Reverie

Ryan La Sala

Dec 2019 · Sourcebooks, Inc.

About this ebook

A B&N's YA Book Club Pick * Walmart Buzz Pick * Indie Next Pick * Book of the Month Club YA Box

A "joyously, riotously queer" (Kirkus) young adult fantasy from debut author Ryan La Sala, Reverie is a wildly imaginative story about dreams becoming reality, perfect for fans of Adam Silvera and Laini Taylor.

A few weeks ago, Kane Montgomery was in an accident that robbed him of his memory. The only thing he knows for certain is that the police found him half-dead in the river. The world as he knows it feels different—reality seems different. And when strange things start happening around him, Kane isn't sure where to turn.

And then three of his classmates show up, claiming to be his friends and the only people who can tell him what's truly going on. Kane doesn't know what to believe or who he can trust. But as he and the others are dragged into increasingly fantastical dream worlds drawn from imagination, it becomes clear that there is dark magic at work. Nothing in Kane's life is an accident, and only he can keep the world itself from unraveling.

Reverie is an intricate and compelling LGBT young adult book about the secret worlds we hide within ourselves and what happens when they become real.

Praise for Reverie:

"This outstanding debut novel will light readers' imaginations on fire...Imaginative, bold, and full of queer representation, this is a must-purchase for YA collections."—School Library Journal *STARRED REVIEW*

"This fantasy offers readers something wonderfully new and engaging...a gem of a novel that is as affirming as it is entertaining."—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"The story's many LGBTQ characters are prominently represented and powerfully nuanced."—Publishers Weekly

"A darkly imagined, riveting fantasy... thrilling."—Shelf Awareness

"Joyously, riotously queer... The themes of creating one's own reality and fighting against the rules imposed by the world you're born into will ring powerfully true for many young readers."—Kirkus Reviews

Ratings and reviews

This was a snoozefest and that's putting it mildly. If you weren't already able to tell by the rating, "Reverie" was a huge disappointment for me, which nearly breaks my heart because from the get-go (the cover, blurb and everything in between) left me enthusiastic to dive into this read and within a span of a few chapters, it almost pained me to say that this wasn't what I had expected. The plot was too confusing and overwhelming, the author's writing style that was featured was too dry, mediocre and lame for such a large concept in which failed to meet all expectations and didn't have that wow factor to win me over. I will give kudos to the author for the originality, queer inspired tale that pulled me to this read at the beginning. Sadly it just didn't do much for me and it's better for me to drop this now before I get too deep. Let's just hope the next one is a keeper.

Ryan la Sala's debut novel, 'Reverie,' reads like a dream. Not simply due to the fact large portions of the story take place in the walking fantasies of East Amity's citizens.. born into alternate realities with all the fervor of New Year's Eve fireworks, but because he writes as Van Gogh painted.. in rich strokes and vivid colors, textures you can feel even without being able to touch them. A love story to the stargazer.. an encouragement to throw off all bonds.. and live boldly and brightly in all things, the novel feels as if its full to bursting with hope. Settle for nothing, fight for what you want.. for what you believe in.. and make sure above all else, that you believe in yourself. Honestly, I can't say enough good things about 'Reverie.' It's wildly imaginative, the prose is melodious, the characters are each deeply layered. Though it centers around a group of teens, they often feel ageless, as the focus is really on doing what's right.. on persisting.. and learning to see others beyond the surface. The development of the new worlds that periodically just materialize is elegantly scripted. No matter how outrageous the manifested story may seem, there's reason to it. Rhythm. It's a wonderful story. The comraderie between the main character, Kane, and his friends.. is reminiscent of the greatest coming of age stories of literature and film -- The Goonies, The Outsiders, Stand By Me.. you name it. They fight, they lash out, run or push each other away, yet when all is said and done, they continue to show up for one another. Much of the time is devoted to Kane trying to regain his memory, lost during a horrific accident that leaves him brutally scarred at some point before the opening of the story, as he tries to understand what happened and who he can trust. And this too is fascinating. The mystery is woven almost delicately throughout the daily goings-on of the characters. At times, it almost feels secondary to the sheer experience, but it is not. Of course, there are pairings within the group, but really only one romance throughout the pages. And it's beautiful. It's tender.. fragile at times.. then warming.. and swelling like a symphony at others. Even more that the resolution of the reveries, this is what I found myself cheering for.. hoping for, invested in. This glimmer of connection that appears, constantly threatening to wink out. Numerous times I found myself worriedly leaning into the pages or caught off guard when I'd allowed myself to relax, only for some potentially disastrous incident to occur. Sometimes my worst fears seemed to be realized and others, I didn't know enough to worry about the right things. I didn't want to put this book down once I started it.. and though I was delayed by other deadlines, I was constantly desperate to return to 'Reverie' and see where everything was going to end up. Ryan is a truly gifted writer and I expect great things are ahead yet for him.

a little hard to follow at times, but very interesting concept and incredibly detailed world(s). really left me thinking.

About the author

Ryan La Sala grew up in Connecticut, but only physically. Mentally, he spent most of his childhood in the worlds of Sailor Moon and Xena: Warrior Princess, which perhaps explains all the twirling. He studied Anthropology and Neuroscience at Northeastern University before becoming a project manager specialized in digital tools. He technically lives in New York City, but has actually transcended material reality and only takes up a human shell for special occasions, like brunch, and to watch anime (which is banned on the astral plane). He is the author of Reverie and Be Dazzled. You can visit him at ryanlasala.com.