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 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.
-We got no answers about the mystery. Now I know that this is a duology and the author can’t give away everything in the first book, but I would have liked at least some answers!

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 read early reviews of "When Dreams Descend" being compared to Moulin Rouge, The Phantom of the Opera, and The Night Circus, I knew I had to request a copy. Obviously, I had high expectations for this novel, and yet I was not disappointed. A group of magicians compete to become the next headliner of the Conquering Circus in a world much unlike our own. There are secrets, there are intrigues, and there are romances intertwined in this story of adventure and mystery. I loved the prima donna, Kallia, and her mysterious past. She captivated me throughout this novel as the story unfolded. I flew through the book - what a wonderful YA novel to get me out of the quarantine reading slump! Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Full disclosure, I’m not a fan of The Phantom of the Opera, but I LOVE Moulin Rouge. I thought this would be a similar setting but also similar love story. Sadly, it was not a similar love story, but the I could see how the setting could be compared.

I really struggled to form connections with the main characters. Kallia was just… well, kind of a bitch honestly. She annoyed me. The author was shoving feminism in our face while also making Kallia a pretty bad representation of it. I wanted to see a strong woman fighting to prove herself in a male dominant world, not an arrogant woman who seems to fall to pieces over a guy. (A guy who I also couldn’t seem to make myself care about too much… what all did I really know about him anyway?).

Really wish there was more background on the side characters too because I had a hard time caring about them when anything bad happened to them. I didn’t really care at all if I’m being honest. The plot was confusing even outside of these issues, because I wasn’t sure why any of it was important. This book felt like an extremely long prologue. I didn’t actually get to the end of this book, so that could also have something to do with my feelings. I'm giving this book 3 stars, mostly because I really enjoyed the setting.

I’ll wait to publish my review on Goodreads until the book is published because I don’t want to deter anyone from reading this. I feel like this might be one of those “it’s not you, it’s me” situations, and this story seems like one that a particular audience would really enjoy. It could also be the time I happened to read this just wasn’t right. I’ll definitely revisit this review closer to publication to make sure I still feel the same way. I think being cooped up right now is making me a bit stir crazy.

I am a huge fan of St. Martin’s Press and I usually enjoy their books, but I feel like this might’ve been a “wrong time” kind of thing. I’m not in the right head-space for it. I’m going to try reading it again when it’s released.

Book: Where Dreams Descend
Author: Janella Angeles
Rating: 2 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank the publisher, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for sending me an ARC.

I really am sorry that I didn’t enjoy this one. I really wanted to, but there was just something about it that just didn’t mesh with me. I don’t know what it was, but I just think that I wasn’t the right reader for this one. It’s beautifully done and I think it will be a hit, but it just didn’t work for me.

The characters just didn’t work for me. I really wanted to like them, but there was something about them that made it really difficult for me to connect with. We did have a rather large cast of characters, but I felt like only a few of them were actually well developed. It made me really wonder why he even had all of these characters. I know a lot of them were side characters and all, but still, it would had been nice if they had a propose. Plus, this is a diverse book, but trying to give everyone a chance to be represented just made the story get lost.

The writing really didn’t connect with me either. It felt like the author was almost trying too hard. Don’t get me wrong, it was beautiful and all, but it just didn’t really work for me. I would have much rather choppy writing and not lost the story then what we got.

There was also too much going on that it made it hard to decide just what the plot was. There were so many different directions and allusions that I had no idea what the point was. There was really no clear cut thing as to what the characters were trying to get done. Plus, again, we spent too much time on trying to be diverse that we lost the plot. There was a bunch of scenes that really didn’t need to be in there, but because of diversity, they were left there. I know it kind of seems like I don’t like diverse books and that’s not the case; I still want a story and characters that pull me in-that’s all.

The world building also didn’t work for me. It felt uneven. There were times that the author would give us information and other times, no. It was very vague and left me with more questions than anything. Since I spent a lot of time trying to make sense of what was going on, it made me put the book down.

Anyway, those are just my thoughts. I really don’t think it’s a terrible book, but it just didn’t work for me.

This book comes out on June 2, 2020.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for letting me read and review this gripping, vivid and lush fantasy.
This is described as similar to The Night Circus and Caraval, which I can see how it's like Caraval and has a lot of a similar feel to that book and series and it also reminds me a lot of The Phantom of the Opera as well. It's like all the circus, magic/magician, otherworldly amazing stories that are out there right now. I think it even reminds me of some of The Starless Sea also.
I enjoyed this story a lot, it did have a little bit of a slow start, but then it went really fast and stayed intense and building up until the end where you're left hanging with the very tense cliffhanger ending and wanting to know what will happen next.
In this story, it starts out with Kallia, the star magician, who is doing her show at a place locked away and hidden deep in the woods and Jack is her master/keeper who has been training and teaching her about her magic for years.
Kallia is feeling trapped and caged and yearns to go see what other places there are to visit and hears about competition in a nearby town called Glorian so she runs off one day and goes to Glorian leaving Jack and that life behind.
When she arrives in the town, Glorian, she meets a thief and then finds her way to where the magic competition is being held and decides to enter into it so she can showcase her skills, her magic and win. She meets the Conquerors, the circus performers, and magicians, who become friends with her and help her with things with the contest and everything in general.
Then she becomes friends and gets her own assistant, Aaros and meets DeMarco, who is also a magician that has his own secrets and a secret past. DeMarco and Kallia begin to be friends and then end up working together to train and prepare for one of the shows in the contest and then DeMarco comes out with his secret past to her.
Also while she's in Glorian competing and learning about the magic system the town is built on and everything else, whenever she's by mirrors and usually when she's alone, Jack keeps appearing to her, warning her what will happen if she doesn't leave the town or come back to him.
Then other magicians in the competition begin disappearing and strange things keep happening, but they're not sure what's happening and Kallia keeps trying to keep Jack away with her magic, but he keeps showing up then when they come to the last night of the contest, everything crescendos and you're left wondering what happened, trying to figure it out and hoping everything turns out in the next book.
If you loved or enjoyed Caraval or Phantom of the Opera or any of those kinds of books then make sure to have this one on your list!

Fans of The Night Circus will be lining up for Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles. A group of powerful, flashy magicians face off against each other to determine the next headliner of their enchanted circus, but a mysterious threat lurking behind the scenes puts them all at risk, even as their proposed acts get more and more elaborate and dangerous.

It's the perfect blend between the gaudy glamour and romance of Moulin Rouge, the creepy circus vibes of The Night Circus, the subtle horror of The Phantom of the Opera, and something else all its own. The characters are archetypal and familiar yet totally creative and with new, unexpected dynamics; I particularly appreciate the deliberate gender (and personality) flip of the usual magician-and-assistant dynamic. It's the kind of book you want to read twice: once as fast as possible to find out what happens, and then again to catch all the exquisite details.

I was wary to pick up this book. I've seen a lot of comparison to Caraval, and I haven't been in a rush to read that one yet. I wasn't sure what I was going to think of this book, but I was hooked the minute I began reading it.

The book begins with a section entitled Dramatis Personae and it lists the characters who will appear in the novel by their roles. Each role is reminiscent of a tarot card, which I'm always a sucker four. The novel itself is then divided into four different acts. The main point of view throughout the novel is that of the main character, Kallia, while small interludes are written from the perspective of other characters. The way the novel was assembled is utterly brilliant. It allows the reader to know when shifts are coming while still providing plenty of twists and turns. My only formatting complaint is that occasionally scenes from The Master's point of view immediately followed those of Kallia's, and I would have appreciated a break between them.

The plot of this novel is unlike anything I've ever read. I usually know roughly what will happen within a book, but this novel kept me questioning everything. Within the first third I was wrapped up in Kallia's role in the competition. I wasn't too concerned about any of the other characters. However, the second things start slowing down, the author hits you with another plot twist. The characters are all entangled in a web of mystery and magic and I constantly questioned who could be trusted. To be honest, I'm still not sure, but I mean that in the best of way. The ending is both satisfying and maddening. Janella Angeles somehow managed to answer just enough of the question that I had that I'm satisfied with how the novel turned out, but I also desperately need to know what is going to happen next. Usually I end up continuing a series because of my love of the characters, but with this book I'm also driven by the need to know why.

