Genre: YA Fantasy / Paranormal / Urban / Gothic
Release Date: January 10th, 2023
Pages: 384
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Synopsis:
When people dream, they are transformed into their worst fear, and the world has been decimated by these Nightmares. When Ness was a child, her sister became a giant spider and killed their father and several others. Since then, Ness has had an irrational phobia of Nightmares. Her method of coping: running and hiding like a coward. She has taken refuge at the Friends of the Restful Soul, a group that claims to help society by offering counseling and other charitable services. But after surviving several assassination attempts, Ness begins to unravel sinister plots within the organization.
Review:
The setting is like an interesting blend of dystopian future mixed with alternative history.
There’s just enough reality baked into the world-building to make all of the fantastical elements feel real. Nightmares come to life is such a fascinating concept.
Cy, a Nightmare, is an alluring, mysterious enigma that changes Ness’s perspectives from black-and-white thinking to a more nuanced perspective of the world around her.
I adored seeing the relationship blossom, and I enjoyed following Ness’s journey in learning to thrive in the world. Ness and Cy are an unlikely duo, who both know what it is like just to struggle to survive another day. And it is this that ultimately brings them together.
My one and only point of contention with this book is that Ness’s inner monologues become repetitive at times. I wanted a little more depth into her personality and motivations, other than her simply being a coward, which is overwhelmingly stated.
Priya, Ness’s best friend, is an absolute badass and I loved her fearlessness, fierce protectiveness, and slaying power. In her part of the story, we see how differing views of society can create complex family dynamics, where Priya and her sister both want to make the world a better place but disagree on the method of doing so.
There are so many plots unraveling simultaneously and I never knew what to expect. The surprises just kept coming.
This book is emotional, darkly compelling, and a fun, action-packed adventure.
My favorite part of this story is the depth in which it explores themes relevant to the human condition. It explores the differences in how people cope with grief and trauma, how they perceive the world around them, and how the past can affect our decisions.
The awareness that we can be a part of something but never truly feel like we belong is something many of us can relate to.
This story also reminds us that we should never be quick to judge, as we never really know the full extent of what is going on inside a person.
I loved this book and I highly recommend it – cannot wait for the sequel!
Disclaimers:
Huge thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for gifting me an early copy of this amazing story! I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This post may contain affiliate links that I may earn a small commission from with no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support 🙂
Have you read this book? Planning to add it to your TBR?
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
I love a good book discussion. 🙂
Leave a Reply