A Theory of Dreaming Deluxe Limited Edition: Sequel to A Study in Drowning – The Stunning Final Book in the Haunting YA Fantasy Duology

Effy and Preston return to university amid a changing landscape. Effy is now a literature college student, though her classmates are anything but welcoming. The war between Llyr and Argant intensifies. And the truth of Myrddin’s legacy is suppressed by the government. All the while, Preston is dreaming of a kingdom beneath the sea and slowly losing sight of himself and Effy. Read if you like: -Reality vs Dreams -History vs Propaganda -Love Conquers All I loved A Study in Drowning and thought it was going to be a tough act to follow, but wow oh wow did Ava Reid say 'hold my beer.' I love A Theory of Dreaming even more than ASID! I did not want to put this book down and simply could not read it fast enough. It is such a beautifully written book. It echos some of the themes of ASID and takes a new look at them, while expanding on the Llyr/Argant divide with such great commentary on all of it. I love that we got Preston's POV in this book. He is such a tragically romantic MMC. I can't recommend this duet enough!

The dust cover was ripped in shipment but the book is in perfect condition ! As for the story I have not read yet but my friends highly rec!

Trigger warnings for A Study in Drowning include: sexual assault, depression, attempted suicide, anxiety, struggles with reality, isolation, war, bullying, abandonment, death of a parent, and substance abuse I finished this book a couple of weeks ago but waited to post a review to fully mull over what I read. I typically read more upbeat, adventure, and fast paced stories, so please take that into account with considering my review. Let me start by saying, Ava Reid's writing style is absolutely amazing, truly beautiful. But this story did not hook me. It was depressing, heavy, sad, and at no point did I feel inspired, excited, or hopeful that the characters would make it to their happily ever after. Instead of feeling like Effy and Preston had overcome this great evil from the first book, they just get thrown into a reality that might have been worse than the alternate reality from before. Effy struggles with living in a reality without the Fairy King and no longer knows how to sleep or dream without the help of medication. School is nothing like she imagined. Preston is too caught up in his own worries and dreams to see her drowning (puns intended). She doesn't seek help, she doesn't tell anyone she's struggling, and the isolation and lies drags her to a very unhealthy emotional state. She got everything she wanted from the first book and not one bit of it actually made her life better, happier, or healthier. That being said, I've never read an author describe the mental and emotional struggles of characters so incredibly, with realistic details in-depth to a degree that it was hard to separate my own emotions from these characters. If you have personally dealt with depression, abandonment, social isolation, or drug abuse, this might not be a safe read. As a reader, I FELT Effy's emotions deeply and darkly through Reid's writing style. Preston finds himself struggling with hearing the chapel bells (as noted in the end of A Study in Drowning) and he cannot understand how an unbeliever like himself would even be thinking about such things. He's completely shocked when his professor wraps him into what seems a crazy theory to access the dreams of the great authors in their magical sleep. Preston's fight against this alternate reality is not the same as Effy's struggles from book one. Effy KNEW in her soul that the Fairy King was real and had an interest in her life. Preston resists at every turn. Not to mention his struggle with anxiety and fear over wanting to protect Effy. Usually, a characteristic I love in an MMC, but this turned into a crippling emotion that should have been discussed and addressed by a professional. It possessed him like a mad man and he could barely cope thinking about her. In a modern world, both Effy and Preston should have been seeing a counselor all semester. I cannot honestly say if Reid intended for the reader to become a believer in these alternate realities themselves, or if we are mean to be the sane ones, looking at these crazy kids from the outside. That part of these books could easily put these stories under "future classics." If I was a literature student with a desire to use an annotation pen and tabs, this book would be covered front to back. But I'm not, and I didn't want to mark-up some of the most beautiful books on my shelves. I became overly frustrated with the "lack of communication" trope and depressed over the lack of coping skills that both Effy and Preston showed here. In A Study of Drowning, they both showed creativity, curiosity, bravery, and a growing love for one another as the person they could lean on for support and safety. Every bit of that gets thrown out the window back at the university and it was a frustrating transition. Lastly, back to Reid's beautiful writing and world building skills, the aspects of war were spot on. She uses Preston's background as a way to express the racial and social prejudices against foreigners during a building war between two countries who don't even know why they are fighting again. Their stories are steeped in deep history and fantastical myths. As the reader, we worry for Preston's mother and brother and how to war will impact them. We struggle with Preston about being separated and even having his communications tampered with and later cute off entirely. He is judged by his peers and insulted by other university staff. He honestly holds it together a lot better in these very real struggles than he does with the alternate reality of the dream world. Reid brings together a story of trauma, struggle, war, mystery, the pursuit of knowledge, and the idea that sometimes the truth should stay buried. Go into this story knowing it's not a fast-paced book and it will not give you the warm and fuzzies. You will be emotionally challenged!

"How do we survive when reality becomes too much to bear?" Magic and dreams shielded them from living a real world that was too cruel to face but love and determination kept them together and help them break the glass of fears that hold them back. Effy and Preston's story was a magical tale placed in the past of what many experience these days. I loved this series, beautifully written, with an amazing closing for this magical story.

very pretty

Let me start my review with this: A Theory of Dreaming is not a feel-good sequel. If you’re going into this expecting a soft, romantic continuation of Effy and Preston’s story, brace yourself. This book is darker, grittier, and emotionally heavy. It deals with mental health, trauma, and the effects of war. There are some moments of beauty and connection (and there are positive messages of love throughout), but this is not a light read. I think it's important to establish that right at the beginning. Reid herself has recently shared that the book was partially written in frustration with the ongoing crisis in Palestine, specifically how academic institutions treat students who speak up, and the influence is apparent. The political and emotional weight of the story is heavy, especially in the way it explores how institutions and media manipulate truth and isolate people who are already vulnerable. One of the criticisms I’ve seen from other readers is that Effy seems to take a step backward from where she ended up in A Study in Drowning. I understand that take, but I don’t agree with it entirely. For me, this felt honest. While I loved book one, I had a harder time with how neatly things wrapped up. A Theory of Dreaming unpacks that. It reminds us that healing isn’t a linear process. Effy is dealing with the “after” of her victories. She shows that even when life should seem objectively better, we can feel worse. That’s a truth that hits close to home. I’ve had some of my worst depressive episodes right after positive life milestones—acceptance into a new college program, a new job, even meeting my (now) husband. But depression doesn’t follow logic. Effy’s internal battle—“Do I deserve this?”—mirrors so many of my own thoughts. This book made me feel seen in ways I didn’t expect. Not only that, but she is also still dealing with a lot of external forces going against her. Her classmates don't believe that a woman should be allowed in the literature program, and they constantly belittle her and treat her as if she doesn't belong. On top of that, she is targeted by the University as well, causing added pressure from local newspapers and media. Yes, she has defeated her "life-long enemy," but there's no way to "defeat" real life. One of my favorite parts of A Theory of Dreaming was how much more we got from Preston’s point of view. It was great to see more about what he was struggling with, especially with the growing tensions on campus being caused from the war and the pressures he's under at the university. Through Preston, Reid builds a dream world that feels both surreal and painfully real. The atmosphere in this book is incredible. Reid is a master of mood and setting, and she doesn’t miss a beat here. It is obvious that I enjoyed this book, but I did still have a couple of complaints. My biggest issues involve the pacing of the plot. The middle section started to drag a bit. There were moments that felt repetitive, especially in terms of Effy and Preston's inner monologue. Not only that, but there are placements of diary entries that Effie is reading throughout the book, and most of the time, they felt incredibly out of place. I could see what Reid was trying to do with them, thematically, but the connection to Effie and the plot wasn't always clear. Part of this is because we got so much more Preston, so Effie's plotline got pushed to the side. Did A Study in Drowning need a sequel? No. But even so, A Theory of Dreaming has some important things to say, and I'm glad it exists. Ava Reid isn’t afraid to write about hard things. She’s not afraid to let her characters be messy and raw. And she’s not afraid to bring her own grief and frustration into her stories. I will definitely continue to read more of her books in the future.

Stunning dust jacket and beautiful sprayed edges. In awe of this special edition. It looks perfect next to the first book! Haven’t had a chance to read it yet but it arrived in great condition

=Reseña del producto, no el libro= Ya estaba ansiosa por leer la continuación!! Ya tenía la versión en pasta dura del primer libro por lo que estaba esperando a que saliera la pasta dura (no deluxe) de este segundo libro para comprarla! El libro llego muy rápido y en excelentes condiciones, solo algo a tener en cuenta: el material de la sobrecubierta es diferente al del primer volumen. Como se puede ver en las fotos uno es brilloso y el otro es mate. A mi no me molesta, pero puede que a algunas personas si, por ello lo pongo de igual manera :) ¡De igual manera muchísimas gracias por el producto!

Problemlose Lieferung, tolles Buch auch ohne Umschlag sehr hübsch.

What a great book ! Ava Reid's writing is really beautiful as always. I love the atmosphere of this book. I was so happy to dive back into this story ! I'd recommend it to anyone who has read A Study in Drowning.

Such a beautiful edition I had to purchase it! I love this series as well as Ava Reid as an author overall. I highly recommend this book if you love gothic and dark academia! The book itself came in great condition and perfectly wrapped.