Book: Dreams of Dust by Isabella Stofka
Reviewed by IvI
Rating: 4.5/5
Dreams of Dust was an amazing sequel. This duology is so enchanting and unique. Thanks Bella for this ARC 💐 4.5/5 ⭐
I loved the fact that Thicket saved herself from the Curse, even when she was having a lot of second thoughts and low self-esteem. Obviously, she had a lot of help from her friends, but at the end of the day, it was HER job to stop Lavender and bring peace to her Kingdom.
There was this "almost" love triangle with the former Prince Elian and Marcellus the Knight. It was so interesting because it wasn't framed as a fight between them over Thicket, but more like a side development, with complicated feelings and so many struggles. I honestly wasn't sure who would end up with Thicket, if anyone at all.
I also adored that Marcellus was a weak wielder and her personal guard. He wasn't a mighty commander; on the contrary, he had the lowest of powers. It was a refreshing choice. Though he was really grumpy and brooded A LOT, most of the time he kept to himself and didn't want to bother the Princess. Their growing relationship was really slow-paced and felt so real. It felt just right.
I'm hoping Isabella is planning to write about Bern, Lotta, and Elian's stories. They were amazing side characters and I would love to know more about them and their futures 👀
These are the tropes:
Sleeping Beauty Retelling
Magic & Curses
Memory Loss
Arranged Marriage
Found Family
Imminent War
Court Affairs
Slow-Burn Romance
Animal Companions
Reluctant Hero & Royalty
Mental Health Rep