A very interesting, Gothic novel that will have you questioning what you know…

This was a super fun read that I really enjoyed. It has a strong cast, a good background, lots of twists and turns, and a fairy-tale-like feeling.

The main characters are very well written, and the romance was done just right. I did enjoy learning more about each character as the story progressed, and some of the characters don’t turn out to be who you expect.

There is definitely a Gothic element, a bit reminiscent of Tori Bovalino, so great for a spooky page turner. I did my best to guess the twists, and while I was somewhat right, as the story progresses, it will have you questioning if you know what you know.

Thank you to NetGalley, Inkyard Press, and the author for allowing me to read an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

A Multitude of Dreams has a fascinating concept, but its execution falters with slow pacing, underdeveloped characters, and a lack of emotional depth, leaving the story feeling hollow and unsatisfying.

The premise was good. However, it failed to capture my attention. Not sure how I felt about the religious comments.

I unfortunately couldn’t get into this book. I don’t know if it was just me or the characters, but I just was not interested enough up keep reading. I would try another book from her in the future though, this one just might not have been for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for this arc.

That was both entertaining and intriguing. It made me question what was gonna happen at the end throughout the book. I enjoyed the way the main female character evolved, how her magic was explained, but I also found myself guessing out what would happen, and being pleasantly surprised at what did happen. The Author was able to create a story that was both unique and enthralling in the magical world. And she also created a terrific magical universe in this book.

Rutherford gives great story development and well rounded characters. This book was fully engrossing and I liked the fact that the romance wasn't the star of the show. This book was an exciting journey!

Multitude of Dreams by Mara Rutherford is a retelling of Poe's "The Masque of the Red Death" and follows a (fake) princess named Seraphina (who's secretly Jewish) and a grave digger named Nico during the plague. As a huge fan of retellings and of Edgar Allen Poe, I was incredibly excited to read this. While I enjoyed the book, I ultimately felt like it was a bit simplistic and overly derivative. It didn’t make me reconsider the original story

Thank you to Inkyard press for providing me with an arc.

DNF 6% in.

I really enjoyed the Poison season so I was excited for this one but I didn’t care for any of the characters and it wasn’t keeping my attention in the same way as the Poison season did. I like the narrator for the audiobook as that was what I ended up listening to but I couldn’t get into the story and didn’t want to push through since I didn’t care for the characters to be honest. I may give this one another try eventually since I did enjoy the poison season so much but it didn’t work for me currently. If you like slower books this could work for you I just prefer faster paced books.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

For me, this book was alright.

Having read Luminous and The Poison Season, I was excited about A Multitude of Dreams. I've always had a fun time with this author's books and I had high hopes that I'd enjoy this one just as much as her other ones.

A Multitude of Dreams follows a post-plague world where people are just finding their feet and learning to live after illness ravaged the kingdom. Princess Imogen has lived a sheltered life in her palace keeping her true identity a secret. She runs into Nico, a boy told to find plague survivors. Together they need to work to uncover the secrets that surround them and the mysteries of the plague.

I thought the audiobook narrator was good but unfortunately this book failed to grab me much. My interest piqued at the end/last third of the book when the paranormal element was revealed. I really thought this element should've been hinted at earlier in the story which might've engaged me from the start. The characters were alright, but I wanted to connect with them more. I wasn't convinced on the romance aspect, wanting more chemistry from the main character and love interest.

All in all, this book was okay but I didn't love it as much as this author's previous books. I couldn't help wanting more from this story.

"A Multitude of Dreams" by Mara Rutherford offers an intriguing premise and atmospheric world-building, though for me it fell short in a few areas. The novel's setting—a plague-ridden kingdom isolated from the outside world—creates an eerie, suspenseful tone that keeps the reader engaged. The author does a good job of developing a sense of claustrophobia and tension throughout the story.

However, in my opinion the pacing felt uneven at times, with some sections dragging on while others moved too quickly. The characters were fairly interesting, though lacked depth, making it difficult to fully connect with their struggles. The plot had potential but became somewhat predictable as it progressed, with certain twists feeling more convenient than shocking.

Overall, "A Multitude of Dreams" is a decent read for fans of dark fantasy, but it doesn't quite reach the heights it could have with a bit more polish and character development.

Thank you to ink yard press for an early copy of this book! (sorry just getting to it now...Life)
First off I want to say Mara Rutherford is quickly becoming and insta-buy author for me. I enjoy her characters and the way shes able to weave such incredible stories.
I loved the characters and the secret identity trope. I really enjoyed the darkness of the book, and was very surprised that vampires came into play with this one.

“Survivor's guilt was the price you paid for living, and sometimes the cost was too high.”

A Multitude of Dreams was captivating from the first chapter! This story follows a deadly plague, and two people who are very different but are able to come together and deal with this. This book has Jewish representation as well!

While overall this was a fine read, it was a bit young for me as I find myself reading less YA, or being more picky with which stories I choose to consume. The pacing was as expected, but sometimes I found things a bit too convenient. I almost wish we had a bit more of this book because the world as so cool! One of the strongest points of this book was the writing, as Rutherford’s words flow around the page as you’re taken along. This book started off slow, but by the end, the tension was so high and the action kept me on the edge of my seat! At it’s core, this is a story about surviving and this theme rang true for me as I read.

This is a great read if you enjoy a darker YA fantasy mixed with romance and friendship! Thank you to Netgalley and Mara Rutherford for this arc, as I got a bookmark with a download link at Apollycon.

I heard such great reviews for this fantasy, but unfortunately it fell a bit flat for me. It started off well, but ultimately it was the slow pace that kept me from truly loving it

Mara Rutherford has a talent for writing spellbinding books that suck you in with their atmosphere. I loved the darker aspects of this, the love interest and their relationship is my favorite kind, and I was thinking about it long after I finished!

A Multitude of Dreams by Mara Rutherford is a retelling of Poe's "The Masque of the Red Death" that has a gorgeous cover! Although it was a good read it just was missing a few things for me. It was a bit slow at first and the werid inputs of the Jewish religion set me off a bit when religion didn't play a huge role. The beginning of the book has "things are not always as it seems and there are monsters" written on it and it just took a bit longer for me to get into. However it was a good YA book and look forward to other books she publishes. Thanks NetGalley for the eARC!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

This was great I loved this story and I loved these characters. This was a fun adventure and this is an auto buy author for me. It’s 100% worth the read.

An Edgar Allen Poe retelling. If you like your atmosphere a little dark and gothic this is the book for you!

I can’t speak to the Poe retelling.
I was into the plot as the initial premise is interesting, and I wanted to know about Imogen and Nico. But then it lost me with the introduction of vampires 2/3 of the way in. Overall it wasn’t super gripping, and honestly the characters all get a little confusing and blend together, without much happening. I received an advance review copy for free via Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and author for the copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review.