Sadly, I think this is a case of I thought this book was going to be something completely different and it ended up letting me down. I was bored of what I mostly did end up reading and I’m so sad because I really loved the idea of this series. I also couldn’t connect with any of the characters and that always makes it hard for me to care!

After the dramatic conclusion of Where Dreams Descend, I was eager to find out what happened next! When Kallia and Jack mysteriously vanish, Demarco is frantic to learn the truth of where they went. Kallia is forced to rely on Jack in the strange mirror-world, where any misstep could be their last. Demarco must attempt to crack the magic of the mirrors if he hopes to see Kallia again. Kallia must decide whether she can forgive Jack and fight her way back to the world they’ve left behind.

When Night Breaks is a triumphant and poignant sequel to Where Dreams Descend. As the facade of Glorian and the mirror-world crumbles, magic demands a vicious price. The descriptions are ethereal and paint a clear image of decrepit grandeur. I initially struggled a bit with the pacing, but this resolved itself as the final show came together. Janella Angeles creates enthralling characters and they are my favorite part of this duology! Kallia is such a brave and daring heroine. Jack is my problematic fave; I loved learning more about him! I also really enjoyed new characters Vain, Herald, and the Diamond Rings. The ending was heartbreaking, yet I can’t imagine a better conclusion for these characters and their story.

This is the perfect duology for fans of Phantom of the Opera, Hadestown, and all who wish there was a little more magic in the world. I hope we haven’t seen the last of Glorian and would love to revisit these characters in a novella or spin-off in the future! When Night Breaks releases October 5, 2021. Thank you to Janella Angeles, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

For the publisher: My review will be posted on the publication date and I will publish it on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble etc

i am mentally unstable <3 this book was amazing, janella angeles' writing is so beautiful. the worldbuilding in this series is excellent and the characters are so well fleshed out. the romance in this book is so captivating and i loved it so much. thank you to netgalley for providing me with an arc

When Night Breaks was such a wonderful conclusion to the magical Kingdom of Cards duology. All the characters, both new and old, were so vibrant and fun to read and puzzle about. This book answered just about every question that Where Dreams Descend, and this one, introduced, and left me wondering and excited for more at each turn of the page. Witnessing all of Kallia’s journey was so much fun, and the ending to that story was so fitting and just right, if more than a little bittersweet.

I was pleasantly surprised by just how much I enjoyed When Night Breaks. This book was somewhat slow in the beginning but it felt necessary since we (via Kallia) are tossed into an entirely new setting that requires a fair amount of explanation and exploration. I also enjoyed the juxtaposition of Kallia and Demarco, now stuck in different worlds, each learning about the past of the city and the power player we only caught hints of in book 1.

Act 1 had lots of setup and Act 2 served to bring everything together and really get the reader entrenched in the story and endeared to the characters (especially the wonderful ones we've just met!), and then in Act 3 everything comes to a head. The stakes and excitement keep increasing with every new development and it kept me on the edge of my seat until the epilogue. I was terrified for various characters at varying points and it made the ways things ended feel well-earned.

Overall, I am extremely satisfied with the resolution to this duology and I think any reader who enjoyed the first book will be as well!

This sequel felt very different from its predecessor but I still really enjoyed it! One thing I loved about Where Dreams Descend was the competition aspect and, while this book didn’t have that as a plot point, it still felt fast-paced and took on a bit more of an adventurous plot.
As with the first book, there was really great and immersive world building that took was included. The reader gets introduced to a whole new world that was really interesting and captivating.
Along with this new world came new characters like Vain and Herald who I really enjoyed. The supporting characters were so great and I think one of the high points of this book was Jack’s character arc. He might be one of my favorite characters now and I never would’ve guessed that after Where Dreams Descend.
I enjoyed the alternating POV between Kallia and Daron and it was definitely helpful to see the juxtaposition between the worlds they were separated between. I wish that Kallia and Daron weren’t separated for so much of the book. Obviously that was going to be a big point of conflict and drama after the ending of the first book but the romance and their relationship was something that really pulled me into the series so I wish this book had featured that more.
Overall this was a really satisfying duology and although I enjoyed the first book more, I had a fun time reading this fantastical and magical book.
Thank you to NetGalley, Wednesday Books and the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This second book was definitely alot darker that the first one.. in all the best ways.
We are still following Demarco, Jack and Kallia.. but they arent all together anymore. Jack and Kallia have entered another world, and we are getting introduced to a whole new set of characters. One of which I was hoping we would meet, but the whole new cast did make it hard for me to connect with them.
I did love all of the illusion and magic we got some magical duels, and the darker plot line..
We dive into all the secrets of Glorian, Kallias past, and Jack... I love him.. He is definitely my favorite character in the whole book..
In this new world we have Kallia trying to navigate and learn the new rules, and Jack is doing his best to help, but he isn't very trusted..
I did enjoy this book alot, I loved learning the secret history that was kept hidden and finally learning Jacks origins and what makes him who he is..
I will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

This series has beautiful covers, that’s for sure!

I did like that this second book and conclusion is more sinister than the first book. In the first one, Jack and the whole town of Glorian is a mystery. We do uncover many secrets in this conclusion. We learn about this mysterious villain, the Dealer, who seems more powerful (or so it seems) than Jack. We learn more about the town of Glorian, the Patrons, the mirror and Kallia’s past.

Kallia stays consistent even though missing her powers, she is still full of fight and sass. I liked learning more about Jack. There is a lot of action but it comes at the end of the book.

For awhile I thought Kallia’s friends from the circus wasn’t going to make an appearance in this but they do – of course they do and they help save Kallia.

Random Notes:
The first book was about the dazzling performance of magic shows and the circus. In this book it’s about what’s inside the mirror- which is a darker side of everything in Kallia’s world. Usually I need to be in the mood to read about magicians/circus. Well I wasn’t quite in the right mood for this sequel and it’s take on illusions, I think. Some things was hard for me to follow but that might be because I just wasn’t interested. This is is definitely one of those instances that if you love the first book (and I didn’t)…you will love this one. It’s just not the right series for me.

I didn’t connect to any of the characters. Not even Kallia’s journey kept me interested in this one.

I wasn’t into the love triangle. I mean there was a potential for one for sure but I’m glad it didn’t quite go there.

FINAL THOUGHTS~~
Why you should read it:

*You love the first series or liked it enough to find out more
*To find out what the whole mystery is
*You enjoy stories about magicians

Why you might not want to read it:

*Wasn’t into the first book
*Love triangle potential

My Thoughts:

I love the books covers, it’s what sucked me into reading the first book. Story wise? I wasn’t into the magician/illusions theme. But I do like that this one is darker than the first book. Not even the romance in this one held my interest though because of the love triangle and I love a good triangle…but I didn’t feel this one. That doesn’t mean others won’t love this story, actually I think fans of the first book will enjoy this conclusion. It just wasn’t for me.

DNF 32% of the way through. I've been struggling to finish this book for the past month. While I do think that Where Dreams Descend is an underrated YA fantasy book that deserves the same level of attention as Caraval, I found this sequel disappointing and hard to get through. Many of the issues present in the first book were exacerbated here, especially the flatness of the characters and the confusing nature of the plot. Angeles's magical world is a world that, confusingly, appears very un-magical and quite mundane to the reader. This novel lacks the necessary detail to convey the dangers Kallia faces or the heartache that Daron feels; consequently, it's a labor to follow these characters through almost 500 pages of story.

I'm rating When Night Breaks two stars primarily because of the scale and detail of the fantasy world within the story. Angeles deserves credit for spinning Glorian into a fantastical, eerie setting—I only wish it were even more detailed.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for a providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an eARC of ‘When Night Breaks’!

And, wow, the mixed feels I am feeling… I truly enjoyed ‘Where Dreams Descend’ and therefore practically begged for an ARC of the sequel—and while I am not at all unhappy with the ultimate conclusion, I struggled a little following the path that takes us there.

I think part of this struggle stemmed from trying to connect with new (and important) characters being introduced, while at the same time missing the cast of characters I already connected with in the first book. The narration also continues to jump between Kallia, Jack and Demarco; and given that these three characters are no longer sharing the same space when this instalment starts also challenged me—as I could never decide which one I wanted to stay with or see more of most, not did I ever feel like I was getting quite enough of any of them (at least during the first half or so).

I also felt like there were just SO MANY players on the board! Maybe even too many? Which left elements underdeveloped and strings dangling and me still asking MANY questions come the end for which no clear answers/conclusion were provided (I am looking at you Aunt Cata and your company of Patrons).

That all said—this ‘uncorrected proof’ (as readers are always warned ARCs are) felt particularly rough. Leading me to believe it was still facing relatively significant copy edits at the very least? So I am hopeful some of the dangly bits will be addressed/make more sense come the final polished edition. 🤞🏻

And again, just to be clear! Despite all my critiques, I never once considered giving up on this story and I absolutely loved the ending and where all the characters landed. I even shed a tear! And that is why it still earned 🌟🌟🌟🌟 from me (along with a definite reread when my preordered finished copy arrives 😉).

Janella Angeles delivered another beautiful, mysterious, and opulent novel that nicely tied to the previous book in the duology, though WNB definitely had a darker edge to it. Angeles' writing is so vibrant, on par with Erin Morgenstern or VE Schwab. I will say I was frustrated that she kept dangling the love triangle in front of us with not much coming of it. Additionally, I agree with other reviewers that the ending felt rushed. There was so much going on, so many dynamic characters, and I wanted in depth resolution for them all. I could have easily seen this as a trilogy. Props to Angeles for creating what she did especially under the stress of a global pandemic. I look forward to reading whatever she writes next.

When night breaks is a stunningly beautiful conclusion to this duology. The author managed to introduce some of my favourite characters of all time and for that I’ll always be grateful.

