You have no idea how much I wanted to love this book. It was described to me by a friend as a book in which the characters could have been auditioning to be players in Caraval (the series by Stephanie Garber). Caraval is one of my favourite trilogies, so of course, I was hyped about reading Where Dreams Descend! However, it fell completely flat for me.

There were numerous things I picked up on, but I'll be brief. There were so many moments where I sat there in pure confusion or hoping that more would happen. I didn't like any of the characters and it was so clear that the relationship in this was super toxic and manipulative. The protagonist seems like she's meant to be strong-willed and subversive, but she came across as arrogant and completely uncharacteristic of someone from a small town who goes to the big city where she’s absolutely not accepted by anybody.

I just didn't vibe with this in terms of personal taste -- do read more reviews to see if this would be your thing!

Thank you to Netgalley, Janella Angeles and Wednesday Books/St Martin's Press for providing me with an e-copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

2 Star / DNF 52% - Did not leave a review on Goodreads

I really wanted to enjoy this. I was sold on the premise, especially after so many compared it to Phantom of the Opera meets The Night Circus. I can see where these comparisons are made and why that would draw so many in. Even though I was a little confused since you are just thrown into it, I was liking the experience. I feel like this book had great potential, but then this was said:

"Maybe her new scars will teach her not to wear such brazen dressed."

Once I read that I realized that it real opposition in this novel isn't the fellow magicians, it isn't hidden powers that she hasn't accessed, it is a societal view that she doesn't belong on the stage competing because of her sex. From very earlier on it is clear what the judges of the competition and what Glorian thinks of her as a female. That statement was the last straw on my reading experience. This book may continue on and correct the issue, but I am not invested in it enough to find out. Had this not been such a prominent part of the tension, I might have been able to finish it.

I loved this book so much. Angeles does a great job building a slow sense of dread throughout the book, and her prose is elegant and poetic. It doesn't hurt that Phantom and MR are two of my favorite things ever; Angeles adapts from that inspiration beautifully.

Kalia only knows the Hellfire House. She has never been allowed to step outside the gates and only hears about the outside world from guests as she performs. When she hears of a contest for magicians like her, she sees this as her time to break free and show what she can do to the world.

This was a slow read for me. I didn't love it or hate it. I really enjoyed the strong character in Kallia who knew what she wanted and went for it.

WHERE DREAMS DESCEND really felt like the love child of Moulin Rouge and Phantom of the Opera, only so much more. It’s rare that a book delivers on what it’s pitched to be and I’m so thrilled that this one actually did because I had incredibly high hopes for it. With lush descriptions and beautiful scenery, this book really was such a magical experience that reached out and grabbed all your senses.

There’s so much to love about this book, but the highlight for me was the characters. Kallia was such an incredible character and I really loved her strength and her drive and her desire to be seen — not as just a woman, but as an equal to every male magician, and someone who garners the same respect both on and off stage. The magicians in this book were certainly part of the Good Ole Boys club, and I loved how Kallia continually challenged their outdated ways. Jack was also an incredible villain, though I hate to even call him that because he’s so much...more. While we learn just a little of Jack’s story, much of it is still waiting to be told. I also really liked the romance between Kallia and Daron, though I wouldn’t doubt if their story goes the way of the Phantom and a love triangle is introduced. The relationship between Kallia and Jack is incredibly complex, though it doesn’t seem as if Kallia completely hates him. Fears him, certainly, and for good reason.

The world was also very interesting and just as dynamic as the characters, and I loved the way the city is set up with suits and various things all pertaining to playing cards. It was a fun little detail and one that I’m certain will be explored more in the next book, especially since there’s one major unfinished element that ties back to the cards. I’m also still very curious about the crumbling city and I hope more is revealed about it.

Bottom line — I’m really looking forward to the sequel and seeing how everything is wrapped up. The mystery only deepens towards the end of the book and if the ending is anything to go by, the sequel is going to be a wild ride from page 1.

4.5 stars.

*eARC received courtesy of NetGalley.

How far will you go to have your talents displayed or for you to taste freedom. Kallia has a difficult choice to make, stay in the arms of safety with Jack or truely express herself and her magical talents with Demarco. Where Dreams Descend is a dark journey through the hierarchy of sexism in professional achievement and merit. Angeles uses the strong willed and talented Kallis as a vehicle to demonstrate how the talents of female magicians are overlooked and often suppressed so male counter parts can shine. Kallis is the perfect character to display natural gifts, while also combined with sharp wit and is a delight to read her snappy comebacks. It is also refreshing to have a partnership between a man and woman that is not romantic but supportive. Yet, I was disappointed that most of the plot is designated for the romance triangle between Kallis, Demarco, and Jack. For a storyline that was boasted as a Night Circus or Carnaval, this does not touch the world building in the slightest. MOre competitions to display Kallis abilities and show stopper charisma would have added depth and visual awe. It could have also played in to the village folklore to really pull the reader in to a majestic

I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Kallia has led a sheltered life at Hellfire House as a showgirl performing each evening for a crowd under the close watch of Jack. Jack came into Kallia’s life when his father, Sire, passed away, leaving the secluded club in the woods and Kallia in his care. Over the years, Jack has nurtured Kallia’s gift of magic and trained her to be a powerful performer. However, Jack has also kept Kallia secluded and in the dark about what lies beyond their home and club. With each passing day, Kallia grows more and more restless until one day she finds a flyer announcing a contest for magicians after her show. Confident in her ability to compete, Kallia slips away from Hellfire House to the town of Glorian to enter the competition. Along the way, she makes friends with a street thief, circus performers, and perhaps a fellow mysterious magician. But her quest won’t be easy as she faces a society unwilling to accept female magicians and a city that is hiding a dark secret that threatens the lives of everyone in the competition.

