What do you think?
Rate this book
Lucidium
Not yet published
Expected 17 Aug 26- GenresFantasy
352 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication August 17, 2026
About the author
Nora Paige
1 book9 followersNora Paige is a Rhode Island based writer with a fascination for the space between reality and imagination. Inspired by the idea that dreams may be more than fleeting illusions, that they might be glimpses into other lives and other worlds, her work explores the subconscious and the stories it holds.
A lifelong reader, Nora has always been drawn to immersive fictional worlds, often losing track of time somewhere between the final page and her own imagination. She is currently studying psychology and counseling, interests that shape her writing through themes of obsession, desire, love, and the quiet, complicated process of healing.
When she is not writing, Nora can be found reading while it rains, painting, hiking, or daydreaming about fictional stories more often than most people probably should.
Lucidium is her debut novel and the beginning of a larger series.
A lifelong reader, Nora has always been drawn to immersive fictional worlds, often losing track of time somewhere between the final page and her own imagination. She is currently studying psychology and counseling, interests that shape her writing through themes of obsession, desire, love, and the quiet, complicated process of healing.
When she is not writing, Nora can be found reading while it rains, painting, hiking, or daydreaming about fictional stories more often than most people probably should.
Lucidium is her debut novel and the beginning of a larger series.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
Every time I think of Lucidum, I'm reminded of Alice in Wonderland—but with a twist, more better. The writing is so good; Nora has clearly invested significant time and care into crafting a story that flows naturally and never feels rushed. I devoured the book in a matter of hours, completely captivated. The pacing is excellent, the plot twists are surprising and well-executed, and the entire reading experience is nothing short of delightful. I found myself laughing, blushing, and fully emotionally invested. Cinder is an unforgettable character easily one of the best male characters I've encountered, and without question my new favorite. Nora's talent shines through in every detail: each plot point and twist arrives exactly when it should, and no chapter feels misplaced or hurried. Lucidum is genuinely one of the best books I've ever read, and I treasured every moment of it.💗🥹
some of my favorite quotes!!
“be careful love”
“my brave girl.”
“a little privacy would be nice. i know it’s foreign to you, Tris, buts it’s a thing.”
“Sit sill, pretty girl.”
“good morning. going to spend the day with Tris. Don’t miss me too bad. Also, close your mouth when you sleep. A fly is bound to buzz in there - Astra”
Go read this book when it’s out!! 5/5 stars i don’t give 5 stars easily so this says a lot! 💗💗
some of my favorite quotes!!
“be careful love”
“my brave girl.”
“a little privacy would be nice. i know it’s foreign to you, Tris, buts it’s a thing.”
“Sit sill, pretty girl.”
“good morning. going to spend the day with Tris. Don’t miss me too bad. Also, close your mouth when you sleep. A fly is bound to buzz in there - Astra”
Go read this book when it’s out!! 5/5 stars i don’t give 5 stars easily so this says a lot! 💗💗
Review of advance copy received from Author
First I must say this is my all time favorite book, the story line is so unique and creative. I can’t wait for the next book in the series to come out, I’m literally shaking with anticipation!! My favorite character was by far Cinder, mad man physicist trapped in another dimension…OH HELL YEAHH! The love story between Astra and Cinder is also the most beautiful burning love I’ve ever witnessed. I wish I could meet them in real life and stalk them forever in awe. 🫢 For anybody considering reading this book, YOU MUST, because if you don’t, you Truley are missing out on the story of a life time. I wish Nora Paige all the best luck in the world, not that she will need it because once you read, you will KNOW, this series is gonna go far! Such a talented author! - Dale
Review of advance copy received from Author
"Entering Lucidium. Places in dreams don't name themselves. Cities don't keep count of the people they swallow whole."
Before anything else, I'd like to thank my beloved, stunning author, Nora Paige, for lending me her fantastic works. Reading Lucidium has been such an indescribable experience for me. I lovee the characters, universe setting, and plot; everything screams "masterpiece." For me, this is already outstanding enough as a debut novel!!
