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

The dream sequences were disorienting and not necessarily in a bad way. I can see what the author’s were trying to do, and while it may work for others, ultimately it just left me confused. I also found that the story got bogged down by unnecessary details. This book just felt very long (and I didn’t even finish it). The sentences are long. The chapters are long. I didn’t connect to any of the characters. I just could slog through it anymore and DNFd at 39%.

This book was written by @blcaglecreativewriter and S. Brown. I read this book as an ARC, so thanks tot he authors and @netgalley for providing it!

I loved this book. I thought it was very original story and I really liked reading it. The book is a first part in the Dreams Trilogy: Witches & Warlocks. I gave the book 4 stars.

The story is about Kira Lockwood who has moved in with her best friend, has a wonderful relationship with her boyfriend and is excellingin her dance classes. Everything was perfectly fine until suddenly Kira is plagued by unusual dreams, or better said nightmares. To make everything more complicated, there’s a new neighbor in the street where Kira lives. He’s also the one haunting her dreams. Their attraction to each other is undeniable. Kira however struggles to understand why they hit it off so good while in her dreams he’s the one tormenting her. She decides to ignore the dreams, because after all.. dreams aren’t real, right?

There are quite some trigger warnings for this book:
Graphic sexual content, masochism, sadism, graphic acts of violence, graphic acts of manipulation, manipulative torture tactics, sensory deprivation, physical assault, mentions of mental health issues, threats of both physical and sexual assault, dubious consent, mentions of illegal drugs, alcohol use and excessive drinking, bad language.

For a debut novel- Dreams of Darkness and Desire was definitely something to be proud of. This is one emotional rollar coaster of a book set in New Orleans. It was filled with a good amount of mystery, questions, depth of character. Things were unexpected at times and I love to feel that was in a book.

I also really enjoyed how that cliff hanger was written.

That said, there were a few things I didn't really enjoy. When I went into Dreams of Darkness and Desire, I was under the impression that this was a YA book. But it felt a little too explicit for that. And one other critique- at times, things were a little too confusing with dreams v.s. reality.

I would, however, recommend this novel. It was flawed- like any book- but at the end of the day it was a gripping book with twists and turns that keep you on your toes.

Such a great book. This had a great amount of mystery and fantasy. I was transported to another world and got lost for a while!

A bit of a hard read. Without a doubt this book is NA and not YA, which is a mistake I made when reading it. That being said, the book was still hard to get into. It felt like everything kept leading up to all these mysteries and questions that never got solved. The plot twist was unexpected, but at the same time it wasn’t super surprising. I felt like some of the characters had a lack of development and it was super hard to like them. For example Kira, the main person we follow in this book, felt like she has very little personality and I just lacked things to like about her. I’d still say the book was interesting, and hope that with the sequel it will get better.

In shock from this story! Really good book! Such a good book and story! So many twists and turns! That ending was shocking did not see that coming! The author did a really good job with this story! Very well written! So intriguing! Would definitely recommend!

Wow this book took me on a journey, not knowing if her dreams were just dreams or more. This book has me questioning if I knew the answer about my own dreams. I was captured by this one, I needed to finish it. I really enjoyed this and look forward to what the author does next.

First, I found this story to be very interesting. There were plenty of times when I didn’t know if Kira was dreaming or awake, and I believe that was intentional. It was often disorienting and even frightening which I thought helped me connect with Kira. It did take me a little while to get into the story. I enjoyed getting Blake’s POV as well as Kira’s. I thought more time could have been spent on developing their relationship. I also noticed a lot of grammar and structure mistakes which tripped me up, and it felt like there were holes in the story concerning Kira’s parentage and Blake’s decision not to ultimately kill Kira.

Kira has the ideal life: a cool boyfriend, an amazing BFF, and great magic. But things are difficult on the inside. She misses their love now that she is alone. Her dreams are erratic, being pursued by a creepy shadow guy. Blake then appears, hiding secrets but lured to her radiance. Is he capable of melting his ancient icy heart? Danger lurks, and love is at stake.

