3.5*

Drown me with dreams is the second installment in the series.

It follows Saoirse after the death of King Larster. Now Prince Hayes is king and struggling with his feelings for her. He feels betrayed but also feels desire for Saoirse.

Needing answers Saoirse, being blackmailed by Ikenna, agrees to go over the barrier separating Keirdren and Alkara in hopes of finding peace for the two kingdoms all the while trying to protect her heart and the people around her.

3 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy to review. All thoughts are my own.

When I read Sing Me To Sleep, I welcomed the all brown and black cast starring in a fantasy world. It was refreshing to read a world that worked without any whiteness added to it. And I will repeat that sentiment here - Burton has created another story within this world that pays homage to that refreshing feeling I got with book one.

However, I struggled to get invested in this conclusion to the duology. I was never a big fan of Saoirse in book one and enjoyed the storytelling and the characters around her more than her and her reckless, morally grey actions. Sadly, once again having her as the main narrator was a struggle to keep interest in her manipulations and undercover sleuthing. The overall character arc of Saoirse this time inspired me less to like her, especially with how inconsistent she was with the main players in the story. I get this was done to build intrigue and get her into situations she otherwise wouldn't have access to, but once again the convenient writing surrounding any conflict came with some inconsistencies to her and her character.

The romance with Hayes felt weaker again despite the use of her magic and dream-weaving state, and I failed to discover his charm in this one as I had loved in the first book. I enjoyed Carrick's involvement in this story, and he was one of the main characters that I kept reading for, but the ending, whilst predictable, feels pointless why his character had to be utilised and once again give Saoirse an emotional rollercoaster.

I overall think I'm just not the right reader for this duology, as many critiques I had with book one continued to be an issue with this second installment, and my hope that things from Sing Me to Sleep would improve didn't remain for long when I was reading this. I have to admit to not enjoying several segments of this book due to a lack of interest in the progress, and for transparency, I would have DNF'd this if it wasn't an e-ARC.

I would like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Frick. This fell a bit flat for me. I loved the siren aspects in Sing Me To Sleep, so I was very excited to continue Saoirse's journey in Drown Me With Dreams, as it didn't feel like your typical YA fantasy.

Unfortunately, Drown Me With Dreams felt exactly like that to me. Don't get me wrong, this book was still enjoyable. It just didn't jump out to me the way the first one did. We continue following Saoirse, but I felt like she used her siren powers a lot less, and her identity as a siren seemed to matter less. Instead, we follow her into a different world, and it turns into more of a political story than I was expecting.

That didn't take away from me enjoying the characters though. Overall, I felt like the characters were well fleshed out. I especially loved seeing Rain occasionally, and I kinda wish we'd seen more of it, especially considering how much Saoirse thought of her throughout the story.

I also felt like there were some gaps left open at the end of the story. I feel like we didn't get answers to completely everything, or at least some things that happened at the start of book 2, that warranted some more explaining.

Overall, a good book, just not a great one for me personally. I missed the focus on Saoirse's powers and felt like it was a bit too generic for my taste.

Thank you Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the ARC.

I really, really, really loved 'Sing Me to Sleep' which I read this year. I heard really great things about it and I was not disappointed. When I found out that Gabi Burton was releasing the sequel, I was so excited. 'Drown Me With Dreams' did not disappoint!!!

It's such an interesting, captivating world with a morally grey central character. In the second book, it expands on the worldbuilding of this universe. Burton introduces new characters and creatures who are in political conflicts and tensions.

However, I do think that the ending was a bit rushed. It ended very abruptly and it didn't feel very satisfying. I also think that the story should've centered around Hayes's new role but he kind of takes a back seat and the book focuses more on Saoirse and Carrick's relationship.

Even with these minor issues, I did really enjoy reading this YA duology! I can't wait to read more of Gabi Burton's books!

I really enjoyed the relationship between Hayes and Saoirse 😍 They were cute and a joy to read. I really liked that this, all powerful over men Siren, was scorched when Hayes just looks at her, he is super cute and totally in love.

Carrik thankfully redeems himself and Saoirse keeps her promise to her family. The twist and turns were also fun to read.

I was brought to tears near the end but the actual ending made me smile. This was a great ending for the duology and will definitely be a re-read for me at some point ❤️

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

R E V I E W

Drown Me with Dreams by Gabi Burton

☆☆☆☆

Advanced Reader Copy graciously provided by Hodder and Stoughton | Hodderscape via Netgalley

After the newly-crowned King Hayes announced siren Saoirce was a traitor to Keidre at the end of Sing Me to Sleep, I prepared myself for heartache with this sequel.

Fortunately, not all was as it seemed, and despite Saoirce's many mistakes and mistruths (of which there were many), Hayes' feelings for her are steadfast despite the demands for justice and revenge from all around him in the wake of the King's death.

After being framed for a murder she did not commit, Saoirce, in a tenuous alliance with her best-friend-turned-enemy Carrick, is forced across the barrier, hoping to find safety for her family and answers for her Prince.

The majority of this book is spent over the barrier in Alkara, where we are presented with a new world of creatures, a hidden plot for power, and a smattering of new characters. All of this didn't hold much value to me, if i'm honest, with my focus being on the growing bond between Hayes and Saoirce as she wove dreams to keep him updated with her progress but ultimately stayed within them to keep him close. I felt their relationship was very much one step forward and two steps back throughout the majority of this book, with Saoirce herself seeming to be waiting for the other shoe to drop. The main issue I had with the pair wasn't your standard miscommunication trope, but more like a lack of communication at all as they each held secrets and continued to hold back from one another, despite their evident love for one another.

I did enjoy this sequel, but I felt somehow that a lot happened whilst simultaneously, not that much at all. I didn't think the narrative would wrap up in time, considering the pacing, but was pleasantly surprised to be met with a fairly satisfying conclusion to this YA duology.

3.5 stars

A very decent sequel and conclusion to Saoirse's story.

I personally have terrible memory and didn't remember a lot of the things that happened in the previous book, but this one did a good job of recapping major plot points, without making it seem forced or repetitive.

The story overall was gripping, although I did have an issue with slow pacing at times.

I really wish there was an epilogue with a glimpse further into the future, as it would be great to know what happens next, with the way everything was resolved.

Oh dear, this was such a let down following on from the first book. In many ways, I wish I’d left Sing Me to Sleep alone and pretended it was a standalone. This is actually a thought I had at the end of the first book, I thought the story had wrapped up well enough that it could be well enough. However, I knew there was too much story left to tell, and considering this book is out within a few weeks, there would definitely be a sequel. But for a brief moment I did entertain the thought where a world existed in which SMTS was a stand alone and I wasn’t mad about it.

I’m less mad about it now.

This book dragged! Yet this book was rushed? This book barely did anything for the characters! God, how how anything happened I don’t know…Saorise seems to have the biggest plot armour ever and could just jump from one part of the story to the next magically having done something. Yet, the simplest things to figure out took nearly the whole book.

The romance was NOT romancing and I feel as if I was promised an additional romance here that I did not get yet I would’ve much preferred. Hayes and Saorise barely had any chemistry in this one compared to the first and I’m sorry but I couldn’t get why they liked each other. Saorise barely ever acted liked she loved Hayes other than when it was convenient for her so it was really hard to buy in to that part of the story.

I liked the expansion on the world building even if at times it was confusing, and getting to see brief glimpses of different type of magical beings was cool. I was we had a bit more of this.

I think if we had a bonus addition of Hayes POV to this book it would have been much improved, we would’ve been able to see what was going on and to see his emotions and his characterisation — seeing him through Saorise was not working this time round in the limited glimpses we were getting of him.

Unfortunately, this one was a miss for me. I think Burton took what worked in the first book but failed to do anything gripping with it, leading the story to grow stagnant. Additionally, the flaws and issues I had from the first book, such as the pacing were only amplified.

3 stars, rounded up from a 2.75 ⭐️ I still really like Saorise as a protagonist, the world building and magic system was cool, and so,e of the plot was well paced and there were some good reveals within all the chaos.

I really enjoyed the first book, couldn't put it down. However this one just did not grip me in the same way.. The language used was also quite repetitive, I was having to skip lines as I was just bored.

This was a really good fantasy book, thank you for the copy. I loved the first one (this one not as much) but still thought the development and characters were really good

This is a fantastic follow up to the dark, thrilling and complex Sing Me to Sleep. Burton pushes the character development further as Saoirse steps into her power more. We also get a rich expansion of the world, mythology and history that I adored. I still love the central romance too.

Please give me credit where credit is due, I finished the book. I was soooo bored throughout the entire thing. First thing, I had very little memory of the first book and that’s not something that happens to me pretty often, I usually remember plots pretty well, even a year later. So on top of being slightly confused at the start of this, I did not care a single bit for Hayes and Saoirse. The had very little chemistry together and I get that not all romance have to use banter but damn does it work well with me and here well… they were just very two dimensional? I can’t exactly explain but they were just the blandest of bland. In the first book, I liked that Saoirse was very murderous and didn’t really care about it, she never felt overly guilty over that and I found it super refreshing. Here she was just terrified of being a monster and I just wished she would’ve Gove more on the route of « yes, and? » (cue Ariana Grande), especially since she still kills people but convinces herself that it’s necessary? That just feels like lazy writing to me.
The reason I pushed through was because I was curious how this would end but once everything was revealed, I skimmed because I knew how it would go and I wasn’t wrong lmao. The writing also wasn’t a huge hit, I need to look up how many times Burton wrote « their [insert emotion] tastes like [insert whatever taste] » but let me tell you, it was too many. I was also a bit disappointed how they didn’t explore more this new country we’re discovering here, they had good ideas with the political and social system but I was expecting more intrigue regarding what happened to a pretty important character and the council.
I’m still debating wether I’ll read Burton’s next books or not, I guess it depends what they’re about and wether the premise sounds like something I could enjoy but as an author, they have some potential and I hope they keep improving as they write. 1.5 stars

