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Dreamwalker #1
Dreamwalker
Two worlds. One dream. A race through fear to survive.
Every night, Luke closes his eyes and becomes someone else—Aliya, a fierce young woman in a distant world plagued by a deadly sickness that spreads through dreams.
At first, Luke thinks it’s just a vivid escape from his own life. But then his sister is diagnosed with cancer, and the nightmares begin to bleed into reality. In Aliya’s world, the plague is growing stronger. In Luke’s, time is running out.
Bound by a shared dreamscape, Luke and Aliya must master the dangerous art of dreamwalking and face the fears they’ve both tried to outrun.
But in dreams, nothing is safe. And in nightmares, everything you love can be lost.
For fans of Maggie Stiefvater, Laini Taylor and Patrick Ness, Dreamwalker is a breathtaking young adult fantasy about identity, hope, and the courage to face the darkness—both in our dreams and within ourselves.
Every night, Luke closes his eyes and becomes someone else—Aliya, a fierce young woman in a distant world plagued by a deadly sickness that spreads through dreams.
At first, Luke thinks it’s just a vivid escape from his own life. But then his sister is diagnosed with cancer, and the nightmares begin to bleed into reality. In Aliya’s world, the plague is growing stronger. In Luke’s, time is running out.
Bound by a shared dreamscape, Luke and Aliya must master the dangerous art of dreamwalking and face the fears they’ve both tried to outrun.
But in dreams, nothing is safe. And in nightmares, everything you love can be lost.
For fans of Maggie Stiefvater, Laini Taylor and Patrick Ness, Dreamwalker is a breathtaking young adult fantasy about identity, hope, and the courage to face the darkness—both in our dreams and within ourselves.
- GenresLGBT
296 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 3, 2025
About the author
A.K. Adler
7 books11 followersI am interested in reading – and writing – books that have some meaning, some impact; that do not just entertain, but make us into better people. Fiction has great power to change us: we take the hero’s journey with them, and so stories can lead us deeper into the truth of who we are.
I have always loved fantasy, but as a born cynic I would ask myself, ‘Isn’t this unrealistic? Why does good always triumph over evil?’ But I have learnt to find this truth in fantasy: good always triumphs over evil because this is an inevitability. The story follows our inner journey, the one each of us must take over our lifetime: a journey from darkness and struggle that always holds the potential for light. Each one of us has that potential to conquer our inner demons and find our own enlightenment; that potential is indestructible, and the darkness within our mind is only a temporary obstruction. So, good will always triumph over evil, in the end.
The novels I write will, I hope, be one little spark to illuminate and encourage that inner journey.
I have always loved fantasy, but as a born cynic I would ask myself, ‘Isn’t this unrealistic? Why does good always triumph over evil?’ But I have learnt to find this truth in fantasy: good always triumphs over evil because this is an inevitability. The story follows our inner journey, the one each of us must take over our lifetime: a journey from darkness and struggle that always holds the potential for light. Each one of us has that potential to conquer our inner demons and find our own enlightenment; that potential is indestructible, and the darkness within our mind is only a temporary obstruction. So, good will always triumph over evil, in the end.
The novels I write will, I hope, be one little spark to illuminate and encourage that inner journey.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
November 22, 2022
This is quite possibly a new favorite for me. It is a wonderful adventure full of powerful messages of love and self acceptance. It is a deeply emotional journey that will take you through all the feels, good and bad, and everything in between. It will break your heart a dozen different ways and put it back together again. It is especially powerful for anyone who has ever felt out of place in life or different from everyone else. It is a story of hope when everything feels hopeless and finding your inner fire to push through the darkness.
August 5, 2023
Thank you so much to the author and Hazel’s Booktours for sharing a copy of this book with me!!!
“Aliya’s life stopped feeling like her own on the day that she found the corpse”
“Admitting you’re frightened is the scariest part.”
“Find your fire, Aliya. Listen to the fire!”
Wonderful story of acceptance, magic, dream walking and family.
Aliyah is a dreamwalker and Luke is too. Coming from completely different universes they will find themselves sharing dreams and experiences, helping people deal with their dreams and their realities, fighting the fear of death … and sometimes death too.
While walking through other people’s dreams and also their own, they will have their own personal battles to face. Aliyah has to accept that she is a shaman while Luke will have to face the people he loves and understand more about who there are and how much labels can be hurtful!!!
This book was a story of friendship, dreams, shamans, dragons, siblings’ love and identity and it was very very good and very very educational in my opinion. I feel like more people should read it. I’m in no position to say the non-binary representation was the best in the world but I can easy say that I felt everything Luca was feeling and I felt like crying and laughing and being frustrated and anxious and scared with them. Plus the whole magical plot with dream walking and the length Luca goes through for their sister … I loved reading about it!!!
I’m really glad I had the chance to read this story!!
“The world was a much bigger place than it had been two months ago, but the choices still seemed small.”
“That’s pretty mind-blowing. But do we have to choose? Man/butterfly. Luke/Aliya. Boy/girl. Why can’t we be both?”
“Focus. Intention. Belief. Look at how much all of our lives have changed—the waking world isn’t a fixed thing. Every decision makes it a new place.”
“Aliya’s life stopped feeling like her own on the day that she found the corpse”
“Admitting you’re frightened is the scariest part.”
“Find your fire, Aliya. Listen to the fire!”
Wonderful story of acceptance, magic, dream walking and family.
Aliyah is a dreamwalker and Luke is too. Coming from completely different universes they will find themselves sharing dreams and experiences, helping people deal with their dreams and their realities, fighting the fear of death … and sometimes death too.
While walking through other people’s dreams and also their own, they will have their own personal battles to face. Aliyah has to accept that she is a shaman while Luke will have to face the people he loves and understand more about who there are and how much labels can be hurtful!!!
This book was a story of friendship, dreams, shamans, dragons, siblings’ love and identity and it was very very good and very very educational in my opinion. I feel like more people should read it. I’m in no position to say the non-binary representation was the best in the world but I can easy say that I felt everything Luca was feeling and I felt like crying and laughing and being frustrated and anxious and scared with them. Plus the whole magical plot with dream walking and the length Luca goes through for their sister … I loved reading about it!!!
I’m really glad I had the chance to read this story!!
“The world was a much bigger place than it had been two months ago, but the choices still seemed small.”
“That’s pretty mind-blowing. But do we have to choose? Man/butterfly. Luke/Aliya. Boy/girl. Why can’t we be both?”
“Focus. Intention. Belief. Look at how much all of our lives have changed—the waking world isn’t a fixed thing. Every decision makes it a new place.”
November 8, 2022
Young Adult Fantasy is not generally a genre that I’d read but I got a free advance copy of this (in exchange for an honest review) and I have to say this is an absolute gem.
Weaving back and forth between dual protagonists, Luke and Aliya – the former living in our mundane world; the latter in a more magical parallel reality – the book is a charming and enthralling story, speaking both to small-scale issues of identity and responsibility and also to larger issues of ecology and justice.
The interplay between the two stories is beautifully played out, especially in how they are finally brought together and along the way, we have delicious elements of urban fantasy and magical realism added into the mix.
Perhaps the best compliment that I could pay Adler is that ‘Dreamwalker’ is an effortless read.
The ending strongly suggests sequel potential and I shall certainly keep an eye open for that, if so.
Weaving back and forth between dual protagonists, Luke and Aliya – the former living in our mundane world; the latter in a more magical parallel reality – the book is a charming and enthralling story, speaking both to small-scale issues of identity and responsibility and also to larger issues of ecology and justice.
The interplay between the two stories is beautifully played out, especially in how they are finally brought together and along the way, we have delicious elements of urban fantasy and magical realism added into the mix.
Perhaps the best compliment that I could pay Adler is that ‘Dreamwalker’ is an effortless read.
The ending strongly suggests sequel potential and I shall certainly keep an eye open for that, if so.
December 25, 2025
Dreamwalker reads as a delightful cross between This is How You Lose the Time War and Can't Spell Treason Without Tea. It's not a romance, and has a reading style more akin to middle grade than my normal YA reads, but I really felt like this story encompassed the cozy, high-but-not-too-high stakes of a conventional middle grade novel well.
The main characters play very well off each other and I liked reading their dynamics especially as the book progressed and they both got stronger. Aliya and Luke/Luca, our main characters, are both going through life-changing journeys (albeit one in a fantasy world and the other in more modern-day London), but the connections they make show just how well some themes and coming of age stories work across genres.
I was worried this book was going to feel like a set-up to other books in the series, and was pleasantly surprised to find that it was intricate and yet contained, that the main threads and conflicts were resolved without needing hundreds of more pages to feel like a conclusion had been reached.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and can say that any other fans of fantasy, middle-grade, or YA fantasy would enjoy exploring this story. Happy reading!
Also, thank you to LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program and UpLit Press for the free copy in exchange for a review!
The main characters play very well off each other and I liked reading their dynamics especially as the book progressed and they both got stronger. Aliya and Luke/Luca, our main characters, are both going through life-changing journeys (albeit one in a fantasy world and the other in more modern-day London), but the connections they make show just how well some themes and coming of age stories work across genres.
I was worried this book was going to feel like a set-up to other books in the series, and was pleasantly surprised to find that it was intricate and yet contained, that the main threads and conflicts were resolved without needing hundreds of more pages to feel like a conclusion had been reached.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and can say that any other fans of fantasy, middle-grade, or YA fantasy would enjoy exploring this story. Happy reading!
Also, thank you to LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program and UpLit Press for the free copy in exchange for a review!
May 2, 2026
Dreamwalker is an imaginative and emotionally grounded YA fantasy that stands out with its unique dual-world concept and introspective tone. The connection between Luke and Aliya, linked through dreams yet living vastly different lives, creates a compelling narrative that blends urgency with vulnerability. The stakes feel real on both sides: Luke grappling with his sister’s illness, and Aliya facing a mysterious, dream-born plague, which adds a layer of emotional weight that keeps the story engaging throughout. The exploration of identity, fear, and resilience is thoughtfully handled, and the dreamwalking element brings a surreal, sometimes haunting atmosphere that works really well. While the pacing occasionally slows in the middle and some plot developments feel slightly familiar, the strong character work and thematic depth more than make up for it. A captivating and heartfelt read that balances fantasy and real-world struggles in a meaningful way.
May 17, 2023
This is not a casual read as reality and dreams intermingle regularly throughout the book. Aliya is a dreamwalker: she can appear in people's dreams. Luke learns about dreamwalking and wants to be Aliya's apprentice to learn. He does this by appearing in Aliya's head. The story also explores gender identity and panic attacks. The book is written in the present tense, so readers read the narrative in real-time. A personal pleasant way to read since nothing in the future can be foreseen and readers learn what happens at the same time as the characters.
I received a free copy and am leaving a review voluntarily.
Thank you to VRO and author.
I received a free copy and am leaving a review voluntarily.
Thank you to VRO and author.
November 20, 2022
I was generously provided with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I did not expect to be pulled so quickly into this story, but both points of view were so engaging right from the start. I liked the themes of identity and fear that were explored from both narratives and what power can be unlocked when this fear is overcome and you truly embrace yourself. I hope that there will be more adventures for Luca and Aliya and that they are able to find each other in the dream world once more.
I did not expect to be pulled so quickly into this story, but both points of view were so engaging right from the start. I liked the themes of identity and fear that were explored from both narratives and what power can be unlocked when this fear is overcome and you truly embrace yourself. I hope that there will be more adventures for Luca and Aliya and that they are able to find each other in the dream world once more.
November 29, 2022
Dreamwalker is a wonderful story that blends two very different worlds in a seamless, unforced manner. I did not know what to expect going into this book, but was delightfully surprised by a story and characters that kept me engaged and changed in dramatic ways throughout the novel. The clashing of worlds with a shared struggle and goal reminded me of the Dark Materials series. The pacing of Dreamwalkers is phenomenal, and gradually built upon itself towards a weighty ending that was satisfying and emotional.
November 17, 2022
I found this YA fantasy novel interesting and it kept me gripped till the end. The writing was brilliant and the characters were believable. I definitely recommend this book and look forward to reading more from the author.
I was gifted a e book copy through vorious readers only in exchange for a honest review.
I was gifted a e book copy through vorious readers only in exchange for a honest review.
November 8, 2022
He never wants what everybody else wants as he has no idea what gender he wants to be. Going to sleep is even worse as she enters his dreams. It seems their lives are connected but how? Why do they connect at night? What does it all mean? Can it help them both? See just how these two get on
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews