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This book is everything I hoped for and more in a sequel! The relationships in this book are my favorite part about it. The storyline continues to wow.

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Ava Reid can truly do no wrong. A Theory of Dreaming was such a perfect follow up to A Study in Drowning. Effy and Preston are both such great characters, and I was beyond excited when Reid announced they would be coming back to us, and she did not disappoint. Filled with just as much heart and adventure as it's predecessor, A Theory in Dreaming is a delightful story that I will recommend to anyone who loves a good magical book.

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Thank you so much to HarperCollins and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review!

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4,25 stars - a must-read if you enjoyed A Study In Drowning, preferably on a rainy day with tea, a pen for annotations and a box of tissues

For the life of me, I couldn’t tell you what the actual physical plot of this book is. Or how the world works. It’s all vibes, and atmosphere, and gorgeous prose, and themes. And I really really like it here. With a bit more lingering on certain aspects of the story, I might’ve even said I love it.

<i>“I have lived and died by quill and ink.”</i>

Picking up after the events of the first book, this one continues with its focus on the importance of stories and mythologies (and how they can shape a people’s view of their own nation and history), women’s contributions and their being erased (usually by the men in their lives), and the allure of hiding from the world by immersing yourself in books. There’s also a continuing theme of mental health, and how healing is seldom linear or easy.

<i>“Thinking of her was always like this: a rush of fondness, and then a bolt of fear. Love poems never seemed to include this thread of terror.”</i>

I love the main characters and their love story, in all their messiness and longing and fear and passion. Effy and Preston grew a lot in the first book, but this second book saw them through having to grow even more. And I loved getting to see that, and to see how the events of the first book shaped them and prepared them for what was to come next.

I do wish the book lingered a bit more on how things work (in the world, the magic, their society), and that we got to see even more of them discussing and working towards their goals, but the lack of that proper definition and sharpening does lend to the dream-like feel of it all.

I could honestly read at least one more full book about these characters, in this world, with this writing style. It just really works for me, and I flew through it. The end felt satisfying and relieving, but I also know I’m going to miss exploring this world so built on words; I’m VERY excited to get my hands on the novella!

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A study in drowning is one of my favorite books of all time. Effy as a character means the world to me and I had been holding out hope for a sequel ever since Ava Reid announced that they wanted to write one. I can now confidently say it was both surpassed and lived up to all my expectations. Effy grew so much throughout this book in ways that were equally so painful to witness and also so incredibly beautiful to see. Preston has come such a long way from his “young unbeliever” roots. Their love conquers all. I also absolutely LOVED the setting of the university of llyr getting to see Effy in her element was everything and the added setting of the palace under the sea took me back to playing mermaids when I was younger. This book changed the trajectory of my life and any and all customers will be hearing about it.

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Theory of Dreaming

An excellent sequel to A Study in Drowning! I was drawn in very quickly and this book did not let me go until the very end. I stayed up way too late because I couldn't put this one down.

We get to see the fallout of Effy and Preston’s dissertation which revealed the true author of Angharad. And with any truth that disrupts dearly held beliefs, the blowback is harsh. Effy finally gets to join the Literature College, the program she has dreamed of joining, but it's not what she expected. No one is eager to have a girl join the all-male program. Preston’s life gets more complicated as tensions rise between Lyr and Argent and his advisor, Master Gosse, develops a theory that will change everything.

This book truly felt magical and I was whisked off to Lyr from the first page. It was so atmospheric and I felt like I was walking the wintery streets of Caer-Isel with Effy and Preston.

Something that I appreciate is that Ava Reid doesn't shy away from tough topics. Effy is dealing with her mental health and the constant sexism she’s had to deal with at the college. Effy has to deal with a lot and she has a mother who makes her feel like a burden, and she tells her that. But Effy has Preston, Rhia, Lotto, and Maise who love her unconditionally. Effy found her family at school and they showed her what real love looks like. If you love stories of found family, A Theory of Dreaming is an excellent example.

Like Effy, Preston has his own issues to deal with. He’s the only foreign student in the entire university and the tensions between his home country of Argant and Lyr, the country he studies in, are at an all-time high. Between the racism and his advisor’s seemingly crazy theories, Preston is stretched thin as Master Gosse drags him along as he tries to prove a magical theory.

This was a wonderful sequel. It was everything I could have hoped for. It is a must-read!

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I would like to thank NetGalley for a ARC Copy in exchange for a review.

Unfortunately, this book felt stagnant for the majority of the story. The plot doesn’t gain any real momentum until about the 59% mark, which made the pacing difficult to stay invested in. Effy and Preston spend most of the book avoiding honest communication, circling around each other with unresolved tension that never builds into anything meaningful or satisfying.
It was frustrating to see Effy constantly refer to herself as fragile—especially considering the strength and courage she demonstrated in defeating the fairy king in the previous book. Preston reflects this same pattern, and rather than feeling relatable, their insecurities felt excessive and repetitive. Effy continually puts herself down and encourages Preston to do the same, which became emotionally exhausting to read.
Their lack of trust made connecting with the story even harder. Effy doesn’t believe anything Preston says, and Preston withholds important information because he assumes she can’t handle it. These communication issues felt contrived and unnecessarily dragged out.
Normally, I would finish a book like this in a few days, but this one took me nearly three months just to get to the 60% mark. And even then, I struggled to see what the story was trying to accomplish. I haven’t mentioned the plot much—because, frankly, it’s unclear what the plot even is. Effy spirals and shuts herself down, and Preston isolates himself instead of turning to the one person who could understand: the girlfriend who went through something similar in the last book. The setup had so much potential, but the execution left me deeply disappointed in the author, editor, and publisher.
The first book was fantastic—atmospheric, emotionally rich, and full of genuine character development. I loved the slow bonding between Effy and Preston in that story. But this sequel felt unnecessary, as if it only exists because the first book performed well. Not every story needs to become a series, and this trend of dragging out narratives for the sake of marketability is becoming increasingly common—and honestly, it’s concerning.

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I was really surprised when I found out about the sequel to A Study in Drowning as to me the story felt finished even if it was also clear that if author wanted, there would be where to expand on the universe that she created. A Theory of Dreaming picks up soon after the events of the first book with both Effy and Preston trying to handle the consequences of their discovery. Both of our main characters have their own issues: Effy has to deal with being the first girl in the literature college while Preston keeps hearing these mysterious bells in the background of an intensifying war between Llyr and Argant. It seems like everyone around them wants nothing else but for them to fail, but our heroes cannot be broken that easily.

To me this book feels more morose than the first one, with both main characters clearly suffering separately while also trying to support each other. I would say that A Theory of Dreaming, although interesting in its own way, doesn't compare to A Study in Drowning, which felt more refreshing even with the gothic background. The stakes seemed lower in this one with no mysterious creatures ruining the lives of the characters, although real life is also quite scary. It also seemed that the book could have been shorter and some parts didn't seem that necessary to the plot, at least in my opinion. I also thought that Lotto was an interesting character and his relationship with Preston was one of the highlights for me. I would say the same about Rhia, although she didn't shine through as much as I would have liked it. Overall, this was a good read and worthwhile conclusion to the story.

Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions!

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If you really loved the first book maybe you will love this one, but it just wasn’t for me.

It was all vibes and not much plot which is not what I prefer in a book.

I also didn’t love the way the characters developed in this book.

Overall I think A Study in Drowning is better off as a stand alone.

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Reid states in the author letter that she envisioned ASID to be a standalone, however the fans have spoken and Reid wasn’t ready to let these characters go. This time we’re going to a palace under the sea where Preston reigns as king.

We pick up where ASID left off with Effy and Preston returning to college. Effy is now navigating being a literature student where of course she’s having a rough time as a woman and where she continues to challenge a beloved author on a wider scale. The war continues to rage on between Llyr and Argant. Preston isn’t finding support from those surrounding him, his peers are racist towards him, he can’t get ahold of his family and Effy is fighting her own demons. The bells are calling to Preston and to escape reality he starts finding solace in his dreams.

ATOD is a reflection of everything that happened in ASID. Continuing the struggles with mental health, exploring heavier themes and diving into topics such as nationalism, misogyny and xenophobia. If you pick this one up, pay attention to the parallels of today’s world.

Preston really takes a front seat in this story and I really enjoyed his character arc. Reid is a poetic storyteller. This story is still light on fantasy, thought provoking, has layered main characters, mysterious, and gothic with dark academia themes. I recommend if you loved ASID and 𝙖𝙡𝙨𝙤 enjoy a character driven book.

So many beautiful quotes I wish I could share!

Thank you 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘴 for the opportunity to read and review this copy early! I will be posting my review to my IG closer to the release date, I have already posted my review on Goodreads.

ᴍʏ ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: ★★★★
ғᴏʀᴍᴀᴛ: 📖

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late ARC review

This was a strong 3.5 read for me and I just enjoy Ava Reid's writing style in general. I felt like the plot went a little slower than the first book and was a bit more character driven, which was okay for me. One thing I liked about the first book was the tension between Effy & Preston which was not expected for this book obviously but I missed it. I enjoyed the focus on mental health and inner conflicts, and the fact that this book was so emotional for me :) I am going to do a reread of book 1 because I feel like I forgot some things but I liked this and would recommend.

This is like dark academia, magic vibes galore

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I loved the first book. It was a six-star read for me. This book had everything I loved about the first book, but it continued to expand on it. It is safe to say that this is another six-star read.

I loved seeing more of Preston's POV in this book as well as exploring the fallout of the events of A Study in Drowning. We also continued to explore the gender dynamics in academia, and that was where I thought the first book shone.

The prose of this book was beautiful, and it was also interesting to expand our cast of characters and learn more about Effy and Preston's roommates and friends. Seeing Preston and Effy's relationship continue to blossom was also a great thing to see.

I love this book, and I read it in one sitting.

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love does, in fact, conquer all.

absolutely no notes. i inhaled this despite reading “a study in drowning” about 2yrs ago. preston’s POV was such a treat to have and in a sequel i didn’t know i had desperately needed. the way reid has a way with her characters truly brings them to life and i love how everything resolved itself.

ty harper collins for the early copy ♡

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I think that what this book does really well is open up the world that was slightly confusing, or vague in the first one. We get to see Effy and Preston back in the "real life" mode and I found that really interesting, to see what they were both like running from and how their time in the first book affected them was very good for me. Overall it did sort of feel like an extended epilogue of the first novel but not necessarily in a bad way?

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This is a masterclass in how to write magical realism. The second book in the duology, it is set back at the college where Effy is the first female to attend the literature college. I loved the character development for Preston, this book was more about him than Effy and I really enjoyed that. This was a wonderful ending to the story of Effy and Preston.

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very well done romance with some strong fantasy and dramatic elements. 5 stars. tysm for the arc. would definitely recommend.

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You’d think at this point I wouldn’t be so blown away every time I read an Ava Reid book, but here I am, once again, in love. This sequel was even better than the first. I love everything about this universe and these characters. I can’t wait to reread it!

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⭐️ 4 (4.25)

I loved A Study in Drowning and I believe if you did, too, you'll really enjoy A Theory of Dreaming as well. Reid is such a talented writer and their writing is just as gorgeous here as in the first of the series. I really appreciated reading a book with an already established relationship between the main characters and there is enough there, enough interpersonal conflict and emotions, to keep it from feeling stagnant as the story progresses without relying on a break-up or anything like that. That being said, this story is heavily focused on the characters rather than a more traditional plot progression, and if you don't enjoy a deeper, slower exploration of the world and people and their lives in your stories, than this might not be for you. And I'm not sure why I'd say this exactly but the narrative is also less cohesive than A Study in Drowning. That's not really a dig at this book, however, because I believe it's hard to make a book with as much meaning and aesthetic cohesion as ASID, it's just something that I noticed. I adored the new characters and the new scenes with Effy and Preston together and that ending as well.

If you're someone who was kinda ehhh about A Study in Drowning, or disliked it, I don't think this is the book that will sell you on the first. It's really just supplemental story so you can live a little bit longer in the world and see the fall0ut from all their actions in the previous story. But as someone who rated ASID 5 stars? I teared up and I had a lot of fun.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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In this sequel, we follow Effy and Preston in the aftermath of them defeating the Fairy King and
their exposure of Myrddin’s lies.

Effy is now in her dream literature college but it’s far from a HEA for her. We see her deal with the scrutinization of her peers in the college, and her struggles to cope with the real world when there’s no longer a fairytale to escape to. As for Preston, he also has his own challenges to work through. With Llyr going to war with Argant, Preston is perceived by others with contempt and suspicion because of his Argantian heritage. As if that wasn’t enough on Preston’s plate, he also starts experiencing visions and sounds that’s slowly bleeding into reality. What is the constant ringing only Preston can hear? Is he going mad or is he unwittingly pulled into something logic and science cannot explain?

As I’ve already experienced from A Study in Drowning, Ava Reid’s writing is just absolutely eerie and atmospheric. It’s like you’re right in the grit and gloom of the story with her characters. Getting to read this arc was a welcoming continuation of such a vibe.

I will say, this sequel’s tone was quite bleak though. There was a perpetual sense of hopelessness that persisted throughout most of the story. That, along with the slow pacing, hindered me from enjoying or looking forward to the story thoroughly each time I picked it up.

I also had issues with Effy’s characterization in this sequel. I didn’t find her particularly likable in the previous story but she did have a resilience about her that I admired. It really felt like she regressed in this novel for no actual reason other than to step back for Preston‘s story. Frustratingly, it felt like Effy was either sleeping or crying the majority of the time.

Ava Reid writes beautifully, that I cannot deny. But I’m starting to accept maybe her storytelling style just isn’t for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for this e-ARC In exchange for my honest review.

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I loved “A Study in Drowning.” It felt like such a tightly plotted YA title that incorporated a strong personal arc for the main character, Effy, as well as a tension-filled gothic mystery that built to an incredible climax at the end. As you can expect from this, it was a fantastic stand-alone read. That said, while I was satisfied with its ending, I was more than happy to return to this world and these characters. Especially to see more of the burgeoning love story between Effy and Preston.

Unfortunately, this one didn’t live up to the highs of the first book, mostly because of how perfectly insulated that story felt. But there was still much to enjoy here, so let’s start with that first. Per Reid’s typical style, many of the themes explored within this story are dark but important. Through careful crafting, the author explores the slow descent into isolation and withdrawal that can come with serious depression. Both Effy and Preston also constantly struggle to find a place for themselves in an institution and society that is built for others, Effy as a woman in the man’s world of academia, and Preston as a man of two heritages, both of which are at war with one another. These themes were richly detailed, and while it didn’t necessarily make for a “fun” reading experience, I definitely felt like I was getting a stark window into the struggles of these two characters and others like them.

That last point speaks to one of my struggles with this book, however. While well-represented and thoroughly explored, the reading experience itself quickly began to feel heavy and almost tiring; I found myself needing to put the book down after only short reading sessions. Part of this, I think, comes down to the fact that both Effy and Preston’s inner arcs are fairly similar. They are each dealing with similar feelings of isolation and like they are outsiders intruding where they are not welcome. This then leads to a lot of inner dynamics centered around feelings of weariness and fear. So, while the book does alternate between their perspectives, much of the story felt the same between the two, and it began to feel a bit draining.

The romance itself also suffered a bit from this as well. Both Preston and Effy spend much of the book hiding things from one another, both preoccupied with not wanting to place a burden on the other. And, again, the fact that both characters had such similar experiences with in the romantic plotline, it began to feels as if their relationship was spinning its wheels, with a lot of words spent saying the same or similar things over and over again.

I did enjoy some of the deeper looks into the magic of this world. Most of this came through Preston’s side of the story, and I would argue that this is largely his story. But even here, while I enjoyed getting a better understanding of this history and magic, there didn’t feel as if there was enough of a plot to serve as a structure upon which to hang these descriptive elements.

Overall, this book felt like what it was: an unplanned sequel to a stand-alone fantasy story that had been complete on its own. The writing was luscious, as always, and I did enjoy elements of the love story. But ultimately, I came away from this one feeling as if it didn’t really add anything. I felt like Preston and Effy had ended the previous book with challenges ahead but with a new will to overcome, comfortable in themselves and their new relationship. And perhaps this book was honest about the reality of the hardships they would face and that that same will to move forward could begin to crumble in the face of these struggles. I just…am not sure those realities really make up a story, all on their own?

Fans of Reid’s will likely still want to check this one out. Quality wise, it’s still a well-written book with an interesting world. Effy and Preston also remained characters whom I loved and rooted for. I simply couldn’t get into the limited amount of actual “story” to be found here.

Rating 7: I still enjoyed the world, the characters, and the love story. But it felt clear that with the first book being planned as a stand-alone, this one didn’t really have anywhere to take the story.

Link will go live on The Library Ladies on July 30

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Being able to dive back into Effy and Preston’s world is an effervescent dream. This second book brings us Preston’s POV and we get to see more of who he is behind his serious glasses and careful expressions. This book beautifully explores the anxieties of characters as they explore their academic goals and dreams while also facing the hypocrisies within their society. Ava Reid does an amazing job exploring how young people search for truth and justice as a way to strengthen their own morals and values as well as how to confront the darker sides of power and influence in the histories of their countries. Preston’s journey to find his place in the world forces him to choose between staying inside the comforts of a personally designed reality versus addressing the inequities that must be fixed in order for society to advance in peace and harmony. I would like to add that there is mention of depression and an overdose of medication in this book, as well as mentions of abuse towards females from family members. These aren’t described in detail but mentioned in passing and in mostly metaphor, but just as in “A Study of Drowning”, mental health and sexual abuse is mentioned. I believe readers will enjoy jumping back into this world as long as they know to expect that it is Effy and Preston navigating their places at university after their discovery about Myrddin and Angharad. Once again, there is space and potential for another chapter of their stories, and I’d love to know more about Rhia and Maisie and Lotto moving forward if Ava Reid decides to jump back into Caer-Isel again.

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