Some Advanced Notes on Practical Dreaming

by Clare Robertson

Something is waiting in the dark. And it already knows your name…



At Auchter House, a mysterious university hidden away in the Scottish Highlands, only the most arcane of subjects are studied and only excellence will do. Auchter can teach you to speak forgotten languages, walk back in time, remove objects from your dreams and uncover secrets lost to hearsay and myth. It can also give you back your life.



Before Auchter Sam Sheridan was depressed, isolated and institutionalized three times before her eighteenth birthday. The university has given her everything - friends, purpose, a place that finally feels like home - and she knows that she could not live without it.



But then Sam’s best friend goes missing. And no one will believe her when she says their charming but secretive professor is to blame. Forced onto a rescue mission that will take her across continents, into the path of a mysterious hitman and in and out of dreams Sam will discover exactly how far she will go to protect the ones she loves - and how much she can even trust in her own mind.



On the other side of every dream is a nightmare. Welcome to Auchter House.

Genres: Fantasy

Kindle Edition

Published September 1, 2025

Reviews

[Gabbie Pop · Rating 5 out of 5]

If THE ATLAS SIX and THE RAVEN BOYS (or rather, more specifically, THE DREAM THIEVES) had a dark, twisted baby, it'd be SANOPD, without a doubt.

Full of characters you cannot help but root for even as you watch them make the most unhinged decisions of their lives, twists that will make your jaw drop, and the coolest yet creepiest magical school setting you'll come across, SANOPD is a spectacular debut novel.

[Marz Hare]

One of those cases of interesting concept and lackluster execution (all subjective ofc). I was curious to see how it would end, but something about the way it was written made me struggle through it. And then I grabbed another book, and by the time I finished that other book I realised I didn't want to carry on with this one.

Oh well. If you like dark academia and surreal vibes, give it a check.

If you don't feel comfortable with a narrator whose grip on reality is tenuous, maybe give this a pass.

[Suki J · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

2.75 stars.

A dark academia, following Sam, as she studies at Auchter house, a university specialising in arcane subjects, including practical dreaming, the art of removing objects from dreams. Sam has struggled with mental illness and has found a safe haven at the university.
Dark secrets are uncovered and friendships are put in peril as the story progresses.
I loved the premise of the book, particularly the practical dreaming, and the prose was quite lovely.
I did have some issues though. Firstly, the way that the magic works was not really explained, it just happens. I also found that from the start of the book like I was missing something. We are continually told that Sam has this love of Auchter house, and close relationships with her friends around her, but I struggled to see this, and therefore when characters were put in peril it was difficult to feel that invested.
I also felt like Sam didn't have much of a personality past being troubled, and the constant line-breaks got a little tiresome after a while.
Real promise though, and it was nice to read something that felt different from other dark academia I've encountered so far.

[Cyd’s Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for approving me to read this book, I’m rating it 4.5 stars rounded to 5.

I’m going to think about this book for a long time, I just know it. Although some parts didn’t flow quite how I’d like for my brain to digest the insanity unfolding.

The depth of this story just grows and suffocates, then shows you such strength in our characters considering where they begin and how they fall back into coping mechanisms they just aren’t ready to escape. There’s a number of layers to this story with beautiful friendships, romance, loyalty, betrayal and secrets that Auchter house isn’t going to give up for free. This felt like a well paced dark academic fantasy with fever dream like vibes and I really enjoyed this.

The story tackles some tough subjects that may be triggering for some people like loss and depression, but I do feel like it did this with a great sensitivity while intertwining it with fantasy elements of the plot.

I highly recommend this one for fans of All the Devils, it’s intriguing and darker than expected.

[Amelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Provided by author in exchange for an honest review.

I truly do not have the words nor the intelligence to explain just how incredible this book is. I am of the extraordinary good fortune to be friends with the author, and while naturally that was always going to have coloured my opinions coming out of this book - I can truly say if this had been some complete stranger I’d have said the exact same thing.

But from the incredibly privileged position of having been there (usually pissing her off via text message) through a good chunk of lifetime and writing process. I know for a fact just how much love was poured into this book.

And every page sings with that.

Now of course love doesn’t always good book make. Ask my me x Bucky Barnes fanfictions from me teenage years. So without that context is this a good book?

