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    Janella Angeles’ Where Dreams Descend is bold fantasy

    0
    By Jessica on September 4, 2020 YA review, young adult
    Where Dreams DescendWHERE DREAMS DESCEND, by Janella Angeles, Wednesday Books, Aug. 25, 2020, $18.99 (ages 14 and up)

    Magicians take center stage in Janella Angeles’ Where Dreams Descend.

    In a city covered in ice and ruin, a group of magicians face off in a daring game of magical feats to find the next headliner of the Conquering Circus, only to find themselves under the threat of an unseen danger striking behind the scenes.

    As each act becomes more and more risky and the number of missing magicians piles up, three are forced to reckon with their secrets before the darkness comes for them next.

    The Star: Kallia, a powerful showgirl out to prove she’s the best no matter the cost

    The Master: Jack, the enigmatic keeper of the club, and more than one lie told

    The Magician: Demarco, the brooding judge with a dark past he can no longer hide

    —Synopsis provided by Wednesday Books

    Where Dreams Descend is an exhausting read, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Author Janella Angeles has mastered the art of pacing. She expertly builds tension to the breaking point and then starts all over again. This cycle takes more out of you as a reader than you would think, creating the need to close the cover, stretch, walk away, and then come running back.

    Janella’s book is being heralded as a Phantom of the Opera reimagining, but that feels like a bit of a stretch. It’s clear from the beginning that Where Dreams Descend is Janella, and that she is 100 percent invested.

    And Kallia is the type of character that readers will want to 100 percent invest in. She’s smart. She’s strong. She thinks on her feet. And she cares little for societal norms.

    Where Dreams Descend is the first book in the planned Kingdom of Cards fantasy duology. And while I’m sure there’s much more to the planned story arch, part of me really wishes this had been a standalone novel. After building toward the final climax for so long, the ending instead falls a little flat. I probably will feel differently when the next book comes out, but until then, I’m left wishing for something a little bit more.

     

    © 2020, Cracking the Cover. All rights reserved. Unless otherwise noted, all books — digital and physical — have been provided for free by publishers in exchange for honest and unbiased reviews. All thoughts and opinions are those of the reviewer.

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    Jessica
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    Jessica Harrison is the main reviewer behind Cracking the Cover. Prior to creating Cracking the Cover, Jessica worked as the in-house book critic for the Deseret News, a daily newspaper in Salt Lake City. Jessica also worked as a copy editor and general features writer for the paper. Following that, Jessica spent two years with an international company as a social media specialist. She is currently a freelance writer/editor. She is passionate about reading and giving people the tools to make informed decisions in their own book choices.

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