Where Dreams Descend : Kingdom of Cards #1 by Janella Angeles - Book Review (No spoilers)

"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

Where Dreams Descend is the startling and romantic first book in Janella Angeles’ debut Kingdom of Cards fantasy duology where magic is both celebrated and feared, and no heart is left unscathed."

I really liked this book. The setting was really cool, and I loved how all the magical places were described. The characters were all nice too. Kallia was fun to read about and so was Jack. Demarco was a well-developed character and I liked how the author kept revealing new things about him. I found the parts about his background a little boring, especially the bits about Eva. However, later they became more interesting when Eva's disappearance was introduced as one of the central themes.

The only complaint I have is that this book felt too long and drawn out. The middle portion of it was rather dull and I was getting impatient to reach the end. It also felt repetitive as the only thing happening was Kallia's performances with and without the circus. Kallia and Demarco's relationship also seemed to move slowly, especially during the middle. This book would have definitely been a five-star read if not for the pacing in the middle.

I loved the starting and ending of this book as it was very exciting. This is certainly a good fantasy duology to read. Janella Angeles did really well for a debut novel, and this book did get quite famous for something coming from a new author. I'm excited for the second book to be released!