Kingdom of Cards: Where Dreams Descend : A Novel (Series #1) (Hardcover)

Oh. My. God. Now this is what I'm talking about! Janella Angeles set high expectations with her pitch of "Phantom of the Opera" times "Moulin Rouge" times "The Night Circus". And she delivered. This book was a perfect balance of romance, mystery, and fierceness. Kallia is (by far) one of my most favorite heroines I've ever read, and Daron, one of the most mysterious. I've never been so entranced by any book since Caraval, and this book had all of the flair and magic of Stephanie Garber's game. The writing was VERY lyrical and even dark sometimes. At first, I wasn't sure if Kallia would end up with Jack or not - wasn't even sure if I did or didn't want them to end up together. However, as soon as Daron was introduced, I knew who Kallia would be in love with (I found myself another book boyfriend as well). Aaros was a comforting figure - he was the sidekick Kallia needed. Her magic matched her fiery demeanor and style. The few foods that Janella Angeles included sounded delicious as well! I noted the breakfast Kallia had before she left Hellfire House - cinnamon cakes drizzled with honey. Delicious! That's not the only thing Angeles included that was real, I could touch it. Kallia's daring dresses and the locations were so detailed without being overly so (like most authors have a tendency of doing). Jack tries to rescue her from someone - or something - at the end. I can't wait to see who the devil behind the scenes is! And the fact that Daron was stealing Kallia's magic (whether knowingly or not) was a BIG twist that I never saw coming. I was VERY shocked and feel betrayed that we have to wait until June of next year before we get the sequel (of course, I know - on average - it takes a year to write, edit, and publish a book). It's a very unique story and I can't wait to see where Kallia's (and Daron's) story continues on from here!