Main Characters
Cinder
Can't put into words how much I adore this madman. He's the perfect definition of a person who appears cold on the outside but is genuinely soft on the inside (especially for the ones he loves). His demeanor appears to be cold, aloof, and careless at first, but as the novel progresses, readers will discover a side of Cinder that we never expected lol. . He's also a genius! And, well, a tremendous mind who even got himself trapped in a dimension by accident due to his own studies. For all the girls who want to be drop-dead gorgeous, a little grumpy, shy, geeky, intellectual, and surprisingly walking green flag. HEAR ME OUT! THIS GUY IS PERFECT FOR YOU.
Astra
Meet our genius girl Astra! In this book she described herself as an academic weapon kind of girl, very, very devoted to her research about a very strange phenomenon that happens to her: lucid dreams. She dedicates her life to finding an answer to her curiosity, unaware that it will lead her on an unexpected adventure and trap her in the unknown realm known as Lucidium, where she will meet many new weird friends and creatures she never imagined existed. Astra's personality fascinates me, but there are some chapters that make me scream, "Girll, why?!?!"
Wick
Perhaps the name Wick fits him nicely because it comes from 'Wicked.'*cough* So yeah, meet this lunatic, obsessive, not over his former crush, a walking black-flag professor. I despise him, and I will admit it out loud. His arrogance will quickly make your blood boil (believe me) and cause you to exhale in frustration every time his POV appears, TRUST. I enjoy his character as a way to heighten the tension in this novel. Other than that? Fuck off, professor.
Plot & Setting
Overall it's good! I'm pretty fond of how a debut novel can be so well written like this! Now for my tiny complaint, I do wish Cinder's and Astra’s romance had a little more buildup. Their dynamic had such fun cat-and-mouse energy at first, and I personally wanted more longing, more denial, and more tension before they fully became lovebirds. But even so, I won't whine any further because this is good enough for me and I can still enjoy it! and oh! Also, the plot twist asdfghjkl—well, it's predictable, though it still surprised me somehow.
For the story itself, it's divided into three big sections/parts that are The Experiment , The Madman , and Black Hole Escape
This novel has a very rich setting. It also includes several scientific and popular phenomena, such as lucid dreams, multiverse and black hole theory, backrooms, and so on, so readers can simply enjoy and follow the plot! I'm fascinated by how Nora Paige was able to combine all of these scientific theories into one delightful light fantasy, not to mention the gothic atmosphere; it's giving me a reading experience I've never had before! Truly fascinating.
End of review, I'm giving this novel 4.9/5. I highly recommend it, especially for those seeking gothic romance and dreamcore themes that are giving Alice in Wonderland vibes featured with sci-fi. It's enjoyable and captivating enough! My imagination runs wildly, like I've been taken into the inside of Lucidium while reading it, but still i was hoping it'd leave a stronger impression (maybe because this just a starter of this series; that's why I'm not satisfied enough; i need more TT)
Last but not least, a special thank you to my dear author for allowing me to read your debut novel and trusting me to review it. May this be a new beginning for your future fantastic works (trust me when I say I'm already looking forward to the second book, lol). I wholeheartedly support you and desire for this story to reach the audience it deserves. <3
XOXO.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received this as an Advanced Reader’s Copy from the author in exchange for an honest review!
Firstly I just want to say I absolutely loved the premise of Lucidium as a whole. It’s so unique and I’ve never read anything like this before. I’m going to break my review down into categories because it is VERY hard for me to produce coherent thoughts after reading that ending! (Totally caught me off guard with how things ended)
Characters- I absolutely loved Astra as a character, but also she annoyed me at times (only because she reminded me of myself lol). I really liked how the more she learned about Lucidium, the more we learned as readers. That made the whole reading experience more immersive and made me feel like I was there in Lucidium with the characters. I liked how both Astra and Cinder grew as characters throughout the course of the novel. I loved how the changes in Cinder’s attitude weren’t sudden, but gradual and took a little while to take effect. I don’t have much else to say other than the characters were written extremely well and I have 0 complaints, I love love love Astra and Cinder!
