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3.48 AVERAGE
3.48 AVERAGE
3.5 stars. Last read for 2019. Full review coming soon.
The mark of a good book (according to me at least) is the point at which everything starts to make sense and you figure out what's going to happen but not how it happens. Reverie was amazing. The concept sounded cool and it was well executed. There could have been more clarity in some scenes. I had to read them multiple times to make sense. The friend group is amazing and the characters were well fleshed out. The romance just punched me . It was so sudden. I thought they needed more time to just develop. Overall a good book that I'll recommend to my friends.
Disclaimer: eARC was provide via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Reverie has been on my radar for a while now, and when I finally got to read it, it exceeded every single one of my expectations. I picked it up to reread almost as soon as I finished this.
It follows a teenage boy, Kane, trying to figure out the gaps in his memory and how they came to be, alongside having to deal with manifestations of people's daydreams - reveries.
Now it may seem obvious what part these reveries play in the plot, considering the title of the book and all, but they were so well developed, but in a way that ignites the reader's curiosity and basically makes Reverie unputdownable. Without going into too much detail so as to avoid spoilers, each reverie is written in such a way that they have their own unique tones, and come to life as stories within the main plot, adding an extra dimension to the already dynamic plot. Major kudos to Ryan La Sala for coming up with stories within this one; I would have read a full novel for each one.
The writing style itself was breathtaking. There were several part where I had to put my kindle down because the writing was so visceral, and as great as the book was, I really didn't want to be sucked in literally. It also changed in subtle ways for each reverie that made it so I could picture exactly what they would be like if I were sitting in a movie theatre watching them on the big screen. I'm honestly still not over how beautiful this book is.
The writing is not alone in what makes Reverie so magical and wonderful. The magic system in this, with the etherea that creates the reveries and the powers that characters possess, is a large part of how compelling Reverie is as a story. It worked similarly to science, in a way that reminded me of A Wrinkle in Time; even though it was at times complex (which goes to show the thought that Ryan La Sala put into it) everything made sense. Also, where can I apply to do Poesy's degrees?
The characters themselves are all fantastic. Poesy especially was really well written, multidimensional with compelling motives that felt completely natural, even though unfortunately we live in a world where (as far as I know) there are no reveries. Kane, the main character, was extraordinarily relatable as we followed his journey through the book, and even though part of the plot revolves around his loss of memories there is a very strong sense of who he is as a person, but he also has good character development. Also, he's gay, and we really could use more fantasy that has gay main characters but doesn't centre around their struggles, at least with regards to sexuality. I could go on an in-depth rant on how great some of the characters who show up later in the book are, but we'd be here for days and I'd like to avoid spoilers. What I will say, though, is that Sophia is the best sibling ever, and Kane is lucky she's on his side.
The plot itself is just twisty enough to keep the reader at the edge of their seats, but not so twisty that it launches them into space. The different elements of the book come together to enhance the plot, not detract from it, and lend themselves well to creating a perfect pace, balancing well with the twists and the suspense.
TL;DR: Everyone should preorder this immediately. It is such a fantastic book that whenever someone asks me how much I liked it, I loose all knowledge of the English language. Whether you're a plot person, a fan of great antagonists, or a lover of magic, you will not feel deprived.
Reverie has been on my radar for a while now, and when I finally got to read it, it exceeded every single one of my expectations. I picked it up to reread almost as soon as I finished this.
It follows a teenage boy, Kane, trying to figure out the gaps in his memory and how they came to be, alongside having to deal with manifestations of people's daydreams - reveries.
Now it may seem obvious what part these reveries play in the plot, considering the title of the book and all, but they were so well developed, but in a way that ignites the reader's curiosity and basically makes Reverie unputdownable. Without going into too much detail so as to avoid spoilers, each reverie is written in such a way that they have their own unique tones, and come to life as stories within the main plot, adding an extra dimension to the already dynamic plot. Major kudos to Ryan La Sala for coming up with stories within this one; I would have read a full novel for each one.
The writing style itself was breathtaking. There were several part where I had to put my kindle down because the writing was so visceral, and as great as the book was, I really didn't want to be sucked in literally. It also changed in subtle ways for each reverie that made it so I could picture exactly what they would be like if I were sitting in a movie theatre watching them on the big screen. I'm honestly still not over how beautiful this book is.
The writing is not alone in what makes Reverie so magical and wonderful. The magic system in this, with the etherea that creates the reveries and the powers that characters possess, is a large part of how compelling Reverie is as a story. It worked similarly to science, in a way that reminded me of A Wrinkle in Time; even though it was at times complex (which goes to show the thought that Ryan La Sala put into it) everything made sense. Also, where can I apply to do Poesy's degrees?