B. L. Cagle's "Dreams of Darkness and Desire" is a crazy, entertaining read. Unexpected twists and a startling conclusion. Blake-Kira all the way, breaking down barriers. Some uncertainty about world events, but overall, a good story sometimes lost in detail.

The idea of this book is fascinating, I found myself getting lost in the detail and struggling to keep the storyline together. I wanted Kira to be stronger and fight for herself more.
I feel she has more to give and hopefully this will come out in the next book.

Kira thinks she has it all; a wonderful boyfriend she’s been dating as a teen, supportive best friend, talent in dancing… But despite all the happiness she is dealing with so much more under the surface. Her parents both have died, and she lacks the love and support she had when they were around. Coupled with these dreams that seem so vivid, so real, and have lingering signs of being actually real. Her dreams lately have been her being hunted by a shadow man, a man so familiar to her, but could just be her imagination. She tried to navigate her world when Blake moves to town with his “brothers”.

Blake is not what he seems and lies start their relationship thinking it will be straight forward to get what he wants. But he can’t help but to respond to her light and will that be enough to defrost the dark and cold heart he has had for hundreds of years?

Will Kira not see the danger and darkness in time to save herself? Will love conquer all?

“Dreams of Darkness and Desire” by B. L. Cagle is an interesting and fun book. The twists and turns were not what I was expecting at all. The ending was a surprise. I was rooting for Blake and Kira the whole time and wanting love to break all barriers. The lore and story were a bit confusing because of lack of enough information about the world building though it was still really good. I would love to read more of the author’s works and was surprised at how much I loved the characters. 4 out of 5 stars from me.

Lies, deceit and darkness. The shadows trying to keep hidden.

What is real and what is a dream? This book had me questioning the ENTIRE time what was a dream and what was reality.
When i thought i figured it out, i was wrong, so very wrong.

I was gripping the edge of my chair while reading this, turning page after page never wanting the story to end.
I was hooked from the prologue all the way till the very end.
I did not want to put this down, constantly questioning myself on if i trusted the characters or not. It was a fabulous read

Magic, Darkness, Love, Lies and Deceit all of these elements made this an enthralling read
and something i would recommend people give a read.



Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for allowing me to read this ARC - this is an HONEST review from my own personal opinion.

I was kindly given this book as an arc by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

« Her light was invading all of his senses. Suddenly, he was Icarus. He flew too close to the sun, and she had now forever scorched his heart. »

This book encaptured my thoughts in a mix of wonder and confusion.

🌸 witches and warlocks
🌸 betrayal upon betrayal
🌸 chosen one / powerful
🌸 dark magical themes

Rating: 3 ⭐️
Genres: Paranormal Fantasy New Adult (romance)
format: Ebook ARC
Pages: 478
Spice: 🌶️ few on-page moments / not too graphic
S/S: Book #1
Check trigger warnings for any book

Thoughts:

This book was a whirlwind of emotions. It was a witchy book mixed with the movie Inception. There wasn't a single moment where I knew what was real and what wasn't.

The characters were quite interesting, the two main characters, Kira and Blake, were multi-faceted and complex beings. There was the past, present and future intermingling within the story and their emotions and actions.

The lore was quite hard to understand. We had bits and pieces here and there but no actual link. One thing was that we did get information in this book, but most times, we did not know what to do with said information. A lot of things were up to us to guess and take apart with no guidance and no way of knowing if we had put the parts together correctly for the rest of the story.

There was a lot of promise of something big unfolding, but the ending did let me down in that way. The mystery aspect of the ending is intriguing, but it felt as though we were so in the dark about everything, that the impact wasn't as powerful as it could've been.

The IRL Blake and the Shadow Man? Very hard to comprehend anything. The other witches? Okay, they did their one scene, and then?

It did feel like a lot happened, we were waiting for conclusions, but nothing had meaning. This book overall left me quite confused, perplexed and a little bit let down.

Embarking on an exhilarating literary odyssey, this book sweeps readers into a mesmerizing journey that stretches from the opening pages to a thrilling crescendo at its final chapter. The interplay of genres between twisted fantasy and chilling horror, evoked a range of emotions that held me captive.

Every twist and turn of the plot is a labyrinthine puzzle, a tantalizing enigma that entices the mind to decipher its intricacies. As the story unfolded, I found myself in a perpetual state of suspense, my thoughts racing ahead in a frantic attempt to unravel the enigmatic tapestry the author had woven.

Central to this captivating tale are the characters, particularly Kira and Blake, whose complexities and interactions formed intrigue. Their undeniable chemistry, adds an electric charge to the narrative. Kira's depth, her inner struggles and secrets, kept me perpetually invested, while Blake's enigmatic aura left me yearning to uncover the truths concealed.

However, I must confess that the adjustment to the third-person perspective was not without its challenges before immersing fully in.

The book's allure lies not only in its intricately woven narrative but also in the unexpected twists that lie in wait.

I just finished this book and I'm thinking, what in the heck did I just read! This one was seriously good. Mind blown. In the beginning it is disorienting to read. I wasn't really sure what was going on. Then I realized...it's meant to feel that way. The main character Kira is disoriented. These nightmares she's having are bleeding into her daily life and taking a toll on her.
This book was a thriller for me. It kept me on my toes wondering what was really going on. The characters were interesting, the plot was pulling me in further the more I read. About 70% into the story the spice kicks up a notch. Definitely a slow burn, but worth it....leaves me hanging for book two!
Did it make me jump a couple times? Yes. Did I have weird dreams all night? Also yes. But will I read book two? Absolutely.
Thank you to NetGalley, the authors, and the publisher for the chance to read this ARC. All opinions are my own.

3.5⭐️

This book was a pleasant surprise! It was the cover and synopsis that drew me to it, but I still wasn’t 100% on what to expect.

The story follows mainly Kira but also has a few chapters on Blake (who was such a baddie).
I liked Kira but she was weird. Like, super horny from the midpoint onwards, and just needed a bit of therapy. That being said, I loved her character development and side characters. I do feel that there could have been a bit more action in the plot, especially at the start, but overall this was a fast and enjoyable read that leaves you wanting more. I’m looking forward to jumping into book 2!

Kira has a seemingly perfect life; her best friend Kat is her roommate, her boyfriend Colin is loving, and she’s excelling in her dance classes. In reality though, she’s been plagued with nightmares of her death and a man cloaked in shadows. Blake is a four hundred year old warlock who, along with his brothers, has been searching for the Supra Virtutem, the most powerful living witch who he must sacrifice to ensure eternal life for himself and his family. Before sacrificing Kira, he must claim her body and her blood, but he wasn’t counting on the feelings between them to interrupt his plans.

There were so many plot holes in this. Like yes I get that neither Kira or Blake have all the information but I feel like there could have still been more information disclosed without this being so confusing. I would’ve liked to see the big reveal happen earlier and more of Kira’s power. It was also very confusing having Natalia just thrown into the mix. There was too much going on at once and hopefully book two resolves a lot of the confusion.

This book ticks all the right boxes, great story, interesting main character and dishy, powerful, misunderstood love interest.
This is all about Kira and Blake's relationship, discovering herself and fulfilling his ambitions. It flows well and leads you on a journey of nightmares and warlocks and Kira ultimately as Kira's 21st birthday will mark the revelation of her power, Blake has to work to put his threefold plan in place in order to harness it. All sorts of emotions, growth and discovery ensue and the story takes you the ultimate outcome. An enjoyable read.

This book was fine but I just couldn’t get into it

~This book was given by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.