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mng82214's review against another edition
5.0
This was a very interesting and thrilling read. For YA it was very clean and definitely something I will let my daughters read. The author did an awesome job with this book it was beautifully written and portrayed.
thecozybookclub's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
4.0
Read by Victoria for THe Cozy Book Club
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Blood, and War
Minor: Slavery
fairlylocaltrashdragon's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
5.0
221bpinkst's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Slavery, Blood, and War
junibooni_'s review against another edition
4.0
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of Well of Dreams in exchange for an honest review.
Well of Dreams was a refreshing read - different from what I typically go for, but I've been following Kayla Ann's progress via social media and wanted to support her in her journey. So first things first: this book is very well written. Sans the minor typos scattered throughout, the book is polished and reads like a traditionally published book. Considering the author was likely her own editor, I am floored by the sheer quality of this novel. It's obvious that so much love and effort went into the final product, and as an aspiring author myself, I can only hope to produce something of this caliber when my own project is finished.
So, without further ado, the review:
The story follows two sisters, Larissa and Halla, as they race to flee the Empress's sentries. Along the way, they enlist the help of Darien and Anara, whom Larissa begrudgingly accepts as allies in this fight for survival. And thus the threads of fate are pulled as history reveals itself through Darien and Larissa's fragmented memories. By some will of old gods and their galdr, Darien and Larissa have survived the last 50 years in hiding - neither knowing who the other, or their own self, truly is.
The premise of this story is strong. I'm a fan of secret histories, and so I enjoyed the slow revelation of truths over the course of the book. However, I do wish these memories had revealed themselves through means other than recovered memories. Ann crafted a dystopian, war-torn world yet chose to reveal hints of the past through forgotten narratives rather than having the characters discover clues of the world they once knew as they journeyed to each destination. I would have preferred less dream sequences and more current events that then trigger these lost memories. However, that is not to say that these dream sequences were not enlightening; they provided necessary and intriguing exposition that not only revealed more about the world before Ragnarok, but that also showed us who these characters were before the memory-wipes. Nevertheless, I do think the number of dream sequences became a bit repetitive for me and consequently began to feel convenient for our characters and the plot development. A bit deus ex machina, to put it shortly.
Now, the characters: this is where I felt the most disconnect, but again, that is not necessarily a "weakness" on the author's part; it is more of a testament to the types of characters that I typically resonate with. Ann was successful in avoiding the typical YA tropey feel with her characters, which I appreciated. The ~strong female lead~ was hardened and callous because her world demanded it - not because she held some personal vendetta against an old flame. So here is where my critique lies: I felt that, despite utilizing two POVs, Larissa was the most 3-dimensional character in our main cast. Darien's chapters were necessary in the beginning to help draw his and Larissa's paths to a convergence, but later on they felt redundant and ultimately unnecessary. I think the entirety of Well of Dreams could have been told solely through Larissa's eyes - perhaps Darien's eventual reveal as Prince Darien, romantic interest to Princess Lovisa, could have been even more dramatic if readers had not been told outright that Darien played a key role in Larissa's forgotten past. Upping the tension and all that, y'know? Halla and Anara, though they were with the main cast through almost the entire story, felt like side characters with little to no development. Halla grew the most when she burned the bodies of her parents, but I found her to be lacking in depth, almost like she was just along for the ride - but that might also be because she is a child whose actions are supervised and therefore limited. Anara was... interesting. I can't say I was entirely invested in her past, but I can appreciate the role she played in reuniting Darien and Larissa, ultimately helping them both unlock the secrets of the lives they had forgotten. But her personality - her hopes and fears, her desires, her personal motivations - remain a mystery to me. After reading all of Well of Dreams, I can only confidently speak about Larissa's character.
The world that Ann created is teeming with Norse mythological influences - many of which, unfortunately, went over my head. If I were someone who studied Norse mythology, I think I would have geeked out over all the little nods and winks. So again, this is a point of lack on my part, not the author. The fact that these references were woven so tightly into the story without their meanings and lore being spoon-fed to the reader attests to Ann's accomplished storytelling skills, in my opinion. She gave us an engaging story riddled with mythological references without regurgitating every detail of the folklore that inspired her, which, speaking from experience, is not an easy task.
Overall, this was an enjoyable and fun read. I gave it four stars only because I personally didn't resonate with the characters or some aspects of the world building - but that only means that this book wasn't made for me. It was outside of my comfort zone, and I likely never would have picked it up on my own had I not been following the author's Instagram page - so a massive THANK YOU to Kayla Ann for sending over that ARC and letting me read your book baby. You should be so, so proud of yourself for this!!
TL;DR: I don't think I fit the "intended audience" demographic, but this was a good book nonetheless. All my best to Kayla Ann and her future endeavors.
Well of Dreams was a refreshing read - different from what I typically go for, but I've been following Kayla Ann's progress via social media and wanted to support her in her journey. So first things first: this book is very well written. Sans the minor typos scattered throughout, the book is polished and reads like a traditionally published book. Considering the author was likely her own editor, I am floored by the sheer quality of this novel. It's obvious that so much love and effort went into the final product, and as an aspiring author myself, I can only hope to produce something of this caliber when my own project is finished.
So, without further ado, the review:
The story follows two sisters, Larissa and Halla, as they race to flee the Empress's sentries. Along the way, they enlist the help of Darien and Anara, whom Larissa begrudgingly accepts as allies in this fight for survival. And thus the threads of fate are pulled as history reveals itself through Darien and Larissa's fragmented memories. By some will of old gods and their galdr, Darien and Larissa have survived the last 50 years in hiding - neither knowing who the other, or their own self, truly is.
The premise of this story is strong. I'm a fan of secret histories, and so I enjoyed the slow revelation of truths over the course of the book. However, I do wish these memories had revealed themselves through means other than recovered memories. Ann crafted a dystopian, war-torn world yet chose to reveal hints of the past through forgotten narratives rather than having the characters discover clues of the world they once knew as they journeyed to each destination. I would have preferred less dream sequences and more current events that then trigger these lost memories. However, that is not to say that these dream sequences were not enlightening; they provided necessary and intriguing exposition that not only revealed more about the world before Ragnarok, but that also showed us who these characters were before the memory-wipes. Nevertheless, I do think the number of dream sequences became a bit repetitive for me and consequently began to feel convenient for our characters and the plot development. A bit deus ex machina, to put it shortly.
Now, the characters: this is where I felt the most disconnect, but again, that is not necessarily a "weakness" on the author's part; it is more of a testament to the types of characters that I typically resonate with. Ann was successful in avoiding the typical YA tropey feel with her characters, which I appreciated. The ~strong female lead~ was hardened and callous because her world demanded it - not because she held some personal vendetta against an old flame. So here is where my critique lies: I felt that, despite utilizing two POVs, Larissa was the most 3-dimensional character in our main cast. Darien's chapters were necessary in the beginning to help draw his and Larissa's paths to a convergence, but later on they felt redundant and ultimately unnecessary. I think the entirety of Well of Dreams could have been told solely through Larissa's eyes - perhaps Darien's eventual reveal as Prince Darien, romantic interest to Princess Lovisa, could have been even more dramatic if readers had not been told outright that Darien played a key role in Larissa's forgotten past. Upping the tension and all that, y'know? Halla and Anara, though they were with the main cast through almost the entire story, felt like side characters with little to no development. Halla grew the most when she burned the bodies of her parents, but I found her to be lacking in depth, almost like she was just along for the ride - but that might also be because she is a child whose actions are supervised and therefore limited. Anara was... interesting. I can't say I was entirely invested in her past, but I can appreciate the role she played in reuniting Darien and Larissa, ultimately helping them both unlock the secrets of the lives they had forgotten. But her personality - her hopes and fears, her desires, her personal motivations - remain a mystery to me. After reading all of Well of Dreams, I can only confidently speak about Larissa's character.
The world that Ann created is teeming with Norse mythological influences - many of which, unfortunately, went over my head. If I were someone who studied Norse mythology, I think I would have geeked out over all the little nods and winks. So again, this is a point of lack on my part, not the author. The fact that these references were woven so tightly into the story without their meanings and lore being spoon-fed to the reader attests to Ann's accomplished storytelling skills, in my opinion. She gave us an engaging story riddled with mythological references without regurgitating every detail of the folklore that inspired her, which, speaking from experience, is not an easy task.
Overall, this was an enjoyable and fun read. I gave it four stars only because I personally didn't resonate with the characters or some aspects of the world building - but that only means that this book wasn't made for me. It was outside of my comfort zone, and I likely never would have picked it up on my own had I not been following the author's Instagram page - so a massive THANK YOU to Kayla Ann for sending over that ARC and letting me read your book baby. You should be so, so proud of yourself for this!!
TL;DR: I don't think I fit the "intended audience" demographic, but this was a good book nonetheless. All my best to Kayla Ann and her future endeavors.
kllyfst's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Larissa and Darien meet up unexpectedly and set off a chain of events in their kingdom controlled by the empress.
jenwoodrum's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Well of Dreams is a YA Dystopian Fantasy that takes place in a future world where the legends of Norse mythology aren't just legends anymore.
Larissa and Halla have all the charm of Katniss and Prim with more sass, magic, and adventures spent together!
The combination of tropes is a dream:
➰Lost princess
➰Forgotten romance
➰Dual POV
➰Dark creatures
➰Hidden memories
➰Fast paced
➰Detailed world building
➰Found family
I could go on and on...
I loved Larissa's bravery and protectiveness, as well as Halla's impulsivity and determination. Darian and Anara were loveable characters. The pace was exciting and easy to read.
You can tell how much Kayla has poured into this book over her YEARS of developing it, and how much she has planned for this series!
Not to mention the gorgeous illustrations throughout. I've never seen a book with such beautiful art tucked inside!
The literary world is lucky to have this book!!
oriana095's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
author_keblair's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Well of Dreams in my second 5 ⭐️ read of the year! I spent the first 30% of the book (I read on kindle, iykyk) trying to figure out what the heck was going on. And I mean this in the best way possible - where I was immediately thrown into the actions of our characters lives and became very invested in them. I knew there was a mystery here and I was trying to puzzle it out!
There was some unique worldbuilding living in a post-Ragnorak world on what I’m assuming used to be Europe. There’s now essentially magic, in the form of galdyr given to the ruling families because of course this place is run by monarchies.
No spoilers here so I won’t go into too much depth, but one of the reasons I loved this book so much is the strong sibling relationships. Particularly between Larissa and Greta we see a loving, respectful bond full of quips, anxiety and love. And the angst of the slow burn love interest? *chef’s kiss*
Overall all of the characters were really mature and believable, which I loved and can be really hard to do.
Full review to come on myth & magic book club soon.
amberraetoro's review against another edition
5.0
If you are looking for a fun YA story with Norse based mythos then definitely pick up Well of Dreams. I enjoyed all of the characters. Both POV's were interesting and was always excited to see what they would do next. I was hooked at the beginning and things got really exciting at the end, although the middle was a little slow for my personal taste.
Overall it was a fun read and I am looking forward to seeing what happens next in book 2.
Tropes:
Hidden Powers
Chosen One
Found Family
4.5 stars rounded up
Overall it was a fun read and I am looking forward to seeing what happens next in book 2.
Tropes:
Hidden Powers
Chosen One
Found Family
4.5 stars rounded up