Reverie: Dreams Become Reality

Yes, Reverie is here everyone, the gloriously queer book in which dreams and imagination are larger than life and there's a drag queen sorceress who is incredibly determined to twist the protagonist's life up in all sorts of knots.

Bookmarks and TAC are incredibly lucky to be hosting Ryan and this wonderful book on January the 9th, and you all should join us!

We'll have snacks, fun activities, and probably a nice themed drink next door at Footnotes!

We're going to have a lovely time, and you'll be remiss to miss us!

But onward, into the review!

Cat's Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

The first thing I noticed about Reverie was that like Kane, our protagonist, we're thrown right into the action and with very little clues about what is going on and what's coming next. All we know is that something is dreadfully wrong in the state of Kane's memories and it's so incredibly well set up that there's no other need that we the reader have, than to find out immediately.

We do know what the police know however, and that is that Kane one night stole his father's car and drove it into a historical mill, exploding it immediately. and yet somehow, he survived and made it to the creek nearby where he waited until the cops arrived to promptly fall into a coma.

The cops do what the cops do, and that is, immediately overreact and blame it on him being gay. Of course he's suicidal, why wouldn't he be? Of course he's prone to dramatics.

And of course that means we can get away with terrifying him when we should be helping him.

Kane thinks all is lost until Dr Poesy steps in, offering him a way out, as long as he remembers what happened within a certain time frame and writes it all down in a dream journal that they provide.

A terrifying walk down a trail later after encountering a giant spider monster and a girl he can only remember tidbits about, he returns to school, their encounter leaving him shaken. He has forgotten a lot it seems, more than just the accident.

Slowly but surely everything begins to unravel, his group of friends, the things they call reveries, his own power, and what exactly happened the night of the accident. He learns that dreams have the power to come to life, and they can be deadly to those who get sucked up in them, and he's the only one with the power to unravel him.

Also there's a beautiful, mysterious boy with green eyes watching over him that his friends do not like, but he can't seem to resist him. He can tell there's a bit of a history there, but he doesn't know who to ask, or who to really trust.

Is it Poesy, the drag queen sorceress who is promising to unravel his confusion and protect his family? All for the small price of bringing her something called a loom.

Loyalty is tested, Kane's own patience is tested plenty, and within no time at all, things have reached the level of disaster that no one but Poesy wanted, and everyone has to work together to bring it all to an end.

It's all so dreamy, and yes, that might feel a bit redundant considering this is about dreams coming to life, but it's true! The way it's written is very flowy, very determined, like Ryan knew exactly what he wanted to write and he made it happen.

The way he brought dreams to life in a way I know for a fact people would probably kill for, while also warning everyone to be careful what you wish for, in the gentlest, most terrifying way possible. If that makes any sense!

I have been looking for a magical, queer read that's fun and lighthearted while also having weight, and Reverie was exactly that. Because for the most part, when queer books get big, they're usually tragic, or heavy handed, or really about mental health, and while that's all fine and such, in the end, queer people deserve happiness and fun too.

It's nice to see the publishing market start to recognize that, and gives me hope for my own writing, and the upcoming generation too. They have books that I could only dream secretly of, and never voice to anyone.

Of course I still found books that had characters that in my heart I could go ah yes, they too are queer like me, in the end, canonically... They weren't. And if I voiced that opinion to anyone in person, it would be an automatic oh, I don't really read or ehhh but the author never says that, so I don't think so.

Online exists, yes, but until a few years ago, I hadn't found a group that was safe and easy enough to slip into. Because even though the internet taught me everything my parents refused to, and helped me become an outspoken individual, I recognized the danger there too.

But Reverie will have it's online fans, it already does, it's safe, open spaces, and it will have it's mainstream ones too. People will come into bookstores, pick this up and take it home. They'll come in and ask for it, they'll come back and talk about it with us, the booksellers, and it will spawn book clubs (it already has one nationwide meeting set up with a store I shall not name!). People will buy it as gifts, put it into the hands of other readers, and I know all this is already happening, but still.

This reminds me of another book that came out in October that I know for a fact is still making waves that is more fantasy and game of throne-ish than this, and that's Crier's War, the heartwrenching (But safe!) wlw read that stole my heart away and made it soar. And then of course the adult romance book Red, White and Royal Blue that blew everyone's mind over the summer and had us laughing our butts off.

It just, makes me so, so happy, and I truly cannot believe I get to put this book into the hands of readers, young and old and everyone in between.

Ryan La Sala, thank you.

Where Can I Buy This Book?

Right Here! Bookmarks ships anywhere!

Or, if you feel up to it, stop on by and grab a copy in store! I would love to talk and recommend other reads if you're excited about this one, or if you already love it and want more! And on top of that-

Come enjoy the event with us!!! January 9th, 6pm!