In every describable way.

This feels like an absolute love letter to fantastical academia with undertones of horror that truly leave your heart racing.

1. Characters

Saying I have a favourite character of this book genuinely feels like being asked to pick a favourite kid. Gun to my head? Bridge with Tate as an incredibly close runner up. They’re so fleshed out, they’re funny and intelligent without being facetious and absolutely stand out from the crowd.

Sam is beautiful. If that woman has 0 fans I am dead, and honestly probably raging in heaven about how good this book is. She is heartbreaking, strong, funny and realistic. Tate is everything you could want in a partner and I’m frankly furious he’s not real, kind, warm, hilarious and a backbone to this story. The entire cast is gorgeous and I could go on forever and ever. But if everyone loved the way these characters loved one another in a fictional goddamn book, the world would be far better for it.

Everything is written with such absolute passion, depth and dimension that you truly feel like the characters were sat parroting in her ear with every word typed.

2. Plot

I truly cannot put into words how good this plot is. It’s got a mysterious Scottish academy with a lake and dangerous professors. A mental health rep that leaves your heart aching and watching Sam grow through it is astonishingly beautiful. You’ve got a roadtrip with a group of dear friends and several crashes (as you do). And some good old fashioned fight sequences with a villain you truly want to knock the teeth out of.

The twist I already knew (I read the first version of this years ago and get to say nah nah nee nah nah for it) but it’s so beautifully foreshadowed and interwoven into this book that it slaps you like a brick wall when it finally comes to light.

3. World building

This left me mad practical dreaming isn’t a thing. Truly.

and also not entirely unconvinced that Robertson isn’t actually a Dreamer because how she wrote such a novel magic system in such an in depth way? I truly can’t fathom it.

4. Language and Theme

Robertson writes in a way that both makes you fall in love with the world and feel entirely afraid of it in the space of a breath. The poor woman has been borderline harassed since Tuesday (when I began reading) with quotes and words to the effect of “omg” “you’re an evil cow” and “marry me.” If I were to tattoo myself in all the gorgeous favourite bits of pose from this book, I’d have no skin left.

Love and friendship particularly she writes with such absolute voice and precision that makes you pine to feel that kind of love (though I’m admittedly a lonely feckwit so that could well just be me.)

Do I recommend this book? Without a breath of hesitation.

[Kamilė | cobwebshelves · Rating 4 out of 5]

“auchter is not something, sam knows, that you can leave lightly. she feels it still, in her very blood. the knowledge of how close she was to something beautiful. how much she loved something without seeing the way it had rotted all the way down to its insides.”

firstly, thanks to netgalley and clare robertson for the arc, and an extra thanks to clare for hooking me up with the manuscript when i realised my arc was faulty, months after it had left the platform. i know the errors in the arc left this book with lower reviews than it deserved and it saddens me.

i’m a simple girl who loves simple things in literature: water as a motif, girls who are a little fucked in the head, and ronan lynch. add to that beautiful, flowery language and scotland as one of the primary locations, and this book felt perfectly made for me. it feels almost strangely fitting for a book about dreams to be this hard to acquire. and yet, here it is, one of my favourites this year.

sometimes it’s hard to even put into words why you love a book. all i can say is the arc on my kobo is highlighted in every colour it offers. i simply loved the experience of reading the book itself. i am one for fancy metaphors, especially when they tie down the character to nature and wilderness, which i know isn’t everyone’s thing, but you can take the girl out of tumblr or whatever they say.

i love sam. maybe because i was once a depressed 16-year old (bottle) redhead, so she’s an archetype i’m naturally drawn to. maybe it’s the lack of confidence, the overthinking, the intrusive thoughts. she’s such a loved character, both by her friends and by the author. i do wish more love had been shown to the side characters, more time to flesh out the relationships. you can feel it well with tate and sid, not so much with nina or bridge.

“some advanced notes” is deeply immersive (pun intended), gorgeously atmospheric, and dreamlike in its prose. i really look forward to what robertson has next.

[Cyndi Farfsing · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful book that is an absolutely ethereal read. The story itself unfolds like a dream and had the reader questioning what is really happening and what is in the mind of the narrator as she dreams. I found myself drawn into this unique universe and rooting for our main character throughout.