The characters of this book are all wonderfully well-rounded. Kallia herself has a myriad of layers. While on stage she is dramatic and fierce, her everyday life is fueled by ambition and determination to be the best. Jack is enigmatic in an intentional way; his character is developed, even though we may not know everything we can about him. Demarco may be the token brooding character (is that a phrase? I'm making it a phrase), but the emotions and small gestures made by his character have to make him more. Canary and Aaros are my favorite side characters. They add a perfect balance of humor to the rather serious main characters.

The romance in this book is also well done. It never feels forced or unexpected, which is always a nice surprise. While there is no obvious LGBT+ representation, the romance is a clear subplot and we only know about the romantic leanings of two characters (possibly three), so there's always a chance that representation will increase in the second book.

Kallia herself is outright described as having brown skin (thank the gods there were no food comparisons) and having a powerful female poc is something I always enjoy seeing!

Overall, the novel is a mix of glitz and grit, fear and euphoria, and will leave you wishing you could return to the dream-like haze the novel casts.

Mystery in magic and illusions, perfected with a pinch of romance.

OMG.. I just died a thousand deaths at the ending. I need the next book! How could the author do this to me? I’ll be wreaked till the sequel is out next year 🙈

I must say that this book was very mesmerizing. When magic alone isn’t enough, illusions combined gives it an extra punch. And this book is all about that.

So in this story, we have Kallia, a lady magician, who is trying to prove that she is the best magician and can survive outside the small stage she has been given by Jack. Then we also have Jack, a powerful magician, who I still can’t place if he is evil or just possessive because he is constantly trying to hinder Kallia from venturing into the world with the fear that she might get hurt.

But she escapes and meets new allies, Aaros and the Conquering Circus and joins a competition that could change fate for her. Along the way, she meets Daron, one of the judges in the competition, who was a magician before with a dreadful past and they both eventually fall for each other 😍

I really enjoyed the setting, character development, plot and everything else. They were all very exciting especially with the romance and terrors but I hoped that the minor characters could develop a bit more too, especially Aaros and Canary. I hope that will happen in the next installment.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from St Martin’s Press and Wednesday Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

4 and a half stars (rounded up to 5 because of Goodreads’ rating system). Let me just start out by saying WOW. When I heard all the comparisons of this book (phantom of the opera, moulin rouge, the night circus) I had extremely high expectations and they were met! Although it does have its similarities, I’m happy to say Where Dreams Descend has a beautiful uniqueness. Who wouldn’t be enticed by magical contests, circuses, a heroine that wants to be more than the cards life has dealt her, and some broody, mysterious men?

I want to start by saying a lot of readers will be able to relate to Kallia, especially millennial women. I saw in her a lot of myself and I’m sure many others will too. She has the toxic millennial mindset of wanting perfection, obsessing over little mistakes and imperfections. She also suffers from being caged in and sheltered and then subsequently blamed for keeping herself in that situation (aka whoever is keeping her caged is manipulating her into thinking it’s her own fault she’s where she’s at). That’s why I loved her attitude and some may think it’s arrogant, but it’s mostly an armor.

Dare is a sweetheart with a sad past aka my cup of tea when it comes to fictional men. It takes a long while to learn what happened to him (and even now I still have questions) but overall I enjoyed his character. Poor guy just needs a drink and a hug.

Jack.... Jack Jack Jack. He’s grey for me. I think Janella purposely framed him at first to seem like the big bad guy but there she’s hiding something for us for the next installment. He’s got his manipulative qualities but in the end, we don’t exactly understand why (not yet at least!).

