All That We See or Seem

Dreamworld Duology #1

by Kristina Mahr

Every night, seventeen-year-old Reeve Lennox finds herself under a noose.

By day she is a lady of Acarsaid's royal house, daydreaming of adventure and love. But every night in sleep she wanders through a nightmarish city, an invisible witness to the screeches of monsters and the screams of their victims. Her only consolation is Bran, a battle-torn young man with a selfless heart and eyes that reflect the stars.

Yet while Reeve falls deeper into her dreams, in truth she is engaged to Arden, a mercurial nobleman who has long been cured of his belief in love and breathes fire and flattery like other people breathe air.

Torn between two lives, Reeve struggles to remember what's real, until night and day collide, with a revelation that threatens all of Acarsaid.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Young Adult Fantasy, Fiction

Kindle Edition

Published May 15, 2018

About the author

Kristina Mahr is a Chicago-based author and poet known for her ability to capture raw emotion in prose. With four published novels and an extensive collection of poetry to her name, she has built a reputation for distilling complex feelings into words that resonate. Her greatest reward as a writer is creating those moments of profound connection - when readers find their own unspoken truths reflected in her words, transforming solitary feelings into shared experiences. When not writing, she enjoys drinking tall glasses of iced tea, reading, and waking up at the crack of dawn every weekend to watch the Premier League.

Kristina is represented by Kaitlyn Katsoupis at Belcastro Agency.

Reviews

[Grace T · Rating 5 out of 5]

I. AM. SCREAMING.

How on this good earth can a book end RIGHT WHERE THIS ONE DID. This is cruel and unusual punishment, I just wanted to read gorgeous prose about a relatable heroine and her actually-really-well-fleshed-out-and-not-annoying love triangle and you do THIS to me?!? Along with those plot twists and THAT main romantic interest?

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH send help please especially if it's book 2 because I will not live much longer otherwise.

(seriously though the characters are beautifully done, down to the four bodyguards. and you think you're going to hate or at least dislike the opposing love interest but then oh look he's HUMAN and BROKEN and they're FRIENDS even though he's the way he is and how oN EARTH ARE WE SUPPOSED TO ROOT AGAINST HIM EVEN THOUGH HIS OPPONENT IS FAR MORE MORALLY UPRIGHT it's not fairrrrrr)

(and also this cover is as gorgeous as the writing style i just can't okay)

(*is dead*)

[☆ serethiel ☆]

*grabby-hands*

LIV WANTS. LIV NEEDS.

[Nicki Chapelway · Rating 4 out of 5]

So... I gotta say this wasn't what I was expecting at all. I will fully admit that I was expecting adventure with a dash of romance, but what I found was romance with a dash of adventure.

A very interesting thing about this stories was that it almost seemed like two stories. One about Reeve awake and one about her asleep. It was somewhat jarring, but still really interesting. The description was great, a little over the top in some areas, but it really brought both these world's to life.

Reeve as a heroine was annoying. She was desperately naive and borderline stupid. Honestly I couldn't stand her, over emotional ninny. Her grudge against her poor brother was stupid, she never thought that there would ever be any consequences for her actions, and she ignored the glaring facts that were right before her eyes. So many times reading this book I was shaking my head at her. However the other characters more than made up for her faults.

There is a love triangle of sorts, and honestly it is really confusing because I liked both the guys and that doesn't happen for me. When love triangles are involved,because I am an aggressive shipper, I pick my favorite and hate the other forever. But with this book I couldn't pick a favorite.

Bran was a sweetheart, and I loved him. Though there were some cases where I was wondering what the heckers he was thinking. He wasn't as dumb as Reeve, but he did get pretty close. I probably ship him and Reeve more not because of anything against Arden but simply because he's the one I think she is going to end up with.

Arden stole my heart. I probably should not have liked him so much because he is a scoundrel, but let me say, I appreciated his cool head and his ability to be emotionless. Quite refreshing compared to the emotions of Reece and Bran. Also he made me laugh quite often. I wish I could ship him with Reeve but I don't like to set myself up for disappointment.

Her guards were the best characters, not going to lie. They had my heart from the start.

Content:

Somewhat more than I had been expecting. There is some language which was surprising since I thought this was a Christian publisher? But then, I may have been wrong. There are also innuendos. There isn't too much violence but the violence there is, is described very acutely.

Not the story I was expecting but still an entertaining one. I looked forward to seeing what happens next.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

[Laura A. Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH MY GOODNESS WHY DID IT TAKE ME SO LONG TO READ THIS BOOK!?!

Ahem.

This book was exceptionally well done. Beautifully written. Compelling. Fast-paced where in I read 100 pages easily the same night I started it and could have kept going if I wanted to. (Correction: I DID want to, but I was already super tired in the moment.) Reeve is an excellent heroine to cheer for! She seemed so relatable and absolutely loved her.

And I absolutely love her with Bran. #TeamBranAllTheWay

I can't say there is ever a dull spot. The author had me going from "YOU MUST FIX THIS, AUTHOR!" to happily sighing and smiling (which also happen to involve me telling all the things to my husband later). The story world is SO tense-filled! Yeah, definitely never a dull moment their either and can't say I'll look at falcons the same. *nervous laughter*

Now don't mind me as I totally devour the second book.

