Vale of Dreams: Fey Spy Academy, Book 2

Musings of a Booktrovert

Spy games & the Dark Dream Prince

"So my review is based off of the book and the audiobook, which both are excellent. I love Amanda as a narrator for her tone and voice acting as she tells the story. The story starts off first with a recap of book one, which is so phenomenal for an Author to do. Vale of Dreams gives Nia so many challenges in new & existing relationships in her life. She has really developed in her spy craft and with her fey skills. She suffers losses and is distanced from the people she cares most about. She has some unexpected reunions and is also a pivotal force in the politics and war games. Her new role with the dream prince has some sparks 🔥 🌶️ flying. There is light romance and just a sprinkle of heated moments here and there. Only a couple romantic/intimate interaction throughout the book. I think it’s super appropriate since the focus is really on the fey & human war along spy craft + Avalon Tower. Nia endures throughout this book and is pushed physically, mentally, and emotionally. There are some great new characters introduce, some existing characters had smaller cameos, and I loved hearing Talan come to life. The ending is action packed and bloody. The cliffhanger - more like wtf is happening, we are going off script - would probably have killed me with anticipation if I didn’t have the arc for the final book in my hands already. I happily devoured this book and so excited to see where these characters end up at the end of Lady of the Lake, the final book in this trilogy. ["

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April 9, 2025 Verified Purchase

Jennelle Glassburn

Totally worth the read!!

"If you’re a fan of fantasy romance or looking for an easy, fun read, this series is worth picking up! The story starts slow, but once you hit about 45(ish)%, it’s impossible to put down. The authors made the bold choice to pivot the FMC Nia’s love interest, and it paid off in spades. Raphael, the MMC from book 1, is quickly written out (a bit too abruptly, though I didn’t mind since I wasn’t a big fan). The spotlight instead shifts to Prince Talan, the dark, complex villain, who absolutely stole the show. Their slow-burn dynamic was full of tension, banter, and hints of something deeper—an intriguing lifelong bond that I can’t wait to see explored further in book 3. The romance is handled with just the right mix of heat and restraint. While I desperately wanted more scenes between Nia and Talan, I loved how their relationship was crafted, and it’s clear there’s much more to come. Plot-wise, the book had highs and lows. The world-building expanded, which I appreciated, but there were several aspects that didn’t quite make sense. For example, Nia’s mysterious “lady of the lake” power is still poorly explained, and some plot points (like the demi-fae’s nonsensical decisions to stay in Avalon Tower despite constant danger) felt muddled. However, the direction of the romance and the introduction of more political intrigue helped balance these shortcomings. Nia remains a likable FMC, though she makes a few out-of-character decisions that left me frustrated. I also wish we got more depth to her character overall. On the flip side, I really enjoyed the growth of her father’s role—his loyalty and mysterious spying was a fascinating addition. The book's ending leaves us with an enticing cliffhanger, and I’m thrilled to see where book 3 will take us. If you’re in it for the romance, the slow-burn dynamic is absolutely worth the read. While this installment isn’t perfect, it sets the stage for what could be an epic conclusion. Highly recommend giving it a shot! ["

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February 21, 2025 Verified Purchase

Carmcarm

Enjoyable read!

"Really loving the series so far. Super intriguing. It has me on edge! Nias going to give me a heart attack and that dream stalker, Wowza, he can heal it 😆 Alllll of the chemistry aside of those two main characters, I know this is going to sound silly but I really love the onion analogy. Love how the authors use that. It’s so fitting! I know it’s fantasy but real life does have layers 🧅. Now back to the review. Loving Nia. She is strong, smart, brave and grows. She isn’t stubborn or immature. Thanks to her upbringing she is able to adapt and uses it to advance rather than wallow and be a damsel in distress. Tho, I do agree with the Dream stalker, she is very tightly wound 😆 Over all her character is consistent and follows through. The only thing was her inhaler. I would forget she needed it! lol. Maybe she doesn’t really need it? I think it may be more of a mental thing? I don’t know. Regardless, doesn’t bother me. I think it would be very off putting adding puffs of inhaler constantly. She does seem to love hard. Poor girl needs a break! Not of the heart. I’m looking at you, Raphael! 😣 Oooooh Mr. Dream stalker. He can invade any part of my…errrr brain! Not sure what romantic direction the book will take but I would be very ok with Talan. Raphael is cool but the MML spotlight for him has dimmed a little. I can’t wait for book 3! So many questions! Nias family background, Raphael, the war. Above all! We’ll hopefully get to see more of Talans layers peeled back ❤️ ["

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December 13, 2024 Verified Purchase

Ashley

Vale of Dreams

"I don’t even know where to start with this sequel! picking up where the last leaves off there’s lots of desperation, high stakes, cat and mouse, action-packed battles, and so much more that never let up throughout the course of the story. In this book, there more insight into the fey and seeing into their world. I loved meeting the very dangerous and seductive dream stalker prince. I can’t wait to see more of him! This book was so unpredictable and thrilling that it was impossible to put down and now with the ending I’m left wanting more now!! I certainly can’t wait for the next one that promises to be just as amazingly epic!! Some tropes I noticed were high stakes, action-packed, fun banter, undercover, forced proximity, court intrigue, fake relationship, conflicted feelings, sexy villain, touch her and xx, spy thriller, enemies to ??? Vibes, hidden identity, and so much more!! ["

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August 24, 2024 Verified Purchase

Nicole

Better than the first

"Great series, this book is better than the first. 2 🌶️ ["

May 18, 2026 Verified Purchase