I received this book from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review. An HUGE thanks to St. Martin's Press and Wednesday books for the chance to read Where dreams descend.

All her life Kallia lived in Hellfire House, learning to use her magic, performing, living with the master of the House, Jack, dancers and other performers. But she yearns to leave Hellfire House behind, away from the Dire woods, with their curse and whispers and reach the city: Glorian. But Glorian isn't the place for magicians, according to Jack. What could she possibly want that isn't already there and that Jack could give her? Yearning for more, Kallia's attention is caught when she sees a flyer announcing a magician's competition in Glorian and when she discovers some secrets Jack is hiding from her, she runs. She runs to Glorian, eager to prove herself and her worth.
In a city covered in ice and mystery, Kallia and the other magicians face one other in a game of magical feats to become the headliner of the Conquering Circus, but soon they find themselves involved in a mysterious danger, when magicians start to go missing, or get hurt. Who is hurting them? Who will be next? Determined to conquer the stage and prove her worth, Kallia is ready to do anything to win, helped by her allies and friends, but she may not be ready to face the mystery of the place and its dangers.

Where dreams descend left me speechless, this book is brilliant, full of funny, sweet, mysterious and captivating moments and it's told by three POVs, Kallia's, Demarco's and Jack's.
Kallia is a amazing main character. Stubborn, ambitious, determined, loyal and eager to be free, to see the world, to prove to herself and to others what she's capable of. Kept in Hellfire House for years, she's restless and the magician's competition is the chance she caught to do and see more. She has quick wit, sarcasm and won't let anyone tells her how to act, how to dress, what is proper and what is not. In a patriarchal society, Kallia has to face misogyny and be underestimated right away, from the old judges, to the other competitors, even from the inhabitants of Glorian, always whispering at her back.
Kallia is a strong female character, ready to prove her worth, bend the rules and show everyone what a female magician can do, refusing to let others push her in a box, to make her feel less.

"“Magician or not, we’ve always lived in a series of boys’ clubs we’re not allowed to enter,” the journalist went on. “We’re told we’re simply lucky to be in the room, as long as we stay quiet. Make even a little murmur, and it’s like we’ve disturbed the order of life itself.”
“Trust me, I know,” Kallia said curtly. “Since arriving, I’ve been constantly reminded.”
“That’s because they’re scared. If you can’t stay small in the box they’ve built around you, they will make you feel small until you fit right back in it.”
“That won’t happen.”

(quotes from the earc, so it can be subject to changes)

Jack, the master of Hellfire House, is a complex character, swinging from being almost a jailer to Kallia to try to protect her, by using hurtful and unorthodox methods to ensure her stay with him in the house. I'm very curious about him, because he's full of secrets and mysteries and I can't wait to know more about him, Sire and their powers and what are they, what they did or do. His relationship with Kallia is complicated, weighed down by lies, secrets and a relationship teacher/pupil very different from the usual ones. He's manipulative, fascinating and mysterious.

Daron Demarco is another complex character, his broodiness and behaviour hiding his secrets and a painful past he's not ready to share with anyone. Looking for answers in the mysterious city of Glorian, Demarco and Kallia start a tentative relationship, that begins with retorts, teasings, apologies, fights, a constant back and forth between them, unable to resist their attraction for one other. Demarco is smart, brilliant, eager to find what and who is looking for but, as Kallia, he finds himself involved in a big and dangerous plot.

Aaros is an hilarious and brilliant character and I loved right away his relationship with Kallia, since the unusual way they met one other in Glorian. From their peculiar and unorthodox meeting, they become allies, friends, start to rely on, trust and love one other. Their friendship is full of funny and sweet moments and I loved his jokes and reassureances, his love and loyalty.

I was really impressed by the characterization in Where dreams descend, it's one of the things I loved the most. From the main characters, to the side ones, to Juno and Canary, Kallia's friends from the Conquering Circus, Erasmus and his powers and ambitions, mayor Eilin, Lottie and her notepad and her curiosity, everyone was skillfully written, well rounded. The characters are teeming with life and they are really realistic, with their fears, hate, love, prejudices, insecurities, eagernesses.