Oh! Wait, one more thing! I was very pleasantly surprised how clean this story is romantically, especially considering we have a slight love triangle. (I said slight, and well done author for leaving me questioning my #TeamBran side a little bit. However, even our fellow dragon can't take me away from our selfless young man….Right?) There was no "hanky panky" going on, but I sure did get mad about that ring in the dreamworld. LOL!

Totally recommend this fantastic story to YA readers who love fast-paced stories with swoon worthy heroes and a deadly story world that leaves you thankful your dreams aren't real.

[R.F. Gammon · Rating 3 out of 5]

So this was a wild ride and I admit I have mixed feelings! But for my first foray into a UUP book, it was pretty great!

THINGS TO LOVE:
>the dreamworld. So terrifying. A lot of the time bookish nightmares are just "let's relive our worst memory!" and I don't know about you guys, but...I don't experience that? If I have nightmares they're just WEIRD. xD So Mahr's approach to the nightmare world was BRILLIANT. I would NOT want to go here. Thanks.
>Arden! "I'm not the knight. I'm the dragon." THIS MAN. *flails softly* *sobs* He was so precious and I need more of him like now. He might not be perfect (okay, fine, he's a knave with a dirty mind), but I think he has redemption in his future and I can't wait to see that play out in the sequel.
>The court life was so accurately done and I appreciated that. Balls are just a think that happen. Reeve doesn't like them, but she goes because she does. No sneaking off. Just goes. And the court stuff in general...it felt like they could genuinely be in a palace.
>THE TWIST AT THE END. Ummmm excuse me. I did not see that coming, at all, and it's AMAZING.
>I read this book in a day. It was so tautly plotted, so expertly done, that I just...I loved. Thank you muchly, Mahr.

THINGS I DID NOT LOVE:
>*sighs* The love triangle, for one thing. It drove me crazy how Reeve was always salty at Arden for not giving her all his attention and being a player (which she KNEW WHEN SHE MET HIM), while in the meantime she was running off to kiss another guy behind his back? And genuinely thought she could be with both? Like...girl.
>Reeve in general kind of drove me crazy. So naive. So rash. She had some definite growth by the end, and I appreciated that. She's another one I'd like to see MUCH growth from in the sequel.
>Most of the side characters needed a little bit more to flesh them out (or a little more screentime, plz)
>Also that cliffhanger was CRUEL (*whispers* I didn't actually hate it but I do hate that I don't have book 2 in my hands rn so PLEASE SOMEONE SEND ME THE SECOND FOR MY BIRTHDAAAAAY)

Waffling between 3 and 4 stars (WHERE ARE HALF STARSSSSSSSS). Overall, an enjoyable ride! But a bit frustrating.

Content:
Some swearing. Most of the words are ones I would call minor (d-word, h-e-double-hockey-sticks, one usage of b*****d. More of that than I would have wanted, but I personally didn't find it too bad (just annoying.) The characters also say "Lord" a lot, which bothered me a little bit more.

Arden is a known womanizer, and says some innuendos to Reeve that make her blush. There's one scene where a man chases a woman down a dark street and then corners her that made me a little bit nervous, but his intentions are to catch her for interrogation, although it does not seem that way for most of the scene. Some kissing--not TOO described, but there is a good amount of it. An unmarried boy and girl share a bed at one point, just for sleeping. Reeve is highly over-romantic and obsessed with the idea of boys.

Violence is about average for a fantasy novel--blood, fighting, attack via bird, getting knocked out, and stuff like that. Besides a couple of very bloody sections (most of which deal with the aftermath of the injury, not the injury itself) I didn't find it too bad on this respect.

*whispers* again, I need book 2. Buy me book 2, loyal supporters...

