Sequels are always hard, because they don’t normally live up the hype of the first one. In this case, I wasn’t in love with the first one so I had no expectations with this one. So it was good, I had no expectations for it to live up to so it was just it’s own in my mind.

One of my favorite things in duologies is when they blow the world wide open, just really making the plot that much more expansive, and this book definitely delivered on that. Additionally, the vibes were incredible. This duology would make an incredible movie or tv series.

What a wonderful conclusion to this duology.
I was sad that we didn’t get as much Daron and Kailia interaction as that was what I loved in the first book but I understand why it would not work for the plot of this sequel.

The writing was still well paced, easy to read and enjoyable. It was just missing that spark that the first book had for me.

A beautifully heart-wrenching ending to a magical duology.

I’m not usually much for stand-alones or duologies because I’m never ready to say goodbye so soon, but the connection I felt with these characters in such a short amount of time was a gift ❤️ I definitely sobbed at the last 10% of this book, but in the best way possible. It HURTS to say goodbye to these characters, but I’m so grateful to have experienced this little journey with them.

While the first book in this series dug much deeper into the world & characters & was more my style, this sequel was much more about the plot & wrapping up our main character’s journey. I honestly wish I had more time with them & the relationships they had with each other, but I guess I’ll be on the lookout for some fanfics 😉😍😂

QUICK read & highly recommend if you’re looking for a little fantastical mystery with a dash of romance to pass the time ❤️🔥👌🏻

I was a little bit skeptical to read this book because I didn't enjoy the first one but I really wanted to give this one a shot no matter how I felt about the first book.

The premise was quite interesting. I like that this book carries off right from the ending of the last one. It attempts to answer our dying questions but does this in such a slow manner that I felt like I wasn't curious anymore. So much of it was confusing that I lost interest. Although I can see others loving the mysteriousness of it, I did not.

I also didn't really feel the romance between the love interests because they weren't together for a lot of the book. It felt a lot like "they love each other so you just have to believe it" but I didn't really.

Overall, I liked the premise of this duology but didn't end up loving the story.

I really enjoyed this duology overall. It is an incredibly strong debut series and I already cannot wait to reread it. Janella Angeles is an amazing writer. The way she filled every page with beautiful prose, the amazing character work and arcs had me in the absolute trenches. The plot was engaging, and the exploration of both worlds was everything I could have hoped for.

I really enjoyed how Janella was able to answer a lot of questions that Where Dreams Descend puts forth, and because it's just a duology it really feels like each page and scene is for a reason making the experience incredibly engaging and interesting.

I also listened to the audiobook once it released and Imani Jade Powers once again delivered absolutely everything to her parts and Steve West is amazing like always.

3.5/5 Stars. Thank you to netgalley forgiving me this arc, all thoughts and opinions are my own. This was good sequel and a satisfying way to end the duology I found this book was missing the magic component that was found in the first book which made it magical and attractive. I also wish Daron and Kallia would have reunited earlier.

Once again we are thrust back into the world of Glorian and the aftermath of the competition that had everyone reeling. As soon as this second book was announced I immediately pre-ordered it (when available) because I knew I needed to have both books in this duology on my bookshelves. Then Netgalley approved me to read an advanced copy of this book and I legit cried happy tears. However, those were not the last of the tears to be cried during my read through. I'm not normally a crier while I read but the last 30% of this book had me sobbing quietly into my pillow while I tried not to wake my husband at 1:00 in the morning!

Without giving too much of the book away I would like to throw some applause to the newly introduced characters. I felt like they were all great additions that did in fact add to the story rather than just fill word count. I was a little bored in the beginning of the book while everyone was trying to figure out exactly what happened with Kallia but every time the chapter switched over to the 'other' Glorian I was hooked.

I'm so very happy with the ending of the book but I'll be completely honest it felt like having my heart tore from my chest, rubbed in broken glass, then dumped in a bucket of lemon juice. My boy Jack, I just....I hurt. The memories? I needed more of them. So so many more. How could we only get that one beautiful scene? A tease is what this author is...and I loved every second of it.

For anyone wanting to read about some amazing magic, strong female main characters, and a mysterious sexy devil you should absolutely pick both this and the first book in the duology 'Where Dreams Descend' up as soon as you can! Thank you so much Netgalley for letting me read this early because you have no idea how eagerly I was waiting for it since the minute I finished the first one!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest opinion. When Night Breaks is available now.

