Return to the immersive, lush, and dreamlike world of the instantly bestselling dark academia fantasy A Study in Drowning as the aftermath of their first discovery pulls Effy and Preston on a final adventure and brings their haunting love story to its end in this stunning sequel and final book in the duology.
All stories come to an end.
Effy learned that when she defeated the Fairy King. Even though she may never know exactly what happened at Hiraeth, she is free of her nightmares and is able to pen a thesis with Preston on the beloved national fairy tale Angharad. She has finally earned a spot at the literature college, making her the first woman in history to enroll.
But some dreams are dangerous, especially when they come true. The entire university—and soon the entire nation—is waiting for her to fail. With the Fairy King defeated and Myrddin’s legacy exposed, Effy can no longer escape into fantasy. Who is she without her stories?
With Effy under threat, Preston is surprised to discover a rage simmering inside him, ringing in his ears like bells. He begins to dream of a palace under the sea, a world where he is king—visions that start to follow him even in waking.
As the war between Llyr and Argant explodes, Effy and Preston find themselves caught in the crossfire: Effy losing her dreams and Preston losing himself in his.
Are dreams ever truly just dreams?
Title: A Theory of Dreaming (A Study in Drowning #2)
Author: Ava Reid
Publisher: Harper Collins
Expected Publication Date: July 29, 2025
Review:
Thank you to HarperCollins and Edelweiss for supplying me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
A return to the world of Ava Reid's dark academia was something I was really excited for. The first book in this series was really lush and immersive and I couldn't wait to see where Reid would take the second part of this story. I was not disappointed at all. I will say, you cannot read this second book without having read the first. The first book truly builds the world for this second book. Reid takes that world and makes it even more complex and enriched with this story.
We pick up with Effy and Preston after they have returned from Hiraeth. Effy and Preston are facing scrutiny since they have challenged the beloved national fairytale. Everything they do is put under a microscope. And Effy has been admitted as the first woman to the literature college which puts her even more in the spotlight.
I loved the dual POV of this book. It allowed us to really get an in depth look at Preston and be in his head. I enjoyed experiencing things through his eyes. The book also focuses more on him and his dreams. We also see his love for Effy and how she has embedded herself in his life to the point that he would be totally devastated to lose her.
Reid continues to blur the line between reality and fantasy with this book, as well. The line between being awake and being asleep and how those two worlds collide.
Reid also tackles many big issues including but not limited to politics, misogyny, xenophobia, mental health, and substance abuse. While this is a fantasy, Reid truly anchors much of the book in reality. May of the issues she tackles can be related to the things we are seeing in our world today.
Reids writing is lyrical and addictive. The story is poetic in how it is presented. Pretty spot on since the books have their stories built around poets.
Reid gives a stunning follow up to A Study In Drowning with this book. I read this in less than 24 hours. It concludes well but you can also see there is room for more if she chooses to do so. I see she has written a novella and I cannot wait to read that one, as well.
Author:
Ava Reid is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Study in Drowning, A Theory of Dreaming, Lady Macbeth, Juniper & Thorn, and The Wolf and the Woodsman. Her books have been published in over fourteen territories. She lives in the New York area. Follow her on Instagram @avasreid and find her online at tumblr.com/avasreid.
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