After what was written to be a stand-alone, does the sequel to A Study in Drowning hold up? By how many stars I’ve given it, you bet Reid has mastered it.

Upon hearing the announcement that a book I had loved dearly was receiving a follow-up, I was excited but also nervous for how it would turn out. The first volume ended with the upmost satisfaction to my favor, however, when reading the opening author letter to A Theory of Dreaming, Reid shows us that there was plenty more to tell.

Preston became such a captivatingly deep, complex character full of emotion while sticking true to how he was developed in the first book. Since the adventure against the Fairy King was tied up, the loose strand of the bells in Preston’s ears set off this story along with the after effects of dealing with the first volumes conflict. I would consider Reid brilliant to realize it would be useless to develop another problem that needn’t be which was already taken care of, and instead, use the psychological traumas and personal growth from overcoming those trials as the result of writing a sequel instead.

When people go through anything life-jeopardizing, our characters should be the same way. Too often in storytelling, we see the hero save the day but then what? They act as though the death-defying actions didn’t affect them one bit or at least haunt them later on. Where’s the gravity of the conflict even when it’s over? Reid showcases this throughout A Theory of Dreaming in such heartbreaking yet realistic and enthralling way of storytelling which I love. It’s no longer so much about saving the day for everyone else or the world, but how do we save ourselves when it’s so easy to forget to do so with heroic heart?

Seeing Preston struggle with his past yet his love for Effy grow and be his strength—their relationship altogether settling in deeper roots—was all very beautiful. Even in the midst of tragedy that crashed upon their shores, it is together that no wave can knock them down forever. There were plenty of other things I enjoyed about this book such as the concept of intertwining dreams and reality, to the progression of gender equality in education. Seeing new and old characters come together to create a brighter future. Even the little excerpts in the beginning of each chapter provoke the reader to critically think and connect the dots within the main story. It’s a testament to Reid’s craft within this world she’s created.

A Theory of Dreaming is a powerful sequel that will bring fans of A Study in Drowning into a deeper and complex character-driven story that they won’t want to miss.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing an ARC (Advanced Readers Copy). This review is based off of an uncorrected proof.

I was so happy when this book was announced as I knew there was so much more story for Ava Reid to tell with these characters.

We delve a lot into trauma in this book - both Preston’s and Effy’s (and others) and I thought all the topics were dealt with eloquently.

It’s a lot slower paced than the first book and again deals with some very heavy topics so check CW.

I really enjoy the main characters relationship with each other and how it’s portrayed to not be perfect, like a lot of fictional relationships are. It feels rawer and more true to life.

I did find some plot points kind of unnecessary to the book as a whole but overall I liked this one.

🌊 Release Date: August 5 2025
🌊 Vibes / Themes:
• Moody & Atmospheric
• Academia
• Reality & Dreams
• Mental Health ⚠️

𝘈 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘋𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 follows Effy and Preston after the events of (the originally standalone) 𝘈 𝘚𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘋𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨. Effy struggles with her mental health in a world no longer plagued by Fairy Kings and magic, but still full of men happy to treat her as less than for daring to be a woman in a male dominated field. Preston is weathered by his constant worries for Effy and if he will be enough for her, while also struggling with the endless attacks at him for his ancestry.

🌊 The Good

Ava Reid always does a fantastic job of creating atmosphere that drips from the pages.

🌊 The Less Good

If you are going to use unique similes that stand out a bit, maybe don't use the same one multiple times. The first time it reads as interesting, then every other time it's just "oh goodie, that simile again" and takes you out of the moment. The one in particular I am referring to is "like the tick/beat of blood behind a bruise". The second time really didn't make sense to me anyway since it was already talking about a heart beat, so why make it a simile about blood? 🤷🏼‍♀️

I also just can't be convinced that while Effy was doing nothing but sleeping and reading ONE book over the course of weeks that she didn't even finish that book. Like she was so engrossed by this book but was reading like a page a day??

🌊 Did We Need A Sequel?

