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Lucid
An enchanting piece of art that leaves the reader appreciating life in all its ugliness.
From the extraordinary mind that brought you, Blood and Bone comes a tale of loss, addiction, and finding oneself in the stories we make up to hide our truths.
When Emma Hartley's husband dies suddenly, she finds herself on the brink of a discovery that will forever change her world. Lucid Fantasies is a fantastic machine that transports people into their favorite novels or movies, allowing them to live as their beloved characters for a day. Letting them forget their worries and get lost in a world of fiction. But the machine isn't all it seems, and within its enchanting wall lies a secret, a flaw. For some, their greatest fantasies are also their worst nightmares. And the line between them is more delicate than we think.
When Emma Hartley's husband dies suddenly, she finds herself on the brink of a discovery that will forever change her world. Lucid Fantasies is a fantastic machine that transports people into their favorite novels or movies, allowing them to live as their beloved characters for a day. Letting them forget their worries and get lost in a world of fiction. But the machine isn't all it seems, and within its enchanting wall lies a secret, a flaw. For some, their greatest fantasies are also their worst nightmares. And the line between them is more delicate than we think.
250 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 18, 2023
54 people are currently reading
220 people want to read
About the author
Tara Brown
121 books2,376 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Pen names for Tara Brown
- Tara Brown for science fiction and fantasy (primary author name)
- Sophie Starr for darker books
- Amy March for romantic comedies
- A.E. Watson
- T.L. Brown
- Erin Leigh
- Meg Browne
Caution: Author uses multiple pen names on the same book (different releases/editions). GR policy dictates that the name on the first release remain primary on all subsequent releases. The secondary name would be whatever name is on the cover, if different.
Pen names for Tara Brown
- Tara Brown for science fiction and fantasy (primary author name)
- Sophie Starr for darker books
- Amy March for romantic comedies
- A.E. Watson
- T.L. Brown
- Erin Leigh
- Meg Browne
Caution: Author uses multiple pen names on the same book (different releases/editions). GR policy dictates that the name on the first release remain primary on all subsequent releases. The secondary name would be whatever name is on the cover, if different.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
August 11, 2017
Beautiful cover. Interesting premise (hello, living in a book world of your choice for a bit). You would think I would have loved this book. But I didn't. At all.
Dr. Emma Hartley has made a name for herself by providing fantasy dreams to people from the book of their choice. Yet, having suffered a loss of her own (her husband), she refuses to go into the machine herself in fear that she would just look for her dead husband. I feel like this should have been a fairly obvious warning that something was wrong with her machine. But she doesn't feel that her reluctance is a problem and voila Lucid Fantasies is born.
Then there's Lana Delacroix, the mayor's wife, who pretty much shows up daily and is allowed to stay in her dreamlike fantasy for as long as she wants. When the mayor starts to notice a change in his wife's demeanor (she ends up in the hospital completely despondent), he threatens Emma and basically says he will kill her and burn her business to the ground. Apparently the mayor is a mobster who can just shout death threats at people. Anyway, Emma's response to this is to take the dream machines and run away...with Lana...where they live in their fantasy worlds fro 12 hours each day. Oh yeah, cause by this time Emma has tried the machine and is hooked.
I don't even know where to begin. Everything about this book just seemed so wrong. The plot itself was interesting but then went completely off the rocker and I no longer believed that this could even remotely exist. Also, for as smart of a women that we were told Emma was, being a doctor and all, she's extremely stupid. I'm sorry, but there's just no other word for it. She sees what the machine is doing to Lana and her response is, oh she just needs more time in the machine. Umm excuse me, you're living in filth, not showering, not changing clothes, and not eating but it's okay because you both have other lives IN YOUR HEAD. Sorry, I really just didn't like Emma. Possibly because from the very beginning she keeps talking about how she should have let her dog die in the fire that claimed her husbands life - even though he died of an aneurysm that had nothing to do with the dog. YOU DIDN'T DESERVE HER!
Aside from the plot, I wasn't too keen on the writing. It was very repetitive and lacked depth. The characters were one dimensional, I couldn't feel anything for them (well, except disgust at one point, so yay?). And the parts that took place in the machine to the plot of Persuasion by Jane Austin seemed like mediocre fanfiction.
I'm not trying to be mean but this book really rubbed me the wrong way. It has a decent rating here on Goodreads - 3.81 at the time of this review - with a lot of 4/5 star reviews, so a lot of people did like it. I just could not get behind it.
Dr. Emma Hartley has made a name for herself by providing fantasy dreams to people from the book of their choice. Yet, having suffered a loss of her own (her husband), she refuses to go into the machine herself in fear that she would just look for her dead husband. I feel like this should have been a fairly obvious warning that something was wrong with her machine. But she doesn't feel that her reluctance is a problem and voila Lucid Fantasies is born.
Then there's Lana Delacroix, the mayor's wife, who pretty much shows up daily and is allowed to stay in her dreamlike fantasy for as long as she wants. When the mayor starts to notice a change in his wife's demeanor (she ends up in the hospital completely despondent), he threatens Emma and basically says he will kill her and burn her business to the ground. Apparently the mayor is a mobster who can just shout death threats at people. Anyway, Emma's response to this is to take the dream machines and run away...with Lana...where they live in their fantasy worlds fro 12 hours each day. Oh yeah, cause by this time Emma has tried the machine and is hooked.
