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Charlotte Westing Chronicles #1
Sleep No More
The blockbuster film Inception meets Lisa McMann's Wake trilogy in this dark paranormal thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Aprilynne Pike. This supernatural young adult novel is perfect for fans of Kelley Armstrong, Alyson Noël, Richelle Mead, and Kimberly Derting.
Charlotte Westing has a gift. She is an Oracle and has the ability to tell the future. But it doesn't do her much good. Instead of using their miraculous power, modern day Oracles are told to fight their visions––to refrain from interfering. And Charlotte knows the price of breaking the rules. She sees it every day in her wheelchair-bound mother and the absence of her father. But when a premonition of a classmate's death is too strong for her to ignore, Charlotte is forced to make an impossible decision: continue following the rules or risk everything—even her sanity—to stop the serial killer who is stalking her town.
Charlotte Westing has a gift. She is an Oracle and has the ability to tell the future. But it doesn't do her much good. Instead of using their miraculous power, modern day Oracles are told to fight their visions––to refrain from interfering. And Charlotte knows the price of breaking the rules. She sees it every day in her wheelchair-bound mother and the absence of her father. But when a premonition of a classmate's death is too strong for her to ignore, Charlotte is forced to make an impossible decision: continue following the rules or risk everything—even her sanity—to stop the serial killer who is stalking her town.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published April 29, 2014
42 people are currently reading
5281 people want to read
About the author
Aprilynne Pike
58 books5,045 followersAprilynne Pike has been spinning faerie stories since she was a child with a hyper-active imagination. At the age of twenty she received her BA in Creative Writing from Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho. When not writing, Aprilynne can usually be found at the gym; she also enjoys singing, acting, reading, and working with pregnant moms as a childbirth educator and doula. Aprilynne currently lives with her husband and three kids in Utah, and dreams of warmer climates.
Aprilynne Pike's #1 New York Times best-selling debut, WINGS, is the first of four books about a seemingly ordinary girl with a not-so-ordinary destiny. In this tale of magic and intrigue, romance and danger, everything you thought you knew about faeries will be changed forever...
Aprilynne's Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/aprilynnepike
Aprilynne Pike's #1 New York Times best-selling debut, WINGS, is the first of four books about a seemingly ordinary girl with a not-so-ordinary destiny. In this tale of magic and intrigue, romance and danger, everything you thought you knew about faeries will be changed forever...
Aprilynne's Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/aprilynnepike
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 298 reviews
April 18, 2014
Sleep No More has some good entertaining content and an interesting Oracle premise, but there were many eye-rolling parts as well. I had mixed feelings even before I started this one. The mention of both Inception which I loved, and the Wake trilogy which I loathed made for an odd combination of expectations. Still, I was intrigued and it was fun while it lasted, but it's not without a list of flaws.
The Oracle lore is what kept my interest the most. It takes a while to get a clear picture of the Oracle abilities and the history is weak at best, but the concept is fascinating and, in many ways, thought provoking. Changing someone's fate does not come without consequences, thus giving the ability a very bittersweet feel. Seeing the future sounds great and all, but would you save someone's life knowing another person is likely to take their place? And wouldn't you feel just as guilty if you did nothing? Seeing as this book involves a serial killer, we get a good dose of situations just like this. Throughout the story, while we learn more about the rules, consequences, and complexities surrounding Oracles, we'll get a few WTF moments that not only changes everything we thought we knew, but also makes the book exponentially more interesting from one page to the next. Unfortunately, there are also many frustrating parts that added up to make for a very love and hate kind of read.
For one, you just know from the very start when she talks of a guy she's had a crush on for years, a guy who is on the top of the social ladder whereas she lies on the bottom, what kind of cliché romance we were going to get. To throw another wrench in this overused trope, after he develops a sudden affinity for the lone wolf he admits to only hanging out with her because she takes his mind off his dead girlfriend. And she's just totally fine with this because he's just so hot!! With no chemistry and no personality, the romance is definitely the weakest part of this book, and although it serves a purpose and eventually throws its own curveball, the lack of emotional depth made me indifferent to it all.
Then we've got a murder mystery in the mix which allows for a bit of suspense, but this is hindered by the protagonist's obliviousness. Why she trusts certain people or decides to not get help from her aunt after a certain point is beyond me. She meets this creepy 30 year old dude who seems to know all about Oracles on top of him admitting he's been stalking her for years, yet she immediately puts all of her trust in him, going off with him alone in the middle of nowhere with a serial killer on the loose. Um, oookay. Have fun dying!
In the end, yes I had a few qualms with this one, but its entertainment value is definitely decent and improves as the story progresses. I found myself more and more intrigued as we neared the end, compelled to keep reading by a few baffling occurrences that plays with your mind. It has its ups and down, but it's an overall enjoyable read.
--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
The Oracle lore is what kept my interest the most. It takes a while to get a clear picture of the Oracle abilities and the history is weak at best, but the concept is fascinating and, in many ways, thought provoking. Changing someone's fate does not come without consequences, thus giving the ability a very bittersweet feel. Seeing the future sounds great and all, but would you save someone's life knowing another person is likely to take their place? And wouldn't you feel just as guilty if you did nothing? Seeing as this book involves a serial killer, we get a good dose of situations just like this. Throughout the story, while we learn more about the rules, consequences, and complexities surrounding Oracles, we'll get a few WTF moments that not only changes everything we thought we knew, but also makes the book exponentially more interesting from one page to the next. Unfortunately, there are also many frustrating parts that added up to make for a very love and hate kind of read.
For one, you just know from the very start when she talks of a guy she's had a crush on for years, a guy who is on the top of the social ladder whereas she lies on the bottom, what kind of cliché romance we were going to get. To throw another wrench in this overused trope, after he develops a sudden affinity for the lone wolf he admits to only hanging out with her because she takes his mind off his dead girlfriend. And she's just totally fine with this because he's just so hot!! With no chemistry and no personality, the romance is definitely the weakest part of this book, and although it serves a purpose and eventually throws its own curveball, the lack of emotional depth made me indifferent to it all.
Then we've got a murder mystery in the mix which allows for a bit of suspense, but this is hindered by the protagonist's obliviousness. Why she trusts certain people or decides to not get help from her aunt after a certain point is beyond me. She meets this creepy 30 year old dude who seems to know all about Oracles on top of him admitting he's been stalking her for years, yet she immediately puts all of her trust in him, going off with him alone in the middle of nowhere with a serial killer on the loose. Um, oookay. Have fun dying!
In the end, yes I had a few qualms with this one, but its entertainment value is definitely decent and improves as the story progresses. I found myself more and more intrigued as we neared the end, compelled to keep reading by a few baffling occurrences that plays with your mind. It has its ups and down, but it's an overall enjoyable read.
--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
July 23, 2016
DNF at 52%
So I give up. Firstly, I don't get the purpose of why there are Oracles in the first place. I also am not connecting with the main character. She seeks help from a stranger that has been sending her stalker-ish texts on the spur of the moment--because that's totally rational. Lastly, the romance lacks chemistry. Not having any luck with this author at all. Wings, Earthbound and now Sleep No More. Just no. Only good thing is that it's a quick read. I read half of this novel in no time at all. Oh. And there's crappy writing.
So I give up. Firstly, I don't get the purpose of why there are Oracles in the first place. I also am not connecting with the main character. She seeks help from a stranger that has been sending her stalker-ish texts on the spur of the moment--because that's totally rational. Lastly, the romance lacks chemistry. Not having any luck with this author at all. Wings, Earthbound and now Sleep No More. Just no. Only good thing is that it's a quick read. I read half of this novel in no time at all. Oh. And there's crappy writing.
April 28, 2014
Do you remember Wings? Aprilynne Pike has a way with words and writing stories that will remind you of your favorite childhood fairy tales. I know that a lot of my friends around blogosphere aren't the biggest fans of this author because, as I said in my review for Earthbound, first in her new paranormal series - it's something that will be more appealing for younger readers. Sleep No More doesn't go into that group, it looks like Aprilynne Pike tried to write a darker story and get the attention of different type of readers.
What did I like?
- Premise of Sleep No More. It is so weird and completely different than what I'm used to when it comes to A. Pike. More violent and twisted plot with paranormal elements.
- Charlotte. Not the kind of character you'll find in paranormal young adult novels that often. Think along the lines of Angelfall by Susan Ee.
- Premonitions. The scariest part of the story. I couldn't help myself thinking what would I do knowing about all the bad things that will happen.
- The way book ended. I know that there will be a lot of people that will think how few things could have happen differently, but I loved that author didn't fall under the pressure of giving us predictable ending.
What I didn't like?
- Inception parts of the book. I didn't like that movie at all, I didn't get half of the things that happened. I had same issues here. It's not confusing like the movie, but still few things felt rushed and at times out of the place.
- Aunt and "the explanation". I will leave it at that to avoid spoilers, but I really hoped there will be much more to her story.
- Is this a sequel or a standalone? The way it ended made me a little bit confused. I thought it supposed to be standalone.
Review posted at Ja čitam, a ti?
***Copy of this book was provided by publisher, Harper Teen, via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.***
What did I like?
- Premise of Sleep No More. It is so weird and completely different than what I'm used to when it comes to A. Pike. More violent and twisted plot with paranormal elements.
- Charlotte. Not the kind of character you'll find in paranormal young adult novels that often. Think along the lines of Angelfall by Susan Ee.
- Premonitions. The scariest part of the story. I couldn't help myself thinking what would I do knowing about all the bad things that will happen.
- The way book ended. I know that there will be a lot of people that will think how few things could have happen differently, but I loved that author didn't fall under the pressure of giving us predictable ending.
What I didn't like?
- Inception parts of the book. I didn't like that movie at all, I didn't get half of the things that happened. I had same issues here. It's not confusing like the movie, but still few things felt rushed and at times out of the place.
- Aunt and "the explanation". I will leave it at that to avoid spoilers, but I really hoped there will be much more to her story.
- Is this a sequel or a standalone? The way it ended made me a little bit confused. I thought it supposed to be standalone.
Review posted at Ja čitam, a ti?
***Copy of this book was provided by publisher, Harper Teen, via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.***
December 21, 2018
Style and Language
Aprilynne Pike has a great way to bring a novel to life. Charlotte is an Oracle but she´s forced to deny that. Her aunt taught her as long as she can remember that whenever she feels a vision coming, she needs to block her - because visions are dangerous in many ways. But one day Charlotte isn´t able to do so and has no other choice but to let them unfold.
That´s painful and rips her off her feet. She knows it´s totally against the rules, but when she sees that a girl she knows will be brutally murdered, she decides to let the visions unfold their power and hopes that she can save a life.
Her struggle with the following incidents shows the author in a beautifully written and very sensitive way. This captivating thriller is written from Charlotte´s point of view and puts the reader in a world where love is one thing, but bringing that love into danger is a completely different story.
Characters
It´s not easy to be an Oracle at all – even when you haven´t discarded the test yet. And certainly not when you get involved with the evil and don´t know it. But Aprilynne Pike uses that to her advantage and created with Charlotte a character who learns from her mistakes and who puts the strong bonds of a family above everything.
When she starts to realize what she´d done by dropping her shields, she no longer obeys and starts to work out a plan to bring evil to justice.
The way how she begins to understand why her aunt lives the life she lives, why she is the way she is and what she does to prepare her family to prevent them from harm – all that shows a strength which is just incredible.