The characters themselves are all fantastic. Poesy especially was really well written, multidimensional with compelling motives that felt completely natural, even though unfortunately we live in a world where (as far as I know) there are no reveries. Kane, the main character, was extraordinarily relatable as we followed his journey through the book, and even though part of the plot revolves around his loss of memories there is a very strong sense of who he is as a person, but he also has good character development. Also, he's gay, and we really could use more fantasy that has gay main characters but doesn't centre around their struggles, at least with regards to sexuality. I could go on an in-depth rant on how great some of the characters who show up later in the book are, but we'd be here for days and I'd like to avoid spoilers. What I will say, though, is that Sophia is the best sibling ever, and Kane is lucky she's on his side.
The plot itself is just twisty enough to keep the reader at the edge of their seats, but not so twisty that it launches them into space. The different elements of the book come together to enhance the plot, not detract from it, and lend themselves well to creating a perfect pace, balancing well with the twists and the suspense.
TL;DR: Everyone should preorder this immediately. It is such a fantastic book that whenever someone asks me how much I liked it, I loose all knowledge of the English language. Whether you're a plot person, a fan of great antagonists, or a lover of magic, you will not feel deprived.
Reverie has a clever and promising premise and follows some good plot lines, but it fell flat for me. Despite it being marketed as a young adult book and with some elements being most appropriate for an older, YA audience, three-quarters of it read like a middle-grade book, with the phrasing and style I would expect from stories aimed at that younger age group. So it was jarring when there were some instances of strong language and more mature content. I also felt that the author was trying too hard at times to use some “impressive” vocabulary (and it was a bit annoying when I noted he had used “desiccated” three times within a chapter or two). It didn’t feel organic.
All in all, some good bones, but the flesh needed more work and maybe defter hands crafting it. The author is a member of the LGBTQIA community himself and says in the acknowledgments that he appreciates the opportunity to be able to live in a time when he can publish this book and have it be there for youths like he was. But it still seemed too often like a statement piece rather than just a book where these LGBTQ characters live and grow naturally within the story.
* I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Read my full review, including a rating for content, at RatedReads.com: https://ratedreads.com/reverie-young-adult-book-review/
All in all, some good bones, but the flesh needed more work and maybe defter hands crafting it. The author is a member of the LGBTQIA community himself and says in the acknowledgments that he appreciates the opportunity to be able to live in a time when he can publish this book and have it be there for youths like he was. But it still seemed too often like a statement piece rather than just a book where these LGBTQ characters live and grow naturally within the story.
* I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Read my full review, including a rating for content, at RatedReads.com: https://ratedreads.com/reverie-young-adult-book-review/
the first like 30% of this book was really confusing but overall i really liked it
I really enjoyed this book. Many of the main characters were LGBQT+. I mean how often is the main antagonist an epic drag queen. The world building was fantastic. I could picture the reveries beautifully. I hope this author continues writing in this world.
I received an ARC from Netflix for an honest review.
I received an ARC from Netflix for an honest review.
There was so much going on in this book. It had much of what I was looking for and tons more. Yes, I found small flaws, if only because of the way some of the characters had been treated previously. But, with Kane's memory lapse, and walking through all of it, to get to where it all needed to be, it left that behind and gave me a good amount of what this world had promised.
There was creepiness, mystery, diversity, the supernatural at all turns. And, really, one of my favorite topics gets to be a starring attraction, right next to those that bring them to life. I wasn't sure what it would really include in those dream worlds when I picked this book up, but it caught my full interest. Really glad I gave this a chance, because it did bring much of what I was wanting it to be, plus it gave us a nice twist.
I have to say Kane, at first, wasn't my favorite, but as the story went along, and everything was brought into fruition, he grew on me. There was tons that those first chapters didn't do justice to who he was, but in a way glad it worked out that way. I rooted for him even more as the story moved along. And, talk about the rest of them? More to love, more to entertain, and enough suspense to keep me going. But, really, this book kept a great deal of my interest, 'til the very end.
***I received this copy from Sourcebooks Fire via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.***
There was creepiness, mystery, diversity, the supernatural at all turns. And, really, one of my favorite topics gets to be a starring attraction, right next to those that bring them to life. I wasn't sure what it would really include in those dream worlds when I picked this book up, but it caught my full interest. Really glad I gave this a chance, because it did bring much of what I was wanting it to be, plus it gave us a nice twist.
I have to say Kane, at first, wasn't my favorite, but as the story went along, and everything was brought into fruition, he grew on me. There was tons that those first chapters didn't do justice to who he was, but in a way glad it worked out that way. I rooted for him even more as the story moved along. And, talk about the rest of them? More to love, more to entertain, and enough suspense to keep me going. But, really, this book kept a great deal of my interest, 'til the very end.
***I received this copy from Sourcebooks Fire via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.***
emotional
medium-paced
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I can’t believe I waited so long to read this book! Absolutely fantastic!