I don't even know where to begin. Everything about this book just seemed so wrong. The plot itself was interesting but then went completely off the rocker and I no longer believed that this could even remotely exist. Also, for as smart of a women that we were told Emma was, being a doctor and all, she's extremely stupid. I'm sorry, but there's just no other word for it. She sees what the machine is doing to Lana and her response is, oh she just needs more time in the machine. Umm excuse me, you're living in filth, not showering, not changing clothes, and not eating but it's okay because you both have other lives IN YOUR HEAD. Sorry, I really just didn't like Emma. Possibly because from the very beginning she keeps talking about how she should have let her dog die in the fire that claimed her husbands life - even though he died of an aneurysm that had nothing to do with the dog. YOU DIDN'T DESERVE HER!
Aside from the plot, I wasn't too keen on the writing. It was very repetitive and lacked depth. The characters were one dimensional, I couldn't feel anything for them (well, except disgust at one point, so yay?). And the parts that took place in the machine to the plot of Persuasion by Jane Austin seemed like mediocre fanfiction.
I'm not trying to be mean but this book really rubbed me the wrong way. It has a decent rating here on Goodreads - 3.81 at the time of this review - with a lot of 4/5 star reviews, so a lot of people did like it. I just could not get behind it.
April 27, 2017
Emma has created the ultimate fantasy machine, that allows you to go into your favorite books or movies as a character in a sort of dream state. After losing her husband Emma fell into her work creating her own company Lucid Fantasies where she screens every client to make sure that the machine doesn't become addicting for them. When one of her clients does become addicted to the machine she's forced to cut her off but little did she know that by cutting her off it would send her over the edge.
Now that she knows the truth about Lana's time in the machine is causes her to question how she changed the story. Curious to see if she could change it as well she makes the decision to enter her own story. It becomes clear that because they both had a tragic loss that they can manipulate the story. Hiding from Lana's ex-husband the pair set up shop in an old run down house that Emma inherited. The more time they spend in the machine the less time they spend in the real life their bodies waste away. Will Emma be able to come out of La La Land or will she be doomed to end up like Lana?
I like Emma she's a sweetheart who has a good heart even if she did let her feelings get in the way of Lana's condition. She's got baggage, she's not perfect, but she's just your everyday kind of girl who just wants to do the best that she can. Losing the man she loved was hard but she learns to move on even if it did mean she had to hit rock bottom. I like Mike for Emma he really works well and complements her in so many ways. They have this sweet romance.
I know I had to read Lost in La La Land as soon as I read the synopsis. I love the concept that the author has created a machine that allows you to go into your favorite stories. The story is fast paced self-discovery mixed with sweet romance that captures the heart as well as the imagination. I really enjoyed the characters, they are easy to connect with you can't help falling for Emma. The story is beautifully written, I found myself getting lost in the words and it's hard to put down. This is my first book by the author but I've had her on my list to try for a while now and I'm so glad that I did. I'm looking forward to checking out her other books.
Now that she knows the truth about Lana's time in the machine is causes her to question how she changed the story. Curious to see if she could change it as well she makes the decision to enter her own story. It becomes clear that because they both had a tragic loss that they can manipulate the story. Hiding from Lana's ex-husband the pair set up shop in an old run down house that Emma inherited. The more time they spend in the machine the less time they spend in the real life their bodies waste away. Will Emma be able to come out of La La Land or will she be doomed to end up like Lana?
I like Emma she's a sweetheart who has a good heart even if she did let her feelings get in the way of Lana's condition. She's got baggage, she's not perfect, but she's just your everyday kind of girl who just wants to do the best that she can. Losing the man she loved was hard but she learns to move on even if it did mean she had to hit rock bottom. I like Mike for Emma he really works well and complements her in so many ways. They have this sweet romance.
I know I had to read Lost in La La Land as soon as I read the synopsis. I love the concept that the author has created a machine that allows you to go into your favorite stories. The story is fast paced self-discovery mixed with sweet romance that captures the heart as well as the imagination. I really enjoyed the characters, they are easy to connect with you can't help falling for Emma. The story is beautifully written, I found myself getting lost in the words and it's hard to put down. This is my first book by the author but I've had her on my list to try for a while now and I'm so glad that I did. I'm looking forward to checking out her other books.
June 17, 2017
*Book Received in Exchange for Honest Opinion/Review*
The cover, from the moment Tara Brown put this cover up, I was enchanted. I read the synopsis and fell a little more in love, I was anticipating everything in my wildest bookish dreams. Unfortunately, this book didn't live up to any of my hopes. While I was intrigued by the story line and the characters' motives, I didn't fall in love with it for several reasons.
First off, as a person of science, its really hard for me to justify nanobot technology and I don't even think we will be remotely close to that much advancement by 2020 or even 2030. But then I thought, this is Tara Brown, I love everything she writes, I tried to silence the analytical part of my mind screaming about the improbability of the plot. Then the story line was set a lot in the Jane Austen book/that time era and I have a confession to make, I loathe the Austen books. I never got into them or felt the charm that so many people did. I was really hoping that the classics like Alice in Wonderland or Frankenstein would be mentioned and unfortunately they weren't.
Finally, there is some insta-love aspect going on and sadly I did not see Dr. Hartley grow as a character, she felt one-dimensional when I met her and she continued that way throughout the story. Actually the last 20% of the book at the end of each chapter I was asking, is it done? Was that the last chapter? But the story kept going and not in the good way, I was just so disconnected from Dr. Hartley that I was over it and her. This story had so much great potential but ended up just disappointing.
