​A Theory of Dreaming will be released on July 29, 2025. It is the sequel to A Study in Drowning, and the conclusion to the duology. 

The Fairy King has been defeated. Effy and Preston returned from Hiraeth to share the truth about the beloved story Angharad, earning Effy a hard-won place as the literature college's first female student. In the stories that raised Effy far more surely than her parents, this would be the happily ever after. 

But the burgeoning war between Argant and Llyr is at odds with Effy's peaceful dream. Preston is branded as a liar and sabouter for his efforts to discredit Myrddin; Effy is hated enough just for being the girl who called a national epic into question. In the past, times like these are when Effy retreated into the dark solace of the Fairy King... but she can't escape the real world anymore through magic. 

Instead, it's Preston who finds his dreams drawn into an underwater castle ringing with the bells that have haunted him since leaving Hiraeth... a world in which he is the king. 

I read and loved A Study in Drowning last year, and so I jumped at the chance to review an advance copy of the sequel. Still, I admit I had my misgivings. A Study in Drowning's magic lay in its ethereal, uncanny tone; I wasn't sure if a sequel could possibly replicate that in a way that felt anything other than contrived. Ava Reid, however, is a far too skilled writer than that. A Theory of Dreaming is very different from the first book, but that's as it should be; while still straddling the real and unknown, this book anchors itself more in the present, focusing on the aftermath and consequences of earlier events. It also places its focus on Preston rather than Effy, though it largely splits page time between their points of view, and Preston's very different voice and background shines through. 
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In a word: gorgeous. A Theory of Dreaming is a romance, and yet far more than that; it is a war story, but without dramatic battles or conflicts; it’s about the remaking of a country, but no revolution is ever staged. As a reader who’s long wished for more character-driven high fantasy books whose driving force is personal stakes over apocalyptic consequences, this book was a gentle breath of air featuring characters and a setting I’d already fallen in love with. This incredibly rich, nuanced, and thoughtful story that delves into the story of after and the story of now, allowing Effy and Preston’s characters to truly flower. Reid’s writing is, as always, beautiful, and her ability to effortlessly weave together dreams, belief, mental health, and strong relationships in this book was truly amazing. 

My only real complaint with this book was not truly the content of the book itself, but with the lack of content warnings. This book is incredibly focused on misogyny, xenophobia, grief, and mental health, as well as containing an on-page suicide attempt. If any of these topics are even remotely triggering to you, I encourage you to check out my Goodreads review, where I’ve done my best to include a more thorough summary of these triggers under the spoiler functionality. 

Overall, I highly recommend A Theory of Dreaming to readers ages fourteen and up looking for a complex and thought-provoking sequel that truly couldn’t have been more satisfying. 

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing a review copy in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.

​ages 14+ / ARC / dark academia / fantasy / fiction / myths and legends / romance / sequels / series / young adult

Wow. Every so often I stumble across a truly incredible book that takes me completely off guard, and Lovely Dark and Deep was one of those. There are a lot of magic school books, and a lot of those feature diverse characters, but this story hits exactly right in a way that feels incredibly validating and beautiful instead of lapsing into preachy territory. Perhaps most importantly, this isn’t a book about a magic school for the fun setting; it’s a book about a magic school that dissects the inequity, colonialism, and lies in that same system, and I can’t recommend it highly enough. Hands-down, this will be one of my favorite reads of the year.

The relationships between the characters are superb. Whether it’s the complicated connections between Faith and Sydney and Rose, or the truly caring bonds that develop with the other Red Stripes, every relationship in this book has a special uniqueness that feels wholly guided by the personalities and emotions of the characters at hand. I particularly loved Faith’s relationship with Alex, but I could say that of any of the connections in this book: the vibrant authenticity to each of them makes this book into a web as powerful and unknowable as the forest’s magic.

Bonnin truly tackles so much in this book—ostracization, colonialism, immigration, queer and trans identity, found family, and more—and yet its smooth feel disguises this fantastic complexity so deftly it appears all but effortless. I honestly just feel so lucky that Bonnin wrote a book so beautiful and powerful, and I know I’ll be checking out her previous novels very soon.

Five incredible stars! 

Thank you to TBR Tours and Macmillan for providing an ARC for review purposes. All views expressed here are my own. 

Boys with Sharp Teeth will be released on April 8, 2025. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC for review purposes; all opinions expressed here are my own.
 
Jaymie Vane is the newest student at Huntsworth Academy, an exclusive prep school where nothing is what it seems—particularly not Jaymie herself. Under this assumed name and false pretenses, she’s entered the school from her life in the small, forgettable nearby village with a single motive: track down the Huntsworth students responsible for her cousin’s murder, and get revenge.

With the name of three potential murderers and her fierce determination, Jaymie is certain that her investigation will be easy. But surrounded by crisp jackets, old scars, and mirrors that show far more than a simple reflection, she quickly discovers that Huntsworth is a place where nightmares are as powerful as lies.

To earn her revenge, Jaymie may have to give up everything—including herself.

Sharp writing, a carefully developed atmosphere, and almost surreal plot twists combine to make Boys with Sharp Teeth a compulsive read. This story absolutely capitalizes on dark academia’s thread of magic, allowing a sense of the paranormal to develop throughout and add to the atmosphere long before the characters—or readers—fully understand it, or are even sure that it isn’t just another lie. This layer of unreality contributed hugely to the appeal of the characters and story; it was often very hard to dissect what was and wasn’t real, particularly with the descriptive prose and metaphors, which created so many questions for the reader.

Howell managed to make the story feel complete while providing very little closure, which left me finishing the book with the same sense of unease that permeated the entire book. It also meant that, unlike many eerie stories that somewhat fall flat once the big reveal occurs, Boys with Sharp Teeth maintains its darkly mysterious edge beyond the final page. Indeed, the writing here is one of the biggest strengths of this book; Howell’s word choice and prose is phenomenal,

Reading this as an advance reader’s copy, I wasn’t able to find the extensive content warnings on the author’s website that the opening note indicated would be present, but I hope that they’ll be updated there as the release date draws nearer, as they are absolutely necessary. In particular, I think that Boys with Sharp Teeth could’ve benefited from a few more sensitivity readers with regard to the somewhat blasé discussions and portrayals of suicide in the second half of the book; if you find this to be a triggering topic, I suggest proceeding with caution through this story.

I highly recommend Boys with Sharp Teeth to dark academia lovers ages sixteen and up.

​Quick note: I’ve seen this book mentioned in multiple places as including LGBTQ+ rep, which it does not. I also would not classify it as a romance, another common tag; the developing relationships between the characters are founded far more on secrets and self-aware manipulation than romance. 

​young adult / dark academia / horror / standalone / ages 16+