Dreams of Gods and Monsters By: Laini Taylor

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• Title: Dreams of Gods and Monsters (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #3)
• Author: Laini Taylor
• Publisher: Little, Brown and Co.
• Publication Date:  April 8, 2014
• Pages: 613
• Genre: Fantasy/YA
• Recommended Age(s): 13+
• First Read: 2016
• Source: Library
• Rating: 4.5 / 5.0 stars

Karou and her friends have accomplished much, but there is still so much left to be done, especially since Jael and his army are about to invade Earth. To save both Eretz and Earth, Karou and Akiva must struggle to unite centuries-old enemies in a parody of their long-ago dream for a new world. 

As storylines converge, destinies entwine, and fates collide, Karou and Akiva must realize that there is more at stake than they know...and that a power more terrifying than anything they can hope to imagine is only a breath away from destroying their fragile existence. Transcending worlds, defying fate, and overcoming the fixed definitions of good and evil, of right and wrong, Karou, Akiva, and their friends fight the true monsters: those within.

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This was a rollercoaster, a funhouse mirror, and a wonderful carousel ride all encased in a wonderful package. I was enchanted by the different storylines that converged beautifully at the end as I found out where everyone fit- like starting a puzzle thinking it was one thing, but in when you finished it, realizing it was something different- and way better- than you ever imagined it to be.

My favorite character in this book was Eliza because I didn't expect her storyline at all and was presently surprised at all the barriers she broke and her general badassery in this book. To quote Karou: "she's a pretty cool chick." Also, even though Karou and Akiva are clearly the main characters, I was more in love with Zuzana and Mik's relationship because it was just so sweet. Also Liraz...I am Liraz when dealing with emotions honestly and I just love her character development, from being incredibly unsure of her emotions to being able to accept them.

The plot was stellar; like I said, everything converged in this beautiful way that made sense in retrospect yet you couldn't see coming because of the possibilities. Combined with Taylor's always poetic writing with a splash of sarcasm and liberal amounts of wit, it was a perfect read. This one of those books that I thought about even when I wasn't reading it; I would catch myself thinking of the plot and characters when I was idly daydreaming and as a result would immediately want to get back to reading.  I was really sad when this series ended because it had been a while since I had a good series to sink my teeth into and this really hit the spot. I guess it's time to find another great series now...