VERDICT is that this book promised more fantasy and intrigue than I personally thought it delivered. I think the story has many compelling elements, but it was really a bit of a slog to get through. There was a lot of description for very little action happening at times. I really liked the character of Kallia, but her most intriguing relationships to me were the ones she developed with Aaros and the circus performers but those really weren’t delved into as much. Her mind was primarily preoccupied with Jack, her former guardian, and the aloof judge, Demarco, who is clearly set out to be her love interest from their first encounter. I needed more depth to some of these other characters in order for the story to really hit home. Also, within the fantasy genre, world building is huge. I was intrigued by the initial setup of this world and how isolated various parts of it were, but the world building seemed to fall by the wayside in favor of the magical competition with only elusive comments to the city’s hidden secrets as things began to get strange(r).

This entire book felt just like an elaborate setup for the second book. I don’t mind authors setting themselves up for a series, but as a reader I need to get a little something out of the first book to keep me going. I was really intrigued by the description and excited to expand the depths of the fantasy genre in YA fiction and will likely end up recommending this book to readers really interested specifically in elements of magic and circus but don’t know that it will bring any new readers into this niche.

**I read an ARC of this book.**

What a fun book! I felt like I was in both The Night Circus and trying out for Caraval. This world was magical and the story was fun! I can't wait to see where the story goes next!

I was waiting on the audiobook because thought I would like it better in that edition. But I unfortunately didn't like the narrator. Where Dreams Descend is going on my to be picked up again at a later date tbr.

Thank you so much to Wednesday Books and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an arc.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

I cannot stop thinking about this book! Where Dreams Descend was maddening, the characters were infuriatingly secretive, and the author was downright diabolical. Normally, an excess of secrets and unshared information really ruins a book for me, but Where Dreams Descend thrived on the unknown. This book made me think of Moulin Rouge, Now You See Me, and Caraval, so naturally I'm obsessed.

I can forgive most of the secrecy in this book, because everything is shrouded in mystery. Glorian is a town that no one knows much about. It's history has been lost to time, and the residents don't like discussing the past. The rest of the world has spun stories and invented tales to explain the town's quiet existence, but no one really knows anything about it. I really enjoyed learning more about Glorian and its inhabitants, and only wish the author had told us more about its origins. We sort of learn why no one talks about the past, but there's still so much we don't know.

Jack has an unimaginable number of secrets and his entire existence is a hidden agenda. I'm still not sure who he is, or how he came into Kallia's life, but he was fascinating. He was also controlling, possessive, and jealous, but I think his heart was in the right place when it really mattered. He obviously knows things that no one else does. Do I wish he'd been more forthcoming with Kallia? Yes. Do I think it would have solved a lot of his problems? Definitely. Would the story have unfolded differently? Possibly. Everyone keeping secrets kept me on my toes, but it also prevented me from really knowing what was going on. The characters don't just keep information from each other, but we're also left in the dark as readers. It was like they couldn't even think about the things they were trying to hide.

Kallia was a fierce character that I loved! She knows what she wants, and she's willing to do whatever it takes to get it. She has trust issues (understandably), but still refuses to share pieces of herself with those who have proven their friendship and loyalty. I wish she'd confided in Aaros more, since he was Team Kallia from the start. They get along smashingly, and he's super supportive of her, but she still keeps him at arm's length. Slowly, so slowly, she depended on him more, but still kept her innermost thoughts and feelings to herself.

Daron was wow. I'm still not sure how I feel about him, even though he's supposed to be the main love interest. He's in Glorian for reasons he doesn't want anyone else to know about, he's super flaky when it comes to his feelings about Kallia, and he's very determined to keep his years-long secret intact. A secret that I doubt many people would've really cared about. Additionally, I'm not sure how his magic related to Kallia's and the competition, despite Jack and Kallia seeming to know something at the end. Like, I think I know what the author was trying to say, but I don't actually know. Does that make sense? It doesn't help that the book ends without answering any of my questions.

How can you do that? How can you write a magnificent story - - one that I cannot stop thinking about - - yet give almost nothing away before its conclusion? I actually have more questions now than I did at the start, but the story simply stops AFTER SOMETHING MASSIVE HAPPENS. Cliffhanger of the century, friends. I honestly don't know how I'm supposed to wait for the next book in the series, because I needed answers YESTERDAY.

The magical elements of Where Dreams Descend were lovely and unimaginable. Angeles has one hell of an imagination, and her spin on magicians and their magic (born and acquired) was very creative and unique. I only wish we'd gotten to learn more about how it works, where it comes from, and how the two types differentiate. I also wanted to know more about the Patrons and what issues they were trying to control elsewhere. There's just so much I still don't know, despite feeling like I've lived in this fictional world my entire life.