3.5 stars

[Claire Banschbach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second read: still epic and I still love Arden for just existing and liking Reeve more this time.

~~~

AHHH! It did not end like that! Review to come after I process reading this book in about a 12 hour time span that included sleeping and going to work. lol!

Actual Review:
So a solid week later, I'm still kind of processing. lol! I really loved this book. The concept is a super fun one - Reeve lives in one world, but as soon as she falls asleep she find herself in a different really dark and scary world with people-eating falcons flying around. I had a hard time figuring out which world I liked better, because super intriguing things went on in both.

I enjoyed her character, although she's a tad bit ditzy?? But maybe that comes from literally never leaving the castle her whole life. I loved all her guards!
Other characters - she kind of accidentally gets engaged to Arden, who's set up as dangerous playah. But I'm really intrigued by his character and am interested to see how he develops. I enjoyed his and Reeve's interactions though, so I'm kind of borderline rooting for him. Although Bran is kind of awesome as well, so....He's the not very broody guy from the dreamworld that ends being pretty adorable. And Reeves' brother Florian - their kind of broken relationship makes me really sad and I'm really rooting for them to have to work together more!

Plot tension! So much tension. I seriously stayed up till like 2 in the morning reading and then snuck it to work the next morning to read on my breaks to finish it. And was left like "WHAT? NOOO!" Some seriously plot twisty things happen in the last like 10% and then you're desperately left wishing for the next book before this book even releases and then what are you supposed to do with your life but stare at the ceiling and wonder what is life?

So yeah, loved it. The writing style was great and super easy to read and completely sucked me in. Great fleshed out characters and all around epicness! Definitely recommended!

*I received an eARC from the publisher for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

[Jes Drew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was phenomenal! Of course it had to be based off an Edgar Allen Poe poem- but still, it is absolutely breathtaking!

First, the characters. Our heroine is not only completely human, but also actually intelligent and considerate. She's very refreshing by not being either stick-it-to-you tough or too-stupid-to-live. And both the boys in her lives are such deep, well-rounded characters themselves between the sweet dream-boy you can't help but root for and the charming noble you know you should run the opposite direction from, but kind of root for anyway.

Then there are the two worlds. One bright and almost ideal- and the other one dark and creepy. And the way our protagonist gets tossed between them is incredible, and any and all confusion Reeve faces is completely understandable, because when one is in one world with one of the boys, one doesn't want to go to the other- until Reeve finds herself there anyway.

The writing itself is rather mesmerizing, just as the secrets behind these worlds and their connection are alluring. I cannot wait to begin the sequel!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, and my opinions are my own.

[J.M. Hackman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't read a book this good in a long time. Reeve and Bran drew me in and kept me up waaay past my bedtime. (And like another reviewer mentioned, there better be a sequel released pretty quickly!)



I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an enjoyable read, to be sure, and a fascinating concept. (Of course, I love the whole visits-another-world-in-dreams thing and wish there were more good books that fit that category.) The characters were fun and colorful, even if Reeve has slightly less common sense than I typically like my heroines to have. I am a little frustrated with certain aspects of the storyline, but that might just be because I was expecting the book to be primarily an adventure novel and instead found mostly romance. Enjoyable romance, to be sure. But still romance. So, yeah, be aware of that. Even with that caveat, I'm still looking forward to the next book.

[Laurie Lucking · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Happy sigh* All That We See or Seem was one of those addicting books I could not. put. down. The writing is so gorgeous I just wanted to stay immersed in it all day, and I was completely drawn into Reeve's dilemma as she navigates the challenges of her waking and dream worlds. And the romance! Arden was a fun, intriguing character, but Bran was really the one who made me swoon as he slowly proved himself to be everything Reeve had dreamed of and more. The ending explained so much but opened up so many new questions...I need the next book!! But seriously, if you're looking for beautifully-written fantasy with a large dose of romance, add this one to your list! Just plan to lose some sleep in the process :)

[Michelle Levigne · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know what's the mark of a really well-written story? When the main character makes a choice and you cringe, because you've come to be so invested in her story, you know she's going to get hurt, it's the wrong choice, and you just want to reach through the pages and grab her shoulders and shake her until her eyes rattle and she changes her mind.

Yeah, Reeve, the main character in this book got that reaction from me.

And did you hear me when I got to the last page and I didn't want it to end? (Attention, Kristina Mahr, there better be another book following up on this one, and right quick! You cannot leave Reeve and Bran where you left them -- at least, not permanently. Please?) Okay, I didn't shout, I didn't scream, because it was after 11 at night and the rest of the household was sleeping, but there was some mental agony involved. Close to the destruction of Alderaan.

There were a number of cringe-worthy moments in the story. No, Reeve, don't!
And when I ached for her.
And I held my breath, hoping the short moment of sweetness and hope would last.

Okay, what's so special about this book? I really don't want to give it all away. But here are the basics:
Reeve is the niece of the king, lives in the palace, and very realistically, the luxuries she enjoys don't make up for her restricted, somewhat lonely life. And yeah, she's expected to make a marriage to benefit the throne. Her choices all have drawbacks. Some bigger than others. Some, she doesn't discover until it's too late, and turn near-deadly. The only real friends she has are her bodyguards and her ladies maid, and even they aren't close enough for her to tell her biggest, strangest, scariest secret.

Every night, for her entire life, Reeve goes to another land in her sleep. A horrible place, full of darkness and fear and pain and blood. She wakes under a gallows, and often there is a body hanging there. Sometimes she's lucky and it's a fresh body, other times she's not lucky, and these horrible, warped falcons have started to feed. The falcons are also the nighttime security forces in this awful land, where only those with a death wish go outside. Fortunately, Reeve seems to be entirely invisible in this land, so she's safe. But lonely. And unable to stop visiting this awful place in her dreams. Every night.

A few months before the story starts, she discovers a young man whose presence turns the nightmare into a dream, and gives her a sense of company, even though he can't see or hear her.

The story, of course, is what happens when Reeve becomes visible. To the young man and to the falcons and to the evil in that dream land.

READ this one.
Want to learn more about the author and the book and the publisher? Go to Uncommon Universes Press, the publisher.

Note: the publisher provided this book in exchange for a review.

[Betwixt the Pages · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every night, seventeen-year-old Reeve Lennox finds herself under a noose.

By day she is a lady of Acarsaid's royal house, daydreaming of adventure and love. But every night in sleep she wanders through a nightmarish city, an invisible witness to the screeches of monsters and the screams of their victims. Her only consolation is Bran, a battle-torn young man with a selfless heart and eyes that reflect the stars.

Yet while Reeve falls deeper into her dreams, in truth she is engaged to Arden, a mercurial nobleman who has long been cured of his belief in love and breathes fire and flattery like other people breathe air.

Torn between two lives, Reeve struggles to remember what's real, until night and day collide, with a revelation that threatens all of Acarsaid.

***PLEASE NOTE: this review is for BOTH books in this gorgeous duology. K thanks bye!***

Rating: 5/5 Penguins
Quick Reasons: gorgeous, atmospheric prose; I LOVE LOVE LOVE this story; vibrant, well-written characters; this was a wild journey from start to finish; I have NEVER moved so quickly to purchase the physical copy(ies) of a book in my life; please read this duology, it's the best

HUGE thanks to Kristina Mahr, Uncommon Universes Publishing, and YA Bound Book Tours for sending free egalleys of these titles my way! This in no way altered my read of or opinions on these books.

"I'm sorry I hurt you. I'm sorry that I'm the dragon and not the knight."

"I like you as the dragon," I say quietly. "I just wish that I was enough, even if just for one night, for you to focus the whole of your fire on me."

I'm going to be honest, Penguins...I basically went into this duology completely blind. I saw the cover and title for All that We See or Seem and jumped in headlong without taking time to read what the series was actually about.......

But it worked out, GORGEOUSLY. This duology is an atmospheric, beautifully written journey, and I couldn't make myself put either book down once I started. Which means I basically binge-read both of these within the matter of a day. Maybe. At most. The characters are well-rounded, poignantly relatable, and SO entertaining. I had such a great time following in Reeve's footsteps and allowing her to lead me down this path of magic and dark devices. I really enjoyed the backdrops--the mirror-esque qualities that the "real, everyday" world and her "nightmare" portrayed.

I especially enjoyed some of the more unique and fantastical elements that Kristina Mahr employed throughout each novel. There were twists and turns even I couldn't see coming, which is saying a lot, given I generally see the reveals from miles away. I did feel as if the actual ending was SUPER quick and tied up almost a little too nicely, all things considered--we had such a long, enthralling lead up, I felt a bit like I lost out on the honest ending...but alas, so it goes.

Of course, I also have to admit to something else. For the sake of being honest, you know. I got about halfway through All that We See or Seem..........only to find myself running to Amazon to order a physical, hardcover copy of both books! I was only able to find the first available in hardcover format, so I immediately purchased it...and will be keeping an eye out for A Dream Within a Dream to become available for purchase in hardcover every day until it's in my grubby, greedy little flippers. I NEED IT, y'all. NEED. I have never purchased a physical copy in the MIDDLE of reading a book before...but I did for this series. And I don't regret doing so.

"Thank you."

"I daresay 'rescuer of damsels in distress' was not one of the rumors you heard about me," he muses.

"It most certainly was not," I laugh. "'Creator of the distress damsels find themselves in,' more accurately."

I am so so very happy to have been part of this blog tour, and given the chance to read and review each of these novels. I LOVE the play on the titles, I LOVE how they fit into the story as a whole, and THESE COVERRRRRRRS! I adore how the covers, just like the two worlds found between, act as a sort of mirror to one another. This entire duology--from physical looks to the fantastical worlds--was brilliantly thought out and captivated by Kristina Mahr. Take a walk with me into a nightmare, Penguins--you're bound to love what you find there.

[C.O. Bonham · Rating 4 out of 5]

"All that we see or seem may be no more than a dream." this is the Edgar Allen Poe quote that opens the book. This is the perfect quote to inspire the title for this novel.

Reeve is not a princess, but as the Kings niece, she's the closest thing her kingdom has to one.

which of course makes her marriage of political importance. Just when Reeve resigns her self to marriage to someone who at least won't bore her to death, she meets Bran. To bad he only exists in her dreams.

But as she falls more in love with Bran at night it becomes harder to fake enjoying her engagement by day.

Do not let the Adventure, danger and mystery fool you. This book is first and foremost a romance. And it won't take you till the end of the book to figure out who Reeve chooses.

Unfortunately the cliff hanger at the end makes things difficult for everyone.

Especially me, because I need to know what happens next.

*I was given a copy of this book for review purposes. The opinions expressed here are my own.*

[E.B. Dawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was hooked with this one early on (I'm a sucker for dream fantasy). I was quite impressed with the prose. I liked how small the scope of Reeve's world is for most of the book. She is not a superhero, or a warrior, or an activist. She is just a girl living within the boundaries that have been set for her as a lady of the court. It makes sense that her loneliness would drive her to a certain boy in her dreams, and the betrothal in her real-life played out better and (for the most part) more realistically than I thought it would. There IS a heavy heavy emphasis on romance. But honestly, for all that, I felt the author handled it really well. (Minimal eye rolls!) The love interests both felt like real people with real flaws and weaknesses, and what's more, Reeve responds to them realistically. Overall, this book was well executed, and I was pleasantly surprised. I think I would have really loved it at a younger age. I'm already calculating when I can buy the second one to finish the story!

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a gem in the young adult fiction world. I was so engaged in every moment from beginning to end. The characters (I love love love Bran), the world-building, the beautiful and poetic language - there's nothing not to love. I cannot wait for the next one to come out so I can get re-immersed in this world!

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A 2018 must-read for summer! If you think the cover is wonderful, just wait until you start reading. I honestly couldn't put this book down. There are books that have two love interests and it's cliché and overdone--this is not one of those books. However, I am 100% team Bran aka team BRAVE. I am not so patiently waiting for book 2!!

Beautiful prose, riveting plot, and well-developed characters. I could go on. Highly highly recommend this book!

[Jeremy Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story, from start to finish, captivated me fully. Each passage was weaved together so beautifully that it pained me to even close the book for a second. The suspense and mystery that collected amongst the pages were nearly too much to handle at times. As the story of Reeve hits its maximum stride, Mahr cuts us off with book one, leaving us gagging for the next installment.

[Molly Connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars //

[Restless Isabelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nightmarish dream worlds ruled by tyrannical wizards. A princess who dreams of true love above all else. And a long forgotten mystery steeped in magic. A solid read with surprisingly violent world building, a moody mystery and star crossed love.

We’re thrust immediately into the nightmare dream world Reeve visits every night after she falls asleep. It’s a violent, unsettling world with one bright spot - a lake that she often escapes to, and a young man she wishes could see her. The world is intriguing from the get go, and the narrative builds around Reeve’s visits to the dream world and her days living at court in the palace.

In some parts it almost feels like you’re reading two separate books; one of courtly intrigue and arranged marriages as Reeve matches with Arden (who I absolutely loved, banter was top notch) versus a tale of evil wizards, love and magic.

But, as the narrative starts to play with the mystery surrounding Reeve’s invisibility within the dream the two tales start to interweave in surprising and satisfying ways. I feel like I can’t say too much without spoilers.

As a character Reeve is very innocent and naive. So much so at times she was difficult to engage with. Particularly when she’s starts interacting with the dream world - but the mystery of the dream world, the other characters there and Arden at court make up for her lack.

The prose is quite flowery, a touch repetitive and sometimes a bit much - I felt like it slowed down the pace. However the last 25% was intense and picked up pace. I was on the edge of my seat and left clutching to the cliff the book threw me off.

All in all solid YA fantasy. Recommend giving it a go if star crossed lovers and magical mysteries is your jam.

[Tess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been looking forward to reading this for a long time. Magic dreamland, arranged marriages? Sign me up!
It wasn't exactly what I was expecting. It was a little heavier on the romance than I expected and I never really connected with Reeve, the main character and narrator. But let's start with what I liked
I really liked the dreamworld and how Reeve ended up in it. I also appreciated that King Carrick and Queen Everly weren't a dastardly duo and terribly wicked to Reeve. Everly was so sweet. I loved the complicatedness of Reeve's relationship with her brother and father.
And, believe it or not, I really liked Arden. More than Bran, which surprised me. It's not that I don't like Bran. He's wonderful, which is kind of a problem. He was boring, by character standards. He always did the right thing, got angry rarely. And as a person, that's great! But I enjoyed the parts with Arden so much more. He had character. He was a scoundrel, yes, but he never pretended with Reeve. He was charming and funny and had his own heartache. Maybe it's just me. But yeah, as far as characters to read go, Arden was more entertaining and I liked Reeve better with him than with Bran.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. There was a bit of language scattered throughout, which I wasn't expecting, but not enough for it to completely ruin the book for me. There were also mentions of a man's bed having many different visitors and other insinuations of unfaithfulness.
I'd recommend with a touch of caution.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I was looking forward to watching a few movies I had downloaded for a long flight. I told myself that I'd read this book until the flight staff said it was okay to get out laptops… but instead, I never put the book down. I was quickly sucked into both worlds of the story and could not get enough of idyllic Acarsaid and dark, twisted Tenebris.

I found myself reacting to action of the story right alongside Reeve, complete with the facial expressions I imagined she was making at certain people and circumstances - and yes, I was in public! She is clever, bold, and hopeful in a wonderfully refreshing way that had me rooting for her from the start - forget the guys, I am whole-heartedly #teamreeve

