Evie and Her Nightmares

by Francesca Zappia

After the death of her best friend, Evie Leigh seeks solace in an online role-playing game. In the game, she finds purpose, community, and even romance. But online life alone can’t sustain her, and the farther she pushes herself away from reality, the harder it will come back to bite. A stand-alone companion to the acclaimed Eliza and Her Monsters from award-winning author Francesca Zappia. Illustrated by the author.

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Fiction, Mental Health, Audiobook, Grief, Realistic Fiction

304 pages, Hardcover

First published July 28, 2026

About the author

Writer of MADE YOU UP and ELIZA AND HER MONSTERS. Represented by Louise Fury of the Fury Agency.

Also wrote The Children of Hypnos serial on Wattpad (https://www.wattpad.com/story/9547883...).

Social Media: @ChessieZappia

You can find links to all my social media on my website, www.francescazappia.com.

Reviews

[Francesca Zappia]

Like Eliza and Her Monsters, I wrote Evie from a place of experience, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that I don't like to talk about this book very much. I'm just going to admit that now; it didn't feel like I could back before it came out, when I was supposed to be doing all the promo leading up to the release. I don't like talking about depression. I didn't like trying to market a book about depression. I'm getting upset writing this right now.

Anyway. I came here to say thank you to everyone who has left a review, regardless of star rating. I can't talk about this book myself, so thank you, to all of you, for talking about it for me.

I'm currently working hard on the final The Children of Hypnos book, and I'll talk about that all you want.

[A Dreaming Bibliophile]

Thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins Children's and HarperCollins Children's Audio for providing me with advanced copies.

This was a very deep YA book. I haven't read Eliza and Her Monsters but reading this definitely makes me want to. This worked perfectly fine as a standalone with some cameos from the previous novel. Evie's mental health struggles were portrayed really well, showing a real-time change in her emotions and how she worked on it eventually. It covers a lot of heavy topics including autism, death of a friend, suicidal thoughts and a lot of grief. But it also balances it out by showing other happy or relatively stable parts of her life, including a supportive mom, the rest of Alissa's family, her friends and gaming community. I really liked the conclusion of the story and the closure she got after solving Alissa's puzzle. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking to read about someone who goes through a lot at a young age but comes through stronger at the end.

The audiobook was narrated really well. The emotions were expressed perfectly and brought tears to my eyes. It definitely improved my reading experience.

[willow]

A beautiful, emotionally powerful standalone sequel to Eliza and her Monsters.

Evie’s best friend Alissa has recently committed suicide, leaving Evie struggling with questions like: why? and was there something I could’ve done? The subject matter of mental health (depression and grief) as well as autism was handled with care and awareness. Like Eliza and her Monsters, this story interweaves strong fandom culture, this time through a book series and video game. I loved this aspect of the story and how it grounds the story and its themes.

many thanks to netgalley for an arc :)

[Boo]

3.5⭐️

[Gretal]

4.25 stars

It's hard to review this book without just talking about Eliza and Her Monsters and how much that book means to me. I think it was always going to be an unfair comparison between these two books. I was seventeen when I first read Eliza, and it was a book that I needed, that deeply spoke to my soul. What that book means to me is not just the book itself, but the context in which I read it, also being a senior in high school like Eliza. I'm now twenty-six, so of course I don't relate to Evie, a junior in high school, as much as I did Eliza. But I'm still so happy this book exists. I think it's very well-done as a companion novel, standing alone from Eliza whilst also covering a lot of the same themes and bringing a degree of closure I didn't know I was missing.

[✧ Beanie Reads ✧]

Read: August 3rd - August 7th
Format: Audiobook
Rating: 5 Stars

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this ALC in exchange for an honest review!

Oof. Just... oof. I have had books make me teary from epic moments and teary eyed from emotional moments, but this book... I had tears running down my face while I listened to the climax moments, because oof. So real. In my darkest moments, I definitely related to Evie's emotions.

