Dreams of Darkness and Desire

The Dreams Trilogy: Witches and Warlocks, Book 1

By: B.L. Cagle

Narrated by: Stina Nielson

Length: 16 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

She is pure light.

He dwells in the darkness.

Will she discover the power within before he snuffs out that beautiful light forever?

On the surface, everything about Kira Lockwood is a picture of perfection - an amazing best friend, a loving boyfriend, and a promising future in ballet. But beneath it all, she's plagued with unusual dreams and nightmares. And to make things more complicated, the man who haunts those very dreams has just moved in down the street. Their attraction is undeniable, but she struggles to understand their otherworldly connection.

Blake Michaelson is a handsome and powerful centuries-old warlock. He and his three brothers have been searching for one thing - Kira Lockwood. Though she doesn't know it, she is a descendant of the first Supra Virtutem, a witch with the ability to harness the ultimate power. He and his brothers have spent a lifetime hunting others like them and claiming their magic as their own. To ensure their immortality, Blake must complete the Order of Three: claim her body, take her blood, and end her life.

Kira can't ascend and harness her power until her 21st birthday, but her magic lives within her and her light recognizes the darkness. Will Blake complete his mission or will the power within her be enough to save her?

©2021 Sonder Press (P)2021 Sonder Press

Amazing!!!

I had the privilege of getting an ARC for this book, and I read it all in one day!! How Stina Nielson brings this story to life is outstanding and a whole new experience. I love this new author, she’s currently working on the second book for this series. What a ride!!! From beginning to end!! The story, the characters! It’s sensual, it’s magic, it has inception,it’s real, a little scary. And the cliffhanger?!!! 🙌 I honestly recommend it to everyone!!!!

DEBUT NOVEL!

Inception meets the paranormal world of dark romance and urban fantasy with warlocks, witches, and demons. Fantasy vs Reality. Spice and humor with some horror and suspense.

Slow, slaying of women thumbs down

The main character seemed in a haze all the time. Women witches being killed for men’s gain. I could not finish. It’s too dark and annoying. Joyless.

Not what I was expecting

Honestly, I wasn't really sure what I was expecting...maybe something a little more new adult fantasy romance. This fits that category I guess. It really reminds me of Caraval, Where Dreams Descend, and Once Upon a Broken Heart. Very head trippy. I love Stina Nielson, but I wonder if this would be better to read...just because I'm not sure when she's dreaming and when she's not. Although that may be the whole point of the novel. I'm definitely looking forward to book two. For those who thought this was just an angsty teen romance novel, I suggest you give it another chance. Also, the author's website is outstanding!

Mind blown, unpredictable, sexy, AMAZING!

Do yourself a favor, and listen to this audiobook. Because not only is the book spectacular, the is one of those exceptional audiobooks where the narration manages to elevate it even further. Just absolutely phenomenal.

This book has just blown my mind. What a freaking fantastic ride! It’s a dark, PNR, urban fantasy, with witches, warlocks, and spice! The whole book is woven together with an undertone of menace and foreboding that is palpable, and a base sensuality that is scintillating. There’s often a complete lack of distinction between dream and reality as your reading - no switch to italics or anything like that to indicate that she’s in a dream, and it completely adds to the engrossing nature of this book. Sometimes it’s a bit more obvious, and other times, it completely surprises you.

As the book starts, it seems like Kira is almost sleep walking through life. Ironically, this is driven by nightmares and an utter lack of sleep, all of which she’s been keeping from her friends and boyfriend. But her behavior has been driving a rift between her an Colin, her boyfriend, and has put walls up with her friends. Enter Blake - a sexy new guy in town, who’s piercing blue eyes haunt Kira in every way - including her dreams and nightmares. Blake is charismatic, gorgeous, sexy, and nothing that he seems. He’s a four hundred year old warlock, who’s been sacrificing other witches to claim their power and maintain his immortality, and Kira is his next big target. Because what Kira doesn’t know, is that she possesses immense magic, and when she turns 21, she will ascend into her magic, and Blake intends to sacrifice her to claim her magic and solidify his immortality. To call him morally grey is really probably generous. He is seductive, and manipulative, and completely unprepared for what she makes him feel. Their relationship is electric, their chemistry is scorching, and while there isn’t a ton of spice, there is spice, and what we do get is really good!

There is a bleeding over between dreams and reality, and there are hints and clues everywhere leading in different directions, which kept me guessing, and theorizing. It’s dual POV, so we get Kira and Blake’s perspectives, but it seems that neither is a fully reliable narrator - Kira because of the collision of her reality and dreamscapes, and Blake because of his shadiness. The close secondary characters are excellent as well. The other warlocks, Blake’s “brothers”, Larz, Armand, and Vincent, are also highly charismatic, confident, and honestly, a bit terrifying behind the scenes. Kira’s best friend Kat is amazing, like the most incredible best friend ever - Kira even notes at one point “everyone should have a little Kat in their pocket” - she is completely her ride or die, there for her no matter what, and it’s awesome. And Kat’s interactions with Blake and the other warlocks, especially Larz, are great, often hysterical. What makes this all the more intriguing is, so much of the interactions are so normal. Kira has no idea that she has all this magic, she’s just living her life, going to college, going to parties, it’s a crazy juxtaposition to the ulterior motives of the warlocks, and how they manipulate so many situations with just the littlest touches of magic.

Overall, this book was insanely engrossing, incredibly fascinating, and that ending - let’s just say, I have a major book hangover, and I desperately want to know how long we will have to wait for the next book. I know this is a debut novel for this author, and all I can say is, if this is her first book, I absolutely CANNOT WAIT to see where we go from here!

This book just completely floored me!

This book is so freaking good!!! Seriously heart pounding suspense, romance, & so many twists & turns. I was constantly on the edge listening & couldn’t wait to see what happens next. Trying to figure the world & magic out was intriguing. Can’t believe this is the authors first book!?! Can’t wait for the next book and the narrator was amazing.

2 hands up

I cannot tell you how excited I am about this author and this series. I always try to write as honest reviews as I can, even if it’s not something so great from a favorite author. This book though, I’m telling y’all, I can’t find anything to say that’s not positive about this book. This story keeps you on your toes. It takes you on a ride and has you stopping going “wait…what?!” I haven’t been this excited about finding a new author in a very long time. Her writing style is so smooth and her characters? The line between good and bad is blurred with these characters and the story line isn’t your typical, cookie cutter, I already know what’s going to happen story. It has you questioning your assumptions, and raising your eyebrows. Love it. Oh and the narrator?!! PHENOMENAL!

Great debut!

I typically don't read dark romance, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was dark but not TOO dark in the sense that I felt uncomfortable in the ways some books of this category can create within me. The story overall was great, and I felt really connected to all the characters. It's so great to see a female lead who isn't lacking in common sense and actually has a personality. All the characters had great 6 and voice. The romantic lead was also a favorite, and I loved the chemistry between them. The mystery that's invoked kept me guessing till the end, and I CAN NOT WAIT for book 2 after an ending like that. Hurry, hurry!

Twisted but worth hanging in to the end

So I read reviews before deciding to give this listen a try. I have to agree with other listeners, there were times I thought of throwing in the towel. The ups and downs of the female lead about did me in but then I would remind myself that she is supposed to be 20 years old. She would be emotionally immature. After sticking with the story I realized that what I think the author failed to make clear was the constant emotional upheaval experienced more than a normal 20 year old stemmed from was the dark visitor in her dreams and his influence on her was subtly eroding her self image. I think better character development would have to have the main female character acknowledge her changes much more directly. There was a lot of hoping around too that got confusing.

The male lead also gave me quite an issue. How could I root for their love story to work when he is an admitted serial murderer and had plans to kill the female lead for her power? I had to stop and start several times during his rituals as they truly disturbed me. This is a book of fiction but good books pull you in because you can relate to the story in some way. I am a mother of two women just slightly older then our main female character and I had to pull back during certain parts to take a breather.

All in all I truly liked this book. I want to say I loved it but feel like that would make me a very disturbed person. I do recommend the listen and I think those who can remember this is a work of fiction will find this book if not enjoyable at least fascinating enough to have to get it the end just to find out what happens after all the dirty secrets and nasty deeds come to light.

My only complaint is the narrator. She reads too slow for me and over dramatizes but I increased the reading speed by .1 and that helped. She is not a favorite of mine and I always struggle when listening to books she has narrated.

Perfection

I loved this and I wouldn’t change a thing. Unless book 2 is a total dud…. This will be my new favorite series