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Paper Dreams Chronicles #1
Drawn In
Who says having all your dreams come true is a good thing?
Serenity Winters is taking the summer off. After her last year included crushing on the wrong guy (again), having her best friend move all the way across the country, and an unexpected loss she's still not prepared to deal with, she deserves it. And a visit to see Maia in California seems like the perfect getaway. Beaches, bonfires and boys? Yes please!
But Rennie's dreams aren't so easy to elude. Sketching what she can remember of them helps some, but her drawings are taking on a life of their own and the dreams they represent are starting to come true.
Enter Alex, who may or may not be perfect. (No, who is she kidding? He's perfect. Great hair, plus he can quote Hamlet and Yoda? Come on!) But Alex has secrets of his own, namely a hidden ability to transport himself through time using a book as a portal. Could it be that both Rennie and Alex are being drawn in to the same mystery? They better find out quickly, because her dreams are getting louder. And they know her by name.
Serenity Winters is taking the summer off. After her last year included crushing on the wrong guy (again), having her best friend move all the way across the country, and an unexpected loss she's still not prepared to deal with, she deserves it. And a visit to see Maia in California seems like the perfect getaway. Beaches, bonfires and boys? Yes please!
But Rennie's dreams aren't so easy to elude. Sketching what she can remember of them helps some, but her drawings are taking on a life of their own and the dreams they represent are starting to come true.
Enter Alex, who may or may not be perfect. (No, who is she kidding? He's perfect. Great hair, plus he can quote Hamlet and Yoda? Come on!) But Alex has secrets of his own, namely a hidden ability to transport himself through time using a book as a portal. Could it be that both Rennie and Alex are being drawn in to the same mystery? They better find out quickly, because her dreams are getting louder. And they know her by name.
- GenresYoung Adult
479 pages, Paperback
First published March 17, 2015
5 people are currently reading
538 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 3, 2015
Drawn In is one of the best books I've read in a VERY long time...
You know how you'll see a book's cover, scan the blurb, read a snippet, and hope beyond all hope it will deliver?? This book exceeded the high hopes I'd had...it earned a place as a fav of all time.
The Great Stuff:
Trett's writing. It's beautiful. So many highlight-worthy lines, and she created an amazing world. Every character is incredibly well-developed and REAL. I adore Serenity "Rennie" Winters. Rennie is adorable, awkward, smart and strong. Her inner monologue is completely relatable and funny; she had me laughing even in the tensest situations.
The boys. You're not going to find a more swoonworthy love interest than Alex. Trett plants doubts about him from the get-go while slowly building their relationship. Seth, Maia's love interest, gets under Rennie's skin in a bad way, but as a reader I found myself SO intrigued by him. And Levi and his secret crush, well... needless to say, I couldn't stop turning pages to find out what these boys were all about.
The Awesomely Refreshing Stuff:
THE GIRLS ARE NICE! Sweet, no-drama girls in a YA novel? For a minute I thought I was having a trippy dream myself. It seems unheard of, but yes, the girls in this story are nothing but supportive and caring. I love Rennie's best friend, Maia, and the way Maia's new California friends welcome Rennie into the fold so seamlessly was beyond refreshing. Thank you for making girls kind for once, and not throwing in superfluous cattiness for the sake of it.
The Exceptional Stuff:
The story. All of it. Beginning to end. It's woven so well and I was "drawn in" (sorry had to do it) from page one. Also, the ending. It was wrapped up enough to keep me happy but left me wanting moremoremore (which of course is the best combination ever when reading a series' first installment.)
Bottom Line: Read this book. Like, now.
You know how you'll see a book's cover, scan the blurb, read a snippet, and hope beyond all hope it will deliver?? This book exceeded the high hopes I'd had...it earned a place as a fav of all time.
The Great Stuff:
Trett's writing. It's beautiful. So many highlight-worthy lines, and she created an amazing world. Every character is incredibly well-developed and REAL. I adore Serenity "Rennie" Winters. Rennie is adorable, awkward, smart and strong. Her inner monologue is completely relatable and funny; she had me laughing even in the tensest situations.
The boys. You're not going to find a more swoonworthy love interest than Alex. Trett plants doubts about him from the get-go while slowly building their relationship. Seth, Maia's love interest, gets under Rennie's skin in a bad way, but as a reader I found myself SO intrigued by him. And Levi and his secret crush, well... needless to say, I couldn't stop turning pages to find out what these boys were all about.
The Awesomely Refreshing Stuff:
THE GIRLS ARE NICE! Sweet, no-drama girls in a YA novel? For a minute I thought I was having a trippy dream myself. It seems unheard of, but yes, the girls in this story are nothing but supportive and caring. I love Rennie's best friend, Maia, and the way Maia's new California friends welcome Rennie into the fold so seamlessly was beyond refreshing. Thank you for making girls kind for once, and not throwing in superfluous cattiness for the sake of it.
The Exceptional Stuff:
The story. All of it. Beginning to end. It's woven so well and I was "drawn in" (sorry had to do it) from page one. Also, the ending. It was wrapped up enough to keep me happy but left me wanting moremoremore (which of course is the best combination ever when reading a series' first installment.)
Bottom Line: Read this book. Like, now.
January 19, 2016
I enjoyed this story so much, and it has several plot twists, that I’m afraid to do a disservice to a potential reader’s enjoyment by talking too much about them here. I aim to be spoiler free in my reviews—perhaps because I’m an author myself and don’t want too much of my plots revealed—so I’ll start by gushing. I LOVED THIS BOOK!
First the setup: Serenity “Rennie” Winters is spending two months living with her best friend Maia and her parents—Maia had moved to California, and the time away in the sun of SoCal may do her good. Rennie has had tragedy in her family, and she’s still grieving the loss of her sister Claire (given name Clarity).
But Rennie is lacking both in serenity and clarity because she’s having bizarre dreams. Really vivid, lucid dreams of another place, another time. And then she starts having these dreams when she’s awake. But they’re not always dreams because Rennie is a Traveler, and she’s actually going to that another time. There are other Travelers there to help her accept her destiny, and there are others that want to stop her, because she may or may not be the one to take down an oppressive regime and bring peace.
There’s a theory out there that when you break them down to their basics, there are only a handful of story ideas. The idea that Rennie may or may not be “The One” goes as far back as Arthurian legends. Or is Luke the one to bring order to The Force? Harry’s the Boy Who Lived, the kid unaware of a destiny to defeat He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Neo enters The Matrix and he’s so much the one that his name is an anagram for it! Add Rennie to this list, and with her vast knowledge and love of books, sci-fi, and fantasy, she knows the list. Author Sioux Trett pays homage to many fantasy (and secret agent) stories by putting them into a blender and whipping up a smoothie of pure AWESOMENESS!
Am I gushing yet? Because I’m going to continue.
So if there are only a handful of basic story ideas, why are there literally millions of books available? The difference is in the details, and Trett imbues this book with lush details through Rennie’s narration. She is such a distinct, likeable character from the first page. The details of her life are clear and familiar. Her relationships with every other character are so well-defined, I felt like I was picturing an actual person’s life.
The relationships: Can’t mention them all, but I’ll start with the boys. Rennie does some swooning and gets tongue-tied as believably as any teen girl who has never been kissed. Even though I’m a guy, it brought back memories of my own awkward pre-dating youth. At first, she’s fixed up by her friend Maia with one guy—the safe guy—but she’s drawn to a different guy—a (perhaps misunderstood) “bad” guy that Maia would prefer she not be with. And there’s also a hot but jerky guy who practically hits on her. And then, oh yeah, there’s the comforting guy in her vivid, lucid dreams—the guy she feels safest with—but he may or may not even be real. Romantic entanglements abound, and I would do a disservice to the author to talk more about them because you need to experience them.
Getting the hint? I recommend this book. I’m gushing about it.
But the standout relationship is between Rennie and Maia. They’re clearly BFFs who have known each other forever. They get in fights, yes, but very little diminishes the strength of their relationship. Their shared interests and communication with one another are real, and their love for one another is a pleasure to read about rather than the frenemy relationships that plague YA literature.
