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Dreams and Reality #1
Tortured Dreams
When the US Marshals Serial Crimes Tracking Unit comes knocking at Aislinn Cain's door, she is given a chance to use her past to save other people's futures. She has survived attacks by two different serial killers and devoted her life to studying the darker side of human history. A new killer is using medieval torture methods to slay his victims. She can give them a glimpse into his twisted world, but not without a cost. If she opens herself, she risks falling into the depths of her own darkness. Can she afford to help, knowing that the cost could be her own humanity? Aislinn Cain's life is a horror story.
318 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2013
680 people are currently reading
2576 people want to read
About the author
Hadena James
45 books248 followersHadena James began writing at the age of eight. As a teenager, she had several short stories published in literary magazines. She completed writing her first novel at the age of 17.
Hadena graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in European History with minors in German and Russian studies. She has always wanted to be a writer so she also took several classes in creative writing.
Hadena’s primary literary genre is action/thriller. She currently writes two series, both use action/thriller. “The Brenna Strachan Series” uses fantasy and the “Dreams & Reality Series” uses murder mystery as its secondary genre. She continues to explore and expand her writing and hopes to soon produce a comedic action/thriller.
When she isn’t busy writing or running her business, Hadena enjoys playing in a steel-tip dart league. She also loves to travel throughout North America and Europe. Her favorite cities are Chicago, Illinois and Berlin, Germany. She is an avid reader, reading everything from the classics like Jane Austen to modern writers like Terry Pratchett. One of her all-time favorite books is “Good Omens” by Neil Gaimen and Terry Pratchett. She writes all of her books while listening to music and the bands tend to get “honorable mentions” within the pages.
Hadena graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in European History with minors in German and Russian studies. She has always wanted to be a writer so she also took several classes in creative writing.
Hadena’s primary literary genre is action/thriller. She currently writes two series, both use action/thriller. “The Brenna Strachan Series” uses fantasy and the “Dreams & Reality Series” uses murder mystery as its secondary genre. She continues to explore and expand her writing and hopes to soon produce a comedic action/thriller.
When she isn’t busy writing or running her business, Hadena enjoys playing in a steel-tip dart league. She also loves to travel throughout North America and Europe. Her favorite cities are Chicago, Illinois and Berlin, Germany. She is an avid reader, reading everything from the classics like Jane Austen to modern writers like Terry Pratchett. One of her all-time favorite books is “Good Omens” by Neil Gaimen and Terry Pratchett. She writes all of her books while listening to music and the bands tend to get “honorable mentions” within the pages.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 225 reviews
January 3, 2019
I feel really conflicted about this rating, so let's just say; it was a good idea but there were some problems with the execution. Since it's a debut novel and the beginning of a series, I'm not willing to make too hard a judgement on the author. I will have to read the second book before I decide to commit to this series.
There were some really good things: The idea was very interesting and the research on torture was very well done.
Aislinn Cain is a genius and an expert in the field of medieval torture. She is also a sociopath who has survived two serial killers. So, when a serial killer uses torture devices from the middle ages to kill people, she gets approached by the US Marshals as a consultant. And, of course, a personal connection to her will draw her into the investigation.
That's all I'm going to give you about the story.
Unfortunately, there were some problems. The first of which was the believability of some things about some characters. If I discuss them, I will have to put a spoiler alert on this review - something I very rarely do. You can decide for yourself. This book was a free download (and probably still is, so it might be worth checking out.) It is something I can forgive to an extent.
The thing that really bothered me was the writing style - no, not the short, clipped sentences. I thought that fit very well with the emotionless, logical main character. The first third of the book was written really well - the pace was great. But all of a sudden, everything slowed down to a crawl when the story became mainly dialogue. And there was so much repetition when they recapped what they had figured out up until that point. This didn't work for me. It was dull, it was boring and, most of all, it was difficult to get through. And then the pace pics up again toward the end of the book.
Okay, I said my peace, but it is worth mentioning that I was really impressed by the research into torture. I also have an interest in the subject and, some years ago, did some research of my own on the subject. She still managed to tell me some things I didn't know.
It doesn't matter why people are interested in the subject - it's an entire debate on its own. What I have found out is that there are only three reasons why people torture other people:
Information, punishment and (sexual) sadism*.
* I will call it sadism from now on, because this is also a debate without any definitive answers. An argument can be made that any type of pleasure has a sexual nature to it, whether the deed is actually done or not. The feeling of being "god" when you can take away someone's life (as described by many a serial killer), can also be included in this. No, it doesn't matter what I believe, but I'm not willing to argue about it either.
These days, if you asked anybody about torture, most will reference serial killers (real or imaginary), without giving it much thought. Thanks to Hollywood, we know just how bad serial killers can be. Hell, I'm no different. The first movie that made me wonder if I would ever be able to handle any kind of torture was a 70's movie with Dustin Hoffman in the lead, called MARATHON MAN. In one scene, this dentist drills a hole in his tooth, then works the nerves underneath until they start dying, and then he moves on to the next tooth. FUCK, man! I wanted to piss myself just thinking about it. But, in that case, it was to get information.
Want to know about punishment? SAW was probably the best example I can think of, simply because the people had to do some severe shit to themselves in order to survive. Remember, Jigsaw never killed anybody.
What about the movie PRISONERS with Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal? A father was willing to torture someone for information in order to get back his abducted daughter. I personally loved that movie, I thought it was absolutely brilliant.
And, of course, the ultimate punishment movie has to be SE7EN - don't get me started on that one.
Sorry, I'm going off subject here.
The thing about torture - the truly horrible thing - is that it has happened since the beginning of time. And it is still happening to this day. Not only by killers, but there will always be a certain amount of torture during war - of which there is always one somewhere in the world. Sometimes it can be very simple - there is a water torture where they hang someone upside down and make water drip on his head, in the same spot, for hours. It may not sound like much, but can you imagine having a migraine and somebody keeps poking your head in the same spot?
There is sleep deprivation, which causes hallucinations and maybe even insanity. The examples are endless. And you don't even have to think about armies when I say war. There are gangs and cartels who goes so far beyond anything a normal human being would be willing to do.
At the end of the day, this subject is wide and (to me) very interesting. The story line of this book was good enough to make me willing to give this author another go. I do hope I will enjoy the second one more.