Moreover, I wanted to see the magic the other contestants wielded during the competition. We only get detailed descriptions of Kallia's performances, and I would have liked to see how hers compared to the other acts. What were they doing with their magic? How do they manipulate their tricks? There are actually very few instances where we see anyone other than Kallia or Jack using their powers to do something extravagant. It seems effortless for Jack, while Kallia shows obvious signs of strain and depletion, so it would've been nice to see their differences compared to those of the others.

Basically, I wanted more. That would be my main complaint about this book. Where Dreams Descend was utterly captivating, but also not enough. I really hope we get more answers in book two, because I don't think I can emotionally handle not knowing anything for a second time. ALSO, THAT ENDING WAS INSANE. Please, Janella. I beg you. Please give us more answers in the next book. I desperately want to know WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON. Sincerely, Me (and probably everyone else that reads this book). (★★★★☆)

Where Dreams Descend is a lush and magical tale of mystery, intrigue, and a magical competition that takes unexpected turns at every corner. This is a story that overflows with secrets and characters who are never quite who they appear, which seems to match the magic and illusions that are a part of the competition.



Although it didn't seem like it at the time, there is a surprisingly large cast of characters to get to know throughout the story. Kallia was a character with much more confidence than I expected, and which I really appreciated. She doesn't let the harsh antics of the rest of the men in the competition get to her and never allows them to dim her own showmanship in any way. Her personality once at the magic competition seemed quite a change from what I expected from her personality at the very start of the novel when she was with Jack, but I enjoyed watching it develop and how she handled all of the many unpredictable circumstances.



Speaking of Jack, I can't say I ever fully understand who he was--I know what his role was, but I always felt slightly confused as to where exactly he came from and what his purpose was. However, I can definitely see the Phantom of the Opera comparisons with his role and the entire vibe that I got from his relationship with Kallia, though perhaps a little less magnetic than the Phantom, as Kallia has a pretty good head on her shoulders. I think one of my favorite characters was Aaros, Kallia's unforeseen thief-turned-assistant. His humor and levity absolutely made every scene he was in, and I found his burgeoning friendship with Kallia an absolute delight to follow. There are a lot of interesting relationship dynamics in this book that I found fascinating to follow, but Kallia and Aaros' really made my heart sing the most.



There are some really interesting worldbuilding components in this book, though I do wish that there had been just a bit more given in regard to the greater world at large. I felt that it was a bit limited in scope, which fit for this book, but also left me feeling as though I didn't have a great overall view of the world. That being said, the components that were present were really beautiful and I loved the mysterious background built up about the city and the use of magic and magicians. The Conquering Circus also sounds like such a magical and entertaining event and I loved getting descriptions of it!



And lastly, speaking of descriptions... Angeles' prose is truly beautiful. She really knows how to write some descriptive and stunning images that brought everything to life in this world. She not only describes static images beautifully, such as the plants in one character's greenhouse and the building where the competition is held, but also movements and dynamic images, such as Kallia's performances and her more intense moments with Jack.



Where Dreams Descend is a beautiful story that has a lot of potential to grow into something even more compelling and developed. It's easy to want to read to the sequel after the bit of a cliffhanger we get at the end, so be sure to keep your eye out for the next book!

The writing of this book is fluid, rich, and so atmospheric. Janella is a very accomplished writer. I loved the descriptions (when there weren't too many of them) and imagined everything beautifully.

But when the initial "oooh" died down into the first chapter, it waddled instead of flowed. This is the type of story I feel might have suited being raised up an age level (please make NA a thing, since it's clear we need a transition phase of literature). The more I read, the more it felt like Bugsy Malone -- an adult cast of characters played by teens, similar criticism of mine with Six of Crows.

I did enjoy the lush setting, atmosphere, but the characters sort of--idk.. I was slightly let down by it.

Definitely an author to watch though.

Where Dreams Descend: Wasted Potential

In an effort to be dark, edgy and sexy, Where Dreams Descend ends up like a low-end bar with too many flashy neon lights trying to force itself into the league of fancy nightclubs. It tries too hard to be what it thinks is edgy and different rather than let the story flow and ebb naturally; every element of the story feels heavily calculated. Where Dreams Descends has great potential to be a fantastic series but it is poorly executed.

Plot and Pacing: Glacial and Convoluted

Strong, dark and sexy, Where Dreams Descends opens with captivating flair. Reminiscent of both Phanton of the Opera and Moulin Rouge, readers are immediately introduced to the mysterious master of the Hellfire House, Jack, his magical cruelties and Kallia, the star of the show descending on a chandelier in pure homage to Nicole Kidman’s Satine. However, as she descends from the ceiling, so does the rest of the plot and story.

Kallia dreams of being a stage magician, a role held only be men. In Where Dreams Descend, practitioners of magic are divided into two factions: born magic and acquired magic. However, much like in Belle Revolte, men and women practice magic based on gender roles and presumptions; men are for big, flashy demonstrations while women are reserved to traditionally feminine tasks. Through a series of lucky mishaps, Kallia discovers the life that she has been living is a false one, crafted by Jack through lies and manipulation of her memories in a bid to keep her and her inane talent for magic at Hellfire House. After all, she is his prodigy, he trained her. She escapes to the mystical town of Glorian where the Spectaculore competition is being held to find the next star of the Conquering Circus.