What an amazing conclusion to this duology!

The book picks up a week after the final events of Sing Me to Sleep. Saoirse and Hayes have to deal with their new reality. With her being a fugitive and him being King. Life at the palace is even more complicated than we imagined, we dive into the complex royal family dynamic and we discover even more enemies. Hayes is forced to send Saoirse away and over the barrier with the person who betrayed her, Carrick. So Saorise is forced to deal with her emotions, learning how to deal with her best friend's betrayal and the guilt she feels toward Hayes because of what she put him through and the fact that she is not sure if he is what the kingdom needs. She is also forced to deal with her powers, it was very interesting seeing her learn how to embrace her powers and her journey of self-acceptance. One thing that never changes is how fiercely protective she is of the people she loves.

While the plot is dark and complex this book was very character-driven. The character development was impressive and the writing made it easy to understand the why of the actions of Saoirse, Hayes, and Carrick.
Hayes struggled a lot with his new role, but even from afar and while dealing with his complex feelings he was there for Saorise. There were a lot of cute moments between them and very swoony confessions. Carrick also had to deal with a lot, he was honestly my favorite character, despite the betrayal the affection he had for Saorise was heartwarming, we dive a bit more into his story and I empathized with him a lot.

The world over the barrier was definitely a highlight, especially discovering all the new species and unraveling all the various threads of the mystery. There was a lot of political intrigue, scheming, tension, and so many plot twists! Nothing is ever what it seems.

The ending was a bit abrupt but satisfying. There are some very heartbreaking moments and please be aware that while this is a YA book, it deals with heavy and dark topics (CW from the author murder/death, graphic violence, discrimination/segregation, mentions of genocide, imprisonment, descriptions of physical injuries/blood)

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder for allowing me to read this early in exchange of an honest review!

The second book in the Sing Me to Sleep duology, Drown Me With Dreams, picks up right from where the first book left off. Saoirse's true identity as a siren is now public knowledge, and she finds herself in a tough spot that not even the new king can rescue her from. To protect her, Hayes sends Saoirse on a journey beyond the barrier surrounding the Keirdre kingdom, accompanied by her former best friend turned her worst betrayer, Carrik. Life beyond the barrier is full of unexpected revelations, and time is running out for Saoirse to uncover the secrets, truth and intrigues. She needs to navigate the politics of the new kingdom to prevent a looming war on more than one front, and she’s ready to do anything to let her sister have the better life she deserves, even if she has to pay it with her own life...

I thoroughly enjoyed the new setting and characters introduced in this book; Saoirse's internal struggles; and her relationships with Carrik and Hayes. I was worried we wouldn't see Hayes much since the story moves to different places, but my worries were unnecessary (yes, I do have a soft spot for him). All the moments when Saoirse and Hayes were together are my favourites, as are the times when Saoirse trains and tests her abilities to new limits and lets her siren nature free.

I was fully engaged with the author's storytelling and finished the book in just two evenings. I couldn't put the book down. needed to find out what would happen next. With about fifty pages remaining, I was concerned that the ending would be rushed -I was curious to see how the story would wrap up because I couldn't imagine how it could all end in this book (when I found out there wouldn’t be a third one). Yes, the ending is fast-paced, but honestly, I was glad it wasn't unnecessarily prolonged because everything came together seamlessly, and I wouldn't change a thing about it. I didn’t need a detailed long epic battle to enjoy the story, and the ending was surprising.

I'm sad this is the end because this duology has made a lasting impression on me. I can't stop thinking about it, (especially Hayes and Saoirse! I'm so happy for them!)

If you read the first book, you need to read this one as well, not only because the first book has an open ending but because this one is even better, as I said before.

With the end of this series, I know I’ll keep my eyes open for any other book Gabi Burton writes.


Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton | Hodderscape for granting me access to an e-ARC of the book in exchange for my honest review.

This was a wonderful follow up to book 1. I was wondering whether I should reread it but once I started, I got swooped in straight away and things came back to me. I loved Saiorse and Hayes. Loved getting to know more creatures and world beyond Keirdre. I hope this will receive the attention it deserves.