** Thanks for the recommend, Pat, I'm glad I read it!
There were some really good things: The idea was very interesting and the research on torture was very well done.
Aislinn Cain is a genius and an expert in the field of medieval torture. She is also a sociopath who has survived two serial killers. So, when a serial killer uses torture devices from the middle ages to kill people, she gets approached by the US Marshals as a consultant. And, of course, a personal connection to her will draw her into the investigation.
That's all I'm going to give you about the story.
Unfortunately, there were some problems. The first of which was the believability of some things about some characters. If I discuss them, I will have to put a spoiler alert on this review - something I very rarely do. You can decide for yourself. This book was a free download (and probably still is, so it might be worth checking out.) It is something I can forgive to an extent.
The thing that really bothered me was the writing style - no, not the short, clipped sentences. I thought that fit very well with the emotionless, logical main character. The first third of the book was written really well - the pace was great. But all of a sudden, everything slowed down to a crawl when the story became mainly dialogue. And there was so much repetition when they recapped what they had figured out up until that point. This didn't work for me. It was dull, it was boring and, most of all, it was difficult to get through. And then the pace pics up again toward the end of the book.
Okay, I said my peace, but it is worth mentioning that I was really impressed by the research into torture. I also have an interest in the subject and, some years ago, did some research of my own on the subject. She still managed to tell me some things I didn't know.
It doesn't matter why people are interested in the subject - it's an entire debate on its own. What I have found out is that there are only three reasons why people torture other people:
Information, punishment and (sexual) sadism*.
* I will call it sadism from now on, because this is also a debate without any definitive answers. An argument can be made that any type of pleasure has a sexual nature to it, whether the deed is actually done or not. The feeling of being "god" when you can take away someone's life (as described by many a serial killer), can also be included in this. No, it doesn't matter what I believe, but I'm not willing to argue about it either.
These days, if you asked anybody about torture, most will reference serial killers (real or imaginary), without giving it much thought. Thanks to Hollywood, we know just how bad serial killers can be. Hell, I'm no different. The first movie that made me wonder if I would ever be able to handle any kind of torture was a 70's movie with Dustin Hoffman in the lead, called MARATHON MAN. In one scene, this dentist drills a hole in his tooth, then works the nerves underneath until they start dying, and then he moves on to the next tooth. FUCK, man! I wanted to piss myself just thinking about it. But, in that case, it was to get information.
Want to know about punishment? SAW was probably the best example I can think of, simply because the people had to do some severe shit to themselves in order to survive. Remember, Jigsaw never killed anybody.
What about the movie PRISONERS with Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal? A father was willing to torture someone for information in order to get back his abducted daughter. I personally loved that movie, I thought it was absolutely brilliant.
And, of course, the ultimate punishment movie has to be SE7EN - don't get me started on that one.
Sorry, I'm going off subject here.
The thing about torture - the truly horrible thing - is that it has happened since the beginning of time. And it is still happening to this day. Not only by killers, but there will always be a certain amount of torture during war - of which there is always one somewhere in the world. Sometimes it can be very simple - there is a water torture where they hang someone upside down and make water drip on his head, in the same spot, for hours. It may not sound like much, but can you imagine having a migraine and somebody keeps poking your head in the same spot?
There is sleep deprivation, which causes hallucinations and maybe even insanity. The examples are endless. And you don't even have to think about armies when I say war. There are gangs and cartels who goes so far beyond anything a normal human being would be willing to do.
At the end of the day, this subject is wide and (to me) very interesting. The story line of this book was good enough to make me willing to give this author another go. I do hope I will enjoy the second one more.
** Thanks for the recommend, Pat, I'm glad I read it!
July 11, 2013
My inspiration for the "Cain Characters" came in 1997. I was reading a book that detailed a special Marshal unit that was created and dissolved in the space of two years to deal with the sudden rise of serial killers in the late 1960's. The theory behind the unit was that US Marshals already chased fugitives, why not have them chase down unknown fugitives? The book ended with the author stating that unit was "a dismal failure."
After reading the book, I consider the idea that maybe what they needed was not "better" Marshals, but "crazier" Marshals. And so started the characters.
I knew that I needed at least one female, I love a good, strong female character. During the first novel, Aislinn was just smart without a personality disorder. It didn't work for me, she needed to be as damaged as the people she was chasing, if not more so. I bought about a million books on personality disorders which lead to Aislinn becoming a sociopath.
Another year of development and the cast was created from Lucas to Alejandro to a character that will show up later in the series.
"Tortured Dreams" is actually the 15th novel I have written with this cast. They have finally evolved into what I want them to be, so it is the first to be published. My friends have asked if I will publish any of the earlier Cain novels and the answer is "no." They have evolved beyond what they were and each novel will be "new" for them.
I rated it because they are my favorite cast of characters to work with.
After reading the book, I consider the idea that maybe what they needed was not "better" Marshals, but "crazier" Marshals. And so started the characters.
I knew that I needed at least one female, I love a good, strong female character. During the first novel, Aislinn was just smart without a personality disorder. It didn't work for me, she needed to be as damaged as the people she was chasing, if not more so. I bought about a million books on personality disorders which lead to Aislinn becoming a sociopath.
Another year of development and the cast was created from Lucas to Alejandro to a character that will show up later in the series.
"Tortured Dreams" is actually the 15th novel I have written with this cast. They have finally evolved into what I want them to be, so it is the first to be published. My friends have asked if I will publish any of the earlier Cain novels and the answer is "no." They have evolved beyond what they were and each novel will be "new" for them.
I rated it because they are my favorite cast of characters to work with.
August 8, 2018
I picked this up for free on a whim from BookBub and I couldn’t be more pleased with my decision! This book completely sucked me in right from page one and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough! It’s such a twisted and intriguing story, so much is going on and it’s all so interesting that it becomes slightly hard to keep track of all the details. That’s really my main complaint about this book, everything else was minor in comparison. I really enjoyed the main character and I found myself connecting with her despite having very little in common with her. She’s really quite compelling and that’s a big part of what makes this story so interesting! Besides the killer descriptions of gruesome torture of course!
May 19, 2024
When the US Marshals Serial Crimes Tracking Unit comes knocking at Aislinn Cain's door, she is given a chance to use her past to save other people's futures. She has survived attacks by two different serial killers and devoted her life to studying the darker side of human history.