In Glorian, Kallia finds a world she has only ever dreamt of filled with dazzling performers, men who underestimate her and men who don’t, limitless opportunities to be herself and one magician man who tickles her fancy, Daron Demarco. Kallia loves it all and she never wants to leave. However, accident after accident happens the moment she is accepted into the competition and her fellow competitors are dead or grievously injured. All fingers point towards Kallia but there is a darker edge at hand, one to do with the town of Glorian and its sordid history.

While my summary seems uncomplicated, it is anything but. There were multiple plot threads occurring that had no connection to each other and there was a lot of mystery that seemed forced rather than intriguing. We meet the members of the Conquering Circus (all women) who serve no other purpose but to prop Kallia and the plot up, the mystery of Glorian and mysterious circumstances of competitors deaths and injuries, the mystery of Jack etc. Mystery should leave the reader wanting more rather than confused and lost. Furthermore, Where Dreams Descend seemed to be one giant narrative of the same things: Kallia advances in the competition and dazzles the judges and audience with her daring acts followed by competitors getting injured or dead. Rinse, cycle and repeat.

I was midway through the book and felt no closer to seeing an end nor its point. In fact, the whole book can be summarised as such: Kallia is motivated by fame and glory to win the competition, wanting more out of life. Daring Demarco is desperate to uncover Glorian’s secret and his sister/assistant’s disappearance. Jack, oh Jack, is non-existent.

The way the narrative is designed makes it hard for readers to know the stakes Kallia and Demarco are fighting for/against. Everything seems to be handed to her on a silver platter as she succeeds performance after performance, the only criticism and dislike coming from the panel of all male judges. Kallia is also rarely shown to be fighting while Demarco’s only personality traits appears to be moody and brooding, his stakes also no apparent. Where Dreams Descend lacks driving force or tension, we just get a scary something looming nefariously in the background, ready to serve the plot when it needs to. We don’t even learn of it until the last quarter of the book. A sizeable chunck of the story is also dedicated to trying to create tension for the romance between Kallia and Demarco but the calculated way in which it was written ultimately fails to make me care about them.

There is a sizeable chunk of the story where Kallia and Demarco find a location to practice for the final performance and they stumble across the ruins of one of the old families of Glorian. And, instead of actually practicing, they are constantly cleaning the place! What is the point of that? What purpose does it lend the plot to have them fix up the place except to use as a practice space? We didn’t need pages and pages of that; I couldn’t find anything romantic about it.

This lack of stakes and endlessly repeated narrative makes Where Dreams Descend a laborious read: draggy enough for me to constantly note how much time is left in the chapter and book but not painful enough for me to stop.

WorldBuilding: Poorly Designed Magic System

Multiple elements of magic, mystic and lore are introduced in Where Dreams Descend. However, none of them are executed well, leaving readers in a confused whirlwind of information that don’t seem to tie in together anywhere.

The male versus female magic dichotomy concept is not a new one: Belle Revolte did it and so did Spin the Dawn in some way. However, I could not make any sense of it in Where Dreams Descend: men are the entertainers and performers while women are taught to use their magic, for more feminine purposes, I suppose. Much has been alluded in the story to Queen Casine’s Academy and that Kallia’s magic talent doesn’t belong there but we are never told explicitly what the girls’ only academy trains their students in. It seems that extravagant magic like the kind Kallia and the Conquerors perform are out of the norm for female magicians but that’s the extent of it. At least in Belle Revolte, there is a very plausible reason as to why male and female magic are divided according to sex.

And most of the world is like this.

We are often left fumbling in the dark about elements that are introduced. Now, I am not saying that reveals and explanations can’t be held to the end of the story but if every single piece of information is withheld to the very end, it makes reading the book a damn chore. And, while I’m all for a well-timed reveal, the ones in Where Dreams Descend take too long to come and when they finally do (in the last ten percent of the book), they feel cheap. All sense of anticipation and wonder are lost. It took me almost two weeks to finish this book as I was bored out of my mind.

In doing so, it is also clear that the book kept all of its secrets to the very end of its longer-than-needed-to-be narrative because all the important information and explanations will happen in the sequel.

Writing: Beautiful But Calculated

In some ways, Where Dreams Descend is beautifully written with some gems of gorgeous writing. Angeles’ skill is in crafting her landscapes, often vivid and well-described, putting me right in the center of things. Streets, locations and surroundings are clear and allow me to immerse myself into Glorian.

However, these moments are overshadowed by unnecessarily flowery prose. More space on the page is dedicated to what the characters are wearing, the colour of the breakfast room and other mundane information than to the details of the tricks, introducing the contestants and the other landscapes of the competition. Spectaculore, despite its name, seemed utterly bland and colourless compared to the other parts of Glorian.

Furthermore, a lot of vital information is withheld from readers to further create the air of mystery and anticipation. However, as most of the information is held back until the last possible moment, the reveals are untimely and fail to surprise, astound or shock. It fails to make me care about any of the characters or the plot.

It is clear that the prose is a calculated move to paint an overly elaborate and campy world, designed to create a moody and atmospheric vibe. However, it fails to leave the right sort of impression. It serves nothing to the plot except for make the writing and pacing feel clunky and heavy.

Characters and Relationships: Frighteningly Unrelatable

However, in spite of all my grievances, Where Dreams Descend fails most at making its characters relatable.

Kallia is unabashedly confident, sensual and headstrong. Her determination to succeed is infectious and on some level, we can all relate to the girl looking to escape the confines of the home she knows for bigger prospects but that’s where it ends. We are often told of Kallia’s drive to be better, to come out on top. Rarely are we shown the work she puts into becoming the best. Kallia spends her time flirting shamelessly with Demarco, goading him into his reactions, worrying over Jack finding her and trying to stir up a storm by being purposefully scandalous and gallivanting about town with the Conquering Circus. I’m all for women characters being confident about themselves and their sexuality but for a narrative that hinges heavily on Kallia’s supposed talent, we see none of that. As I mentioned a couple of paragraphs ago, she seems to have everything handed to her on a silver platter; she performs no mistakes and is always dazzling. She even takes the time to fill in for a Conqueror when her friend falls ill.

Rarely do we see Kallia working at her craft, practicing and learning to becoming better. In fact, she becomes the very thing she doesn’t want to be: reliant on Jack’s teachings. Instead of learning new things and becoming her own person, she utilised only whatever Jack has taught her.

Daron Demarco, on the other hand, is your run of the mill emo soft boi. Like most emo soft bois, he is brooding and moody, flippant yet charming and makes no secret that he is harbouring a dark past just waiting to be uncovered. A semi-retired magician and with an aunt who sits at the head of the Patrons, the governing body for magicians, Demarco is the youngest magician on the panel of judges and naturally, a shoo-in for Kallia’s love interest. He is drawn to her like a moth to flame and constantly engages in games of “yes I want you, no I don’t want you” with her, like a frustrating teenager. Thankfully, in the midst of everything that went wrong with Where Dreams Descend, Demarco is given his own plot rather than one inexplicably tied to Kallia’s, although their plots appear to intertwine in the sequel.

I get that YA books these days rarely sell without some sort of sexy romance to accompany the plot but Kallia and Demarco’s relationship feels forced. There was a decided lack of chemistry and spark; after all, with such dissimilar goals and plots, it would have been more fitting for them to start as friends or unlikely partners (which, they did, eventually) and perhaps develop a relationship in the sequel. After all, he is a judge and she’s a competitor; there has to be some morality line drawn.

And finally, we get to Jack, who is unfortunately non-existent. His character pays homage to the Phantom of the Opera and is a menace looming over the characters heads. However, he seems to be plot dependent for a majority of the book, turning up only to send Kallia into jitters and frighten her into returning to Hellfire House. It isn’t until the last ten percent of the book that Jack’s plot finally reveals, a little too late for me to start caring about his character but enough to intrigue me about what is to come.

Most YA books have amazing side characters who are more often than not, more interesting than the main ones. That’s not the case here! While we do have cheeky and charming side characters like Kallia’s magician’s assistant, Aaros, the cast of colourful members of the Conquering Circus, persistent reporter Lottie, they are mostly one-dimensional. Their main purpose is to serve the plot and they feel interchangeable.

All characters serve the plot, you say. When you compare these more prominent side characters to the invisible ones, you’ll get what I mean. The competitors of Spectaculore are non-existent, a second thought. We are not introduced to their names or personalities. These characters, no matter how small, would have served to build up the world and story. Instead, they become window dressing; what is the point of a competition if not its competitors? It made absolutely no sense to write a story around a competition and yet, barely make it about Spectaculore. It’s downright frustrating.

Moving away from the contestants, we have the townsfolk who are all equally one-dimensional: they all either hate Kallia and love Kallia. Those who hate Kallia are given names like the panel of judges, the mayor, Mayor Eilin and his daughter, Janette. The latter, in a frustrating move for a novel that seems to preach feminist values and girl power, is placed against Kallia as the demure and pure to her wild and sensual; the Madonna vs whore dichotomy.

Themes: One Character Ruined Its Entire Feminist Message

Where Dreams Descend had a rather noble goal: YA women are powerful in their sexuality and their confidence, they are dark, sexy and shameless. It was absolutely wonderful to see that Kallia owned her entire body and talent, unafraid to be who she is and proud of it. Here was a woman forging relationships with other equally powerful women and defying the law of men. She knew what she wanted and she was going to reclaim it. How much I disliked her spoke to my initial bias: I was taught to dislike women who flaunted their sexuality so openly and used it as a weapon.

I was ready to confront my biased upbringing and allow myself to fall in love with Kallia; here was a YA character one would not call pure or wholesome. She didn’t have to torture or kill anyone to be that day; she was completely herself. Even if the book was rather preachy about it; the values and message it wants to get across is without nuance and so in your face, I can’t help but wonder if it was written around this central point.

But, I chalked it up to an ingrained bias.

However, it’s entire message about feminism crumbled the moment they introduced Janette. Below is the entire passage lifted from the Where the Dreams Descend ARC:

"Next to him, Janette was still massaging her wrist, though no harm had come to it. Her coy blue eyes looked up at him from beneath thick lashes. As the mayor’s daughter, she exuded poise and grace, even after a fall from her chair. Not a golden hair out of place, no stains marring the soft silk of her dress.

Kallia, on the other hand, looked like she’d just arrived from an entirely different realm. Hair worn down and wild, red lips, and a bold dress that bordered on irreverent."

Moreover, this passage is written from Demarco’s point of view. And throughout the book, Janette is constantly vying for Demarco’s attention. It is a blatant Madonna vs whore dichotomy with Janette being the Madonna and Kallia, the whore. For centuries, this dichotomy has plagued women, categorising them as either saintly virgins or sluts and whores. In painting Kallia, the main character as the slut/whore character, it can be viewed as reclaiming her sexuality. But at the same time, it is pitting two women against each other in a battle for Demarco’s affections and demonising women who chose to present themselves as Janette has. There is no rhyme or reason give to her attraction to him except as a rival against Kallia. To make matters worse, Janette is also incredibly one-dimensional and often written as vapid and air-headed.

For a book that champions feminism, this was a rather strange and outdated inclusion. It made no sense to the overall narrative and completely diminished the message Where Dreams Descend was trying to send.

Some Positives: Not All Bad

Where Dreams Descend is not completely bad, although its negatives far outweigh its positives. For one, it actually has a rather compelling story underneath all the trying-too-hards and calculated story elements. There is an interesting mystery and mystic surrounding Glorian and Jack that finally ties together in the ending, leading to the next book. More about Demarco’s goals are also revealed, along with his sister’s disappearance.

I also rather liked that Kallia was given a softer side, underneath all her bravado. She is frightened in the face of Jack’s menace, showing that she is not completely devoid of complexity. She has also demonstrated her ability to be a good friend to both the Conquerors and Demarco (the same can’t be said for Aaros).

And, for what it’s worth, both Kallia and Demarco appear to be POC characters although it is not explicitly mentioned.

In conclusion, Where Dreams Descend has a lot to work on for its sequel. While it does tell a compelling story that plays with elements of Moulin Rouge and the Phantom of the Opera, the storytelling elements all fail to impress and excite, leaving me exhausted from trying to finish the book. It has a lot of potential to be a good series but it requires a great deal of polishing and refinement in order to make a good comeback from a rather subpar debut.

However, I am quite compelled to read its sequel and cannot wait to see how the narrative and characters would grow. After all, it teased a rather intriguing mystery and I just can’t walk away from that.

Although Where Dreams Descend offers lovely writing and imaginative magical acts in a mysterious setting, the pacing was too slow for me and the mystery remained too mysterious throughout the book. I was intrigued by Jack and his club, the magical and possibly cursed city, and the mirrors, but halfway through the book I still felt like nothing had been revealed. However, readers who love circus settings and stories about magic will be delighted by Janella Angeles's beautifully descriptive writing. The main character, Kallia, is fiercely determined and an easy character to root for. The descriptions of her magic acts are captivating. Although I didn't love this book, I'm still looking forward to the sequel and seeing how events unfold.

**2.5-stars rounded up**

I had such high hopes for this, but unfortunately this story just didn't work for me. Frankly, I'm sad about it.

The story begins with our protagonist, Kallia, working as a performer in a club, The Hellfire House, owned by the mysterious, Jack. She has larger plans for herself, however, and sets her sights on a magical competition set to be held in the nearby city of Glorian.

In order to enter, something a woman wouldn't normally do, she must first break free of Jack and Hellfire House. Making her way through the cursed woods alone, Kallia does make it to the city and promptly meets a young man, Aaros, who immediately becomes her best friend, confidant and stage assistant. He also became, in my opinion, the best character in the book.

As with any competition, there must be judges. Enter romantic interest, Daron DeMarco, a retired stage magician himself, who becomes enchanted with Kallia and her power. There are other competitors as well, but of course, Kallia far exceeds them all, both in performance powers and overall everything else.

Once the magical competition begins, it becomes clear, something is off in the city of Glorian. Other competitors go missing, or are severely injured and Kallia begins to be haunted in her rooms. In spite of the chaos, the show must go on and Kallia is determined to win. DeMarco watches anxiously from the sidelines as she continually tries to one up her competition.

While this Dark Magical Fantasy has a lot of elements that should have worked for me, it just didn't. It felt disjointed and like nothing was really happening, even though on page, plenty was. I know that makes no sense, but it was like the dramatic plot points didn't really matter. It was nothing I cared about or felt compelled to know more about.

Kallia was one of the most arrogant characters I have ever read. I understand she was ambitious and needed to be portrayed as strong, but it's hard to have an arc showing any growth when the character already claims to know it all. Not only was she eons above any of the other contestants, she was also more skilled than anyone else in the world. Okay, enough about that. I think it is fairly clear how I feel about Kallia.

On a brighter note, DeMarco and Aaros were both saving graces for me. DeMarco was quite interesting. I loved his quiet humility and learning more about his backstory. Some of the dark moments interested me as well. There were some sections involving mirrors, or the characters being magically trapped within the town, that I found compelling; I wish there had been more of that.

As mentioned above, around the 80% point, I started to feel like the flow was a lot stronger and I liked where the relationship between Kallia and DeMarco was going. Unfortunately, enjoying only 20% of a book, isn't enough for me to be able to give it a higher rating. I do think that the story left off in a great place. I'm not sure if I will pick the sequel up or not, but I will definitely keep it in mind for when the time comes.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Wednesday Books, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review. Although this didn't work for me, I am definitely in the minority!

As I predicted around 80% of the way through this book, I finished it and am now desperate for the sequel. This YA fantasy debut is wildly compelling and beautifully written and I am so confused. Essentially, Kallia leaves Hellfire House to compete in this competition against the wishes of Jack, the proprietor of Hellfire House. Kallia and Jack are both magicians. In this city, Glorian, where the competition is being held, Kallia finds friends and enters the competition, which is where she meets Demarco, who is one of the judges.

There is so much chemistry happening in this book between Kallia and Jack and Kallia and Demarco and I really appreciated that aspect as I think it was well done in creating a compelling... love triangle type thing. But I also really appreciated the line drawn in showing Jack's behavior for what it was. The intensity of the quasi romantic and romantic relationships here made the friendship that sparks between Kallia and Aaros more disappointing because I didn't understand where it came from. They went from zero to best friends so quickly.

Despite that and despite my general confusion over what was happening a lot of the time, I really, really enjoyed the magical adventures and I think the world building is ridiculously compelling and I'm so excited for the next book in the series to really blow this world wide open. I will say that I read part of this with my eyeballs and listened to parts of it and I think if you can, I would recommend the reading with the eyeballs. There are some weird narration things like the fact that Demarco's accent is wildly inconsistent in my opinion.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for the e-arc of this book! (I purchased the audio from Libro.fm.)

A sweeping, atmospheric debut, Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles is perfect for fans of Caraval.

The novel opens in a club called the Hellfire House, which sits at the edge of the city of Glorian, a place shrouded in mystery. The club is run by the master, a mysterious young magician named Jack. Every night, a showgirl by the name of Kallia performs, captivating the club with both her dancing and her stunning magical feats.

Predictably, Kallia wants more than a life of being stuck in one place, performing the same routine night after night. She wants to see the world (*cue “Belle Reprise”*). Jack refuses to let her go, however, insisting that the world outside isn’t kind to female magicians. Kallia thinks he’s wrong, and she also learns that he’s been lying to her about several things, so she escapes to Glorian to compete in an epic magician’s competition. Despite female magicians not being allowed to compete, she wows the judges enough to earn a spot.

Daron Demarco, former famous magician, is one of those judges, and he has his own agenda. He came to Glorian, not to be a judge, but to find his sister. Intrigued by Kallia, however, he finds himself becoming more and more drawn into the outcome of the competition.

Strangely, magicians begin disappearing before each stage of the competition, leaving no trace of what happened to them. Kallia is convinced Jack is behind it somehow, but she doesn’t know what to do. All she knows is that he wants her back, and she believes he will do anything to make that happen. Still, she is determined to get to the bottom of this mystery so she can take her place in the world of show magicians that she knows she belongs.

What really worked for this book was the lush, colorful worldbuilding. Despite being marketed as Phantom of the Opera meets Moulin Rouge, I saw no Phantom influence, besides everything being red and black and spooky (apparently that passes for a retelling these days), and instead, this novel really reminded me of Caraval. That book stood out to me because there’s such heavy worldbuilding, and it sparkled with color and magic. The same is true in this book. The world and the magic came to life for me.

Sadly, worldbuilding came at the expense of the characters. Kallia was the most well-developed character, and I liked how ambitious and determined she was. Some readers might be annoyed by her confidence, as she’s a prima donna through and through, but I found it humorous. I liked Demarco too. He started off gruff and stand-offish, but once he started falling for Kallia, his soft side showed. We didn’t learn much of his backstory, so I look forward to a big reveal in the sequel, fingers crossed. Jack is supposed to be sexy and mysterious, but I just found him to be toxic and manipulative, honestly.

I also felt let down that the competition wasn’t a bigger part of the story. It’s at the center of the plot, but we never learn any of the other magician’s names. We don’t get to watch their acts—we only see Kallia’s, and we’re told that hers are far superior. I think I would have enjoyed it more if Kallia interacted more with her competition. It also would have brought some much-needed nuance to the feminist messaging. Part of this story centers around the injustice that women are not allowed to be show magicians, essentially, and to illustrate this, most of the men come off as one-dimensional jerks. Kallia is also pretty dismissive of men, even telling her assistant: “pretty boys should be seen and not heard.” While I like #girlpower books normally, the way it was handled in this book rubbed me the wrong way. Now, I did love Kallia’s assistant, Aaros. He was super sweet and loyal, just a complete gem, and I wanted a lot more of him.

If you love strong female characters and beautiful worldbuilding, I recommend this book. Not all the elements of it worked for me, but I enjoyed reading it thoroughly and I can see why it’s already popular before its release.

Where Dreams Descend is the first novel in Janella Angeles new series, Kingdom of Cards. It's a world full of magic, danger, and romance. It's perfect for those that love tales of magical circuses, card games, and everything in between.

