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sophia_pearl's review against another edition
4.0
Let's be real for a moment: the main character of this book is its aesthetic, and I am 100% for that. It was like reading The Night Circus, full of atmospheric description and rich world-building, and I loved it. Do I feel that all of my questions were answered? No, but isn't that what sequels are for? ;) This story was full of twists, magic, candlelight... plenty of smoke and mirrors, both literal and metaphorically. I am so glad I read this book and I am looking forward to the next one!
ky_jay_wald's review against another edition
2.0
The story just didn’t made sense to me… it was all over the place and I felt like it was sloppy. I read it because of caravel and being told it was similar. To me it just felt like the book stood in one place and didn’t move
rsales2's review against another edition
3.0
I really loved the atmosphere of this book, but I feel like none of my questions were answered (mostly about Jack). I mostly enjoyed the romance, but also very much hated the back and forth of “I must push him/her away or else they will get hurt.” I felt like this exchange happened every 50 pages. That being said, of course I will read the next book in the series!
blogginboutbooks's review against another edition
3.0
YA fantasy isn't really my thing, but the premise of this book sounded interesting enough that I agreed to review the novel. Since I received an e-ARC, I didn't realize until about 1/4 of the way through how LONG this book is. In paper form, it's 464 pages! In my opinion, at least 100 of them could have been chopped, if not 200. That being said, the story was engaging enough that I finished. I'm not sure there was any point, though, that I couldn't have put the novel down. It's not that the plot doesn't have any action, it's just that it gets redundant and somehow wasn't tense or suspenseful enough to keep me riveted to the page, at least not for 464 pages. In addition, the finale leaves a lot to be desired. The story ends on a cliffhanger, of course, but without satisfactorily wrapping up much at all, which makes the ending feel unsatisfying, especially after wading through so many pages to get there. Its disappointing end decided me on the sequel—no thanks. WHERE DREAMS DESCEND leaves plenty of questions that need to be answered, but I just don't have the patience to plow through another thick tome to get them.
In addition, the characters are pretty ho-hum, with none being super original. Kallia provides a strong female lead, but while her confidence and determination make her admirable, her vanity and coldness make her difficult to like. For leading men, neither Jack nor Demarco has much personality or freshness. The women of the Conquering Circus are the most interesting characters in the book by far, but they are not fleshed out nearly enough. Same goes for Glorian - for a city full of secrets, it's not nearly as mysterious as it should be. A shame because it is the most intriguing part of WHERE DREAMS DESCEND for me.
All things considered, then, WHERE DREAMS DESCEND was just an average read for me.
In addition, the characters are pretty ho-hum, with none being super original. Kallia provides a strong female lead, but while her confidence and determination make her admirable, her vanity and coldness make her difficult to like. For leading men, neither Jack nor Demarco has much personality or freshness. The women of the Conquering Circus are the most interesting characters in the book by far, but they are not fleshed out nearly enough. Same goes for Glorian - for a city full of secrets, it's not nearly as mysterious as it should be. A shame because it is the most intriguing part of WHERE DREAMS DESCEND for me.
All things considered, then, WHERE DREAMS DESCEND was just an average read for me.
litwithlauren's review against another edition
3.0
original review: sigh....
updated review:
I have to say that despite not totally loving the plot or pacing in Where Dreams Descend, I really did love all of the characters. Our star Kallia is everything I love in a protagonist. I love her boldness, her confidence, her ambition. I love that she knows that she is capable of greatness and won’t let anyone or anything prevent her from being recognized as the fantastically talented and powerful magician she is. While the other magicians competing in Spectaculore struggle to put together awe-inspiring acts, Kallia has a natural flare that she can easily back up with the raw power afforded to her as a born magician. As much as other people might try to bring her down, Kallia always manages to keep her chin up and show them exactly what she can do to prove that they are wrong about her. Indomitable as she might be, though, Kallia also has moments of vulnerability and immense loneliness as she comes to terms with the trauma and abuse she escaped from, and that balance is what makes her human.
Unfortunately, I did not love the plot as much as I loved the characters. Normally this isn’t much of an issue for me, as I tend to enjoy character-driven books over plot-driven ones, but the issues I had with the plot seeped into the personalities of the characters and their interactions enough that I couldn’t overlook them.
The bulk of the book centers around Spectaculore, the competition between magicians to determine who will be the next headliner of the Conquering Circus. The competition takes place in the mysterious town of Glorian, which has inspired multiple conspiracy theories and rumors throughout the years. I think I would have enjoyed Where Dreams Descend more if either of these aspects had been explored further. Much like Jack, who is undeniably our Phantom in this book, I was left without answers about Glorian and the other peculiar forces that interfere with Spectaculore.
You can read my full review here: http://loveyoshelf.com/2020/08/01/review-where-dreams-descend-by-janella-angeles/
updated review:
I have to say that despite not totally loving the plot or pacing in Where Dreams Descend, I really did love all of the characters. Our star Kallia is everything I love in a protagonist. I love her boldness, her confidence, her ambition. I love that she knows that she is capable of greatness and won’t let anyone or anything prevent her from being recognized as the fantastically talented and powerful magician she is. While the other magicians competing in Spectaculore struggle to put together awe-inspiring acts, Kallia has a natural flare that she can easily back up with the raw power afforded to her as a born magician. As much as other people might try to bring her down, Kallia always manages to keep her chin up and show them exactly what she can do to prove that they are wrong about her. Indomitable as she might be, though, Kallia also has moments of vulnerability and immense loneliness as she comes to terms with the trauma and abuse she escaped from, and that balance is what makes her human.
Unfortunately, I did not love the plot as much as I loved the characters. Normally this isn’t much of an issue for me, as I tend to enjoy character-driven books over plot-driven ones, but the issues I had with the plot seeped into the personalities of the characters and their interactions enough that I couldn’t overlook them.
The bulk of the book centers around Spectaculore, the competition between magicians to determine who will be the next headliner of the Conquering Circus. The competition takes place in the mysterious town of Glorian, which has inspired multiple conspiracy theories and rumors throughout the years. I think I would have enjoyed Where Dreams Descend more if either of these aspects had been explored further. Much like Jack, who is undeniably our Phantom in this book, I was left without answers about Glorian and the other peculiar forces that interfere with Spectaculore.
You can read my full review here: http://loveyoshelf.com/2020/08/01/review-where-dreams-descend-by-janella-angeles/
paigesinbooks's review against another edition
5.0
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
First things first, this is Kallia's story. If you're going into this book expecting a large cast of characters to care about, you're going to be disappointed. This is a story about a showgirl/magician and her hopes and dreams. The other characters do not need to be as developed as Kallia because they are not the ones you are supposed to care about. Again, this is Kallia's story.
Kallia is running from the club she has been trapped in by illusions in the hopes of something better, something that she can control. She enters a mysterious city, finds a quick companion, and makes her way to the stage for an audition in the magician's competition. Now, I already said this is Kallia's story, and it is. However, this book is also about the city itself, and the city seems to be angry.
**Potential spoilers below**
If you can't tell by now, I've read the negative reviews of this book, and I think they're ridiculous. The main complaints I've seen include the fact that you feel nothing for the disappearing magicians. Great! You're not supposed to. This is Kallia's story. The disappearing magicians are nothing but a plot device, and that's fine. I never once felt like I was missing out because I didn't know who they were or why there were there. This was not their story. Instead, their disappearances are meant to make the reader question who or what is causing the disappearances and if Jack (The Master of the club Kallia has run away from) is behind it all or if he's truly trying to heed warnings.
Jack is abusive. There's no question about that. He's manipulative and abusive, and his character is completely confusing and his motivations are unclear. THIS IS FINE. This is the first book in a series. If everything wrapped up cleanly by the end, there would be no book two. Instead, we're left wondering what Jack was trying to warn Kallia about, how he knew about DeMarco, and more specifically, *what exactly he knows about DeMarco*.
That leads me to... DeMarco. While at times this felt like it could also be his story, it is not. It is Kallia's story. DeMarco is looking for his missing sister. We learn how she went missing later in the book (why are so many people complaining about loose ends and plots that don't make sense when we literally have one right here that we're watching pan out very, very clearly?), and we learn how that affected him as a stage magician. HOWEVER, considering the way she disappeared and Kallia's intense phobia of the *same thing*, this is clearly a set up for something involving Kallia and potentially Jack.
A lot of the angry, negative reviews of this book, in my opinion, treated this book like a standalone and not the opening to a series. Yes, there are loose ends and things that don't make sense. However, (those of you who DNF...) if you'd taken the time to get to the end, you'd see how all those loose ends meet up and set up book 2, a book that I cannot wait to get my hands on and am quite upset I have to wait so long to get.
First things first, this is Kallia's story. If you're going into this book expecting a large cast of characters to care about, you're going to be disappointed. This is a story about a showgirl/magician and her hopes and dreams. The other characters do not need to be as developed as Kallia because they are not the ones you are supposed to care about. Again, this is Kallia's story.
Kallia is running from the club she has been trapped in by illusions in the hopes of something better, something that she can control. She enters a mysterious city, finds a quick companion, and makes her way to the stage for an audition in the magician's competition. Now, I already said this is Kallia's story, and it is. However, this book is also about the city itself, and the city seems to be angry.
