The Show Pitch
Where Dreams Descend: “Phantom meets Moulin Rouge and the atmosphere of The Night Circus.”
When Night Breaks: “Hadestown meets Phantom of the Opera with the flair of The Great Gatsby.”
“A lush, captivating blend of The Phantom of the Opera and fresh, new magic . . . Readers will ache for the next installment.”
– Kirkus starred review for Where Dreams Descend
“Perfect for fans of Moulin Rouge and The Phantom of the Opera, Angeles’ debut is spectacular, spectacular!”
Buzzfeed
“Entertaining new characters, clever dueling magic, a touch of romance cap off an unforgettable tale . . .This gloriously spectacular finale steals the show.“
– Kirkus starred review for When Night Breaks
Also featured in:
Where Dreams Descend
The stage is set, the spectacle awaits . . .
In a city covered in ice and ruin, a group of magicians face off in a daring game of magical feats to find the next headliner of the Conquering Circus, only to find themselves under the threat of an unseen danger striking behind the scenes.
As each act becomes more and more risky and the number of missing magicians piles up, three are forced to reckon with their secrets before the darkness comes for them next.
The Star: Kallia, a powerful showgirl out to prove she’s the best no matter the cost
The Master: Jack, the enigmatic keeper of the club, and more than one lie told
The Magician: Demarco, the brooding judge with a dark past he can no longer hide
Where Dreams Descend is the startling and romantic first book in Janella Angeles’ debut Kingdom of Cards fantasy duology where magic is both celebrated and feared, and no heart is left unscathed.
An instant national bestseller!
June 2020 Owlcrate
Monthly Pick
Top 10 Indies Next
List Selection
Blurbs and Praise for Where Dreams Descend
“. . . Glorian is awash with stunning scenery and spectacle, and Kallia enchants as a flawed and fiery lead, armed with tricks and witty banter. As the romantic tension ratchets up, so deepen the mysteries. Readers will ache for the next installment.” – Kirkus starred review
“Formidable female characters and spectacular set pieces mark this ambitious series launch from debut author Angeles.” – Publishers Weekly
“[A] spellbinding melody of a book, and the true magic is how Angeles puts all the best parts of an enrapturing theatrical performance onto paper and ink. From the gripping twists in the first pages all the way to the final, heartbreaking crescendo, Where Dreams Descend will surge you to your feet in a standing ovation.”
– Sara Raasch, New York Times bestselling author of the Snow Like Ashes trilogy
“Where Dreams Descend is a glamorous dark gem of a tale, sparkling with romance, magic, and intrigue. Readers will be captivated by prima donna Kallia as the mystery is slowly unmasked. Bravissima!” – Julie C. Dao, author of Forest of a Thousand Lanterns
“Janella Angeles steals the 2020 show with her fiercely imagined debut starring larger than life characters, a dangerous world alive with magic, and a dizzying dose of grab-a-fainting-couch-and-swoon-away romance!” – Roshani Chokshi, New York Times bestselling author of The Gilded Wolves
“Angeles’s deep commitment to world-building means that this debut novel has atmosphere galore. It’s lush and amazing at every turn, with fire, smoke, mirrors, costumes, and more.” – School Library Journal
“Decadent in every sense of the word . . . and romantic tension so thick you could slice it with a shard of a mirror.”
— Kalie Young, Barnes & Noble at The Grove
“Vibrant imagery, jaw-dropping set pieces, sizzling romantic tension, and unstoppable heroine Kallia bring this ambitious debut novel to spectacular life. Fans of Caraval and The Night Circus will be delighted!”
– Claire Legrand, New York Times bestselling author of Furyborn
“A sexy, magic-filled debut . . . Angeles masterfully crafts a thrilling debut that will have you begging for more. One of the best debuts of 2020!” – Colletta Manske, Schuler Books & Music
“This is an intricate love song between the book and the reader, one expertly composed by a phenomenal author. Not only does Janella Angeles seamlessly weave together a fantasy where illusions seem to have more power than reality itself, but she executes each scene with the grace of a dancer gliding across the stage.” – The Nerd Daily
Official Independent Bookseller Praise Sheet
Book 1 playlist
When Night Breaks
The competition is over, but the show has only just begun.