Result
The author uses a great legend in her story and puts that with wonderful words on paper. This thriller is the first one I´ve read from this author, and it was worth every minute I spend with it.
Aprilynne Pike has a great way to bring a novel to life. Charlotte is an Oracle but she´s forced to deny that. Her aunt taught her as long as she can remember that whenever she feels a vision coming, she needs to block her - because visions are dangerous in many ways. But one day Charlotte isn´t able to do so and has no other choice but to let them unfold.
That´s painful and rips her off her feet. She knows it´s totally against the rules, but when she sees that a girl she knows will be brutally murdered, she decides to let the visions unfold their power and hopes that she can save a life.
Her struggle with the following incidents shows the author in a beautifully written and very sensitive way. This captivating thriller is written from Charlotte´s point of view and puts the reader in a world where love is one thing, but bringing that love into danger is a completely different story.
Characters
It´s not easy to be an Oracle at all – even when you haven´t discarded the test yet. And certainly not when you get involved with the evil and don´t know it. But Aprilynne Pike uses that to her advantage and created with Charlotte a character who learns from her mistakes and who puts the strong bonds of a family above everything.
When she starts to realize what she´d done by dropping her shields, she no longer obeys and starts to work out a plan to bring evil to justice.
The way how she begins to understand why her aunt lives the life she lives, why she is the way she is and what she does to prepare her family to prevent them from harm – all that shows a strength which is just incredible.
Result
The author uses a great legend in her story and puts that with wonderful words on paper. This thriller is the first one I´ve read from this author, and it was worth every minute I spend with it.
April 17, 2021
1.5 stars
As a fan of all things timey-wimey, when I spotted Sleep No More being advertised as a thriller with a "change the future" kind of aspect, I was immediately intrigued. I'll be the first to admit that I had not heard many great things about Aprilynne Pike's writing, but I thought I might as well give it a shot - because maybe this story could convince me. While I was absorbed by the creeptastic story, the ending was a disaster, and without the illusion of suspense I realized... I didn't like this book very much.
So in Sleep No More, our main character, Charlotte, is an oracle. She's spent her life fighting her visions, because she's not supposed to interfere with the future, but now the visions are overpowering her as she sees brutal murders of her fellow classmates. A serial killer is on the loose. I don't often pick up serial killer type stories, I must admit. It's not exactly my thing, but I thought with the paranormal aspect of seeing the future, this was worth a shot. And boy did it bring the creep factor. Charlotte sees these murders and the aftermaths, and it chilled me to my core. It evoked such suspense that I just had to keep reading to know who was doing this and why.
And so, for much of the novel, I was completely engrossed. Charlotte finds out more about her powers and what she can do, and tries to help in whatever way she can. However. However. Obviously, there is a big but. The plot was going so well until about 75%, because then, obviously, some resolutions had to happen. And it was a messy disaster. Nothing made sense anymore. You can't just throw in all these supernatural elements suddenly and then just rush a half-assed explanation of them. Talk about your poor planning and poor worldbuilding. I was so excited to learn who the killer was and then it was just a combination of easy way out + fuzzy resolutions. Disappointment doesn't begin to cover it. This could have been so much more.
But how the plot crashed and burned isn't even my biggest complaint about this novel. When the suspense was receding, my eyes were opened to the bad writing. People weren't joking around about Aprilynne Pike's writing. It's all tell and no show. That makes me sad. It was okay during the sections with a lot of action and suspense, and I didn't notice it, but at the end, it comes down to the characters and how they've been affected. Here's my biggest problem: Charlotte doesn't seemed to be scarred at all. I mean, she tells you she is.
But do you see how I don't buy this? Okay, here's where my review is going to get personal. At the beginning of the month, I was walking to the station after my cousin's birthday party. It's a creepy road that's almost completely dark, and I was crying because I didn't enjoy the party at all. Suddenly, out of nowhere, this guy was standing in the middle of the path. I jumped a bit, but I kept walking and moved to walk around him. I passed him, let out a breath, but suddenly, his hand came out of nowhere and he grabbed me by my thigh. I screamed, pulled away, and pulled out my phone. LUCKILY, he backed off there, and I ran off, talking to my dad on the phone until I got to the station, but I have to admit it's the most terrified I've ever been in my life. I was sobbing uncontrollably. The rest of the night I was constantly looking over my shoulder. I was only sticking to well lit roads, always making sure there were people around, and at the station, I pretty much hugged this pole that has a panic button. This is fear.
The fear that I was feeling earlier in the novel was my own fear - not the main character's fear. And that would have been fine if this was a second person novel, but it's not. (And ew, no to second person.) The thing is, this is just not how you convey fear. You can't just TELL me the character's frightened. You have to make me feel it through the main character - the full range of the emotional trauma, including not only fear, but paranoia, suspicion, terror to the point of uncontrollable crying, and the desire to lock yourself up in the safety of your home for the rest of your life. Thinking about it, I think fear is possibly the hardest emotion to write - especially if you're writing about attacks, harassment, or abuse, which (hopefully) you haven't experienced yourself. For people who know even a shred of what that actually feels like, you won't come across as genuine.
Could what I'm describing be considered overkill? Perhaps. But moderation would be fine. Just, if you're writing realistic fiction (which I would argue this still is in spite of the paranormal element) and you're writing a thriller from the eyes of a victim... you have to show that you know at least to some degree what a realistic person would feel in that situation. You have to show that. And not just tell me. Because I don't buy it. Not even for a second. Charlotte is freaking Hercules, because it seems like none of this affects her for more than an hour. And she witnesses terrifying things. People getting their throat slit, beaten to death with a bat, chopped up by a machete - she's even grabbed in the dark herself. But no lasting impact, aside from telling us, which I find hard to buy. In fact, when she should be scared and paranoid, she dreams about her boyfriend and how much she wants to kiss him and whatever, even begging her mom to let her leave the house to see him while the killer is still out there. Prioritization, bitch. Ughhhhh.
Summing Up:
Obviously I pulled my own personal experiences into this story, and that's a big barrier for me to like it. But even without that, this would have bothered me. Perhaps not to this extent, but still. The suspense and creepiness was good... until that last fateful quarter. Then I was left with bad writing, bad characterization, bad romance, bad plot resolutions, and bad worldbuilding. So... yeah. I'm disappointed.
GIF it to me straight!
*ARC received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the contents of the review.
As a fan of all things timey-wimey, when I spotted Sleep No More being advertised as a thriller with a "change the future" kind of aspect, I was immediately intrigued. I'll be the first to admit that I had not heard many great things about Aprilynne Pike's writing, but I thought I might as well give it a shot - because maybe this story could convince me. While I was absorbed by the creeptastic story, the ending was a disaster, and without the illusion of suspense I realized... I didn't like this book very much.
So in Sleep No More, our main character, Charlotte, is an oracle. She's spent her life fighting her visions, because she's not supposed to interfere with the future, but now the visions are overpowering her as she sees brutal murders of her fellow classmates. A serial killer is on the loose. I don't often pick up serial killer type stories, I must admit. It's not exactly my thing, but I thought with the paranormal aspect of seeing the future, this was worth a shot. And boy did it bring the creep factor. Charlotte sees these murders and the aftermaths, and it chilled me to my core. It evoked such suspense that I just had to keep reading to know who was doing this and why.
And so, for much of the novel, I was completely engrossed. Charlotte finds out more about her powers and what she can do, and tries to help in whatever way she can. However. However. Obviously, there is a big but. The plot was going so well until about 75%, because then, obviously, some resolutions had to happen. And it was a messy disaster. Nothing made sense anymore. You can't just throw in all these supernatural elements suddenly and then just rush a half-assed explanation of them. Talk about your poor planning and poor worldbuilding. I was so excited to learn who the killer was and then it was just a combination of easy way out + fuzzy resolutions. Disappointment doesn't begin to cover it. This could have been so much more.
But how the plot crashed and burned isn't even my biggest complaint about this novel. When the suspense was receding, my eyes were opened to the bad writing. People weren't joking around about Aprilynne Pike's writing. It's all tell and no show. That makes me sad. It was okay during the sections with a lot of action and suspense, and I didn't notice it, but at the end, it comes down to the characters and how they've been affected. Here's my biggest problem: Charlotte doesn't seemed to be scarred at all. I mean, she tells you she is.
I wonder how long it will be before I can sleep peacefully again. - Sleep No More by Aprilynne Pike (ARC)
She says it so calmly, but I was on the brink of that insantiy and even now - in this comfortable room with Sierra's arm around my shoulders - it terrifies me. - Sleep No More by Aprilynne Pike (ARC)
But do you see how I don't buy this? Okay, here's where my review is going to get personal. At the beginning of the month, I was walking to the station after my cousin's birthday party. It's a creepy road that's almost completely dark, and I was crying because I didn't enjoy the party at all. Suddenly, out of nowhere, this guy was standing in the middle of the path. I jumped a bit, but I kept walking and moved to walk around him. I passed him, let out a breath, but suddenly, his hand came out of nowhere and he grabbed me by my thigh. I screamed, pulled away, and pulled out my phone. LUCKILY, he backed off there, and I ran off, talking to my dad on the phone until I got to the station, but I have to admit it's the most terrified I've ever been in my life. I was sobbing uncontrollably. The rest of the night I was constantly looking over my shoulder. I was only sticking to well lit roads, always making sure there were people around, and at the station, I pretty much hugged this pole that has a panic button. This is fear.
The fear that I was feeling earlier in the novel was my own fear - not the main character's fear. And that would have been fine if this was a second person novel, but it's not. (And ew, no to second person.) The thing is, this is just not how you convey fear. You can't just TELL me the character's frightened. You have to make me feel it through the main character - the full range of the emotional trauma, including not only fear, but paranoia, suspicion, terror to the point of uncontrollable crying, and the desire to lock yourself up in the safety of your home for the rest of your life. Thinking about it, I think fear is possibly the hardest emotion to write - especially if you're writing about attacks, harassment, or abuse, which (hopefully) you haven't experienced yourself. For people who know even a shred of what that actually feels like, you won't come across as genuine.
Could what I'm describing be considered overkill? Perhaps. But moderation would be fine. Just, if you're writing realistic fiction (which I would argue this still is in spite of the paranormal element) and you're writing a thriller from the eyes of a victim... you have to show that you know at least to some degree what a realistic person would feel in that situation. You have to show that. And not just tell me. Because I don't buy it. Not even for a second. Charlotte is freaking Hercules, because it seems like none of this affects her for more than an hour. And she witnesses terrifying things. People getting their throat slit, beaten to death with a bat, chopped up by a machete - she's even grabbed in the dark herself. But no lasting impact, aside from telling us, which I find hard to buy. In fact, when she should be scared and paranoid, she dreams about her boyfriend and how much she wants to kiss him and whatever, even begging her mom to let her leave the house to see him while the killer is still out there. Prioritization, bitch. Ughhhhh.
Summing Up:
Obviously I pulled my own personal experiences into this story, and that's a big barrier for me to like it. But even without that, this would have bothered me. Perhaps not to this extent, but still. The suspense and creepiness was good... until that last fateful quarter. Then I was left with bad writing, bad characterization, bad romance, bad plot resolutions, and bad worldbuilding. So... yeah. I'm disappointed.
GIF it to me straight!