When Night Breaks was not the exciting ending to the Kingdom of Cards duology that I was hoping for. It continues on right where book one leaves off, which should have made the story easy to fall into, but instead it felt a little lackluster. There was more magic, more twists, more glitter…but there didn’t seem to really be purpose or reason to it.

Kallia finds herself in a situation that is dangerous and darker than we see in book one, which should have led to some character development. I’ll be honest: I didn’t love her in Where Dreams Descend, but she was prickly in an interesting way. Unfortunately, she seemed to have lost her self-confidence, instead retreating into herself in a way that wasn’t just counter to who she was in the previous installment, but also a little boring. However, there was more of Jack who continued to be fascinating and dynamic. I’m a big fan of morally complex characters and he definitely fit the bill.

The other characters that I enjoyed in Where Dreams Descend didn’t really keep me enthralled this time around. It could be that they all worked better when they were able to interact with each other. Or maybe the situations they were in didn’t play to their flaws or strengths in a way that kept them interesting. I am not sure, but something just didn’t click for me.

The world was cool, and I enjoyed seeing more of its hazy debauchery. Everything was overtly glamorous, with a hint of something off underneath, which was fantastic. I loved the feelings and images that were brought out in the world descriptions. That was the strength of this book. Sometimes a book’s worldbuilding suffers in the second installment, but here it continued to grow and amaze. At the end of the day, though, When Night Breaks felt a little disorganized. The author is obviously talented, but this book just didn’t quite pan out for me.

I enjoyed this story more than the first. I think because we spent less time on world building and explaining characters. However, this is a whole new world and new plot holes are introduced that are never addressed. We continue right where we left off in the first book and enter into a brand new world on the other side of the mirror. She's didn't waster as much time building this one and as there was a quest to come. But, the new characters are better, shinier, and more evil. Getting to the end was a guessing game because the how seemed to be very far out of reach.
I think she tried to make the romance much more relevant this time. This clouded over everything including a long time coming reunion that I was waiting for and it was lackluster. I did enjoy this version of the world better than the "true world" and I would love to see her continue it with two characters.

Okay I am SCREAMING from how much I LOVED this book.

Without giving anything away (and there is a LOT that made me curl up in a ball and wail with the best kind of pain)....JUST READ IT.

I wish I had something more eloquent to say, but honestly, the sheer MAGIC and power of this book cannot be summarized and you just have to experience it for yourself. (But read the first book in the series first, of course.)



Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an electronic review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The sequel to Where Dreams Descend, this book follows the winding journeys of Kallia, trapped in the mirror world, and DeMarco, stuck in the real world trying to find his way to her.

This book is full of the same spectacular magic as the first, but with more. Before, Kallia was the only star of the show, but in the mirror realm, there exists an entire city of incredible magicians who cannot be trusted. This means just so much more magic from all of these other players, particularly the Diamond Rings, an all-female group of performers led by the fantastic Vain.

As fun as the extra magic is, the overall story was incredibly chaotic. Because the story is told mostly from the perspectives of two characters thrust into strange circumstances, it feels like no one knows what’s going on, and that translates over to the experience as a reader. I found myself confused by the progression of the plot, and had to tether my focus to the conversations between characters. I also found the way Kallia and DeMarco’s stories were told really broke up the flow. I was completely uninterested in what DeMarco was up to, compared to the lush mirror world that Kallia is in, and it took so much effort to focus on what was going on in her story that breaking focus to hop into his was jarring.

But hey, Jack is a delight and I wanted so much more of him, but alas.

Overall, the visual splendor of this book cannot be overstated, but the plot and character progression left much to be desired. This felt like a book with a bit too much ambition and too many ideas at once, but I did enjoy it for the most part.

Also, for all ye Phantom of the Opera fans, this one’s for you.

AHHH! I didn't think Janella could top WDD but she keeps surprising me! I love this series and can't wait to yell about it to everyone who will listen.

Rating: 3.5-4 stars

A very special thanks to Wednesday Books and St Martin's Press for granting me an early digital galley in exchange for an honest review.

I know, I know, you read my review of Where Dreams Descend where I was disappointed (to say the least) by Where Dreams Descend, but I was hyped when I got my copy of When Night Breaks because I thought the story had so much potential, and Janella Angeles did not let me down.

There were so many things I was missing in the first book that Angeles delivered in the sequel. It’s like she heard all my requests and decided to fulfill them.

I asked for a stronger story, I got it.
I wanted more developed character arcs, they were there.
I asked for more illusions and mirrors, WNB delivered.
I wanted answers, Angeles gave me a theaterful all while keeping those beloved Phantom vibes from WDD alive and well.

✍🏻 THE COMPOSER
First off, the writing, gorgeous as ever–is it just me or did Angeles’ prose get even more beautiful since her debut? There were glimmers of it in Where Dreams Descend, but there were also passages that I felt were a little clunky or awkward. We don’t get the third person omniscient interludes that I loved in WDD, but overall the quality of the writing feels much more consistent this time around. It’s clear Angeles grew as a writer in between books 1 and 2 and/or the editing team really took their time with the sequel because When Night Breaks feels like a much more polished product. I simultaneous wanted to savor every sentence and speed my way to the end to find out what was going to happen.

The worldbuilding is also so much better in WNB. It helps that the new setting is literally more vibrant than Glorian, but it also feels much more developed and detailed. The world beyond the mirror is immersive and vivid and glittering and wonderful.

📃 THE CAST
The cast in WNB is what I was hoping for in WDD. It’s like they were finding their bearings when we first met them in and have now hit their stride. It’s no secret that I didn’t love Kallia after the first book, and while she isn’t necessarily my new favorite character, I have much more of an appreciation for her as a protagonist now. Kallia’s ambition plays a bigger role in the overall story in WNB. I feel like it was mentioned in WDD, but her ruthless hunger for the stage and her relationship with magic and power is more developed here, making her a much more compelling and interesting character. Somehow her drive and unapologetic bid for the spotlight feels more nuanced this time around. She hasn’t lost her confidence, but her character feels more balanced and convincing. Maybe it’s the fact that she lost her magic, but it feels like there’s more dimension to her character and whether or not you like her, you certainly understand her better.

I have to say, I still don’t love Demarco–I think he’s a little boring, to be honest–but I do think he gets a bit more development this time around. I can see why people like him, I just…don’t. I like the idea of him as a kind of well-intended, bumbling damsel in distress, though?

It feels weird to say, but I think Jack is my favorite character? Again, I’m not huge a anti-villain fan. I think they’re interesting, but I don’t fall in love with them the way some readers seem to. Like, I’m not a Darkling stan, I think it’s still murder even if you have a cool motive, so I was kind of confused when I was low-key Team Jack after WDD.

ANYWAY. I personally think Jack’s more morally grey than villainous but either way, I was ready to submit my membership and vie for president of Jack Fanclub by the time I finished WNB. He’s just such a compelling character–I kind think he stole the show a little bit–and despite the fairly prominent page-time he gets in the sequel, I just kept wanting more. I think there’s still so much more to explore and develop with him, but what we do get is great. The dynamic between Jack and Kallia, for example. It feels a little repetitive in the beginning when we essentially just hear Kallia repeatedly tell herself and us and Jack that he can’t be trusted, but once we get some forward progress it is the best.

🎶 THE CHORUS
I have a soft spot for side characters, and the newcomers in When Night Breaks did not disappoint. Aunt Cataline had my love mere moments after she made her appearance. Based on her descriptions in WDD, I assumed she’d be a stern Lady Catherine-esque crotchety spinster-type character that I would hate. Oh, how wrong I was. Don’t get me wrong, she totally gives off severe headmistress vibes, but that’s part of what makes her so great. Despite not being on the page too often, she’s multifaceted and so compelling. I’m still amazed with how Angeles made such a complex and interesting character who made me feel many emotions in such a short amount of time.

The Diamond Rings is the circus I was looking for in WDD. Their performances sound so cool, and the troupe totally gives off Dead Moon Circus vibes. (Cue flashbacks to my childhood self watching the Sailor Moon Dream arc.) I really like Vain and kinda wish she’d been developed a little more because I just think there’s so much to explore with her.

I don’t know how I feel about Herald as a person, but I love him as a character because I have a fondness for characters with a sharp wit and quick quips. Seriously, every time he talks, it’s delightful. And in a book that’s sad and dark, I’ll take all the comic relief I can get.

📝 THE SCRIPT
Angeles described When Night Breaks as “99% yearning, 1% plot,” but I actually feel like the story in WNB is so much stronger than in WDD. There is a ton of yearning (more on that later,) but the plot moves at a great pace and the storytelling just feels so much tighter this time around. There was plenty of intrigue and mystery in WDD, but it felt a bit like running around. in circles. in the fog. since we didn’t really get much movement by the end of the first book. It feels like we’re actually going somewhere and getting answers this time time around, and I was just so much more invested in what was happening in WNB. I didn’t really make a ton of predictions at end of WDD, but Angeles completely surprised me with the direction of WNB in the best way possible. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time and if I didn’t have to worry about things like work and sleep, I totally would’ve devoured the book in one sitting.

Now on to the yearning. I love agnsty romances, and Angeles delivered all the feels. It’s hard to enjoy a romance when you’re not in love with 50% of the couple, but the romance in WNB was much more palatable for me. I saw a few reviews complain that Kallia and Demarco were separated for so much of the story, so the fact that we don’t hear from Demarco as much as we in WNB might be the reason why 😅

I’m still kind of emotionally recovering from that ending. I like could not sleep when I finished the book because I was so torn about the ending. I kept waking up in the middle of WNB-related dreams, half-conscious and super emotional (true story,) and this is why I shouldn’t be allowed to read before bed. (Thankfully I managed to not be a zombie at work the next day, so no patients were harmed in the reading of WNB.) As a reader, I kind of hate the ending because it’s not the way I want things to end, but from a storytelling perspective, it’s probably the best choice. There are one or two things I would maybe change to make it an even stronger ending, but I’m also biased because I’m super attached to the ending(s) I envisioned and my gut instinct is to live in denial about what really happened.

📚 SYNOPSIS
Overall, I’m so glad I committed to finishing the Kingdom of Cards duology despite how underwhelmed I was after the first book because this was such a fun story to dive into. I thought a lot of things were solid and some just needed a little more development. It would’ve been worthy of a standing ovation.

Loved this book so much! Gosh I loved this duology! I can’t say much because I don’t want to give anything away! I can’t wait to read what this author has in store for us!

Confession time! I struggled with this novel. It’s only because I liked the first one so much that I was able to stick with it and make myself finish. If it had been any other book I would have put it down and picked up a different novel. Maybe it’s because this is my second fantasy novel in a row where the story was desperately dark, a sign of a writer trying to create during a pandemic. I felt that pain too, but my own pain was in trying to see the light and find something positive to talk about in my review. Here’s what I found.

Jack- Whereas Kallia felt less interesting to me, her nemesis Jack became even more interesting. He was also confusing, but I’ll stick with why I thought he was interesting. Jack was always a dark horse. The magical being who held Kallia captive in “Where Dreams Descend”, and who she had a love hate relationship. She still does, but in this new world, Jack’s back story is revealed and we see why he is what he is, and how he struggled to break out from the hold Roth (a new character in this book) had over him.
Eva- or Vain as she’s named in this novel. The famous Daron DeMarco’s assistant, and sister, who disappeared into a mirror during an act. She is alive and has risen to the top in this new world. She was way more interesting than Kallia and I found myself looking forward to the pages with her story.
World building- The author didn’t do herself any favors by having to create a brand new world in When Night Breaks. As it’s ‘through the looking glass’, it runs parallel to the real world from which Kallia arrived. Dark to the other world’s light, the differences were surprising and kept me reading.
Everything in this book led us toward the big conflict at the end, but that conflict was a confused mess. I had trouble following what was going on and the reasons for why these things were happening. The conflict didn’t feel too different from the rest of the book, and therefore not enough of a conflict for me to feel any sort of resolution for the characters, even with the built-in happily, happily. It was just ho-hum.

Despite my overall feelings of doom and gloom, I couldn’t give the novel lower than a three rating. Yes, if I hadn’t loved the first novel so much I wouldn’t have finished this one, but it’s because I loved that first novel so much that I am giving this an average rating. Please feel free to disagree and read this book and pass your own judgement. My bad 4 days of reading this book may be the best in your life. ❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review and it was honest.

This was an excellent sequel and a stunning end to the duology!

After the first book ended on a jaw-dropping cliffhanger, I was super eager for this book and it truly knocked it out of the park. The fast-paced, on-the-edge-of-your-seat writing from the first book is maintained in this one, and the stakes have gotten even higher. There was a surprising amount of world building done for a second book but it fit right in, and the additions expanded the world well. If you're looking for a continuation of the magic, mystery and phenomenal characterization (because this is where Janella Angeles THRIVES in my opinion), this was a fantastic read!

After a jarring cliffhanger in 'Where Dreams Descend', readers were left with more questions than answers. Now, everything you wanted to know about this mysterious world will be answered.

