Dream by the Shadows by Logan Karlie

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Atmospheric slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers young adult fantasy.

Dream by the Shadows is the first book of the Shadow Weavers Duology by author Logn Karlie, and it is an atmospheric young adult enemies-to-lovers tale within a frightening world of nightmares and dreams, shadows and light. Young Esmer's world falls apart when her parents succumb to "The Corruption," a horrific disease that turns normal people into slavering, demonic killers, plaguing her village. With her only desire being the protection of her younger brother, she soon becomes a pawn in an eternity-long struggle between her world's leader, Lord Mithras, the Light Bringer, and his evil antithesis known as the Shadow Bringer.

Esmer Havenfall is the heartbreakingly engaging young heroine trapped by the circumstances of her parents' actions and their subsequent deaths. She already carries a load of guilt, feeling responsible for her older sister's death, and she is the only support for her sweet, much-loved younger brother, Elliot. I was exhausted for this young woman, as each time she tried to sleep, she found herself in the nightmarish Dream Realm, where she encountered the notorious and reviled Shadow Bringer.

The plot moves quickly as the author builds a complex setting and an intricate system of magic. There's a lot of ground to cover, and I had some difficulty keeping up at times. I enjoyed the push-pull of Esmer's emotions toward the Shadow Bringer as she was both repulsed by his reputation and sympathetically drawn to the man suffering behind the mask. The descriptions of the diverse and vivid settings were at times lush, stark, and always atmospheric.

As I mentioned, I did have some trouble comprehending the full nature of the world of Noctis, the lore, and the magic system; it was just that vast. It took the entirety of the book for me to gain a modicum of comfort with it all, as much is revealed during scenes in the Dream Realm that early on played out with all the well-known confusion one experiences in a nightmare. The excitement of the story really takes off toward the end of this book, leaving me anxious for the next, so I can see how this will all resolve.

I recommend DREAM BY THE SHADOWS to readers of young adult fantasy.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy through Toppling Stacks Tours.

Share/Like this Review?