𝘈 𝘚𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘋𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 was, for all intents and purposes, a standalone novel. It left us on an open-ended conclusion, with us wanting more. But does wanting more mean we should get more?

A lot of the focus is on the Sleepers and their magic, with continuous references to the war and morale dropping due to the investigation into Myrddin. We also see parallels between Preston & Effy with both the Neiriad and Ardor. I thought having their relationship parallel with these old stories was really special since you can already see how it ends while Preston and Effy are blind to where their story goes.

I am torn between enjoying the world and its dreamlike haze (primarily Ava Reid's style) and wondering if history repeating itself was worthy of a sequel. A̶ m̶a̶n̶ g̶e̶t̶s̶ a̶l̶l̶ t̶h̶e̶ c̶r̶e̶d̶i̶t̶ w̶h̶e̶n̶ i̶t̶ w̶a̶s̶ a̶ w̶o̶m̶a̶n̶'s̶ w̶o̶r̶k̶ (̶g̶a̶s̶p̶)̶, w̶h̶o̶ w̶o̶u̶l̶d̶ h̶a̶v̶e̶ e̶v̶e̶r̶ s̶e̶e̶n̶ t̶h̶a̶t̶ c̶o̶m̶i̶n̶g̶!̶ Yes, we see more of character relationships that we didn't get to fully explore in the first book, so that's at least a plus.

I would have loved for this story to end after 𝘈 𝘚𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘋𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨, for the bells to continue to ring in Preston's mind and that little bit of magic to live on. Just like with Effy having to face a colder, bleaker reality, it feels like we have also been left with a less magical view of their world.

i want to echo like others are doing that reid is one of my favorite fantasy/dystopian writers. however, i would've been fine with a study in drowning remaining a stand alone as here it felt a bit like fanservice with the mental health of effy not having enough time to breathe. the author letter at the beginning with the preface that a theory of dreaming focuses more on preston (and his relationship to dreaming) helped curb that but i just wanted more nuance.

I adored A Study in Drowning and unfortunately was more mixed on A Theory of Dreaming. It is very character-driven, much more so than ASID which some may love but it wasn’t for me. I also felt like, as someone who has had struggles with mental health, Effy’s arc was wrapped up too quickly from a certain incident to the end and I didn’t follow along with the speed.

A Study in Drowning was one of my top reads of last year and is still one of the most relatable and memorable books I’ve ever read. I read through my highlights and tabs before starting the sequel to refresh my memory and got hit with the same emotions and feelings as when I first read it. Ava Reid’s poetic and lyrical prose coupled with gothic, dark academia themes and a mysterious, atmospheric world created one of the best reading experiences I’ve ever had. And the sequel exceeded the expectations that the first book set. With A Study in Drowning originally being a standalone, I was the most excited I’ve ever been to find out it was getting sequel. I’m someone who always wants more from my favorite characters and worlds so I had no fears the sequel would live up to the high standards set by the first book. I was already so intrigued by the open-ended question at the end of book one and the second I stepped back into this world, I knew it would be just as amazing.

When I’m reviewing books, I often use a certain set of authors which have made a space in my brain as their own genre in a way. These authors include Allison Saft, Rebecca Ross, Kelly Andrew, Margaret Rogerson, and of course, Ava Reid. Some qualities I’ve come to love from their books are poetic writing and storytelling, meaningful and thought provoking themes, unique and original worlds, light fantasy with whimsical magic systems, and the most romantic couples I’ve ever read. Just so you know just how much I love Ava Reid’s writing style before I continue this review.

While the first book is set mainly at Hiraeth, this one is focused mainly at the university, and I think it benefited from having even more dark academia vibes. Where the first book has more of a mystery in terms of the fantasy elements, making the reader and characters question what’s real and what’s not, this one delves deeper into those fantasy aspects making even the biggest skeptics believe. There was a sense of impending doom in the air and a desperate need to protect the ones you love even if you don’t know what’s coming.

