An interesting and unique story!If you liked Night Circus and Caraval then you are going to love this one too!It's dark with magic a great romance and it kept my interest!One of the things I really enjoyed about this book was Kallia’s character.

"I don't have to prove a single thing to them. What matters most is what I prove to myself. Giving up would be an insult to everything I know I'm capable of."

I can't wait to read the next book because I have A LOT of questions.

I'm afraid this book didn't work for me as much as I had hoped it would.

Set in the magical and secretive city of Glorian, Where Dreams Descend tells the tale of a high-stakes magic show, starring Kallia, Jack, and Demarco. Each has secrets they're not willing to share, but as danger lurks between each act, they've got to reconcile with their pasts and secrets if they want to make it through to the end of the competition.

The beginning of the book was actually quite solid, and I was pleasantly surprised, if not a bit relieved. However, as I read onwards, getting to the middle, it got quite boring very fast. It is made very clear that things aren't right in Glorian, and that each of the characters is hiding something, but not much is even foreshadowed or hinted at until the end of the book. I loved the ending, all the possibilities and answers it revealed, along with all the questions. It sets up nicely for a sequel, which I will certainly read, if only to find out what happens.

The characters themselves were interesting, but none with so many questions as Kallia. I liked reading from Jack's perspective in the third person, which gave a bit more insight to the whole situation. The romance is slow, which I can't complain much about, if I'm being honest with myself, because I was cheering for the characters when they finally accepted what was growing between them.

The character development was decent, but the descriptions and the world-building were beautiful. At times I felt it was a bit over the top and made the book longer than it needed to be, but the storytelling effectively paints a vivid picture with words I was able to see clearly.

Overall, I would recommend this book to those who enjoy fantasy with a magical, showmanship side, and fans of Caraval or The Night Circus. What this book lacks in plot pacing, it more than makes up for with drama and theatrics.

This book is great! I loved the pacing, and I enjoyed the main character even more. It's also a great commentary about the way women are treated even when their skill level surpasses the men who are doing the same thing.
The main thing I felt could have been done differently, however, is the magic system. It felt as if the magic in this book had no defined limits or even really a system at all.

Where Dreams Descend is everything it promised and more! Love, long-buried secrets, magic galore--we're thrown head first into Kallia's world and into the story's beautiful way of evoking even the smallest detail. Although the pacing was slow at times, the circus and point of views helped to maintain my interest in this gorgeous circus world long enough to keep turning the pages.

Before I knew it, the end came and I was totally unprepared! Can't wait for the next book!

I had to DNF this arc, but only because I had some personal issues come up and it took me mentally out of the space where I wanted to read anything. Since then the book has been released and I have purchased a copy for myself and I’m very excited to hop back in. Considering how excited I was to start and how invested I was in the plot when I first started, I have a lot of faith that this will definitely be a great addition to my collection.

Where Dreams Descend is an exhausting read, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Author Janella Angeles has mastered the art of pacing. She expertly builds tension to the breaking point and then starts all over again. This cycle takes more out of you as a reader than you would think, creating the need to close the cover, stretch, walk away, and then come running back.

Janella’s book is being heralded as a Phantom of the Opera reimagining, but that feels like a bit of a stretch. It’s clear from the beginning that Where Dreams Descend is Janella, and that she is 100 percent invested.

And Kallia is the type of character that readers will want to 100 percent invest in. She’s smart. She’s strong. She thinks on her feet. And she cares little for societal norms.

Where Dreams Descend is the first book in the planned Kingdom of Cards fantasy duology. And while I’m sure there’s much more to the planned story arch, part of me really wishes this had been a standalone novel. After building toward the final climax for so long, the ending instead falls a little flat. I probably will feel differently when the next book comes out, but until then, I’m left wishing for something a little bit more.

While this did seem like a great book and I'm sure many would enjoy it, I just wasn't able to get interested in the story and wasn't quite motivated to finish the book.