A new killer is using medieval torture methods to slay his victims. She can give them a glimpse into his twisted world, but not without a cost. If she opens herself, she risks falling into the depths of her own darkness. Can she afford to help, knowing that the cost could be her own humanity?
Aislinn Cain's life is a horror story
Challenges:
A Round The Year in 52 Books:
46: crime story
June 2016 #TBRTakedown 4.0 ( 6/20/16-6/26/16)
a first book in a series
what did I think of it:
five stars
Can't believe that I kept this on my kindle TBR for a year, should have picked it last year but I didn't ,but I'm so glad I did this year, I loved it, loved every thing about, loved how Aislinn is a sociopath and she know it to, but what makes this a great story is that even though she is one, she use it to hunt serial killers and that she is part of the US Marshals Serial Crimes Tracking Unit . love the other character as well, love how in this book they serial killers uses medieval torture methods to slay his victims, its the first book in what's looking so far as a great series, now I really want to go and read book 2 which I have. can't wait to get the rest of the series.
A new killer is using medieval torture methods to slay his victims. She can give them a glimpse into his twisted world, but not without a cost. If she opens herself, she risks falling into the depths of her own darkness. Can she afford to help, knowing that the cost could be her own humanity?
Aislinn Cain's life is a horror story
Challenges:
A Round The Year in 52 Books:
46: crime story
June 2016 #TBRTakedown 4.0 ( 6/20/16-6/26/16)
a first book in a series
what did I think of it:
five stars
Can't believe that I kept this on my kindle TBR for a year, should have picked it last year but I didn't ,but I'm so glad I did this year, I loved it, loved every thing about, loved how Aislinn is a sociopath and she know it to, but what makes this a great story is that even though she is one, she use it to hunt serial killers and that she is part of the US Marshals Serial Crimes Tracking Unit . love the other character as well, love how in this book they serial killers uses medieval torture methods to slay his victims, its the first book in what's looking so far as a great series, now I really want to go and read book 2 which I have. can't wait to get the rest of the series.
December 28, 2018
I've read a few books in this series but for some reason could never this this first book as an e-book (although now there seems to be two first books, WTF). Anyway, I finally had the brainwave to check iBooks and - voila. First a warning, this book, well the whole series actually, is not for the faint-hearted.
Here we have the story of how Aislinn Cain came to join the Serial Crimes Tracking Unit (SCTU) of the US Marshalls. These guys hunt the worst serial killers in the country. They are also all pretty damaged people who are good at what they do because they can understand the people they are hunting. Aislinn is brilliant, has a truckload of degrees including a thesis on medieval torture methods and she is a sociopath. She's also as tough as nails, having survived numerous serial killers herself.
The SCTU comes knocking at her door because they are hunting someone who is killing people using, you guessed it, medieval torture methods and Aislinn is an expert in the field. Starting in a consultant capacity they pick up the trail as the killer strikes again. Something is bothering Aislinn about the methods chosen. It seems to be almost directed at getting her attention. Soon she is faced with her worst nightmare and, believe me, this girl doesn't scare easy!
This was a thrilling ride. There was a lot packed into this story including a few humorous moments, in amongst the horror that is. We are introduced to the SCTU crew who are a likeable bunch despite their obvious flaws. Anyway, I'm glad I finally caught the start of the saga. Now I can pick up where I left off.
Here we have the story of how Aislinn Cain came to join the Serial Crimes Tracking Unit (SCTU) of the US Marshalls. These guys hunt the worst serial killers in the country. They are also all pretty damaged people who are good at what they do because they can understand the people they are hunting. Aislinn is brilliant, has a truckload of degrees including a thesis on medieval torture methods and she is a sociopath. She's also as tough as nails, having survived numerous serial killers herself.
The SCTU comes knocking at her door because they are hunting someone who is killing people using, you guessed it, medieval torture methods and Aislinn is an expert in the field. Starting in a consultant capacity they pick up the trail as the killer strikes again. Something is bothering Aislinn about the methods chosen. It seems to be almost directed at getting her attention. Soon she is faced with her worst nightmare and, believe me, this girl doesn't scare easy!
This was a thrilling ride. There was a lot packed into this story including a few humorous moments, in amongst the horror that is. We are introduced to the SCTU crew who are a likeable bunch despite their obvious flaws. Anyway, I'm glad I finally caught the start of the saga. Now I can pick up where I left off.
May 10, 2021
** Reread May 2021 **
I've changed my rating from 4 to 4.5 stars for this read.
A second read through has given me a far better understanding of Aislinn and a fresh appreciation of the author's ability to craft main characters with very warped psyches yet still make the reader invest in and care for them.
A very different sort of psychological thriller with a group of mentally disturbed Marshalls forming a team to track down & stop serial killers. There's nothing like a group of sociopaths/psychopaths/personality disorders to have the insight to bring down one of their own.
I found the lead character "Ace" quite likeable given that she classifies herself as a sociopath, although I had some real trouble with other characters in her team. They had no redeeming qualities (what am I saying ... they're psychopaths) so it was almost impossible to get into & understand the characters.
The story was well written & fast paced, although I found the ending a little rushed. I'm certainly looking forward to reading the next book in the series & highly recommend this book if you are looking for something a little "darker".
I've changed my rating from 4 to 4.5 stars for this read.
A second read through has given me a far better understanding of Aislinn and a fresh appreciation of the author's ability to craft main characters with very warped psyches yet still make the reader invest in and care for them.
A very different sort of psychological thriller with a group of mentally disturbed Marshalls forming a team to track down & stop serial killers. There's nothing like a group of sociopaths/psychopaths/personality disorders to have the insight to bring down one of their own.
I found the lead character "Ace" quite likeable given that she classifies herself as a sociopath, although I had some real trouble with other characters in her team. They had no redeeming qualities (what am I saying ... they're psychopaths) so it was almost impossible to get into & understand the characters.
The story was well written & fast paced, although I found the ending a little rushed. I'm certainly looking forward to reading the next book in the series & highly recommend this book if you are looking for something a little "darker".
July 14, 2013
I got this book for free in exchange for a review. I have to say, I was intrigued by the story, and it pulled me along nicely. I found myself liking the main character, in spite of the type of person she really was (in real life, I'd probably dislike her a lot if I ever met her). Despite a couple times when the story dragged a bit, I wanted to keep reading.
I'm not sure if the book is set in the future or in a kind of alternate reality, but it plays off the increasing number of serial killers in our society. In my opinion, serial killers were always around. It just wasn't as easy to track them down in the past centuries, and there wasn't the news coverage to publicize it as easily. However, the theme in this book is it's an increasing number, a kind of de-evolvement of the species, and it's an interesting theory.
There was a lot of talking and I didn't always find the dialogue believable, but considering the personality types in this book, I won't say it really takes away from the book. I wasn't always sure who was speaking, since a lot of times there were conversations in a group and they went back and forth quickly without a "she said" or "he said" to help me figure it out. I found myself having to go back and reread more than a few times in order to try and figure it out.
I do have this major criticism: the book needs a good proofread by a copy editor. I can forgive some grammar things, since it's written in the first person point of view. I also know that people don't speak with perfect grammar, so I'm not counting everything in the dialogue. However, there were lots of times when I wanted to take a red pen to the pages (which would have been very difficult considering I was reading an e-book).
I give it 3.5 stars.
I'm not sure if the book is set in the future or in a kind of alternate reality, but it plays off the increasing number of serial killers in our society. In my opinion, serial killers were always around. It just wasn't as easy to track them down in the past centuries, and there wasn't the news coverage to publicize it as easily. However, the theme in this book is it's an increasing number, a kind of de-evolvement of the species, and it's an interesting theory.
There was a lot of talking and I didn't always find the dialogue believable, but considering the personality types in this book, I won't say it really takes away from the book. I wasn't always sure who was speaking, since a lot of times there were conversations in a group and they went back and forth quickly without a "she said" or "he said" to help me figure it out. I found myself having to go back and reread more than a few times in order to try and figure it out.
I do have this major criticism: the book needs a good proofread by a copy editor. I can forgive some grammar things, since it's written in the first person point of view. I also know that people don't speak with perfect grammar, so I'm not counting everything in the dialogue. However, there were lots of times when I wanted to take a red pen to the pages (which would have been very difficult considering I was reading an e-book).
I give it 3.5 stars.
July 27, 2014
I received this book free for my honest review. When I first started this book, I thought this is a darker thriller than I normally read. But, it is written so well I couldn't put it down! I kept following "Ace" and her friends in finding a serial killer that used historical torture devices and I kept wanting to learn more! I understand Ms James is beginning a new series with this book and I can't wait for the sequel. If, like me, you love sequels, this series of Alex, her new career of chasing serial killers and her set of unique friends is a must read!
June 30, 2016
At the start I thought I wasn't going to like the protagonist but she grew on me and I actually began to like her. However, the idea of a woman who attracts serial killers - oh come on! Intriguing but somewhat unbelievable. The book is very heavy on dialogue rather than action and when the action DID happen towards the end, it seemed a bit too surreal. Putting all that aside, it was a good story and I expect I shall delve into the next one sometime soon.
June 25, 2016
Stunned.
I never would have imagined that there is this kind of danger in the world. People being tortured in these inhuman ways and serial killers everywhere. I am really glad I read this book. I got plenty of knowledge about these things and the characters were so smart. That's what I enjoyed most of it.
"Some people are born to capture the monsters, others, like me, are born to put them away."
I never would have imagined that there is this kind of danger in the world. People being tortured in these inhuman ways and serial killers everywhere. I am really glad I read this book. I got plenty of knowledge about these things and the characters were so smart. That's what I enjoyed most of it.
"Some people are born to capture the monsters, others, like me, are born to put them away."
April 1, 2018
The story idea was really good which is why I am giving it 2 stars. I really wanted to know where the story was going so I kept at reading it. What I did not like and which made me skim through the majority of the book is all the chitter chatter the characters were doing. Some of it is fine but it just seemed like all they did was repeat and hash out the same things over and over again. Drove me nuts. But when the writing turned to the action part of the book I became interested again. The whole book was like that. I don't know how to explain it any better.
March 2, 2017
It's really uncommon for me to start a book and just give up on it. I always endeavor to finish everything but this time I just couldn't!
I found everything about this story excruciating. The writing is all over the place, pretty much 0 description of anything. None of the characters were sympathetic in any way, I really could not have cared less about the lead character. Dialogue is stilted, not natural in any way and the actions of people were as natural as Dolly the cloned sheep.
Even though I only read 13% of the story certain thoughts, and even sentences, had already been repeated.
The main character is a sociopath, something that is hammered at over and over again, yet the author presents her in a totally unrealistic way.
"She couldn't have PTSD because she had no feelings for others". That is utterly wrong. PTSD has nothing to do with empathy or feelings for others - the clue is in the name.
I have a friend who is diagnosed with sociopathic personality disorder and it is a fallacy that sociopath's have no apparentlysympathy nor empathy for anyone. The way they process it is just different. They can be very dampened down, yes, but they exist!
Apparently another character - who is a psychopath - managed to somehow beat all of the psychological testing and is part of the FBI! This character apparently secretly gives the sociopathic character money to live on. Why would a fully blown psychopath do that? There is nothing in it for him and it wouldn't even feed his narcissism as it's not a public spectacle.
Now our 'sociopath' character somehow manages to recognise serial killers/rapists from across crowded bars, they are magically drawn only to her, so she let's them follow her home and she kills them. Isn't that convenient?! Oh - she also has a serial killer stalker who writes her letters detailing all 200 of his murders.......
Then homeland security turn up - they somehow know all about her and her magical murdering skills - and need her to help in a case that involves mediaeval torture. Luckily she owns an extremely rare book that answers their most burning question's so she is asked to join a taskforce. Which just happens to be made up entirely of emotionally and psychologically damaged men.
Because that is what every law service desperately wants.
I could go on but I'm just getting annoyed again as I write about it! Honestly, save your time and money and get something more realistic. A comic book of Tom and Jerry perhaps
I found everything about this story excruciating. The writing is all over the place, pretty much 0 description of anything. None of the characters were sympathetic in any way, I really could not have cared less about the lead character. Dialogue is stilted, not natural in any way and the actions of people were as natural as Dolly the cloned sheep.