This is a world full of magic – and rules. This is a world where magicians are king, but only the men seem to rise to the top. That is not the case for everyone else out there. There is a darkness in this world – and in one city in particular.

This is the world that Kallia was born into, and while she doesn't remember her past, she knows what she wants out of life. She wants more. More than what she currently has – more than a life spent inside a magical prison.

Enter the two other key players in this novel. Jack: club owner, magician, liar, and so much more. Demarco, the fallen hero, ex-magician, and seeking for a new path in life.

“She craved to know more. Something. Anything. For whatever waited in the unknown, it called to her.”

Oh my goodness. I think I'm in love. I loved every little thing about Where Dreams Descend. From the way it started, to the way the characters seemed to dance across the pages. This novel was literally everything I had hoped it would be, and so (SO) much more.

It has been a hot minute since I was so utterly enchanted by a novel. I found myself sucked into Where Dreams Descend, and unable to look away until the very last page. It was the perfect balance of everything I wanted out of a book.

Kallia's story is compelling, and she is arguably one of the most confident characters I've read about in quite some time. She made for a stark contrast, when compared to Demarco and Jack. Yet still, the three somehow oddly fit well together.

Then there's this cursed city. The stories from Kallia's time there were enough to make my blood boil. Ironically enough, that added a sense of realism (and heaviness) to this tale, making it feel even more real in the process.

“You think I dance under the rain to stay dry?”

All things considered, I couldn't help but get swept away in the plot. In Kallia's struggle, and the mystery revolving around both Jack and Demarco. It kills me that I'm going to have to wait at least another year before I learn more of the truth.

I noticed that some reviews weren't entirely thrilled by Where Dreams Descend. So I'm not sure if I'm the odd person out, or what. I really enjoyed this novel, and everything it had to offer. I also enjoyed the series that it's reminiscent of, so I don't think this is a case of either/or. Though admittedly I'm only now getting into The Shadow Game, so maybe that's part of it? Though I did love Caraval, and other series with similar tones.

Regardless, I personally cannot wait for the next novel in this series. Or really, any news I can get about it. So don't mind me as I sit here anxiously, waiting for more.

A mashup of Caraval, The Night Circus, Moulin Rouge, and The Greatest Showman, Where Dreams Descend had all the makings for a fun fantasy romp, but left me feeling disappointed. What some readers may see as lush or lyrical felt overwritten to me. The world had so much going on, but very little felt explained. Characters felt flat and one dimensional. While there were certainly fun elements and interesting set pieces, I struggled to remain interested. We are told why characters feel a certain way, yet rarely shown anything. The characters are coded as early 20s, yet the tone and writing style feels like a young YA book; this yet another YA release that leaves me wondering who, exactly, the intended audience is.

Recommended for older teens and adult YA readers; fans of Caraval and fantasy romance.

Kallia has only ever known the gilded cage of the Hellfire House performing as a showgirl in the main attraction. Learning her magic from The Master, Jack, Kallia knows that there are secrets he doesn’t dare reveal. When word of Spectaculore—a magic contest taking place in the mysterious city of Glorian—reaches Hellfire House, Kallia is ready to seize her opportunity, and when she runs away ready to embrace her talents, Jack knows Kallia is not yet ready to face what’s waiting in the cold and shadows of a forgotten city.

A couple years ago The Daring Demarco was a rising star in the magical world, but a show gone wrong forced him to give up his magic and retreat into anonymity. Now, he’s found himself in Glorian as a judge for Spectaculore. His reasons for being in the city are his own, but there’s no escaping what’s lurking within.

Where Dreams Descend is one of those debuts that just sparkles. The tantalizing magic and the world it inhabits draws you right into the story. Kallia’s determination to break free of her gilded cage and seeing her embrace her talents on her own merit will keep readers glued to the page. The magic, as it’s presented, is dazzling and I always love when writers put some kind of competition in place in a story because I think it’s a great opportunity to highlight the magic of a world.

To me, the whole story is caught up in the idea of illusion. It’s completely true that things are not entirely as they seem. I liked the idea of the city of Glorian having a mysterious past, that no one talks about, that no one remembers, and I wanted to dig right in and get to the heart of it. This works as far as the times when Kallia is our narrator because there is so much of the outside world that she doesn’t know herself that readers get to learn it with her.

The book switches to Demarco’s point of view at times as well, and in contrast to Kallia’s, he’s someone who has grown up with magic, its laws and rules. It was both interesting to see Kallia through someone else’s eyes—seeing her confidence—and to get a kind of authoritative side to the magical world—which pretty much forbids women from performative magic.

Where things falter, however, is the way the story dances around actually giving out any concrete information. There’s a vagueness about everything. Likened to smoke and mirrors if we’re keeping up the magical analogy. It’s difficult to know where you’re supposed to look if even Kallia—with whom the whole story revolves around—is kept in the dark about what’s really going on. There were some secondary characters and ideas that didn’t feel fully realized in a satisfying way. Especially the friendship Kallia forms with her assistant Aaros,

With that being said, I think this first book acts as a really good introduction and set up for what’s to come next. The strength of the ending makes me willing to put up with some unanswered questions, and withhold some judgements, because I’m really excited to see how things continue in part two of this duology.