I loved the way this one was focused more on Preston, who quickly became one of my favorite book boyfriends of all time in the first book and made me cry multiple times from his insanely poetic (and tortured) dialogue. A protective, walking green flag love interest is always so refreshing and I loved that we got more of his thoughts in this one. No matter what, I know Ava Reid will knock it out of the park in the romance department and this one was no exception. We have an established couple, living through the aftermath of book one, and yet there’s still miles and miles of chemistry. I’m so pleased with how this ended and I’m so glad we got another story in this world.

So I have a slight confession. I didn't absolutely love a Study in Drowning. I knew so many people who had loved Effie and I just wasn't quite connecting. In my head I overhyped her and the story and when it didn't meet these arbitrary expectations I was a little let down. I loved the writing style, the story was interesting but something just didn't quite hit. It was good but not great. I only say this so it's understood where I'm coming from with this review.
That being said A Theory in Dreaming is completely undoubtedly great and gave me such a better appreciation to its predecessor. It built upon it so perfectly it left me at a loss for words. Ava Reid's prose are so beautiful and haunting. I wish I was eloquent enough to tell you all the themes that were covered and how poignant it felt to read this story. Especially with what is going on in the world today. Moving forward Effie and Preston will hold a special place in my heart and I can't wait to not only reread A Study in Drowning but get my hands on a physical copy of this book once this releases.
Of course this review is only thanks to receiving a Arc from Netgalley.

Ava Reid’s latest book, A Theory of Dreaming, was exactly what I wished A Study in Drowning could have been; I was invested from the very beginning and fell in love with the characters we got to revisit. The romance was less tropey and more developed than in A Study in Drowning, the setting of the novel was in true Dark Academia form, and the concept of mental illness was not only discussed, but heavily leaned into throughout the book. The characters, especially Effy, went through a journey of self-discovery to learn that our flaws are not weaknesses, but instead are proof that we are human; we are not broken for feeling pain, but instead are more alive for the experience.

I also really enjoyed some of the more complex themes… A Theory of Dreaming reminded me a lot of Babel, especially in how closely tied language and literature were to concepts of nationalism and patriotism.

I really loved this book. But as a heads up, there are some scenes that could be triggering for those who (like me) suffer depression, PTSD, insomnia, or for those who have dealt with suicidal ideation.

I wish this were going to be a trilogy instead of a duology, but overall I’m satisfied with how things ended.

A huge thank you goes to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book broke me. I’m a puddle of tears right now. I loved coming back to this world and read about this characters. Effy and Preston deserve the world and they go through so much here. This book explores so many different themes and it’s just so beautiful. I cannot recommend A study in drowning enough and this is a worthy sequel to it. Love it 😍

A Theory of Dreaming by Ava Reid.

Effy and Preston are on a final adventure which brings their haunting love story to its end. Effy is now free of her nightmares but she can no longer escape into fantasy. Preston beings to dream of a palace under the sea and his vision begin to follow him, even when he’s awake. Effy is losing her dreams and Preston is losing himself in his. Are dreams ever just truly dreams?

I couldn’t put this book down. I enjoyed it just as much as the first one! I love Effy and Preston together. Even through their struggles, they still cared so much about each other. I loved how the book ended.

I did enjoy how Ava wrote about Anxiety. It was very real and very relatable. As someone who struggles with that, I think Ava did a great job. I enjoyed learning more about the characters and about their mental health. I think it’s important that we normalize that.

I love Ava’s writing! I was so excited when I received an ARC! I also love the cover of the book! I’ve already ordered my physical copy! Thank you so much Ava, HarperCollins Children's Books | HarperCollins and NetGalley for the ARC!

Publication Date: August 5th 2025
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


If you haven’t already, check out A Study in Drowning! I highly recommend it!

Thank you to NetGalley for the e-ARC!
I should preface this by saying I do not think this is a five-star book for everyone - for those who it is five stars for, I hope you’re doing okay. I’m going to try to sum up my thoughts in three main points so I don’t ramble too much.
1. Dark Academia: While ASID was advertised as dark academia, I found it to be more of a gothic fairy tale. ATOD is truly dark academia; the entire story is set in college for the entirety of the novel. You could be fooled by the first couple of chapters into thinking this is a ‘cozy winter academia’ book. It is not.
2. Mental Illness: Ava Reid has always managed to make me believe that she is writing for me specifically in her portrayal of depression and anxiety. I know the experience is different for everyone, but Effy’s depression in this book so closely mirrored mine that I had to put down the book several times to just cry. It was extremely cathartic.
3. Romance/Grief: The romance in ATOD is far less tropey and far deeper than the romance in ASID, which is exactly what I want in a sequel book. (This is, in my opinion, where Ruthless Vows failed) I was afraid ATOD would be a publisher money-grab, but I was very wrong. The story balances deep love and deep grief at the same time.

Juniper and Thorn, ASID, Lady Macbeth, and ATOD were all timely books for me; I don't know how Ava Reid manages to predict what the exact type of fiction I need at different points in my life, but I hope she never stops.

Thanks to Net Galley for this ARC!

Considering my enthusiastic love for A Study In Drowning, I was a bit nervous to start this book.


I shouldn’t have been nervous.


I loved it so much.


I don’t think I’ve ever had this many feelings about bells in my entire life. Literally spent the last 36 hours straight thinking about them.


Ava Reid has broken me and I am now a shell of what I used to be. The way she writes about anxiety and obsessive thoughts has never felt better represent to me as a reader who struggles with these things. I loved hearing more of Preston as a character and his inner struggles with identity and reality. I obviously love Effy and continued to love her in this book.

In conclusion I love Ava Reid and will forever read anything she ever writes. I can’t wait until this book physically comes out so I can buy a million copies.

READ THIS BOOK

I need to preface this review with this: Ava Reid is one of my all-time favorite authors, and I absolutely LOVED A Study in Drowning. That being said, I have to Speak my Truth: I really did not enjoy this. The saving grace of this book is it still includes Reid’s gorgeous prose and she can create a world that oozes atmosphere, which adds so much to her stories. However. the plot was very muddled and lacked a feeling of magic. My biggest issue was it seemed like she stripped the characters of everything I loved previously and made them shells of their former selves. I understand this was about how they dealt with the trauma from ASID, but they felt like very watered down versions of themselves, especially Effy, which was very disappointing.

Unlike A Study in Drowning, A Theory of Dreaming is not plot focused and is instead very character focused. I think after loving ASID, I was expecting a bit more plot rather than just the characters learning to live with their trauma. That aside, I did very much enjoy being back with Effy and Preston especially as they worked to overcome the barriers between them and build a stronger relationship. I think this could've been a more successful novella - as it stands it's a bit longer than it needed to be. Ava Reid's writing remains wonderful - even though this book didn't live up to my admittedly sky high expectations, she's still one of my favorites to read.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.

This felt more dark academia than the first book, and also just darker in general, especially the second half of the book. I actually realized I need to go back and reread the first one. I liked getting to see more of Effy and Preston, even if there's a lot of sadness/fear they are both working through on their own terms.

Thank you to Netgalley for the e-arc!

The second I got this book, I read it. In one sitting. Like a maniac. Ava Reid is one of my favorite authors ever. This book is just fan-service, and Reid delivered about 400 pages of it. I will say, however, that this book could've, and should've, been a novella. This book is much slower than A Study in Drowning, and in its scope/stakes, was much less intense. There's no set structure, and the development of the characters was more subtle.

IF YOU DID NOT LOVE THE ASID CHARACTERS WITH YOUR FULLY HEART AND SOUL, YOU WILL HAVE A ROUGH TIME WITH THIS BOOK. Be warned that there is barely any plot, and you're just following Preston and Effy as they deal with their internal turmoil, insecurities, and trauma. Repeatedly.

Overall, 3 stars. I am very excited to see what Ava Reid is going to publish next.