Plot- One of my biggest gripes one it comes to fantasy novels is that very often the plot is lost somewhere along the way in favor of romance. I did NOT have this issue at all with Lucidium. I LOVE when the plot is cohesive and consistent throughout the whole story, and the side plots/ povs help build up to the climax instead of deter from it. Nora Paige does this very well and I was very thrilled to find that the romance helped build to the climax (wink wink) instead of diverging from it. I also didn’t find myself getting bored at all in my read through, which sometimes happens when I’m reading something new. Overall it was very entertaining and I ended up getting through the novel in one sitting :p
I wanted to keep this review spoiler free, so I won’t get into too much detail with my few closing statements. The ONLY reason I did not rate this 5 stars is because there were a few dialogue sections that just felt out of place to me. Without giving spoilers, some of the dialogue with Cinder at the end seemed out of character only because he’s from the 1950’s and he brought up a few things that are way too modern for him to know about lol. Other than that I really loved this book and can’t wait to see where Nora Paige takes the Lucidium series next!
Firstly I just want to say I absolutely loved the premise of Lucidium as a whole. It’s so unique and I’ve never read anything like this before. I’m going to break my review down into categories because it is VERY hard for me to produce coherent thoughts after reading that ending! (Totally caught me off guard with how things ended)
Characters- I absolutely loved Astra as a character, but also she annoyed me at times (only because she reminded me of myself lol). I really liked how the more she learned about Lucidium, the more we learned as readers. That made the whole reading experience more immersive and made me feel like I was there in Lucidium with the characters. I liked how both Astra and Cinder grew as characters throughout the course of the novel. I loved how the changes in Cinder’s attitude weren’t sudden, but gradual and took a little while to take effect. I don’t have much else to say other than the characters were written extremely well and I have 0 complaints, I love love love Astra and Cinder!
Plot- One of my biggest gripes one it comes to fantasy novels is that very often the plot is lost somewhere along the way in favor of romance. I did NOT have this issue at all with Lucidium. I LOVE when the plot is cohesive and consistent throughout the whole story, and the side plots/ povs help build up to the climax instead of deter from it. Nora Paige does this very well and I was very thrilled to find that the romance helped build to the climax (wink wink) instead of diverging from it. I also didn’t find myself getting bored at all in my read through, which sometimes happens when I’m reading something new. Overall it was very entertaining and I ended up getting through the novel in one sitting :p
I wanted to keep this review spoiler free, so I won’t get into too much detail with my few closing statements. The ONLY reason I did not rate this 5 stars is because there were a few dialogue sections that just felt out of place to me. Without giving spoilers, some of the dialogue with Cinder at the end seemed out of character only because he’s from the 1950’s and he brought up a few things that are way too modern for him to know about lol. Other than that I really loved this book and can’t wait to see where Nora Paige takes the Lucidium series next!
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC Review -
I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this book and wow. This was such a fun read, I went through it so quickly! It is split into three parts and they were split perfectly in my opinion. My favorite being part 3 personally. Onto the specifics.
I initially applied to be an ARC reader based on the marketing of the atmosphere and setting. Nora Paige you delivered 😭 This reminded me of one of my favorite video games Alice Madness Returns. Literally Alice in Wonderland but with a dark twist. I would also compare it to Coraline! The setting and overall atmosphere of the book was so descriptive and easy to imagine, I loved it.
