Muse of Nightmares (Stranger the Dreamer, #2) by Laini Taylor – Non-Spoiler Review

Book: Muse of Nightmares

Series: Strange the Dreamer, #2

Author: Laini Taylor

Pages: 528

Genre: YA fantasy

Publication Date: October 2, 2018

Strange the Dreamer: ★★★★★

Muse of Nightmares: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

In the wake of tragedy, neither Lazlo nor Sarai are who they were before. One a god, the other a ghost, they struggle to grasp the new boundaries of their selves as dark-minded Minya holds them hostage, intent on vengeance against Weep.

Lazlo faces an unthinkable choice—save the woman he loves, or everyone else?—while Sarai feels more helpless than ever. But is she? Sometimes, only the direst need can teach us our own depths, and Sarai, the muse of nightmares, has not yet discovered what she’s capable of.

As humans and godspawn reel in the aftermath of the citadel’s near fall, a new foe shatters their fragile hopes, and the mysteries of the Mesarthim are resurrected: Where did the gods come from, and why? What was done with thousands of children born in the citadel nursery? And most important of all, as forgotten doors are opened and new worlds revealed: Must heroes always slay monsters, or is it possible to save them instead?

Love and hate, revenge and redemption, destruction and salvation all clash in this gorgeous sequel to the New York Times bestseller, Strange the Dreamer.

Strange the Dreamer had such a huge impact on me so needless to say Muse of Nightmares is one of my most anticipated reads of 2018. There’s just something so cathartic about Laini Taylor’s writing that while I’m reading it, I never want it to end.

Once again Laini Taylor pulls us into the epic world of gods vs. godspawn and godspawn vs. humans. I don’t want to spoil any of the major plot points, but I’m just going to say you’re in for a wild ride as we get further glimpses into the past and how the gods came to be. Also the color red is such a huge theme mentioned throughout the book, so now I totally understand why the UK edition has a red cover.

Muse of Nightmares picks up right after the events in Strange the Dreamer. Sarai is now a ghost under the control of Minya, who wants nothing more than to obliterate every human in Weep. Difficult choices are made and relationships become strained in the name of love. I adored the relationship between Lazlo and Sarai, and also how much Minya played a pivotal role in this second installment. I know Minya is everyone’s favorite little villain, but, you guys, she became one of my favorite characters in this book. And that’s saying a lot because I truly wanted to throw her off a mountain while reading Strange the Dreamer.

But my absolute favorite part in this book was when the story shifts to the past, where we meet two sisters who end up having a huge impact on the world. The sisters, Kora and Nova, have such an unshakable bond that I seriously thought I was going to cry. I have no words to describe these scenes but they are so powerful, beautiful, and tragic. The world is so damn epic and vast; Laini Taylor dropped several clues about possibly expanding her stories, and I am so here for it.

There were so many raw and emotional moments. I honestly cannot put into words how well developed the plot, world building, and magic system is. And while some people may not like this duology for its “slow burn” pacing, I urge you to give it a chance. You won’t just be reading a book about powerful gods but you’ll be getting a story about unconditional love, loss, heartbreak, sisterhood, and family.

I took so many notes while reading this book but honestly, I’m barely including any of it here because I want you to experience all the feels and surprises yourself. If you loved Strange the Dreamer then I know you’ll absolutely love this book. It was everything I had hoped it would be and more!

Thank you to Ashley who was so kind to trade me her ARC of Muse of Nightmares! ❤

xx,

Amy