Where Dreams Descend (Kingdom of Cards #1)

Content Overview

Overall Content
Severity
2.4

Language

5.8/10

Alcohol, Drugs, Smoking

2.0/10

Intimacy, Sex, Immodesty

1.6/10

Violence, Weapons, Blood, Crime

1.0/10

Potentially Intense Themes

1.8/10

**As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 

My Opinion

3.5 out of 5 stars (3.5 / 5) This book is described as a cross between Phantom of the Opera and Moulin Rouge. While I love both shows and play, I didn’t find many similarities. We start off in the Hellfire House where Kallia is kept captive. The master of the house has her do performances for the crowd and she is his favorite. Kallia ends up running away to a town nearby that is full of mystery and magic. In this town of Glorian, she enters a competition for magicians. She is the only female magician and many fight her presence of being there. She also has a male assistant which is very unheard of.

Kallia embarks on the competition which makes her truly locked inside the city and many magicians go missing. Not only that but the master from Hellfire keeps appearing to her using his magic.

It’s a book full of twists and mystery and while mostly exciting, it was also very confusing at times. The world building was lacking and it was hard to imagine the town and what was going on. I enjoyed Kallia’s character and a judge of the competition, Demarco. They have a small love interest which is cute. However, I’m left with more questions than when I started and the ending made me more frustrated than curious for the next book. 

The content is very low for each category. There is at least a small amount of each but all of it stays within appropriate YA limits and detail.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

Where Dreams Descend (Kingdom of Cards #1)

Janella Angeles

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.

-Excerpt taken from Goodreads.

Check Goodreads to see the book’s ratings. 

Detailed Content Review

Language 

F***-

H***- 21

S***- 5

A**- 4

B****-

D***- 27

Bas****- 1

Religious Cursing

J****-

Chr***-

G**-

L***-

Derogatory terms and curses unique to the book etc-

Zarose

Alcohol, Drugs, Smoking

A man sips whiskey. Another man is drunk. 

A man sips whiskey.

Feeling despair, a man has a drink “permanently attached” to his hand.

A man steals sips from a flask. 

A group of men request champagne to drink. 

A young woman drinks wine. 

A  man drinks wine.

A young woman sips wine.

A man sips his glass, waiting for the burn. He asks for a refill as another man orders one. 

A young woman begs for a stronger drink. A man provides it. 

A man is drunk. 

A man sips a glass of alcohol. 

A woman grabs a flute of alcohol and drinks it in one gulp. 

Intimacy, Sex, Immodesty

*No LGBTQ+ aspects included*

A man and young woman have a lot of sexual tension. Him holding her close- chest to chest, caressing her neck etc

A man tells a woman that “her kind” only belong in underground clubs and bars. 

A young woman kisses a man. He takes her face in his hands and kisses her. His hands in her hair, his kisses trailing down her neck. He took her face in his hands again and she leaned up to meet his kiss. 

A young woman kisses a young man. They pull closer then he picks her up and sets her on a ledge. She wanted to go away with every article of clothing. She unbuttoned his shirt while his hands rub her thighs. Need rolled through her and she pulled him closer with her legs. 

Violence, Weapons, Crime, Blood

When caught cheating in a game, a man’s consequence is to give up some memories. A man throws him to the ground with magic and using that magic, placed a weight around his neck.

A man punches a man, sending him to the floor. A man uses magic to send a bolt of light to a man, knocking him to a mirror. 

A man punches a man in the face. He is unconscious on the ground. 

Potentially Intense Themes

A fire starts, many are fearful of their safety. 

A fire consumes circus tents and people scream and run. 

A young woman passes out from magic use.

People randomly go missing.

Three people separately collapse and are unresponsive. This continues for many days. 

Three more are loaded onto stretchers and have bloody cloths covering where their eyes should be. 

**SPOILER** During a magical performance, a young woman enters a mirror and disappears. This has happened before.

Birds attack a crowd. Everyone screams and runs. 

**As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 

4 Comments

  1. You guys must have just enjoyed it more in general, I’m hearing all your points and couldn’t go above a 2 with it. Like why just make all your mysteries into plot homes and build a totally confusing world with no context

  2. I still want to read it but I’m definitely lowering my expectations as reviews are coming in

  3. I was really excited about this but the reviews are making me second guess if I want to read it.

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