The cover, from the moment Tara Brown put this cover up, I was enchanted. I read the synopsis and fell a little more in love, I was anticipating everything in my wildest bookish dreams. Unfortunately, this book didn't live up to any of my hopes. While I was intrigued by the story line and the characters' motives, I didn't fall in love with it for several reasons.
First off, as a person of science, its really hard for me to justify nanobot technology and I don't even think we will be remotely close to that much advancement by 2020 or even 2030. But then I thought, this is Tara Brown, I love everything she writes, I tried to silence the analytical part of my mind screaming about the improbability of the plot. Then the story line was set a lot in the Jane Austen book/that time era and I have a confession to make, I loathe the Austen books. I never got into them or felt the charm that so many people did. I was really hoping that the classics like Alice in Wonderland or Frankenstein would be mentioned and unfortunately they weren't.
Finally, there is some insta-love aspect going on and sadly I did not see Dr. Hartley grow as a character, she felt one-dimensional when I met her and she continued that way throughout the story. Actually the last 20% of the book at the end of each chapter I was asking, is it done? Was that the last chapter? But the story kept going and not in the good way, I was just so disconnected from Dr. Hartley that I was over it and her. This story had so much great potential but ended up just disappointing.
July 10, 2017
I hate not finishing a novel but 30% in and I feel like I should be further along but I just can't seem to get into this novel long enough to make decent progress even though its not a long book.
Reading this novel is like trying to wade through tar.
The plot sounded so interesting but I felt such a let down once I started reading this. I feel like so much more could have been done with the book worlds the characters can enter virtually. Maybe there is more but I don't have the interest level to continue.
The characters themselves just feel so bland. Our protagonist has this tragic death in her life and yet when reading about it I feel nothing. Also she's suppose to be super smart but is surprised when someone becomes addicted to her virtual world. It's really not a new concept people becoming addicted to fantasy to escape their own lives.
The villain of this novel also feels very stereotypical as well.
The writing in this novel isn't the worse I've come across but it's not great by any meals. It feels very pedestrian.
Reading this novel is like trying to wade through tar.
The plot sounded so interesting but I felt such a let down once I started reading this. I feel like so much more could have been done with the book worlds the characters can enter virtually. Maybe there is more but I don't have the interest level to continue.
The characters themselves just feel so bland. Our protagonist has this tragic death in her life and yet when reading about it I feel nothing. Also she's suppose to be super smart but is surprised when someone becomes addicted to her virtual world. It's really not a new concept people becoming addicted to fantasy to escape their own lives.
The villain of this novel also feels very stereotypical as well.
The writing in this novel isn't the worse I've come across but it's not great by any meals. It feels very pedestrian.
April 17, 2017
Lost in La La Land by Tara Brown
Wow! My first Ever Tara Brown book, and didn’t I pick a winner!
Have you all seen the cover, its just too beautiful. When I seen it I had the case of OMG I needs you in my life, I’m really surprised how much I did actualy enjoy this story.
I found myself really invested to see what will happen, this story really does just grab you and pull you in and you find yourself lost in la la land!
Emma Hartley has invented a crazy cool machine, that places you into a book/story of your choice. When you are in the machine you are that character, I found this story to be unique and I did really enjoy it.
It’s one of them books, you do really just need to pick up and buy, if I went on I know I will give away to many spoilers, and some times that’s cool but I think this one is one everyone should escape into and get lost in la la land.
Tara's writing is this way that captured my attention, I found it flowed really well and that for me is important, the only time I was distracted reading this book, was sleep and the 4 tiny humans I have in my life!
I am extremely excited to pick up another book by Tara, a new author to me that I am sure ill be reading more off in the months to come.
Arc received for an honest review
4 Stars
Wow! My first Ever Tara Brown book, and didn’t I pick a winner!
Have you all seen the cover, its just too beautiful. When I seen it I had the case of OMG I needs you in my life, I’m really surprised how much I did actualy enjoy this story.
I found myself really invested to see what will happen, this story really does just grab you and pull you in and you find yourself lost in la la land!
Emma Hartley has invented a crazy cool machine, that places you into a book/story of your choice. When you are in the machine you are that character, I found this story to be unique and I did really enjoy it.
It’s one of them books, you do really just need to pick up and buy, if I went on I know I will give away to many spoilers, and some times that’s cool but I think this one is one everyone should escape into and get lost in la la land.
Tara's writing is this way that captured my attention, I found it flowed really well and that for me is important, the only time I was distracted reading this book, was sleep and the 4 tiny humans I have in my life!
I am extremely excited to pick up another book by Tara, a new author to me that I am sure ill be reading more off in the months to come.
Arc received for an honest review
4 Stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 14, 2017
"two peas in a fucked up pod"
I loved this twisted leap down the rabbit hole, the story is set in the future but a good part of it occurs in the current past. What if you could make all of your literary fantasies come true? Emma is a scientist that has created a literary virtual reality machine where you can choose the outcome/adventure. While brilliant, she is a lonely widow, just trying to find her way. When she befriends a patient (Lana) the two of them embark on an adventure of reality and fantasy where real and fake start to collide and they must each make the decision to live in one world or the other.
In traditional Tara Brown style you find yourself fascinated, horrified and wanting to cheer all at once. I love that lines can be blurred and justified with redemption as the goal. you can't help but feel a kinship to the characters. Simply brilliant.
I requested and happily read an advance copy for my opinions .
I loved this twisted leap down the rabbit hole, the story is set in the future but a good part of it occurs in the current past. What if you could make all of your literary fantasies come true? Emma is a scientist that has created a literary virtual reality machine where you can choose the outcome/adventure. While brilliant, she is a lonely widow, just trying to find her way. When she befriends a patient (Lana) the two of them embark on an adventure of reality and fantasy where real and fake start to collide and they must each make the decision to live in one world or the other.
