Review: Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles

WHERE DREAMS DESCEND by JANELLA ANGELES

Series: Kingdom of Cards #1

Publication date: August 25, 2020

Published by: Wednesday Books

Genre:  YA fantasy

 

SYNOPSIS

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

Purchase your copy now!

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Praise for Where Dreams Descend:

"Vibrant imagery, jaw-dropping set pieces, sizzling romantic tension, and unstoppable heroine Kallia bring this ambitious debut novel to spectacular life. Fans of Caraval and The Night Circus will be delighted!" - Claire Legrand, New York Times bestselling author of Furyborn

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Janella Angeles is a Filipino-American author who got her start in writing through consuming glorious amounts of fanfiction at a young age–which eventually led to penning a few of her own, and later on, creating original stories from her imagination. A lifelong lover of books, she’s lucky enough to be working in the business of publishing them on top of writing them. She currently resides in Massachusetts, where she’s most likely to be found listening to musicals on repeat and daydreaming too much for her own good. She is represented by Thao Le of the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency. WHERE DREAMS DESCEND, Book 1 in her debut fantasy Kingdom of Cards duology, will be out June 2, 2020 from Wednesday Books.

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REVIEW

Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Where Dreams Descend is the first in a duology and a first from new author Janella Angeles as well. When I read the synopsis, it was giving me Caraval vibes so I jumped to give it a go. The Caraval series by Stephanie Garber is one of my favorite YA fantasy series because of how unpredictable and magical it is. I was hoping for some of that same dazzle in this duo.

This is a hard one to rate; in fact I've been debating myself over it and can't seem to come up with a fair answer. Here's my big issue: it took me a long time to get through the book. A really long time. Yes, the book is over 450 pages, but I've read long books that I fly through in 24 hours without breaking a sweat because the story has me so hooked. This one didn't feel that way, I felt as if I was dragging my feet through quicksand and inching forward as I tried to save myself from sinking. To be fair, it's entirely possible that it was just my mood preventing me from getting invested completely. But I do think that the scenes dragged out with too little action to push things forward as they should have. There wasn't a wordbuilding info dump which is more common with a first book, and yet I still struggled to become fully engrossed for at least the first half.

Kallia is a showgirl at the House. She descends from a glittering chandelier, and puts on a magic show the likes of which no one in the audience has ever experienced before. She uses her raw, natural magic to create awe inspiring illusions for the "master" of the house, Jack. He inherited the mysterious place beyond the cursed woods and taught Kallia everything she knows about manipulating magic. He can steal memories and manipulate your perception of reality. He seems to have a soft spot for her, but you know right away he is much more than what he appears. Far from a simple mentor or guardian, he has an agenda that remains unclear. Kallia has come to realize that she's a bit like a bird trapped in a golden cage. Never allowed to leave the property or have news from the outside world filter in. While she's been well cared for, she isn't content to be confined. She wants to spread her wings and show the world what she has to offer.

Her presence there is yet to be explained. We don't know how she go there, or why she is deceived in the fashion that she was. I'm really curious about who her parents were, and why she was taken there. I would also really like to know WHY Jack is called master and his father was called sire. We are given some idea as to what they are, but nothing concrete. And all along, I was questioning whether he was a true villain or if he fell somewhere in a grey area. I even wondered at points if this would be a love triangle situation developing, but I think it's pretty clear which side of the fence Kallia stands on. I'll just leave it at that.

Our heroine Kallia is a girl who grasps life in an iron grip with both hands. She doesn't sit idly by and let others rule her fortune, she pursues the future that she dreams of achieving. Her dreams have always centered around stardom. The spotlight, the fame, and the fortune, all of which she is capable of reaching if only women were given equal opportunity. In her world, women are barred from being the star of magic shows, relegated to the background. She's determined to make it happen anyway, and her plan is to force her way through the barred door by winning the Conquering Circus' magic competition in Glorian.

This is another mysterious place that is filled with secrets, lies, and malice. It keeps you questioning who or what is insidiously watching from the darkness. Waiting to strike and pick people off one by one. Kallia's competitors start disappearing, causing the judges to place blame on her simply because they want her to fail. She's met with scorn and unfair treatment since day one, but that only spurs her to work harder. That's one thing you have to love about this character, she knows her worth and fights for her place in the world. She's also a very lonely and distrustful person who doesn't allow anyone to truly know her. Even her new friend and assistant Aaros struggles to gain her trust during the escalating danger. She's been forced to fend for herself for so long that she doesn't really know how to share her burdens with others. For me, there was a hardness to her and prickliness that took a little while to warm up to but I did understand it.