The competition has come to a disastrous end, and Daron Demarco’s fall from grace is front-page news. But little matters to him beyond Kallia, the contestant he fell for who is now missing and in the hands of a dangerous magician. Daron is willing to do whatever it takes to find her. Even if it means unearthing secrets that lead him on a treacherous journey, risking more than his life and with no promise of return.
After falling through the mirror, Kallia has never felt more lost, mourning everything she left behind and the boy she can’t seem to forget. Only Jack, the magician who has all the answers but can’t be trusted, remains at her side. Together, they must navigate a dazzling world where mirrors show memories and illusions shadow every corner, ruled by a powerful showman who’s been waiting for Kallia to finally cross his stage. But beneath the glamour of dueling headliners and never-ending revelry, a sinister force falls like night over everyone, with the dark promise of more―more power beyond Kallia’s wildest imagination, and at a devastating cost.
In Janella Angeles’s When Night Breaks, the dramatic last act of the Kingdom of Cards duology, the truth will come out, a kingdom must fall, hearts will collide.
And the show must finally come to an end.
A Kirkus Best Books of
2021 selection!
Owlcrate Exclusive Hardcover Edition
Written + Published During A Global Pandemic Award
*not real but should definitely be stamped across anything created 2020 – 2021
Praise and Press for When Night Breaks
“. . . Glorian is awash The stunning fantasy worldbuilding started in the first book continues to delight, but this time the rich, sensational world of the other Glorian offers even more to explore. Entertaining new characters, clever dueling magic, and a touch of romance cap off an unforgettable tale.” – Kirkus starred review
“. . . Filled with magic and suspense, Janella Angeles once again dazzles audiences with the tantalizing allure of illusions and mirror worlds that have deadly consequences . . . This is a duology that should be on everyone’s radar.” – The Nerd Daily
Q&A with Janella Angeles, We Need Diverse Books
20 Books by Asian Authors to Read in 2021, Bookish/Netgalley
Most Anticipated Upcoming YA Novels, Goodreads
20 Must Read 2021 Young Adult Fantasy Releases, Book Riot
Book 2 Playlist
An Important Cause Behind When Night Breaks
I’ve made it no secret how difficult writing and publishing this series was during the rough early years of the ongoing pandemic. As a debut author who’d always dreamed of being a writer, publishing a book was of course an incredibly rewarding experience—but due to circumstances, also a very devastating, bittersweet, and disheartening one in so many ways.
My journey with writing in the midst of this took a drastically personal turn for the worst with When Night Breaks especially. Because of and during the time period of creating this particular book, my mental health deteriorated. Soon diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and ADHD, I was thankfully able to receive the help I needed to finally finish this book from the dark place I was in. Or perhaps, use this story to shine a light on the dark place, itself.
When Night Breaks is filled with so many threads of this mental health journey through the many characters in this book. For a while, there was nothing more distressing than the thought of celebrating and releasing this book after all the pain that came from it. But with the journey I went through, and all the lessons learned because of it, I was determined to share some light I found in the dark.
As part of the When Night Breaks preorder campaign, I donated $1 for every book preorder to the Asian Mental Health Collective—an important organization that seeks to destigmatize, provide, and spread mental health awareness among the Asian community. With the backlash the Asians across all communities have faced in the recent years of this global crisis, this mission is crucial now more than ever. And as an Asian-American myself, I’m passionate about bringing honesty and normalizing these conversations through this author platform I’m now lucky enough to have.
First and foremost, please check out and consider donating to the Asian Mental Health Collective! It means the world that we were able to donate so much through the WNB preorder campaign (thank you, dear readers!), and I know they are happy to receive all the support they can get.
Lastly, if you’d like to know more about the journey it took to bring When Night Breaks out into the world, you can check out the following:
- When Night Breaks virtual launch event with Janella Angeles and Susan Dennard, An Unlikely Story bookstore
- How I Got Through My Dark Night of the Soul: When Night Breaks, School Library Journal/Teen Librarian Toolbox
- S3 E3: Janella Angeles & Emailing Andrew Lloyd Webber, Write or Die Podcast
- Booktok Preorder Campaign Announcement