I gotta say that the side characters stole the show and I hope we get to see more of them (but I don’t know if we will or how it’ll work in the next book - no spoilers here). Aaros is my favorite of all the characters. My dumb little thief with a big heart. There was a scene with him and Kallia on the floor (it’s not what you think it is!) that rugged at my heart strings. I’m glad to see a wonderful female-male friendship (although I gotta say I kinda ship him and Kallia.... I always pick the wrong ships though so I’m gonna steer clear and not get my hopes up for any one camp).

The romance was also wonderful. And there’s definitely a love triangle vibe no matter how much Kallia wants to deny it. And again, I always lose when I pick a side in a love triangle SO IM NOT FALLING FOR IT!! I remain neutral as to not get my heart broken.

I dinged half a star because there are a lot of questions left unanswered surrounding a lot of the characters. However I expect the next book to address them. Also because I never could visualize the entirety of the characters physical features. Unless I missed it, there were some details explained but not all. I like to have a clearer picture in my mind what characters look like.

All in all I think it’s a great debut and I think the next book will be even stronger. Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Excellent world-building and absolutely beautiful writing! While understanding the timing in the novel could be a bit muddled at times, the character development, overall mystery, and tension between the cast was so much fun to follow. I'm very interested in any future novels by Ms. Angeles.

An ARC of this novel was provided to me for free from NetGalley.

DNF 33%

I realize there are so many books out there that I might enjoy more than this one. I had a hard time from the beginning with following the story or finding any connection with any of the characters. All of the characters, besides Jack, were so flat. I can't keep reading for more Jack so I'm giving up. Kallia was pretty bratty. I felt bad when she is accused of causing problems but that isn't enough for me to really care about her. She was all diva and a bit childish as well from what I have seen. Daron Demarco has a great name but again, so flat. I didn't mind the assistant, Aaros. He was entertaining and funny. I was so hoping for something to draw me in but nothing yet. I found myself going back and re-reading pages over and over again. I would stare at words but nothing would register. Basically, this one wasn't for me. So much promise but fell so flat.

I absolutely adored this. I loved Kallia from her first chapter, and I love the dynamic she had with all the characters and the world around her. I was just as intrigued with Glorian and the magic contest as Kallia was, and it all felt real and alive, and there was never a dull moment. The secrets of Glorian and Jack and a few other characters I won’t name were wonderfully done, giving you just enough to keep you wondering and on the edge of your seat.

Where Dreams Descend felt like a set-up book to me. It felt like the author was laying the groundwork for the next book--which makes me super excited for the sequel. The author has a lot of questions to answer in the next book because, honestly, she didn’t answer many in Where Dreams Descend.

The first two chapters of this book were phenomenal. I was immediately captivated by this magical story, but then the story lost its initial sheen that drew me in. . In my opinion, the story didn't pick up until the 80% mark. The last 20% of this book was great; it was exactly what I wanted.

This book was told from 3 different perspectives: Kallia, Jack, and Daron. Jack’s point of view was by far my favorite. He’s such a mysterious, intriguing character; you never have a firm grasp on who he is or what he wants. I’m really looking forward to learning more about him in the next book. Kallia, on the other hand, is brash, ambitious, and impulsive. She exudes confidence, no matter what she does. Sadly, I never felt a connection with her. The last of our trio, Daron, is a sweetheart with many secrets in regards to his past. His interactions with Kallia were endlessly entertaining. I’m a sucker for good banter, and they had great banter in this book.

I enjoyed the magician and circus aspect of this book. The magic system seems fairly simple: you either have magic naturally or can acquire it through learning, or you have no association with magic at all. However, it’s important to note that natural-born magicians are far more powerful than those who learn magic.

This book sat at a 3-star rating until I hit the 80% mark. The last 20% and the ending were so good that I’ve decided to give this book 3.5 stars. Overall, I enjoyed this book, but I didn’t love it. I’m not quite sure what caused my disconnect with this story, especially since I started off loving it. It might have been the writing or the fact that I simply didn’t connect with Kallia all that much. She was just okay, in my opinion. I found the other characters, particularly Aaros, to be more interesting. I’m hoping the other characters play a bigger part in the sequel!

I received an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

It's Caraval meets the Night Circus, sprinkled with a little bit of Moulin Rouge/Phantom of the Opera! Magic and mystery and mayhem topped with a dash of romance and danger.

For a while now I have been searching for a carnival/circus themed story that pulled me into it's world wholeheartedly and Where Dreams Descend did just that! I was enraptured from the very first page.

The story follows Kallia, a nightclub showgirl and magician, who is looking for her place in a male dominated world of magic. She enters (as the only female) into a competition of magic and showmanship where the winner is to become the headlining act in the visiting Conquering Circus. As the competition advances, the acts become more dangerous and an unseen danger begins to threaten them all.

In her past lies Jack, the master of the club she left behind. Ahead of her lies Demarco, the magician and competition judge with a dark past of his own.

I devoured this book in a couple of days. Kallia is a character you really want to stand behind and hope for all the best for her, although at times she does come across as a little naive. BUT...she has such an enticing backstory full of glittering chandeliers and steamy romantic tension that you can easily understand where her naivete comes from.

As the first book in Janella Angeles' debut Kingdom of Cards fantasy duology, she has hit the ground running with this exciting ride of a story. Magic, danger, romance. Could you ask for anything more? My only complaint is that I have to wait so long for the journey to continue!

This novel was an enjoyable read, bringing together magic and mayhem, mysteries and secrets. To some, magic is power. Some use it for good, evil, entertainment, or manipulations. After all, Shakespeare said "all the world's a stage and all the men and women merely players". However, a women has never been selected to compete in the game, but Kallia is no ordinary magician. Kallia is determined, stubborn, arrogant, and as the novel progresses, she begins to show who she is from the inside, showing she is more than what she appears. Demarco, once a rising magician, has his own secrets, like Kallia, but is broody, lost, and wants to right a wrong. He tries to avoid Kallia, and both have many arguments and debates, but like calls to like. Kallia has her own troubles with Jack, the one who trained her, lied to her, and stalks her. Most of the judges and the mayor want to blame Kallia for all the things going wrong with the competition, but something sinister is within the city, and has been for a long time. No one knows what its after, but none can escape and therefore they have to figure out what exactly the game is before one of them in next. Looking forward to then next novel in the series!
I received this novel from net galley and the publisher as an ARC. Thank you! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book has an amazing mashup of themes and I adore it! However, the cover and title quickly drew me in, and the writing had me hooked!

You simply must read this!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC!

i've been looking forward to reading this book since THE moment i heard about it, and it did NOT disappoint! the drama, the sensuality, the danger — everything that was promised with a concept of phantom of the opera meets moulin rogue was DELIVERED and i loved every second of it. the characters, the worldbuilding, the romance, i ate it all up. i love kallia immensely. i love the conquerors. i love aaros, and demarco. i love that i finished this book and then kept trying to open up the kindle app again to finish it bc i kept FORGETTING that i finished it bc it left off on such a note that i was itching for the next one and i love that i stILL DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.

Wow, very magical and dramatic story with an ending that has you on your seat for the next book. I really loved the fiery power of the female lead, and seeing her vulnerable side. Definitely one of my all time favourite characters.
The only critique I really have is, for some reason, I felt pretty disconnected to this book. I can’t exactly place where it comes from, because the characters are relatable and the events were dramatic. Perhaps it was because there wasn’t enough setup in the beginning to have me really immersed in the world. Either way, I still enjoyed this book!!

This was a breathtaking read with inspirations of Phantom of the Opera and Moulin Rouge that was felt throughout and reimagined. I definitely think I felt more of the story was drawn on Phantom if the Opera than Moulin Rouge. This however was an amped up magical twist and I am so here for it. A must read that I highly recommend.

When I read the summary of this book I thought it could either be completely amazing-or a book I can't finish. I debated requesting it, but finally decided to go for it. After downloading it, it took me a couple of tries two get into the book. I found the beginning to be confusing, and it took me about 100 pages to really understand what was going on. The characters are interesting and unique, as is the storyline. Although it didn't blow me away as I was hoping it would, I did enjoy it overall.