The way Where dreams descend is written is almost like seeing and witnessing a real performance, while reading the book. The characters are alive in front of the reader's eyes and his/her/their attention is grabbed right away, since the first page, thrusting him/her/they in the story, following Kallia's performances, Jack's mysterious thoughts, Demarco's desire to know and discover more. The writing style is evocative and gripping and the story is full of twists, mysteries, magic, both feared and coveted, with sweet and intense romantic tension, secrets, lies and everything in between.

Where dreams descend is an intense, brilliant, evocative and thrilling debut novel and everyone who loves magic, friendships, romantic tension, gripping mysteries and skillfully written story should read this book.

After reading the final page I absolutely need the sequel.

WHERE DREAMS DESCEND had me at the pitch--saying it was a mixture of Moulin Rouge, Phantom, and The Night Circus, and it did not disappoint! I loved the dark, glittery showmanship. It's romantic, and secretive, and chock-full of atmosphere!!!! I'm so excited there's going to be a sequel!

I wanted to love this book, I really really did. It wasn't bad, exactly, but I didn't enjoy it at all. The writing was very pretty, the imagery beautiful. But it was so slow. I was bored to death, and kept setting it aside in favor of other things. I forced myself to get to the half way point, but nothing picked up. There was still a lack of excitement. I would maybe try again with this one someday, maybe when I have less obligations, fewer other books demanding my attention. But right now this book definitely isn't for me. I'm pretty bummed about it because I was so looking forward to it. It just wasn't meant to be. I can see some fans of The Night Circus maybe liking this one.

Wow! I really enjoyed Where Dreams Descend and got sucked in to Kallia's story from the beginning. This book has a slow build up to set the stage, but once it gets rolling things get interesting fast. The intrigue and mystery were woven so expertly throughout and will leave you guessing up until the very end. Perfect for fans of stories that don't have clear villains- you will be constantly trying to figure out the motivations of each of the characters, and whose side everyone is on. I have a feeling that this is just the beginning of a captivating and intriguing series. My only disappointment is that I will have to wait so long to find out what happens next.

Where dreams descend is an interesting read with an intriguing concept. A girl wAnts more for herself and leaves everything she’s known for a magic competition. However, the city where it’s located holds many secrets. What secrets idk yet because I was confused for much of the book. I think it tries too hard to be the next The Night Circus. We are dropped into a story that’s already going. There’s not explanation of who the characters are, how they got their powers, how they appeared, why they’re here. We are simply dropped in and the story gives no clues. There is a lack of motivation for the characters. Im not sure exactly what their main issue is because it’s never explained and tries to hard to be mysterious. I read this book and still no nothing about the why, if, and or what of all them

The world is intriguing enough with the magic and the competition but I hope book 2 spends time explaining everything behind the world.

Let me start off by saying that I haven't really ever read any circus themed books, this one would be my first. I have Caraval and the Night Circus on my TBR pile but something about this book made me the most excited to read it.

Where Dreams Descend was set in a world that was so beautifully-crafted that it drew me in within chapters. The world is filled with magic and shadows, circus and mystery, romance, and deception.

Kallia (our FMOC) is one of the strongest and most authentic female characters that I've read about for a while now. She's daring but also knows her limits. She treated unfairly but doesn't complain, she just accounts for those actions when preparing herself. This world is very heavy in male-dominance within the magician world and that doesn't bother her. She knows her chances are slim but she gives it her all when in the competition. And while is surrounded by men, both as a competitor and mentors, she doesn't lose her spunk and feminism. She defies the odds and makes a man her assistant, and she shows everyone how amazing and powerful she is.

While the male characters in this book do play a significant role, such as Demarco, Aaros, and Jack. They all play major parts in Kallia's life and decisions but they do not overshadow her.

I CANNOT wait for book 2 to see how the development between characters grows, where we go from here and of course closure from that ending! Not only did I receive an advanced copy of this book, but now I have to wait over a YEAR to read the next one, that's the unfortunate part about arcs… But I will be waiting on the edge of my seat until the next one is released.

I received this complimentary ARC from the publisher, courtesy of NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

What a beautifully twisted and intriguing book. A narrative that burns like a flame , hot and dangerous but also untamed and mysterious.
Just when you think you know how to quench it more fuel is added and once again you are lost to its spell.
It reels you in with intrigue, it makes you scan each word and phrase for hidden meanings. For glimpses of what lies beneath but the mirror is shattered. All you have are pieces and none of them quite fully fit together. Instead you are left wanting, searching for the answers that you can never quite grasp.
What happened to Glorian? What ties does Jack have to it? What really happened between the siblings? What happens when a mirror shatters and you are trapped inside?

I am hoping the second instalment will answer some of these burning questions. But while I wait impatiently for it to materialise let me say one more thing about this bewitching novel.

It’s so damn nice to see and male and female character be such good friends without any romantic entanglements between them. I have such love for Amos and Kallia.

I have to say that despite not totally loving the plot or pacing in Where Dreams Descend, I really did love all of the characters. Our star Kallia is everything I love in a protagonist. I love her boldness, her confidence, her ambition. I love that she knows that she is capable of greatness and won’t let anyone or anything prevent her from being recognized as the fantastically talented and powerful magician she is. While the other magicians competing in Spectaculore struggle to put together awe-inspiring acts, Kallia has a natural flare that she can easily back up with the raw power afforded to her as a born magician. As much as other people might try to bring her down, Kallia always manages to keep her chin up and show them exactly what she can do to prove that they are wrong about her. Indomitable as she might be, though, Kallia also has moments of vulnerability and immense loneliness as she comes to terms with the trauma and abuse she escaped from, and that balance is what makes her human.

Unfortunately, I did not love the plot as much as I loved the characters. Normally this isn’t much of an issue for me, as I tend to enjoy character-driven books over plot-driven ones, but the issues I had with the plot seeped into the personalities of the characters and their interactions enough that I couldn’t overlook them.

The bulk of the book centers around Spectaculore, the competition between magicians to determine who will be the next headliner of the Conquering Circus. The competition takes place in the mysterious town of Glorian, which has inspired multiple conspiracy theories and rumors throughout the years. I think I would have enjoyed Where Dreams Descend more if either of these aspects had been explored further. Much like Jack, who is undeniably our Phantom in this book, I was left without answers about Glorian and the other peculiar forces that interfere with Spectaculore.

You can read my full review here: http://loveyoshelf.com/2020/08/01/review-where-dreams-descend-by-janella-angeles/

Something about this book was just hard to get into. I can see why people might like it - and I've liked many flashy/show/con-men magic books before. A magic competition, a contestant against the world. Instead, I was slowly trudging through and trying not to doze off as I read this book. Maybe I should have DNF'd, but I wanted to give it a change to sweep me away, as I know WHERE DREAMS DESCEND has gained a fair bit of hype and garnered some glowing reviews.

This is a world where magic is for men only. Women can have it, and use it, but it's looked down on when they use it for anything other than labour of being a show girl (read - anything other than male gratification). This is nothing new, and no, fiction doesn't always have to be new and innovative (can fiction ever be?), but I am just bored with worlds where men can do something women can't because... sexism?

The logic behind why people say women can't do it is never explained. Sure, the real world is full of men putting barriers up to women on things, and yes I find it so frustrating (which might be part of the reason that I don't like it in books, because I want to escape in books). However, there are reasons given in real life. Yes, they're often laughable and stupid, but reasons are given. People will always try to justify why they are excluding others from power. They will play on a society's deep need for security and betterment to explain why something can't be given/allowed to others.

But it was never explained. Women are discouraged from magic, and most don't use it. There are plenty of women angry about it in the book, but only the heroine is challenging the status quo. What is it that means the other women aren't acting on their magic? What is the pervasive lie that means the general population sneers at women magicians and do the men tell themselves to justify their view that it's for them alone? This is basic world building, but it was never addressed.

Then there's the character of Aaros, who is a pickpocket and tries to pinch Kallia's stuff in minutes of her arriving, but she then turns around and offers him a job as her assistant like that? They're suddenly relying on each other and good friends?

WHERE DREAMS DESCEND has three POVs. Kallia gets nearly all the page time, and I cannot work out why we needed the other two. There's Daron Demarco (who's name I had forgotten and so was using De as a placeholder until I could flick through and find it in the book to write properly) and the master, yet they add nothing.

Demarco is passive. He has a big tragic past, so he no longer is performing magic. It is clear he is the love interest from the first page with his sharp interactions with Kallia. They're clearly going to perform together by the end, for romance blossoming. With this obvious, there's no effort put into their relationship, no chemistry created. Then there's also the fact that his tragic backstory is also obvious from his first chapter, and yet it's treated as a mysterious reveal.

They weren't even my main problems with Demarco's POV, but rather the fact that he's very passive. Sits and grits his teeth at the insults. Accuses Kallia of cheating and other things with flimsy evidence.

Next we have the sinister master, who is stalking Kallia. At least it's not shown in any good light, but why do we need to see a stalker? He's there for tension and threat, but that can be done without his POV. He and Demarco are hardly around narrating, so why not just remove and focus on her?

I think, if I hadn't been so frustrated by the lack of world building around this central issue or without the two other POVs, I'd have really enjoyed it. But they were a barrier to me easily getting into the book, and then I never really clicked with it.

I really wanted to like this book as I'd been anticipating it for months but it honestly fell flat. The characters felt cardboard, the plot was meandering and while the writing is very pretty, there's not much worldbuilding.

Where Dreams Descend is wonderfully atmospheric, as dark as it is daring, and it's synopsis had me at *Moulin Rouge.* I love Kallia, our showgirl at Hellfire House who is strong yet flawed--I am always here for an ambitious main character who dreams of something more. I found the book to be a quick, enjoyable read that readers of Caraval are going to love. Thanks, Net Galley!

Admittedly, it took me a little while to truly get into Where Dreams Descend, but after I did, I enjoyed it quite a lot.
I had a hard time at first, visualizing some of the characters and memorizing names; not something I usually struggle with; but I felt like some of the character introductions were a little short (yet, there where many of them at the same time / in very prompt intervalls) and that resulted in said troubles, most likely.

I also needed time to grasp how the society in the world of Where Dreams Descend works, because it seemed almost opposite to what I would have expected from it. That might have been intentional to get a message across though and I'd like to possibly get some more background info in the follow up novel.

Janella Angeles' writing style is very beautiful and descriptive, but, at least in the beginning, read almost a bit too descriptive / too flowery to me. There were a lot of comparisons used especially, which stood out because I didn't understand why they needed to be there in that particular moment, since nothing of significance was happening; just a mundane act like opening one's hands. But this might boil down to personal taste.

However, about 30% into the book I was hooked by the atmosphere, which is fantastic. I'd grown fond of some of the characters (especially Demarco) and I became very curious about the setting of Glorian and all the secrets to be found within. That and Hellfire House came to me very easily visually, and both were equally intriguing. The writing began to flow better as well in my opinion and the story took off and pulled me in with its mystery of vanishing magicians and Kallia's experiences throughout it all.

I will also say that I really enjoyed the way Angeles wrote the various relationships our main girl Kallia formed along the way or had already formed prior to the beginning of the book. They were all interesting in their own way, and at least one also full of (very enjoyable) tension. If you like mysterious tortured boys, look no further.

By the last page, I had even had some slight goosebumps because I honestly was so eager to know how the story continues. Needless to say I will read book 2 as soon as it's out and I would recommend Where Dreams Descend to anyone who enjoys some glitz and glam, mystery, circus themes and Phantom of the Opera vibes in their reading.

The writing in this book was truly lovely. The prose is ornate and elegant and completely fulfilled my expectations. Where Dreams Descend is reminiscent of Phantom of the Opera in that we have our love triangle--Jack is our Raoul, Demarco is our tortured musician, and of course our love interest, Kallia. Kallia is a strong heroine whom I couldn't help but love. In a male-centric world, Kallia thirsts for magic and enlists in a magic competition (Night Circus, anyone?), ready to brave any danger in order to prove herself.

Sometimes the magic in this book was a little confusing, but again, the writing was so beautiful and the overall world building was so vivid that I had to love this book! I highly recommend!