But that's just tackling the end. The lead up to get to that end also was just so real. Evie had so many complicated emotions, and she was processing them in ways I have myself, which also is another reason for part of the oof. And if you haven't been in the midst of the spiral, it would be very easy to see what she was doing as just staying afloat. And she sort of was, but in a way that led her to an even darker place.

I struggle so much talking about this book because I can't really delve into why it's so good without getting personal or spoiling why it was done so well, because it's really a journey where each step forward was so intentional and just OW.

This book hurt in the best way, because this is one of those books that allows you to remember your own pain but share in the hope with Evie that your nightmares are not forever, and just... gah, it's so good! And then all the interwoven elements of bookish and nerdy things, and that's not even touching on the fact Evie is autistic, which added a whole other layer to how she was experiencing everything.

Caitlin Kelly knocked the narration out of the park. I don't know if I'd have cried as hard without her narration, but UGH, she killed it.

My only MINOR complaint is I felt like the brother's unhealthy dependence on being high to cope could have been addressed a bit better, but it's a very minor meh thing. This is Evie's perspective, and she wasn't as aware of her own issues, so it would be strange for her to be aware of that.

This feels like a very impactful read that I recommend to everyone. Just be sure you're in a mental place to handle dark topics and check in on what all it explores, because man, it doesn't hold back.

[Rebekah]

NEW FRANCESCA ZAPPIA BOOK?!?!?! July can't come soon enough!!!

[Shannon Miz]

First, props to the author for having a glossary at the start for all the MMORPG terminology. Helps to have those at the start as opposed to the end! The story itself is about Evie coping with the death of her best friend Alissa, who died by suicide. Heartbreaking from the start, obviously. Evie is really struggling, and finds comfort in her friend’s brother, and the book/game community Alissa (and her brother) were involved in. Of course, Evie goes all-in, I am talking obsessed within days, cannot put the thing down. Which honestly, you can understand, because she’s lost her best friend and is trying to find something to fill the holes left behind. I loved that Evie and Alissa’s brother (whose name escapes me at the moment, sorry!) are able to bond over their shared loss. Basically, this whole story is about grief, and how you can’t just bury it, but have to face it, and the author handles these huge, difficult topics very well.

(Obviously this comes with trigger warnings for suicide. )

[Shannon]

I enjoyed this YA coming of age story featuring an autistic girl grieving the death of her best friend from suicide. This story was a great depiction of grief and mental health from having to deal with the death of a friend. It was good on audio and perfect for fans of authors like Jackie Kahlilieh. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Katrina (at)FlirtingWithFiction]

3.5 stars rounded down. This was a really emotion read for me. It deals with suicide, loss of best friend/sibling, depression, dissociation, and it’s just really heavy. That said, I also really love Zappa’s writing. The audio brought this to life and it felt almost more like a movie for me tha. An audiobook with how vivid the writing is and how closely we relate to these characters. This is a hit! Especially if you’re a fan of Eliza and her Monsters, the authors other book.

[Mella aka Maron]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ALC and eARC of this one! I listened to the audiobook for this one.

Is it really a Francesca Zappia book if it doesn’t absolutely wreck me?? 😭 From the very beginning, you can feel just how much of everything Evie feels. She is an absolutely incredible protagonist, not because she’s a strong person but because she’s a real person. She is you and me, and all of us sometimes. I think we have all felt like Evie. Maybe not everything, maybe not all at once… but there are bits and pieces of Evie’s story in all of us. Zappia took us on a journey, an overwhelming and intense journey of self-discovery, self-love, and all the in between.

I absolutely loved the way the mmorpg community was incorporated into this book. I liked that it was a subplot to Evie’s journey and a catalyst for growth.

Then there’s Ash. Obviously we have to talk about his role in the story. I adored him, from beginning to end, again because he felt real. All of his emotional ups and downs and the way he existed - his whole being. These two have my whole heart and I just want to give them both huge hugs. 😭

What I love in particular about Zappia’s writing is that she never sugarcoats the narrative. This is real. This is intense. You feel every single drop of happiness and heartache and joy and pain. It’s all there, waiting for the reader to find it. There is no agenda, only what the reader takes away from Evie and Ash and their lives.

The narrator, Caitlin Kelly, was absolutely phenomenal. The way she used her voice to convey the emotions within the text was exceptional.

This is a book I think everyone could read, a book that will strike a lot of hearts. Just please read the trigger warnings, make sure you are in a safe place while reading, and take time for yourself if needed. 💖

[Susan]

Zappia has done it again. Set in the same world as Eliza and Her Monsters, readers are introduced to Evie as she navigates her depression and life after her best friend dies by suicide. It’s also a love letter to the community that fandom can become. It’s heartbreaking, and beautiful, and so authentically raw. I also appreciate that readers are given Evie’s mom… who might not always do the right thing, but who is genuinely trying her best as a single parent.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, HarperCollins Children's Books, and Greenwillow Books in exchange for an honest review.

[Megan]

Thank you to Harper360YA for granting me a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

After the death of her best friend, Evie Leigh seeks solace in an online role-playing game. In the game, she finds purpose, community, and even romance. But online life alone can’t sustain her, and the farther she pushes herself away from reality, the harder it will come back to bite.

Evie felt so real to me. Real enough that I wanted to reach into the story and just offer her a hug, someone to lean on, someone to listen and not offer meaningless platitudes and reassurances. I saw so much of myself in her which is likely why I connected so deeply to her character. The way she handles everything is relatable because how does one navigate something unknown? They push it away and attempt to remain normal, remain in their routine. I think Evie was written brilliantly because she isn’t just a typical teenager, or even someone neurodivergent. She is simply someone battling grief and depression and doing her best to brave the storm. She’s real and she is very likely someone we all know.

Eliza and Her Monsters was a book I absolutely loved when I read it a few years ago. So when I saw there was a companion novel, I jumped in at the first opportunity I could to read it. This book seemed to arrive in my hands at exactly the right time. Recently, I’ve been struggling more with managing my depression, those thoughts growing louder and refusing to be drowned out unless I allow something to consume me entirely - even for the shortest time (hello 145 books in 9 months!!). Having a story openly discuss mental illness is incredibly refreshing but this book goes a step further. It brings an honest insight into how grief is easily muddled into depression, how they fuel each other until you are completely consumed by them without you entirely realising. We see the messy side of depression, how it impacts a person physically too, how it robs us of everything we love until we fruitlessly sprint from it in any way we can, finding any method we can to cope. The moments quick to anger, the crushing guilt, the overwhelming sadness, the numbness… we see it all and we feel it all. That’s something I massively appreciate in Zappia’s writing here. We don’t shy away. We feel every moment of anguish and frustration and feeling because depression doesn’t have an off switch. It can grow quiet for a time, but it is always lurking in the background until the moment it isn’t. Character wise, I really appreciated that it was generally a more restricted cast. We see a fair few names and faces appear, but they simply help move the plot forward. For those that contribute, we get to delve deeper into who they are but otherwise, people remain mostly in the background. In many stories, such a move wouldn’t work. But for this, where we are surrounded by Evie’s tremulous emotions and how they make her react to various scenarios, it was perfect. It’s the same for the budding romance - it’s featured but isn’t prominent, allowing the true emotional impact to make its mark. The ending felt perfect for the story. It wasn’t a miraculous happy ending where everything was solved. Instead, it was realistic. There are still bumps in the road, but the car is better equipped to handle them. I didn’t think Zappia could do better than Eliza and Her Monsters but this companion novel is a triumph.

Overall, Evie and Her Nightmares is a book that allows you to feel seen when the world would ignore you.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you again to Harper360YA for granting me a copy of this book.

[Michaela Bergland]

This one's gonna stick with me for a long time.

I read Zappia's previous books Eliza and Her Monsters and Made You Up years ago, and both were absolutely incredible; Eliza and Her Monsters remains one of my favorites of all time, so when I heard that Evie and Her Nightmares was coming out, I knew I needed to pick it up.

Evie and Her Nightmares follows high school junior Evie who just lost her best friend Alissa to suicide. Alissa didn't leave a note; only her copies of the Children of Hypnos series for Evie. To try and understand her friend, she picks up the books and is immediately sucked into the fictional world of both the novels and the MMORPG inspired by it. Evie also bonds with Alissa's older brother Ash, the only other person who seems to understand how she's feeling.