I can't believe.... I'm FINALLY... done... it feels like... I've been... reading this... fOREVER. *collapses on floor for a well deserved rest because I've finally made it through this*

Okay. So. I'll be the first person to admit that fantasy is not my go-to genre. I have read and enjoyed some fantasy in the past but it's not a genre I normally ~gravitate toward. But the description of this (which says it's similar to Moulin Rouge, The Phantom of the Opera and The Night Circus; aka three of my favs) is what led me to request this.

Well. Ha. Haha. Hahahaha. Okay first of all no. The only part Moulin Rouge like is the beginning when she swings in on a chandelier. The only part similar to the Night Circus is ONE paragraph toward the end which I'm pretty sure is actually taken FROM the Night Circus (it's not but BOY WAS IT SIMILAR). And idk. There might have been Phantom vibes but by the time they appeared, I was too annoyed for it to really make an impression.

So. At first I thought it was me. I thought maybe I wasn't in the mood to read this or something like that. Because the first few chapters are interesting. But I very quickly did not connect with this story and did not want to continue (I only did because it was from Netgalley).

I really don't understand how a book with SO MANY words can say nothing. Because that's basically what this book did. When she finally ~escapes to go to the contest that this book says it's about, it's ONE HUNDRED pages into the book. And when I got there, I couldn't even tell you what happened in those first hundred pages. Because nothing did. This book is waaaay too long. And normally that be fine, for a fantasy series, because normally there's world building. Well I've read the whole book now and I can't tell you ANYTHING about this world.

This whole book just goes in circles covering the same material ad nauseum. And not really developing anything. And I quickly grew tired of all of the characters and pretty much everything in this story. I spent the entire book just waiting for ~something to happen. The last, maybe, two chapters were interesting. That's the only reason this wasn't a complete fail for me. But it wasn't enough to make me want to continue with this series.

Honestly, I can't even tell you the point or purpose of this book. It felt like the only reason this book exists is to make sure there would be more books. And that's not how it should be??? This should've been a strong world build on its own to make the reader WANT to continue. But as it stands, I don't know anything about this world, the characters were so underdeveloped that sometimes I had trouble keeping them straight and even though this book was supposed to be about a ~magic competition, that was barely even a factor in the book. (I would've liked more of a description of the competition as a whole instead of only the MAIN CHARACTER'S act because how are we supposed to know that she's truly better than the competition if we aren't privy to their performances??? But that's all we ever saw of the competition. That and sexism from the judges.)

So. In conclusion. This book 100% wasn't for me. I thought about not even finishing so many times but I always feel obligated to push through if it's an arc. I know there have been good reviews for this so there definitely is an audience out there. But I also read enough reviews with thoughts similar to mine to know that I'm not crazy. There are definitely some problems here and I'm glad I'm not the only one who saw them.

Because. I struggled. It took me over a week to read this when normally I could've finished in a couple of days. So. I guess just tread with caution. But hopefully others will have better luck with this than I did. But, for me, I'm just glad it's FINALLY over and I can mark it as read and move on to something I'll actually enjoy.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

The magic in this book was such a delight. It's truly unlike any story that's out there right now. So much magic, love, intrigue and excitement. I cannot WAIT for the sequel!

This was such an enjoyable tale full of mystery and magic and beautiful descriptions. I wouldn’t say this story was anything special or set apart from other magical/competition/circus books but it was a perfect sweeping away from normal life book. And the descriptions really were stunning. Looking forward to reading the sequel which I hope is a group quest tale!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

Honestly, this book was almost a DNF for me. >.<

It took forever for the story to really evolve, the POV's are a bit scattered and hard to understand.

The only reason I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5 is the fact that this story felt like more of a prolonged prologue than an actual starter book for a series. It starts off very fast paced, but ultimately slows down right around chapter 9 and doesn't pick back up until the introduction into the Final Act (Chapter 42).

BUT....I am so glad I finished! The romance, the magic, and the mystery were all very well written in the end and I can't wait to read what happens in the next book.

