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Dreams Lie Beneath -book review-



Hi, guys! This is the first fantasy book that I’ve read in a pretty long time and it didn’t disappoint at all. “Dreams Lie Beneath” is a truly captivating story that I devoured in a few days. I will definitely recommend this book and if you want to know more about my thoughts, I encourage you to read the rest of my review. Hope you enjoy it!


1. Book Synopsis (from Goodreads)

“A story about magic and the captivating power of dreams.


A curse plagues the realm of Azenor—during each new moon, magic flows from the nearby mountain and brings nightmares to life. Only magicians, who serve as territory wardens, stand between people and their worst dreams.


Clementine Madigan is ready to take over as the warden of her small town, but when two magicians challenge her, she is unwittingly drawn into a century-old conflict. She seeks revenge, but as she secretly gets closer to Phelan, one of the handsome young magicians, secrets begin to rise. Clementine must unite with her rival to fight the realm’s curse, which seems to be haunting her every turn.”


2. Characters

I would like to preface this by saying that this isn’t a character driven book, so if you prefer those types of books this might not be your cup of tea. However, I would still encourage you to try it out. From the very first couple of chapters we are introduced to a lot of characters, but, unfortunately, they feel two-dimensional. That is one of my few problems with the book. Since it has such a rich cast of characters, Rebecca Ross could’ve done so much with at least a couple of them. This book is told from Clementine’s (our main character) point of view, so I will focus on her now.


Clementine Madigan:

Clementine was a good main character. I really liked how she matured throughout the book and how she slowly became less gullible. However, I didn’t really care for her. She was a nice main character, but nothing special.


3. Writing Style

This was the first book that I’ve read from Rebecca Ross and I whole-heartedly loved the writing style. She is truly a talented writer. Her attention to detail and vivid writing style made this book so much more enjoyable. There were plenty of moments when I felt like I was in Azenor along with the characters. Her writing style is also pretty accessible for people who are at the beginning of their reading in English journey.


4. Things I liked

Firstly, I really liked the world building. Considering this was a standalone, she managed to write a really intricate world, without making it hard for the reader to understand. Secondly, I loved the plot of the book. It’s truly different from anything I’ve ever read before and I found it really enjoyable to read about Clementine fighting all of these nightmares. Thirdly, I liked the pacing of the book. Usually, I find fantasy standalones harder to read, because of their slow pace, but this book was pretty fast paced and easy to read.


5. Things I didn’t like

There are a few things that bugged me about this book and made me give it a lower rating. Firstly, the characters weren’t that interesting. As I’ve said, they felt flat and the main character wasn’t anything special. Secondly, the plot twists were somewhat predictable, but I don’t feel like that will ruin your experience reading the book. Thridly, the romance was pointless. I am the first person to say that I love fantasy books with a romance subplot, but only if that romantic subplot makes sense or is well executed. When I first heard about this book someone said that it had an enemies-to-lovers romance, but I feel like the enemies part was one-sided. Even though the couple had some really cute interactions, I didn’t really understand how he was able to forgive Clementine so easily.


6. Favorite quotes

“Sometimes things must break before they can be made whole again, so that they can be forged into something stronger.”


“Dreams often revealed one’s greatest vulnerability; dreams were doors that led into hearts and minds and souls and secrets.”


“Perhaps love was not something easily forgotten, even when it had burned down to ashes.”


“One does not realize how powerful a dream is, in the sleeping world as well as the waking one, until it has been stolen from them.”


7. Favorite scenes

This section contains spoilers

i. When Clem and Ambrose are challenged by Lennox and Phelan and have to defeat the nightmare. I was on the edge of my seat for that entire scene, especially when Clem got underwater and couldn’t find a way up.

ii. When Clem, now known as Anna, is interviewing for her job alongside Phelan and starts attacking him. That scene was so interesting and had me turning the page to see what would happen next.

iii. When Anna and Phelan fight the knight on their first moon as a team. It was really scary and I wasn’t even reading it at night.

iv. Lady Raven’s banquet. This scene was truly amazing, especially when they started unmasking the wraiths.

v. Their last night in Seren was probably my favorite moment from the entire book, because I didn’t expect some of the plot twists. Also, it was just a very action-packed finale.


8. Overall Opinion

In conclusion, I gave this book 4 stars. I think this book is a perfect read for the Halloween season, since the plot revolves around magicians that slay nightmares. Also, if you are looking for a plot-driven book, “Dreams Lie Beneath” might be a great fit. So, I highly recommend it for everyone that is looking for a fast-paced, interesting fantasy stand-alone.


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