Dreamland

September 7, 2015
Anderson's ambitious debut centers around Dea Donahue, a high school social outcast in contemporary Indiana, who has always been able to enter other people's dreams. In fact, she gets sick if she doesn't routinely "walk." Dea's mother has laid down rules for her: no visiting the same person's dream more than once, no letting the dreamer see you, and no changing anything. When Dea meets her new neighbor, Connor, she feels particularly drawn to himâenough to break the rules and revisit his dreams. But, even together, Dea and Connor may not be strong enough to face the consequences of her actions, which begin with the appearance of terrifying faceless monsters that do not seem to stay in dreams. Anderson's plot takes a while to get going, but this complexly characterized and multidimensional novel rewards readers with a deep sense of place, an unusual world, and an entirely enjoyable romance. The conclusion satisfies while leaving room for a potential sequel. Ages 14âup. Agent: Stephen Barbara, Inkwell Management.

July 1, 2015

Gr 8 Up-This imaginative debut is a cross between Cassandra Clare's City of Bones (S. & S., 2007) and Christopher Nolan's film Inception. Dea Donahue walks through people's dreams by using the dreamers' possessions and feeds off the energy. But she is never to interfere in the dream and never to make her presence known. Having such a unique gift has made it difficult for Dea to grow close to people, and it doesn't help that her single mother ups and moves them at a moment's notice. But in rural Indiana, she has made friends with awkward Gollum and enigmatic Connor, who recently moved to town from Chicago. He's running from a tragic past and rumors circulate that he's dangerous. When Dea starts entering Connor's dreams, she risks calling attention to herself from the faceless monsters her mother has always warned her about. Then Dea's mother goes missing, and a graduate student starts writing an expose on Connor. But to find her mother and help Connor, Dea must traverse a world of nightmares. This page-turning thriller is filled with creepy dreamscapes that will entrance and frighten readers. Although there are some plot holes involving Connor's past and Dea's ignorance regarding her mother's behavior, these don't affect the enjoyment of the story, which revs up to a satisfying conclusion. VERDICT Recommended for those who appreciate suspense novels with unique twists.-Kimberly Garnick Giarratano, Rockaway Township Public Library, NJ

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 15, 2015
Reality blurs into nightmare when a dream-walking girl breaks all the rules to help the boy she loves. Dea and her mother never stay in one place for very long. The sleepy town of Fielding, Indiana, they live in now doesn't offer anything noteworthy other than their own existence within it. Dea and her mother can walk through other people's dreams. In fact, not walking for long periods of time can cause their health to decline radically. Her mother has only three rules: never intervene in another person's dream, never walk the same person's dream more than once, and never, ever be seen. If she disobeys, her mother warns, monsters will find her. Dea plays along until the arrival of an attractive new neighbor, Connor; and she becomes obsessed with walking his dreams as often as she can. But Connor harbors his own monsters he's been hiding from, monsters Dea quickly realizes are now her problem as well. Their relationship builds at a steady but slow clip. The story soars only when tensions rise and Dea must exit reality to walk deeper into the unknown, dark realm of dreams. The sights and secrets she finds there are breathtaking to behold and more inspiring than the romance. Readers will wish she'd dived down the rabbit hole sooner. Anderson creates a spellbinding landscape but then leaves it achingly underexplored. (Fantasy. 14 & up)

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