Demarco is one of the judges at the competition and he's one of the few males in the story who isn't misogynistic. He defends Kallia's right to compete, and treats her fairly every step of the way. He has secrets of his own-from the judges, his family, and the heroine. He purposely insinuated himself into Glorian and the judges' table in order to solve a tragic personal mystery that he can't let go. Once a magic performer himself, he gave up the stage after the horrible night that changed his life forever. He's haunted by things he can never take back, and determined to find the missing answers he seeks. Though Kallia is a distraction that he can't afford, from day one he fights his fascination with her. She captivates him against his will, only no matter how hard he struggles against the pull, he's only drawn in closer. She gives him absolutely no encouragement, in fact, she rebuffs him at every turn. He sees right through her sharpness to the vulnerable girl underneath and eventually she believes he is someone she can put her fragile faith in.

    For so long she’d envisioned only herself on the stage, 

an image that always kept her going: 

basking in the spotlight, 

hearing her name and cheers over everything else. 

Strange how applause was just noise, 

when you were all alone.

I liked the characters in the circus and I'm looking forward to seeing them play a stronger role in the next book. There are dozens of unanswered questions left dangling pretty much from every angle and every character's perspective, so obviously this reader needs to know how this is all going to tie together in the end. The action leading up the the cliffhanger at the end was one big heart-pounding rush. You know something bad is about to happen, and you're reading half in dread, the other half relief. After waiting and watching for the danger lurking around the corner you just want that corner to be turned so you finally know. Will Kallia escape the darkness that's waiting to consume her? This is a question that won't be answered until book two, so prepare thyselves to hang on that cliff until sometime next year.

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Release Day Blast with Giveaway: The Hard Count by Ginger Scott

We're celebrating the release of THE HARD COUNT by Ginger Scott! Check out the excerpt and buy your copy today!

THE HARD COUNT

Mature YA Contemporary Romance-Stand Alone

Scheduled to release: July 15, 2016

Goodreads

Amazon: http://amzn.to/29iKaOjB&N: http://bit.ly/1U3XJgE

iBooks: http://apple.co/21hVw5H

Kobo: http://bit.ly/25T2zbx

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BLURB:

Nico Medina’s world is eleven miles away from mine. During the day, it’s a
place where doors are open—where homes are lived in, and neighbors love.
But when the sun sets, it becomes a place where young boys are afraid,
where eyes watch from idling cars that hide in the shadows and wicked
smoke flows from pipes.

West End is the kind of place that people survive. It buries them—one at a
time, one way or another. And when Nico was a little boy, his mom always
told him to run.

I’m Reagan Prescott—coach’s daughter, sister to the prodigal son, daughter
in the perfect family.
Life on top.
Lies.
My world is the ugly one. Private school politics and one of the best high
school football programs in the country can break even the toughest souls.
Our darkness plays out in whispers and rumors, and money and status trump
all. I would know—I’ve watched it kill my family slowly, strangling us for
years.

In our twisted world, a boy from West End is the only shining light.
Quarterback.
Hero.
Heart.
Good.
I hated him before I needed him.
I fell for him fast.
I loved him when it was almost too late.

When two ugly worlds collide, even the strongest fall. But my world…it
hasn’t met the boy from West End.

EXCERPT:
“You’re mad at me,” he says, his fingers sliding to mine, his thumb covering the top of my knuckles while the rest of his hands hold my palms.

“I’m not mad at you, Nico. I was busy. I have things that don’t have anything to do with you,” I say, still fighting.

He chuckles.

“You’re still mad at me,” he says, and I glance up just enough to see his smile, all lopsided and perfect, the dimple that he gets when he’s right in its place. I hate him so much.

“Why would I be made at you,” I sigh, acting as best as I can while my mind races through all of the reasons I am mad at Nico Medina—not a single one of them really his fault.

I meet his challenge, staring back at him, forcing the stern expression to remain on my face, while he looks back at me with perfect lips curved up a hint on one side and unfair eyes that act as target sights. I’m caught in them, and they will not let go.

“You’re mad because of some homecoming dance,” he says, and I laugh once because…fuck!

“Admit it,” he smirks.

“Nico,” I begin, finding it hard to even say his name. “I could care less who you want to go to some stupid school dance with.”