*ARC received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the contents of the review.
February 11, 2017
This and other reviews can be found on The Psychotic Nerd
MY THOUGHTS
Ever since Charlotte was three years old, she has had visions of the future. It was at that moment that her Aunt began to train her on how to be an Oracle. Then, at six, Charlotte tried to change the future, which ended up with the death of her father and her mother in a wheelchair. After that, Charlotte learned the lesson that she cannot change the future. For ten years she completely blocks out all visions, until one day a vision becomes so strong that she cannot block it. She ends up getting a vision of a murder of one of her classmates. How can she possibly not try and change this? Especially when the murders don't stop...
I was kind of iffy about this book at first just because it was compared to Wake, which was a book I read many years ago and absolutely hated it. Sorry, Wake fans. Thankfully, this was nothing like that book. This book reminded me more of Slide by Jill Hathaway. This book is mainly a thriller at heart, but it has a very unique touch of paranormal. There's the whole Oracle aspect and the visions involved, which are interesting by itself. There was also a whole bunch of other very interesting and unique abilities that Charlotte was able to unlock further along in the book. In fact, this book gets so much more hardcore, dark, and very very different as the book goes on. Can't really explain why, due to spoilers, but it was very interesting.
Charlotte's not really an abnormal main character. She's much like many other heroines. She's not enormously admirable, but she's not annoying. She's just a girl with a very interesting ability that instead of being a blessing, it's more of a curse, and she wishes she could be normal. The character in this book that really did annoy me is her Aunt. I don't dislike her, I just disliked how she withheld information from Charlotte, saying she was too young. Really, Charlotte has to live with this ability, she needs to know the dangers. If her Aunt were to only tell her these things, she could have saved Charlotte from many many things that happened in this book.
I found the unique thriller-esque way very interesting, but it did get a bit confusing at the end. It was mostly because so much was happening at the end, that there was an overload in my brain. Other than that, this book does have surprising twists to it, though some parts of it were predictable.
IN CONCLUSION
Overall, an interesting way to combine thriller and paranormal. The main reason why I only gave this a three is just that this book is very similar to other thrillers I've read, even though the whole Oracle aspect is very new. If you enjoy thrillers with a touch of paranormal, I do recommend this book!
MY THOUGHTS
Ever since Charlotte was three years old, she has had visions of the future. It was at that moment that her Aunt began to train her on how to be an Oracle. Then, at six, Charlotte tried to change the future, which ended up with the death of her father and her mother in a wheelchair. After that, Charlotte learned the lesson that she cannot change the future. For ten years she completely blocks out all visions, until one day a vision becomes so strong that she cannot block it. She ends up getting a vision of a murder of one of her classmates. How can she possibly not try and change this? Especially when the murders don't stop...
I was kind of iffy about this book at first just because it was compared to Wake, which was a book I read many years ago and absolutely hated it. Sorry, Wake fans. Thankfully, this was nothing like that book. This book reminded me more of Slide by Jill Hathaway. This book is mainly a thriller at heart, but it has a very unique touch of paranormal. There's the whole Oracle aspect and the visions involved, which are interesting by itself. There was also a whole bunch of other very interesting and unique abilities that Charlotte was able to unlock further along in the book. In fact, this book gets so much more hardcore, dark, and very very different as the book goes on. Can't really explain why, due to spoilers, but it was very interesting.
Charlotte's not really an abnormal main character. She's much like many other heroines. She's not enormously admirable, but she's not annoying. She's just a girl with a very interesting ability that instead of being a blessing, it's more of a curse, and she wishes she could be normal. The character in this book that really did annoy me is her Aunt. I don't dislike her, I just disliked how she withheld information from Charlotte, saying she was too young. Really, Charlotte has to live with this ability, she needs to know the dangers. If her Aunt were to only tell her these things, she could have saved Charlotte from many many things that happened in this book.
I found the unique thriller-esque way very interesting, but it did get a bit confusing at the end. It was mostly because so much was happening at the end, that there was an overload in my brain. Other than that, this book does have surprising twists to it, though some parts of it were predictable.
IN CONCLUSION
Overall, an interesting way to combine thriller and paranormal. The main reason why I only gave this a three is just that this book is very similar to other thrillers I've read, even though the whole Oracle aspect is very new. If you enjoy thrillers with a touch of paranormal, I do recommend this book!
February 9, 2017
A copy of this novel was provided by Harper Collins Australia in exchange for an honest review.
WOW. Okay, let me start off by saying that I read Sleep No More in about three hours, which is a pretty big feat, especially since I started it at 9pm. NO SLEEP TO BE HAD FOR AMAZING BOOKS. But seriously, I was blown away.
I must admit something to you all. I simply must. … I am a fan of novels that have a small cast of characters. Yes, I like to read novels that have a wide range of characters with differing personalities and motives etc etc. But I prefer to have a small cast. One where we can really get to know the characters: who they are, why they do what they do, what is really important to them. I love getting to know the nitty gritty of a character and I think a small cast allows this on a greater level.
Sleep No More has a small cast. It pretty much centres on the same five characters and their journey, but also includes other characters who may not have a huge role scene or speech-wise but play a huge role in the novel overall. Did I achieve confusion? *high fives you*
I’d call Sleep No More a thriller, and that’s one of the reasons why I liked it so much. Most of the YA novels I read don’t really have any suspense. And sure, that may be because I am not scouring the shelves for thrillers, but that might change now because I loved the thrill that reading Sleep No More gave me. I loved the guessing and the condemning and the heart beating. I love it when a book makes me feel different things (that aren’t depressing or swoony).
Because of this mystery aspect, there really is not a lot I can say about the storyline because I think even the slightest speculation on my part could potentially ruin the entire story for you and then I’d feel immense guilt and sorrow.
So. Great characters. Mystery. Eerie happenings. MURDER. BETRAYAL. Love. Lust. MAGIC. THRILLS. Suspicion. Secrets. AWESOMESAUCE.
Okay maybe that last one wasn’t in the novel, but everything else was and they are all reasons why Sleep No More should be the next book to hit your shelves! Or your eyes, but not in the way that would hurt you.
*pushes you out the door* Go. Go now and read Sleep No More!
© 2014, Chiara @ Books for a Delicate Eternity . All rights reserved.
Your Turn: Do you prefer books with a small cast of characters, or a large? Why? Are thrilling novels exciting for you to read?
WOW. Okay, let me start off by saying that I read Sleep No More in about three hours, which is a pretty big feat, especially since I started it at 9pm. NO SLEEP TO BE HAD FOR AMAZING BOOKS. But seriously, I was blown away.
I must admit something to you all. I simply must. … I am a fan of novels that have a small cast of characters. Yes, I like to read novels that have a wide range of characters with differing personalities and motives etc etc. But I prefer to have a small cast. One where we can really get to know the characters: who they are, why they do what they do, what is really important to them. I love getting to know the nitty gritty of a character and I think a small cast allows this on a greater level.
Sleep No More has a small cast. It pretty much centres on the same five characters and their journey, but also includes other characters who may not have a huge role scene or speech-wise but play a huge role in the novel overall. Did I achieve confusion? *high fives you*
I’d call Sleep No More a thriller, and that’s one of the reasons why I liked it so much. Most of the YA novels I read don’t really have any suspense. And sure, that may be because I am not scouring the shelves for thrillers, but that might change now because I loved the thrill that reading Sleep No More gave me. I loved the guessing and the condemning and the heart beating. I love it when a book makes me feel different things (that aren’t depressing or swoony).
Because of this mystery aspect, there really is not a lot I can say about the storyline because I think even the slightest speculation on my part could potentially ruin the entire story for you and then I’d feel immense guilt and sorrow.
So. Great characters. Mystery. Eerie happenings. MURDER. BETRAYAL. Love. Lust. MAGIC. THRILLS. Suspicion. Secrets. AWESOMESAUCE.
Okay maybe that last one wasn’t in the novel, but everything else was and they are all reasons why Sleep No More should be the next book to hit your shelves! Or your eyes, but not in the way that would hurt you.
*pushes you out the door* Go. Go now and read Sleep No More!
© 2014, Chiara @ Books for a Delicate Eternity . All rights reserved.
Your Turn: Do you prefer books with a small cast of characters, or a large? Why? Are thrilling novels exciting for you to read?
April 25, 2014
I guess my ‘best reads’ luck has run out with this one. It was contrived, predictable and wasted a potentially good concept. What a bummer! :(
April 13, 2014
Well what can I start off saying….. I loved this one it was filled with so much action, adventure and twist I could not put this one down. Pike gave me the chance to fall in love with something new, well for me. I have not read may books with oracles in them or the main character so it made for a very fastening read.
Fallowing Charlotte on her journey to discover what she is and how to deal with it as well. She cant seem to not want to step in and change the future, her visions make it hard for her to look away and she has suffered a great deal because once when she was younger it changed her life for ever. Now there seems to be a killer on the lose and Charlotte keeps seeing the kids she goes to school with dyeing and there is nothing she can do to stop it or is there? Until, she meets someone who knows her secrets and wants to teach her how to change the future. But things are not as easy as they seem and maybe changing the future is only going to make it worse.
This one is fast paced and page turning. The plot the story line everything about it makes it intense. Charlotte has a very special gift but I am not sure I would want the burned of the knowing the future and not being able to do anything. She really has a fight in this one, and a life for a girl her age seemed so hard. I love how each and every character for so well in this one and made for a much better read. That doesn’t happen much in a book when I read it, I always seem to hate someone or something and I just could not find it in this one.
So when she has to figure out who is murdering the kids at her school she will have to make a chance to step back and let it happen or listen to this stranger “Smith” who says he knows all about her and can help her stop it. Not sure I liked “Smith’ form the start but with out him the story would have not been so paging flipping worthy! This is one of those type of books you have to read to get more of, I can’t write a review for it all or then I am just rambling and giving it all away! SO get out and get this one its worth the read I promise!
Fallowing Charlotte on her journey to discover what she is and how to deal with it as well. She cant seem to not want to step in and change the future, her visions make it hard for her to look away and she has suffered a great deal because once when she was younger it changed her life for ever. Now there seems to be a killer on the lose and Charlotte keeps seeing the kids she goes to school with dyeing and there is nothing she can do to stop it or is there? Until, she meets someone who knows her secrets and wants to teach her how to change the future. But things are not as easy as they seem and maybe changing the future is only going to make it worse.
This one is fast paced and page turning. The plot the story line everything about it makes it intense. Charlotte has a very special gift but I am not sure I would want the burned of the knowing the future and not being able to do anything. She really has a fight in this one, and a life for a girl her age seemed so hard. I love how each and every character for so well in this one and made for a much better read. That doesn’t happen much in a book when I read it, I always seem to hate someone or something and I just could not find it in this one.
So when she has to figure out who is murdering the kids at her school she will have to make a chance to step back and let it happen or listen to this stranger “Smith” who says he knows all about her and can help her stop it. Not sure I liked “Smith’ form the start but with out him the story would have not been so paging flipping worthy! This is one of those type of books you have to read to get more of, I can’t write a review for it all or then I am just rambling and giving it all away! SO get out and get this one its worth the read I promise!
January 27, 2014
3.5 stars
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)
16-year-old Charlotte is an oracle – she has visions of the future, but after changing one of her visions and accidentally killing her father, she tries to ignore her visions as much as possible.
