This. Novel. Was. EVERYTHING. Ava Reid does no wrong, ever!! I didn’t think anything could top A Study in Drowning but this did!

I loved the premise of this book! Those who are fantasy fans, this one is definitely a more subdued, less high adventure sotry. As one who is always looking for fresh – and well executed – ideas, this one hits the mark. The characters are realistic portrayals of people and not overly idolized or crammed into common tropes. I found myself liking the MMC more in this book than the first, which is hard because I felt he was a great guy in the first one. Instead of getting swept away in to the dream world, the MMC has a healthy foundation of continuous questioning but also the ability to experience what the world has to offer him. He is a very smart man, and therefore, when he does make mistakes, he is quick to own his behavior. The weaving of the story through literary prose and all the things that go on in literary academia was a wonderful backdrop to this story. I also enjoyed that you are just not quite sure if what is going on is real or not, but the MMC isn’t panicking about it. He just is present in the moment. There is also a moment in the book when it is apparent that the FMC is having a mental health crisis, but the MMC’s positive protector psyche warms my heart. Definitely recommend.

I thought I loved A Study in Drowning most of all out of Ava Reid's books, but this book knocked that one out of the water. I was genuinely enraptured from the second the book started until the end. I think that the magic system set up in this duology is unique throughout all of the fantasy I have read which was refreshing. I love Effy and Preston deeply, and I think that the book did a phenomenal job of showcasing and advocating for mental health and sexism in academia.

I would also like to say that outside of the novel, I appreciate Ava's willingness to advocate both politically and personally and her ability to articulate herself well in both. This is not related to this specific work, but is related to my desire to continue to read her works and support her.

I ave not shut up about this book since I read it and have already convinced a number of people to pre-order it. As always, I cannot wait to see what she writes next, and even if someone was lukewarm on ASID, I think that this book could genuinely change their opinion for the better.

I think this was a pretty good book, but I don't think it was right for me.

A Theory of Dreaming picks up after the conclusion of A Study in Drowning, and it immediately becomes clear that things are not as simple as Effy and Preston thought they would be. They return to the Literature college to continue their education and face push back both within the school and without.

My two main complaints with this book are the tone and the theme.

Tone: This book is depressed. It is both an accurate portrayal of depression and depressing itself. Everything is dreary and listless. Time seems to pass in fits and starts, we'll spend multiple chapters on a single day and then three weeks will pass in a single page. It gives time a very dream-like quality, which I guess could be intentional? But while accurate, it was depressing to read and I had a hard time getting myself to want to continue reading. Effy spends a lot of the book in a sort of fugue state, not really participating in her own life, and alternating between making rash decisions and hiding. Again, accurate but not really what I wanted to be reading.

Theme: The theme/through line of this book was not as strong as the first. This book explores a lot different ideas, but it didn't feel like any of them got the weight they deserved. A lot of Effy's story line continued to explore the importance of authorship and the misogyny that surrounds it, but this plot is weirdly shelved and then relegated into the epilogue. The book also discusses how literature influences culture, and how controlling literature can be used to control society. I think this is one of the most interesting plots but I also don't think it got the time to really shine. And finally, there's a plot about magic which doesn't make the most sense and I think boils down to finding a balance between dreams and reality. It's the final idea that gets the most attention but I think it's also one of the weakest, particularly since it's the least grounded in reality.

The thing I liked the most about this book was the in-world literature analysis. I loved listening in on Effy and Preston's classes and seeing how the epigraphs fit with them. To be honest, I would have liked much more of that and much less depression vibes.


Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Listen we need a Lotto stand alone like now. LIKE. NOW.

But what a beautiful story. Absolutely loved it. Ava writes so beautifully that I will read anything she writes.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

This is how you write a duology.
Absolutely stunning - a great sequel to the first book. Beautifully written and detailed - Ava’s writing is so unique - it almost feels like reading poetry. Effy and Preston’s character development was an incredible journey to go on.
5 stars!

All the stars to this. This is how a sequel is done. In the author note, Reid said she wasn’t sure if she had anything felt to say in this word but my god this book was full of plenty of things to say. My heart was so heavy reading this one. It broke for Effy and Preston. This book is not a fairy tale at all.

Though considered YA, there are some heavy topics and themes. All are done well and didnt feel forced. This book is meant for the poets, fans of TTPD, who might be a little sad on the inside. Who long for the simplicity of childhood and believing in fairytales.

I have no complaints, not feedback to give. This was perfect. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.

DNF @ 56%

I recently found out that the author, Ava Reid, did not intend to have a sequel for A Theory of Drowning, and it showed in book 2. I liked her writing in a gothic style era and something similar to Rebecca Ross' Divine Rivals, but this one missed the mark for me. I was excited to read this book, but unfortunately, the writing was not as great, but the imagery was still well written. I struggled to get to the point on where I DNF'd because I felt like I was forcing myself to get through it.

Truthfully, it was hard for me to get through book 1 as Effy kept having stereotypes of Preston, but I enjoyed that we saw more of his story here. We follow Effy's story now that she's in the literature college but I was so frustrated with her at so many points in the book. She was borderline insufferable here. I unfortunately did not want to continue a reading a book I couldn't see myself enjoy.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for an ARC of this book!

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book early in exchange for an honest review!

Whoooooo boy.

I loved “A Study in Drowning” so much. It felt so real to me. Effy felt like she was a mirror image of my own life, especially my childhood. It was like falling headfirst into Wonderland, and waking in a recurring nightmare of my own traumatic experiences, dancing like the Beethoven or Nutcracker sequences of “Fantasia” before my eyes. It was beautiful, terrible, great, and morbid. And I loved it so much for all of that.

“A Theory in Dreaming” hit equally close to home, as I have recently revisited my childhood trauma in the form of sexual assault as an adult by a friend. Once again, I was thrust into the role of Effy, one I was familiar with like how taking a familiar medication has similar side effects each time. I hesitated to take on the book so soon after the assault, but ultimately I’m glad I came back to this world. In the way that Effy had Angharad, I have Ava Reid.

This book was less like the beginning sequences of “Fantasia” and more like Rite of Spring. It was raw, emotional, yet equally compelling. I felt so glad to come back to Effy and Preston, but so unhappy to remember their struggle. Preston is faced with an unimaginable obstacle of magic being real; while Effy is now ripped from magic and forced into the real world for the first time ever.

They each feel so alone, so isolated in their adversity. It makes you want to shelter them from the consequences of the last book.

There is no way to save them from the truth, however.

This book is a perfect sequel. I loved it so much, but would not ask for more. I fear when stories get told too long. This world is beautiful but cruel. The characters are raw but real. I want nothing more than to revel in the stories that exist. In the sea, no matter how treacherous, and in dreams, no matter how deep.

Ava Reid is a powerhouse. I can only aspire to be as wonderful a writer as her.

The tone of this sequel is a cousin to the first but quite different in a few key ways. The setting difference, and more characters being present, really make for a different feel. That threw me off at first, but overall I quite enjoyed the change.

The novel explores deep themes of identity, the danger of dreams, and the collapse of idealized worlds. It is a poignant meditation on how we perceive ourselves through stories and the consequences of losing that narrative. Effy’s struggle with being more than the stories that have defined her is both heartbreaking and relatable, as she must confront who she is without the fantasy world she once inhabited.

It is incredibly hard to write a sequel to a previous standalone, especially when that first book is as exquisite as A Study in Drowning. But Ava Reid has done it. ATOD is both a continuation of ASID and a story in and of itself. It is about tragedy and despiar, but also the hope and love that carries us through.

Ava does it again! I LOVED A Study in Drowning so when I got the chance to read the sequel, I was so excited. The story picks up with our lovely main characters and I enjoyed seeing their relationship develop and how they tackle the problems thrown their way. What a fantastic fantasy! Ava Reid is an auto-buy author for me.

I am obsessed with how ava reid writes. Her prose and the way her sentences flow together in this create a melancholic and hazy setting that you can't help but be sucked into. I loved the first book, and while this book had way less action, I think it expanded on the characters of Effy and Preston more and we were able to see them as they struggled to find places for themselves at school post the events of the last book. I loved that we got Preston's perspective, he's such a compelling character and to see his thoughts as well as Effy's was really nice!

This is a very well-crafted novel, that pulls you into this dreamlike dark academia setting that you can't look away from. This book tackles many big emotions and complicated systems of grief and mental health that have you invested heavily into the world and the characters involved. Really enjoyed this, I love when a second novel gets a little more abstract and more intense in all the interesting ways!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the advanced e-copy!

A Theory of Dreaming by Ava Reid is a spellbinding, melancholic masterpiece—an achingly lyrical exploration of identity, longing, and the fragile boundary between dreams and delusion. If A Study in Drowning carved out a space in your soul, this sequel will quietly, devastatingly flood it.

I’ll admit, I wasn’t sure this story needed a continuation, but within a few chapters, I was fully under its spell. Returning to Effy and Preston’s world felt like slipping into a dream that refuses to fade—lush, haunting, and threaded with the ache of unfinished thoughts. This is not just a continuation; it’s a deepening, a descent, a reckoning.

Getting more of Preston’s perspective was one of the most satisfying choices Reid could have made. His quiet devotion, his simmering anger, his descent into something darker and stranger—it made his character feel even more vital. His dreams of a palace beneath the sea mirrored Effy’s unraveling so perfectly that watching them try to tether one another in the midst of chaos was both beautiful and brutal.

Effy’s arc is full of emotional rawness—her guilt, her desire to be worthy, her desperation to prove herself in a world that wants her to fail. The pressure of being the first woman at her college, the weight of a country’s expectations, the way she internalizes everyone’s doubts—it all feels so real, so crushing. And yet, her journey toward embracing her own worth, toward allowing herself to be loved not in spite of her fragility but through it, is breathtaking.

Reid continues to excel at using fantasy to expose the very real horrors of misogyny, institutional cruelty, and inherited trauma. Themes of academic elitism, nationalism, mental illness, and the weaponization of belief systems all pulse beneath the surface, more nuanced and sharp than ever.

And the writing? It’s stunning, yes, but with a sharp edge—like poetry scribbled in the margins of a cursed book. Every sentence feels deliberate, every metaphor soaked in meaning.

A Theory of Dreaming is a love story, but not just between two people—it’s about the love we fight to give ourselves in a world that tells us we are too much or not enough. It’s about the danger of believing in beautiful lies, and the courage it takes to live without them.

This is not a sequel for spectacle—it’s a sequel for the soul. And I won’t stop thinking about it for a very long time.

I was so excited when I got approved for this arc because I thoroughly enjoyed the first book but this one just took forever to get somewhere. At the 45% mark I kept wondering when we were going to get some answers but it’s just so much of Effy and Preston not telling each other what they’re doing and meandering about their classes. I took several week long breaks while reading this because I just could not get into it. That being said the writing is of the same quality as the previous book and I really enjoy how she writes. I enjoyed Effys character development and you see her become stronger and more sure of herself as the book progresses. Overall I’d give this a 3/5, I just needed it to be a faster pace to hold my attention. The chapters were so long and again, I kept waiting and waiting for something to happen.

This is beautifully written, with a moody, dreamlike atmosphere that really sticks. If you’re already invested in Effy’s story, this will hit even harder.

It leans more literary than plotty, with a lot of time spent in people’s heads and memories, and not a ton actually happening. That said, it’s doing what it means to do. The emotional weight is there, the character work is solid, and the writing has that hazy, immersive quality that some readers will absolutely love.

There were moments between Effy and Preston that felt particularly well drawn—not dramatic or overly romantic, just quietly intense in a way that sneaks up on you. That emotional restraint is part of what makes the book feel so intentional.

If you’re into dark academia with big feelings and complicated grief and identity stuff, this will probably be a favorite. It didn’t totally click with me, but I can see how well it’s crafted.

3.5⭐️

Let me start off by saying I really, truly loved A Study in Drowning and did not feel that it needed a sequel. Having said that, there is a lot here to love!

Getting more of Preston’s POV in this book was such a delight. I very much enjoyed reading how much he loves Effy and just wants to protect her. I think their love is so evident here, and I loved seeing their relationship develop.

I also found the themes discussed in this book a good continuation of the established ones in A Study in Drowning. This book delved further into the topics of religion as a means of control, sexism (both in general and in academia), mental health, xenophobia, and more. I particularly resonated with Reid’s portrayal of mental health through both Effy and Preston’s storylines. Effy’s struggles with feeling like a burden and not being worthy of love were difficult to read, but her journey of allowing herself to be loved fully was beautiful.

The biggest drawback to this book to me was the way Preston’s dreams are handled. I found it difficult to parse through what was real and what wasn’t, which maybe was the point. I think the way Preston handled his dreams in regard to his relationship with Effy was a tad confusing.

The pace of this book was also much slower than its precursor. It took me a while to get through the first half of the book. The pace picks up a bit in the last quarter of the book, but there is a lot of Effy and Preston going about their routine repeatedly at the beginning. Speaking of their routine, was Effy in only one class for that semester? That confused me.

Overall, I do think this book added a lot and gave a more well rounded conclusion than A Study in Drowning. It’s not a perfect conclusion, but if you want to see more from the world and see more Preston and Effy, it’s worth a read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC of this book. The above is my honest review.

Content warnings: suicide attempt, drug abuse, sexual assault (mentioned, not explicit)

I didn't love this as much as the first book. I appreciate the characters and their development but their emotional struggles seemed to be the main problem of the book. I'm glad others enjoyed. I do think maybe A Study in Drowning should've stayed a standalone as this wasn't super needed. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the E-ARC!

3.75 stars

Whatever way you think this story is going to go, I can promise you it's not.

While ASID has Effy and Preston working together, this book has them on their own journeys and kind of meeting up at the end of the story. Effy's side of the story was devastating and was not what I expected at all, but it makes so much sense for her character and the context of what she's going through. I just wish Effy's story wrapped up a bit nicer, particularly with more involvement from Preston since it felt like it was very quickly moved on from. I also didn't feel too attached to Preston's story and was confused throughout most of his journey.

Effy and Preston's relationship definitely takes more of a backseat in this one compared to the first and they both go through their own character arcs, but I think they both could've been involved in the others story a bit more.

TLDR: Effy deserves better, and I wish her and Preston just had a real conversation about what happened and actually talked about what was going on in Effys life!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins of the advanced e-copy!