I smiled more than once at the poetic prose of the novel and the way the characters speak, with phrases and words that are wholly recognizable but just perfectly not-quite-our-time-or-place, immersing the reader even further into the world. I was in fact so immersed that I dreamed I lived there the night I finished the book!

And that ending! I can’t wait for the sequel, and for any other works from the author in the future!

[The Lazy Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am about 9 chapters away from finishing this book, but I believe it's safe to go ahead and write my review now, as my praises and critiques are not likely to be affected by any twists or exposition the final chapters might offer.

I'll start with saying that there is much about this book that is well-done. The prose is very strong and there is a lot of beautiful imagery. I was frequently struck by Mahr's poetic/lyrical style of writing, and I'm now very eager to purchase some of her poetry.

The early world-building for Reeve's dreamworld is very well-done. The book opens with its darkness and keeps that energy going for much of the book. This dreamworld is truly terrifying. Even when she's 'invisible' in this world, what she must witness while there is the sort of thing to cause PTSD.

Finally, while I have some rather large critiques of the love triangle, I still quite like both of Reeve's love interests. Arden is very much the trope of the lovable but broken rogue, a trope I really love when it's done well, which I think it is here. Bran, while not equally as interesting of a character (I'll explain more later), is still immensely likable.

But even though I think there is much to commend and enjoy about this book, the things that have been rattling around in my head since about halfway through it and that will most likely be what I remember long after I finish, are not so positive.

First and foremost, the love triangle was very difficult to bear. Not because it is cheating (which it is), but because it's not treated as cheating. I can't remember a moment in the book where Reeve experiences real feelings of guilt for what she's doing. For example: At one point, Arden kisses Reeve, then not long after she kisses Bran. And yet, there's no moment afterwards these two kisses where she appears to feel guilt for what she's doing or even question her choices.

For my part, if a character is going to cheat in your story, and you still want me to like and/or understand that character and their motivations, then they need to experience some level of guilt or internal conflict over what they are doing. Even if she shoves that guilt away, comes up with excuses to justify her behavior, the guilt needs to be there, and it needs to be expressed in some way. Alternatively, if Mahr didn't want Reeve to experience feelings of guilt until book two of the duology (which I think is possible), then she needed to give insight into how Reeve is so good at compartmentalizing, at placing things into several different boxes so that nothing touches. This would have worked well when paired with Reeve's frequent mentions of a door she keeps closed/locked between her waking world and her dreaming world.

As far as the love interests are concerned, while I like both of them equally, I was more drawn to Arden, mainly because he's a fuller character. He may be a trope, but he's a trope with personality. He's charming, self-assured, trouble with a capital T, but also a man with baggage, personal traumas, who's secretly wishing someone would love him. I really liked him.

Bran, on the other hand, is....a bit of a piece of toast. Now don't misunderstand. Despite us not being given very much information about him and who he is, there is something about him that seems good and honorable and kind. But we don't really learn anything about him. He has no personality.

And all of that can be blamed squarely on Reeve and her lack of interest in actually getting to know him.

Every time Reeve thinks about Bran, every time she looks at him, it's to reference how physically attractive she finds him. She does the same with Arden, but it makes sense there given Arden's character trope. Arden is seeking this response from Reeve, from every woman he flirts with and woos with no serious intentions, so it's very logical for Reeve to be affected by him in that way. But Bran and Reeve are the OTP, so why not give them a more compelling reason to be attracted to one another than just 'the curve of his jaw' or 'his piercing eyes?' How about a little 'he's brave' or 'he's kind' or 'he's honest' as well? Especially if you want the reader to prefer Bran to Arden. As is, her motives for liking both of them are 'You're hot,' which is pretty self-centered.

I'm going to ignore the insta-love problem the OTP has, because I think we all understand the problems with insta-love at this point, and I don't feel like spending much time on it, but suffice to say, Bran and Reeve's romance is also insta-love, which I'm not a fan of.

Personally, I think the love triangle would have worked better if more of a distinction had been made between Reeve's attraction to Arden and her interest in Bran. What a more compelling love triangle it would have been if Reeve had had a genuine interest in Bran as a person, but she was drawn to Arden because of his looks and charisma and very clear talent at playing with a girl's heart, and she was trying to keep them both while at the same time slowly realizing her own selfishness in doing so. I can acquiesce that perhaps this was what the author was intending, but if so, I don't believe she succeeded.

The second major critique I have for this book is how Reeve reacts (or doesn't) to her nightly visits to this terrifying dreamworld. While in the dreamworld, her response to the horrors she witnesses is appropriate and expected. She's afraid of this world and seeks to flee it. She doesn't know why she can't be seen, but she isn't willing to question it, more intent on escaping the sight of dead bodies hanging from the gallows, razor sharp talons digging into human flesh, the unearthly screams of birds and humans mingled together.

That's also where Reeve's reaction ends. Every day, when she wakes from this dreamworld back in the real one, she uses that same door I mentioned earlier to lock the horrors of the dreamworld away. And then she doesn't think about them again. This would be fine if there were hints here or there at how much of a toll going to this dreamworld, and subsequently locking it behind a door each day, takes on her. But she seems completely unaffected during the day. For example: We don't learn until the end of the book that Reeve's dreams mean she gets very little actual rest at night and has to take periodic naps during the day. Why were we not given this information sooner?

Reeve also shows very little interest in understanding the world she visits in her dreams or figuring out why she goes there every night and how to make the visits stop. She has been going to this dreamworld every night for 14 years (I believe she says the dreams started when she was 4), but she appears to have made no attempts at understanding what is happening to her. She's never asked the court sorcerer about her dreams. She's never done research in the palace library. She's never even discussed them with her guards, whom she calls her best friends.

Maybe there's a reason why she doesn't want to tell anyone about these dreams. It could be because of her mother and whatever has been going on with her. It could be that she's afraid she'll be told she's crazy or losing her mind. It could be for a variety of reasons, but we're never given one. And even still, why has she not made any attempt in 14 years to find out what's happening and seek relief?

Part of why I kept reading this book, aside from how well Mahr did with creating this dark dreamworld as well as all of her beautiful imagery and prose, was because I wanted to understand what was going on. Why is Reeve visiting this dreamworld every night? Is this place real or a figment of her imagination? What is happening here and why? The story creates a lot of intriguing questions early on for the reader that make you want to keep going so you can learn the answers. But the story let me down. It provided me no answers and gave me no directions in which to look for them.

Obviously, this is the first book of a duology, so Mahr can't reveal everything to us, or maybe even very much. But so much of this book felt like a never-ending loop of Reeve waking, sleeping, dreaming, everything static, nothing changing, the reader learning nothing. And I think the reason for that is because while the conceit of the book is Reeve's nightly visits to this terrifying dreamworld and what happens there, the true foundation of the story is the love triangle, and once it appears, the story around the dreamworld takes a backseat.

If you enjoy the love triangle, then you'll enjoy this book. But if you don't enjoy the love triangle, or you recognize some of its flaws, you will struggle to enjoy the rest of the story. Which is unfortunate, because I think there's a lot of good in this book. It just got a little buried.

[Carolyn Schaeperkoetter · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Gist:
Reeve lives in two realities, one in her dreams, and one in reality. In her dreams she's surrounded by death and terror, but is luckily invisible to that world, even if it means she cannot touch a mysterious dream boy. In reality, she's the niece of a King, and engaged to the mysterious Arden, who flirts like he breathes, but is proclaimed to never be able to fall in love.
Things change drastically when one day she becomes visible to the dreamworld...and is able to talk (and touch) the dream boy. But things take a dark, drastic turn when the dreamworld is at war...and the consequences there feel too real, and all Reeve wants to do is escape her reality, and go headlong into her nightmare to be with her one true love and help him.
6/16
Thus far, has a scary feel. This is going to be good.
6/17
Okay, getting the gist of the story. The writing here is atmospheric and lush, and I'm really enjoying the characters. Here is where we meet who would become her fiance. And the plot thickens when she is seen in her nightmare and meets her Dream Boy.
6/18
Wow. Now im VERY curious about this dream world she's in.
6/19
So now we know A LITTLE more about the dream world. The guards are SSSOOO funny🤣. The date scene with Del is funny and I enjoy Reeve's quick wit.
6/20
Oohhh...i see how our girl Reeve's rights are being violated. And I really love her guards.
6/21
Arden's great🤣🤣 He reminds me of Christian Grey...if Christian Grey had a personality.
6/22
The characters here are so likeable. I love how her guards really care about Reeve and each have their own distinct personality.
6/23
Okay, i'm getting VERY curious about Bran's world🤔
6/25
So, here we're learning more about the nightmare world. There's a war. There's a war waging within Reeve's heart, too as she struggles with her feelings for Bran. And to spice things up, she's got some competition.😱 Meanwhile, her REAL world is not better by much.
6/26
Wow. I really like Arden. And i wonder what happened that made him stop believing in love. Mahr is a great, poetic writer with excellent prose.
6/27
Curiouser and curiouser indeed. Now we know what happened to Arden. Her mom's in a coma. And Bran has a book of their history. I wonder if her mom's coma and her dreams are related🤔 Did I mention I really love the characters here? Arden is so funny, it's hard not to like him. And now I am starting to wonder what is going on with Reeve and her dreamworld. Who is Rancore????
6/28
wow, things are really coming to a head with her and Bran. And it's nice to see what's going on with her and Florien and why. Such an emotionally charged book. Whhooooaaaaa...I did not see that coming that Del would be in her dream world too. And finally we meet Rancore!😱😱😱
6/29
Many secrets are revealed here, and yes, I was right that her Mama's coma is related to Reeve's dreamworld. So strange. Left in one heck of a cliffhanger when she's once again invisible to Bran...who luckily is alive.
The Verdict:
Insanely original story, amazing poetic prose (which does not surprise me considering that author is a poet), and characters that feel very well-rounded and fleshed out. Everyone from her guards, to Arden, and even King Carrick is fun to read and easy to care about it. Reeve herself is easy to like and love and its fun seeing her banter with the rest of the characters. I can understand her struggle with trying to reconcile her Dreamworld, the world of terror, of war, of strife, with her reality, where she feels useless and frivolous, when she wants something more, to be something more. I can't want to finish the adventure in the next book, and I'm eager to see what becomes of Arden, Reeve, and Bran.

[Michelle Bolanger · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cover of this book caught my eye, and it was the author’s beautiful writing style that drew me in and kept me reading when the story dragged in places.

Reeve spends a lot of time alone and much of the story is told from inner dialog which drags things down in places. But as I mentioned, the author’s almost poetic descriptions of Reeve’s thoughts and expectations kept me invested until the last third of the book when I literally couldn’t read fast enough.

Even though the ending nearly left me screaming, I went back and forth between 3 and 4 stars for this one because it felt like Bran accepted Reeve’s story too easily, though I guess seeing her disappear helped. I was not at all taken in by Arden and his scoundrel behavior, or his apparent change of mind about her. And lastly, the conflict between Reeve and her brother made NO sense to me at all. I landed on a 4 rating because the ending was very well done, and it definitely made me pick up the next book. This book is kept from 5 stars because I just didn’t feel like the relationships between any of the characters were suitably fleshed out.

All That We See or Seem is well written, the premise is great, the ending made it worth the slow going, and I have already downloaded the next book.

I also have the audio version, and the narrator, Kim Churchill, does a nice job.

[Tina Balasavage · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book! An indie gem!

I really enjoyed reading this! The characters are absolutely beautiful and the book reads swiftly. Even though I dislike first person present tense, Mahr makes it bearable through enjoyable dialogue, building curiosity, and poetic writing.

Pros:
- Poetic Writing. I would love to hear the audiobook!
- Interesting characters. Arden is my baby and I would die for him. I will physically fight Reeve in book 2 if she hurts him
- Exciting romance that doesn't feel predictable
- Fresh MC with enjoyable POV. I love a protagonist that can admit "I want true love, I dont care, give it to me, YES I WANT LOVE"

Cons
- I found things were repeated when they did not need to be (ie. Describing clothes, realizations, etc) probably an editing error
- I wished there were higher stakes for Reeve. Other than caring about her friends in her dream world, it was a bit unambiguous what the big problem was. Impending war was mentioned briefly.
- First person present tense. Mahr does it well, but it isn't my cup of tea and not many others so good to know as a con.

- Taylor

[Zili · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reeve lives a double life, one where she's awake and faces certain expectations and another at night where she has terrifying dreams of a dark world full of monstrous creatures, oh and a mysterious dream guy (who can't see or hear her)...

As the niece of the King, Reeve never leaves the castle and is surrounded by protectors, who are hilarious btw! She's lived a pretty sheltered life and so is a bit removed from reality at times. With so many moody or mean characters out there in similar stories, I found Reeve's almost scatterbrained confusion really charming.

Reeve is always entertaining, especially whenever she's around Arden. She becomes kinda even more bumbling, but I'm still not sure what to make of him.

Now on to Bran. I loved their meet-cute or meet-terror. He's super sweet and I really enjoyed watching things develop. Bring on the swoon!

Can Florian get his act together please!

Holy ending Batman!!! Go read the next one, like now!

4.5 Stars in my Sky!

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review!

[Esther Haddie's Haven · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is beautifully written. Kristina Mahr's writing style is very poetic. I was submerged into the story and thoroughly invested. There is a suspense present throughout the book. The story was so intriguing and had me glued to my couch (I might have to go do some laps to make up for the time I spent sitting on my bum lol)
I'm a fairly quick reader, but this is one of those books that forced me to take my time. There was no way I could have sped through it. I felt like there was a lot happening and I didn't want to miss anything. Makings of a great movie if you ask me . . .
I am super pleased with the turn that this book is taking. Seriously need to get into the next book NOW.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from YA Bound Book Tours. This is my honest, voluntary review.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very well written. The words just seem to come alive off the pages and bring such a vivid story into our minds.

I absolutely flew through this book. I really enjoy the darker stories, so once I read the synopsis, I knew I had to read this series. And it doesn’t disappoint.

Quote 1The one thing I was iffy about at first was the idea of a love triangle. As y’all know, I’m not a fan of them in the least, but there was something about the way this one was written that wasn’t too overbearing, and honestly, I sort of was intrigued by it.

There is a major cliffhanger at the end that made me have to pick the next book up right away. I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. The characters are well developed and leave you on your toes the whole way through. I liked the adventure and romance, and it’s a solid first book.

[Ghislaine · Rating 2 out of 5]

21/2 stars. I tried.

Every night, Reeve enters a different world in her dreams where she finds love and danger.

This is the first book in a duology. I liked the idea, but I wasn't thrilled with the execution. To be fair, this book is primarily a romance and not a dark fantasy or mystery (like I was hoping), although there are elements of both within it.

The book is told in the first person from Reeve's perspective. And frankly, I just couldn't connect with the character. At times she is charming and clever, and at other times (usually the most crucial) she is grating and dumb. Also, nothing advances with the central mystery until the end of the book. So, if you are reading to discover why the dream world exists and what it has to do with Reeve. Good luck. You will not find out until the very last pages.

[Kelly Bohmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the publisher. This review is my own independent and fair evaluation.

This book has a main female character, Reeve, who has to do a lot of growing up. She has just turned 18 and is learning about love and romance, all while dreaming herself into a world of blood and danger. I was able to identify with Reeve and her struggles as I was reading, and the descriptions in the book made me feel like I was there, able to experience what was happening. There were moments of tension and suspense that make the reader want to keep reading and not put the book down. It was eerie, but not grotesque, romantic, without going to far. This was an enjoyable read and I am eagerly awaiting the release of book two for the continuation of the story.