'When Night Breaks' picks up a few weeks after the events of 'Where Dreams Descend'.

Kallia is missing and some believe that she’s gone forever. Daron can’t seem to get the stricken look of her face out of his mind. It was the final moment when he saw her before she fell through the mirror. Holding on to all of his memories of her, he’s determined to not give up his search for answers even if it leads to his death.

What made the first book so great was Kallia and Daron’s relationship. Their tension and chemistry made for an intriguing romance and even made their characters more enjoyable. Having them separated in this book felt like that special spark was missing. Although, there were still a lot of elements to this book that I did love.

I enjoyed how well Janella Angeles expanded the world. It was a lot darker and the magic became more cutthroat.

The first thing Kallia sees after falling through the mirror is pure blackness. She has no idea where she is and navigating through the unknown with her character was a thrilling adventure. This new world is mysterious and the monsters she encounters were fascinating.

There are new characters that are a lot of fun, too! The only thing is with the introduction to new people, the side characters from the last book didn’t get developed further. They almost got pushed to the side and simply existed without giving anything to the story.

One character that we did get more of in 'When Night Breaks' was Jack.

When I read 'Where Dreams Descend' I honestly felt no connection to his character. I questioned what his role even was in this series. At times he felt very unnecessary to the plot. All of my feelings towards him changed in this book. His character development was amazing and there were so many twists that involved him. Plus, his relationship with Kallia was so tense and fragile that I couldn’t help but want to see how the two of them worked together this time around. I will say, if you were a fan of Jack before then you’ll enjoy him even more.

There are moments where the plot drags but I found that the slow pace helped build up to the epic conclusion. It made all the pain and tearful moments worth it. I think Janella Angeles’ writing improved and she’s definitely grown as an author. I felt so many emotions, especially at the end, and I appreciated how dark the story was.

This was a story about characters who were walking down a lonely path and how the deserving ones came out with more hope than they had at the beginning of this series. Their ending was worthy and I feel content with it. I’m sad that I won’t get to spend more time with Jack, Kallia, and Daron but I really enjoyed their stories in this series!

If you loved 'Where Dreams Descend' then I think you’ll be happy with the conclusion these characters get! You’ll fall even more in love with this world full of magic than you did in the last book, so make sure to pick up a copy of 'When Night Breaks'.

When Night Breaks is the last installment of the duology in the Kingdom of Cards series. This book has put me into a bit of a "tug of war" with my rating. I really enjoyed the romance and many of the plot twists. However the book is very slow in many aspects and I was looking for a little bit more action or intrigue - which doesn't happen until later in the book. It seemed to drag at certain points if that makes sense and yet you still want to keep reading to see if your questions will be answered. Most of them are by the end, but I was also slightly irritated by some of the ambiguity at the end of it. It almost makes me wonder if Ms. Angeles, will be creating a spin-off at some point. If she does, I would definitely read it. 3.5 stars overall.

Stunning, gorgeous, enchanting – all descriptions of this cover. The first in the series is no different, and both set the tone for the story of magic and magicians inside.

This book immediately picks up where the first left off. Jack and Kallia find themselves in a darker, somewhat familiar world filled with danger, memories, and illusions. What’s real? What/who can they trust? Demarco and friends, left behind and struggling to understand what happened, desperately search for a way to reach Kallia.

While the first book contained tension-filled scenes between Kallia and Demarcos, elaborate competitions between the magicians, and mysterious secrets surrounding the town, this sequel has a different feel. Not bad, just – different. Kallia and Demarcos are separated for the majority of the story, the competitions are reduced to a couple of brief duels, and most of the secrets are revealed early. I especially missed one of my favorite supporting characters and scene stealer, Aaros. He’s nearly MIA this time around.

The elusive Jack was a big draw for me in Where Dreams Descend, and I was anxious to see what would be revealed about him, if anything. I’ll just say his origin and power are explained, and he remains a mesmerizing character. His character arc may be my favorite part of this sequel. If you didn’t care for him before, you may change your mind.

While I enjoyed the addition of some new characters, a couple of unexpected plot twists, and the way the story wraps up, pacing was slow for me. For a nearly five hundred page novel, it contains several long stretches where not much happens. I read an ARC, so it’s something that may be tightened up in the final copy.

If fantasies set in a lavish, magical world filled with atmosphere and secrets pique your interest, this is a duology you should check out.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.