We follow Sam, who is at Autcher House, an elite school with some very unusual studies. Sam and her friends are dreamers and focus on the magic of dreaming things into being. A map, a ticket, or even a weapon. Sam, struggles with accepting herself and has a history of mental ill was which made her feel unworthy of so many things. The school is her favorite place and she has found love and acceptance for the first time.

However, very quickly she realizes that things aren’t always as they seem and her beloved home may not be so safe at all when her friend is taken. She has to fight her own demons and the school itself to get her back.

The journey itself is surreal, and we love that Sam discovers she is so much more capable and loved than she has ever believed possible.

This book is beautifully written but there are so many metaphors that at times it can seem to drag a bit to get on with the story at times. I also feel that some things just aren’t explained well, but that also goes with the dream like quality of the writing and story so I don’t feel like this is a true critique of the book. It’s absolutely a slow burn story, as Sam has so much to figure out as the story goes on.

The author did an incredible job of immersing you in what feels like a dream for the whole novel. I would say that the first third of the book did seem a little slow until I got a better feel for the characters and the magic system. So absolutely buckle up for that slow burn. It totally paid off as the last third was so worth it.

[Ayra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so confusing in the best way. I really enjoyed Sam’s character development throughout the book and her acceptance of love by the end. She was someone I think a lot of readers can relate to in one way or another.

I liked the storyline but the pacing was a little off for me. I kept getting confused by larger details in the book that weren’t really explained well and I wish we saw more of Autcher House and how the dreaming worked. We are kind of thrown in with little information and while it is somewhat explained along the way, I still found myself lost in some places.

With all that said, I did like the idea of the book and the writing style this author has. They were amazing at describing feelings and situations in really good detail. The dark vibes and found family aspects were really interesting and enjoyable!

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this ARC!

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have the honor of being friends with the brilliant mind behind this book as well as to have provided edits for her. Some Advanced Notes On Practical Dreamers is a story rooted in dreams and how the act itself is an immersive experience that can sometimes immerse us too deeply. It teaches us that waking up from a dream is not always that bad, and that waking up and facing reality might be the biggest dream of all. With writing that reads like a poem, flashes before your eyes like a movie. SANOPD is a beautiful debut.

[Ronan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC

This book is insanely good. All of the characters have depth and they practically sing on the page. The plot has twists and turns and keeps you hooked in. I love the mysterious academy. The world building is done insanely well. The writing itself is stellar.
I was left without words.

[WellEndowedPenguin · Rating 4 out of 5]

First and foremost I'd like to thank Netgalley for providing me with an eArc of this book.

Some Notes on Practical Dreaming [SMNOPD] was a literature masterpiece weaving lyrical writing and a gripping storyline together seamlessly. Every sentence on every page, nestled into every line of this book transports you into the vast landscape of this amazing book.

Clare Robertson did a wonderful job of successfully showcasing the turbulent and often times exhaustive train of thought that our MC, Sam, has. She created this space where no matter what happened Sam's friends, Bridge, Nina, Sid and ultimately Tate always accepted and loved her for who she was. Not who they thought she was, or they thought she could be, but for who she was in every single moment that they had.

What happens with Sid in this turbulent story feels like a metaphor to me, at least. A disturbing visual of the effort that women expend to make sure everything runs smoothly and how men take advantage of that.

The book felt like something that had a deeper message around every corner just waiting and praying for someone to analyze.

Now onto my rating, while the book is a masterpiece in lyrical writing and evocative imaging, at times it did feel overdone and exhausting to read. Every sense, every emotion was flipped and extrapolated within these dense sentences that made for some morbidly morose settings.

There was also some confusion on my part about what role Sam actually played in the whole scheme of things, why she was important, why she was the turning point, why her? Maybe it did get explained but I couldn't understand it? That's the only thing that left me with a bitter aftertaste.

All-in-all this book was such a good read and I can't wait to read the final copy !!

[Hayley Tomkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an arc of this book, and I wasn't sure what to expect. I really liked the magic system. It was very unique, I would like to know a little more about some of the other powers in this world. The characters were very interesting, with a lot of depth and growth. The FMC has a history of mental health issues, and it was very interesting seeing a FMC face her issues whilst dealing with an evil magic. The mental health representation in this book was done very well. The way this book is written is very different. It is haunting, and once you get into it, it is a very easy read. I felt as though I was reading it from and out of body experience of our FMC. The plot was fun and kept me on my toes l, I loved the adventure, and the ending had me hooked.