In traditional Tara Brown style you find yourself fascinated, horrified and wanting to cheer all at once. I love that lines can be blurred and justified with redemption as the goal. you can't help but feel a kinship to the characters. Simply brilliant.
I requested and happily read an advance copy for my opinions .
September 29, 2017
4.5 stars!
My initial thought on finishing this book was, "WOW." When the book started, I wasn't sure what direction the story was going to take. It's set in the future and I wasn't sure if it was fantasy, paranormal, horror, or something else, perhaps a combination of multiple genres. However the concept was interesting enough that I couldn't put the book down.
Now, towards the middle of the book, things got really interesting. How you ask? Well I was aware of what was happening to the main characters, and I didn't like seeing it. It was difficult to read, but Tara Brown's writing was so amazing I was hooked! I mean the idea that a person could fall down a rabbit hole that far and see that they'd fallen was astonishing, but so real. And the rabbit hole is a metaphor for what happens in this book, but I'm a spoiler free kind of girl, so I'm going to be vague.
Also really interesting was how the story jumped in time, not too far, but still enough to hit home the differences in before and after. I also really enjoyed the romantic interactions Dr. Emma Hartley had. There were one or two that had me flushing they were so hot, and others that had me in tears.
I have to give Tara Brown a lot of credit for this book. It doesn't fit into the conventional romance mold, but it's as cerebral as it is realistic and an escape. I must say that it gave me a better understanding about myself and others too. If you're looking for a novel about loss, and finding yourself then this book is totally for you. :)
My initial thought on finishing this book was, "WOW." When the book started, I wasn't sure what direction the story was going to take. It's set in the future and I wasn't sure if it was fantasy, paranormal, horror, or something else, perhaps a combination of multiple genres. However the concept was interesting enough that I couldn't put the book down.
Now, towards the middle of the book, things got really interesting. How you ask? Well I was aware of what was happening to the main characters, and I didn't like seeing it. It was difficult to read, but Tara Brown's writing was so amazing I was hooked! I mean the idea that a person could fall down a rabbit hole that far and see that they'd fallen was astonishing, but so real. And the rabbit hole is a metaphor for what happens in this book, but I'm a spoiler free kind of girl, so I'm going to be vague.
Also really interesting was how the story jumped in time, not too far, but still enough to hit home the differences in before and after. I also really enjoyed the romantic interactions Dr. Emma Hartley had. There were one or two that had me flushing they were so hot, and others that had me in tears.
I have to give Tara Brown a lot of credit for this book. It doesn't fit into the conventional romance mold, but it's as cerebral as it is realistic and an escape. I must say that it gave me a better understanding about myself and others too. If you're looking for a novel about loss, and finding yourself then this book is totally for you. :)
January 8, 2018
There aren't adequate words to describe how amazing this book is. From the beginning to the very last word I was hooked. Tara Brown is a mastermind that sucks you into the worlds she creates. Heartbreaking, beautiful, insane, fantastic, desperate, wonderful, soul crushing are some of the words that come to mind when describing Lost in La La Land. You can't help but feel one with the main character and her grief, guilt, sorrow and desperation. The whole time I was reading I kept begging my family to please let me finish the book because I just couldn't put it down and as a mother and wife, interruptions are bound to happen. But just like the characters... I craved the story, I needed more, desperately wanted to lose myself in the world of tara brown. And lost myself I did. Amazingly written, a true storyteller and fantastically disturbing! Every bookworms fantasy to live in a beloved story. I cried, I loved and I laughed.. Sure as heck cried some more.
I recieved an ARC in exchange for a honest and unbiased review
I recieved an ARC in exchange for a honest and unbiased review
October 16, 2017
A beautiful book cover, once again I was hooked in for the wrong reasons. I loved the idea of this book but unfortunately I wasn't a fan of the execution. It just wasn't for me - sorry.
April 19, 2017
This was not an easy book to rate. If you are not familiar with Tara's books and think this is just a fantasy romance, you will be greatly mistaken. "Oh! A widow who gets to live in a Jane Austen world!? Sounds perfect!" Actually, this book, like many of her others, gets pretty dark, and sometimes the main characters are not very likeable. Knowing that this is not a fluffy Austen fantasy, you will not be disappointed.
The reason why the book is not 5 stars is because reading Austen's Persuasion is a pretty strong pre-requisite to easily following along. I've never read the book and have very little background knowledge about her works, so I had trouble keeping up with the characters and the significance of the story changing from the original plot. That being said, most people are familiar with and have read many of Austen's books and this shouldn't be an issue. If nothing else, Wikipedia or watching the movie should be done before hand to fully enjoy the book.
The reason why the book is not 5 stars is because reading Austen's Persuasion is a pretty strong pre-requisite to easily following along. I've never read the book and have very little background knowledge about her works, so I had trouble keeping up with the characters and the significance of the story changing from the original plot. That being said, most people are familiar with and have read many of Austen's books and this shouldn't be an issue. If nothing else, Wikipedia or watching the movie should be done before hand to fully enjoy the book.
May 9, 2017
I thought long and hard about this review as it warranted it. So imagine The Never Ending Story, Your all time Classic Novels, The Disney series Once Upon A Time and add that search for love with a scientific twist and you have the amazing LOST IN LA LA LAND! This book transported me to a fantasy world. Highly recommended even if it ain't your normal thing it is one worth giving a try as it is magical.