Don't know what possessed me to continue reading this duology, but I did.

The problems I had with the first book are still prevalent here, like Saoirse describing her eyes turning silver despite it being first person POV. The writing is the same quality as it's predecessor- very uninspiring, and I still found the characters very two dimensional.

The only thing I can say I liked was Hayes' conflict when he became king. Him wanting to be better than his dad but making decisions that's causing mutiny amongst his people genuinely interested me. It showed how broken the system as a whole was, and that no king, no matter how good he is, could fix it. We only got bits of it told to us because Saoirse was magically projecting herself from the other kingdom, which sucks because those were the only parts of the book I was invested in.

Saoirse without her Hayes visits was so incredibly boring. Between being angry at her former BFF and working for the resistance, so much of her narrative dragged. I ended up skimming so much of the middle because I simply did not care about Saorise, nor was I given any real reason, too. Despite there being a whole new world outside her kingdom's barrier, it felt so small. I never got a sense that there was anything outside the city (which felt more like a village, to be honest) Saoirse was in.

The ending was also - anticlimactic? The ending came immediately after the climax, where we're told all is well. Despite my boredom, I was also disappointed it ended just like that, that we were shown more of the changes being made rather than it being told to us hastily to wrap things up.

All in all, this is a fine duology. I don't think I'll be reading anymore of Burton's works, but I do hope her works have landed well with its intended audience.

Saoirse is a fugitive, whilst Hayes is a King with tentative control over his Kingdom. To keep her safe - and get the answers that they desperately need - Hayes sends her through the Barrier to see what awaits them on the other side. And nothing is as Saoirse expected...

This has been such a beautiful duology, with consistently brilliant world building. I loved the plotting and the betrayal almost as much as I enjoyed the romance! Definitely one I'll be reading again and again.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.

Sadly this didn't work for me. I found it predictable and stale and especially the ending didn't feel satisfying and a good conclusion to the duology. It's a shame considering how much I loved the first one and how excited I was to receive this ARC.

This series is brilliant, I really enjoyed this duology. The developments with the resistance and the kingdom on Hayes side of the barrier, things start escalating at a very fast pace. Saoirse is also in a precarious position where shes a wanted woman and not just wanted by Hayes.

There’s loss, conflict, prejudice and secrets all to unfold in book 2, its a wild adventure and what an adventure it was.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Saoirse Sorkova is on the run. Accused of several murders, her siren identity compromised, even the newly crowned King Hayes can't protect her if she's caught. The only way to save her life is to send her on a dangerous mission across the magical barrier that surrounds the kingdom. Forced to travel with Carrik - once her best friend, now her greatest betrayer - she begins to unravel multiple plots that threaten the safety of her family, the livelihood of the entire kingdom, and her future with Hayes. And the more time she spends with Carrik, the harder it is to keep hating him. . . Soon, Saoirse is forced to what if Hayes isn't the right ruler for the kingdom? And if he's not, is she willing to betray her king - and her heart?

Saoirse seems to be a bit more free with herself and her abilities here than before. However, she also feels different to the siren we previously knew. I’m not sure what it is but she didn’t draw me in like she previously has. I just felt rather exhausted and uninterested in her character which is an incredible shame! I’m not sure what happened but I am certainly disappointed.
Hayes features a little sporadically in this story which isn’t an issue. What is an issue is how different he appeared across the book. Sure, he’s in an emotional place and a lot of crap is happening, but I felt like I saw twenty different versions of Hayes and I could never predict what sort of mood he was going to be in. It was rather frustrating being unable to know just how a character would appear next.

Sing Me To Sleep was a book that intrigued me. I think it needed a lot more to really engage me but I will admit that the ending had me curious enough to pick up the sequel. However, it just did not wow me as I had sincerely hoped it would. The plot was okay but I felt like there was little to no stakes there because there was no crystal clear foe. In the first book, we know that Saoirse seems to be the catalyst for various events. In this sequel, I could not pinpoint what was meant to be the main aggressor moving the plot forward. The characters were okay but just not fleshed out as much as I’d like. Not to mention that some we were previously introduced to just did not feel like the same people. Sure a lot happened in the first book, but I just felt like there was a big disconnect between who they were then and who they are now. The romance was stilted and honestly, I was not impressed from reading the blurb about what certain things could mean - namely what seemed to be a possible hint of a love triangle situation. It just felt too all over the place and I could scarcely keep track of what certain characters were feeling. The end felt incredibly rushed to me and not at all what I thought could happen. It seemed a little out of character in my mind…

Overall, Drown Me With Dreams is a sequel that sadly fell flat for me.

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an advanced copy of this book. Review will be live on my blog on release day.