In a world where female magicians are pretty much nonexistent, we meet Kallia. A female magician who loves the spotlight and just wants to make a name for herself. Being a performer at the Hellfire House for years, she desires something other than the cage of routine she's been cooped up in-- something bigger, something better. She escapes to the town of Glorian in hopes that it will be finally be the place where her talents are appreciated. However, what she doesn't realize is that Glorian is a city filled with secrets, where no one can leave once in it, where magicians soon start disappearing, and unexplainable accidents start to occur.

Janella Angeles' debut is atmospheric, seducing, mysterious. It had the whimsy of a circus but also, gives off the ominous Phantom of The Opera vibes as well. I can definitely see this potentially being made into a movie or anything page-to-screen.

The beginning starts off strong with helping us get to know Kallia as a character and what her end goals are. The middle felt a bit muddled-- the cat and mouse game that Kallia and Demarco were playing got quite repetitive at one point. I won't deny that it did help build the tension between them as a duo though. I adored Aaros. As for Jack, I don't know how to feel about him yet. Is he a bad guy, is he a good guy? I'm really hoping that the sequel uncovers more of his backstory and what his overall deal is. I also hope we find out what happened with another character but I won't say who 'cause that would be a spoiler.

The end of the book.. WHEW. How could you not want to know more after that cliffhanger?! It leaves a lot to unpack which I hope the sequel answers for us.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Magicians and magic have been an interest of mine since I was a child. I remember getting a magic set at Christmas one year and practicing my tricks for hours at a time. I’m saying this as a way to introduce you to part of the world that surrounds “Where Dreams Descend.” This isn’t your typical witches and wizards tale of magic and mayhem, but instead deals with magic through the lens of magicians.

The story follows a magician who wants a new life. She’s been a performer her whole life, but she’s ready to control her own life and we are there to see what she can do. There’s a haunted/possessed forest, a mysterious city, and a magical competition all in one package and it actually works really well.

The story follows a female magician protagonist that is not always likable. She knows she’s special and she’s not afraid to let others know it. I liked that about her and am always happy to read books about multilayered characters like her. Of course we’ve got a enemy to frenemy relationship that helps pad out the story rather well.

I recommend this to readers who’re looking for something a little different from your standard witches and wizards plot. You won’t be disappointed.

***Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me an e-arc of "Where Dreams Descend"***

Very excited to add this to my collection once it is officially published. I've been keeping an eye out for this book for a long time, so getting the read an arc was a dream come true for me! The world immediately sucked me in and I was wont to leave it any time I had to put this masterpiece down. The character development was superb and I felt for each character and their stories. So excited to see if the author continues writing in this world, but if not, I will definitely be looking out for future works.

"It’s also an undeniable truth that the more others try to extinguish a flame, the greater its power must be. Why else destroy light if not envious of its radiance?"


Where there is magic, circuses, beautiful clothes, strong women, romance and beautiful writing, is where I want to be.

I love the idea and the execution of this book. It is an original story of magic and the wonder and fear that comes along with it.

What it was lacking was a bit more backstory, but I think that will ve coming in the next book. Also this one is looong. Or it feels that way because of the overly descriptive writing style (which I very much enjoy).

If you like the Night Circus, this one will most likely not disappoint.


Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC of this book. My opinions are my own.

From debut author Janella Angeles comes “ Where Dreams Descend” .Set in a city named Glorian brings a group of Magicians together as they vie for the lead in an upcoming competition. This competition will put whomever is its winner the main act of a well known variety show and give them fame and fortune. We are introduced to a variety of characters namely Killia a female magician who has the ability to wield both Magic and stage magic , Jack a owner of Hellfire House a club where Killia works has instructed Killia and taught her everything he knows, and Demarco the judge of the competition whose competitive nature adds tension, angst and all the hate to love vibes. The world building was intriguing and the ending will leave you speechless. I highly recommend this novel for its quick pace, world building and atmosphere. I received an advanced readers copy from netgalley and the publisher in an exchange for an honest review.I give this novel 3.5 out of 5 stars with a 4 star on goodreads.

Magic, competition, a strong female lead, and a hint of romance? This book has everything it needs to succeed. A wonderful debut YA fantasy, and the first in a series that is sure to be successful. Fans of THE NIGHT CIRCUS and/or the CARAVAL trilogy will enjoy this book.

This one is a confusing book to review. Because on a subjective enjoyment stance, this is a two, maybe even one star book for me. But looking at this with a reviewers eye rather than my personal taste, it lands somewhere around a three?

Let me explain.

This book oozes atmosphere. The Phantom of the Opera meets Moulin Rouge comparison is very apt, though toss in a little Greatest Showman in there for spice. It’s very clear that the author has an eye for aesthetics as the setpieces in this book really shine as far as how intricately beautiful they sound. The writing, when it works, has a flair for the dramatic and detail that really matches the setting of the story.

This book features a number of dynamics and tropes that will be appealing to a lot of readers - especially those who love the atmosphere described above. The tangled web between the three main characters - Kallia, Demarco, and Jack - is peak angst. Kallia is a strong, sassy, and unashamed leading lady that I think a lot of people will love. Demarco has the biggest sad boy vibes and Jack is appropriately brooding for a Phantom-type character. I think fans of the Darkling will get a kick of his place in the story.

Ultimately, where the book stumbles, for me, is that it feels like a collection of scenes that work great on their own, but that don’t have the connective tissue to make a cohesive and satisfying story on it’s own. There are intriguing questions left at the end, but what information we get in this first book all feels like the vague set-up for book two. There are hints of a mystery, but it’s mystery via withholding information from the reader rather than cleverly hiding it. What little hints we did get led to reveals that felt obvious and, honestly, uninteresting. And this element of mystery, and the main character’s complete lack of knowledge, makes the worldbuilding hazy. There’s a sense that maybe the second book will flesh this out but that makes the first book alone feel quite incomplete. It’s hard to invest in the mystery of this dead town when there is so little beyond the atmosphere to latch onto.

Part of this lack also comes from the flatness of all the supporting characters. There is, ostensibly, a competition at the center of this novel, but the magicians involved are so background dressing that I couldn’t tell you a single one of their names. Their involvement in the competition is often hand-waved away so that Kallia can maintain center stage. The antagonistic force in this book is one of those “in-the-shadows” villains, so I understand why they aren’t a full presence of an antagonist. But, the secondary antagonist, the major, is just so laughably underdeveloped that there isn’t really a sustained source of conflict in the novel. Jack is another antagonist-adjacent force, but the sections of his perspective that are essentially repeatedly brooding about Kallia and how she has walked into a trap rob him of any interest. I guess there is the overarching force of the patriarchal assumptions around magic, but with the worldbuilding of the book being as vague as it is, it doesn’t really hit right. Then there are supporting characters like Aaros, her assistant. We are introduced to him at her first performance, with a vague reference to how they met, but beyond that and their witty best friend exchanges, we get very little of their relationship development. Also very little to understand Aaros as a character beyond the purpose he serves for Kallia. Beyond the main three, characters were defined by their service to the plot or the mains.

With all of that said, while a lot of these elements bothered me, overall I’d still give it a three. The book definitely has a sense of magic and an atmosphere that enchants. The how of magic may be a bit vague, but the vivid descriptions of the magic acts are delightful. I’m sure the character dynamics of the three mains will have fascinating moments in book two, and though Jack is not to my taste, the possible love triangle has delicious tension. I’ve read a number of positive reviews and I can totally see where they are coming from. This book was really just not for me, but that doesn’t mean it won’t work for other readers.

The world building was a little disappointing and I felt like the author was keeping secrets from the reader just to keep some mystery in the world. Magic wasn't clearly explained either (either magicians, who could be anyone?, were born or studied.)
This could have been a really great novel, but it didn't hit the mark for me.

This novel and I just did not hit it off. I liked the general ambiance of the book; it was very mysterious and magical. The characters seemed to be pretty well thought out, but none of them really grabbed my attention. The writing was somewhat lyrical and meandering and I just couldn’t focus on the story without wandering off on my own. I cannot count how many times I picked this up, only to put it down a few pages later. This could be a great hit or a big bomb, I think it just depends on the reader. Beautiful cover and idea, just not for me. I leave this review neutral as I could not finish after 60%.