January 23, 2019
ok, so, i really liked the premise of this book and i reccomend reading if you don't want to engage on a book series, easy to get into after a feeling of disconnect in the first chapters, but the story keeps you hooked as the plot thickens. also, if you don't like spoilers i guess you shouldn't keep reading, because i'm going to babble.
so, as i said at first it took me a little to get into it, the first person pov narrative felt diconnected, mostly i gues because the protagonist herself felt that way, battling with the lost of a loved one while trying to keep on going. i liked the mirror like experience between the protagonist and Lana as a catalyst and the way it was showed that the same experiences can either make you or destroy you if you let them.
quite frankly the story didn't take the path i thought it was headed to. it deals with dark emotions we all battlle with daily and the theme could be darker, which i guess is why the happy ending surprised me, and it was a good surprise, but i kind of kept waiting for Emma to wake up and discover her own healing and redemption had been a lucid dream, mostly because dreams tend to be that way and you can live a full life in a dream because the passage of time has no meaning and also irony.
i also liked how it was shown that you can be your own hero, though sometimes that makes you the villain in someone else's story. i got ticked off a little by Emma finding the spark to save hersself because of a man, but in the real world the way we see ourselves in the eyes of other people is a powerful catalyst and it changes us, wehter we like it or not, so it's not unbelievable.
so, as i said at first it took me a little to get into it, the first person pov narrative felt diconnected, mostly i gues because the protagonist herself felt that way, battling with the lost of a loved one while trying to keep on going. i liked the mirror like experience between the protagonist and Lana as a catalyst and the way it was showed that the same experiences can either make you or destroy you if you let them.
quite frankly the story didn't take the path i thought it was headed to. it deals with dark emotions we all battlle with daily and the theme could be darker, which i guess is why the happy ending surprised me, and it was a good surprise, but i kind of kept waiting for Emma to wake up and discover her own healing and redemption had been a lucid dream, mostly because dreams tend to be that way and you can live a full life in a dream because the passage of time has no meaning and also irony.
i also liked how it was shown that you can be your own hero, though sometimes that makes you the villain in someone else's story. i got ticked off a little by Emma finding the spark to save hersself because of a man, but in the real world the way we see ourselves in the eyes of other people is a powerful catalyst and it changes us, wehter we like it or not, so it's not unbelievable.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 15, 2017
***ARC received in exchange of an honest opinion***
As usual, I didn't read the blurb before starting this book (spwcially because it's from an author I trust 100%) and going in completely in thr dark was the right choice, because this book surprised me at every new page.
What a story! Back in La La Land is different than anything I've read before (or anyone else), it's very intriguing and every new thing that happens in the story makes you not want to stop reading it. I devoured the book in one and a half hour and it what a ride it was!!
This book was fascinating. Even though it's set in th up near future and in that world technology makes things that seem impossible, possible, we can still realte to the characters and what they're going through. The feelings this book evokes are very actual.
Emma, the heroine, is a complex character. Sometimes her actions don't seem very good, but she can't always control them. Shr goes through a lit and we can see her grow through the story. And I loved seeing hee maturing. Sometimes we hit rock bottom, but it's how we raise from it that matters and she definitely shows that that's true!
As usual, I didn't read the blurb before starting this book (spwcially because it's from an author I trust 100%) and going in completely in thr dark was the right choice, because this book surprised me at every new page.
What a story! Back in La La Land is different than anything I've read before (or anyone else), it's very intriguing and every new thing that happens in the story makes you not want to stop reading it. I devoured the book in one and a half hour and it what a ride it was!!
This book was fascinating. Even though it's set in th up near future and in that world technology makes things that seem impossible, possible, we can still realte to the characters and what they're going through. The feelings this book evokes are very actual.
Emma, the heroine, is a complex character. Sometimes her actions don't seem very good, but she can't always control them. Shr goes through a lit and we can see her grow through the story. And I loved seeing hee maturing. Sometimes we hit rock bottom, but it's how we raise from it that matters and she definitely shows that that's true!
April 13, 2017
Wow-not only is the storyline unique, but the characters are not your usual suspects either. I've never read a story quite like this and while it took me a minute to get into it, I found it absolutely fascinating ! Not your run of the mill romance, there's love and loss and good and evil and regret and redemption . Trust me you'll love it Tara you mind works in wicked ways!!!
July 6, 2017
Kniha ma zaujala obalkou aj anotaciou. Emma v blizkej buducnosti navrhne stroj, vdaka ktoremu sa uzivatel pristroja moze dostat do hociktorej knihy :heart_eyes: Na par hodin sa pripojite a nanoboty vas vtiahnu priamo do deja.
Jednou z vynimiek je, ze zaujemca nesmie mat vo svojej minulosti niekoho, koho stratil.
Starostova zena tam chodieva kazdy den a ked starosta pride a vyhraza sa Emme, ze mu nici manzelstvo a ze Emmu zabije, ak jeho manzelke dovoli tam ist, Emma je zhrozena. Lebo pride na to, ze Lana jej klamala. Kedysi milovala jedneho chlapca, ktory zahynul.A tiez s hrozou zisti, ze Lana si pribehy v knihach meni podla seba a ten jej chalan je v pribehu. Emma teda pristroj vyskusa po 1x /ehm, ako tvorca ho neskusal???/ a je ocarena. Pristroje zbali a spolu s Lanou utecu.
Postupne su v pribehoch dlhsie a dlhsie, v realnom zivote chradnu, maju bordel, az kym im neotvori oci ich znama.
