The Dreamless

Sleepless Duology #2

by Jen Williams

Jen Williams stuns in a heartrending sequel to The Sleepless that is as romantic as it is deadly.

Will Lucian pursue chaos and power?
Will Artair choose isolation, or will he choose to walk out into the wider world?
And Elver, perhaps, has the hardest choice of all.

After being sacrificed yet again at the hands of Mother Maura, Elver has returned from the dead even more jih than human. A strange new power simmers beneath her skin alongside a warning from the Queen of Serpents: though she’s been granted another chance at life, someday soon, Elver will be called from the land of mortals.

Now that Artair knows the spirit with whom he shares a body, Lucian, is an ordinary human, the two have formed an uneasy truce. While they attempt to wield their shred of Maura’s stolen power—the only thing keeping her from ascending to full godhood—they’re also confronted with feelings for Elver that are impossible to deny.

But Maura is out for revenge. As dangerous new alliances brew among the Twelve, Elver, Artair, and Lucian must set out to find the only being in existence capable of killing a god. And Elver will need to decide once and for all with which of the Sleepless her poisoned heart lies.

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

368 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 7, 2026

About the author

Jen Williams lives in London with her partner and their small ridiculous cat. Having been a fan of grisly fairy tales from a young age, these days Jen writes dark unsettling thrillers with strong female leads, as well as character-driven fantasy novels with plenty of adventure and magic. Her debut novel, The Copper Promise, kicked off the Copper Cat trilogy in 2014, and since then she has twice won the British Fantasy Award for her second trilogy, the Winnowing Flame. Her first thriller, Dog Rose Dirt, was published with HarperCollins in July 2021. Jen has two upcoming releases in 2023: Games for Dead Girls with Harpercollins, and Talonsister with Titan. When she’s not writing books she enjoys messing about with video games and embroidery, and also works as a part-time bookseller and a freelance copywriter.

Reviews

[Maeghan 🦋]

HUGE thanks to NetGalley & the publishers for a chance to review this arc! I loved the romance in the first book so I’m excited for this one 🥹
4.25✨

Oh this was SUCH a good conclusion to a duology! I highly recommend it.

The Sleepless focussed on the plot & magic system, while The Dreamless had a bigger focus on the characters and character development.

I rated The Sleepless 3.5✨ because I had issues. I had felt that the characters were a bit flaky and kept flip flopping between what they were vs what they weren’t. None of those issues occurred in this conclusion. The characters had major character development and were more established in to whom they were.

I loved that the mmc’s Artair & Lucian needed each other to be powerful while the fmc Elver was powerful by herself. It was a fun combination and I loved how unique it was. This instalment had a bigger focus on the Gods as well and while I don’t usually like that, I loved it in this one. It was very well done.

The pacing was on the slower side because a good portion of the story is spent running away and trying to find a way to resolve the deadly issues.

I will admit the shining part of this duology was the romance. While I don’t like love triangles at all, this one was the only exception. I was rooting strongly for BOTH of them. When I think of love triangles WELL DONE - this is the one that comes to mind. Bravo.
« If you can’t handle how she uses her power, step aside for someone who can. » I died a little bit there.

I was shocked at the ending to be quite honest, but I also feel that it was the best way to end it. I recommend this duology!

[Elizabeth]

The Dreamless ( Sleepless Duology #2) by Jen Williams
Book Blurb: Will Lucian pursue chaos and power?
Will Artair choose isolation, or will he choose to walk out into the wider world?
And Elver, perhaps, has the hardest choice of all.

Rating: ****
Feels: Adventure, Enthralled, Invested, Satisfied
Style: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romantasy, Romance, Young Adult Fantasy
First published 29 Sep 26 : 336 pages

Themes & Setting: We continue this story right where book one left off. Themes of growth and how you relate to the world around you and the choices you make about who you are.
FMC: Elver has always been such a charismatic character and I enjoy the way she views the world and moves through it. There is this sense of otherness about her that the story portrays so well that makes you root for yet know that she is not the same.
MMC: We are in the thick of the love triangle that is so unique and still so puzzling in the sense I just do not know who I am hoping she ends up with. Lucian and Artair are both such unique personalities and balance her in different ways that it was interesting to see her navigate this relationship.
Conclusion: Atmospheric and lyrical in the continued tale of gods, beings and monsters. I love this setting and the choices Elver must make as she continues her story. How she grows and has to figure out who she is and what she wants is fascinating. This is the kind of story where nothing is straight foward and its a tale that you just get to sit back and enjoy.

This book has:
Gods and Monsters
Slow Burn
Love Triangle
Animal Companions
Quests and Bargains
Warring factions
Found Family
Hidden Identities

[Alyssa {fyrebookdragon}]

The Dreamless starts off right where The Sleepless leaves off. The world building and writing are on par with the first book.

While this was a satisfying conclusion, it did fall a little short of the first book. It also left me with questions. Without spoilers, there were certain aspects and conclusions that some characters accepted too easily for my liking. I also understand that this is a YA story, but the use of the word “turd” got a little old, in a silly kind of way. I will say however, that Fleet finally being able to bite someone was very satisfying.

I leave this review with a cute little quote that all us bookish people can relate with…

“You could have friends too.”
“I have books.”

[Natasha Leighton]

4.5 Stars
Richly detailed and gorgeously action packed! Jen Williams’ (highly anticipated) conclusion to The Sleepless duology was a high stakes and thoroughly bingeable YA Fantasy that had me (once again) utterly obsessed.

This was actually one of my most anticipated reads of the year, soo I’m really glad to say I loved every second of it! The complexity and emotional intensity of our characters was even stronger this time around. As was the swoony (though rather unusual) love triangle between Elver, and the Sleepless Artair and Lucien, who are both still cohabitating Artair’s body (and crushing on the same girl.)

Elver, is definitely still my favourite character with one of the biggest emotional shifts in our cast. And loved how far she’s come form the emotionally guarded, human-hating girl we first met in book one.

Her journey also takes on a lot of complexity, as she navigates not only the limits to her newfound abilities. But also the physiological changes that threaten her control, her humanity and the happiness she’s only just found with her found family-esque inner circle (consisting of Altair, Lucien, a trickster god’s mage, Sunay and Keltraxia cub, Fleet.) All of whom she’s come to care deeply for.

Though, I loved the thawing of Artair and Lucien’s animosity towards one another just as much. And enjoyed watching them learn to trust and rely on each other in order to survive (even if their feelings for Elver did complicate that at times.)

I do have to admit, (despite how much I liked Altair) I was still Team Lucien when it came to the romance. As I felt he accepted Elver in her entirety, in a way that Altair didn’t seem able to.

Oh, and the world-building?! Nuanced, in-depth and gorgeously crafted; we explore new places and gods, whose schemes (and alliances) had me thoroughly ensnared!

Overall, a must read for high stakes YA Fantasy lovers and fans of strong FMCs with swoon-worthy (morally grey) love interests.

Also, massive thanks to Book Break UK/ First Ink for the stunning HB copy.

[Harriet Diggle]

What a wonderful way to complete this duology. I can see myself rereading this series multiple times.

Jen did a wonderful job at exploring power, relationships and self-discovery all while keeping a very whimsical and witty tone.

I’m so glad that I got to spend more time with my fave MMCs (yes, there’s 2) and our admirable FMC. I feel very attached to these characters and it’s hard to believe that they aren’t actually real 💔

This series just feels like a warm hug and I look forward to reading more by this author.

Thank you to the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[BookishKB]

⚔️ The Dreamless ⚔️

📖 Bookish Thoughts

My full review will be shared closer to the publication date.

✨ What to Expect
• YA Epic Fantasy
• Love Triangle
• Gods and Magic
• Found Family
• Quest Adventure
_ _ _ _

📅 Pub Date: September 29, 2026
Thank you to Wednesday Books, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

[Chanel Chapters]

Gods being messy & beasts being sexy

[Elizabeth]

Full review coming soon!

[Librow0rm Christine]

What I just don’t get is why Jen Williams is not one of those authors everyone is absolutely screaming about! Every book I have ever read by Jen Williams has been an absolute cornucopia of world-building, character creation and development and blow your mind, stunning plots and craft that always transport me away from this absolute mess of a world we live in.

The Dreamless is the conclusion to the duology that began The Sleepless truly and richly deserves, a duology whose originality raises it head and shoulders above the vast number of YA romance fantasy series that plague our bookshelves. Williams world building is so well structured, layered, complex and rich that the atmosphere raised the hairs on my neck. The structure of the story of conflict between gods, monsters and magic that at its heart puts the world itself at peril.

I absolutely adored each and every one of the characters in this duology, even those I loathed, as their structure, creation, arc and development was so comprehensively and beautifully created to bring out those distinct facets of their personalities. From Lucian and Artair’s initial conflict in The Sleepless to the dynamics in their relationship in one and the same body as they faced foes and enemies in their journey with Elver to fight Maura and keep the Jih safe, to Elver’s arc as she grew and changed throughout both The Sleepless and The Dreamless, plus of course Fleet growing from baby to adolescent, pack, pack, pack.

From the first page to the last I was totally immersed in their journey and the dynamics of their relationships, which most definitely did not have the most auspicious of starts, and I absolutely adored my return to the magical world of gods and monsters, where not all monsters are seen through the seeing eye. I am full of admiration for how Williams challenges the distinction between the internal and external monster, and just how like you cannot judge a book by it’s cover, you often can’t judge a monster by it’s appearance.

I’m not going to go into the details of the plot as this will only take it away from those fortunate enough to read it for the first time but, the bitter-sweetness of the story is perfect for this world and if you are truly looking for your next auto-buy author, pick up The Sleepless and The Dreamless to be transported to a world where beauty and monstrousness are not defined by what the eye sees.

Thank you so much First Ink, MacMillan Children’s Books, and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

[Theresa Delayne McGuire]

So excited to read the conclusion of The Sleepless. The story of Elver, Artair, and Lucien was spellbinding for me. I loved the world Jen Williams built, and the chaos created by the competing gods. And the conclusion was as good as I could have asked for.

First of all, the characters were fantastically complex. There were things to love and question about all three main characters. I really struggled with whether I loved Elver or wanted to strangle her. But her complexity was built from the challenges in her life, so I always returned to her trauma when I got annoyed. Artair, on the other hand, was terribly close to perfect. He was so consistent - his whole personality remained steady across the books. There were only a few times I quirked an eyebrow. And I did love his gradual acceptance of Lucien's personality. He struggled with it, but he continued to choose the right things - amid the conflict. And Lucien - ah Lucien. Such a whirlwind character. To love him, to hate him, to trust him? I love a good wild card - Lucien was that for me. He felt a bit like Damon Salvatore to me - you loved him, but you were constantly reminded why you really shouldn't trust him.

The supporting characters were larger than life. Tisk was a constant concern for me. Loved Fleet, and the way his child/pet character continued to weave into the story. The greater story, the quest to beat Mother Maura was twisting and turning, with other gods worming their way into the journey in such interesting ways. The Serpent Queen was a surprise twist at the end - although I admit I rather expected something of the sort as a final resolution.

My favorite element was the quiet way characters began to embrace Elver, Fleet, and the other Jin for what they were, not how they looked. The underlying message was just wonderful. I had so many of the scenes painted vividly in my mind based on the writing, and that resolution, that people only see monsters when they insist on viewing them that way, was just a fabulous backdrop message. I'm sad to leave that world - I'd have loved to see an Artair & Elver in 10 years, when they cross paths with Tisk again, with Lucien driving the turmoil...A solid 4.5 star read for me.

[M. K. French]

Mother Maura had sacrificed Elver again, and she has come back a second time. She is more jih than human now, with new powers. The Queen of Serpents warns her that she will soon be called from the land of mortals. At the same time, Artair and Lucian form an uneasy truce as they share the same body and try to work with the part of Maura's power that they stole. It keeps her from becoming a god, and the trio looks for something able to kill a god. At the same time, the trio tries to work through their growing feelings for each other.

This the second half of the Sleepless duology. While we get a bit of summary here and there in the first few chapters, it's best to have read the first book so you know why Elver is different, and why Artair and Lucian share a body. We pick up with them on the run from Mother Maura, who achieved godhood and needs the last fragment of power to make it truly work. They are on the run, and Elver's changing body and power set make her uneasy. Artair and Lucian have to figure out how to use the magic Lucian stole while they're on the run. Mother Maura is desperate to find that magic to be whole, so as she makes allies of her own, the group feels that the very first monster made will be the weapon to take her down.

The book is almost all action. They move from one place to another, try to figure out what to do next, and then dodge some gods or receive help from others. Elver, Artair, and Lucian feel like chess pieces, and most gods don't care what happens to mortals. Maura broke the rules to become a god, and she doesn't care about them or her followers either. It becomes something of a race to the finish line, which kept me glued to the book. The quiet moments give us the character growth and closeness to care about them, and the growing respect Artair and Lucian develop even as they both care for Elver. The finale held surprises, and I enjoyed seeing how it all came together. It's a fascinating duology I will gladly reread.

[Robin]

4.25/5 stars

I really enjoyed this conclusion to The Sleepless duology every bit as much as its predecessor.

This book continued on with the evolution of Elver (the central character) into her full-fledged potential (no spoilers here). And to a lesser extent, the dual characters of Artair and Lucian (they inhabit the same physical body) are also developed more as individuals in their own rights. Artair and Lucian are portrayed loosely as good/evil or two sides of the same coin, but we see that there are gray areas in that portrayal, and what was once a fight for dominance and control turns into more of a partnership with some understanding thrown in.

I loved the world-building here...monsters, gods, half-gods, jih, and all sorts of inventive and interesting beings are imagined. There are rich descriptives of physical locations, and the journey taken is entertaining to watch unfold. However, I think the characters are what made the book so good...especially Elver. She's portrayed as a tough, resilient and oftentimes seemingly unsympathetic character, but of course, underneath there's another layer of loyalty to her friends and a deep-down sense of what's right. She's a very complex character just trying to figure out her new and evolving circumstances.

The ending was great but a bit perplexing for me as I had to check and see if there are more books planned for the series (which currently there doesn't seem to be). While not ending on a cliffhanger per se, there is definitely room for future developments. But that being said, I felt satisfied and happy over the conclusion and am happy to have discovered these books.

My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press / Wednesday Books for providing the free early arc of The Dreamless for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

[Alyssa Phillips]

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I give The Dreamless 4.5 stars, but I rounded up for the book being and overall solid read and satisfying ending to The Sleepless duology.

I was entranced by the world of The Sleepless, and The Dreamless doesn't disappoint, setting up a pitch that twists and lands well, at least for me. I wasn't sure how the prologue was going to connect back to the main plot, but I felt like it was a necessary introduction and paid off decently well by the end.

I continued to enjoy Elver, Artair, and Lucian for the interesting characters that they are, and though I'm more of a "why choose" reader (so I was slightly disappointed on that front), I thought the resolution was reasonable and still hopeful in some ways (and there's definitely room for fic at the Inn). I enjoyed that the tensions between them were heightened and intense while still maintaining the characters' motivations and sense of self and without getting too weird-jealous in a way that can be hard for me to read and enjoy. And I could definitely use more stories of any kind within the world - Fleet and Sunay are still really good, and I want to see more of Gus.

The pacing was good and the writing was excellent. It kept my attention and I finished the book in a few big chunks of reading over only two or so days.

I can definitely recommend The Sleepless duology to anyone looking for a fantastical adventure with a trio of complex and motivated characters who change each other and with each other. It's a romance with a monster girl who isn't so monstrous (but powerful and scary to those who fear women with power) and a couple of boys who deserve to get to see the world(s).

[Liz]

The Dreamless by Jen Williams

This was such a satisfying way to wrap up the duology.

I was already really invested after the first book, so getting back into this world was instant comfort. Jen Williams has this way of writing that feels whimsical but still grounded in real emotional weight, and that balance worked really well here again.

The story continues to explore power, identity, relationships, and self-discovery, but what I really appreciated is how naturally it all unfolds alongside the main plot. Nothing feels overly forced into theme—it’s just woven into the characters’ experiences as they move through the story.

I also really enjoyed spending more time with Elver, Artair, and Lucian. Their dynamic is what makes this series so memorable. There’s tension, connection, and shifting loyalty, but it never loses sight of who they are as individuals. Even when things get complicated, the emotional core between them stays consistent, which I liked a lot.

The pacing is solid throughout—fairly fast, with short chapters that make it easy to fly through. It kept me engaged the entire way through without feeling like it dragged.

The ending also felt fitting for the series. It wraps things up in a way that feels complete, but still leaves just enough openness that the world doesn’t feel fully closed off.

Overall, this duology really does feel like a warm, slightly chaotic fantasy hug—adventurous, character-driven, and easy to get emotionally attached to.

I can definitely see myself revisiting it in the future.

[Kelli]

This YA duology felt like such a fun breath of fresh air. I didn't realize when I picked up the ARC for The Dreamless that it was a duology, so I had a bit of catching up to do before diving into the second book.

I was very pleasantly surprised to see a refreshingly complex world with a new magic and deity system. The gods you do meet along the way add layers to the story without feeling contrite, and their interactions with the world do weigh heavily on the story and even their "prequels" feel thought out in their impacts to the current story.

The romance between Elver, Lucian, and Artair is not the primary focus but is well woven in - the triangle is very different than what we see in other YA/NA/fantasy novels and was a fun twist. No one is perfect, everyone has flaws and there may have been a bit of rooting for the "why choose" feeling through most of this book.

The story wraps beautifully with what appears to be an option to continue on in the world beyond this first duology.

For those of us who have teens who are dipping their toes into the fantasy/romantasy world - this is a great option and my daughter (16) has picked up the 1st in the duology after I finished my read. Having a series that doesn't feel too adult but has the sprinklings of the troupes is a great conversation starter.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to pick-up this ARC pre-publication. :)

[kellylikestoread]

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for allowing me access to The Dreamless as an ARC!

I'm going to preface this by saying that I did NOT read The Sleepless, as I did not realize it was the second book until part way in. But I didn't want to lose my NetGalley percentage, so I persisted. So please, keep that in mind as I review this...

If you do accidentally read this as a "first", then don't worry. The world building is set up pretty darn well, the character backstories are touched on to where you get to piece it together as you go, and there are very little info dumps, which shouldn't happen in a sequel anyways.

My only issues were it felt slow to start (could very well be the order of reading issue) and the ending felt rushed and almost hollow. I would have loved if this was actually expanded into a trilogy, where Lucien sacrifices Artair to stay with Elver, and Elver goes on a Herculean quest to find Artair. And maybe Maura manages to scramble back after ending up in the Hooded Crow's domain, and the way they finally kill her is to find her true replacement or something. I don't know. I was disappointed, I guess.

Also, there was a character named Bob. That felt out of place. Every time his name popped up, I went "Bob" alongside the robotic narrator I was using at that time. It was fun and a very odd name choice. As is Barleycorn, but hey, it is what it is.

[Melissa]

Thank you @wednesdaybooks for an early copy of this book! I read the first book a while ago so I read my review to remind myself what the story was about before jumping into the second book. I think it would benefit from reading both books closer together. It took me a little bit to wrap my head around what was going on, but I did start to remember the connections with the characters. I remember loving the first book so much and the whole journey it took me on. Dreamless takes you on a journey as well. I love Elvar’s character because she’s so strong willed. She always has her friends safety in mind. Lucian and Altair are so different from each other but they both love Elvar. I felt bad for them in the first book and I still felt bad for them in this book. I did enjoy the romance part of this story and I was constantly wondering what would happen with all three of them!
Someone is hunting them in the forest and they are constantly running into different types of obstacles and creatures. I love how you never know what’s going to happen. I enjoyed hearing about the different gods and the types of magic and abilities everyone has. There’s never a dull moment in this book. Even though this book was super interesting I felt more connected to the first one. I felt a little sad at the end of the story for Lucian, Artair and Elvar. Overall it was a wonderful book and a great way to conclude the story.

[Tex]

Review of an advanced copy received by NetGalley

I was very excited to get back to this story after the first book and the second book in the biology provided an excellent follow up. I really enjoyed seeing Elver’s progression after she has been brought back a second time and how she grapples with the changes. I just love her and was cheering for her the whole time. The character development between Lucian and Artair was also great as they learn to work together and trust each other instead of constantly being at odds. We see more of the gods of this world and we learn more lore and history which, as a world building girlie, I love.

I liked the way the world building was eventually resolved, not what I expected and I always appreciate that. It’s wasn’t exactly what I had hoped for but it makes sense and it does all the characters justice.

There were a couple of plot points that I felt could have been fleshed out a little more and there were a number of places that I felt were a little rushed and some of the wins over the bad guys felt a little too easy and unearned. It felt like things were cut to make a deadline or page limit of some kind and I feel like things would have worked better if Elver and co had struggled a little more or at least if some of the big major fights had been longer than a page and a half.

Otherwise I really loved it and this will definitely be a series that is high on my list of recommendations!

[Michelle]

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for granting me an e-arc!
4.5 Stars
I was ecstatic to see that I was given an e-arc for this sequel to The Sleepless as I enjoyed the first installment.
I think the character work is so well done and I love all of the characters. I especially love Fleet and one of the new characters that is talked about in the beginning and shown near the end. I was wondering and a bit worried on how the story would tie up since there are two MMCs, and by the end I was worried for nothing because of how nice it ended up being.
Our main character, Elver has gone through a drastic change from the last book and we see the results of the that change happen in this book and how she and her companions come to terms with it. Like in the first book, I love the ragtag team of friends that become a found family for our characters.
The journey that our characters take is one with great danger but there are also numerous allies that help along the way. I loved reading about one scene where it made it feel cozy and safe for our weary travelers.
The ending makes me think there could be a spin-off series or maybe a novella about a certain character which makes me excited because I do enjoy reading about this character! I also look forward to reading other books by Jen Williams in the future.

[Rachaelbookhunter]

The Dreamless picks up right where The Sleepless left off. After being sacrificed by Maura once again Elver has been further transformed, makimg her more Jih like than ever. Artair and Lucian have come to somewhat of an understanding. Yet there is still an important mission. They have to stop Maura once and for all.

The Dreamless is beautifully written with richly detailed environments. The characters are traveling by foot to an unknown destination. The way there is filled with interesting and sometimes creepy things.

We see what's going on from Elver and both Lucian and Artair's point of view. Some chapters are narrated by Maura but I don't feel they added much to the story. New and interesting characters are introduced as well.

There are some fun action and danger filled scenes. The pace does slow down at times though. I wasn't always clear on the roles of the gods and makes as things shift constantly. The world is also confusing at times. It doesn't always matter though because the heart of the story is the main characters. I especially enjoyed Lucian and Artair working together.

The romance is very mild but includes a love triangle. The ending does wrap most things up although I wasn't too happy with it. The very last scene is intriguing and I wouldn't mind seeing that part of the story continue.

3.75 stars

Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to read!

[April Haas]

🦊 I received an advanced copy of this ebook on Netgalley 🦊

As with the first book, The Sleepless, this story feels like a fairytale with its many magical creatures and its meddling deities involving themselves in the lives of our characters. We get to meet more of the Twelve in this volume, which is a lot of fun. (Barleycorn's inn is a vibe!)

There's a great juxtaposition here between Maura (the mage of Tisk who turned to the Bloody Claw after her family's unfortunate demise and has since been hell-bent on finding a way to bring them back) and the Serpent Queen (who refused to let her own child die, even if she had to change his form in order to save his life).

The love triangle between Elver, Artair, and Lucian continues to get more complicated, especially once Artair and Lucian develop a greater awareness of one another's actions while being the "awakened" one inside of Artair's body.

Pacing was consistent, like a slow simmer, until the closing chapters when everything boiled over. The biggest emotions for me were at the end of the final chapter, leading into the epilogue. If you're an epilogue skipper, don't skip this one. It definitely matters!

Overall, I think this was a fun adventure with a satisfying conclusion.

3.5/5 ⭐️ rounded up

[Betsy]

If you want fantasy with WORLD-BUILDING… pay attention.

The Dreamless absolutely delivered on that for me.

The settings, the gods, the monsters, the action..... I genuinely felt like I was IN this world. And the creativity behind some of these characters and creatures was so good.

And can we talk about the First of Monsters?! Because I was NOT expecting to love that character as much as I did.

I also really enjoyed watching Elver's story continue and finally getting more answers about her past and the people surrounding her.

That said, there were a couple of character and story choices that didn't completely work for me, especially when it came to Elver embracing her monstrous side. I wanted a little more of that all of me is worthy journey. ( but that's just my preference.)

Overall though?
This is a beautifully crafted fantasy world with SO much imagination behind it.

If you're tired of romantasy where the worldbuilding feels like an afterthought, definitely put this series on your radar.

Thank you to St. Martin's press for the gifted earc through Netgalley. All thoughts are mine.

Confession: I may have had a few thoughts… but I still finished this book thinking, Damn, that was a WORLD.

[ChristineReads]

The Dreamless picks up right where The Sleepless ends and dives you right back into the story! I loved that it continued to world build and that this second book added depth and richness to the first story. I enjoyed that we got to see our characters from the first book return and continue to grow and learn about each other.

This book is one of those that creates a new world and does it well, Elver, Artair, and Lucian are all very compelling characters and each has you rooting for them. I really enjoyed the storytelling experience of this book and how much I felt sucked into the story.

This was one where I got to read the eARC and ALC hand in hand and it was such a great experience. The audio brings the story to life in such a rich way. The depth of the characters comes across in both the audio and eARC versions. If you enjoy great fantasy, world building and character development I would highly recommend.

I very much enjoyed this story and can't wait to see what this author writes next! I encourage you to pick this up if you enjoyed dreamless, its a fantastic sequel to close off this story. Thank you to the publisher for providing an ALC and eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

[Risa]

A great conclusion to the end of this duology, though I will miss Elver, Altair, and Lucian as we’ve spent so much time with the three.

I appreciate that Jen Williams was able to keep the perfect cozy vibes throughout the story. It kept me from wanting to read too fast as I just wanted to stay wrapped up in the cozy feelings and watch our three protagonists continue to grow.

We watch as all three deal with their inner turmoil about who they are and their futures, and how they come to accept the cards they’re dealt. I loved seeing how they all developed so well, and that Elver didn’t Altair and Lucian to become a powerful god; she did it all on her own. Seeing the peace and understanding develop between Altair and Lucian was also heartwarming as they work together to keep Elver and their friends safe.

I do feel the end wrapped up a bit quickly which left a bit to be desired. I also just want to say…could we get a Lucian spin off? I found him to be such an interesting character and want to learn more about him!

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing an ARC for an honest review!

[Kate S]

What an amazing way to finish this duology.

I bought the first book without ever reading anything by Jen Williams before, and I completely fell in love with it, so I was incredibly excited, and very grateful to get the chance to read the ARC of The Dreamless. Somehow this second book captured everything I loved about the first and gave me the perfect conclusion to the series.

This duology honestly felt like a warm hug. The world-building is magical, immersive, and so easy to get lost in. I was pulled straight back into the story from the very first page and didn’t want to leave this world behind again.

Sometimes with duologies, one book ends up stronger than the other, but that definitely wasn’t the case here. Both books are equally brilliant in my opinion, and together they create such a beautiful YA romantasy series.

I can already see myself rereading this in the future, and now I desperately need the special edition from Waterstones to match my copy of the first book.

[L Powers (Bookish_Mum)]

If you’re tired of YA fantasy that feels the same over and over again, this duology is SUCH a good change of pace. The world-building is incredible (gods, monsters, magic, weird dreamlike atmosphere) it all feels so vivid and immersive without being overwhelming.

I got so attached to these characters, especially Lucian, Artair, Elver, and honestly Fleet stole my heart completely. The relationships and character development throughout both books were SO well done, and I loved how messy and complicated everyone felt. Also one of my favourite things was how the story constantly challenges what makes someone a monster and who actually deserves empathy.

The ending was bittersweet in the best way and felt really fitting for the story. Basically, if you want fantasy that feels original, emotional, beautifully written, and completely absorbing, please pick up The Sleepless and The Dreamless. I need more people to read these books so I can scream about them.

[Lexi]

My favorite love triangle has set out on another quest in “The Dreamless” and this time they’re on the edge of a waking nightmare and a dream. Elver is facing her new monstrous powers and Lucian must continue severing power from the newly made goddess. This series introduces new, intriguing mythology about the world.

Even though this is the sequel, I’m still reeling over the nature of this book and our main male characters. This world is so beautiful and unique. I reread the first book before I started this one, and I’ve decided that these books are my new favorite comfort read. There’s something that feels nostalgic about them. They remind me of the kinds of movies and stories I grew up with. And it’s refreshing that this series is a true YA - appropriate for younger readers and fun for the young at heart too.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

[Amy]

A fitting conclusion to the world of The Sleepless.

Overall, everything is tidied up at the end, every plot thread resolved. The clash of romantic interest between Elver and Artair/Lucian is present for most of the story, and there seems to be specific focus on whom Elver will decide to be with once the major conflict is settled.

I quite enjoyed the different Gods and their mages as well as the tithe they give in order to access that power. It fleshed out the world more, although the story read more as a place-to-place journey where each place is briefly visited, an event happens, then our band of heroes move on to the next location for the story.

My Takeaways:
- people and creatures may be more different than they first appear
- a love triangle but there's only two bodies
- finally a story where the Gods are not needlessly cruel to humans for the hell of it
- ♫ "poison running through my veins" ♫

[Emma Durphey]

The Dreamless continues from The Sleepless, with Elver coming back again, this time even less human than before. She continues working with Artair and Lucian, the two boys who share a body. Maura must be stopped, as her mission for revenge has her coming after them with powerful allies. In order to put a stop to her, they must find the only being capable of killing a god, the first of monsters.


This was a great sequel filled with an intriguing world of gods and almost gods. Each character evolved throughout the story, both monstrously and emotionally. There were many moments that pulled on my heart strings, and lovely moments I couldn’t help but smile at, especially involving trees.

This sequel is definitely worth reading and I almost hope there will be more.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Wednesday Books for the chance to read this enchanting book that certainly did not leave me dreamless.

[Jaylee Swanson]

This is such a unique fantasy and I was happy to get early access. This is only a two book series and both are medium length - so if you're looking for a YA fantasy without a big commitment - I highly recommend this one!

Lucian and Artair continue their complicated relationship where they share the same body and never dream or sleep. Elver, attracted to each soul for different reasons, continues to feel caught in between. The adventure they go in is to find Mother Maura and stop her as Elver feels herself slowly drifting away from her soul and body after being brought back to life one too many times.

What I loved most about this duology is that it is a lot of the same elements we love (Gods/Goddesses, magic, etc.) but with a totally unique take. I was fully engaged the whole time and I didn't want it to end!

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review. Release date 9/29/26.