Onto the characters and relationships. I am so in love with Astra and Cinder 🥹 These aren't perfect people, no one in this book really is and it makes me love them even more. The story is literally a psychological romantasy, so I'm happy we see real struggles portrayed within the character's minds. I will say I wish we knew more about Cinder, but it makes total sense with it being book 1. I am so curious about his background and life before everything, so hopefully his character gets expanded on!! Within the book itself, we see him change slowly after meeting our beloved fmc and it was so cute 😭
Tris. I loved her way more than I thought I would when she was originally introduced, such a happy surprise. Lastly Wick. He's obsessive and seeing it evolve over time as well as what happened in the beginning between him and Astra? I cannot find myself on his side for anything 😭😭 I NEED to see what happens to him.
The plot itself was so interesting and I cannot wait to see what happens next because.. that ending?? Yeah, I need it now 🥲 It's face paced and so was so fun to try and predict what would happen next.
Overall writing I have to compliment. It's beautifully descriptive and it was one thing I stayed focused on throughout the entirety of reading. I also need to say, this book made me laugh a few times as well. The dialogue and relationships in this book were sweet of course, but the effortless humor caught me by surprise and I'm not complaining. Lastly, I did indeed cry 😭 I found a certain scene between Astra and Cinder so so sweet especially compared to what she had been through prior, and it really just resonated with me and some experiences. All that to say, not pass up this wonderful and fun debut novel (':
I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this book and wow. This was such a fun read, I went through it so quickly! It is split into three parts and they were split perfectly in my opinion. My favorite being part 3 personally. Onto the specifics.
I initially applied to be an ARC reader based on the marketing of the atmosphere and setting. Nora Paige you delivered 😭 This reminded me of one of my favorite video games Alice Madness Returns. Literally Alice in Wonderland but with a dark twist. I would also compare it to Coraline! The setting and overall atmosphere of the book was so descriptive and easy to imagine, I loved it.
Onto the characters and relationships. I am so in love with Astra and Cinder 🥹 These aren't perfect people, no one in this book really is and it makes me love them even more. The story is literally a psychological romantasy, so I'm happy we see real struggles portrayed within the character's minds. I will say I wish we knew more about Cinder, but it makes total sense with it being book 1. I am so curious about his background and life before everything, so hopefully his character gets expanded on!! Within the book itself, we see him change slowly after meeting our beloved fmc and it was so cute 😭
Tris. I loved her way more than I thought I would when she was originally introduced, such a happy surprise. Lastly Wick. He's obsessive and seeing it evolve over time as well as what happened in the beginning between him and Astra? I cannot find myself on his side for anything 😭😭 I NEED to see what happens to him.
The plot itself was so interesting and I cannot wait to see what happens next because.. that ending?? Yeah, I need it now 🥲 It's face paced and so was so fun to try and predict what would happen next.
Overall writing I have to compliment. It's beautifully descriptive and it was one thing I stayed focused on throughout the entirety of reading. I also need to say, this book made me laugh a few times as well. The dialogue and relationships in this book were sweet of course, but the effortless humor caught me by surprise and I'm not complaining. Lastly, I did indeed cry 😭 I found a certain scene between Astra and Cinder so so sweet especially compared to what she had been through prior, and it really just resonated with me and some experiences. All that to say, not pass up this wonderful and fun debut novel (':
Review of advance copy received from Author
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I don't even know where to begin because this book completely stole my heart. From the very first chapter, I was hooked, and by the end, I was left desperately needing the next book immediately. The storyline is so unique, creative, and addictive that I genuinely couldn't put it down. Every page pulled me deeper into this incredible world, and now I'm counting down the days until I can continue the journey. The way I been trying to find a book like this for so long and could never find one, but NORA PAIGE YOU DID IT!!!
First of all, I feel so incredibly honored and grateful that I was given early access to this book. Being able to read it before release was such an amazing experience, and I cannot thank Nora Paige enough for that opportunity. It was truly a privilege to be one of the first readers to experience this story.
Astra was such a wonderful surprise. I ended up loving her so much more than I expected, and she quickly became a character I couldn't help but root for. Then there's Wick... wow. His storyline had me feeling every emotion possible. I'm still trying to process everything involving him because I NEED to know what happens next.
The psychological aspects of this story were incredibly well done. Seeing the struggles within the characters' minds made everything feel so real and emotional. The character development was amazing, and every reveal kept me guessing. That ending?! I genuinely sat there staring at the page because there is NO WAY it ended there. I need the next book immediately.
The writing itself is beautiful. Nora Paige has a way of making every scene feel vivid and alive, and I was completely immersed from beginning to end. This is the kind of book that stays in your head long after you've finished it.
Without a doubt, this has become one of my all time favorite books. I already know I'll be buying a physical copy the second it's released because I NEED this book on my bookshelf. If you're thinking about reading it, stop thinking and do it. Trust me, you do not want to miss out on this incredible story. I cannot wait to see where this series goes next, and I'll be cheering Nora Paige on every step of the way. ❤️📚✨
---
June 27, 2026
Arc Review
First and foremost I would like to give a big thanks to the author of Lucidium, Nora Paige. Thank you so much for allowing me to read and experience Luciduim!
Overall the story was so captivating from the start. The short chapters were perfect because I just couldn’t stop reading. I kept thinking “oh okay just one more chapter” and before I knew it, it’s 3am and I’m still reading 🙃 which also goes to show how well written this story was. It kept me on my toes from start to finish - kept trying to guess the ending.
I loved astra! I loved her fierceness, her drive, and her academia. I loved following her through the gorgeous campus of Willowmine - the laboratories and the beautiful, old, luscious library. I do wish we got more of that side to her in Lucidium - where she uses her knowledge and academia but granted, it’s a whole new world to her - Alice in wonderland vibes for sure.
Cinder and Astra were just absolutely adorable. Their banter, the wittiness, there were times were I was laughing out loud. Cinder was such a grump at the start, and I loved every second of it. And when Astra finally cracked his hard shell, my goodness he was just so adorable. So loving and kind, and so soft with Astra, it was just beautiful to read.
I think one thing I would say about their romance is: I wish there was more yearning - I feel like they fell in love a bit too quickly.
And lastly, the world building was phenomenal. I feel like I just wanted to explore Lucidium as much as Astra did. It was so captivating and done so well. I honeslty can not believe I have to wait for the next book now 🙃
And before I go, I just want to say again, thank you to Nora Paige for allowing me early access to her debut novel. I wholeheartedly believe that this book is for those who are seeking a similar tale to Alice in wonderland but with romance.
Make sure you mark your calendars for this release: August 17th 2026!!!
First and foremost I would like to give a big thanks to the author of Lucidium, Nora Paige. Thank you so much for allowing me to read and experience Luciduim!
Overall the story was so captivating from the start. The short chapters were perfect because I just couldn’t stop reading. I kept thinking “oh okay just one more chapter” and before I knew it, it’s 3am and I’m still reading 🙃 which also goes to show how well written this story was. It kept me on my toes from start to finish - kept trying to guess the ending.
I loved astra! I loved her fierceness, her drive, and her academia. I loved following her through the gorgeous campus of Willowmine - the laboratories and the beautiful, old, luscious library. I do wish we got more of that side to her in Lucidium - where she uses her knowledge and academia but granted, it’s a whole new world to her - Alice in wonderland vibes for sure.
Cinder and Astra were just absolutely adorable. Their banter, the wittiness, there were times were I was laughing out loud. Cinder was such a grump at the start, and I loved every second of it. And when Astra finally cracked his hard shell, my goodness he was just so adorable. So loving and kind, and so soft with Astra, it was just beautiful to read.
I think one thing I would say about their romance is: I wish there was more yearning - I feel like they fell in love a bit too quickly.
And lastly, the world building was phenomenal. I feel like I just wanted to explore Lucidium as much as Astra did. It was so captivating and done so well. I honeslty can not believe I have to wait for the next book now 🙃
And before I go, I just want to say again, thank you to Nora Paige for allowing me early access to her debut novel. I wholeheartedly believe that this book is for those who are seeking a similar tale to Alice in wonderland but with romance.
Make sure you mark your calendars for this release: August 17th 2026!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was an ARC for me and holy shit it was phenomenal.
Words cannot express how many times I screamed reading this book.
Nora Paige's debut novel is a wild ride into a world of blood, love, banter, and lust.
When PhD student Astra Rose's research into lucid dreaming takes her far deeper than she ever anticipated, she meets Cinder, a man of incredible intellect and just as many (if not more) obsessive tendencies as her. No one in this world is purely good or purely bad (except for one character. You know who you are.)
Lucidium comes with spice, blood, girls made of tin, men with gold teeth, and cats and dogs that live in the Backrooms.
LUCIDIUM OUT AUGUST 17, 2026!!!
Words cannot express how many times I screamed reading this book.
Nora Paige's debut novel is a wild ride into a world of blood, love, banter, and lust.
When PhD student Astra Rose's research into lucid dreaming takes her far deeper than she ever anticipated, she meets Cinder, a man of incredible intellect and just as many (if not more) obsessive tendencies as her. No one in this world is purely good or purely bad (except for one character. You know who you are.)
Lucidium comes with spice, blood, girls made of tin, men with gold teeth, and cats and dogs that live in the Backrooms.
LUCIDIUM OUT AUGUST 17, 2026!!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
So I just finished the advanced readers copy the lovely author sent me. First off this book was an incredibly intriguing ride. I genuinely felt like I was fully absorbed in the world and I kept craving more everytime I took a break. I really enjoyed the main character as she was kinda morally grey and i loved the world building. It wasn't too much or too difficult to understand it was immersive and made me feel like I was in lucidium too. I love how the author toyed with many different versions of alternate realities, from dreamscapes and the touch of backrooms was so interesting. Loved the book
Review of advance copy received from Author
Oh my goodness! We can expect big things from Nora Paige! Lucidium is a lovely fever dream meets Alice in Wonderland psychological fantasy! Astra is a PhD student pressed by her obsessive professor until she escapes to an alternate world, Lucidium. A fun read of found family, slow burn, quirky but protective MMC, and even some haunted carnivals. Astra’s journey of confronting her past while building a completely new future for herself was a fun ride. I can’t wait to see how this world grows!
Thank you so much Nora Paige for this ARC. Super proud of you and excited for your future stories!
Thank you so much Nora Paige for this ARC. Super proud of you and excited for your future stories!
June 14, 2026
We have big things coming from this baby author 😍😍
I was so so excited to ARC read this, the premise is so unique and such an exciting adventure! The idea of genre bending books draws me in and this definitely had all the dark, fantastic, mind bending aspects that were promised.
The writing is poetic and lyrical. The emotions were deep and full of secrets. The world is so much fun and full of surprises!
I can’t wait to see what else we will get from Nora!
Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this prior to release 💋
I was so so excited to ARC read this, the premise is so unique and such an exciting adventure! The idea of genre bending books draws me in and this definitely had all the dark, fantastic, mind bending aspects that were promised.
The writing is poetic and lyrical. The emotions were deep and full of secrets. The world is so much fun and full of surprises!
I can’t wait to see what else we will get from Nora!
Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this prior to release 💋
Review of advance copy received from Author
THIS AUTHOR IS TALENTED!!!!!!! this is a book where i absolutely could NOT put it down at all. every single character is portrayed so good and i’m obsessed. also the MMC, CINDER!!! 😍😍😍😍 that’s all i can say, he is perfection. also i LOVEEE the fmc. READ. THIS. BOOK. you will not be disappointed!!!!! this book is my new hyper fixation.
Review of advance copy received from Author
It was a wild ride for my emotions! This book had me crying by the end!! Would 100% recommend.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews