
About the Book:
![Sky of Dreams: A Young Adult Epic Fantasy (Realms of Radiance Book 1) by [Kate Renae]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51KbTgbNxnL._SY346_.jpg)
Title: Sky of Dreams
Series: Realms of Radiance #1
Author: Kate Renae
Release Date: May 12th, 2023
Genre: Fantasy
What if mental illness was a sign of rare magic?
Kenya Sawyer sees herself as broken. In the struggle against her own mind, she’s always been afraid she’ll jump and fall.
She never expected to jump into another realm entirely.
Two years after the murder of her best friend, Lia, Kenya returns to San Francisco.
She isn’t exactly met with open arms. Lia’s twin brother, Luka, still hasn’t forgiven her for leaving, and the memory of Lia is everywhere.
As Kenya tries to return to a normal life, her mind begins to spiral. She’s plagued by vivid dreams: a city of magic, Lia trapped and begging for help, and a violet sky of dreams… and nightmares.
Kenya thinks the images are proof of her broken mind — until she and Luka accidentally fall into a realm with that same violet sky. There, they learn that Kenya has magic: realm-jumping magic that no one has seen for five thousand years.
Suddenly, it’s possible that Lia could still be alive, trapped in this new realm. As Kenya and Luka explore a city of magic to find her, they ignore the feeling that something has changed between them, something beyond childhood affection. But what they need to do is keep each other alive, because if they don’t focus on finding Lia, they may get pulled into wars and worlds they never imagined.
That is, if the broken trust between them doesn’t prove deadly first.
Teasers + tropes to look for in Sky of Dreams
- female MC with rare powers
- broken friendship to lovers
- unique magic system
- multiple POVs
- murder mystery turned fantasy
- found family
- medieval, steampunk, and modern fantasy vibes
- epic storytelling and plot twists
CW: vivid depictions of mental illness, moderate language, fantasy violence, death of a loved one, references to abuse
Book Review:
Wow! What a story! This is my first book from Ms. Renae and it was such an enveloping world! Kenya Sawyer feels broken, especially from the struggle in her mind. Two years after the murder of her best friend, Lia, Kenya has returned to San Francisco. But Lia’s twin brother Luka hasn’t quite forgiven her for leaving and the memories of Lia are everywhere. In the attempts to return to a normal life, Kenya is plagued by vivid dreams of a city of magic, Lia trapped and begging for help, and a violet sky of dreams and nightmares. When she and Luka fall into a realm with that same violet sky, they discover that Kenya has realm-jumping magic, the like that has not been seen there for five thousand years. With the possibility that Lia could be alive and in this realm, Kenya and Luka explore the city of magic. They try to ignore the feelings that have grown beyond childhood affection. However, they must focus on staying alive as they are pulled into wars and worlds beyond their imagination. But will the broken trust prove deadly first?
I am a bit overwhelmed with how to even respond to this book! First, of all, I haven’t been able to read a lot of YA fantasy recently, so that was a treat! Sky of Dreams was such a unique consideration of magic as well. I loved the thought of different realms and the magical system (I don’t want to give spoilers so I will be a bit vague).The story was so engaging and full of twists and turns. I had no idea what was coming next! There was action, intrigue, secrets revealed and a shocking cliffhanger!
Oh Kenya! I felt so bad for her! She was definitely struggling, but so determined, She desperately wanted to find Lia and to get back to a sense of normality. She was trying so hard to be strong and to overcome the battles in her mind, even when she was having bad days. I admired her kindness and tender heart. She was drawn into the conflicts of the realm she entered because of her heart for those who were hurting and struggling. Luka was quite the contrast. Even though he was struggling like Kenya, he just hid it better. He was still haunted by Lia;s death and Kenya leaving. He was very careful with others and guarded, especially in the new environment they found themselves in. I loved how they supported each other. Their relationship still had a lot of tension from the past, but I enjoyed seeing them grow through it. I loved meeting all of the characters in the world they jumped into. I am excited to learn more about them!
This was definitely a wild ride! I really enjoyed it and can’t wait to read the sequel! It does directly move into the next book, so just be ready for that. This is a YA book that deals strongly with mental health as well as prominently dealing with a death. It is PG13 level in terms of language, fantasy violence, and romance.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, I was not required to write a positive review.