of my comfort zone. I appreciate the growth in her writing and it feels as though it may have been a cathartic release, for her and for me as a reader. She did not hold back and I am so glad that she didn't. Ultimately, this most definitely feels like a final end to Effy and Preston's stories. I am sad to see them go but I also think there is a real beauty in not fully sharing every aspect of their lives. I will dream about these characters and imagine their paths forward longingly.

Thank you Ava, for creating two of my favorite people, imperfect but beautiful all the same. I will keep these two lovebirds utterly safe, and in my heart forever.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for this ARC! All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

A Theory of Dreaming continues to display Ava Reid's talents; her writing is lyrical and entrancing. I wish I would have read A study in Drowning again prior to starting this. I feel the impact may have been greater for me. However, I did find it lacking in a solid plot line. The days seemed to drag on and not much if anything was taking place. I'm willing to accept that I'm too impatient for a slow plot and I may be the problem. I rated a two because I adore Preston and Effy, the writing was well done, but I just didn't have a great time.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Just when I thought it couldn’t get better Reid swoops in and writes the greatest love of all time. This book is everything. The characters, the feelings and the atmosphere are all perfect.

Timeless and deeply personal. What a great book! Reality blurs with imagination in a perfect mix of elements.

A Theory of Dreaming by Ava Reid • ⭐⭐⭐

Read: 4/03-4/04 2025

✨ Review ✨

Thank you Harper Collins Children’s and NetGalley for this ARC!

Unfortunately, this book was not for me. I should have read the first book before requesting an ARC of the sequel, that’s on me. ASiD made me uncomfortable and AToD was just boring. Why does the author make every single guy, except for Preston (MML), a power hungry disgusting pervert? I get that guys can be like this, but not every single one of them are. And the plot in this just flopped for me, there was no build up or climax in the plot, it was just boring and depressing.

As always, please do not let my negative review stop you from reading this if you liked ASiD or if the synopsis sounds interesting to you, everyone likes different things and has the right to their own opinion.

Releases July 29, 2025.

A Theory of Dreaming starts with a fascinating concept: a world where dreams hold power and secrets are woven into the subconscious. Ava Reid’s lyrical prose and vivid imagery drew me in initially, creating an atmospheric and dreamlike quality that matches the theme of the story perfectly.

However, while the world-building is imaginative, it often feels underdeveloped, leaving me with more questions than answers. The pacing is uneven, with sections that drag and others that feel rushed. The characters, while compelling at times, lack the depth needed to make their motivations fully believable.

I appreciated the exploration of identity and choice, but the narrative felt disjointed in places, and some of the plot twists were predictable. This book had so much potential, and while it didn’t quite land for me, I think it will resonate more with readers who enjoy a slower, more abstract approach to storytelling.

It’s not a bad book by any means, but it didn’t leave as strong an impression as I hoped. A solid 3 stars for the creativity and prose!

A Theory of Dreaming is a haunting and introspective sequel to A Study in Drowning. This time, the focus shifts to Preston, whose journey through dreams and reality is both mesmerizing and unsettling. Effy's storyline, while equally compelling, centers on her struggles with past traumas, self-doubt, and the challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated academic environment.​

Reid’s beautiful, atmospheric writing is once again present in this follow-up. While I felt like the pacing of this book was slower and I missed some of the more magical components of the first book, I really enjoyed getting Preston’s perspective and watching his relationship with Effy develop as they face the challenges presented by the first book’s aftermath.

If you're a fan of character-driven stories that delve into themes of identity, trauma, and the power of dreams, this book is for you.​

A Theory of Dreaming is a beautifully written and emotionally charged sequel that delves into themes of identity, trauma, and the power of dreams.​ I thought this was a very solid follow-up to the first one and is definitely worth the read!

Cue the applause for A Theory of Dreaming! Reid delivered on keeping the gothic atmosphere of the first installment, while providing more “raw” emotion.
The writing style blew me away! In likeness to Rebecca Ross, the prose was ethereal in nature and so beautiful that it made my heart squeeze!
While the writing and setting were gorgeously done, I do feel like the plot needed a little more TLC. At some points I found myself dozing or skipping through parts to find the “meat.”
Overall, I would recommend to those who loved the first installment of this series!

"I have always found my fragments of freedom in fantasy...
I have lived and died by quill and ink."

A Theory of Dreaming was one of my most anticipated reads for 2025, so when I received an ARC (thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books), I was absolutely thrilled! After finishing the book, I can confidently say that ATOD ABSOLUTELY deserved its spot on my most anticipated reads list for this year. I adored this book.

It's no secret that Ava Reid is the queen of atmospheric writing, and ATOD is no exception. The story picks up after the events of A Study in Drowning, with Effy and Preston back at university, dealing with the aftermath of their thesis publication, the ramp-up of war between Llyr and Argant, Effy's loss of a large coping mechanism (the Fairy King), and Preston's gain of one (a palace under the sea in which he is king). This sets the stage for a dark, complicated, yet still fantastical story.

There are many, many things in ATOD that I loved, but three main pieces stood out to me:
1. Reid's ability to capture the reality and nuances of mental health struggles, both in Effy and in Preston. I especially found myself deeply drawn to Effy as she tried to navigate her new life post-Myrddin.
2. The incredible fantastical elements within a very real, very harsh world. The imagery conjured when reading about the undersea palace was so vivid and so distinct from the "real" world.
3. Getting Preston's POV!!! He is such a complex character, and I love that ATOD explored his experiences and mind.

I'm honestly in awe of and so grateful to Ava Reid for giving us this beautiful, devastating sequel to ASID. A Theory of Dreaming will be published on July 29, 2025, and it is a book you absolutely cannot miss if you've read A Study in Drowning. I cannot recommend this duology enough.

This book didn't recapture the magic of book 1
This felt too rooted in the academic and the gothic vibes from book,1 and the unreliable narrator seemed lessened somehow.
I kept feeling frustrated cause of the "required reading" aspect of so many textbook quips
This felt very tell and info-dumpy vs showy and evocative.
The love story from the first feels off. like caring roommates than in a relationship
I wish I could articulate this better, but the magic is just not here

Thank you to NetGalley for access to "A Theory of Dreaming."

Ava Reid returns with a follow-up that delves deeper into the fractured reality established in her previous work. Effy, now navigating the unfamiliar terrain of academia as the first woman in her college, finds that escaping nightmares doesn't necessarily mean escaping the shadows of the past. The exploration of her thesis on the fairy tale Angharad provides an interesting meta-narrative, blurring the lines between fantasy and reality in a way that feels distinctly Reid's.

However, while the premise of dangerous dreams bleeding into reality is intriguing, I found the initial pacing somewhat uneven. Effy's internal struggles with her newfound freedom and the external pressures of being a trailblazer, while important for her character development, occasionally overshadowed the more fantastical elements hinted at in the synopsis.

Preston's burgeoning inner turmoil and his disturbing dreams of a submerged kingdom offer a compelling parallel narrative, suggesting a wider, perhaps more sinister, force at play. The looming war between Llyr and Argant adds a layer of external conflict that promises to escalate the stakes.

Reid excels at creating a haunting atmosphere and exploring complex themes of identity and the power of stories. While "A Theory of Dreaming" didn't immediately grip me with the same intensity as her previous work, the seeds of a compelling and potentially unsettling narrative are definitely present. I'm curious to see how Effy and Preston navigate this blurring of dreams and reality and how the looming war will impact their individual journeys.

Yet another one of Ava Reid’s works that I loved! I had high hopes for this as I loved the first book in the duology, and was not disappointed! I love that we had more of Preston’s perspective here while also still getting some from Effy. In doing so, Reid gave us so much more background and depth to Preston who I can say has become one of my book boyfriends. As a history teacher, I love the political intrigue, gender roles and war that are showcased in a very tasteful manner. Reid continues to weive complex tales that hit on some hot button issues!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I want to start by saying this book is very different from ASID but is still very good. This book follows Preston and Effy after the events of the first book, and both characters have separate plot lines. Preston has a very big side quest that he keeps from Effy and Effy has a smaller plot line that she was keeping from Preston. As the first book was very plot heavy A Theory In Dreaming is very character focused. I did really enjoy this book I just didn’t love it like I did with the first.

A Theory of Dreaming was one of my most anticipated sequels. I absolutely adored A Study in Drowning. This was a great continuation to Effy and Preston’s story. I felt thrown right back in like I didn’t miss a beat and didn’t feel too confused getting back into the world.

We start off back in Caer-Isel back at college. Effy and Preston quickly fall back into the norms of their lives before they left for Hiraeth. This came out at a time where the parallels to today’s political climate were almost uncanny. The effects of propaganda, war, and feminism are all common themes that you will find in A Theory of Dreaming. I loved seeing the character development of both Effy and Preston as they dealt with more complex issues such as fascism and resistance.

This was a great balance of romance and fantasy. While I was very invested in Effy and Preston’s personal love story, I was very pleasantly surprised that the actual plot was not overshadowed by it. I also really appreciate that Ava Reid made sure that Effy remained true to her character and didn’t rely on Preston to save her as most FMC’s tend to do once the original romance plot has been fleshed out. It almost feels like they lose their spark and what made us fall in love with them as characters in the first place, and this absolutely was not the case.

This is my fourth Ava Reid book and I can say with certainty that she just gets better and better. The writing is intriguing, the dialogue feels real and fleshed out, the character development is unmatched. I highly recommend this one to anyone who loves fantasy books, dark academia, political intrigue, with a dash of romance. This was great and I am looking forward to reading more from Ava Reid in the future.

A Theory of Dreaming is the sequel novel to A Study in Drowning and follows Effy and Preston as they deal with the aftermath of their discovery from the first book.
⠀
Oh, how I loved returning to this world! I will always be a fan of Ava Reid’s atmospheric writing. While the first book felt like a gothic fairytale at a crumbling seaside mansion, A Theory of Dreaming feels more firmly planted in reality. Effy and Preston are back at university and much of the action revolves around the school, picking up right where the first book left off. Escapism is a major idea explored by this story, so I enjoyed seeing the different ways our main characters approached this idea.
⠀
This book is dual POV!! I loved getting to finally read from Preston’s POV! If A Study in Drowning was Effy’s story, A Theory of Dreaming feels like Preston’s story. I saved sooo many quotes from him. With this new POV, I thought the story did a great job exploring the effects of rising nationalism and xenophobia. While I enjoyed the dual POV, I do wish that their stories converged a bit more, as I kept waiting for the stories to finally come together and was slightly disappointed when they remained mostly separate. I also missed some of the etherealness that drew me to the first book. I am not ready to let Effy and Preston go, but I am happy with this ending to their story 🥹
⠀
Thank you HarperCollins for providing this eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

～𝟯.𝟱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀
a study in drowning was one of my top reads of 2023 and even though i thought it was perfect as a standalone, i was really intrigued when i saw it would be getting a sequel!
ava reid is such a talented writer, i love her lyrical writing style and she always makes me so immersed in her stories and the mesmerizing, atmospheric worlds she creates! i really appreciate the themes ava reid writes about like mental illness and trauma and you can tell she tries to handle those themes with a lot of care.
compared to a study in drowning, a theory of dreaming is less plot driven and focuses much more on the characters. it was so nice getting to revisit this world and i really missed effy and preston. i liked reading preston’s pov however i felt like he and effy were very disconnected and like their characters took many steps back. i disliked their lack of communication and how they kept doubting themselves throughout the whole book. this left something for me to desire but i still think it was a nice addition to a study in drowning and i loved the happy ending we get.
if you’re someone that struggles with their mental health i would highly recommend reading the trigger warnings before reading this book!
～thank you to harpercollins and netgalley for the arc!