This book was pretty good all in all. I would say the plot was very interesting. I will say I didn’t really enjoy the slowness o the book but I will say it was a good debut novel.

I received this complimentary ARC from the publisher, courtesy of NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Where Dreams Descend is an excellent start to this fantastical and romantic duology. A beautifully dark and magical setting, this first book felt like it was setting the scene for more action in the next.
Kallia is a strong-willed showgirl at Hellfire House and is determined to win a magicians’ contest. Her mentor insists she is not to leave Hellfire House, but Kallia aches to participate in the challenge. After finding out about her Mentor's (Jack) deception, she runs away to the city of Glorian to participate in the competition. Things take a turn for the worse when magicians from the show start to go missing. As Kallia fights for the top spot, she also tries to find out what sinister forces are at work.

Overall, a fun book. I enjoyed the mysterious town of Glorian and can't wait to find out all of those secrets! Creating a competition type show with judges, was a refreshing idea and I ultimately enjoyed the ride. The characters are interesting, but maybe a little immature or maybe underdeveloped. It felt a little younger than the recommended ages 14+, a very easy read.

If you liked Maxwell's The Last Magician, Garber's Caraval, or Morgenstern's The Night Circus, you’d enjoy this book.

This book was good, but a really slow read for me. The whole story felt really drawn out, especially the love connection. The ending was a good cliffhanger, but it was a LOT of build up and angst for a very fast-paced sudden climax at the end. A lot of the middle felt like dragging out the story in order to end on the cliffhanger (like, maybe turning a story that could have been one book into two..? Depends on how the sequel goes.) and the emotional back and forth and off-and-on reappearance of an antagonist felt really predictable, so I just couldn't get hooked. The imagery and magic were lovely though.
Recommend for: fans of circus magic (Night Circus, Caraval, By a Charm and a Curse, etc.), fans of The Paper Magician

I loved this magical, mystical book! It hit on themes from some of my very favorites in musicals, magic, dance, and circus. I spotted several references and inspired quotes from the shows and movies I love. The atmosphere was the perfect escape into another world, though it still had its darkness and secrets readers and characters needed to solve. I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves magicians, high stakes performances, unsolved disappearances, dangerous secrets, and romance.

What worked: Beautifully written tale where a girl performer breaks away from her cage and enters a competition of magicians that goes terribly wrong. Carnival meets Night Circus with a twist of Phantom of the Opera.

The beginning of this novel pulled with in with it's lavish scene setting and a girl that desperately wants to break away. Kallia finally breaks away from her master 'Jack' and ends up in Glorian, a town filled with mysteries and deadly secrets. I really loved the world-building and the mystery behind Kallia. Jack calls her 'Firecrown', which hints at her magical powers. The premise of Jack taking people's memories was intriguing. So was his true relationship with Kallia.

What I had issues with had to be once Kallia ends up in Glorian. The writing is fast-paced, with numerous different characters. I got confused more than a few times on what was really happening in the story. There is a three-way love triangle between Kallia, Jack, and Demarco, who has his own secrets. I didn't really feel the chemistry between Kallia and Demarco. I did feel it with her and Jack though and wanted to know more on what exactly held them together. Hopefully that will be revealed in the second book in this series.

Gorgeous writing throughout this story. I really wanted to love this story, but the different plot twists and turns confused me. I ended up wanting to know more on why it was so dangerous for Kallia to be in Glorian. I especially wanted to know more about Jack and his own magical abilities.

Carnival meets Night Circus set in a lush world of magic, intrigue, and danger. Perfect for fans of circus stories with magic.

I love the movie Moulin Rouge. When I read the description of this book I knew it was right in my wheelhouse. At the start of the book, I was a bit confused (and I'm still not sure if I understand it 100%.) When the action moved to the "city" it became much more interesting. The settings were so descriptive, that I could imagine each location during the scene. It definitely played like a movie in my head.

I struggled with this book from the very first page. It reads like a sequel despite being the first book in the series. Many parts are unclear or underdeveloped, side characters were kind of forgotten and it simply feels like we missed a prequel were the world was explained and characters were introduced. Sadly I cannot give this more than one star.