This is supposed to be a critical review, and I’ve gushed a lot, but I have two (really minor) nit-picky things. First, there are many pop culture references throughout the book that really date it. Some will be around forever, like mention of Star Wars and Hogwarts. But some may not—who knows how well the TV show Alias will be remembered in twenty years or even make sense to younger readers? I’m torn on their inclusion because I want this book to become a classic. However, their mention is used not only to show Rennie and Maia’s character connections, but also as useful plot points. In the end, since I read this book in the present and I understood the references (and loved many of the things being referenced—I’m a Whovian too, Rennie), I can’t knock it because it so enhanced my enjoyment of the story.
The other issue I have is that…I have to wait for Book Two in this series—the aptly titled Paper Dreams Chronicles! There’s clearly a much larger story planned, and Rennie (and author Trett) scratch the surface of it. However, there is one very clear story/character arc of this story, and the moment Rennie finally makes a breakthrough in that arc forced me to put down my Kindle and wipe my tears. It was unexpected and poignant and so completely disarming that I wish I could tell you more.
In fact, I wish all my friends would read this book so I can talk with you about it—like, really, really talk. Rennie deserves that, and Drawn In deserves nothing other than FIVE STARS. Pick up a copy of this book, and let it draw you in.
First the setup: Serenity “Rennie” Winters is spending two months living with her best friend Maia and her parents—Maia had moved to California, and the time away in the sun of SoCal may do her good. Rennie has had tragedy in her family, and she’s still grieving the loss of her sister Claire (given name Clarity).
But Rennie is lacking both in serenity and clarity because she’s having bizarre dreams. Really vivid, lucid dreams of another place, another time. And then she starts having these dreams when she’s awake. But they’re not always dreams because Rennie is a Traveler, and she’s actually going to that another time. There are other Travelers there to help her accept her destiny, and there are others that want to stop her, because she may or may not be the one to take down an oppressive regime and bring peace.
There’s a theory out there that when you break them down to their basics, there are only a handful of story ideas. The idea that Rennie may or may not be “The One” goes as far back as Arthurian legends. Or is Luke the one to bring order to The Force? Harry’s the Boy Who Lived, the kid unaware of a destiny to defeat He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Neo enters The Matrix and he’s so much the one that his name is an anagram for it! Add Rennie to this list, and with her vast knowledge and love of books, sci-fi, and fantasy, she knows the list. Author Sioux Trett pays homage to many fantasy (and secret agent) stories by putting them into a blender and whipping up a smoothie of pure AWESOMENESS!
Am I gushing yet? Because I’m going to continue.
So if there are only a handful of basic story ideas, why are there literally millions of books available? The difference is in the details, and Trett imbues this book with lush details through Rennie’s narration. She is such a distinct, likeable character from the first page. The details of her life are clear and familiar. Her relationships with every other character are so well-defined, I felt like I was picturing an actual person’s life.
The relationships: Can’t mention them all, but I’ll start with the boys. Rennie does some swooning and gets tongue-tied as believably as any teen girl who has never been kissed. Even though I’m a guy, it brought back memories of my own awkward pre-dating youth. At first, she’s fixed up by her friend Maia with one guy—the safe guy—but she’s drawn to a different guy—a (perhaps misunderstood) “bad” guy that Maia would prefer she not be with. And there’s also a hot but jerky guy who practically hits on her. And then, oh yeah, there’s the comforting guy in her vivid, lucid dreams—the guy she feels safest with—but he may or may not even be real. Romantic entanglements abound, and I would do a disservice to the author to talk more about them because you need to experience them.
Getting the hint? I recommend this book. I’m gushing about it.
But the standout relationship is between Rennie and Maia. They’re clearly BFFs who have known each other forever. They get in fights, yes, but very little diminishes the strength of their relationship. Their shared interests and communication with one another are real, and their love for one another is a pleasure to read about rather than the frenemy relationships that plague YA literature.
This is supposed to be a critical review, and I’ve gushed a lot, but I have two (really minor) nit-picky things. First, there are many pop culture references throughout the book that really date it. Some will be around forever, like mention of Star Wars and Hogwarts. But some may not—who knows how well the TV show Alias will be remembered in twenty years or even make sense to younger readers? I’m torn on their inclusion because I want this book to become a classic. However, their mention is used not only to show Rennie and Maia’s character connections, but also as useful plot points. In the end, since I read this book in the present and I understood the references (and loved many of the things being referenced—I’m a Whovian too, Rennie), I can’t knock it because it so enhanced my enjoyment of the story.
The other issue I have is that…I have to wait for Book Two in this series—the aptly titled Paper Dreams Chronicles! There’s clearly a much larger story planned, and Rennie (and author Trett) scratch the surface of it. However, there is one very clear story/character arc of this story, and the moment Rennie finally makes a breakthrough in that arc forced me to put down my Kindle and wipe my tears. It was unexpected and poignant and so completely disarming that I wish I could tell you more.
In fact, I wish all my friends would read this book so I can talk with you about it—like, really, really talk. Rennie deserves that, and Drawn In deserves nothing other than FIVE STARS. Pick up a copy of this book, and let it draw you in.
August 8, 2015
4.5 STARS ACTUALLY
Serenity or Rennie as she goes by in the book goes to California to visit her best friend for the summer. Maia and Rennie have grown up together in Pennsylvania, but Maia's family ended up moving across the country.
After a very trying year Rennie's aunt decides it's time for her to take a break. She sends her to California to visit her best friend Rennie. The summer is sure to be full of fun, bon fires, boys, and the beach. What high school student doesn't love boys, and the beach? Of course it is bound to make for a fun story to read.
Maia takes Rennie right from the airport to a bon fire on the beach with her friends. She is determined to make this the best summer ever for Rennie. The first boy she meets, is the boy who happens to hit her in the shoulder with a large log. Yup, what a great introduction. Right? Of course it happens to be the one boy Maia doesn't want him to meet. Alex.
Rennie is a little struck (no pun intended) by Alex right from the beginning. Upon meeting all of Rennie's girl friends they take it upon themselves to help her have a fling for the summer. All Rennie can think about is Alex though.
This story is told in present tense which I love! It's not that I don't like historical books, but sometimes it's really nice to have a story about today's kids. The whole time I read this book I couldn't help but think of my own daughter and niece. Rennie is a little nerdy (which I love) and has OCD...umm My daughter and niece in a nut shell.....hehe.
There are so many references in this book to other books, and shows that my kids watch now. It was a lot of fun. It takes place in San Luis Obispo, California, and the author did a great job of putting me right in the story. I felt like I was there. It was awesome.
Okay, I got side tracked for a bit. There are so many wonderful side characters in this book. Levi, which I think is a hottie :), and Seth, who Maia is determined to make her boyfriend. Maia's girls friends, and of course Alex. Each one makes the story interesting and so much fun. Some are fantastically (yes, I just made that a word) wonderful, and some are not who they seem to be. Makes for an interesting story.
Funny things have been happening to Rennie since tragedy struck her family. She has been having night mares that seem so real, but she cannot quite remember them. She starts to make sketches of her dreams after a while so that hopefully she can make sense out of them. They are so real to her that sometimes she thinks she might be loosing her mind.
When Rennie is in California she stats having her "dreams" while she is awake. She feels like she is being transported to another world. Which in her mind she knows cannot really be happening, but she cannot find another answer for what is happening to her.
Rennie decides Maia is going to have to give her an inch where Alex is concerned. She seems to only have eyes for Alex. Alex gets Rennie, and Rennie gets Alex. They both have secrets that they can only share with each other. He's kind of a mystery, and who doesn't love a mysterious guy?
When things start getting more and more strange, Rennie decides she is going to have to tell Maia all things that have been going on in her life since the day her life changed for ever.
I love the witty banter in this book. It's so much fun. I love the mystery. I love the characters. I just loved it all around. I got to the end, and I have to tell you, it's a good thing there is more coming!!!! The ending made me want to scream a little. I need the next book, like, NOW.
I already feel like I have told you too much. I hope I intrigued you enough to read it and didn't give too much away. I hope it was a vague review...hehehe
I think the thing I loved most about this book was the fierce loyalty between Maia and Rennie. They are what true friends really should be. Stand by each other no matter what. Face anything that comes at them together, and back each other up. It really is a great book.
If you like mystery, boys, strange happening...maybe new worlds...then you should pick this book up. It's a great read.
I bought this book because my brother read it and told me that it was one he thought I would like it. I am glad I picked it up. I have to admit the cover isn't my favorite. I am not a fan of animated looking covers. I like real trees, real people etc. This is yet another book you cannot judge by it's cover if you are a cover whore like me. I like it enough, but I probably wouldn't have grabbed it if it hadn't been recommended to me. I am so glad I read it though. It was so much fun to read.
Serenity or Rennie as she goes by in the book goes to California to visit her best friend for the summer. Maia and Rennie have grown up together in Pennsylvania, but Maia's family ended up moving across the country.
After a very trying year Rennie's aunt decides it's time for her to take a break. She sends her to California to visit her best friend Rennie. The summer is sure to be full of fun, bon fires, boys, and the beach. What high school student doesn't love boys, and the beach? Of course it is bound to make for a fun story to read.
Maia takes Rennie right from the airport to a bon fire on the beach with her friends. She is determined to make this the best summer ever for Rennie. The first boy she meets, is the boy who happens to hit her in the shoulder with a large log. Yup, what a great introduction. Right? Of course it happens to be the one boy Maia doesn't want him to meet. Alex.
Rennie is a little struck (no pun intended) by Alex right from the beginning. Upon meeting all of Rennie's girl friends they take it upon themselves to help her have a fling for the summer. All Rennie can think about is Alex though.
This story is told in present tense which I love! It's not that I don't like historical books, but sometimes it's really nice to have a story about today's kids. The whole time I read this book I couldn't help but think of my own daughter and niece. Rennie is a little nerdy (which I love) and has OCD...umm My daughter and niece in a nut shell.....hehe.
There are so many references in this book to other books, and shows that my kids watch now. It was a lot of fun. It takes place in San Luis Obispo, California, and the author did a great job of putting me right in the story. I felt like I was there. It was awesome.
Okay, I got side tracked for a bit. There are so many wonderful side characters in this book. Levi, which I think is a hottie :), and Seth, who Maia is determined to make her boyfriend. Maia's girls friends, and of course Alex. Each one makes the story interesting and so much fun. Some are fantastically (yes, I just made that a word) wonderful, and some are not who they seem to be. Makes for an interesting story.
Funny things have been happening to Rennie since tragedy struck her family. She has been having night mares that seem so real, but she cannot quite remember them. She starts to make sketches of her dreams after a while so that hopefully she can make sense out of them. They are so real to her that sometimes she thinks she might be loosing her mind.
When Rennie is in California she stats having her "dreams" while she is awake. She feels like she is being transported to another world. Which in her mind she knows cannot really be happening, but she cannot find another answer for what is happening to her.
Rennie decides Maia is going to have to give her an inch where Alex is concerned. She seems to only have eyes for Alex. Alex gets Rennie, and Rennie gets Alex. They both have secrets that they can only share with each other. He's kind of a mystery, and who doesn't love a mysterious guy?
When things start getting more and more strange, Rennie decides she is going to have to tell Maia all things that have been going on in her life since the day her life changed for ever.
I love the witty banter in this book. It's so much fun. I love the mystery. I love the characters. I just loved it all around. I got to the end, and I have to tell you, it's a good thing there is more coming!!!! The ending made me want to scream a little. I need the next book, like, NOW.
I already feel like I have told you too much. I hope I intrigued you enough to read it and didn't give too much away. I hope it was a vague review...hehehe
I think the thing I loved most about this book was the fierce loyalty between Maia and Rennie. They are what true friends really should be. Stand by each other no matter what. Face anything that comes at them together, and back each other up. It really is a great book.
If you like mystery, boys, strange happening...maybe new worlds...then you should pick this book up. It's a great read.
I bought this book because my brother read it and told me that it was one he thought I would like it. I am glad I picked it up. I have to admit the cover isn't my favorite. I am not a fan of animated looking covers. I like real trees, real people etc. This is yet another book you cannot judge by it's cover if you are a cover whore like me. I like it enough, but I probably wouldn't have grabbed it if it hadn't been recommended to me. I am so glad I read it though. It was so much fun to read.
February 26, 2023
I was shocked at how much I liked this. It’s definitely a book for a young adult/teen audience, but despite that it was able to keep my attention with the interesting characters and plot. I really like time travel kind of romance books, so I wanted to read something new that involved similar themes. I was so pleasantly surprised by Rennie and learning about the world of traveling. It’s definitely set up well for a sequel so I am interested in seeing where that goes.
May 19, 2020
Sooo good! Can't Wait for Book 2!!!!
I listened with my 13 year old daughter and we absolutely loved this book and are hoping they don't take long getting book two on Audible! I don't want to give anything away so I will keep this review short. This story is a mix of fantasy and clean romance with some mystery thrown in. It's time travel with books as your portal which is just a fun and original new take.
The narrator did an incredible job! She had great differentiation between the characters voices and overall narration. Her acting skills were top-notch, she was able to express the emotions well without going over the top like some tend to do. Simply put she was super entertaining and I really hope they use her for the second book.
I honestly don't remember hearing any bad language, it was really a clean book without any suggestive or sexual content and no graphic violence.
—I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
I listened with my 13 year old daughter and we absolutely loved this book and are hoping they don't take long getting book two on Audible! I don't want to give anything away so I will keep this review short. This story is a mix of fantasy and clean romance with some mystery thrown in. It's time travel with books as your portal which is just a fun and original new take.
The narrator did an incredible job! She had great differentiation between the characters voices and overall narration. Her acting skills were top-notch, she was able to express the emotions well without going over the top like some tend to do. Simply put she was super entertaining and I really hope they use her for the second book.
I honestly don't remember hearing any bad language, it was really a clean book without any suggestive or sexual content and no graphic violence.
—I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
July 1, 2015
I was actually pleasantly surprised by this book. I was very skeptical at first considering the circumstances surrounding the book: Brand-new book by a local author and it was given to me as a gift. I'm not even sure if you can find this book in stores yet.....
I thought it was so fun and I can hardly wait for the sequel! I highly recommend it!
I thought it was so fun and I can hardly wait for the sequel! I highly recommend it!
August 29, 2015
Oh my goodness! I loved this book so good! It has been a while since I read a book that I haven't been able to put down! I had no idea what to expect while I was reading. Trett created a whole new world and mixed it perfectly with the normal world we know around us.
I was really excited to read this book. Rennie is such a relateable character (of course, she loves all the things I do :) ).
I was really excited to read this book. Rennie is such a relateable character (of course, she loves all the things I do :) ).
August 28, 2022
My best friend wrote it and it's amazing!
April 5, 2016
Sioux Trett's Drawn In is a fun filled sci-fi read that contains romance, drama and suspense. Serenity "Rennie" Winters is your typical seventeen-year-old girl until tragedy strikes. Then her whole life starts changing as she slowly discovers who she really is. Sent to California for the summer to help her recover, she meets up with her childhood friend Maia. There everything changes. She meets Alex, after almost being knocked over, and is then swept away to another world. Only she's awake and nobody else but her is there. Her recurring nightmares have started appearing during the day and she is constantly worried something bad is going to happen. It's not long before suspicious characters start showing up and she receives mystery messages telling her to find someone. "What is going on?" "Who are these people?" "Why do they want me?" Rennie will have to find the answers to these questions if she ever hopes to get her life back.
I loved this book. Sioux Trett really captured the essence of Serenity and had me feeling like I had grown up with her. Her romantic moments made me sigh, wishing I could trade places with her. When interesting new developments happened, I was anxious to know what happens next and how the scene plays out. This first person story was told exceptionally well, making the characters come alive. Their development over the course of the book was surprising in some ways and unexpected in others. The story line is cleverly told and draws the reader in. I recommend this book for those young adult readers who love science fiction and romance.
I loved this book. Sioux Trett really captured the essence of Serenity and had me feeling like I had grown up with her. Her romantic moments made me sigh, wishing I could trade places with her. When interesting new developments happened, I was anxious to know what happens next and how the scene plays out. This first person story was told exceptionally well, making the characters come alive. Their development over the course of the book was surprising in some ways and unexpected in others. The story line is cleverly told and draws the reader in. I recommend this book for those young adult readers who love science fiction and romance.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews