Hell let her go...but not all the way. And every time Jo falls asleep, it drags her back to be consumed by creatures of the dark.
The men who love her can't save her, and the only person who can wants to save her from more than her dreams. She fights him for her freedom while he fights for her soul, but with each battle, a fire grows that both fight with even greater fervor.
In the end, only one battle can be won, and to win back her life, her freedom, and the men she loves, she may need to betray them all. No matter which decision she makes, nothing will be the same again.
I reached 67% because I skipped the "getting to know and fall in love with petrus" chapters...
This 2nd book really just felt incredibly ridiculous. Didn't like the plot at all. I kept reading because I dont have many options of RH at the moment and before that horrible ending in the first book I liked the menage... ! But omg with this one I just cant...
Jo is becomming more whiny and childish by the page! I mean * spoileeeeeeer* she gets kidnapped, rescued and her fiance eants to marry her right away to protect her but noooooooooo the little 12 year old wants to feel like a princess. God forbid she misses out on a wedding she didnt even want in the first place. More of things like that happen frequently in the story and I cant read it anymore. It's all too stupid
... so I ended up finishing it because I still haven't find my next read and I cringed all the way to the end. What an inmature, selfish, whiney, disloyal and stupid character Jo is. Honestly. If I were one of the guys I would have called it quits with her. She is incredibly toxic and made out to be a literal weight for everybody. She does not deserve neither of the guys and if adam and christopher had left her I would not have been mad at all. Actually I would have been happy because I hate every time they "give in" to her.
What is seriously in it for them? She does whatever she wants, whenever she wants and with whomever she wants! And it wouldnt be a problem if that was something she owned since the beginning. She makes me so mad. I hate her.
This book made me miss the first one. I was hardly able to finish this one, and I don't plan on reading the next one. MC got so whiny and selfish and ridiculous. And a surprise pregnancy? Please. I wanna go back to the first book and leave it at that. I almost dnf this book because she LITERALLY CHEATED on Adam and Christopher while they were trying to find her. Idc what excuses she gave. She cheated and basically forced them to accept him. They didn't deserve that and she doesn't deserve any of them. I've never been so let down by a second book in a series before.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Ok, where to begin? I will concede that maybe I liked Flames better, but it's so hard to say because I really don't think the stories can be compared to one another. They are the same characters, yes, but everything about them and their purpose in the series is so very different. I love them for different reasons. The first one I really enjoyed for the supernatural elements in the way that they felt NEW. I feel like Dreams does that too, but this time the focus is on more of the relationship than on the supernatural world. NOW, if you aren't into dark romance, you are probably going to have some issues with this read. There is non-con. It's fine if you don't like that but then maybe this isn't for you. If you do like dark romance however, in terms of darkness, this is super tame compared to what's out there and the "triggers" are important storytelling points AND also not how you might traditionally see them, which I personally felt was refreshing. This story does not have a cliffhanger BUT there are definitely some strings that need to be tied up so I'm gonna need that last book there Lexie, don't leave me hanging. I have to know about the things.....spoiler things..... To address some stuff brought up in lower reviews, I do agree that Jo can come off as selfish and whiney. AND it is that sort of selfish dynamic in how this becomes a poly relationship that absolutely wrecked me as a reader. The feelings I felt on behalf of all the men. I was standing right there with Adam like WTF woman! So many feelings. I love it when my books wreck me and make me feel feelings. And what a freaking fresh way to get me there. HOWEVER, this does not make me hate Jo. I think as a reader I give her grace that I don't necessarily give to other characters in other books because of everything that happens in book one. I think I would probably be a little broken, probably more broken than Jo. And if I can forgive and fall in love with Christopher, then I can forgive Jo too. That sort of feels like the point I think. There are a lot of tough EMOTIONAL situations navigated in this book and so if you want to sit down and have a light-hearted feel-good read, go pick something else. If you want to feel feelings and get immersed into something new and different, then saddle up, because that is this.
Apparently this book got unpublished once and may be unpublished again. Having read book 1 I can see why that ending might actually be best left off alone. BUT!! It was such an amazing book and I am a completist. So I grabbed a copy and I will weather through this sequel no matter the wreckage.
This book (hell, this series!) won't be for everyone. It's kind of bonkers, but I'm assuming that's because all of this is a dream of sorts, and dreams have their own insane logic and weird rationales and bizarre morality and twists. The "hell" portions of this book were fascinating, inventive, and terrifying, and the book starts off great. I don't want to give spoilers, but the story takes a different turn after another character is introduced. I definitely don't agree with everything that Jo does after that point (and I absolutely hate some of it and almost quit reading), but assuming it's a dream, I can suspend judgment until book 3. I'm really, really curious to see how everything turns out.
This was absolutely amazing! I fell in love with Jo and Christopher and Adam in the first book and desperately wanted more of their story. In typical Lexie Talionis fashion, a beautiful heart-rending story was delivered through these pages and I couldn't put the book down! Is it dark? Yes. Do insane things happen? Yes. But all of it builds this amazing story and so many unanswered questions from the first book were answered. Also if you are worried, don't be, there is most definitely a HEA. I now have new questions and even more love for the characters. I am so very happy I got to read this and share in Jo's journey.
The book is a journey of the character. No matter how convoluted it gets. I've read a fair share of Reverse Harem dark fantasy books, but none of them ever go into the depth of the characters like our author has. The story concept is so unlike anything I've read yet. Jo had night terrors, a part of her still linked to the underworld. Only one person could fix it and bring her some relief. Some choices made were rather unconventional, though ask yourself...what would you do ?
I won't give any spoilers, though keep a blank slate while reading this next part. Give it a shot.
The first book was so raw and real, and I loved the fantasy storyline. This book definitely lost all of the above things. Yes, she concentrated more on the dynamics of a poly amorous relationship. But we lost that multi verse aspect, especially at the end. I get that it's hard to write an RH fantasy that covers everything. I probably have unrealistic expectations, but that first book was just so good. I wanted more of that. I hope the next one comes out soon. Four out of five stars to Dreams of Lethe.
This was not an improvement from the first. Despite my conflicting feelings about the first book, I wanted to give this author a second try and read the sequel, thinking perhaps they understood something from their readers. But again, SA is once again used, .
Theres something that I have to also say about the way this book was written. The first 3/4 of this book is very much giving written by a man. And I'm not fully convinced that it wasn't. The amount of times her body was described in scenarios that didn't require it? And the amount of times they had to mention her nips were rosy? lmao?? Then later on that male gaze central writing changed? Certainly not completely gone but enough to notice a difference in tone.
This disconnect also continued into the plot. The first part of the book we are seeing plot themes from the first book, which is interesting but then you lose it because the plot is given meaningless turns and what feels like filler - and not much of what the first book had. Like a couple chapters of this book could have been taken and turned into the prologue of the first book. And I say this as someone who felt the first book had so much potential and merit but this book just felt lost. And I have a feeling the third book could have been part of this second one.
This just felt messy and like it wasn't fully developed, just stretch out a couple plot points into a book to extend into a trilogy - which already gears me to think the final book is going to be even less than. The characters aren't given much development, we just see the FMC now being petulant and annoying, all the while being overly sexualized. again, male gaze. The new MC added could have been interesting , yet somehow is made into the most boring sounding teenage boy with control issues.
Unfortunately I will likely read the third book to then be able to erase this from my mind. I had so much hope for what this story can be, because the imagery and writing in the first were so good but how can the second book have such a 180? Like you can tell in which parts the author held onto that idea with the descriptions of her dream world, but didn't have enough for the rest of the book so began the mindless prose dribble.
Also to anyone saying this is real relationship poly building? lmao this is a disaster. No consent, no communication, no boundaries, etc. It feels like they don't actually know each other. This is a mess, and the only thing holding them together is the obsession they seem to have with her - and not even her as a person, but rather her body. Her character is annoying, but she's been made purposely into this archetype that just doesn't sit well with me.
Wow. That's a lot to take in. In book one, these characters went somewhere like hell or in-between. I figured as much from book one. I haven't decided if the real world they fell back into is even real. What if it's not? What if they are all in a Lethe dream and the "real" world isn't real. I'm having an existential crisis now! I don't love the addition of the 3rd love interest. I feel it throws off the original trio and they didn't have the same sort of events between them that solidified the same kind of bond that the others had with her. He was kind of tossed in there haphazardly, but their love scenes... holy hotness! I am glad it was written in a way that shows they truly struggled with him because they are right. She would NOT be ok if the boys did this to her. On the author's website, this book seems written mostly as a preface for book 3 that has yet to be written which explains all the loose ends. Nothing is truly accomplished in this book except the introduction to the dream trap-like place, being tossed back to earth, a new introduction to an old character, and the complications he's created with her. I need book 3 to explain itself... Right. Now!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
First book was great, second....I just couldn't get into
This is entirely my opinion, but I just couldn't get into this book. I absolutely loved the first book. The storyline was fantastic and the characters had so much potential. Jo...as annoying as she was sometimes I grew to like her character and I feel like this second book just ruined the potential she had. I had a hard time finishing this book. Jo was insufferable, her character so whiny and unrelatable. I understand the author noted this would be different than the first book but I wasn't prepared for a crash and burn. Introducing the new character in this book, in my opinion was overkill and honestly a bit cringy. I like spice as much as the next booktok girly but this just wasnt it. I don't know if care to read the third book if it will follow this storyline.
I really enjoyed the first half of this one - the different worlds, the ‘horrifying creatures’, the intrigue and angst. I enjoyed the writing style and thought the blending of worlds was done well. However the second half felt like it dragged for me. The FMC gets increasingly annoying and selfish as the story moves along. I don’t mind reading RH when it’s all consensual and what everyone wants, but the FMC was dragging her love interests along, so when they told her things like ‘I don’t want this’, ‘im uncomfortable with this’, ‘I’m not ok with this’ she responds with ‘I’m sorry but it’s what I want so we are doing it, ok let’s have smexy now’. Came across more bratty than ‘strong woman’ but that’s just my opinion. If there is an ever a third book I’d be interested to see the rest of the story goes with the ‘hell planet’.
i didnt/still dont like how she treats Adam though... like poor guy, she really seems like she's taking advantage of how much he loves her. I'm a bit confused why she always goes to Christopher...like he seems to be her favorite? and Adam her anchor? but Adam really feels like a side piece. and Petrus...? that whole relationship was just so confusing, like you really have no control guy? i thought Adam was going to leave her for it. i wish he did. i actually wish they both did lol.
Just no, kept thinking it was going to get better. I finished it though because mama didnt raise a quitter. It was basically just constant bickering between the main characters. Childish squabbles. And then all of a sudden we find out she’s pregnant but nothing really happens with that storyline and the storyline regarding the hell world just fades away to nonstop relationship issues. Doesn’t seem like she ever really plans to release the third book and finish it off.
Im just disappointed the interesting hell world got replaced by “oh no i have 3 boyfriends and none of them like each other”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I still loved it but I felt Adam was largely dismissed!! He had been an afterthought since they returned! The way she says she loves him is not reflected at all! With the topics covered in these books I expected the emotions and feelings to be deeper and more complex! It was so surface and superficial! But I’m here for the next book for sure!!
5 stars on the spice 🤌🏻 3 stars for absolutely nothing being figured out. And 5 stars for the fact that a third book might actually be just as good as the first with all that took place in this book. There is a lot of good stuff here to give a thick 3rd installment all it needs to tie it up nice with a bow.
This book follows the first after the fmc goes through hell literally and finds herself back in reality with a twist. It centers around a third mmc and his dynamic whilst finding his place in the group. The book does not conclude her sleeping issues, which I will be waiting for in a (hopefully) third book.
I need more! The only negative for both books was that sometimes it was difficult to know who was talking/thinking. While it did have deviant sexual activities, it was expected and not pornographicly graphic. The theological themes were well presented without being preachy.
First book was way better. This one was really dumb. I don’t mind spicy spice but, especially in contrast with the last book with its world building and artistic qualities, this one just felt trashy and icky. It’s only redeeming quality was more character development but omg Jo is so obnoxious. I spent most of the book mad at her. I might leave this series unfinished because I struggled a bit through this one.
The first book , I understood where the story was going. This book didn't make sense and told no story. It was just sex throughout. And adding a third partner was huge no for me. I gave it a two for the writing.
There was a trope that came into play about 70% of the way that loses me 100% of the time. Also the FMC started to get on my nerves, they were ALL traumatized, but besides a passing thought to the others feelings it was all about her.
Wow. Jo is the most selfish, self-centered, manipulative woman. She literally rapes a priest! Poor Adam needs to dump her toxic ass away. Not bothering with the third book.