I desperately wish High School Michaela would've had this book; the way Zappia writes about mental health is so deeply and painfully relatable, and I connect with it in a way that few other stories have been able to replicate.

Evie is flawed and angry and struggling in a way she's never experienced before, making it difficult for her to realize anything is wrong at all. She lashes out at the people around her and is angry at Alissa for leaving her, and I have such a deep appreciation for how authentic and honest her portrayal was. Zappia never flinches away from discussing hard topics and creating real characters, and that's exactly the type of writer I aspire to be.

The multimedia formatting for the book was so much fun as well; I loved the chat room incorporations, the illustrations from the video game--it made the story wholly immersive. I also really enjoyed reading about the CoH video game, and I found myself wishing it was real because it was something I'd love to play. Zappia makes the game accessible to the reader and easy to follow, while also making you feel like you're watching Evie play over her shoulder.

I appreciated the ending, too. It would've been easy to take a stereotypical way out and have Evie find some heartfelt last letter in the woods that explains why Alissa did what she did, but I like that that's not the route the story took. It was far more honest for Alissa's character, and for the story, to end the way it did. Sometimes we don't get to know.

I would absolutely recommend reading this book, but I would recommend picking up Eliza and Her Monsters first! This is a companion novel, so it isn't required, but I think both are spectacular and work together really well.

Heavy trigger warnings for this book; please be aware of these going into it, and only read this book if you're in a good space to do so: suicide, suicidal ideation, depression, references to self-harm, and mentions of eating disorders.

Thank you to Greenwillow Books and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Cassandra]

*An ARC was provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

I read Eliza and Her Monsters back in high school and remember feeling like a book finally understood the ins and outs of fandom culture. I was a diehard Supernatural fan and spent an unhealthy amount of time jumping between AO3, fanfiction.net, Tumblr, and DeviantArt obsessing and creating content. This was one of the first books I read that really got the conflict I felt between having a life on the outside, outside of online fandom, and just staying happily tucked away in my bedroom with my iPod touch.

When I saw that there was going to be a new book by Francesca Zappia, and it was loose sequel to Eliza, I had to go reread the OG and see if it lived up to teen me’s hype. (Spoiler alert- it did. It actually exceeded my expectations.)

Evie gave a similar performance. Zappia has an uncanny talent for writing nerdy, geeky girls who deal with *big feelings* through fandom (in healthy and unhealthy ways) without either glorifying the negatives of being chronically online or vilifying the positives. As someone who’s been in the YA space longer than I haven’t at this point, there’re few books that handle this as deftly and sensitively as Zappia. She’s truly one of a kind.

I don’t want to compare the books directly since they’re very similar, but handle different things. Eliza wrestles with depression and anxiety, while Evie handles grief. Both are perfect in their own ways, and both will simultaneously make you laugh and cry. (Also, Ash and Wallace are perfect book boyfriends for those on the market. Just saying.)

It was such a joy to return to this world, and if Zappia happens to write another book it it, I will hit request on NetGalley so quick I snap my keyboard. 10/10.

[Brandi Rusnock]

Advanced Reader Copy Provider by NetGalley

Evie and Her Nightmares was such an emotional, beautifully written audiobook. Francesca Zappia did an incredible job capturing grief in a way that felt raw, honest, and deeply personal. I really felt Evie’s pain throughout the story. Her emotions and her struggle to navigate the death of her best friend, Alyssa, were incredibly relatable, and I found myself empathizing with her every step of the way.

What initially piqued my interest in this story was the incorporation of an MMO-style video game. As someone who loves those kinds of games myself, I really enjoyed seeing that aspect woven into the story. It added another layer to Evie’s character and made the book feel even more immersive. I loved how the game wasn’t just there for fun, it became another way to explore the characters, their relationships, and the emotions they were struggling to process.