**Potential spoilers below**
If you can't tell by now, I've read the negative reviews of this book, and I think they're ridiculous. The main complaints I've seen include the fact that you feel nothing for the disappearing magicians. Great! You're not supposed to. This is Kallia's story. The disappearing magicians are nothing but a plot device, and that's fine. I never once felt like I was missing out because I didn't know who they were or why there were there. This was not their story. Instead, their disappearances are meant to make the reader question who or what is causing the disappearances and if Jack (The Master of the club Kallia has run away from) is behind it all or if he's truly trying to heed warnings.
Jack is abusive. There's no question about that. He's manipulative and abusive, and his character is completely confusing and his motivations are unclear. THIS IS FINE. This is the first book in a series. If everything wrapped up cleanly by the end, there would be no book two. Instead, we're left wondering what Jack was trying to warn Kallia about, how he knew about DeMarco, and more specifically, *what exactly he knows about DeMarco*.
That leads me to... DeMarco. While at times this felt like it could also be his story, it is not. It is Kallia's story. DeMarco is looking for his missing sister. We learn how she went missing later in the book (why are so many people complaining about loose ends and plots that don't make sense when we literally have one right here that we're watching pan out very, very clearly?), and we learn how that affected him as a stage magician. HOWEVER, considering the way she disappeared and Kallia's intense phobia of the *same thing*, this is clearly a set up for something involving Kallia and potentially Jack.
A lot of the angry, negative reviews of this book, in my opinion, treated this book like a standalone and not the opening to a series. Yes, there are loose ends and things that don't make sense. However, (those of you who DNF...) if you'd taken the time to get to the end, you'd see how all those loose ends meet up and set up book 2, a book that I cannot wait to get my hands on and am quite upset I have to wait so long to get.
darkandsteamylit's review against another edition
5.0
Thank you to Wednesday Books for sending me this mesmerizing ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Wowza! This book kept me on my toes the whole time! It is pitched perfectly as Moulin Rouge meet Phantom of the Opera and I completely agree, but I think there is a dash of Caraval in it as well. In that I mean just the magical mystery of never being able to guess what is going to happen. From start to finish I was hooked and did not want to put it down!
I fell for our cast of characters and the story wouldn’t work without any of them. Kallia is a MC who is a powerful female magician in a world where is aren’t any...left on the stage like her. But she dreams of a bigger stage then the night club she performs out. Jack who is her mentor and there is major sexual tension, and also secrets and lies he’s keeping.
This book was completely mesmerizing and I absolutely adored it. I felt everything from this book, love, anger, sadness, action, romance and all the magic I could ask for.
I definitely recommend picking this on up when it releases in June!
Wowza! This book kept me on my toes the whole time! It is pitched perfectly as Moulin Rouge meet Phantom of the Opera and I completely agree, but I think there is a dash of Caraval in it as well. In that I mean just the magical mystery of never being able to guess what is going to happen. From start to finish I was hooked and did not want to put it down!
I fell for our cast of characters and the story wouldn’t work without any of them. Kallia is a MC who is a powerful female magician in a world where is aren’t any...left on the stage like her. But she dreams of a bigger stage then the night club she performs out. Jack who is her mentor and there is major sexual tension, and also secrets and lies he’s keeping.
This book was completely mesmerizing and I absolutely adored it. I felt everything from this book, love, anger, sadness, action, romance and all the magic I could ask for.
I definitely recommend picking this on up when it releases in June!
lisamcc514's review against another edition
2.0
Huge thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for providing me with this eARC in exchange for my honest review!
When I saw that Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles was pitched as “Phantom of the Opera” meets “Moulin Rouge” I knew I absolutely had to read it. The synopsis totally pulled me in and intrigued me to see what Where Dreams Descend was all about. The competition aspect actually also made me think of that one Disney Channel Original Movie, Now You See Me!
Where Dreams Descend is an atmospheric, fantasy tale that follows a female magician named Kallia as she competes in a magician competition in the icy city of Glorian. It is a high tension story of magicians, their dark pasts, and a mysterious presence wreaking havoc on the city.
Unfortunately, Where Dreams Descend fell flat for me. My overall feeling is just … meh. It was ok. I hate when I can’t be super positive about books, but I have to share my honest opinions.
I’ll start with what I liked . . . the vibe and the atmosphere!
- The vibe and atmosphere is by far the best part of Where Dreams Descend. The whole story is fantastical with a dark mood. The Dire Woods and the city of Dorian are so captivating and have this air of mystery. Honestly, this was the only thing that kept me invested in the story.
-The first chapter/prologue totally pulled me in. I was like ooooh this is going to be sexy and magical! It definitely started off strong.
Now, onto what I did not enjoy.