The cliffhanger at the end of book 1 had me eager to pick up book 2 immediately. And book 2 picks up right where book 1 ended and from there you are taken through a whirl wind of emotions and drama.

The author took so much time with these characters that you can’t help but feel attached to them even more. I can’t say much as this is the second book in the series but I will say - it’s a absolutely worth it and I couldn’t have found a much more beautiful way to end this series. This was a delight to read and an easy 5 out of 5 stars!

I didn't want to put it down. But when I did, I didn't want to pick it up. It was good. It was entertaining a bit. It wasn't terrible. The writing was marvelous. I didn't love the characters.

3.5/5
This was a really great read and once again I found myself impressed with this series! I would definitely recommend it.

With vibes reminiscent of Night Circus, When Night Breaks brings you into the glittering, shimmering world behind the mirrors, giving a whirlwind tour of a place that is part circus, part nightmare. It's a place held together by a pact between The Dealer and the devils. The City, a glamorous shadow of Glorian, belongs to The Dealer, the most powerful magician of them all, but everywhere else belongs to the devils. In the city, the fallen magicians have built a world of ambition, performances and parties.

Kallia finds herself with Jack, the man she once trusted above all else and who trained her in magic, but also the mans she fled when she realized he had her in a gilded cage. He's familiar with the world they find themselves in, but Kallia struggles to believe a word he says. Instead, she seeks out The Dealer, who shares secrets of her past and pushes her to attempt to regain her stolen magic for purposes of his own. Meanwhile, back in the real Glorian, DeMarco and the friends she left behind are following every lead to try to find Kallia and bring her home. Kallia and DeMarco must find out if there's a way to bridge between the two worlds they find themselves in.

The descriptions of the magic and magic shows are stunning, and the Phantom of the Opera vibes are back, with Jack playing the part of the Phantom and DeMarco playing the part of Raul. This sequel delivers on all the promise and fireworks of the first book. Once I started it, I could not put it down.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review..

When Night Breaks is like looking through a kaleidoscope and trying to find the true image, searching through the mirrored image of what is actually reality while the illusions try and distract you from it. It’s a full of mirrored worlds and shattered dreams.

I was so excited to read the next installment in this series. From the first being full of so many vivid characters and settings I needed to know how it would end. Jack was a character who was full of so much mystery, and it was hard to distinguish who was trustworthy and who was full of other intentions. There were scenes that pleasantly surprised me, and characters who I wanted to know more about. The world Janella has created is one full of new and unique descriptions and one that if I ever found myself in, I would most likely be drawn in by the illusions.

The book picks up following Kallia’s disappearance through the mirror and Demarco’s frantic search to find her. It starts off fairly slowly focusing on providing us with a lot of backstory and consequential events don’t really happen until 75% into the story. I think the expansion of the mythology in this universe was necessary however the plot really suffered by the way it was done. I was generally underwhelmed by the story and characters (both old and new) and frankly kind of confused by most of Kallia’s storyline. I couldn’t comprehend how anything she was doing was of any consequence and when the finale of the book took place I was left wondering how we got to this point. How did Jack escape control? Why do none of the events in the later half of the novel affect the “real world?” I will give the benefit of the doubt to the book, maybe I just wasn’t paying enough attention because the story itself just didn’t capture my interest?

Speaking of Jack, he was the redeeming element of the book. We learn so much more about him and his backstory. Love me a morally grey character.

Also a lot of characters' reactions to events were also a bit strange. I thought the reuniting of two characters would have more of an emotional reunion but it was a bit like “oh you’re here too?” When Jack found out Kallia was leaving it was also kind of “ok, while I'll be here" even though the author was previously laying the foundations for a love triangle.

I definitely preferred the first book in the series. It was just easier to follow, more romantic and I enjoyed the characters within that specific environment but once they were removed as was the case in this book, it just lost all the elements I found interesting.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

oh i'm obsessed with the hadestown elements of this book. angeles is obviously such a theatre kid at heart and it makes for some great themes and recurring motifs. i found this a lot easier to get into than when dreams descend.

I absolutely loved the first book of this duology and couldn't wait to read this book. Although I liked the book, it was not what I was expecting going in to it. The vibe is a lot different than the first. There were a lot of twist and turns. Some I predicted and others caught me by surprise. We get introduced to several new characters and I loved so many of them. I would had liked to have seen more details about those characters.
Throughout the book, I kept wondering how she was going to wrap up this series with just two books. She did a good job with the conclusion but the book felt a little rushed. I think she could had extended to it 3 books. There were some things left unexplained that I feel should had been.
This book was an emotional roller coaster and even had me crying at one point. It was one of those books you wanted to get to the ending because you needed to see what happened but then you are sad when it finally does end because you know there wont be anymore books in that world.

I really liked the first book, which I also got on NetGalley, but I found this one really disconnected. The two books didn't feel like part of the same story. The main romance was forced while I liked her with someone else. I liked Kallia's POV, but didn't care about Demarco's. The ending was way too easy and just didn't feel like a series ender.