Emma precitne a zisti, ze v realnom zivote ju tiez cakaju krasne veci.
Nuz, pribeh to bol zaujimavy, bavilo ma napr to, ze Emma si vybrala dielo Jane Austen :heart:. Ale boli tam nejake veci, ktore mi vadili.
Preto davam 3 1/2 *.
Jednou z vynimiek je, ze zaujemca nesmie mat vo svojej minulosti niekoho, koho stratil.
Starostova zena tam chodieva kazdy den a ked starosta pride a vyhraza sa Emme, ze mu nici manzelstvo a ze Emmu zabije, ak jeho manzelke dovoli tam ist, Emma je zhrozena. Lebo pride na to, ze Lana jej klamala. Kedysi milovala jedneho chlapca, ktory zahynul.A tiez s hrozou zisti, ze Lana si pribehy v knihach meni podla seba a ten jej chalan je v pribehu. Emma teda pristroj vyskusa po 1x /ehm, ako tvorca ho neskusal???/ a je ocarena. Pristroje zbali a spolu s Lanou utecu.
Postupne su v pribehoch dlhsie a dlhsie, v realnom zivote chradnu, maju bordel, az kym im neotvori oci ich znama.
Emma precitne a zisti, ze v realnom zivote ju tiez cakaju krasne veci.
Nuz, pribeh to bol zaujimavy, bavilo ma napr to, ze Emma si vybrala dielo Jane Austen :heart:. Ale boli tam nejake veci, ktore mi vadili.
Preto davam 3 1/2 *.
February 22, 2018
Lost in La La Land by Tara Brown is about a neuroengineer who develops a machine that can transport a person into a book of their choice. What bookworm wouldn't love to hang out with Alice down the rabbit hole, spend a day on the prairie with the Ingalls family, or (like the characters in this book) join Rhett Butler and Ashley Wilkes in Gone with the Wind or hang out with Captain Wentworth in a world created by Jane Austen? This machine sounds like what dreams are made of--until it makes users unable to cope with reality, a slave to the machine that makes all their wishes come true. This is exactly what happens to Dr. Emma Hartley, the creator of the machine and protagonist of the story.
This book required a lot of imagination and was a fun, thought-provoking read. Not my favorite by this author, but a page turner nonetheless.
☆☆☆
This book required a lot of imagination and was a fun, thought-provoking read. Not my favorite by this author, but a page turner nonetheless.
☆☆☆
September 26, 2017
Tara Brown is a favorite author of mine, I am reading her books slowly so I always have some thing good to read. I always have the biggest book hangovers with her stories. the characters are just so amazing.. and the worlds she creates are al ways fantastic. I just can't enough of her work. I just want all the stories!
Lost in La La Land was not my favorite. I am not a Jane Austen fan, and half of the book was in the world Jane Austen created. There was one character I was particularly interested in, so I finished the book just looking to see how her story ended. The idea for Lost in La La Land was an excellent one but I didn't like how it was executed.
Sorry Tara.
This story does NOT sway my opinion on this author at all.
Lost in La La Land was not my favorite. I am not a Jane Austen fan, and half of the book was in the world Jane Austen created. There was one character I was particularly interested in, so I finished the book just looking to see how her story ended. The idea for Lost in La La Land was an excellent one but I didn't like how it was executed.
Sorry Tara.
This story does NOT sway my opinion on this author at all.
July 10, 2017
Heart moving
I love all of Tara Brown's writing! It pulls you in and the next thing you know it's way past your bed time! This was a very enjoyable book. It was dark and real, how life actually is. I enjoyed the not know the next step or if she was going to have some crazy twist in the end. I love how she brought in a lot of other beloved books to the table and expressed them so wonderfully. I'm simply amazed by her write and will continue to read everything Tara puts out! Hands down top three best book authors!
I love all of Tara Brown's writing! It pulls you in and the next thing you know it's way past your bed time! This was a very enjoyable book. It was dark and real, how life actually is. I enjoyed the not know the next step or if she was going to have some crazy twist in the end. I love how she brought in a lot of other beloved books to the table and expressed them so wonderfully. I'm simply amazed by her write and will continue to read everything Tara puts out! Hands down top three best book authors!
September 17, 2017
Great premise, poor execution. Book was often repetitive and focused on such small details that overall hardly even matter and it was distracting. Emma is supposed to be this fancy pants doctor/scientist and she's so removed from reality, it's ridiculous. I would have thought the climax of the book would have been better, but it was a huge let down. I'm happy I read this for free with kindle unlimited, it'd be mad if I wasted money on this book. You're basically going to be reading a poor mans version of Inception.
July 9, 2017
Who doesn't want to visit their favorite novel?!
Who hasn't dreamt of being in that world with the dashing, handsome prince or with the sweet, demure princess? Who doesn't want to be an elf in Tolkien's world or to be seduced by Count Dracula!?
Who wouldn't want the chance to see those who we loved and lost again?
I loved this novel. I love the idea of lala land. And I love Emma's character. She's me in written form. Thank You, Ms Brown for this novel.
Who hasn't dreamt of being in that world with the dashing, handsome prince or with the sweet, demure princess? Who doesn't want to be an elf in Tolkien's world or to be seduced by Count Dracula!?
Who wouldn't want the chance to see those who we loved and lost again?
I loved this novel. I love the idea of lala land. And I love Emma's character. She's me in written form. Thank You, Ms Brown for this novel.
March 17, 2018
Good read
I like how this book flowed. It kept me interested the whole time. This is the second book that I have read from this author and I think I liked this book more than the last. The characters had real dialogue which is sometimes hard to find for a free book. Plus I'm a sucker for romance and this book had enough of that but not overly tacky.
I like how this book flowed. It kept me interested the whole time. This is the second book that I have read from this author and I think I liked this book more than the last. The characters had real dialogue which is sometimes hard to find for a free book. Plus I'm a sucker for romance and this book had enough of that but not overly tacky.
July 25, 2018
One of Tara Brown's best.
Out of the many Tara Brown books I've read this is by far my favorite. I absolutely loved it and I'm pretty sure I will read it again and again. Brilliant!!
Out of the many Tara Brown books I've read this is by far my favorite. I absolutely loved it and I'm pretty sure I will read it again and again. Brilliant!!
May 1, 2019
Intriguing read! Couldn’t put it down.
I love the twist on characters. The book was very well written. I chose it because I love regency romance and thought it sounded like a interesting story line. I wasn’t disappointed!
I love the twist on characters. The book was very well written. I chose it because I love regency romance and thought it sounded like a interesting story line. I wasn’t disappointed!
May 10, 2017
It was okay
It was a good book but not what I'm used to from this author. I still read every word because I'm a loyal fan.
It was a good book but not what I'm used to from this author. I still read every word because I'm a loyal fan.
July 15, 2017
I love Tara Brown books and I was just so disappointed with this book. It's basically a twist on addiction but with technology that performs as an alternate reality. I'm still a fan of hers though!
January 27, 2020
What if you could enter the world created inside of your favorite novel? Close your eyes and live for a day as Elizabeth Bennet or Harry Potter? Experience every magical sentence ever written, first hand? Escape the ordinary and live the extraordinary! That’s the sales pitch for Dr. Emma Hartley’s dream machine, Lucid Fantasies. The fantastical machine transports people into their favorite novels or movies, for a day. But that wasn’t why it was created. The dark purpose of it lies within Dr. Hartley herself. A secret, a flaw in the machine. One that she keeps hidden away. For some people, your greatest fantasies are also your worst nightmares. And the line between them is finer than we think.
I was so excited when I read the synopsis of this book but I was so disappointed with the execution. I thought this would be a fun beach read but it was really heavy.
I was so excited when I read the synopsis of this book but I was so disappointed with the execution. I thought this would be a fun beach read but it was really heavy.
January 13, 2022
What a unique storyline! Like always Tara weaved a different world and i enjoyed it.
April 19, 2017
I had to take time to think about my review. To absorb all the words in this book because I can relate to these characters. I can understand what drives them to want to live in a fantasy world, a world they can create, with the things they want, the outcome to the story that they want. A beautiful fantasy without the heartache and the pain of their real life. We all want that in some way. To write our own story the way we want it to be. To be the Author of our own life.
I think we all read to escape to some degree, whether it's to escape our real life problems or just to escape in a beautiful fantasy world written by the author. A fantasy full of romance, first kisses, first touches, high school crushes, drama, Angst, horror and pain, or whatever you like to read. But what if you could actually LIVE as a character in one of your favorite novels? Live as they live, experience all those feelings and experiences first hand, would you?
We do it every time we pick up a book, in a way. Live as the character does, experience everything through them within the words on the pages. But it ends. The final chapter, the find paragraph, the final word. We close the book and go back to our real life. Until the next book, the next story.
Dr. Emma Hartley thinks of all these things as the idea is formed. She sets to work, driven by a deep loss, she seeks the escape that only her favorite novel can provide...in hopes that she will finally find what she seeks. Lucid Fantasies, a machine designed to take you on the greatest escape ever, giving you the ability to live inside a book, live as a beloved character and live out the story first hand.
The perfect machine. The perfect escape. The perfect fantasy.... Until it isn't. Until a secret so dark, it threatens to destroy it all.
Tara has a wicked, deviant mind and that's probably why I love her stories so much. Lost in La La Land is a unique story with soul searching, friendship, love, loss, regret, guilt and a grief so powerful it could destroy your entire world. I totally got swept away in the story, living as the characters, but I know reality from fantasy and that it all ends when the last page turns. Didn't stop me from loving every minute being trapped in La La Land though. If you want a unique and epic tale unlike an other, read this book!
I think we all read to escape to some degree, whether it's to escape our real life problems or just to escape in a beautiful fantasy world written by the author. A fantasy full of romance, first kisses, first touches, high school crushes, drama, Angst, horror and pain, or whatever you like to read. But what if you could actually LIVE as a character in one of your favorite novels? Live as they live, experience all those feelings and experiences first hand, would you?
We do it every time we pick up a book, in a way. Live as the character does, experience everything through them within the words on the pages. But it ends. The final chapter, the find paragraph, the final word. We close the book and go back to our real life. Until the next book, the next story.
Dr. Emma Hartley thinks of all these things as the idea is formed. She sets to work, driven by a deep loss, she seeks the escape that only her favorite novel can provide...in hopes that she will finally find what she seeks. Lucid Fantasies, a machine designed to take you on the greatest escape ever, giving you the ability to live inside a book, live as a beloved character and live out the story first hand.
The perfect machine. The perfect escape. The perfect fantasy.... Until it isn't. Until a secret so dark, it threatens to destroy it all.
Tara has a wicked, deviant mind and that's probably why I love her stories so much. Lost in La La Land is a unique story with soul searching, friendship, love, loss, regret, guilt and a grief so powerful it could destroy your entire world. I totally got swept away in the story, living as the characters, but I know reality from fantasy and that it all ends when the last page turns. Didn't stop me from loving every minute being trapped in La La Land though. If you want a unique and epic tale unlike an other, read this book!
April 16, 2017
I guess I should be used to this by now. This feeling of what. The. Hell did I just read, whenever I'm done with a Tara Brown book. Yet, she always seems to surprise me and I really hope this will never stop.
I honestly don't really know how this book could be reviewed, without giving away spoilers and ruin the story. But to simply say, "Read it, you won't be sorry." doesn't seem enough.
Let me start with the story line, the plot. It was original. I have never read a book with this plot. The action takes place in the future, during the times of way more advanced technology, when going into your favorite book is possible. A dream-come-true for every bookworm, I'm sure. I mean who wouldn't want to meet the arrogant Mr. Darcy, or spend a decadent and absolutely hedonistic afternoon with Dorian Gray? Or replace Mina in Dracula's embrace?
Or why not, ride on the back of the bike that belongs to your favorite MC character, from a book written in our century?
Because reading is escaping. We all know that, we all do that. Sometimes reality gets to be too much to handle and we pick up a book to take our minds off of it. Well, the heroine, Emma, managed to do a lot more by inventing the perfect machine that would take you into your favorite book.
But you see, there's a catch. Like always. Too much of it and it can be bad for you. The author doesn't hesitate to show us the ugly part of day-dreaming, the consequences we might face if we get too lost in this La La Land.
I loved how this book read. The future, combined with the world created by Austen, but then a smidgen of Gothic was also added to it. The style kept shifting and changing on us, making it one heck of a ride.
There was also some major swooning because Tara Brown knows how to write her heroes. They're the ones after my own heart and, let me tell you, I will never look at Frederick Wentworth the same way, ever again.
Did I like it? Very much so. Do I recommend it? Yes. I voluntarily agreed to review an advance copy of this book and am rating it 4 solid stars.
I honestly don't really know how this book could be reviewed, without giving away spoilers and ruin the story. But to simply say, "Read it, you won't be sorry." doesn't seem enough.
Let me start with the story line, the plot. It was original. I have never read a book with this plot. The action takes place in the future, during the times of way more advanced technology, when going into your favorite book is possible. A dream-come-true for every bookworm, I'm sure. I mean who wouldn't want to meet the arrogant Mr. Darcy, or spend a decadent and absolutely hedonistic afternoon with Dorian Gray? Or replace Mina in Dracula's embrace?
Or why not, ride on the back of the bike that belongs to your favorite MC character, from a book written in our century?
Because reading is escaping. We all know that, we all do that. Sometimes reality gets to be too much to handle and we pick up a book to take our minds off of it. Well, the heroine, Emma, managed to do a lot more by inventing the perfect machine that would take you into your favorite book.
But you see, there's a catch. Like always. Too much of it and it can be bad for you. The author doesn't hesitate to show us the ugly part of day-dreaming, the consequences we might face if we get too lost in this La La Land.
I loved how this book read. The future, combined with the world created by Austen, but then a smidgen of Gothic was also added to it. The style kept shifting and changing on us, making it one heck of a ride.
There was also some major swooning because Tara Brown knows how to write her heroes. They're the ones after my own heart and, let me tell you, I will never look at Frederick Wentworth the same way, ever again.
Did I like it? Very much so. Do I recommend it? Yes. I voluntarily agreed to review an advance copy of this book and am rating it 4 solid stars.
April 15, 2017
First and foremost let me begin by stating that I received an advance copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review. Thank you
I love Tara her writing speaks to me, sends me into a world of my own. She has the ability to transport me to the scene, to brand me with each characters, their pain and solitude. Lost in LaLa Land is no different.
She begins the story by submerging the reader into the world of Alice and wonderland, sending us into the rabbit hole. At one point during the book I really thought we never came out of the hole. While reading I got lost in the worlds, unable to distinguish between the real and the factorial one. I was annoyed at first but as the booked progress I realize it allowed the reader to bond with Emma; to feel and experience her confusion, her addiction, her complete deterioration. Even the slowness in the first few chapters gives the user a brief window into the world of Emma before Lana. And in true Tara form when you think she is going to make it, she completely stuns you. When you think you know what will happen and how the book will progress she mind-twist you. At the end of the book she leaves you completely mesmerized and satisfied.
It was a great read… my one con would be that it needed to be a little longer… The last couple of chapter needed to be stretch a little more I wanted to experience Emma and he road to recovery to her freedom and to herself.
I love Tara her writing speaks to me, sends me into a world of my own. She has the ability to transport me to the scene, to brand me with each characters, their pain and solitude. Lost in LaLa Land is no different.
She begins the story by submerging the reader into the world of Alice and wonderland, sending us into the rabbit hole. At one point during the book I really thought we never came out of the hole. While reading I got lost in the worlds, unable to distinguish between the real and the factorial one. I was annoyed at first but as the booked progress I realize it allowed the reader to bond with Emma; to feel and experience her confusion, her addiction, her complete deterioration. Even the slowness in the first few chapters gives the user a brief window into the world of Emma before Lana. And in true Tara form when you think she is going to make it, she completely stuns you. When you think you know what will happen and how the book will progress she mind-twist you. At the end of the book she leaves you completely mesmerized and satisfied.
It was a great read… my one con would be that it needed to be a little longer… The last couple of chapter needed to be stretch a little more I wanted to experience Emma and he road to recovery to her freedom and to herself.
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