Drown Me with Dreams

Sing Me to Sleep #2

by Gabi Burton

In book two of this dark and seductive YA fantasy duology, perfect for fans of Fourth Wing and These Violent Delights, a siren assassin must decide between saving her kingdom and betraying the man she loves.

Wanted. Hunted. Banished.

Now that everyone knows she's both a siren and an assassin, Saoirse is the most wanted fugitive in Keirdre.

Framed for the old king's death, every powerful fae in the kingdom is calling for her execution.

To keep her safe, the newly crowned King Hayes asks her to cross the magical barrier that separates Keirdre from its enemies. There's only one if she doesn't find a way to bring the barrier down, she can never come back.

As Hayes is forced to make compromises and Saoirse uncovers plots that threaten the entire kingdom, she's forced to Is Hayes the best future for Keirdre? And if not…. is she willing to turn against him?

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Romantasy, Fiction, Young Adult Fantasy, Mythology

424 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 20, 2024

Reviews

[Gabi Burton]

I can finally leave a "review" for this second book child of mine because it's finished! (ish. I'm still editing). Drown Me With Dreams is the conclusion to Saoirse's story and I'm so excited for y'all to read it!

(please consider liking this review so the content warnings are more readily available to potential readers. they will also be on my website)

Content warnings:
murder/death
graphic violence
discrimination/segregation
mentions of genocide
imprisonment
descriptions of physical injuries/blood

[Ivani]

I NEED!

Sing Me to Sleep has me obsessed...

[Lucy'sLilLibrary · Rating 4 out of 5]

After being obsessed with Sing Me to Sleep I couldn't wait to read the second instalment, although not a five-star read it wasn't far off, why it everyone sleeping on this duology. I can't wait to read more from Gabi Burton I think she writes beautifully, her writing isn't piratically flowery but there's something special about it.

I think what shines about this book the most for me is the characters, each have their own flaws and personalities, no one feels stale or bland. I think Hayes is a little too nice, he barely has any flaws, which was sometimes a little unbelievable but Saoirse more than makes up for it.

Saoirse's and Haye's relationship took a back step in this book as they are separated for a lot of the plot, but when they are together it's magical, it's a slow burn which I enjoyed and it's YA so no awkward sex scenes to bother me.

The politics in this book were really well done, but I did find myself getting lost with some of the newer characters. I didn't think the new characters were as well developed and there were elements that felt rushed. This series might have been better as a trilogy, I would've liked to spend more time in this world and I think it would've been better if Saoirse went through a few more trails. It felt a little too easy in the end, everything was resolved too quickly and it was a little low stakes.

I did still love this book but I just wanted it to do more. I don't think it's much of a criticism to wish this book was either longer, or there was another book in the series just to flush it out a little more. I will now purposely look out for this author.

[☾]

sometimes i add sequels that are a year out knowing i will forget the entire plot of the first book by the release date.

will i actually end up reading this? will it stay in my tbr and collect dust? find out, 2024.

[Raaven💖 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so much better than the last one. We get to see more of Hayes and Saoirse and even though their relationship still seems awkward, it also seems a bit more fleshed out. I love the inclusion of other creatures and we see a lot of betrayal and heart break. There’s a lot of forgiveness as well. Way more than I could give. There were times I was a little annoyed with how repetitive things were. Like Saoirse being beautiful. I felt like in the beginning someone had to mention it on every other page. And Saoirse being mad at Carrick. She did NOT stop talking about it. The end actually had me tearing up a bit. I wasn’t prepared for that bitter sweet ending. All in all I liked the conclusion and the series as a whole. While there were flaws it was an enjoyable read for both books.

[Kobe · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. rtc!!

[Tosin (tosmeabook) · Rating 4 out of 5]

✅All Black Cast of Characters
✅ Revenge
✅ Betrayal
✅ Even More Female Rage

Writing and pace

The writing is just as good as I remember from singe to sleep. Sharp, crisp and easy to fall into.

The female rage is just as pungent as book one but takes a new direction.

For a duology book two was perfectly paced and I didn't not experience any drag within the plot.

Plot

Listen I WAS NOT READY for the way this plot unraveled. The betrayal, the secrets, the lies, deception, and political stakes were taken up a notch.

It reminded me how important it is to protect your history from being rewritten. Our history has a large role to play in how we see ourselves and how others see us.

Setting and world building

The world expanded and while I wish we explored more of it (maybe another book set in this world or a novella 👀👀 ) I absolutely adored what we got and what we learned about the world beyond the barrier.

Characters

Hayes is more forgiving and patient than me truly he is a man of the Lord because the amount of wrongdoing this man ensured !

Saorise FINALLY let some of her stubbornness go. PRAISE BE. There was growth and I'm happy she found new ways to channel her rage.

Bransprout (Rain) didn't feature as much but I will say her heart is pure and her capacity for forgiveness is something I can learn from 🥹.

Hayes mother, may she rot in hell 👋🏿, fast track to hell premium plus. She was described as short so she doesn't have a long way down, she's already close to him.

[akacya ❦ · Rating 4 out of 5]

2025 reads: 176/300

2025 tbr: 46/111

in this sequel to sing me to sleep, saoirse is on the run, with several murder charges behind her and her siren identity exposed. if she’s caught, even the newly-crowned king hayes can’t protect her. she’s forced to travel with carrick, who was once her best friend, now her greatest betrayer, though the more time she spends with him, the harder it is to hate him.

i loved sing me to sleep when i read that as a digital review copy, so i’ve been excited to read this book ever since finishing that one! while i didn’t quite get to this in a timely manner, i’m glad i finally did! this was such a great sequel, from the action-packed plot to the romantic parts. i’d highly recommend this sequel to anyone who enjoyed book one, and i’m looking forward to reading more from gabi burton!

[maddie's reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!

3.85 stars, rounded up

rtc!

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, Netgalley, and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

I loved this book. I really like the writing, and the story just drags me in and makes me want to just read more. The ending did feel a bit rushed, and at one point, I couldn't understand how everything was going to get sorted, but it did. There are still some unanswered questions, but that's fine. It was still solved in a good way. Except this book broke my heart a little.

I like how things are explained in this book. You are told what something is, and then when it's actually relevant to the story, you are told again. So you can remember easier, but it doesn't feel repetitive either. I really liked that.

4,5/5⭐️

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gabi Burton is such a talented writer, and having just read a little bit of her work I am DYING to read her debut novel and its sequel. She handles topics with grace and nuance that any critical thinker will be able to appreciate.

[inês · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5 stars

[Rojda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This duology was well written. I had a lot of fun reading it. ☺️ And I was relieved that we didn't get some unnecessary love triangle but a nuanced friendship between a man and a woman. It can be done you guys... 🙈

[˗ˏˋ maddie ˊˎ˗ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really didn't like the romantic relationship here. At all. Hayes gives Saoirse unconditional love, which sounds great and is wildly unhealthy. It's also presented like it's the least he can do?? - let his partner consistently lie to him, break promises, boot him regularly and often down her ladder of importance until he's sitting on the last rung. He is treated, more often than not, like a pretty obstacle to Saoirse's ambitions because he's going to want words of explanation, tempered responses, to know he matters and Saoirse behaves like those are nothing more than unreasonable expectations. She's not a good partner and yet because she expects the worst of people (despite being able to taste emotions!!!) because of what she is, this man who has done nothing but support her should allow her to treat him like absolute garbage while she figures out she can trust him.

Um, no. I don't trust her, I don't believe her, and I don't think she should be in a relationship and certainly not with this man that she has hurt every chance she got. That's not a happy ending, and that's not a healthy thing you've just made there.

[Phylicia ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the honor of getting an ARC of this book and it was amazing. 🥹 This book really elevated and built off everything we learn in the first. Each chapter left something to be desired and the plot kept me hyped all the way through! I already know this is gonna be a series I reread in the future 💙 4.5 stars! ⭐️

[AlexTRBG · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not my favorite mermaid/siren series, but I’m happy w this ending. I’m so glad Saoirse finally grew up, admitted that she was wrong, and started fight for the people she loved and not just for herself. And even though it took her the whole book to come to this realization, this was still better than the first book in my opinion.

[Cait | GoodeyReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Thank you Colored Pages Book Tours and Bloomsbury YA for the gifted copy.

VARIED THOUGHTS.

BLOG || INSTAGRAM

I went up and down with this book y’all. I will put at the top of this review though that I would love to try another series by this author. I think there’s potential for some great reads, even if I was mixed on this conclusion.

I loved a lot about Saoirse. Her dedication to her sister and how much she LOVED her. I loved the protective nature and the strength and will to survive in a land that doesn’t want her. I wish Saoirse had shown a little more growth in being able to trust others and not to lean so heavily (for the entire book) on scheming and manipulation. At least with those close to her.

The romance lacked chemistry and aspects felt forced. I wanted to love the forbidden and heated interactions, yet, the sporadic nature of their proximity didn’t build up the fragile connection they started with. I was way more invested in Saoirse’s story line with Carrick.

I liked the side characters. They added complexity and turmoil, politicking and good betrayals throughout. I feel like that whole group held up the book for me. The book lacked some direction and pacing became an issue too.

Like this review entails, I was back and forth on things I loved/struggled with. It’s still a book I would recommend and now that it’s a completed duology an even better time to try this out!

Overall audience notes:
- YA Fantasy Romance
- Language: moderate
- Romance: heated make-outs with light touching
- Violence: high

[Dario Pacheco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Y’all have no idea of how much of an honor it is to be able to read this book early. I absolutely loved “Sing Me To Sleep” so much that it for sure ended up being one of my top 10 reads of the year. I loved the enchanting and dangerous world Gabi has created. I just finished my reread of SMTS not that long ago in preparation for this book and I loved it just as much as I did the first time I read it, maybe even more.
This sequel did everyone a good sequel was supposed to do. Take everything from the previous book and up it by 100%.
Following Saoirse on her journey to create a safe place for her family while finding love and searching for more sirens like her was an absolute delight. I really fell in love with this morally grey character who had a tendency of being stabby.
Her love for her sister was one of the central aspects of the story that I absolutely loved. Family was at the forefront of her mind and she would have given her life to protect them.
Also watching her romance finally fully blossom had my heart so happy and screaming, finally!
Overall I loved this book. If you love:
•Morally Grey Main Characters
•Forbidden Romance
•Twists and Turns
You will love this book.
Thanks to NetGalley and Gabi herself for an ARC of this book. I can’t put into words how much of a honor it was 💕

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book in this series was one of the best arc's I've read. I love Sirens. I love them even more if they are really dangerous and the Siren starring in this duology is for sure dangerous and lethal. We see her kill people on page, we see her lying and betraying. We see how far she is willing to go to protect her family and her loved ones. When I saw this sequel on Netgalley I therefore had to request a copy and luckily Hodderscape granted me one.

This sequel is in a way quite different from the first novel, because the characters enter a way more uncertain situation and therefore have less clear goals. And yet, it also does contain all the elements I loved so much in the first book. Both main characters are still very much themselves, a lethal Siren doing whatever she has to, a King with a huge heart not willing to compromise on his ideals no matter the cost.

There's also a lot of politics in this book. And while the line between the good guys and the bad guys seems quite clear in the beginning, we discover that maybe it's not as easy to tell the heroes and villains apart. The finale of the book was therefore an amazing rollercoaster and when I reached the end of the book there were quite a few moments I was tearing up. Because it was sad, because it was beautiful, because it was real and raw.

I also liked that in this book we met a few other paranormal creatures and we got to see a world where humans and non-humans were living together quite peacefully. We therefore know what our heroes are fighting for. And just like them we experience the frustration when other people just refuse to see that same kind of peaceful world. However, this book shows once again that a better world starts with a few people wanting one and, unfortunately, quite some bloodshed.

[giuliana · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐️

[Jade qcbooklover · Rating 4 out of 5]

This duology deserves so much more recognition because it’s SO good!!

The first book was a bit better but overall it was amazing

[Mikayla Bean · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 ⭐️
Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC of this book! When I first read Sing Me to Sleep around this time last year, I was enthralled and so excited for the second book!

This did not disappoint! I absolutely love Saoirse’s character as well as the elements of found family that are cemented in the first book. I honestly just love Gabi Burton’s writing style as well. It just feels so fluid and interesting. The mystery element of the story as well as the romance was really well done in my opinion. All the character arcs were really well done and I loved them all. My only complaint is that this is only a duology lol I would’ve loved to see the events after the end of this book and the exploration of other parts of the story. Overall, this is a very interesting and well written YA duology that should be read. Give it a read if you haven’t yet! Now I just have to wait until (hopefully) Fairyloot does a special edition of this book because I’ll be all over it!! And this cover?! Shut up, it’s gorgeous! 😍

Anyways, go read it! 😊

[Verona · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s been a while since I read Sing Me To Sleep, but going back into this story was easy. The recollections of the first book were subtle enough not to be annoying and helped me get back on track.

The plot seems quite obvious. Saoirse has to leave Hayes behind and go to the other side of the barrier. She doesn’t know what’s waiting there – a people full of aggression against Keirdrens, an army big enough to destroy everything?
I expected so much action. While Saoirse as a siren and enemy of Keirdre probably has nothing to fear, she definitely wants Hayes to be safe. I expected her to fight for him on the other side, have the barrier come down, to have a full-on war.
But there was barely any action in this book. It’s much more on the intrigue side of things. Saoirse realises quite quickly that things are not as she (and I) expected them to be, but that doesn’t mean peace. There is so much scheming from basically everyone, so many hidden secrets. Multiple times I thought that we now know everything and then something knew got revealed.
It kind of fit. I had expected more action, but this way actually made so much sense and it wasn’t boring either.
Usually, I hate it when there is one revelation after the other, but in this case, it was so well done.
Unfortunately, this also made the book a bit confusing. I didn’t know anymore who wanted to do what and who had actually done what. But it did get cleared up before the finale.

One thing that did disappoint me, however, were the relationships. I wanted to see more of Carrik. He is so interesting! I really liked him and I was happy to see him in a huge part of the book, but he barely did anything. While he did get his moments to show his importance, it wasn’t enough. He could’ve played an even bigger role in my opinion. For quite a long time he felt like a pretty but unnecessary accessory.
I wasn’t quite happy with Hayes either. In a way, that made sense, considering the ending of Sing Me To Sleep. I would’ve been disappointed, if the two of them were able to overcome their problems without a second thought. But at the same time, it was so frustrating. Both of them lying, both of them not trusting each other. But at the same time Hayes is way too in love with Saoirse. He said some things that literally had me melting, but most of the time I just wanted to tell him that there is love and then there is stupidity. The way it got resolved was fine, but I feel like the two of them still have a long way to go. Them solving their problems could’ve taken even longer.
We get a couple of new characters and while they were interesting, most of them felt pretty one dimensional. They had their part to play and they did it well, but that’s it.

I’m still split about the overall ending. It was a bit strange and unrealistic, but this is a fantasy book, so who am I to judge? And at least it was something smart and different.

The writing style was good. I loved the descriptions and the emotions were very tangible. My heart broke for Saoirse over and over again. But I do believe that the pacing could’ve been better. The beginning was a bit slow, the ending seemed slightly rushed. I also wish we could’ve had more world building. Show me more of the different creatures, show me more of Pennex and how they all live together. There are barely any humans of importance, but all the creatures look like humans and never use their magic, so why even make the difference?

But it was a nice conclusion to the duology. I enjoyed it!

Thank you, NetGalley and Hodder&Stoughton for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Alessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this duology finale.
I really enjoyed Sing Me To Sleep and I've been recommending it a lot in the past year, so I was very excited to see the conclusion of the story. But to be honest, I didn't think it would sweep me away, but this really exceeded my expectations.

I always love when a fantasy setting expands to a new place (as long as it's done well), and going beyond the borders of Keidre was so exciting. The author did a fantastic job at making Alkara and Keidre feel quite different from another. The mood in SMTS was quite dark and moody, while this a bit more "beautiful", despite the plot being dark and a bit dire at times.

The newly introduced characters were all such great additions to the story, but the evolvement of Saoirse's relationships to Carrick and Hayes was probably my favorite part of the book. It was so well done, and I especially loved the romance. I don't remember feeling very strongly about it in the first book, but for some reason it really got me here and I think this is honestly my favorite romance I've read in a whole while.

The ending was amazing, I could not move my eyes from the page, not even when they started to fill with tears. A bittersweet ending but so well done.

Overall, I really loved this book and highly recommend this duology.



Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC.

[Ashley Mana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m finally done with this book and I don’t mean it in a bad way. I was just in a reading slump and felt like it took me forever to finish this book.

I loved every minute of it, definitely better than the first book. It was very suspenseful and there was a lot of action going on all the time. That really made it a good second book.

Saoirse and Hayes had a difficult relationship troughout the whole story but I loved the ending of it. Hayes is more of the Patience one en Saoirse is a hothead so those to compliment each other.

The ending was a little sad I like that I’ve build feelings towards the best friend/ enemie of Saoirse I even let out one tear.. iykyk!

I don’t really felt like a ya. There were a lot of words I would choose to describe certain things and situations of it was a ya book. Maybe a more new adult.. no smut no spice. And this book definitely didn’t need that at all.

Definitely would recommend!

[kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolute perfection. This was everything I could have wanted from this sequel. The Gabi writes makes it impossible not to become wholly enveloped in her stories. I can’t remember the last time I read for such a long stretch of time. Once I was pulled into this world, there was nothing that could pull me out of it.

Despite this being a phenomenal ending to the duology, I could have happily read countless more books in this world and about these characters and their story. They’re fantastically developed, endearing and I simply can’t get enough. This is one of the best fantasy duologies I’ve read and I have a feeling it’s one I’ll be returning to. I cannot wait to read whatever Gabi writes next.

[Sophie (lambsbooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

”You make a reckless decision, it's for you or Rain. I make a decision, it's for you. It's always for you. You could do anything say anything, break me time and time again, and the pieces left of me would crawl their way back to you. Don't ask me to choose between you and my kingdom, because I'll choose you-I always will-but I'll hate myself for it. We are not the same, Saoirse because I am selfishly in love with you."

3.25 stars

1. I unfortunately lost interest in this. I was super bored for like 90% of it. I liked the last chapter lmao

2. I was expecting mermaids. There were no fucking mermaids.

[Jordan Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Gabi Burton for this advanced copy of Drown Me with Dreams.
This book was a great follow up to the first book. The characters were complicated and deep. But I’m also sad it’s done. I feel like there was more in the world that wasn't addressed.
I will say this ARC was horribly formatted though. It was almost impossible to read at some points. I’m sure the finished product will be better, and I will definitely get a matching copy for my Fairyloot edition.

[Hannah Brandt (den.brandte.bogreol) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Altså kunne egentlig ret godt lide den, men alt var også bare liiiidt for nemt😅 føler ikke rigtig at der egentlig var noget på spil og selv da der var noget konsekvens føltes det meget opstillet
Men stadig en god oplevelse!

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought I remembered a lot from the first book, but I was a little bit lost there in the beginning. I caught up really fast tho and got back into the story fast.

I just love this world and the characters. I love how this story isn't just about the romance but it has a great family dynamic on Saoirse's side.
Also friendships. Saoirse and Carrick. Listen, with how things went in the first book, I thought I couldn't care less about Carrick and I wasn't the happiest that he played such a big part now in this book. But I'm also a petty bitch who has trouble forgiving people, yeah even the fictional ones. But Carrick kinda won me over again...I leave it at that.

I absolutely loved everything Saoirse and Hayes, trust issues and all. They just have such great chemistry and wonderful banter. And I really liked their ending and where they both ended up.