When she gets a vision of a murder, a vision that she can’t push away, she does what her aunt has trained her to do – nothing, only to receive a text from an unknown number asking her why she didn’t stop the murder from happening. Charlotte begins to wonder if she really could have prevented the murder, or whether interfering would make thing worse; like it did with her dad.
Can Charlotte really change the future? And more importantly – why will happen if she does?
This was an interesting story about a girl who could see the future, and I was really desperate to find out who the killer was!
I liked Charlotte and I admired the way she wanted to make things better, and to stop bad things from happening before they happened. I also liked the way she didn’t put herself in danger whilst trying to help other people.
The storyline in this was pretty good, and I really wanted to find out who the killer was. I did think the second half of the book wasn’t quite as good as the first half, but I still liked it overall. The mystery element was done well, the paranormal element also fitted in nicely, and there was a bit of a twist to the tale at the end.
There was a little bit of romance, but it wasn’t really a big part of the storyline.
The ending was okay, and I’m wondering if this is going to turn into a series now. It would certainly be interesting to see what Charlotte has learned after this little adventure!
Overall; a good paranormal mystery story.
7 out of 10.
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)
16-year-old Charlotte is an oracle – she has visions of the future, but after changing one of her visions and accidentally killing her father, she tries to ignore her visions as much as possible.
When she gets a vision of a murder, a vision that she can’t push away, she does what her aunt has trained her to do – nothing, only to receive a text from an unknown number asking her why she didn’t stop the murder from happening. Charlotte begins to wonder if she really could have prevented the murder, or whether interfering would make thing worse; like it did with her dad.
Can Charlotte really change the future? And more importantly – why will happen if she does?
This was an interesting story about a girl who could see the future, and I was really desperate to find out who the killer was!
I liked Charlotte and I admired the way she wanted to make things better, and to stop bad things from happening before they happened. I also liked the way she didn’t put herself in danger whilst trying to help other people.
The storyline in this was pretty good, and I really wanted to find out who the killer was. I did think the second half of the book wasn’t quite as good as the first half, but I still liked it overall. The mystery element was done well, the paranormal element also fitted in nicely, and there was a bit of a twist to the tale at the end.
There was a little bit of romance, but it wasn’t really a big part of the storyline.
The ending was okay, and I’m wondering if this is going to turn into a series now. It would certainly be interesting to see what Charlotte has learned after this little adventure!
Overall; a good paranormal mystery story.
7 out of 10.
January 3, 2015
1.5 Odd Clouds
Oracles are cool. Don't believe anything else about them. Sure, they may be dangerous and mean but overall, they're great. Charlotte is not because she acts like a ten-year old when people from her school start getting murdered. Sure, she could have been in a shit ton of trouble for telling her aunt that she saw the visions but she thought that she was a grown up and decided she could do it on her own (See? ten-year olds think they can do EVERYTHING by themselves just because they've been alive for a decade.) Charlotte takes care of everything in such a juvenile way that I got a sore neck from all the head shaking I did whenever she got a vision or someone got killed. I was so disappointed with this one because the premise sounds good. Oracles and murders. What could go wrongs? Almost everything, that's what.
Right off the bat, the novel has a childish feel to it. I don't mind teens doing dumb shit and all that stuff but come on, this is just ridiculous. Moreover, all of the characters are flat and not at all well described. The ending is really forced. I knew who the killer was once they came into the picture, nothing exciting about that.
Nevertheless, the oracle aspect of the book, by far was my favourite. I just couldn't get enough! The visions! The suspense! The randomness of it all! So good.
Sleep No More is not a book I would call suspenseful because, it generally isn't. It's a bit predictable, childish, and dull. I can't say that I completely hated it but I came awfully close to it. I only recommend this to those who absolutely love oracles and stuff like that and don't mind dull, predictable plots.
April 11, 2015
Charlotte ist ein Orakel. Das bedeutet, sie kann in die Zukunft schauen. Ihr Leben lang hält sie sich an drei Regeln: Jede sich anbahnende Vision muss unterdrückt werden. Niemand darf je erfahren, was sie ist. Und die Zukunft darf unter keinen Umständen verändert werden. Den Preis eines Regelverstoßes musste sie im Alter von sechs Jahren bitter lernen. Damals versuchte sie den Tod ihrer Tante zu verhindern. Stattdessen verlor sie ihren Vater und ihre Mutter landete im Rollstuhl. Als sie jetzt eine mächtige Vision nicht zurück drängen kann und seit 10 Jahren das erste Mal den Tod eines Menschen vorhersieht, ist sie hin und her gerissen. Doch bereits am nächsten Morgen sind die grausamen Bilder bereits Gesprächsthema Nummer eins bei allen Nachrichtensendern. Bei ihrer nächsten Vision ist Charlotte klar: Sie muss handeln. Dabei bekommt sie Hilfe von ganz unerwarteter Seite. Und so verstrickt sie sich in ein Verwirrspiel von Vertrauen und Verrat, Liebe und Hass, Realität und Vision, Schuld und beginnendem Wahnsinn.
Charlotte ist ein sehr authentischer Charakter, dem man die Zerrissenheit zwischen dem Wunsch, die Welt zu verbessern und der Angst, alles nur noch schlimmer zu machen, absolut abkauft. Von ihrer Tante ist sie ihr Leben lang über das Ausmaß ihrer Fähigkeiten im Dunklen gelassen worden, so dass sie es einfach nicht besser weiß und deshalb zwar nicht immer klug aber nachvollziehbar handelt. Teilweise sind Charlottes Visionen sehr blutig und erschreckend. Die Vorstellung, dass in der Kleinstadt ein Mörder frei herum läuft, der scheinbar wahllos Jugendliche abschlachtet ist wirklich sehr befremdlich.
Das Buch ist von der ersten bis zur letzten Seite spannend, ein wahrer Pageturner, den ich nicht mehr aus der Hand legen wollte. Es ist ein Thriller mit übernatürlichem Touch, der in einem unerwartetem und atemraubenden Finale gipfelt.
Charlotte ist ein sehr authentischer Charakter, dem man die Zerrissenheit zwischen dem Wunsch, die Welt zu verbessern und der Angst, alles nur noch schlimmer zu machen, absolut abkauft. Von ihrer Tante ist sie ihr Leben lang über das Ausmaß ihrer Fähigkeiten im Dunklen gelassen worden, so dass sie es einfach nicht besser weiß und deshalb zwar nicht immer klug aber nachvollziehbar handelt. Teilweise sind Charlottes Visionen sehr blutig und erschreckend. Die Vorstellung, dass in der Kleinstadt ein Mörder frei herum läuft, der scheinbar wahllos Jugendliche abschlachtet ist wirklich sehr befremdlich.
Das Buch ist von der ersten bis zur letzten Seite spannend, ein wahrer Pageturner, den ich nicht mehr aus der Hand legen wollte. Es ist ein Thriller mit übernatürlichem Touch, der in einem unerwartetem und atemraubenden Finale gipfelt.
May 20, 2014
Sleep No More was an okay read, but i started to get bored at the halfway mark.
I felt really sorry for Charlotte. Being able to see how people were going to die would be horrible, especially if the person was murdered!
I wouldn't have been able to cope knowing that i could have changed someones future... but wasn't allowed to.
I guessed who the killer was, so i wasn't shocked when it was revealed, but it took ages for Charlotte to work it out.
The pacing was alright to start with, but the second half dragged.
I don't know if it was because i had suspicions about who the killer was... or if it was just slow.
Overall, okay, but a bit slow and predictable.
I felt really sorry for Charlotte. Being able to see how people were going to die would be horrible, especially if the person was murdered!
I wouldn't have been able to cope knowing that i could have changed someones future... but wasn't allowed to.
I guessed who the killer was, so i wasn't shocked when it was revealed, but it took ages for Charlotte to work it out.
The pacing was alright to start with, but the second half dragged.
I don't know if it was because i had suspicions about who the killer was... or if it was just slow.
Overall, okay, but a bit slow and predictable.
June 28, 2017
The plot of this book is very interesting and it enchants you from the first page itself.
The writing style and the sequence of the events taking place makes the book hard to put down and to forget.
Due to my exams it took me 2 months to finish the book *eye roll and a laser shooting glare towards my examiners*
however I never needed to go back and reread a few pages to remember what happened.
The characters are easy to love and sympathize with especially charlotte.
From page one I admired charlotte's personality and shared her sorrow on how constricted she felt especially with the fact that her visions are becoming more vital and a matter of life and death (literally).
The beauty of APRILYNN PIKE's writing style is that it involves you unconsciously in the story and the characters thus as a result you ( the reader ) will fully experience charlotte's character development where she loses the guilt and replaces it with understanding that her guilt was only her mind's defensive method to deal with the pain of what had happened years back. That guilt was also her mind's only reasoning on why she needs to find her inner instinct and conscious and follow the rules the sister's has given put.
Charlotte's mother is a normal realistic mother who has had enough of pain and loss in her life that she is on the verge of freaking out as soon as she comes to know that there is a small possibility she might be losing her daughter as well.
Charlotte's aunt, sierra, was very secretive and annoying at the beginning that resulted in me believing most of the weird conspiracies I came out with while reading ( sometimes even on my bed before I sleep when I just need to stop thinking of my studies :P )
At the end you come to see her point of view and understand why she did the things she did.
You also come to see that non of your oh so great theories about her are true LOL
This book has a very undetailed, unnoticed love story and that was actually for the first time ever very enjoyable to me as I really loved how APRILYNN PIKE concentrated more on the oracles and their world to maintain the plot line than the romance aspect.
All in all this book is very interesting and appropriate for all ages and all literal tastes.
Until next time, stay kind one another and always read.
Xx Menna Khaled Xx
September 12, 2016
“Sleep No More” is set in the present in a small sleepy town. Long ago, Oracles were praised, and worshipped to like gods. They helped humans with their foreseeing visions. But after many catastrophic events, such as the fall of the Roman Empire the Oracles of the world decided to stifle out their visions and refused to service the humans with their visions. Not long after that, Oracles became a long forgotten myth to most of the world. 16 year old Charlotte Westing is an oracle-she has future seeing visions, but after accidentally killing her father in place of her aunt, she tries to suppress her visions as much as possible.
When Charlotte foresees a vision of a girl at her school brutally murdered, she starts getting mysterious messages from someone accusing her of not saving the girl and knowing about her powers. She eventually ends up meeting this person and he teaches her how to change the future to save the murder victims. At first she trusts this stranger named Smith but then starts to wonder if he really has her best interests at heart.
The theme of “Sleep No More” is to “Trust your friends and family.” In the book, Charlotte makes the mistake of not telling her aunt the truth about not being able to suppress her visions as her aunt; a more experienced Oracle could've helped her. Because of this, Charlotte gets into a lot more than she's bargained for.
Charlotte Westing herself wasn't particularly likeable. She often did stupid and naive things that lead to her demise. She trusted a random stranger almost immediately and didn't tell her aunt whom was her mentor since the age of 3. Charlotte could've prevented everything from happening by just trusting her aunt who's always been there for her but not that I'm complaining, the story was compelling. There wasn't much character change in Charlotte as the story progressed considering the ordeal she went through. I would've liked to seen a total change in perspective since she went from strong to stronger in the story.
One thing I liked about “Sleep No More” was the suspense. It kept me on the edge of my seat until I finished the book in one day! The storyline was quick paced and a page turner. In other books I’ve read, there are often a few fill-in chapters that get boring, but I can guarantee you that there is not one non-fast paced scene. I must warn that the book is pretty gruesome. When Charlotte is envisioning the murders, they aren't pretty. “Deep red liquid pools under her neck, still dripping from her unmoving body. The puddle spreads as I watch, and the slice across her neck gapes in a grotesque display that makes my whole body rebel.” Another thing I liked was how “Sleep No More” is able to present battles on both the physical and physiological plane. It was interesting to see Charlotte struggle mentally and physically between her visions and the murders. One thing I did not like about “Sleep No More” was the predictability. I myself like to be surprised and this story wasn't satisfying my appetite for surprise. I could just see the plot coming together and wished something magnificent and wild would've happened in the end but nonetheless I still enjoyed this book.
Overall I loved the book, there's not many books these days about Oracles. I loved how Aprilynne Pike weaved Greek Oracles with serial killers. I would recommend this book for fans of Harry Potter and Percy Jackson looking for a quick but exciting read.
When Charlotte foresees a vision of a girl at her school brutally murdered, she starts getting mysterious messages from someone accusing her of not saving the girl and knowing about her powers. She eventually ends up meeting this person and he teaches her how to change the future to save the murder victims. At first she trusts this stranger named Smith but then starts to wonder if he really has her best interests at heart.
The theme of “Sleep No More” is to “Trust your friends and family.” In the book, Charlotte makes the mistake of not telling her aunt the truth about not being able to suppress her visions as her aunt; a more experienced Oracle could've helped her. Because of this, Charlotte gets into a lot more than she's bargained for.
Charlotte Westing herself wasn't particularly likeable. She often did stupid and naive things that lead to her demise. She trusted a random stranger almost immediately and didn't tell her aunt whom was her mentor since the age of 3. Charlotte could've prevented everything from happening by just trusting her aunt who's always been there for her but not that I'm complaining, the story was compelling. There wasn't much character change in Charlotte as the story progressed considering the ordeal she went through. I would've liked to seen a total change in perspective since she went from strong to stronger in the story.
One thing I liked about “Sleep No More” was the suspense. It kept me on the edge of my seat until I finished the book in one day! The storyline was quick paced and a page turner. In other books I’ve read, there are often a few fill-in chapters that get boring, but I can guarantee you that there is not one non-fast paced scene. I must warn that the book is pretty gruesome. When Charlotte is envisioning the murders, they aren't pretty. “Deep red liquid pools under her neck, still dripping from her unmoving body. The puddle spreads as I watch, and the slice across her neck gapes in a grotesque display that makes my whole body rebel.” Another thing I liked was how “Sleep No More” is able to present battles on both the physical and physiological plane. It was interesting to see Charlotte struggle mentally and physically between her visions and the murders. One thing I did not like about “Sleep No More” was the predictability. I myself like to be surprised and this story wasn't satisfying my appetite for surprise. I could just see the plot coming together and wished something magnificent and wild would've happened in the end but nonetheless I still enjoyed this book.
Overall I loved the book, there's not many books these days about Oracles. I loved how Aprilynne Pike weaved Greek Oracles with serial killers. I would recommend this book for fans of Harry Potter and Percy Jackson looking for a quick but exciting read.
June 26, 2014
First, I would like to thank Andye from Readingteen.net for giving me an ARC copy of Sleep No More to read, thank you so much!!!!
Going in to this book, I had absolutely no idea what it was about except that it involved Oracles. Suffice to say, I didn’t except to enjoy it as much as I did since a ton of reviewers have been leaving it 3 stars or less, but surprise, it was basically a murder mystery with a twist! And I love me some murder mystery.
Charlotte is an Oracle, and she starts receiving these premonitions in which she sees classmates of hers brutally murdered. Like anyone else with a soul, she can’t stand not doing anything about these murders, but that goes against everything she’s ever been taught about being an Oracle: fight the visions, don’t change the future, and most importantly, don’t tell anyone you’re an Oracle. But even that isn’t enough for her to try and stop the serial killer haunting her town.
Pike crafted this story so well I had no idea what to expect. I had my suspicions about who may be the killer, but then something would happen and I’d second guess myself. There was romance; more second hand to the story, but it was there. Plus, it took a twist at the end that one usually doesn’t see in YA literature, so I doubly applaud Pike for that. This story was full of imagination, what with the supernatural aspect and psyche aspects that require the reader to craft a dream world and just roll with all the twist and turns that causes. The action in this story, though a bit slow in the beginning, quickly picked up, and once the climax hit it was nonstop action there on out, I loved it. Some stand alone novels fail in the way that their climactic scene lasts about two pages then everything is solved BAM! No questions asked. But no, not this book. From my guestimations, the climax lasted for about 20 or so pages, so a hefty amount of action for us readers.
My opinion of the main character, Charlotte, fluctuated throughout the book. In the first few chapters, she didn’t exactly hold depth, but as Pike got into the story, Charlotte’s persona started coming out. She was a bit thick at times, doing things that left me questioning her sense of right and wrong. But I saw her character grow, especially at the end when she used her noggin and put on a brave face.
I would definitely suggest you read this book, just start with an open mind!!!!
Content:
Violence: Fairly heavy--mainly graphic descriptions of the dead bodies and how they were killed (I mean, there’s a serial killer so….)
Profanity: Some swears, but barely any at that
Sexual Content: A few kisses here and there but nothing heavy or descriptive, just implied
Going in to this book, I had absolutely no idea what it was about except that it involved Oracles. Suffice to say, I didn’t except to enjoy it as much as I did since a ton of reviewers have been leaving it 3 stars or less, but surprise, it was basically a murder mystery with a twist! And I love me some murder mystery.
Charlotte is an Oracle, and she starts receiving these premonitions in which she sees classmates of hers brutally murdered. Like anyone else with a soul, she can’t stand not doing anything about these murders, but that goes against everything she’s ever been taught about being an Oracle: fight the visions, don’t change the future, and most importantly, don’t tell anyone you’re an Oracle. But even that isn’t enough for her to try and stop the serial killer haunting her town.
Pike crafted this story so well I had no idea what to expect. I had my suspicions about who may be the killer, but then something would happen and I’d second guess myself. There was romance; more second hand to the story, but it was there. Plus, it took a twist at the end that one usually doesn’t see in YA literature, so I doubly applaud Pike for that. This story was full of imagination, what with the supernatural aspect and psyche aspects that require the reader to craft a dream world and just roll with all the twist and turns that causes. The action in this story, though a bit slow in the beginning, quickly picked up, and once the climax hit it was nonstop action there on out, I loved it. Some stand alone novels fail in the way that their climactic scene lasts about two pages then everything is solved BAM! No questions asked. But no, not this book. From my guestimations, the climax lasted for about 20 or so pages, so a hefty amount of action for us readers.
My opinion of the main character, Charlotte, fluctuated throughout the book. In the first few chapters, she didn’t exactly hold depth, but as Pike got into the story, Charlotte’s persona started coming out. She was a bit thick at times, doing things that left me questioning her sense of right and wrong. But I saw her character grow, especially at the end when she used her noggin and put on a brave face.
I would definitely suggest you read this book, just start with an open mind!!!!
Content:
Violence: Fairly heavy--mainly graphic descriptions of the dead bodies and how they were killed (I mean, there’s a serial killer so….)
Profanity: Some swears, but barely any at that
Sexual Content: A few kisses here and there but nothing heavy or descriptive, just implied
April 3, 2014
4.5 star review to come closer to publication date in April.
review:
As pain-stably that Sleep No More was while reading you always had "hope" lingering in the background. Pike wove such a storyline from start to finish. You could not put the book down, it took a lot of forcing myself to do so every night. This is not your "normal" or even close to normal Happy Ever After stories. Be prepared to take an emotional ride till the end and possibly read in one sitting.
Have you ever read a story about Oracles before? If you have I bet you you haven't read it like this. And don't expect anything Matrix like either. When you meet Charlotte and follow her story, you will agree with me 100% it's original and amazing. Charlotte has been taught to ignore what she is, never to use her gift. Because if she messes around with it and actually alters what she sees, it will change the events and possibly change it to something even worse then what she sees. This is the case with her dad. You'll find out all about that story when you begin reading the book.
So what is Charlotte to do when kids start getting murdered in her town, how does she ignore what she sees in her visions? This is a fight that will either break her or make her even stronger. Now cue in a stranger that approached Charlotte named Smith. He knows all about her and what she is capable off doing. Smith basically showed up and starts to give her guidance and Charlotte being the naive person she is, begins to listen to him so that she can help these people and not let them die. This Smith guy since the get go I was on the fence about which after you read the book you'll see why I didn't trust him as easily as Charlotte did. You'll have to read this book to learn about him and what happens with the visions.
Did I mention the cute friend Charlotte has been in love with since grade school? Now I did, it's not all death and murders, get ready for some sexy Linden. But be prepared the ending will knock the socks right off your feet. That's all you get from me, if I say more I'll give away the story.
Overall I recommend this story to everyone. It's a great murder-mystery with some romance and even paranormal elements thrown in there. Can't beat that.
review:
As pain-stably that Sleep No More was while reading you always had "hope" lingering in the background. Pike wove such a storyline from start to finish. You could not put the book down, it took a lot of forcing myself to do so every night. This is not your "normal" or even close to normal Happy Ever After stories. Be prepared to take an emotional ride till the end and possibly read in one sitting.
Have you ever read a story about Oracles before? If you have I bet you you haven't read it like this. And don't expect anything Matrix like either. When you meet Charlotte and follow her story, you will agree with me 100% it's original and amazing. Charlotte has been taught to ignore what she is, never to use her gift. Because if she messes around with it and actually alters what she sees, it will change the events and possibly change it to something even worse then what she sees. This is the case with her dad. You'll find out all about that story when you begin reading the book.
So what is Charlotte to do when kids start getting murdered in her town, how does she ignore what she sees in her visions? This is a fight that will either break her or make her even stronger. Now cue in a stranger that approached Charlotte named Smith. He knows all about her and what she is capable off doing. Smith basically showed up and starts to give her guidance and Charlotte being the naive person she is, begins to listen to him so that she can help these people and not let them die. This Smith guy since the get go I was on the fence about which after you read the book you'll see why I didn't trust him as easily as Charlotte did. You'll have to read this book to learn about him and what happens with the visions.
Did I mention the cute friend Charlotte has been in love with since grade school? Now I did, it's not all death and murders, get ready for some sexy Linden. But be prepared the ending will knock the socks right off your feet. That's all you get from me, if I say more I'll give away the story.
Overall I recommend this story to everyone. It's a great murder-mystery with some romance and even paranormal elements thrown in there. Can't beat that.
April 6, 2015
What I Loved: Easily the best part of this book is the Oracle and mystery aspects. I liked learning Pike’s spin on Oracles, their powers, and their world. While we don’t get as much information about them as I would’ve liked, we get a good sense of the main character, Charlotte’s, powers. My favorite part of the book though, was the mystery behind the killings, the actual killings themselves, and figuring out what was going on. I don’t know if I’m on a mystery kick or something, but when the killings happened, I couldn’t flip the pages fast enough. I liked how gruesome and real Pike was with each killing, you really get a clear picture of what happens to each victim and I was going crazy trying to figure out what was going on. Even though I kind of suspected who was behind it all, it was still cool watching it all play out.
Left Me Wanting More: I definitely didn’t care for the romance in this at all. I felt like Charlotte and Linden had no chemistry, their relationship felt forced, and I had no feelings towards them as a couple whatsoever. Granted, when you figure out what’s going on, it kind of plays into the story, but I didn’t care for it regardless. Also, I wanted to know more about the world of Oracles. You get a brief history lesson and are told of this secret society of “Sisters” that controls the Oracles, but that’s about it. I definitely wanted to know about them and to get a better understanding of the characters I was dealing with.
Final Verdict: I think people would enjoy this for the mystery and suspense alone. Yes, the romance was lacking and the world of the Oracles could’ve used a bit more fleshing out, but otherwise it was a pretty decent read and I was surprised by how much I liked it.
Left Me Wanting More: I definitely didn’t care for the romance in this at all. I felt like Charlotte and Linden had no chemistry, their relationship felt forced, and I had no feelings towards them as a couple whatsoever. Granted, when you figure out what’s going on, it kind of plays into the story, but I didn’t care for it regardless. Also, I wanted to know more about the world of Oracles. You get a brief history lesson and are told of this secret society of “Sisters” that controls the Oracles, but that’s about it. I definitely wanted to know about them and to get a better understanding of the characters I was dealing with.
Final Verdict: I think people would enjoy this for the mystery and suspense alone. Yes, the romance was lacking and the world of the Oracles could’ve used a bit more fleshing out, but otherwise it was a pretty decent read and I was surprised by how much I liked it.
August 22, 2022
Very fantastic book, loved the Oracles, and how the world works, and how Charlotte learned more! Really great, can't wait to read more!
May 16, 2017
First of all I love the cover, it's so beautiful.
This book was very interesting, fast faced and full of action. I liked it but I'm unsure if I'll continue on with the trilogy.
This book was very interesting, fast faced and full of action. I liked it but I'm unsure if I'll continue on with the trilogy.
August 12, 2020
Loved it so much!
September 9, 2019
Aprilynne Pike is one of my favourite authors and I enjoyed this book just as much as the others. It did freak me out a bit because I've always been creeped out by the concept of oracles. Also, I did work out who the killer was about 100 pages before it was revealed. Overall though, this book was still a good read.
May 4, 2014
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: Sleep No More is rich with mystery and darkness. All throughout the book, new clues piece together in an engaging novel that will have your heart beating.
Opening Sentence: I sit on the itchy couch and stare at mommy’s eyes, wishing for them to open.
The Review:
Charlotte is an oracle, and can see visions, except hers are more of a blessing than a curse. One day she sees a vision of a murder, and as she struggles to respect the rules of all oracles (including “don’t interfere”) she must pair up with a man named Smith who may or may not be trustworthy.
I enjoyed Sleep No More — finished it a day, in fact. I had previously read Pike’s Wings series, and loved the beautiful way she wrote and the world-building. She did not disappoint in this one, and although there were areas I expected more in, I was impressed altogether and finished it easily. Let me tell you my favorite thing about Sleep No More: the action. It was a constant page-turner and I was engaged wholly in Charlotte’s life. In some books, even books I love, there are periods of 20 pages that lag and make me take a break, but in this one, there wasn’t a single time that happened. I must warn you, this book is bloody and gruesome. When Charlotte is seeing the murders in her oracle visions, they aren’t pretty: “Deep red liquid pools under her neck, still dripping from her unmoving body. The puddle spreads as I watch, and the slice across her neck gapes in a grotesque display that makes my whole body rebel.” It isn’t for the fainthearted. If you can survive through Twilight’s birth scene, though, you are set!
Let’s talk about Charlotte. Her character is strong and not afraid to think for herself. I wish there had been more character development, as she went from strong to stronger. For example, Lena (Delerium), learns to think for herself, leaves the weak and believing girl she was behind. Charlotte didn’t have such a big change in perspective as I would have liked, considering the ordeal she goes through. While we’re on the subject of things I expected better of, I didn’t think the writing style was as pretty as Wings. It’s the same author, but from first person instead of third person omninescent, which made a different in my opinion. It didn’t feel as lyrical and unique, but then again, I haven’t read Wings in a while — maybe they aren’t that different.
The love story was cute until a huge plot twist at the end, something unexpected that I didn’t see coming. In fact, a lot of the best parts of the book are in plot twists at the end. Anyway, I was excited by the sudden change and I loved how Pike veered from the path of other romances. Linden himself was adorable, but didn’t seem as into the relationship as Charlotte was, so I didn’t appreciate him as much as I could’ve.
Hmm, I think that concludes my thoughts about Sleep No More. It was an exciting, enjoyable read perfect for fans of Harry Potter, and just increased my love for this author. Check out this novel and put it on your TBR list because you won’t regret it.
Notable Scene:
Then I freeze.
Bethany laughs and touches her friend’s shoulder.
I didn’t think about her face in the vision. Didn’t worry about identifying her.
All I saw was that cut. The blood.
She’s alive.
For now.
But she’s wearing those maroon ballet flats.
FTC Advisory: HarperTeen provided me with a copy of Sleep No More. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: Sleep No More is rich with mystery and darkness. All throughout the book, new clues piece together in an engaging novel that will have your heart beating.
Opening Sentence: I sit on the itchy couch and stare at mommy’s eyes, wishing for them to open.
The Review:
Charlotte is an oracle, and can see visions, except hers are more of a blessing than a curse. One day she sees a vision of a murder, and as she struggles to respect the rules of all oracles (including “don’t interfere”) she must pair up with a man named Smith who may or may not be trustworthy.
I enjoyed Sleep No More — finished it a day, in fact. I had previously read Pike’s Wings series, and loved the beautiful way she wrote and the world-building. She did not disappoint in this one, and although there were areas I expected more in, I was impressed altogether and finished it easily. Let me tell you my favorite thing about Sleep No More: the action. It was a constant page-turner and I was engaged wholly in Charlotte’s life. In some books, even books I love, there are periods of 20 pages that lag and make me take a break, but in this one, there wasn’t a single time that happened. I must warn you, this book is bloody and gruesome. When Charlotte is seeing the murders in her oracle visions, they aren’t pretty: “Deep red liquid pools under her neck, still dripping from her unmoving body. The puddle spreads as I watch, and the slice across her neck gapes in a grotesque display that makes my whole body rebel.” It isn’t for the fainthearted. If you can survive through Twilight’s birth scene, though, you are set!
Let’s talk about Charlotte. Her character is strong and not afraid to think for herself. I wish there had been more character development, as she went from strong to stronger. For example, Lena (Delerium), learns to think for herself, leaves the weak and believing girl she was behind. Charlotte didn’t have such a big change in perspective as I would have liked, considering the ordeal she goes through. While we’re on the subject of things I expected better of, I didn’t think the writing style was as pretty as Wings. It’s the same author, but from first person instead of third person omninescent, which made a different in my opinion. It didn’t feel as lyrical and unique, but then again, I haven’t read Wings in a while — maybe they aren’t that different.
The love story was cute until a huge plot twist at the end, something unexpected that I didn’t see coming. In fact, a lot of the best parts of the book are in plot twists at the end. Anyway, I was excited by the sudden change and I loved how Pike veered from the path of other romances. Linden himself was adorable, but didn’t seem as into the relationship as Charlotte was, so I didn’t appreciate him as much as I could’ve.
Hmm, I think that concludes my thoughts about Sleep No More. It was an exciting, enjoyable read perfect for fans of Harry Potter, and just increased my love for this author. Check out this novel and put it on your TBR list because you won’t regret it.
Notable Scene:
Then I freeze.
Bethany laughs and touches her friend’s shoulder.
I didn’t think about her face in the vision. Didn’t worry about identifying her.
All I saw was that cut. The blood.
She’s alive.
For now.
But she’s wearing those maroon ballet flats.
FTC Advisory: HarperTeen provided me with a copy of Sleep No More. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
April 14, 2015
Klappentext/Inhalt:
Ob morgen jemand stirbt, das weißt nur du allein
Viele träumen davon, für die 16-jährige Charlotte ist es ein Fluch: in die Zukunft blicken. Denn Charlotte ist ein Orakel und wird von Visionen heimgesucht – und sie muss dagegen ankämpfen, um jeden Preis. Nichts ist schlimmer als die Zukunft zu ändern, das hat Charlotte im Alter von sechs Jahren am eigenen Leib erfahren. Damals hat sie einen Unfall verursacht, bei dem ihr Vater starb. Doch als Charlotte es einmal nicht schafft, eine sehr mächtige Vision zu bekämpfen, sieht sie etwas, das ihr schier den Atem nimmt: Eine Mitschülerin liegt auf dem Footballfeld der Schule – ermordet. Am nächsten Morgen sind diese Bilder auf jedem Fernsehsender zu sehen, und nach einer weiteren Mordvision beschließt Charlotte zu handeln: Sie will in die Vision zurückkehren und den Mord verhindern. Etwas, das sie niemals tun dürfte …
Meine Meinung:
Als ich die Verlagsvorschauen durchgesehen habe, ist mir dieses Buch sofort aufgefallen. Das Cover ist sehr mysteriös. Der Klappentext ist sehr geheimnisvoll und verspricht eine spannende Geschichte.
Charlotte hat schon als Kind eine Gabe. Sie kann Visionen sehen. Als Kind sieht sie eine Vision und ist damit sehr unglücklich. Sie will dies unbedingt verhindern aber dann kommt alles ganz anders. Seit dem bekämpft sie diese Visionen. Damit ist sie auch sehr erfolgreich. Plötzlich bekommt sie schlimme Kopfschmerzen und kann die Vision nicht unterdrücken. Sie sieht etwas sehr grausames und vor allem sie kennt diese Person. Als sie am nächsten Tag die Nachrichten sieht, ist dies wirklich passiert. Danach bekommt sie immer mehr solcher Visionen und will diese Dinge auf jeden Fall verhindern. Sie darf dies nicht verhindern aber sie kann dies auch nicht einfach geschehen lassen.
Charlotte ist ein Mädchen, dass schon immer anders ist. Sie wird von den Anderen oft ausgeschlossen und hat deshalb kaum Freunde. Sie ist eben sonderbar. Damit hat sie oft zu kämpfen und vor allem darf sie niemanden sagen wieso sie so anders ist. Sie hat nur ihre Mutter und ihre Tante. Bei den beiden kann sie Trost finden. Leider vertraut sie sich aber keinen von beiden an. Wird ihr dies zum Verhängnis???
Das Buch war von Anfang bis Ende total spannend. Es passieren so viele Dinge und die Visionen haben mir total gut gefallen. Für manche sind sie vielleicht grausam aber dieses Buch hat auch Thriller-Elemente dabei. Charlotte ist eine tolle Protagonistin aber sie hätte an manchen Stellen einfach noch taffer sein können. Das Ende war dann schön aber hat mich nicht komplett zufrieden gestellt.
Fazit:
Dieses Buch war von Anfang an spannend. Von Seite zu Seite wurde es aufregender. Zur Protagonistin konnte ich eine gute Verbindung aufbauen und die Schauplätze waren auch gut ausgearbeitet. Die Thriller aber auch die Fantasy Elemente fand ich gut kombiniert. Das Ende war zwar in Ordnung aber komplett zufrieden gestellt hat es mich nicht.
Bewertung:
Cover: 5/5
Klappentext: 5/5
Inhalt: 4/5
Schreibstil: 4/5
Gesamtpaket: 4/5
4 von 5 Sterne
Ob morgen jemand stirbt, das weißt nur du allein
Viele träumen davon, für die 16-jährige Charlotte ist es ein Fluch: in die Zukunft blicken. Denn Charlotte ist ein Orakel und wird von Visionen heimgesucht – und sie muss dagegen ankämpfen, um jeden Preis. Nichts ist schlimmer als die Zukunft zu ändern, das hat Charlotte im Alter von sechs Jahren am eigenen Leib erfahren. Damals hat sie einen Unfall verursacht, bei dem ihr Vater starb. Doch als Charlotte es einmal nicht schafft, eine sehr mächtige Vision zu bekämpfen, sieht sie etwas, das ihr schier den Atem nimmt: Eine Mitschülerin liegt auf dem Footballfeld der Schule – ermordet. Am nächsten Morgen sind diese Bilder auf jedem Fernsehsender zu sehen, und nach einer weiteren Mordvision beschließt Charlotte zu handeln: Sie will in die Vision zurückkehren und den Mord verhindern. Etwas, das sie niemals tun dürfte …
Meine Meinung:
Als ich die Verlagsvorschauen durchgesehen habe, ist mir dieses Buch sofort aufgefallen. Das Cover ist sehr mysteriös. Der Klappentext ist sehr geheimnisvoll und verspricht eine spannende Geschichte.
Charlotte hat schon als Kind eine Gabe. Sie kann Visionen sehen. Als Kind sieht sie eine Vision und ist damit sehr unglücklich. Sie will dies unbedingt verhindern aber dann kommt alles ganz anders. Seit dem bekämpft sie diese Visionen. Damit ist sie auch sehr erfolgreich. Plötzlich bekommt sie schlimme Kopfschmerzen und kann die Vision nicht unterdrücken. Sie sieht etwas sehr grausames und vor allem sie kennt diese Person. Als sie am nächsten Tag die Nachrichten sieht, ist dies wirklich passiert. Danach bekommt sie immer mehr solcher Visionen und will diese Dinge auf jeden Fall verhindern. Sie darf dies nicht verhindern aber sie kann dies auch nicht einfach geschehen lassen.
Charlotte ist ein Mädchen, dass schon immer anders ist. Sie wird von den Anderen oft ausgeschlossen und hat deshalb kaum Freunde. Sie ist eben sonderbar. Damit hat sie oft zu kämpfen und vor allem darf sie niemanden sagen wieso sie so anders ist. Sie hat nur ihre Mutter und ihre Tante. Bei den beiden kann sie Trost finden. Leider vertraut sie sich aber keinen von beiden an. Wird ihr dies zum Verhängnis???
Das Buch war von Anfang bis Ende total spannend. Es passieren so viele Dinge und die Visionen haben mir total gut gefallen. Für manche sind sie vielleicht grausam aber dieses Buch hat auch Thriller-Elemente dabei. Charlotte ist eine tolle Protagonistin aber sie hätte an manchen Stellen einfach noch taffer sein können. Das Ende war dann schön aber hat mich nicht komplett zufrieden gestellt.
Fazit:
Dieses Buch war von Anfang an spannend. Von Seite zu Seite wurde es aufregender. Zur Protagonistin konnte ich eine gute Verbindung aufbauen und die Schauplätze waren auch gut ausgearbeitet. Die Thriller aber auch die Fantasy Elemente fand ich gut kombiniert. Das Ende war zwar in Ordnung aber komplett zufrieden gestellt hat es mich nicht.
Bewertung:
Cover: 5/5
Klappentext: 5/5
Inhalt: 4/5
Schreibstil: 4/5
Gesamtpaket: 4/5
4 von 5 Sterne
May 27, 2015
Read in 2013
I actually have most of Aprilynne Pike’s books on my to-read list here on Goodreads but for some reasons I’ve never had the urge to pick them up first out of the billions books I own (well, no, that’s not entirely true. I did read Wings, which at the time I remembered, was not as horrible as I thought it would be. There was yet another love triangles but the story was rather unique. Only for the life of me, I can’t recall one single thing that happened in the book so yes, I gave up on the series altogether. I might have liked it then, who knows, but I’m sure I wouldn’t enjoy it all that much now. I’m older and wiser and bla bla bla and I know I won’t be able to stand and sympathize with the heroine’s heartbreaking choice between boy 1 and 2. Pfffiou that was long).
But I was given the chance to read an early copy of Sleep no more and decided right then that it was my chance to be reacquainted with this author.
I have to say that, for once, the mash-up description of Sleep no more was pretty accurate. There are some mind-f****ry bits and scenes in this book that are indeed reminiscent of Inception, in the sense that some of them do not take place in this realm/in the real world. It also reminded me a little of the movie The Cell towards the end when things starting jumping into reaaaally creepy territory. I loved those scenes. I liked the Oracle’s lore and history.
With that saying though, I wouldn’t go as far as claiming that I loved it; of course it had its flaws, mainly regarding its protagonist who’s in need of better self-control and self-reassurance but she could really grow with a few more “adventures” under her belt (that is so not the right word by the way. Everything that goes down in Sleep no more is no stroll in the park, I can assure you. It’s pretty dark and grim and given the chance, it’s pretty obvious that Charlotte would rather stay her little invisible self until the end of days).
I am wondering if Mrs Pike is planning on turning this book into a series perhaps ? I think it could really work if Charlotte and her aunt decide to use their foretelling powers for the greater good. Obviously, Charlotte needs much more guidance and training if she wants to start kicking some butt, so there’s definitely room for improvement. Much like the body finder series by Kimberly Derting, ya know, that type of feels. It’s just an idea author, but think about it, will you ?
EDIT 2015.05.27 --> There is a second book that is only available in ebook format at the moment. It seems like it’s being self-published, does it not ? Weird. No matter, I think I’ll read it soon ;-)
I actually have most of Aprilynne Pike’s books on my to-read list here on Goodreads but for some reasons I’ve never had the urge to pick them up first out of the billions books I own (well, no, that’s not entirely true. I did read Wings, which at the time I remembered, was not as horrible as I thought it would be. There was yet another love triangles but the story was rather unique. Only for the life of me, I can’t recall one single thing that happened in the book so yes, I gave up on the series altogether. I might have liked it then, who knows, but I’m sure I wouldn’t enjoy it all that much now. I’m older and wiser and bla bla bla and I know I won’t be able to stand and sympathize with the heroine’s heartbreaking choice between boy 1 and 2. Pfffiou that was long).
But I was given the chance to read an early copy of Sleep no more and decided right then that it was my chance to be reacquainted with this author.
I have to say that, for once, the mash-up description of Sleep no more was pretty accurate. There are some mind-f****ry bits and scenes in this book that are indeed reminiscent of Inception, in the sense that some of them do not take place in this realm/in the real world. It also reminded me a little of the movie The Cell towards the end when things starting jumping into reaaaally creepy territory. I loved those scenes. I liked the Oracle’s lore and history.
With that saying though, I wouldn’t go as far as claiming that I loved it; of course it had its flaws, mainly regarding its protagonist who’s in need of better self-control and self-reassurance but she could really grow with a few more “adventures” under her belt (that is so not the right word by the way. Everything that goes down in Sleep no more is no stroll in the park, I can assure you. It’s pretty dark and grim and given the chance, it’s pretty obvious that Charlotte would rather stay her little invisible self until the end of days).
I am wondering if Mrs Pike is planning on turning this book into a series perhaps ? I think it could really work if Charlotte and her aunt decide to use their foretelling powers for the greater good. Obviously, Charlotte needs much more guidance and training if she wants to start kicking some butt, so there’s definitely room for improvement. Much like the body finder series by Kimberly Derting, ya know, that type of feels. It’s just an idea author, but think about it, will you ?
EDIT 2015.05.27 --> There is a second book that is only available in ebook format at the moment. It seems like it’s being self-published, does it not ? Weird. No matter, I think I’ll read it soon ;-)
July 2, 2017
Sleep no more was written by Aprilynne Pike in the month of April of 2014. There are 352 pages , it was printed by Harper teen. Ok thats enough with those facts, and lets be honest that is not why you are reading this. Yeah knowing a bit about the book and the “facts” is all good but you want to know what it is about am I right? Well than let me give you a bit of a look into the world in Sleep no more.
Charlotte isnt a normal teenage girl, yeah she has to go to school and do homework on the weekends like everyone else. But there is one thing that makes her a bit differnt. Charlotte is an oracle. Orcles have the power to see the futuer, you could almost call it an early warning system. There are alway rules though when you have a power others dont. Since Charlotte was young she has been tought by her aunt to fight the visions. To never change the future and to never tell anyone what she really is. But what would you do if you had a vision of a person being murdered? Charlotte has seen this and dosent know what to do, maybe Smith; a man who knows the ins and outs of being an orcle can help her stop this string of murders. Will she find out what she can really do or will she turn out to be the next victum?
The book itself sounds good. And I do have to say that Aprilynne Pike did a very good job in creating this setting for you. There is diffently a thriller feel to it and of course a mystery aspect. With also the interesting world of Oracles and their rules and how they live their lives. But like any book out there, there will be things that are just not as good as you hoped.
The only real problem I had personally with this book is just some sence where charlotte seem a bit childish in my mind. Yes I do understand that when you are completly left in the dark and some random person comes and offers information to you that; yeah your going to want to trust them and learn form them. But I think the “relationship” between Charlotte and S mith could have been a bit more explaned or well streched. Make it so she wasnt so trusting so fast. But really that is the only thing I dont like about this book.
I know, that some of you dont like a normal romance, where girl has been crushing on that one guy for years. Yes there is that is this story but I dont feel it takes away form the story or the plott. To be frank it adds a good about of drama when you learn the truth later on. So if you have a hard time with that, keep pushing on! There is something you will want to read at the end. Trust me!
For those of us who really like this book, just so you know Aprilynne Pike has put out the second book of the Charlotte Westing Chronicles. It is called Sleep of Death. So far it is only avaible in ebook form. But I will do a review on that shortly. Thanks.
Charlotte isnt a normal teenage girl, yeah she has to go to school and do homework on the weekends like everyone else. But there is one thing that makes her a bit differnt. Charlotte is an oracle. Orcles have the power to see the futuer, you could almost call it an early warning system. There are alway rules though when you have a power others dont. Since Charlotte was young she has been tought by her aunt to fight the visions. To never change the future and to never tell anyone what she really is. But what would you do if you had a vision of a person being murdered? Charlotte has seen this and dosent know what to do, maybe Smith; a man who knows the ins and outs of being an orcle can help her stop this string of murders. Will she find out what she can really do or will she turn out to be the next victum?
The book itself sounds good. And I do have to say that Aprilynne Pike did a very good job in creating this setting for you. There is diffently a thriller feel to it and of course a mystery aspect. With also the interesting world of Oracles and their rules and how they live their lives. But like any book out there, there will be things that are just not as good as you hoped.
The only real problem I had personally with this book is just some sence where charlotte seem a bit childish in my mind. Yes I do understand that when you are completly left in the dark and some random person comes and offers information to you that; yeah your going to want to trust them and learn form them. But I think the “relationship” between Charlotte and S mith could have been a bit more explaned or well streched. Make it so she wasnt so trusting so fast. But really that is the only thing I dont like about this book.
I know, that some of you dont like a normal romance, where girl has been crushing on that one guy for years. Yes there is that is this story but I dont feel it takes away form the story or the plott. To be frank it adds a good about of drama when you learn the truth later on. So if you have a hard time with that, keep pushing on! There is something you will want to read at the end. Trust me!
For those of us who really like this book, just so you know Aprilynne Pike has put out the second book of the Charlotte Westing Chronicles. It is called Sleep of Death. So far it is only avaible in ebook form. But I will do a review on that shortly. Thanks.
August 5, 2014
3.5 stars
Sleep No More, by Aprilynne Pike, was an interesting read. As an oracle, Charlotte has been taught to resist visions, and most of the time she does. When a particularly strong one overtakes her, she sees a dead body. Later she realizes who the victim is—she’s still alive—but before Charlotte can figure out what to do, the murder takes place. When the next violent vision comes, Charlotte’s determined to change things even though it goes against the rules her aunt, a fellow oracle, has taught her: don’t change the future. Enter Smith, a man who knows about her visions and offers to help her save the victims. He willingly shares the information he has where Charlotte’s Aunt Sierra refuses, to help Charlotte track down the murder.
I think the book’s strength came from connecting with Charlotte’s desire to stop bad things from happening. I really enjoyed the dream-like sequences that took place in her consciousness—cool concepts and very imaginative—though I wouldn’t make the comparison to Inception, which was far more complicated and intricate than this story. I was frustrated for her. She seemed so alone and kept so many secrets. It made her involvement with Smith make sense.
The numerous visions made the story somewhat repetitive with baby steps towards a resolution. It was not unexciting though. The pacing made sense.
I didn’t love Smith. I never fully grasped why Charlotte trusted him and not her aunt. The fact that she never really tried to get her aunt’s help bothered me. Sierra was so reclusive. I wish we’d gotten to know her better. I liked Linden. You could tell he had a gentle soul. Charlotte’s mom was understandably overprotective but I wish she’d tried a little harder to find out what was going on in Charlotte’s life. Charlotte was left to her own devices far too often.
I’m finding it hard to give opinions on this book without giving away too much. If you enjoy thrillers, especially ones with a supernatural twist, you’ll probably like this book. I was disappointed by part of the ending’s resolution and by the fact that the rest of this series will be self-published e-books, but I will read the next book. I want to know what happens to Charlotte next.
Sleep No More, by Aprilynne Pike, was an interesting read. As an oracle, Charlotte has been taught to resist visions, and most of the time she does. When a particularly strong one overtakes her, she sees a dead body. Later she realizes who the victim is—she’s still alive—but before Charlotte can figure out what to do, the murder takes place. When the next violent vision comes, Charlotte’s determined to change things even though it goes against the rules her aunt, a fellow oracle, has taught her: don’t change the future. Enter Smith, a man who knows about her visions and offers to help her save the victims. He willingly shares the information he has where Charlotte’s Aunt Sierra refuses, to help Charlotte track down the murder.
I think the book’s strength came from connecting with Charlotte’s desire to stop bad things from happening. I really enjoyed the dream-like sequences that took place in her consciousness—cool concepts and very imaginative—though I wouldn’t make the comparison to Inception, which was far more complicated and intricate than this story. I was frustrated for her. She seemed so alone and kept so many secrets. It made her involvement with Smith make sense.
The numerous visions made the story somewhat repetitive with baby steps towards a resolution. It was not unexciting though. The pacing made sense.
I didn’t love Smith. I never fully grasped why Charlotte trusted him and not her aunt. The fact that she never really tried to get her aunt’s help bothered me. Sierra was so reclusive. I wish we’d gotten to know her better. I liked Linden. You could tell he had a gentle soul. Charlotte’s mom was understandably overprotective but I wish she’d tried a little harder to find out what was going on in Charlotte’s life. Charlotte was left to her own devices far too often.
I’m finding it hard to give opinions on this book without giving away too much. If you enjoy thrillers, especially ones with a supernatural twist, you’ll probably like this book. I was disappointed by part of the ending’s resolution and by the fact that the rest of this series will be self-published e-books, but I will read the next book. I want to know what happens to Charlotte next.
March 27, 2017
I didn't really get hooked on after the first 3 charpters so I will start to read another book. I thought this book would be more adventurous.
June 6, 2014
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I was wary, heading into Sleep No More. The plot sounded a bit typical (we’ve all definitely seen something along the lines of the synopsis before) and I’d been sorely disappointed by Earthbound, the last Pike book. And, well, it looks like my fears were warranted.I wanted to like this book and I sort of succeeded there, but there were just some irritating things I couldn’t let go of, namely with the character. Charlotte, while she seemed like an impressive sort of character, it seemed like Aprilynne Pike was trying too hard, making most of Charlotte’s actions forced or, at the very least, extremely impulsive and naive–not a likable character at all. She grated on my nerves and it annoyed me to no ends that she trusted a random stranger (who told her to call him Smith, no less.) and let him into her mind while also neglecting to ask her aunt who’s always been there, even if she did have a zipper over her mouth. I found it completely unreasonable that she’d keep these disastrous secrets from her aunt, the only person who could ever understand, and that she didn’t suspect the most obvious person.
So, of course, that leads us to the plot. While the plot was pretty engaging and I was pretty captured in the moment, dying to find out who the killer was, it was pretty obvious who it’d be and I was disappointed when I was right. The storyline is rather quick paced though and I did enjoy it to a certain degree!
What I did love, and what made it three stars instead of two, was the worldbuilding. It was absolutely fascinating and captivating and I loved how it all worked. The affecting the future, the way her “dome room” worked, and the history. On that note, I’d have loved to see more of the history of the Oracles, how they were started, exactly what prompted them to pull out of political affairs, etc. For a standalone, we’re pretty much left in the dark. But the mental battles and the struggle let me forget that and it was definitely an interesting ride!
The romance is rather light in this one and I have to say, I really loved how it ended. Beyond that…well, spoilers!
Sleep No More isn’t really a book I loved, but I can definitely see why fans of Earthbound would love Sleep No More! There’re a lot of parallels to be drawn between the two books, so if you love one you’ll love the other! (Even the purple covers!) I wasn’t particularly a fan, but I guess it’s worth the read!
I was wary, heading into Sleep No More. The plot sounded a bit typical (we’ve all definitely seen something along the lines of the synopsis before) and I’d been sorely disappointed by Earthbound, the last Pike book. And, well, it looks like my fears were warranted.I wanted to like this book and I sort of succeeded there, but there were just some irritating things I couldn’t let go of, namely with the character. Charlotte, while she seemed like an impressive sort of character, it seemed like Aprilynne Pike was trying too hard, making most of Charlotte’s actions forced or, at the very least, extremely impulsive and naive–not a likable character at all. She grated on my nerves and it annoyed me to no ends that she trusted a random stranger (who told her to call him Smith, no less.) and let him into her mind while also neglecting to ask her aunt who’s always been there, even if she did have a zipper over her mouth. I found it completely unreasonable that she’d keep these disastrous secrets from her aunt, the only person who could ever understand, and that she didn’t suspect the most obvious person.
So, of course, that leads us to the plot. While the plot was pretty engaging and I was pretty captured in the moment, dying to find out who the killer was, it was pretty obvious who it’d be and I was disappointed when I was right. The storyline is rather quick paced though and I did enjoy it to a certain degree!
What I did love, and what made it three stars instead of two, was the worldbuilding. It was absolutely fascinating and captivating and I loved how it all worked. The affecting the future, the way her “dome room” worked, and the history. On that note, I’d have loved to see more of the history of the Oracles, how they were started, exactly what prompted them to pull out of political affairs, etc. For a standalone, we’re pretty much left in the dark. But the mental battles and the struggle let me forget that and it was definitely an interesting ride!
The romance is rather light in this one and I have to say, I really loved how it ended. Beyond that…well, spoilers!
Sleep No More isn’t really a book I loved, but I can definitely see why fans of Earthbound would love Sleep No More! There’re a lot of parallels to be drawn between the two books, so if you love one you’ll love the other! (Even the purple covers!) I wasn’t particularly a fan, but I guess it’s worth the read!
June 5, 2014
Charlotte Westing is an Oracle who can see the future. She can’t reveal herself as an Oracle to non-Oracles, give in to the visions, or try to change the future if a vision gets through. When Charlotte was six years old, she broke the rules, and the consequences have left her determined not to break them again. Ten years later, however, a new vision breaks through all of Charlotte's carefully constructed psychic defenses, and she sees a serial killer murder her classmate. Unable to bear the guilt of inaction, Charlotte decides to break all the rules in order to stop the killer.
I like Charlotte and admire the way she wants to stop bad things from happening. I felt like I could connect with Charlotte's emotions and her struggles to do the right thing. The romance was strange and quick to happen. After his girlfriend dies, Linden develops a sudden interest in Charlotte, though he admits that Charlotte just helps takes his mind off his girlfriend. Everything makes sense at the end, however. I like how the plot ties in with Charlotte and Linden's relationship and how the romantic subplot works into the story without taking over other areas of the plot.
The plot is extremely enticing and page turning. Charlotte’s premonitions and murders are full of griping tension. I loved following Charlotte on her journey to discover what her power can do and who the serial killer is. Throughout the story, we learn more about the rules, consequences, and complexities surrounding Oracles, which not only changes everything we thought we knew, but also makes the book exponentially more interesting from one page to the next. Plus, there is a huge plot twist at the end.
If anything, I would like to know more about the history of the Oracles and Charlotte’s aunt Sierra. While we get to know about a lot of the rules and present affairs, the story doesn't really explore the past. It didn't take away from my enjoyment of this first novel, but I hope to see more of this in future installments.
Overall, Sleep No More is a thrilling paranormal mystery with a hint of romance. It is an enjoyable, unique read that I could not put down.
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For more of my reviews, visit my blog Imaginary Reads.
I like Charlotte and admire the way she wants to stop bad things from happening. I felt like I could connect with Charlotte's emotions and her struggles to do the right thing. The romance was strange and quick to happen. After his girlfriend dies, Linden develops a sudden interest in Charlotte, though he admits that Charlotte just helps takes his mind off his girlfriend. Everything makes sense at the end, however. I like how the plot ties in with Charlotte and Linden's relationship and how the romantic subplot works into the story without taking over other areas of the plot.
The plot is extremely enticing and page turning. Charlotte’s premonitions and murders are full of griping tension. I loved following Charlotte on her journey to discover what her power can do and who the serial killer is. Throughout the story, we learn more about the rules, consequences, and complexities surrounding Oracles, which not only changes everything we thought we knew, but also makes the book exponentially more interesting from one page to the next. Plus, there is a huge plot twist at the end.
If anything, I would like to know more about the history of the Oracles and Charlotte’s aunt Sierra. While we get to know about a lot of the rules and present affairs, the story doesn't really explore the past. It didn't take away from my enjoyment of this first novel, but I hope to see more of this in future installments.
Overall, Sleep No More is a thrilling paranormal mystery with a hint of romance. It is an enjoyable, unique read that I could not put down.
--
For more of my reviews, visit my blog Imaginary Reads.
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