The Labyrinth of Waking Dreams
by Michelle Kulwicki
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Pub Date Apr 21 2026 | Archive Date Not set
Page Street Publishing | Page Street YA
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Description
In this adventure-packed portal fantasy, three teens discover a gateway to a mythical Labyrinth in the Appalachian Mountains
Barren’s Peak, West Virginia, is not a place anyone would call magical, but Thea LaGuerre calls it home. A high school drop-out whose mother died in an accident, Thea is stuck working part-time jobs just to make ends meet. The most she has to look forward to are barn parties where she can make out with Callum, the one interesting boy who moved to town six months ago.
Thea doesn’t know it yet, but Callum was sent to Barren’s Peak to watch her. He was raised within the magicians’ order, a shadowy organization meant to keep humanity safe from an underworld of monsters. Callum would sacrifice anyone, including himself, to help their cause, but he still can’t help falling into Thea’s orbit. She’s the first person he’s felt seen by since his childhood sweetheart, Oliver—who he hasn’t seen since Oliver’s banishment from the order.
But Oliver hasn’t given up on Callum or on magic. Following a magical creature’s trail to Barren’s Peak, Oliver happens upon Callum and Thea at a barn party that turns into a monster-overrun massacre. To save Callum and the girl he’s protecting from a wave of deadly fairies, Oliver opens a portal for the three of them to flee into the Labyrinth.
To get home again, Thea, Oliver, and Callum will have to work together to survive the Labyrinth’s trials and discover the threads that brought them there.
Labyrinth's End Duology Book 1
Advance Praise
“Grounded by the heart-wrench of forbidden queer love, Michelle Kulwicki uplifts tenacity, resilience, and staunch determination in the face of monstrous darkness. ” —C. S. Pacat, New York Times bestselling author of the Dark Rise series
“The Labyrinth of Waking Dreams hits like buckshot: hard, fast, and where it matters most. Beautiful display of rough Americana and exhilarating magic that feels as fresh as it does grounded. A truly unique fantasy novel well deserving of a fandom of its own." —K. Ankrum, National Book Award longlisted author of The Corruption of Hollis Brown, Icarus, and The Wicker King
“The Labyrinth of Waking Dreams sets the stage for a stunning duology of magic and monsters—including those within ourselves. Filled with Kulwicki’s signature queer yearning, readers will be pining for a continuation of Oliver and Thea’s story.” —Cass Biehn, author of Vesuvius
“Transporting you into an atmospheric world of bloody magic, ravenous monsters, and nightmares given teeth, The Labyrinth of Waking Dreams oozes shadows with every word, but the humanity and resilience of the characters shine through the darkness. Prepare to be ensnared at every twist and turn, until the final pages rip your heart out and leave you aching for the sequel.” —Camilla Raines, author of The Hollow and the Haunted and The Forsaken and the Fated
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9798890033802 |
| PRICE | $19.99 (USD) |
| PAGES | 384 |
Available on NetGalley
Average rating from 3 members
Featured Reviews
Tanisha S, Reviewer
The Labyrinth of Waking Dreams is a gripping and thrilling story from start to finish. A character driven story of three souls battling through their issues to escape monsters in Hell.
Our characters are college aged and each have stories of their own that really envelop you into the story from start to finish. The magic is interesting and as you learn more about each character you also learn their darkest secrets and betrayals. The world building was easy to follow and made sense, the monsters added to the dark fantasy vibe perfectly.
The ending was a little ambiguous but I really enjoyed that!
I also enjoyed the representation of LGBTQ+ and mental health portrayed in the story!
Marieke d, Reviewer
I’m the first to admit I’m not a huge fantasy reader and often get lost in the worldbuilding. So when I learned that Michelle Kulwicki’s sophomore YA novel leaned much more heavily into fantasy than their debut, I started writhing in my seat. But I loved At the End of the River Styx, so I knew I had to give The Labyrinth of Waking Dreams a chance.
I’m glad I did.
“When Thea was sixteen, she was still sitting at a desk in high school, taking notes, trying to hold down two jobs.”
“When Oliver was sixteen, he was trying to escape the place that had caged him his whole life and never shown him an ounce of love.”
“When Cal was sixteen, he was already lost.”
These sentences alone explain why I love a book like this. A school dropout, a boy who grew up unloved, and a boy so lost he knows only one thing: going on. Add the triple perspective in short chapters, and you get a story that’s so incredibly fast‑paced I had to stop and catch my breath once in a while, and still so inviting that I kept reading on and on and on.
Oh Thea… Oh Oliver… Oh Callum… That ending! I need to meet you all again. Please Michelle, write a sequel!
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