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Blind Study
Eighteen-year-old Alice has spent the last year of her life in a hospital bed, held hostage by pain from a freak accident. Doctors can neither explain nor cure her condition, and her medical insurance is about to run out. Then, she’s offered one last chance—inclusion in a study for a revolutionary new pain medication.
Miraculously, the medication works. There’s only one side effect—vivid, terrifying nightmares, of imprisonment in a pitch-black cell, with no memory of her identity or how she got there. At least, she thinks that’s all they are, until someone from her dreams shows up in real life.
When other sinister happenings cross the boundary between dreaming and waking, Alice must choose: return to a half-life of isolation and agony, or confront the malevolent force behind the dreams, before she and those she cares about are trapped in their nightmares forever. But by the time she makes her choice—it may already be too late.
Miraculously, the medication works. There’s only one side effect—vivid, terrifying nightmares, of imprisonment in a pitch-black cell, with no memory of her identity or how she got there. At least, she thinks that’s all they are, until someone from her dreams shows up in real life.
When other sinister happenings cross the boundary between dreaming and waking, Alice must choose: return to a half-life of isolation and agony, or confront the malevolent force behind the dreams, before she and those she cares about are trapped in their nightmares forever. But by the time she makes her choice—it may already be too late.
ebook
First published August 16, 2013
25 people want to read
About the author
Jacquelyn Sylvan
2 books166 followersBefore Jacquelyn Sylvan became a writer, she worked as a waitress, video store clerk, trail-riding guide, and veterinary technician, among other things. She’s a few inches shy of five feet tall, which means she’s sometimes mistaken for a child when she rides her bike, and often looked at suspiciously by amusement park ride operators. When she’s not writing, you’ll probably find her watching Vampire Diaries or trying to warn people about the impending penguin apocalypse. Jacquelyn lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, two cats, and two very large dogs. Her YA novel, Blind Study, a supernatural thriller, comes out August 20, 2013.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 6, 2017
Some spoilers!
This book explores chronic pain and the chronic terror of its continuance, and what that can do to one's psyche, how far one might go to eradicate it forever. I like how, instead of an easy, worst-to-best progressive tale, "Blind Study" has a series of stops and starts, misfires and misdirections.
The main character, Alice, doesn't get hurt, get disillusioned, and then get magically transformed into an exemplary citizen. What she does do is get mangled, hate the world, and then reconsider her previous world-hating stance once she gets some good drugs and therapy. She gets better and continues to treat her friends and family like crap, which, while nobody would ever admit it, is likely what would happen to a young person ripped from his or her 'normal' life and disabled. She takes her boyfriend for granted and falls for fellow wheelchair-bound patient Riley in her blind study. She is snide, snarky, and dismissive, and absolutely accurate. Lucky you, though, are privy to her interior dialogue and it reveals her to be just as insecure as the rest of us, it's just that she has a license to bitch and she puts a lot of miles on it.
That's not to say you're spending hours with a boring brat. Alice is devastatingly funny and the action moves along at a nice pace, getting her to the abandoned mental hospital for her tests fairly quickly. Because, let's face it, everyone is intrigued by old mental institutes.
I don't read a lot of YA books but I would hazard a guess that Sylvan's fantastic creatures and oddities the heroine encounters are not standard issue. Foxes and sea otters? A refreshing change from the undead human contingent.
"Blind Study" is well-written with absolutely no grammar mistakes. As a part-time copy editor I cannot begin to explain how magnificent this is. Also, Sylvan spurned the generic falling in love cliches for more personal and edgy metaphors, something YA is sorely lacking (the movie end of it, at least).
In terms of appropriateness for YA vs. adult, I think there is sufficient stimulating content to satisfy a teen reader, and there is sufficient high-level thinking going on to satisfy an adult's immediate search for the "why" and "how" in the plot line.
I read this in a matter of days and of course wished that Alice and Riley could have visited every island in their nightmare world, a la Prince Caspian from the Narnia series but I know that wasn't the intent of the book. So, in keeping with true YA fashion I shall hope for a new book in a series but if that is not the case, I'll just take some more Sylvan, please.
This book explores chronic pain and the chronic terror of its continuance, and what that can do to one's psyche, how far one might go to eradicate it forever. I like how, instead of an easy, worst-to-best progressive tale, "Blind Study" has a series of stops and starts, misfires and misdirections.
The main character, Alice, doesn't get hurt, get disillusioned, and then get magically transformed into an exemplary citizen. What she does do is get mangled, hate the world, and then reconsider her previous world-hating stance once she gets some good drugs and therapy. She gets better and continues to treat her friends and family like crap, which, while nobody would ever admit it, is likely what would happen to a young person ripped from his or her 'normal' life and disabled. She takes her boyfriend for granted and falls for fellow wheelchair-bound patient Riley in her blind study. She is snide, snarky, and dismissive, and absolutely accurate. Lucky you, though, are privy to her interior dialogue and it reveals her to be just as insecure as the rest of us, it's just that she has a license to bitch and she puts a lot of miles on it.
That's not to say you're spending hours with a boring brat. Alice is devastatingly funny and the action moves along at a nice pace, getting her to the abandoned mental hospital for her tests fairly quickly. Because, let's face it, everyone is intrigued by old mental institutes.
I don't read a lot of YA books but I would hazard a guess that Sylvan's fantastic creatures and oddities the heroine encounters are not standard issue. Foxes and sea otters? A refreshing change from the undead human contingent.
"Blind Study" is well-written with absolutely no grammar mistakes. As a part-time copy editor I cannot begin to explain how magnificent this is. Also, Sylvan spurned the generic falling in love cliches for more personal and edgy metaphors, something YA is sorely lacking (the movie end of it, at least).
In terms of appropriateness for YA vs. adult, I think there is sufficient stimulating content to satisfy a teen reader, and there is sufficient high-level thinking going on to satisfy an adult's immediate search for the "why" and "how" in the plot line.
I read this in a matter of days and of course wished that Alice and Riley could have visited every island in their nightmare world, a la Prince Caspian from the Narnia series but I know that wasn't the intent of the book. So, in keeping with true YA fashion I shall hope for a new book in a series but if that is not the case, I'll just take some more Sylvan, please.
August 29, 2013
*I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
Blind Study is explosive right from the very first page. It opens with main character, Alice, falling from a cliff and shattering her pelvis. She spends a year in agonizing pain even after her injuries have healed. The doctors are stymied. Alice is accepted into a test trial for a new pain medication, and she accepts the study as a last resort to any type of life.
There were times when Alice reminded me of the Alice from Alice in Wonderland, perhaps because of the bizarre nightmare side effect. It's like Alice fell down the rabbit hole into a whole new world along with the other members of the drug trial. I really liked Alice, though I think many might not. She's been through hell, treated people like crap, but at least she realizes it. When the medication makes her pain lessen, she's suddenly able to function again. She lives with the guilt over how she treated her mother and boyfriend while she was delirious with pain, as well as worry that this new life without agonizing pain is fleeting.
Alice's boyfriend, Jonathan, was with her when she fell, and has stayed by her side for the last year. His character seems to be wracked with survivor's guilt. Though he claims to love her, I couldn't help but feel that he was doing what he thought he should do. I feel bad, Jonathan is portrayed as a great guy, yet I didn't really like him. I don't know why, but I was strongly on team Riley.
Enter Riley, another member of the drug trial. A war vet, his legs were blown off by an IED in Iraq. Riley and Alice come to realize rather quickly that they're experiencing the same dream at the same time. As they try to uncover the truth behind the bizarre dream, they become closer. Every night, they support each other through terrifying circumstances. It's enough to bring anyone together. Riley is so sweet and strong. I fell in love with him immediately.
The ending of Blind Study completely surprised me. I never would have guessed it no matter how hard I tried. I enjoyed the epilogue; it wrapped things up rather nicely. The subject matter is what I would consider upper YA or new adult. There's quite a bit of emotional and physical turmoil. The first chapter is especially difficult; though I could never understand the level of pain Alice was feeling, it was impossible not to empathize with her. I recommend Blind Study to everyone high school and up that enjoys a well written mystery/suspense, with a dash of romance.
Blind Study is explosive right from the very first page. It opens with main character, Alice, falling from a cliff and shattering her pelvis. She spends a year in agonizing pain even after her injuries have healed. The doctors are stymied. Alice is accepted into a test trial for a new pain medication, and she accepts the study as a last resort to any type of life.
There were times when Alice reminded me of the Alice from Alice in Wonderland, perhaps because of the bizarre nightmare side effect. It's like Alice fell down the rabbit hole into a whole new world along with the other members of the drug trial. I really liked Alice, though I think many might not. She's been through hell, treated people like crap, but at least she realizes it. When the medication makes her pain lessen, she's suddenly able to function again. She lives with the guilt over how she treated her mother and boyfriend while she was delirious with pain, as well as worry that this new life without agonizing pain is fleeting.
Alice's boyfriend, Jonathan, was with her when she fell, and has stayed by her side for the last year. His character seems to be wracked with survivor's guilt. Though he claims to love her, I couldn't help but feel that he was doing what he thought he should do. I feel bad, Jonathan is portrayed as a great guy, yet I didn't really like him. I don't know why, but I was strongly on team Riley.
Enter Riley, another member of the drug trial. A war vet, his legs were blown off by an IED in Iraq. Riley and Alice come to realize rather quickly that they're experiencing the same dream at the same time. As they try to uncover the truth behind the bizarre dream, they become closer. Every night, they support each other through terrifying circumstances. It's enough to bring anyone together. Riley is so sweet and strong. I fell in love with him immediately.
The ending of Blind Study completely surprised me. I never would have guessed it no matter how hard I tried. I enjoyed the epilogue; it wrapped things up rather nicely. The subject matter is what I would consider upper YA or new adult. There's quite a bit of emotional and physical turmoil. The first chapter is especially difficult; though I could never understand the level of pain Alice was feeling, it was impossible not to empathize with her. I recommend Blind Study to everyone high school and up that enjoys a well written mystery/suspense, with a dash of romance.
September 9, 2013
Book review originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/book-tou...
What an amazing, at times frightening, at times heartwarming, read. Blind Study introduces us to Alice, our MC, right away, but in the most dire of circumstances. Alice tumbles down a cliff trying to save a little girl, and spends the next year in a hospital bed. Even long after her injuries have healed, she’s struggling to cope with tremendous pain. The doctors are baffled, and no one is able to come up with a cure. Until she signs up for new, revolutionary pain medication.
The medication helps, but there’s a side effect no one could’ve dreamed of. Terrifying, vivid nightmares begin to haunt Alice every moment she’s asleep. In the nightmares she meets Riley, an Iraq war veteran who lost his legs in the war, and who participated in the new medication program as well. Riley and Alice grow closer to each other as they stand side by side to fight the nightmares.
When the nightmare realm starts to cross over with the regular world, Alice has to confront the creatures of her nightmares, or quit the drugs and go back to her solitary life, ruled by pain.
Alice has to make tough choices, and she’s in a tough position. The pain makes her a rather unlikeable character, but the guilt she feels afterward for what she’s done, instantly brings her back to the likeable side. She’s down-to-earth and realistic, but she has a rather dark and gloomy view on things, probably due to the accident. Riley is a lot like her, and that’s probably why they work so well. I really liked their interactions, the bond of respect they had for each other, and well, everything. For such a tough guy, Riley can be rather sweet, and that really warmed my heart.
The plot was quite original, and the story was refreshing and intriguing. It was fast-paced, and the writing was decent, ideal for a YA book.
One of my favorite YA reads of the year. If you’re in the mood for some chilling YA novel with supernatural elements and endaring characters, check out Blind Study.
What an amazing, at times frightening, at times heartwarming, read. Blind Study introduces us to Alice, our MC, right away, but in the most dire of circumstances. Alice tumbles down a cliff trying to save a little girl, and spends the next year in a hospital bed. Even long after her injuries have healed, she’s struggling to cope with tremendous pain. The doctors are baffled, and no one is able to come up with a cure. Until she signs up for new, revolutionary pain medication.
The medication helps, but there’s a side effect no one could’ve dreamed of. Terrifying, vivid nightmares begin to haunt Alice every moment she’s asleep. In the nightmares she meets Riley, an Iraq war veteran who lost his legs in the war, and who participated in the new medication program as well. Riley and Alice grow closer to each other as they stand side by side to fight the nightmares.
