What. Fabulous read. Absolutely go to sequel. It has all the pieces that make for a good read. Fun where it needs to be. Suspenseful, mysterious, loving in the right spots. Enjoyed it immensely!!

This was the sequel we were waiting for: what unfolds for Effy and Preston as they return to university from Hiraeth Manor with their contentious thesis? They must confront their peers, superiors, and the entirety of Llyr; Effy, being the sole woman in the literature college, and Preston, an Argantian on the brink of an all-out Argantian-Llyrian war.

Preston fans, I'm screaming because we get a lot more of him in this installment! Dual pov!

While I missed some of the ethereal quality of ASID, this one felt much more raw and authentic. There is still ample opportunity for magic, but it is approached more as a means of escapism. We also delve deeper into the worlds of Llyr and Argantia, as well as the fables of the sleepers. Nationalism and xenophobia are significant themes in this narrative and resonate strongly with current events. This book portrays that there are greater challenges to overcome, but love IS the reason we can keep navigating this waking world, and sometimes we must save ourselves. For Preston and Effy, this means recognizing just how much they need each other once more.

Overall so enjoyable! Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I am so sad it is over, but it was an amazing journey that you won't want to miss!
Ava has done it again.

A Theory of Dreaming is the second in A Study in Drowning duology by Ava Reid. You'll want to read these in order and you'll want a shelf trophy. This book is stunning.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced digital review copy.

Such an amazing follow up to one of my favorite books! Lush atmosphere and amazing worldbuilding! I love Ava Reid!

I had such an interesting time with this one, but ultimately I have to give it up to Ava Reid once again for keeping me enthralled.

When I started this book, and realized what kind of journey it was going to be, I was kind of kicking and screaming. Even though the book seems to begin with Effy and Preston achieving their hard-won rewards, quickly we realize that this story is actually about consequences. Despite their "wins," Effy and Preston are still the people they were before they made their discovery in A Study of Drowning, and in some ways, they've been changed in ways that make their lives even more challenging.

I also at first questioned if this book needed Effy's perspective, but I realized by the end how crucial it was. Effy is such a compelling character. She's so frustrating and difficult and so completely vulnerable, and I would do anything for her. Preston, with his savior complex and his put-on strength...they are perfect characters to play off one another.

This is such a beautiful book about longings, dreams, and living in reality, not just in a flawed world, but as our flawed selves.

This was everything I'd hoped for! I loved getting to continue their story (finally). Ava Reid is a literary genius. I can't wait to get a physical copy of this book.

This dulogy was so beautiful and lyrical and haunting and WOW.

I loved the dual POV of Effy and Preston dealing with the fall out of their discoveries in "A Study in Drowning". This somehow managed the perfect blend of dream escapism and harsh realities and I loved it even when I didn't full understand it. Brava.

4.5 ⭐️

Ava Reid once again has created a beautiful work of literature. It makes you believe in love and shows that love can help you overcome so much. It challenges the thought of what is real and what is not, blurs the lines between dreams and reality, and questions political/academic knowledge. We follow Effy and Preston after they have published their paper on the truth about Angharard. They face more trials and questions and show how love can help save each other and bring peace. So many amazing quotes in this one too!

2.5 stars

Despite the beautiful and lyrical writing, this book really fell short for me. It lacked a concrete plot and felt like a lot of filler to tie up some loose ends. The author mentions she never intended to write a sequel and honestly it shows.
I found myself slogging through it.

There were passages that were atmospheric with beautiful descriptions, but they were no where near the gothic descriptions in the first book.

In this sequel you follow Effy and Preston almost in two separate storylines. Preston’s story stood out a lot stronger as Effy’s fell into the background almost meaninglessly. Her character was flat and really lacked any characteristics in this book. She basically just played a damsel in distress. Someone to save. Which is ironic due to the books overarching message.
The separation also prevented me from feeling any real connection from the two main characters. And failed to show their romantic relationship grow in any real meaningful way.

I liked that the characters were working on their issues from the first book, but I don’t feel like they grew enough for me to feel satisfied with the ending. Especially Effy.

A two thumbs down dud. And ultimately not for me.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Ava Reid delivers another long form metaphor that really nails what it is to deal with our current reality. Where I felt that A Study in Drowning was primarily focused on trauma and misogyny, A Theory of Dreaming expands on those same themes, while tackling the issues of xenophobia, nationalism, and the myths that propagate blind patriotism. It's about the need for escapism to cope with that reality, and also our responsibility to engage with reality no matter how painful.

This book's biggest challenge is that it had to follow up ASID, which is an infinite stars, god-tier book for me. For a sequel, ATOD does remarkably well, but didn't feel as tight. Many parts felt a bit repetitive and I wanted more cooperation between characters, rather than them each taking on their traumas alone. The side characters are lovely but didn't totally feel necessary. I was frustrated that after all they conquered as a team in ASID, they didn't confide in each other in ATOD. This is a personal frustration, but I would've liked Preston to get his airtime with more support from Effy, rather than her continuing to shy away from stepping into her power as she had at the end of ASID. I guess this is me wanting linear development, which perhaps isn't realistic.

I loved the underwater palace - as always Ava Reid's writing is poignantly atmospheric and beautiful, I highlighted so many quotes. As she did in ASID, this book isn't one to binge, it made me stop and think constantly about what metaphors she was making. She really has cemented herself as one of the most talented writers of our time. As sequels go, I think this was beautiful and I loved returning to this world. This will go down as an all time favorite duology.

My one strong suggestion is that this book really needs trigger warnings!

Thank you to the author and publisher for the ARC. I will start off saying reread A Study in Drowning. Just to familiarize yourself with the characters again.

Content and triggers without spoilers. I wouldn’t recommend this to people in a low or depressed mental state.
-drug use/overdose
-emotional family abuse
-racism
-sexism
-negative/self loathing thoughts
-sexual content both shown and implied. Not graphic.

It has Reid’s amazing writing and world building. You are essentially following Effy and Preston’s academic life after ASID. Dark, partially whimsical, and dreary setting. I really recommend saving this to read in Winter. The vibes of this book don’t feel right reading in 80 degree and sunny weather. The side characters were fun and likable. My favorite character was definitely Lotto. He adds the humor to an otherwise very sad world. All in all if you want to revisit beloved characters go for it. Other wise I honestly would just skip this one.


Spoilers and more in depth review!
This book I honestly don’t know how to describe it. It had a variety of themes and a decent amount of triggers. Look to the end of the review to be aware before going in.. While this had Reid’s breathtaking world building, and beautiful writing as all her books do. This book truly didn’t feel like it had a plot line.

The book centers around Effy and Preston navigating academia after ASID. For Preston he’s dealing with being different from those around him as an Argantian individual. He’s dealing with rude students, persistent professors, and rather flighty girlfriend. He’s really struggling between reality and his dream world. You find him escaping into this dream sea atmosphere a lot. Which I’m honestly confused about still. Effy is in a dark place. She is the first female into a prestigious literature college. Unfortunately she’s dealing with sexism most of the book and a boyfriend hiding things from her. Which has her spiraling in multiple ways and becoming very depressed. She’s relying heavily on her sleeping pills for her escape. While also losing herself in an old academic diary for research. Unfortunately while you get both POV of Effy and Preston. They really don’t communicate in this book. Preston is constantly working on a project with his advisor, escaping reality in his palace in the sea, and just inside his own head. While hiding what’s going on from Effy for basically the whole book. He is unaware of the comments/looks Effy is getting, how she’s not going to class anymore, and everything else. So, Effy is just in her own head and trying to escape herself through sleep. However, she doesn’t have this mystical place like Preston. Luckily she has her roommate looking out for her during this. I really don’t want to think of what could have happened if she was alone. Same for Preston with his roommate. To be honest the self loathing and all “it’s my fault” got old. I understand having low confidence in yourself and feeling like everyone will leave you due to childhood trauma. However, there’s a way to do it where it’s not repetitive. I felt like every page is just Effy doubting her relationship with Preston. Which got annoying I won’t lie. Preston was also doubting himself and blaming himself most of the book as well. You know what would help this particular issue? COMMUNICATION. The book centers a lot around politics, war, escapism, and found family. All in all beside politics I didn’t see a plot. The end had me feeling like we’re also dealing with grief. Both in terms of loved ones, but also grief in losing ourselves. I would say read this if you just love Reid’s writing or want to revisit beloved characters. Skip it if you want a plot driven world in an academic setting.


Trigger warnings and spoilers
-heavy prescription drug abuse
-overdose/partial suicide
-parent emotional trauma
-alcohol use
-partial inc*st which is definitely perceived by the reader. I definitely took this as that theme.
-racism
-sexism
-sexual content not graphic at all

A return to the immersive and dreamlike world on a final adventure that will bring their haunting love story to its end. Following along from the aftermath of their first discovery this story delves deeper into nightmares of the past and the knowledge that all stories come to an end.

Another haunting and beautiful story that envelops you and pulls you under into dreams of a palace under the sea. All stories may come to an end but are dreams ever just dreams? What happens when the story ends? A perfect ending to the duology.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧'𝐬 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 | 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐀 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐲 𝐀𝐯𝐚 𝐑𝐞𝐢𝐝

I was nervous about starting this since I really enjoyed A Study in Drowning and thought it was a standalone. Luckily, this one did not disappoint. Immediately the dark academia vibes swept me right back into Effy and Preston's world. I love love loved Preston's POV and getting to know him more. I feel like there wasn't a huge storyline but I was still deeply invested in the story due to the dreamy vibes. I was a bit disappointed with Effy's character ARC in this one - the whole sad, broken girl trope got a bit old for me. I preferred her personality in the first book. The story wraps up really neatly in a way that I, a true critic and skeptic, usually would scoff at, but for these characters it worked very well.

Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for the ARC.

I’m so conflicted on what to rate this because A Study in Drowning was SO good! This sequel still had the same immersive and beautiful writing. It really transports you and brings you up close. I really enjoyed Preston’s POV and the more nuanced social issues/theming in the book but I still felt something missing. Effy and Preston were so cute! It took me a few days to get through this because I just didn’t want it to end!

I was a little disappointed in the ending because I felt like the wrap up should’ve been more. I’m not even sure I fully understood the final dream scene. Also Effy’s mental health struggles felt a bit rushed too, I wish Preston had addressed them a bit more directly.

Thank you so much to Harper Collins and NetGalley for this gifted arc! It was such a magical read!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!
5 ⭐️
A hauntingly lyrical sequel to A Study in Drowning, Ava Reid’s A Theory of Dreaming is a fog-draped blend of dark academia, folklore, and emotional resonance. Effy and Preston return, grappling with the trauma of their past and the pressure of an uncertain academic future. As Effy faces the challenge of completing her thesis under the watchful eye of a hostile university, the tension is as intellectual as it is emotional.

Reid’s prose remains as mesmerizing as ever—soft, eerie, and quietly powerful. Themes of nationalism, war, and gendered silence add depth to the dreamlike narrative, and the atmosphere, thick with unease and enchantment, lingers long after the final page.

As sharp and tightly plotted as the first book, this is a gorgeously written, immersive continuation. Perfect for fans of melancholy, myth-infused stories that read like a whispered spell.

I love this series. Clean YA mystery with a little bit of a thrill aspect. It’s just so fun! Highly recommend.

This was so good. I loved the plot and characters. It was paced perfectly. I didn't wanna put it down and was on the edge of my seat

"Because they were written, they were eternal." I really enjoyed this book, I loved a study in drowning and although I enjoyed this there is a bit more I would have liked to see. I found the storyline very intriguing and I wanted to know more I enjoyed how we had the side characters we know from book 1. The fact Effy was still put down for being a woman and Preston for being Argant, it showed how these things aren't fixed as easily. I would have liked to see them working together more ai feel like at times they were living their separate lives but I feel like I missed them sleuthing together. That being said I cannot fault the writing of this series theres just something magical about it.

I know full well that I, too, would hate that stupid formalist class and its sentiments...for the last time, literature doesn't exist in a void.

A Theory of Dreaming is the sequel to A Study in Drowning, and I think I might be in the minority that preferred it slightly more than the original. I think that the first book could act as a standalone if you had no intention of continuing the series, as many of the themes are the same and the second book doesn't do much to resolve issues from book one as much as it creates new issues to address. However, if you enjoyed book one and would like to see more of the characters, I would encourage you to check this one out too.
Effy and Preston knew that their discoveries regarding Myrddin and Angharad would be questioned during their return to the literature college, but they underestimated how aggressive hostilities would become. This book features Preston's POV (in third-person) in addition to Effy's, which helps to keep the plot moving...especially because it seems that there are two different main plots for each POV character. Effy is trying to adjust to the literary college and the drama surrounding her past; Preston becomes involved in his adviser's eccentric schemes and must also deal with the racist sentiments of his classmates. I think the pacing was a bit slower in some respects, but I think there was a higher level of tension than in the first book. Some of the creepy vibes have been replaced by more academic and historical aesthetics, so it is a bit of a tonal shift from book one. Also, the themes are relatively similar (female authorship, elitist academia, not believing survivors, etc) to the first book, but at least this time, the racism/nationalism was actually addressed - and in a way that felt relevant, too. I think the one twist was kind of predictable, and the end was underwhelming, but I think I just enjoyed the academia vibes mixed with the mild mysteries.
Again, the story primarily focuses on Effy and Preston. Rhia makes a return and gets a bit more page time, but she's mostly irrelevant to the plot. The same goes for Lotto (Preston's roommate, who serves a bit as a deus ex machina at times) and Maisie. Southey is just Draco Malfoy, and Gosse, while intriguing at times, was also kind of underwhelming in his arc. Effy definitely improved from book one, and her struggles with mental health and acceptance from her peers were realistic and relatable in many ways. Her conflicts were more mundane than Preston's, which made her POVs a bit slower, in my opinion. I also thought her arc was a bit odd, given the developments of the previous book. Preston's chapters were a bit more interesting because they dealt with the fantasy elements of the story. I liked his character and the struggles he faced, although I still feel like we know very little about his backstory. The romance mostly developed in book one, so the most we saw here was a mild miscommunication that didn't really affect the plot; it just led to a bit of a disconnect between the stories of the two characters.
A Theory of Dreaming is a worthwhile addition to the A Study in Drowning duology, and fans of the series will enjoy the extra time spent with Effy and Preston as they deal with the aftermath of the previous book in the form of elitist academia.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC!

4/5