-First, and perhaps most important, the lack of world building and characterization. Where Dreams Descend starts off strong with an eerie and mysterious setting, but does nothing to build upon it. I feel like I know nothing about this world. We get a little bit of history with the tale of the four families of Glorian, but even that is vague and quite brief. I just felt like I was kind of thrown into this world. The same goes for the characters . . . I really don’t know that much about them. Like I barely even know what they look like. It seems like the main detail is that every character is running from their past and has a bunch of secrets. That’s it. I don’t know, I’m just not attached to any of the characters. I wanted so badly to love Kallia, but it just wasn’t there.
-Going along with characters and character development, I was not a fan of the romance. The two characters involved just like suddenly fall for each other. I mean it was obvious that they were going to be love interests from the beginning, but I would have liked to see some development and actual formation of a relationship. To me it felt like they were attracted to one another, talked twice, and then were obsessed. It just didn’t feel natural and was definitely rushed. At one point they’re together, broken up, and together again all within like three chapters. Their relationship didn’t feel authentic to me.
-I wanted more! Going into this book I was expecting exciting and extravagant magical competition scenes, but there were only a couple. And these scenes were cool, but it didn’t really translate into reading. Maybe it would have been better on screen? It just wasn’t what I expected.
-Along with the magician’s competition, I wanted more of the Conquering Circus performers. These awesome ladies had so much potential, but they felt more like a prop to be used for Kallia’s performances.
Wow, while writing all of this out I feel bad being so hard on a book. Especially for a debut author. It just sucks to be let down by a book that I was excited for!
I do have to mention the cover, because it is seriously gorgeous! I feel like it perfectly captures the vibe of the first chapter and the mysteriousness of the setting.
Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles will be released on June 2nd, 2020 by Wednesday Books.
When I saw that Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles was pitched as “Phantom of the Opera” meets “Moulin Rouge” I knew I absolutely had to read it. The synopsis totally pulled me in and intrigued me to see what Where Dreams Descend was all about. The competition aspect actually also made me think of that one Disney Channel Original Movie, Now You See Me!
Where Dreams Descend is an atmospheric, fantasy tale that follows a female magician named Kallia as she competes in a magician competition in the icy city of Glorian. It is a high tension story of magicians, their dark pasts, and a mysterious presence wreaking havoc on the city.
Unfortunately, Where Dreams Descend fell flat for me. My overall feeling is just … meh. It was ok. I hate when I can’t be super positive about books, but I have to share my honest opinions.
I’ll start with what I liked . . . the vibe and the atmosphere!
- The vibe and atmosphere is by far the best part of Where Dreams Descend. The whole story is fantastical with a dark mood. The Dire Woods and the city of Dorian are so captivating and have this air of mystery. Honestly, this was the only thing that kept me invested in the story.
-The first chapter/prologue totally pulled me in. I was like ooooh this is going to be sexy and magical! It definitely started off strong.
Now, onto what I did not enjoy.
-First, and perhaps most important, the lack of world building and characterization. Where Dreams Descend starts off strong with an eerie and mysterious setting, but does nothing to build upon it. I feel like I know nothing about this world. We get a little bit of history with the tale of the four families of Glorian, but even that is vague and quite brief. I just felt like I was kind of thrown into this world. The same goes for the characters . . . I really don’t know that much about them. Like I barely even know what they look like. It seems like the main detail is that every character is running from their past and has a bunch of secrets. That’s it. I don’t know, I’m just not attached to any of the characters. I wanted so badly to love Kallia, but it just wasn’t there.
-Going along with characters and character development, I was not a fan of the romance. The two characters involved just like suddenly fall for each other. I mean it was obvious that they were going to be love interests from the beginning, but I would have liked to see some development and actual formation of a relationship. To me it felt like they were attracted to one another, talked twice, and then were obsessed. It just didn’t feel natural and was definitely rushed. At one point they’re together, broken up, and together again all within like three chapters. Their relationship didn’t feel authentic to me.
-I wanted more! Going into this book I was expecting exciting and extravagant magical competition scenes, but there were only a couple. And these scenes were cool, but it didn’t really translate into reading. Maybe it would have been better on screen? It just wasn’t what I expected.
-Along with the magician’s competition, I wanted more of the Conquering Circus performers. These awesome ladies had so much potential, but they felt more like a prop to be used for Kallia’s performances.
Wow, while writing all of this out I feel bad being so hard on a book. Especially for a debut author. It just sucks to be let down by a book that I was excited for!
I do have to mention the cover, because it is seriously gorgeous! I feel like it perfectly captures the vibe of the first chapter and the mysteriousness of the setting.
Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles will be released on June 2nd, 2020 by Wednesday Books.