I died.It was supposed to be the end of my story. But after Aon buried me in the Pool of the Ancients, I learned that Under wasn’t done with me yet. Even though I escaped death the first time, there’s a prophecy predicting my demise, and it’s driving Aon mad. His desperation to protect me is dangerous, deadly, and I’m afraid of what he might do.The void that threatens to destroy this world is … to destroy this world is receding, yet Under is still not safe. I can feel it in my blood, the warning that something terrible is coming. Something bigger and stronger than all of us.
But I am no longer the human girl merely fighting for survival. I’m different now, changed into something this world hasn’t seen in fifteen hundred years.
I am immortal, a queen of Under.
I am the Queen of Dreams.
more
“Welcome to Under, Cupcake. Where everything is creepy and the murder party’s the best party because the murder party never stops. ” – Q
Lydia awakens from her death to find she is no longer the lowly mortal plaything of Under. Now she is its immortal pawn in a game she has no understanding of.
Betrayed, lost and feeling at the end of her rope Lydia finds that door number one may not have been the best choice after all.
I know I said this previously but it bears repeating Lyd’s is one kick arse heroine. When it gets to be too much she takes a step back and with the use of humor and sarcasm and the rarely used ability common sense (my favorite) she tackles the things that can be changed and well deals with that which can not.
After Aon lost Lydia he honed his pain and emptiness into a fine blade of anger he intended to wield in retribution.
But when Lydia awakens as the new queen he immediately fears for her safety. Having heard the oracle’s prediction he believes what he is doing is the right thing for Lyd. He accepts that his actions may cost him the one thing he ever truly desired.
“All the wrong things for all the right reasons. ”
I truly love his character even with his sadistic tendencies.
I had to step back a couple of times to dry my eyes. You would think to be a queen would have given her some semblance of power but her life is even more of a living nightmare than when she was merely a mortal for the residents of Under to toy with.
Can she see past the pain and betrayal that seems to cast darkness on her every breath?
And Edu … I want to shred him limb from limb!
Nothing turns out as I hoped
Okay that isn’t quite true – Q – I totally want my own Q
Kingsley once again takes the reader on a journey into one of the most vivid and colorful worlds that I have had the pleasure of visiting. A uniquely creative cast that endears and enrages.
If dark fantasy is your genre this is one series not to be missed!
I love this book. Actually the whole series is amazing. Lyd is becoming more and more strong and everyone is starting to realise that.
New friends and new enemies and a great world building make this third book in the series beyond awesome. Love the characters. Especially Athon, Lyd and Lyon but they’re all great to read. Good humor and funny situations with new and old characters.
Totally worth reading.
This author consistently keeps on track a complex cast of characters and an evolving, intricate storyline that keeps unfolding with surprising twists and turns with each new addition to this series. Please keep in mind you do need to read these sequels in order. So if this book has caught your eye, do yourself a huge favor and backtrack to Book 1. You will need and want to get the whole picture of what is at play and stake here starting from the very beginning. The adversarial personalities yet symbiotic relationship between many of these Greek god like beings will need to be fully understood to appreciate the long term plot development.
Queen of Dreams continues this saga with two intermixed plots filled with drama, relationship angst, some graphic bloody scenes, along with quite a bit of distraught, inward reflection as we watch these key characters struggle with what has happened and their apprehension of their unknown future.
Isolation, fear, acceptance, denial, sacrificial love, a blind thirst for revenge/control, forgiveness, and even death face off here as this mythical world continues to spiral into uncertainty. Then just when things come to an expected explosive showdown, a whole new element is introduced that leads us directly into book 4, King of Blood.
As for the heroine, she’s found herself in an unimaginable new position. She’s come a long way, baby, especially since book 1. Her future and new unexpected role has placed her directly in the Jekyll and Hyde hands of an immortal dark soul many have dubbed the loveless. He certainly proves nothing or anyone will stand in his way of dealing out his master plan. Seriously, brace yourself for some very drastic, jaw dropping measures. Casualties and collateral damage are necessary evils he’ll take on regardless of the consequences. His at times gruesome actions may be disturbing to some.
In each book, the writing has flowed seamlessly. Surprisingly, each storyline has had a different undertone to it, despite a reoccurring main theme. I can’t wait to find out what happens next in The King of Blood.
Title: Queen of Dreams, Series: The Masks of Under (Book 3), Author: Kathryn Ann Kingsley, Pages: 282, not a stand-alone, must read books in order, some graphic violence, resilient heroine, no OW/OM drama, no cheating, no love triangle.
Book 1 – King of Flames
Book 2 – King of Shadows
Book 3 – Queen of Dreams
Book 4 – King of Blood
(I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not given any payment or compensation for this review. There is no affiliation or relationship between this reviewer and the author/publisher/PR firm.)
Oh, this is just the best, it’s turning into one of my stand-out favourite series EVER!!!! and let me tell you I have read a lot of books.
So where are we at now, this is book 3 with 3 more to go and every instalment of this is as different and also as good as the last one.
Lydia is now Queen of Dreams, the mother of monsters and with her trusty sidekick of Q an inner monologue and now separate entity of her conciseness it’s time to kick butt.
Aon is trying his utmost to motivate Lydia to be self-sufficient and in charge of her own protection even if that means using methods that may be extremely unpleasant.
Aeon himself is such a contradiction of extremities, the contrast between Aon’s bloody inventive tortures and yes I do mean that literally and his loving regard and affection for his resurrected dragonfly was intense.
She also finally gets to see the man behind the mask: man that was way cool and intense.
This was such a page-turner and I just couldn’t put it down, I raced through in record time not wanting it to come to an end as I had such fun and immersed myself in all that is under.
We have a prophecy that lead’s to a jaw-dropping decision, a new player is also brought forth.
Edu that sanctimonious tin can is still on the warpath and Lydia steps out from behind her Warlock and stands alone taking baby steps into her new world while also trying to make peace with Aon’s actions.
Adored everything here have no negatives at all it was stand-out bloody amazing from start to finish.
All I need now is “King of Blood” can’t bloody wait!!!
I voluntary reviewed a copy of Queen of Dreams (The Masks of Under #3).
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
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