I’m also really glad this book included a trigger warning. It dives deeply into themes of depression and suicide, and while those topics are heavy, they’re handled with so much care and responsibility. Rather than feeling sensationalized, the story shines a light on the mental health crisis affecting so many people today, especially teenagers, whose emotions and struggles are too often dismissed or misunderstood.

Overall, this is a powerful, compassionate story that left a lasting impression. If you’re prepared for an emotionally heavy read, I definitely recommend giving it a chance.

[Amayzun]

I have no idea how I found out about this book but omg! I was getting annoyed with Evie for a minute but when everything came to a head I was bawling 😭😭😭😭

[Rachael Dux]

Literally was in tears the entire last hour of this book

[Keri]

4.5 stars. I didn't love it quite as much as Eliza and Her Monsters, but this book really got me in the heart.

[Niv]

Dnf
Coz lost my interest 🫠

[Liz]

When I opened the May 2017 Owlcrate and was introduced to “Eliza and Her Monsters”, I didn’t know that I was going to be reading one of my favorite books. It was my first or second five star read of that year, and I have read it three or four times since, always coming away with something new.

Hearing that there was a standalone companion coming out, I rushed to pre-order it. And I’m glad I did. Evie and Her Nightmares is a different tale, it doesn’t follow the same formula. But that’s fine, because it’s still excellent.

Evie’s story is powerful. Evie‘s grief is profound. Evie‘s lessons and mistakes feel natural in human, devastating and real.

Yeah, five star read once again. Now excuse me because I need to go find more tissues. This book had me crying.

[Alycia]

I don't normally write reviews anymore on Goodreads, but I absolutely love this book and this author. I'm very offline these days and the only reason I knew about it is because I looked it up Eliza and her monsters to see if the author had done anything else and my timing was simply perfect.

Excellent YA book that delves into grief, and the many emotions that come alongside it. Really well written story and very relatable. loved the gaming references and it's obvious that there's some experience with MMOs which I highly appreciate. Hope this author continues writing and can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

[Mara Hennessy]

For maximum emotional damage, read this after Eliza and Her Monsters. It isn’t needed though. Both are very well done standalone novels.

[Kayla Nuckols]

4.5⭐️ I think this book is a great representation of how important mental health is. I loved the way Evie really dove in to what was important to her best friend in order to understand her and her decision to end her life. I enjoyed her relationship with Ash blossoming as well as with her mother. I think this is a book that every teenager would benefit from reading

[Evie Oliva]

When I first read the title of the next release by Francesca Zappia, Evie and Her Nightmares, I immediately thought of the book Eliza and Her Monsters. There is something everyone needs to understand about that book, my dear Eliza. Eliza and Her Monsters is the one book I usually recommend to readers on social media. I've talked about how important the book is to me in my group chat of reader friends. I love Eliza and Her Monsters still to this day, I have favorite passages that I go back and read over again, knowing that they'll break my heart but I embrace those feelings and then everything that comes after that. So the symmetry to the title made me think it had something to do with that book and I immediately jumped at the chance to request it to review. Evie and Eliza do, in fact, exist in the same world and with that in place, I knew I was about to find a new favorite to read. I have favorite passages already that I want to read again and again in Evie and Her Nightmares. I want to tell all my friends and family to read this book. When I finished reading this story, I had to choke back a few tears because it was the small hours of the morning and the one thought in my head was ALL THE STARS IN THE WORLD to rate this book.

Evie and Her Nightmares is a beautiful, stunning, heart-wrenching read and it was perfect.

This story follows Evie Leigh, picking up at the funeral service for her best friend who suddenly passed away. Alissa committed suicide and now Evie is struggling to figure out how she should be acting at the service. Should she be outwardly sad? Should she be sitting up front with Alissa's family? Evie is autistic and she wants to be blunt and honest with the fact that she doesn't know what to do and this situation makes her want to leave. So she does. Everyone asks how she's feeling but Evie doesn't know how to answer them. While trying to avoid what is going on in her world, she receives a last birthday gift from Alissa, Alissa's set of the Children of Hypnos books. Evie tried to read them once but they didn't appeal to her but now, for the sake of her lost friend, she tries to read them again. Realizing that she loves the story, Evie decides to start playing The Children of Hypnos Online, joining a gaming community that Alissa was also a part of when she was alive. Determined to become the best, Evie devotes all the time she can to this online game, all the while leaving behind the things she used to care about. Evie is skipping track practice, talking back to teachers and letting her grades slip but none of it matters as much as the game. Except the more Evie avoids the real world, the worse it'll be when she is finally forced to face the loss of her best friend.

The world-building in this book is everything you can expect from a high school setting. Evie attends her classes with people who avoid looking at her because they know the loss that she had suffered. They know that Alissa should be with her but she isn't and because of the way she died, everyone would rather avoid the situation altogether instead of paying her any attention. The school is filled with everyone you expected to see and that you used to know in school, from the sympathetic teachers to the hateful classmates that use Alissa as a way to insult Evie. This book perfectly captured that sense of being a teenager and struggling with making choices for the future all the while knowing the struggles that will come with college and finding a job and everything else after that. Which brings in the why about what Alissa did and how different characters, including Evie, are trying to find the reason that drove Alissa to what she did. My heart hurt wandering the school halls with Evie, visiting Alissa's house, hiding in Evie's room while she played online and sitting in the room while Evie tried to start therapy. Everything felt real and because it felt real, it hurt to see Evie avoiding reality. This world felt like opening a window into someone's life and watching all the pieces falling and moving as the story developed.

My lovely, brutally honest Evie, you are one of the best examples of autism I've seen in a book in recent memory. I recognized so many aspects of people I know in this character and for that, I loved her. I found her grief to be authentic and her reactions to the people around her to be incredibly realistic. I was right there with her when she talked back to a teacher and when she fought back against an incredibly rude classmate. I felt her struggle to find a way to interact with Alissa's parents all while not knowing how to stop from making things worse with anything she said or did. I found it interesting that the other character we learned more about, besides Alissa in Evie's memories, was Ash, Alissa's older brother. Ash as a character was someone who was in Evie's corner, feeling her anger and her grief at Alissa's loss and searching for answers. Literally, the moment these two characters really interacted involved the two of them bumping into each other where Alissa was found, because they each thought that it was possible they could find something that Alissa left behind, something that could give them some answers. As the story developed, I appreciated how much effort Ash put into comforting Evie when she needed help and how in turn, Evie became someone Ash could confide in as well. I also adored the fact that Ash was a Monstrous Sea fan. That automatically made me want to help him to be happy along with my dear Evie.

As for the themes of the book, the idea of loss and grief and the effects it has on people, the word that kept circling in my mind was kintsugi. Kintsugi is the ancient Japanese art of repairing broken things, ceramic cups and bowls, with gold or sometimes some other substance, all to show that just because they were broken, it's not the end. The cracks are celebrated, showing a story about the history of the piece. The scars are something to be celebrated and admired, and if the term is applied to people, can show resilience. This word kept going around and around in my head, especially when I thought as I opened this book that I was ready to get my heart broken and put together again while reading this story which reminded me of the term. Kintsugi stayed with my thoughts along with the idea that Evie and Ash, and Ash's parents, and Evie's mom, had all gone through some kind of devastating loss, they had become broken, and they were learning, or had learned, how to fit their broken pieces back together, to make themselves whole again. Watching Evie learn to be more authentic, to be able to say what she wanted and not necessarily be the people pleaser she claimed to have been, all helped with showing how she was remaking herself. Who was Evie without the best friend she thought would always be by her side? What did Evie have to live for and what was it that made Alissa feel like she couldn't stay?

Zappia also adds in the usual adults who don't how to talk about suicide and the adults who dare to judge a girl because she didn't ask for help before she made the decision that she made. All of this highlights how difficult it is to understand the complexities of suicide, showing how many people will never know why someone killed themselves or even if there was anything they could have done that would have made a difference. At the same time, there are no answers given, and that helps with the idea that grief and loss and growing up is different for everyone. No one knows for sure what is going on in someone else's mind but these characters, my dear Evie, are learning what they need to continue on and that lesson is a good one to learn. The book ends on the note of hope of acceptance and it made me cry when I read those last words.

In the end, I truly, sincerely loved and adored this book. If you're a fan of Eliza, you'll find a new favorite with this release. Evie's struggles and her hope for the future are something to be admired and I, for one, am so grateful that this book exists.


Rating on my Scale: All the Stars in the World or 10 Glowing Stars!! Now when I talk about a book you just have to read, it will either be Eliza and Her Monsters or Evie and Her Nightmares. Here's hoping we might see something else from this world again in the future. You never know what the future might hold, after all.


My thanks to Netgalley, HarperCollins Children's Books, Greenwillow Books and Francesca Zappia for the eARC of this book in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

[Allison]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me a free eARC in exchange for my honest revie. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book deals with Evie Leigh, who is dealing with the grief and fallout after her best friend who dies by suicide. As part of her grief, Evie turns to her friend's favorite book series and her older brother, and the rest follows.

I was so excited coming into this book because I am such a big fan of Eliza and Her Monsters, and although this book didn't resonate with me as much, it was still solid. I found pieces of Evie to resonate with me. I do like romance, but I think it was probably wise for it to not be really the focus or a major part of the plot. I would have liked a little bit more to happen in the plot. Also, I wasn't expecting the book to be so gaming-focused, which wasn't for me, but I won't hold that against the book. But in a way, I like the representation of Evil being a gamer girl.

[Tyenasaur]

This book was so incredibly cathartic. I really appreciated the author's approach to depression and dealing with issues like suicide and anger, frustration, and waves of up and down emotions. Personally, Evie's reactions resonated a lot with me, they felt real and nonsensical in a way that does make sense when you're going through it.

I ended up binging through the book in a day because I just felt as hooked and obsessively focused as Evie got. I just could not put it down.

Big thanks to the publisher for the arc copy I received at Bookcon!

[YSBR]

Set a few years after Eliza and Her Monsters, high schooler Evie Leigh is trying to navigate life after her best friend died by suicide. Alissa Whitaker was the perfect teen - pretty, popular, a star athlete, and top of the class. Like many people who lose someone to suicide, Evie can’t understand how she didn’t see any signs that Alissa was struggling, and feels like this is partially her fault. At Alissa’s funeral, her parents give Evie a wrapped birthday present that Alissa had left behind. The Whitakers hope  that Alissa left Evie a note explaining why she chose to walk into that river (she didn’t). Instead, what Evie unwraps is a riddle that makes no sense and Alissa’s beloved copies of the Children of Hypnos book series. Evie knew Alissa was a huge fan of the books and a large presence in the MMORPG (massive multiplayer online role-playing game), but it wasn’t an interest Evie shared. Evie recognizes that her autism and the anger she feels over Alissa’s death influence how she processes grief , deviating from community expectations. But Alissa helped Evie navigate social situations, and now without her, Evie finds it difficult to see a point in any of the things she used to do. She begins to distance herself from her fellow track teammates and from her mom. In a desperate attempt to find any meaning in Alissa’s death, Evie begins to read the CoH books, joins the online game, and begins a friendship with Alissa’s older brother, Ash, who is also struggling to cope with Alissa’s absence. But Evie’s growing depression is causing her to spiral, as is Ash’s dependency on weed gummies to dull the pain. Their budding romance is at risk as they both struggle to deal with their loss. But Evie finally finds the courage to talk to her therapist, and begins to see a way forward. Main characters cue as white.

Much like Eliza and Her Monsters, sitting through Evie’s downward spiral. was really tough.But Zappia does a great job of not letting the grief become overwhelming. This book is also a love letter to the community that fandom can become, and I think that will be relatable to many teen readers. Evie and Her Nightmares is heartbreaking, and beautiful, and so authentically raw. I also appreciated how Evie’s mom was portrayed… she might not always do the right thing, but she is genuinely trying her best as a single parent.

As a teen services librarian, there is a moment between Evie and the receptionist at her therapist’s office that really resonated with me. The receptionist sees Evie reading the first CoH book and they have a conversation about it, which has a big impact on Evie. It’s a nice example of how adults showing interest in the things that teens are interested in can be so positive. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...

[Read_with_Beans]

4.5/5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperAudio Children’s for an ALC of Evie and Her Nightmares by Francesca Zappia, narrated by Caitlin Kelly.

I lost a friend to suicide, so I was especially interested in how an author would handle it in a Young Adult book. I can say this author did an ALMOST perfect job. I thoroughly enjoyed (not sure if that’s the right word, but you get it) this audiobook. My only criticism is that the MMC used “weed gummies” as a coping mechanism for the grief he was experiencing after his sister’s loss. Even in states where THC products and marijuana are legal, users must be 21 years old (a limited number of states in the US allow it with proper medical documentation; 18 is the minimum age). The MMC states he got the gummies “off someone” and then says it’s not like it’s an opioid. This is extremely dangerous language, especially for the young adult audience this book was written for. The use of gummies is mentioned several times, even causing the main characters to miss an important event after they fell into a deep sleep while using them. There was never any discussion of the MMC realizing he had a problem with the gummies he was hiding from his parents, no mention of the illegality of his possession and use, nor any mention of him considering stopping their use. I think the way his use is written and addressed in this book may lead young readers to believe it’s okay and that nothing could go wrong when using a substance to cope with grief other than falling asleep. This simply isn’t true. I am not trying to sound like a Reefer Madness fan, but the lack of negative connotation around the illegal use of a substance to cope is a slippery slope.

With that said, I thought the book was beautifully and thoughtfully written. The audiobook was produced with such high quality, with an extremely talented narrator. The narrator’s voice had a tone that aligned with the age of the characters in the book. She has a unique skill set that allows her to narrate several characters with such distinction that readers will find the story easy to follow. She was also able to express the emotions felt by the characters, which must have been difficult due to the depressing topics covered in this book. I would highly recommend anything narrated by Caitlin Kelly.

The story is set in the same world as Eliza and Her Monsters, but it is not required to read that book to appreciate this book. I attempted to read Eliza and Her Monsters and did not find it engaging enough to finish, but I listened to this audiobook in 2 days because the story was so good.

I would highly recommend this book, but I would want readers to keep in mind the marijuana usage previously mentioned in this review. This author has an incredible writing style and storytelling ability. There is no doubt, after reading this book, that this author is award-winning.

Warnings: suicide, depression, substance abuse, violence (not graphic or gratuitous)

[Hennie]

When I’m alone, the only person who can lie to me is me.

Thank you Harper Collins for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are mine.

I knew going into this, that Evie and Her Nightmares was going to be a heavy read for me, especially because I’ve lost people to suicide… and I was right. I was crying by page 10. I had to take little breaks throughout, but despite how difficult it was at times, this was such a beautifully written story.

Francesca Zappia handles grief, loss and mental health with so much care. I really felt how grief can slowly eat away at you, how you can look kind of fine on the outside while completely falling apart on the inside. Evie’s struggle with losing her "spark" and trying to find somewhere her mind could finally be quiet really hit me.

I loved seeing how books, and eventually the game CoH, became an escape for Evie. The clan, the chats and the friendships she made through the game were such a lovely addition, and I genuinely enjoyed those parts of the story. I also really connected with the characters and their individual struggles.

I also really loved Evie and Ash’s relationship. Without getting into spoilers, they initially connect because of Alissa, and I thought their relationship was handled so beautifully. They were both carrying their own grief and struggling in their own ways, and it felt like they slowly helped mend little pieces of each other’s broken souls. Their friendship built gradually, and watching it bloom into something more was honestly so sweet. I especially appreciated that they took their time with it rather than rushing into romance.

The relationship between Evie and her mum was another part that really got to me. They were both grieving in completely different ways, and watching that rift between them slowly begin to heal was really emotional. I also appreciated that therapy was actually shown as part of Evie’s journey rather than being brushed aside.

This book hurt, but in a way that felt honest and meaningful. I could feel the characters’ grief and struggles right alongside them, and ultimately, I really enjoyed this one.