“Couldn’t care less,” he says quickly. I tilt my head and pinch my brow. “You said you could care less, but really…you mean you couldn’t.”

I jerk my hands away and huff.

“Could you?” he says, his hands back in his pockets, his head tilted, angled so I can’t ignore it.

I push my tongue in my cheek and shake my head, glancing away, but always coming back to his gaze. His stupid, perfect, eyes and face that I want to put my hand on. The damned lock of his hair that falls forward when his head leans forward, his tongue caught in his teeth. His kissable lips that I felt in a dream and watched speak in class. His arrogance. His confidence.

“Gah!” I exhale, shaking my head and focusing on the bricked wall behind him. He stands there with one foot against the wall, his back leaning into it, so comfortable seeing me so uncomfortable.

“You make me so mad!” My eyes slide to his, and his lip ticks higher.

“I knew you were mad at me,” he nods.

I stretch my arms out wide, my eyes wider, and I stare up to the ceiling with another shake of my head.

“Fine!” I shout. “Yes, you got me. I’m mad at you! Can I go do class now, please?”

Nico snickers, and I cross my arms over my chest. He pushes forward from the wall, taking a few steps toward me. On instinct, I take one back, but not far enough from his reach. He reaches for my hand again, and I hug myself tighter, tucking my fingers under each arm for protection. I’m throwing a fit now, but I’m this far in, there really isn’t any way to undo it.

Nico holds my elbows when he’s unable to get to my hands, and realizing how ridiculous I would look spinning out of his hold, I give in and let him. His touch is gentle and warm, and I wish I could just get over myself and take his hands back in mine. But I’m scared. My bottom lip shakes with nerves. Nico’s eyes glance at it, so I pull it into my teeth. I want to hide every weakness from him, but eventually I’ll have to curl up inside myself. I have too many.

“Why are you mad at me, Reagan?”

He says my name, and the word falls from his lips soft and sweet. No judgment, no challenge. My lip falls loose from the hold of my teeth and my eyes flutter shut for a long blink. I open again to find him waiting, still looking at me.

“I don’t know,” I say, with a small shake of my head.

“But you are,” he says, and I nod with the same slight movement, sucking in my bottom lip and breathing through my nose.

“Yeah,” I say, my lip falling away and my eyes only able to look at his cheek.

I’m holding myself tighter than I ever have, my fingers actually digging into my sides, my nails rough against my skin through the fabric of my gray Cornwall sweatshirt. Nico doesn’t flinch once. His eyes stay on mine when I give in, and his expression doesn’t shift from the gentle, sweet one he’s held.

His right hand lets go of my elbow, moving to the few strands of hair resting against my forehead, falling over one eye. Nico takes them with his thumbs, moving them behind my ears, his eyes watching his movement then settling back on mine.

“You’ve worn your hair down ever since I said I liked it,” he says.

I breathe in long and deep, letting myself feel this moment—all of it. I have worn my hair down. I did it hoping he would touch it, but never once actually thinking he would.

“That’s how I knew,” he says, and my forehead crinkles. He smiles on one side, repeating the gesture and moving the long wave of blonde hair from my face again. “That’s how I knew I was more than just some guy you wanted on your dad’s football team.”

GIVEAWAY:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4a501259572/?

About the Author:

Ginger Scott is an Amazon-bestselling and Goodreads Choice Award-nominated author of several young and new adult romances, including Waiting on the Sidelines, Going Long, Blindness, How We Deal With Gravity, This Is Falling, You and Everything After, The Girl I Was Before, Wild Reckless, Wicked Restless and In Your Dreams.

A sucker for a good romance, Ginger’s other passion is sports, and she often blends the two in her stories. (She’s also a sucker for a hot quarterback, catcher, pitcher, point guard…the list goes on.) Ginger has been writing and editing for newspapers, magazines and blogs for more than 15 years. She has told the stories of Olympians, politicians, actors, scientists, cowboys, criminals and towns. For more on her and her work, visit her website at http://www.littlemisswrite.com.

When she's not writing, the odds are high that she's somewhere near a baseball diamond, either watching her son field pop flies like Bryce Harper or cheering on her favorite baseball team, the Arizona Diamondbacks. Ginger lives in Arizona and is married to her college sweetheart whom she met at ASU (fork 'em, Devils).

Social Media Links:
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/GingerScottAuthor
Twitter: @TheGingerScott
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/thegingerscott/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/GingerScottAuthor
Google: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+GingerScottAuthor/posts
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/GingerScott
Website: http://www.littlemisswrite.com

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Christie's Review: Wild Reckless by Ginger Scott

Title: Wild Reckless

Series: Standalone

Author: Ginger Scott

Release Date: March 17, 2015

Rating: 4.5 stars

Cliffhanger: Yes

Kensington Worth had a vision for her senior year. It involved her best friends, her posh private school in downtown Chicago and time alone with her piano until her audition was perfected, a guaranteed ticket into the best music programs in the world.

Instead, a nightmare took over.

It didn’t happen all at once, but her life unraveled quickly—a tiny thread that evil somehow kept pulling until everything precious was taken from her. She was suddenly living miles away from her old life, trapped in an existence she didn’t choose—one determined to destroy her from the inside, leaving only hate and anger behind. It didn’t help that her neighbor, the one whose eyes held danger, was enjoying every second of her fall.

Owen Harper was trouble, his heart wild and his past the kind that’s spoken about in whispers. And somehow, his path was always intertwined with Kensington’s, every interaction crushing her, ruining her hope for any future better than her now. Sometimes, though, what everyone warns is trouble, is exactly what the heart needs. Owen Harper was consumed with darkness, and it held onto his soul for years. When Kensington looked at him, she saw a boy who’d gotten good at taking others down when they threatened his carefully balanced life. But the more she looked, the more she saw other things too—good things…things to admire.

[ No (hide spoiler)]

After reading and enjoying Ginger Scott's Falling Series, a wonderfully written New Adult series, I decided to give her new release a try regardless of the fact that I'm not the biggest fan of the Young Adult sub-genre. High School is not a place I care to revisit, especially when the characters make me want to bash them over the head with their immaturity. I find that my patience for characters' childish behavior has dwindled over the years. But I was definitely willing to make an exception for this author. I took the leap thinking that I'd be getting more of Ginger's fun and frothy reads with a little angst thrown in.

Boy was I wrong.

Kensington (Kens) has just moved from Chicago to a small town and the adjustment is not an easy one for her. She misses her friends, her music teacher, and she's not ready to settle in the middle of nowhere. She's a piano prodigy and though her father doesn't allow her to explore the jazz and blues she loves, she lives and breathes playing-it fills every part of her.



She soon discovers she has a boy living next door that is nothing like any stereotypical boy-next-door you've ever seen. He's the school basketball star and resident manwhore. He's also more than a little scary. He presents this emotionless shell and takes pleasure in making her angry. So why does she have this fascination with him that won't quit? She despises him and gravitates to him all at the same time. He's downright nasty towards her, and

I hated him.

I guarantee you will too.

This is a guy who cheats death, who actually seeks it out so he can laugh at that fine line-crossing it from time to time just to prove he can, other times, erasing it completely.

The prologue introduces you to the one day that changed the course of his life forever. It made a coldness seep into his eyes and a desire to taunt death in the face. And when Kens dares to challenge him and prod the sleeping beast, she has no idea what he's capable of. He sees a crack in her existence, and he shatters everything without a second thought.



The only time I've seen Owen smile was when he was teasing me-and when he delivered the news that ruined my world.

Now she's lost. And maybe they're lost together for a while. Because being near Kens is finally bringing some light into his dark world. And being near Owen is changing her into someone she doesn't recognize.



All they could do was grasp onto each other and hold tight, because if there's one thing that he's learned, is that all the wrongs in his life will not allow him a shred of happiness. Seriously, the weight that's on this boy's shoulders is painful to see.



His past. His present. His future.

He's speeding towards implosion. The only question, is when?



...I'm afraid I'm losing myself to danger-the worst kind, the kind that rules your heart. I'm falling for Owen Harper, and I'm afraid he's going to die.

After loathing Owen with a passion, getting a peek into the emotion that he's capable of with Kens you want to hate him but you just can't anymore. The way he slowly opens up to her and lets her see into his reality makes you hurt for him. And they had such an intensity between them at times, it was heart pounding.

Owen's eyes are closed, and his forehead is resting on mine, his thumbs still gently caressing my cheeks. "I..." he says, his breath stuttering, his lips quivering, his body relaxing into me. His head falls heavier into mine, and I can actually feel his entire body shaking.



With themes like suicide, mental illness, and addiction, it's no wonder I was a little shell shocked at the gravity that pulls you into these pages. And this book? Be prepared for a twist that you will not see coming. It's hard to surprise me anymore, but when the bomb dropped on Kens, I give the author props, because I was shocked.

If I had to come up with a similar reading experience, I would go with Shay Savage. If you're not familiar with her books, they're deeply emotional. Typically with a hero that is completely contemptible that you will absolutely hate at first glance. And that's what you get in Wild Reckless.

This book made me feel so many things, not all of them pretty. But I really think this is my favorite book from Ginger. It's a raw and powerful book about two young people who crash into each other and and their struggle for absolution and hope. It's not perfect, there were a few things that stopped me from giving the full five stars, but those are my own personal issues. I won't let that sway you in deciding to pick up this book. Maybe you'll love it, maybe you'll hate it, but this book will make you feel.




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Christie's review: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Title:The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Series: Standalone

Author:Stephen Chbosky

Release Date: February, 1999

Rating: 5 stars

Cliffhanger: No

And while he's not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his years yet socially awkward, he is a wallflower, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it.

Charlie is attempting to navigate his way through uncharted territory: the world of first dates and mix tapes, family dramas and new friends; the world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite. But he can't stay on the sideline forever. Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a deeply affecting coming-of-age story that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller-coaster days known as growing up.

[ No (hide spoiler)]

I read this book almost in one sitting. (If I hadn't started so late in the day, it would have been.) I have to say it really shocked the hell out of me how much I ended up enjoying it. It’s not that I’ve been living on Mars or just flat out ignorant of the fact that this book was hugely popular. Or even that there was a movie made of it a couple years ago. This just isn’t my typical type of book and really didn’t ever plan on reading it. I had this impression that it would be a sort of cheesy, high school book about a nerdy introvert that’s mostly fluff but fun. But that's not what I got at all. The more I read, the more I realized that this was such a pensive and thoughtful look on those fragile teen years. When everything is bright and exhilerating, but on the opposite side of the coin, painful and uncertain. And it was so genuine feeling, at times I found myself wondering if any of this was based on the author's real life experiences.

We all have ideas of what we think we’ll like based on our past reads. But lately, all these books that have so much so-called potential have been falling flat too many times. So I agreed to read this with my friend and just keep my mind open to something different. And clearly, based on my rating, I’m glad I did. I didn’t analyze it as I read it, or even pick out quotes. I just experienced it. And you really can’t read this one any other way.



This book is entirely written through Charlie’s narrative in his letters to a mystery person. And that mystery person is open to interpretation of who it is he's pouring his heart out to, and I loved that. It was very personal and diary-like and allows us into his deep-set hopes, dreams, and fears. I loved how engagingly it was written, it really brought me back those school years when everything was uncertain and your future right there on the horizon.



Yes, Charlie was a shy introvert, but he was defined by much more than that. And you experience his experiences through his eyes. You feel his emotions through the mundane details as well as the more evocative details of his life. He’s a deep thinker, and mature before his years, but in other ways still kind of naiive. Really, you see that this intelligent boy with a genuine heart is kind of drifting through life feeling invisible by his family and everyone at school. His best friend’s suicide in middle school deeply affected him as well as his Aunt’s death later on. An now he just trying to find people who will finally make him feel at home.

Enter Sam and Patrick. They're seniors and Charlie a lowly freshman. But they show him immediate acceptance and all of a sudden he's not just that lonely, quiet kid anymore.



Charlie is so sweet and charming he just takes over your heart with his thoughts on love, family, school, and his ponderings of what the future will hold. How the past has effected those he loves and how his actions at that moment will affect his own future. When he came up with the idea to give his mother a present on his own birthday to show his love and appreciation for her, it just put the biggest smile on my face. Or when he gave everyone Christmas gifts that were personal and unexpected. Most guys that age aren't so insightful but in other ways he was idealistic and unable to face certain realities. Like his love for Sam. The dreaded truth or dare kiss at the party was not his finest moment.



I came to love Sam and Patrick just as much as Charlie. Their acceptance and friendship was in a word, everything. They brought out Charlie's courage, his adventurous side, and helped him open his eyes to a lot of things.

Even though there wasn't the type of romantic thread running through it that I'm used to, or even remotely any amount of erotic moments, I wouldn't have changed the story in any way. It just illustrates how we need to step outside our self-constructed reading boxes and shake things up. I'm so happy I made the decision to read this, it's so thought provoking and something that will stand out for it's thoughts on love, friendship, and one boy's self-discovery.



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