Even though I only read 13% of the story certain thoughts, and even sentences, had already been repeated.
The main character is a sociopath, something that is hammered at over and over again, yet the author presents her in a totally unrealistic way.
"She couldn't have PTSD because she had no feelings for others". That is utterly wrong. PTSD has nothing to do with empathy or feelings for others - the clue is in the name.
I have a friend who is diagnosed with sociopathic personality disorder and it is a fallacy that sociopath's have no apparentlysympathy nor empathy for anyone. The way they process it is just different. They can be very dampened down, yes, but they exist!
Apparently another character - who is a psychopath - managed to somehow beat all of the psychological testing and is part of the FBI! This character apparently secretly gives the sociopathic character money to live on. Why would a fully blown psychopath do that? There is nothing in it for him and it wouldn't even feed his narcissism as it's not a public spectacle.
Now our 'sociopath' character somehow manages to recognise serial killers/rapists from across crowded bars, they are magically drawn only to her, so she let's them follow her home and she kills them. Isn't that convenient?! Oh - she also has a serial killer stalker who writes her letters detailing all 200 of his murders.......
Then homeland security turn up - they somehow know all about her and her magical murdering skills - and need her to help in a case that involves mediaeval torture. Luckily she owns an extremely rare book that answers their most burning question's so she is asked to join a taskforce. Which just happens to be made up entirely of emotionally and psychologically damaged men.
Because that is what every law service desperately wants.
I could go on but I'm just getting annoyed again as I write about it! Honestly, save your time and money and get something more realistic. A comic book of Tom and Jerry perhaps
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 3, 2013
I obtained a copy of Tortured Dreams from the author. This review contains no spoilers.
Tortured Dreams is a mystery thriller by Hadena James. It tells the story of a self-professed sociopath, a magnet for violence prone to attracting the attention of serial killers. She’s recruited by a US Marshal Serial Crimes Tracking Unit to pursue a murderer who kills using medieval torture methods.
I like the premise of the book, and in parts Hadena’s prose brings to mind Jeff Lindsay’s Dexter series, particularly with the thought patterns of the book’s first-person narrator.
Unfortunately this cadence is pervasive throughout the course of the book, seldom varying, and the uniform short and punchy sentence structure grows tiring upon prolonged reading. I found myself taking frequent breaks, not because of the gruesome subject matter, just because the way the prose plodded along.
It reads very matter of fact, even in the way the characters speak, and the dialog doesn’t entirely ring true. This is especially the case considering the varied extreme personalities presented. They all end up speaking with the same “voice”.
I also found it somewhat difficult to connect to the characters, to the point where I was ambivalent regarding their fates. It wasn’t that the protagonist is a sociopath, but rather that she didn’t quite ring true as genuine. She seemed to me as a vehicle for the movement of the plot, rather than a character in her own right.
Despite these flaws Tortured Dreams isn’t a terrible book, and if you’re a big fan of sociopathic protagonists or serial killer thrillers you’ll enjoy it.
Tortured Dreams is a mystery thriller by Hadena James. It tells the story of a self-professed sociopath, a magnet for violence prone to attracting the attention of serial killers. She’s recruited by a US Marshal Serial Crimes Tracking Unit to pursue a murderer who kills using medieval torture methods.
I like the premise of the book, and in parts Hadena’s prose brings to mind Jeff Lindsay’s Dexter series, particularly with the thought patterns of the book’s first-person narrator.
Unfortunately this cadence is pervasive throughout the course of the book, seldom varying, and the uniform short and punchy sentence structure grows tiring upon prolonged reading. I found myself taking frequent breaks, not because of the gruesome subject matter, just because the way the prose plodded along.
It reads very matter of fact, even in the way the characters speak, and the dialog doesn’t entirely ring true. This is especially the case considering the varied extreme personalities presented. They all end up speaking with the same “voice”.
I also found it somewhat difficult to connect to the characters, to the point where I was ambivalent regarding their fates. It wasn’t that the protagonist is a sociopath, but rather that she didn’t quite ring true as genuine. She seemed to me as a vehicle for the movement of the plot, rather than a character in her own right.
Despite these flaws Tortured Dreams isn’t a terrible book, and if you’re a big fan of sociopathic protagonists or serial killer thrillers you’ll enjoy it.
January 9, 2018
Aislinn Cain, aka Ace, is a magnet. I don’t mean she attracts metal objects, she attracts mental deviants. Death becomes her. From the tender age of eight, she attracted her first deviant, her neighbor, Mr. Callow. He was a sexual predator with a taste for young, very young, girls. She was abducted on her way home for school and was kept in an empty room with just a mattress. She didn’t cry, scream, or go into hysterics, she waited, biding her time, and waiting for the opportunity to make her move. It came after a couple of days when he entered the room with her supper. He carried a plate of meatloaf and a plastic fork. She took the fork, drove it into his eye and escaped.
Aislinn Cain is extremely intelligent and a sociopath. One may think that that combination of traits would lead her to crime but crime has a way of finding her. Rapists, mass murderers, and killers seem to be attracted to her and she has a visceral ability to best them. Aislinn’s Intelligent Quotient is extremely high and has many degrees in various subjects and a Ph. D. in history, specializing in medieval torture.
The reader is lead on a quest to find a serial killer with a taste for torture. A rash of ten-woman crime scenes is followed to discover the elusive culprit. The road leads you into the depths of depravity. You rub shoulders with antisocial psychopaths, shake hands with schizotypal predators, and work with a group of U.S. Marshall misfits. Once your stomach settles after the graphic descriptions of ancient torture devices and crime scenes, a strange humor and wit shine through. The protagonist isn’t easy to get to know, much less like, but as the story advances, you glean a new perception, making her almost likable.
The reader is bombarded with a cornucopia of facts, both informative and macabre, leaving them in a state of light distress. It is fascinating to witness the group dissect, analyze, and illuminate on all of the evidence. It keeps you chasing the action and guessing who done it.
Aislinn Cain is extremely intelligent and a sociopath. One may think that that combination of traits would lead her to crime but crime has a way of finding her. Rapists, mass murderers, and killers seem to be attracted to her and she has a visceral ability to best them. Aislinn’s Intelligent Quotient is extremely high and has many degrees in various subjects and a Ph. D. in history, specializing in medieval torture.