[Camilla_Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and the author for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.75 rounded to 4.

A dark academia written in lyrical prose where reality and dreams intertwine and the narrator slowly loses their grasp on what's real and what isn't. It's sort of like a fever dream come to life on the page. At times this felt confusing, but considering we're seeing everything from main character Sam's POV that blends well with the overall vibe. Did I like Sam? I'm still not sure. Did she need to be likeable? Not at all! The unique magical system and intriguing plot line kept me invested even when some of the writing felt a little over-flourishing and metaphor-heavy. I'd recommend this to anyone who loves a more cerebral dark academia fantasy, along the lines of Babel or The Atlas Six.

[AmeliaGThorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t have the encyclopaedia’s worth of space nor the talent to put into words how much this book means to me as a simple reader. It is beautiful, meaningful and every ounce of whimsical joy and action-packed thriller you could want in a book.

If I could spread one word as a God for a day, it would be to tell the entire world to read this goddamn book.

and as shall I, at least seven more times. It’s good for the soul, that way.

[Ell Staley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Net gallery for this e-arc

The descriptive and lyrical way this story is written transports you on to the pages. I was immersed into the Scottish Highlands on a journey to save my friend. I love a story with strong friendships and it was lovely to be on this journey with Sam and all her friends, you couldn't help but root for them!

[W. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

Some Notes on Practical Dreaming offers an ambitious and atmospheric entry into the dark academia genre, set within the eerie halls of Auchter House. Robertson’s prose is often lush and lyrical, with a magic system that is pretty unique! At its best, the novel explores themes of mental health, identity, and found family with depth and tenderness, especially through its central character, Sam, and her complex and loving circle of friends.

However, the novel’s beauty is at times its own stumbling block. The dense, metaphor laden writing (while evocative!!!) can become overwhelming at times, and tends to obscure the plot, making it difficult to follow. Every sentence is overdone, and it made me tired sometimes. The pacing lags in places and I was confused about the rules of the magic system most of the time.

Despite these issues I found the characters reasonably endearing. I think, personally, Sam was not a good lens.

I did enjoy untangling the poetic prose but this is truly not an accessible read (and that's coming from someone who LOVES a challenging read).

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I truly thought this would be a book right up my alley, but unfortunately, it just wasn’t for me. I was initially drawn in by the gothic setting and the promise of a unique magic system. but despite that strong foundation, the characters and plot felt strangely lifeless.

I found myself confused for most of the story. The magic system is never fully explained, and the characters’ motivations remain murky. One moment a character is a friend, the next an enemy, and then suddenly one is dead(?) with little explanation of how or why. Events seem to happen without buildup or clarity, leaving me disconnected and unsure of what was even going on.

This book had a lot of potential, and I really wanted to love it. But at the halfway point, I realized I couldn’t bring myself to continue. I still want to know how it ends, yet I don’t feel invested enough to push through.

Additionally, I’m not sure if this was an error in my ARC on Netgalley, but several pages appeared to duplicate themselves or were possibly out of order. If this was a formatting issue, it certainly added to the confusion.

[Thebookwitches_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to netgalley for the eARC!

I was drawn in by the dark academia and magic vibes. I knew this was going to be a bit different but in a good way.

It is definitely confusing at first, the story seems a bit all over the place as we discover what it is to dream and how it works in this magical world.

As the story develops though then so does the intrigue. I did think it would be more dream walking than it actually was but I still enjoyed it. I think its more of an inception style vibe which I got more towards the end of the book.

What I will say is that the characters make it. They are well developed, that found family vibe is perfect and we even get a solid ending.

I also think the writing style really helped me love this book, the author wrote well, kept me intrigued and wanting to know what happened even at the parts I was a bit confused.

SANOPD is a great read, with well developed characters and a very intriguing world. If youre looking something a bit different and quirky, then Id highly recommend.

[☆Laura☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5


Sam Sheridan estudia en Auchter House, una universidad remota y misteriosa donde los sueños no solo se interpretan: se manipulan, se estudian y se convierten en herramientas tangibles. Sam es una soñadora práctica, capaz de crear objetos reales dentro de sus sueños y traerlos a la vigilia. El problema es que su talento es inestable, su método desordenado y su miedo al fracaso paralizante.

En medio de exámenes que la arrastran al límite, amistades intensas y una creciente sensación de que hay algo profundamente inquietante escondido en los rincones de la Casa, Sam empieza a perder el control. Cuando una puerta cerrada desde siempre comienza a responder desde el otro lado, y los sueños se tiñen de horror y sangre, Sam deberá enfrentarse no solo a la oscuridad que habita en Auchter, sino también a la que vive dentro de ella.


Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some Advanced Notes on Practical Dreaming by Clare Robertson hooked me right away with its premise. The mix of dark academia, dream logic, and supernatural mystery felt really fresh and different from anything I have read recently. Auchter House is such an eerie, fascinating setting, and I loved the ambition of the story. It is layered, imaginative, and definitely not afraid to take risks.

That said, the execution did not quite live up to the concept for me. Even for an ARC, there were a lot of distracting issues like typos, duplicated passages, and even a character being called by the wrong name at one point. On top of that, the writing style sometimes felt like it was trying too hard to sound literary, which made the pacing a bit clunky. The ideas are fantastic, though, and with more editing and polish this could really shine.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Kokechii · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was fully drawn to this by the premise of the story. And yes, it does have a more original premise than some other books lately. However...

The biggest problem - the ARC itself had a lot of errors - there were duplicated pages, spelling errors, problems with grammar and if I remember correctly one character being called the wrong name repeatedly which just made me confused for a while. Not helped at all by the writing style of the author, which wasn't really my own personal cup of tea.

There is good stuff in here like the vibes of the whole book, being set in Scotland, but this probably needed another round of edits and adding/removing stuff and fleshing out the secondary characters more. Even Tate could use a few more.. building blocks to be honest. While I loved his love for Sam, I feel like we don't really know him. 

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the ARC: All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[Addled Rabbit]

"Burned out grad student on a supernatural revenge quest" - Lol I was so in for this immediately.

Really love a good dark academia. And a mystery in there to bring it all together? Ugh. The plot moved along in a way that I felt worked well, especially when you're mixing the fantasy and magic bits in which can sometimes get a bit messy. Obviously from the title dreams play a big role in the story as well and I LOVED that. You just don't see it enough.

Sam had issues which we go in knowing and for the most part you can get it. There were no characters I didn't like from a character perspective but certainly ones I wish we'd seen more of.

The school itself I loved so much, I found myself wanting more more more of it and the whole magic system in general.

As a whole it was a very vibe heavy read that I think worked well with the concepts behind it.

Thank you to the author for the ARC on Netgalley.

[QueenRelan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This has all the hallmarks of a great read for fans of dark academia: an isolated university with magical secrets, dream-based powers, a missing best friend, and a narrator with a fraught past. The concept is intriguing, and there are moments of real atmosphere and tension that pulled me in.

Unfortunately, the plot didn’t fully connect for me. The pacing dragged in places, and I found myself wishing for clearer stakes and a tighter throughline. Sam’s motivations often felt more like they were serving genre expectations than arising from her own internal logic, which made it hard to stay emotionally invested.

There’s definitely an audience for this book, especially readers who enjoy moody settings and themes of found family—but for me, the story didn’t quite land.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

[Brooklyn Butler · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a confusing slog of pretentious writing. It truly felt like the author was trying to make Tumblr quotes every other line. I know I called it a slog and trust me it really was one but also it rushed through the exposition at breakneck speed. We were given no time in the world as the characters allegedly viewed it in the beginning before it was all the sudden evil the whole time and we were thrust out of it. The main villain got the same treatment. There was no build up of why we should trust this character before his "betrayal". Overall the concept was interesting but the writing was horribly paced and juvenile

Thank you to NetGalley for the Arc in exchange for my honest review

[Christine Reid · Rating 3 out of 5]

hanks to the author, Clare Robertson, for this arc. Publication coming on September 01 2025.
New dark academia, but I was thrilled to find the main characters are in their 20's, because this is not your usual school. Fast paced, dark and twisty.