BOOK REVIEW: Reverie

Reverie by Ryan La Sala
Publication Date: December 3, 2019

I haven’t written a review in a while, and that’s probably because very few of my recent reads have wholly won me over. Thankfully, Reverie has ended that streak. It does starts off a little bumpy due to the main character, Kane, having amnesia from an experience that left him half-dead in a river. Not knowing friend from foe, Kane searches for links to his lost memories. Then he literally stumbles into another world. Well, not quite. More a dream come to tangible life. As Kane’s memories start to creep back into place, the plot picks up and the bizarrely wonderous dreamscape-jumping begins. 

What I Liked: 

• I thoroughly enjoyed the concept & execution of the dreamscapes, AKA the “reveries.” Each one was vibrantly strange and uniquely their own. I loved the shifting array of characters, backdrops, and dream “plot twists.” I wouldn’t have minded if they had squeezed a few more into the plot.
• Due to Kane’s amnesia, I had quite the difficult time discerning future plot events. It was a rare occurrence for me to have zero ideas about what would happen next in the book, and it was refreshing.
•  I enjoyed seeing all the LGBTQ reps throughout the story. I don’t think everyone needed to be paired up by the end though. 

What I Didn’t Like:

• I really liked Posey! Unfortunately, she was a bit 2-dimentional. I kept hoping the next chapter would bring her some sort of backstory or driving motivation. Alas, she remained a perfectly coiffed mystery.

Recap:

If you want a wild ride of a read (including but not limited to: barbarians, a Victorian garden party, a dystopian regime, and shapeshifting nightmares) Reverie is the book for you!  It was a thoroughly enjoyable & imaginative read. I’m excited to see what Ryan La Sala will write next.

4.5/5 stars

xoxo, Bree

*Thank you Net Galley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.*