The reader is lead on a quest to find a serial killer with a taste for torture. A rash of ten-woman crime scenes is followed to discover the elusive culprit. The road leads you into the depths of depravity. You rub shoulders with antisocial psychopaths, shake hands with schizotypal predators, and work with a group of U.S. Marshall misfits. Once your stomach settles after the graphic descriptions of ancient torture devices and crime scenes, a strange humor and wit shine through. The protagonist isn’t easy to get to know, much less like, but as the story advances, you glean a new perception, making her almost likable.
The reader is bombarded with a cornucopia of facts, both informative and macabre, leaving them in a state of light distress. It is fascinating to witness the group dissect, analyze, and illuminate on all of the evidence. It keeps you chasing the action and guessing who done it.
September 28, 2017
I absolutely LOVED reading this book, mostly because I adore the main character. She is certainly not what you would expect of a typical heroine. Unfortunately, I can't give it more than 3 stars because the main murder mystery has its flaws - besides being overly ambitious, I hated that there was no focus on the nearly 50 victims - it creates almost zero empathy for the crimes. BUT, I love the idea of medieval torture for a modern-day serial killer. I also wanted more about the heroine's fascinating past and her interesting friends. Luckily, there are many more books in this series!
March 22, 2018
An interesting read...the author used sociopathy, which emphasizes the social aspects of the disorder, where psychopahty might be more accurate. And the characters giggle too much.....and having one of the US MArshal's over-react to rats in one of the scenes sets him up to be gay at the end of the story.
But I enjoyed the book.
But I enjoyed the book.
February 16, 2018
Tortured Dreams (Dreams &Reality Series Book 1
Aislinn Cain is a serial kills magnate. She is a genius, a sociopath, and a serial killer magnate killed her serial killer at eight year old. Now the Marshall Serial Crimes unit her. Great crime story of a serial killer
Aislinn Cain is a serial kills magnate. She is a genius, a sociopath, and a serial killer magnate killed her serial killer at eight year old. Now the Marshall Serial Crimes unit her. Great crime story of a serial killer
November 18, 2019
I really enjoyed this book and looking forward to reading more from Hadena James.
February 12, 2020
This was almost five stars for me, however there was stuff missing for me. Like there was some details that should have been added to add suspense to the novel. I also feel as though there should have more character building done. Other than that, this book was REALLY good.
March 3, 2017
I really rather enjoyed this book, which given that I got it free and sounded too far out there to be rather surprised me. On the whole the writing was good and flowed well. although there were a few typos (thankfully my brain kind of autocorrected these) and a few points were repeated (in my view unnecessarily), but these didn't ruin the story for me. The story itself is not that unique apart from the fact that the lead character is a sociopath and the FBI team is packed with people who don't function by 'normal' rules. Strangely I found myself connecting with the lead character far more than I probably should but I'm going with it so it's fine. I also loved the use of Medieval torture as the MO and learnt a lot about it, which may or may not come in handy in some future situation...like a pub quiz. Put it this way, I enjoyed it that much I've already downloaded the second one.
May 25, 2013
i received a complimentary copy of this book as a part of a book tour in exchange for a fair and honest review. I rated it 5 out of 5 Stars and a Recommended Read.
A fan of cozy mysteries, I don't usually read too many psychological thrillers, something that's definitely changing, at least when it comes to books by Hadena James. A gripping cross-mix of psychological mystery, light horror and action/adventure, Tortured Dreams, the first book in the Dreams and Reality series by Ms. James, grabbed my attention from the first page and never let go. Fascinating world building, well developed characters, good dialogue and just the right touch of emotional angst, make this a compelling read. So compelling in fact, I've already read it five times.
It's not every day a woman can say she's escaped death at the hands of a serial killer more than once, but that's exactly what Aislen "Ann" Cain's life is like. A survivor who recognizes her own mental issues, (she suffers from severe anxiety disorder and also acknowledges she has A-Typical Sociopathic Tendencies), Ann has a PHD in History, specializing in Medieval torture. When she manages to survive a third attack, this time by a serial rapist, Ann is offered the unique opportunity to join the US Marshals Serial Crimes Tracking Unit as a consultant. A job that will either make her or break her.
Ms. James does an excellent job developing Ann's character and introducing us to the people in her life. We are introduced to Nyleena Clachan, her cousin and best friend, a prosecuting attorney working in Kansas City, Missouri. We meet Malachi Blake, a psychopath who managed to get at job at the FBI and is Anne's other best friend, and we also meet the team members who make up the Serial Crimes Tracking Unit; men who will play a part in Ann's life. While there is no real romance in this story, there is an underlying attraction between Ann and Malachi, that's been ongoing for several years. An attraction they've never acted on because of their "unique" mental and social issues. There's also an interesting relationship developing between Ann and two members of her team, Lucas McMichaels and Xavier Reese.
When the team is assigned a serial killer using Medieval torture devices, Ann's role in the team takes center stage. Brilliant, with an almost photographic memory, Ann finds herself both fascinated and repelled by the scenes of horror they are forced to investigate. As the killer continues to leave clues, it soon becomes apparent that Ann, or someone in Ann's family, may be one of the intended victims. Will Ann and her team discover who the killer is before they strike again? And will Ann and the men who make up the Serial Crimes Tracking Unit become a real team? You'll have to read Tortured Dreams to find out. I loved it and can't wait to get my hands on Elysium Dreams, the next book in this series which is planned for release this July.
A fan of cozy mysteries, I don't usually read too many psychological thrillers, something that's definitely changing, at least when it comes to books by Hadena James. A gripping cross-mix of psychological mystery, light horror and action/adventure, Tortured Dreams, the first book in the Dreams and Reality series by Ms. James, grabbed my attention from the first page and never let go. Fascinating world building, well developed characters, good dialogue and just the right touch of emotional angst, make this a compelling read. So compelling in fact, I've already read it five times.
It's not every day a woman can say she's escaped death at the hands of a serial killer more than once, but that's exactly what Aislen "Ann" Cain's life is like. A survivor who recognizes her own mental issues, (she suffers from severe anxiety disorder and also acknowledges she has A-Typical Sociopathic Tendencies), Ann has a PHD in History, specializing in Medieval torture. When she manages to survive a third attack, this time by a serial rapist, Ann is offered the unique opportunity to join the US Marshals Serial Crimes Tracking Unit as a consultant. A job that will either make her or break her.
Ms. James does an excellent job developing Ann's character and introducing us to the people in her life. We are introduced to Nyleena Clachan, her cousin and best friend, a prosecuting attorney working in Kansas City, Missouri. We meet Malachi Blake, a psychopath who managed to get at job at the FBI and is Anne's other best friend, and we also meet the team members who make up the Serial Crimes Tracking Unit; men who will play a part in Ann's life. While there is no real romance in this story, there is an underlying attraction between Ann and Malachi, that's been ongoing for several years. An attraction they've never acted on because of their "unique" mental and social issues. There's also an interesting relationship developing between Ann and two members of her team, Lucas McMichaels and Xavier Reese.
When the team is assigned a serial killer using Medieval torture devices, Ann's role in the team takes center stage. Brilliant, with an almost photographic memory, Ann finds herself both fascinated and repelled by the scenes of horror they are forced to investigate. As the killer continues to leave clues, it soon becomes apparent that Ann, or someone in Ann's family, may be one of the intended victims. Will Ann and her team discover who the killer is before they strike again? And will Ann and the men who make up the Serial Crimes Tracking Unit become a real team? You'll have to read Tortured Dreams to find out. I loved it and can't wait to get my hands on Elysium Dreams, the next book in this series which is planned for release this July.
July 8, 2013
Tortured Dreams by Hadena James
Aislin Cain is a sociopath. She killed her first person at age eight. By her mid-twenties, she had killed three people. She had established herself intentionally as a prime victim, since she was a small woman, she could easily play the part. Once she lured the person to her, if he chose to take the bait, his fate was then in his own hands.
She set her own rules and morals because if she didn’t, she would have none. So, if she thought a stalker was following her home, she locked all the doors and windows. She didn’t want to make it easy for him to get in, after all.
So after the third attack, when she had two men waiting for her when she got back from the hospital, she wasn’t surprised – until she found out they needed her help. A serial killer was using medieval torture methods to kill his victims; she has a doctorate in medieval history and knows all about medieval torture. She would be the ideal person to assist in the investigation.
Aislin Cain is hired by a team of Special Marshalls, none whom could pass the psych eval. The team leader is the only member who didn’t get along with all the others. He didn’t like women, especially intelligent women who don’t take orders well and who could defend themselves.
The other team members all have their special skills and their special social issues. All interact well with one another. In addition, Aislin can bring to the team her best friend, who is a psychopath and her cousin, an attorney. Both would do anything for her and she would do anything for them.
Hadena James has managed to create an interesting cast of characters in a serial killer read that was full of interesting plot twists and twisted relationships. The research was well-done and crafted with an eye toward interesting details that make it clear some time and effort was put into the weapons portion of the novel.
It’s always refreshing to have great research in a book, especially when the book has more than one area of research that shows some degree of knowledge. James is a writer to follow, with this particular series bringing something intriguing to the mystery genre.
Aislin Cain is a sociopath. She killed her first person at age eight. By her mid-twenties, she had killed three people. She had established herself intentionally as a prime victim, since she was a small woman, she could easily play the part. Once she lured the person to her, if he chose to take the bait, his fate was then in his own hands.
She set her own rules and morals because if she didn’t, she would have none. So, if she thought a stalker was following her home, she locked all the doors and windows. She didn’t want to make it easy for him to get in, after all.
So after the third attack, when she had two men waiting for her when she got back from the hospital, she wasn’t surprised – until she found out they needed her help. A serial killer was using medieval torture methods to kill his victims; she has a doctorate in medieval history and knows all about medieval torture. She would be the ideal person to assist in the investigation.
Aislin Cain is hired by a team of Special Marshalls, none whom could pass the psych eval. The team leader is the only member who didn’t get along with all the others. He didn’t like women, especially intelligent women who don’t take orders well and who could defend themselves.
The other team members all have their special skills and their special social issues. All interact well with one another. In addition, Aislin can bring to the team her best friend, who is a psychopath and her cousin, an attorney. Both would do anything for her and she would do anything for them.
Hadena James has managed to create an interesting cast of characters in a serial killer read that was full of interesting plot twists and twisted relationships. The research was well-done and crafted with an eye toward interesting details that make it clear some time and effort was put into the weapons portion of the novel.
It’s always refreshing to have great research in a book, especially when the book has more than one area of research that shows some degree of knowledge. James is a writer to follow, with this particular series bringing something intriguing to the mystery genre.
March 15, 2015
I received this book from author Hadena James as an ARC copy. I genuinely enjoyed this book.
The protagonist is Aislinn. She’s a bit “off”, and by that I mean she’s a sociopath. Her whole life she’s attracted very unsavory individuals. She’s a lot like Dexter. She is aware of her mental disorder, so she harnesses her sociopath tendencies towards serial killers. She has few true friends, one being her cousin, one being her “mom” and one being Malachi, a psychopath who works for the government.
Aislinn is headhunted by an elite group of detectives from the US Marshals. They need her insight and expertise to help them track down a cryptic serial killer that uses medieval torture devices to kill their prey. Will Aislinn and the team that newly recruited her be able to catch the killer before another set of ten are found tortured to death?
Overall, I have to say, I love this book. I can see a few minor errors in grammar and spelling. My biggest complaint I had with the book was that I found quite a bit of of redundancy with Aislinn, her team, and the description of the torture devices. Literally, she would describe the device with a completed description, a team member would ask a question, and she would answer the question exactly the same as she had described two sentences prior.. But overall, I was really into this book.
I can only thank the author for giving me something great to read that was not zombie based. This book is one of 7 in the series so far. I loved the idea behind Aislinn and her social dysfunction, her focus and her team.
I am really glad what happened to their team leader, Alejandro, took place when it did. He made a great antagonist in the story. Good, quick read of a novel. Enticing and entertaining.
Free on Amazon Kindle.
The protagonist is Aislinn. She’s a bit “off”, and by that I mean she’s a sociopath. Her whole life she’s attracted very unsavory individuals. She’s a lot like Dexter. She is aware of her mental disorder, so she harnesses her sociopath tendencies towards serial killers. She has few true friends, one being her cousin, one being her “mom” and one being Malachi, a psychopath who works for the government.
Aislinn is headhunted by an elite group of detectives from the US Marshals. They need her insight and expertise to help them track down a cryptic serial killer that uses medieval torture devices to kill their prey. Will Aislinn and the team that newly recruited her be able to catch the killer before another set of ten are found tortured to death?
Overall, I have to say, I love this book. I can see a few minor errors in grammar and spelling. My biggest complaint I had with the book was that I found quite a bit of of redundancy with Aislinn, her team, and the description of the torture devices. Literally, she would describe the device with a completed description, a team member would ask a question, and she would answer the question exactly the same as she had described two sentences prior.. But overall, I was really into this book.
I can only thank the author for giving me something great to read that was not zombie based. This book is one of 7 in the series so far. I loved the idea behind Aislinn and her social dysfunction, her focus and her team.
I am really glad what happened to their team leader, Alejandro, took place when it did. He made a great antagonist in the story. Good, quick read of a novel. Enticing and entertaining.
Free on Amazon Kindle.
June 23, 2016
There is one thing consistent for me in which I am grateful for and that is Bookbubs information for free or low cost books. That is how I found out about this particular book. It is one that I would never have found out about on my own. And now I can say I have a new author that I have added to my list to follow here on Goodreads and other sites that I use.
Now after saying all that lets talk about the book. I can honestly say I loved watching the mystery unfold. It was certainly not in your face. You learned the information as the main character worked through it. The story arch was intriguing in how you learned about her and what was so special about her as well.
The interaction of the other characters was just as important. Each had a true roll and pieces of information that would help with the puzzle they worked on...even if it was just to be sounding boards for each other.
This was truly a book I did not want to put down. Even when I did I thought about it then would get it so I could continue it. If you love a good thriller/mystery this I believe will fit the bill. I am looking forward to reading more in these series.
Now after saying all that lets talk about the book. I can honestly say I loved watching the mystery unfold. It was certainly not in your face. You learned the information as the main character worked through it. The story arch was intriguing in how you learned about her and what was so special about her as well.
The interaction of the other characters was just as important. Each had a true roll and pieces of information that would help with the puzzle they worked on...even if it was just to be sounding boards for each other.
This was truly a book I did not want to put down. Even when I did I thought about it then would get it so I could continue it. If you love a good thriller/mystery this I believe will fit the bill. I am looking forward to reading more in these series.
March 20, 2013
Aislinn Cain is not what you’d expect from a sociopath. And her hyper-intelligence has just landed her a (trial) job with a special US Marshalls unit comprised of others who have similar societal blending issues. Their job? Track and apprehend serial killers.
I really took a shine to these citizens from the Island of Misfit Toys. Although damaged, they’re all extraordinarily IQ’d and have individually and collectively adopted their own code to catch killers who are more screwed-up than themselves.
The characters were as real as anyone you’d run into on any given day and the intrigue and twists of the story kept me glued to my e-reader. It appears to be the first in a series, and I’m looking forward to more of Aislinn and her new partners, Lucas and Xavier.
I may have been given a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, but I would have gladly paid for it. And I will be buying the rest of Ms. James’s books.
I really took a shine to these citizens from the Island of Misfit Toys. Although damaged, they’re all extraordinarily IQ’d and have individually and collectively adopted their own code to catch killers who are more screwed-up than themselves.
The characters were as real as anyone you’d run into on any given day and the intrigue and twists of the story kept me glued to my e-reader. It appears to be the first in a series, and I’m looking forward to more of Aislinn and her new partners, Lucas and Xavier.
I may have been given a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, but I would have gladly paid for it. And I will be buying the rest of Ms. James’s books.
November 1, 2020
The storyline is interesting, catches the attention. The concept being unique, sociopath catches serial killers, was definitely a draw for me. The writing style, however, was choppy, at times hard to follow as the author jumped around a bit, primarily toward the beginning as I found it evened out as the book progressed. Although the main character had the ability to have a rich background, said background was dolled out sporadically and didn't even appear to have a rhyme or reason as to when and how it was given. That said, by the end I was happy who the character was, and now having all that background, I think it could make subsequent books easier and more enjoyable to read. Overall, the storyline itself was excellent. I think there is a lot of potential in this series, and I intend to continue it.
July 30, 2013
I received a free download of this book from Story Cartel.
This book was an enjoyable read for me. I found myself rooting for Ace and wondering what kind of crazy maniac would be after her next.
I will admit that some of the descriptions of the torture devices made me a little queasy if I allowed myself to think about how it might have felt. I can understand how Ace needed to go to her calm place to be able to deal with it.
While the story of this particular book was resolved, the book was left pretty open-ended, so there could definitely be a sequel, or even a series with the same characters.
I would recommend this book for people who enjoy thriller/mystery stories.
This book was an enjoyable read for me. I found myself rooting for Ace and wondering what kind of crazy maniac would be after her next.
I will admit that some of the descriptions of the torture devices made me a little queasy if I allowed myself to think about how it might have felt. I can understand how Ace needed to go to her calm place to be able to deal with it.
While the story of this particular book was resolved, the book was left pretty open-ended, so there could definitely be a sequel, or even a series with the same characters.
I would recommend this book for people who enjoy thriller/mystery stories.
February 20, 2014
Great thriller. Author did a great job researching to make this thrill ride seem all the more real. Having a team comprised of "damaged" agents to investigate a medieval torture obsessed serial killer makes for an interesting read. I was horrified by the torture devices, more so with some than others. (The Brazen Bull strikes fear in my chest just as it does Aislinn Cain) Expecting a love story then the big surprise reveal at the end was amazing. Looking forward to reading more in this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 10, 2019
I really liked the premise of this, and the weird marginalized characters were pretty good too. My main complaint would be lack of editing and the most grating dialogue ever... nobody ever talks like these people do and it was horribly distracting to the story. The ending was a mixed bag - it had some good components but was pretty unbelievable in the critical time for the last victims. Promising but not so much that I'd read more of this series.
December 11, 2013
Hadena James is my new favorite author! She has hooked me with her thrillers, The Dreams and Reality series. The characters come to life from the pages while the story draws you in and keeps you entertained - once I started reading, I couldn't stop! Can't wait to read the rest of the books in the series.
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