When the nightmare realm starts to cross over with the regular world, Alice has to confront the creatures of her nightmares, or quit the drugs and go back to her solitary life, ruled by pain.
Alice has to make tough choices, and she’s in a tough position. The pain makes her a rather unlikeable character, but the guilt she feels afterward for what she’s done, instantly brings her back to the likeable side. She’s down-to-earth and realistic, but she has a rather dark and gloomy view on things, probably due to the accident. Riley is a lot like her, and that’s probably why they work so well. I really liked their interactions, the bond of respect they had for each other, and well, everything. For such a tough guy, Riley can be rather sweet, and that really warmed my heart.
The plot was quite original, and the story was refreshing and intriguing. It was fast-paced, and the writing was decent, ideal for a YA book.
One of my favorite YA reads of the year. If you’re in the mood for some chilling YA novel with supernatural elements and endaring characters, check out Blind Study.
September 6, 2013
Blind Study is different. Good different! I’ve steered away from the paranormal lately because it always seems to be the same old thing. Dark mysterious hot (not quite human) boy falls for young naïve human girl…*gag* there is none of that played out crap here.
From the very beginning I was surprised. This is not a predictable book. You are pretty much kept on the edge of your seat the whole time.
The story opens up to a heart wrenching recollection of why Alice is in a hospital bed in the first place. This scene is massively important; at least it was to me.
You see, Alice, she’s not perfect. She is kind of an A-hole for much of the book. She’s bitter and selfish. That was my main struggle with Blind Study because I’m very much a character person when it comes to reading. Alice’s redeeming quality is that she knows she’s this way. She wants to change, but in real life, it’s just not that easy. She struggles with it. I get that, so though I was not her biggest fan, I connected with her because she was real.
The dreams, let’s talk about the dreams a little bit. Have you ever had a vivid dream that scares your pants off? I certainly have, but they were never like these. These dreams were downright creepy, especially as the story goes on. I loved how original they were. I don’t know how authors think this stuff up, seriously. My imagination is just not that good.
There is a little bit of a love story here. It’s not the main focus and I really liked that. I love me a good romance story, but these characters had enough going on.
The ending... now I don’t spoil, but I must tell you I never saw this angle coming. When you finally do find out what is really going down… you’ll never guess it.
Blind Study is a great book, and if you’re interested in dreams at all, definitely check this one out. It’s good stuff.
From the very beginning I was surprised. This is not a predictable book. You are pretty much kept on the edge of your seat the whole time.
The story opens up to a heart wrenching recollection of why Alice is in a hospital bed in the first place. This scene is massively important; at least it was to me.
You see, Alice, she’s not perfect. She is kind of an A-hole for much of the book. She’s bitter and selfish. That was my main struggle with Blind Study because I’m very much a character person when it comes to reading. Alice’s redeeming quality is that she knows she’s this way. She wants to change, but in real life, it’s just not that easy. She struggles with it. I get that, so though I was not her biggest fan, I connected with her because she was real.
The dreams, let’s talk about the dreams a little bit. Have you ever had a vivid dream that scares your pants off? I certainly have, but they were never like these. These dreams were downright creepy, especially as the story goes on. I loved how original they were. I don’t know how authors think this stuff up, seriously. My imagination is just not that good.
There is a little bit of a love story here. It’s not the main focus and I really liked that. I love me a good romance story, but these characters had enough going on.
The ending... now I don’t spoil, but I must tell you I never saw this angle coming. When you finally do find out what is really going down… you’ll never guess it.
Blind Study is a great book, and if you’re interested in dreams at all, definitely check this one out. It’s good stuff.
August 28, 2013
This is my 2013 book of the year. I had no expectations when opening this, and I hadn't read a lot in the genre, but wow! The story is compelling, the writing is exquisite. Do yourself a favor and pick it up today. You won't regret it.
August 22, 2013
I can't wait to read it again!!! SO HAPPY to see this book (and others hopefully soon) getting mainstreamed out there for the world to enjoy!
November 22, 2013
Kept me guessing. Satisfying ending.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews