A Dream Upon Waking - (Three Bells Trilogy) by Amanda Linsmeier (Hardcover)

About the Book

Facing an all-consuming grief, a dangerous deal with a witch, and a second chance at an everlasting love, Aven Winter must find a way to break a curse that forces her to relive her past.

Book Synopsis

When love has gone, when hope has flown, where do you go?

Aven Winter has literally been to hell and back. But despite living through more trauma than most people can survive, since returning from the demon queen's clutches, she's tried to hold on to the joys in her life and move on from the grief. The problem is, the grief has hurtled back into her life with the anniversary of her husband Darius's death, and no amount of citrus oil or lavender scrub from her family's apothicaire is helping.

When the anniversary of her dead husband's death sneaks up on her, Aven's broken heart forces her to seek solace among a local coven of witches. But their friendship soon twists into a sinister ploy to exploit Aven's newfound magic. When Aven refuses to use her powers for evil, the coven leader, a man capable of commanding the very strands of time, casts a spell on Aven, cursing her physical body to fall into a deep, unbroken sleep while her mind is thrust back into the past. There, she reunites with the man who would later become her beloved husband, falling once more for the charming young man.

Desperate to cling onto her one true love, Aven attempts to change the future, but the relationship she missed so much is not what she remembered. Darius hardly has any time for her, always rushing off to his ship, leaving Aven with a deep loneliness. Instead, she's forced to spend more time with Darius's good-for-nothing friend Baz, whom she really can't stand. Despite their incompatible personalities, Aven finds herself drawn to Baz, and she eventually reveals the truth--that she's from the future and needs Baz's help to wake from her eternal sleep.

When Darius's fate proves impossible to change, Aven must mourn the love she thought she had and choose a different future for herself, one where love is not only found in the most unlikely places but also reciprocated. Determined to rewrite her story and break the curse, Aven must find the coven leader and destroy the source of his power: his very heart.

A Dream Upon Waking is the highly anticipated sequel to A Cry for the Deep and the lush finale to the Three Bells series, beautifully examining the experience of grief and the hope of new beginnings. This gothic mashup of Sleeping Beauty and Snow White will keep you spellbound from the first page to the last.

Review Quotes

"What a satisfying ending to a heartfelt, and many times spooky and atmospheric, series. These three sisters have been through it, but their love and commitment to one another never wavered. The grieving Aven earned all of the happiness and more that came her way, and I was sat for it all. Linsmeier continues to weave beautiful words through sometimes heartbreaking, but always hopeful, stories." --Kelly Cain, author of THE EVERHEART BROTHERS OF TEXAS

"An even split between heartbreaking and heartfelt, A Dream Upon Waking forces you through every emotion--spellbound. Witches. Curses. Potions and gut-wrenching declarations of love, Amanda Linsmeier finishes off The Three Bells trilogy with a bang." --Amelia Markley, author of Headfirst (Canyon Creek #1)

"Delicately navigating the path of grief and love, A Dream Upon Waking blends time and magic to create a truly satisfying finale to the Three Bells Series. This book is a gentle reminder that living too long in the past can make it hard to see the possibilities of the present." --Autumn Lindsey, author of The Remaining Series

"A Dream Upon Waking is a spellbindingly sensual tale about grief and the quiet strength of surviving alongside it. With delicious prose you'll savor like the juiciest poison apple, a compelling second-chance romance, and the fantastical gothic elements Amanda Linsmeier weaves together like no other, this is the perfect conclusion to the Three Bells Trilogy, a series I look forward to revisiting for years to come." --Chloe York, author of Our Devil's Awake

"A Dream Upon Waking is a poignant exploration of grief, emotional rebellion, and hope for a new love that exists beyond the tunnel. I could not put down this part Sleeping Beauty, part time-travel fever dream of a fairy tale. It's the perfect finale for the Bell sisters!" --Julie M. Ferris, author of The Cupid Contract

"A devastatingly beautiful exploration of grief, and a touching reminder that even through the coldest winters, spring eventually follows." --Shiloh Briar, author of Hopeless Necromantic

Praise for A Dance With Death

"Linsmeier creates great atmosphere in her richly detailed opening chapters... Lovers of gothic romantasy will find plenty to hold their interest." --Publishers Weekly

"A gothic fairytale with nods to 'Beauty and the Beast, ' Amanda Linsmeier's A Dance With Death explores the overlap of love and grief... The atmospheric prose paints lush pictures of misty beaches, hollow mansion halls, and a demonic queen's court... The tender portrayal of the quiet devastation of grief is standout, rooting the characters in empathetic experiences, even when they aren't human at all." --Foreword Reviews

"A Dance With Death is like a night at the gothic ballet. Eerie atmosphere, resonant themes of revenge and sisterhood, and an exquisitely rendered romance leap from the pages. Readers will be riveted as they watch the story play out on a ghastly stage magically set by Amanda Linsmeier." --Autumn Krause, critically acclaimed author of Grave Flowers

"Absolutely spellbinding! Linsmeier makes a name for herself with this sweepingly romantic, enchantingly gothic fairytale. A Dance with Death is both beautiful and haunting--a masterclass of love, loss, and sisterhood." --Skyla Arndt, author of House of Hearts and Together We Rot

"Atmospheric, swoony, and unputdownable, this dark fairytale retelling is about loss and love, revenge and redemption, and the desperate measures one woman will take to save her sister. Corliss and Orrin's chemistry--framed by a haunting setting and beautiful prose--absolutely crackles off the page. An incredible first foray into adult fantasy!" --Keshe Chow, Sunday Times bestselling author of For No Mortal Creature

"With a trio of charming sisters, a demon in the woods, and a cottage by the sea, Amanda crafts a curious world en pointe, balancing classic romance against artful twists you'll want to savor as they go dancing by! Perfect for fans of Practical Magic, and anyone who grew up desperate to dance in a pair of red shoes." --Maggie Rapier, USA Today bestselling author of Soulgazer

"Told in lush prose, A Dance with Death is a blood-laced gothic romance tied up with a silken bow. Gruesome, grief-stricken, yet ultimately filled with heart, Linsmeier delivers a crushed-velvet triumph of a tale." --Teagan Olivia King, author of Spit Back the Bones and Bitterbloom

"Linsmeier artfully crafts a dark fairytale with gorgeous prose and rich worldbuilding. I was enchanted by the seaside town, the mysterious house, and the eerie magic twisting through every page." --Ana Davis, author of My Keen Knife

"A Dance with Death is a delightfully haunting gothic fairytale, replete with vivid, eerie atmosphere, luscious prose, and a love story that's to die for. I was utterly captivated." --Kalie Cassidy, author of In the Veins of the Drowning

About the Author

Amanda Linsmeier has been a book nerd as long as she can remember, and it was that great love of reading--especially R.L. Stine novels and fairytales--that eventually brought her to writing her own stories. In high school, she won the senior class vote for "Most Romantic Girl," a title she's still ridiculously pleased with. She feels most joyful when writing, scream-singing her favorite songs, playing in the water, and laughing with her beloved family. She lives in a magical place with a man who smells like maple syrup and woodsmoke, their wonderfully wild children, a dog, and an assortment of half-feral cats.