What do you think?
Rate this book
Dead Again: Dark Dreams
Joan Portman’s nightmares are killing her; literally. Each evening, this troubled seventeen-year-old meets a painful demise in one of three horrific ways – by bullet, by fire or by attack of a pack of ferocious beasts. So authentic are these dreams, that Joan resorts to cutting herself upon waking, just to prove she’s still alive.
Tired of her meds and weary of being misunderstood, Joan accompanies her family on a European excursion in hopes of breaking this crazy cycle. But matters soon go from strange to surreal when Joan is thrust back in time in each country she visits – at once realizing that her frightening nightly visions are actually genuine memories of her former lives. Now, forced to re-live her harrowing experiences as a female gladiator in Rome in 90 AD, a prisoner of Auschwitz, Germany in 1943, and as heroine Joan of Arc in France in the 1400’s, Joan believes she may finally be able to put this torment behind her. But the key to Joan’s recovery may lie in a final act of bravery – one that will require her to risk her life once again, and this time it just may be her last.
Tired of her meds and weary of being misunderstood, Joan accompanies her family on a European excursion in hopes of breaking this crazy cycle. But matters soon go from strange to surreal when Joan is thrust back in time in each country she visits – at once realizing that her frightening nightly visions are actually genuine memories of her former lives. Now, forced to re-live her harrowing experiences as a female gladiator in Rome in 90 AD, a prisoner of Auschwitz, Germany in 1943, and as heroine Joan of Arc in France in the 1400’s, Joan believes she may finally be able to put this torment behind her. But the key to Joan’s recovery may lie in a final act of bravery – one that will require her to risk her life once again, and this time it just may be her last.
- GenresYoung Adult
304 pages, Paperback
Published September 28, 2016
3 people are currently reading
473 people want to read
About the author
Linda Rey
15 books36 followersHi, I’m Linda Rey, and I write books for teens and tweens. Writing a bio is about as awkward as having to write a “What I Did Last Summer” report the first day back in school, but here goes.
I live in Orange County, CA not too far from Disneyland. (Yay!) My favorite color is green, but blue is a close second. I’d rather eat potato chips than ice cream, but give me a donut and I’ll be your friend for life. I’m a grandma to seven grandchildren, but I’m a cool grandma who has a Harley Davidson motorcycle and a tattoo on my wrist that says Believe. My favorite books as a child were The Secret Garden, Charlotte’s Web, and anything by Judy Blume. My new favorites are all the books in The Hunger Games series, Wonder, and The Fault in Our Stars. If I can be remembered for just one thing after I’m gone, I hope it’s that people thought I was nice.
I live in Orange County, CA not too far from Disneyland. (Yay!) My favorite color is green, but blue is a close second. I’d rather eat potato chips than ice cream, but give me a donut and I’ll be your friend for life. I’m a grandma to seven grandchildren, but I’m a cool grandma who has a Harley Davidson motorcycle and a tattoo on my wrist that says Believe. My favorite books as a child were The Secret Garden, Charlotte’s Web, and anything by Judy Blume. My new favorites are all the books in The Hunger Games series, Wonder, and The Fault in Our Stars. If I can be remembered for just one thing after I’m gone, I hope it’s that people thought I was nice.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 11, 2017
This was an amazing book! Most YA books are full of teen angst & some romance, but this one will simply blow you away!
Joan is a disturbed teenager, suffering from frequent nightmares. She cuts herself in order to feel real pain, to the horror of her parents and schoolmates. She is medicated to the point that the kids at school call her "Zonie" instead of "Joanie".
Her parents decide to take her and her sister, Lucy, on the trip of a lifetime: an extended European vacation. Little did any of them know that Joan will relive each of her nightmares during their travels.
The book is very well-written and really drew me into Joan's nightmares. She first becomes a Roman gladiator, then an accomplished Jewish pianist, destined to die at the hands of Nazis. When their travels lead them to France, she relives the horrors of Joan of Arc's burning at the stake.
This book is often heart wrenching as you experience the horrors of Joan's past lives. Her sacrifices and heroism in each of her remembrances are horrific and very realistic. The author has delved into the world of "cutters", a very misunderstood aspect of many teens. I applaud Ms Rey for her extensive research into the historical events depicted in the book as well as the feelings of a teen in trouble. Bravo, Ms. Rey, bravo!
I was offered the chance to read this book by the publisher and chose to review it.
Joan is a disturbed teenager, suffering from frequent nightmares. She cuts herself in order to feel real pain, to the horror of her parents and schoolmates. She is medicated to the point that the kids at school call her "Zonie" instead of "Joanie".
Her parents decide to take her and her sister, Lucy, on the trip of a lifetime: an extended European vacation. Little did any of them know that Joan will relive each of her nightmares during their travels.
The book is very well-written and really drew me into Joan's nightmares. She first becomes a Roman gladiator, then an accomplished Jewish pianist, destined to die at the hands of Nazis. When their travels lead them to France, she relives the horrors of Joan of Arc's burning at the stake.
This book is often heart wrenching as you experience the horrors of Joan's past lives. Her sacrifices and heroism in each of her remembrances are horrific and very realistic. The author has delved into the world of "cutters", a very misunderstood aspect of many teens. I applaud Ms Rey for her extensive research into the historical events depicted in the book as well as the feelings of a teen in trouble. Bravo, Ms. Rey, bravo!
I was offered the chance to read this book by the publisher and chose to review it.
December 27, 2016
"Dead Again" is really not quite what I was expecting. And, I don't mean that negatively, either. When I received a copy of this book to read, I just assumed that it was going to be a light, fluffy, romantic teen read about a girl who maybe just thinks she has a rough life but really just needs to get a clue.
I was wrong on most counts.
Joan is a very dark character, in my opinion. Any young woman who has to use self-harm as a way of coping really does have problems. And, I'm not saying that the self-harm is unnecessary to the story. There's a reason Joan has such a difficult time with life, in general.
But, this is not a normal teen read. From page one I was thoroughly involved in Joan's story. And from that first chapter I had nothing but hope for our main character who I just wanted to be happy.
Joan is given a chance at happiness when she gets to take the vacation of her life. And from there she learns more about herself than I'm sure she ever hoped.
Each story from Joan's other lives was heartbreaking in its own way. Some were more palatable than others. I'm not going to lie; there were moments when I just wanted to get to the next life in the hopes that what Joan went through wouldn't be so brutal.
That underlying feeling of hope carries this story through to the end, however.
And only the next installment will show us what lies ahead for courageous Joan Portman.
A tale with danger, sorrow, and a bit of romance... I'll be following along for the remainder of Joan's story.
Christine @ Captivated Reading
I was wrong on most counts.
Joan is a very dark character, in my opinion. Any young woman who has to use self-harm as a way of coping really does have problems. And, I'm not saying that the self-harm is unnecessary to the story. There's a reason Joan has such a difficult time with life, in general.
But, this is not a normal teen read. From page one I was thoroughly involved in Joan's story. And from that first chapter I had nothing but hope for our main character who I just wanted to be happy.
Joan is given a chance at happiness when she gets to take the vacation of her life. And from there she learns more about herself than I'm sure she ever hoped.
Each story from Joan's other lives was heartbreaking in its own way. Some were more palatable than others. I'm not going to lie; there were moments when I just wanted to get to the next life in the hopes that what Joan went through wouldn't be so brutal.
That underlying feeling of hope carries this story through to the end, however.
And only the next installment will show us what lies ahead for courageous Joan Portman.
A tale with danger, sorrow, and a bit of romance... I'll be following along for the remainder of Joan's story.
Christine @ Captivated Reading
September 5, 2017
Joan Portman is not your typical teenager. She cuts herself and her parents can’t figure out why so they take her to a therapist that dopes her up on antidepressants. But this can’t help her. Joan is plagued by death in her dreams. She is constantly dreaming of being torn apart by animals, shot in the head, or burned alive. She cuts herself in the morning to make sure she is still alive.
Then Joan ends up lying to her therapist so she can join her family on vacation in Europe hoping this change will end the dreams. But at each destination she is taken back in time and relives her life as a gladiator, Jewish prisoner, and as Joan of Arc. This explains her dreams but will this stop them?
This is an interesting story. Definitely not what I was expecting. This book will run you the gambit of emotions. Poor Joan, here she is suffering and her family knows somethings wrong but not how to help. This story really shows how things like self-harm and such affect not only the individual but their family too. I loved the trips back in time. They were well written making me feel like I was right there with Joan. I hoped that they would help her heal from the damage of the dreams.
This is a great story and one that I think most people will enjoy. It’s definitely one to check out.
I received Dead Again from Ari at Candid Book Reviews for free. This has in no way influenced my opinion of this book.
Then Joan ends up lying to her therapist so she can join her family on vacation in Europe hoping this change will end the dreams. But at each destination she is taken back in time and relives her life as a gladiator, Jewish prisoner, and as Joan of Arc. This explains her dreams but will this stop them?
This is an interesting story. Definitely not what I was expecting. This book will run you the gambit of emotions. Poor Joan, here she is suffering and her family knows somethings wrong but not how to help. This story really shows how things like self-harm and such affect not only the individual but their family too. I loved the trips back in time. They were well written making me feel like I was right there with Joan. I hoped that they would help her heal from the damage of the dreams.
This is a great story and one that I think most people will enjoy. It’s definitely one to check out.
I received Dead Again from Ari at Candid Book Reviews for free. This has in no way influenced my opinion of this book.
October 16, 2016
There are people who have nightmares and then there are people like Joan Portman, who live her nightmares repeatedly. Life is difficult enough for teenagers, but when you are a teenager plagued with nightmares, when you turn to self-harm, and end up on medications, life is unbearable.
Joan is hoping, if she can take a family trip to Europe that her life will turn around. She’s hoping to find a new start. What she finds when she visits different locations in Europe are locations that trigger memories of her past lives. She goes from being an American teenager in Europe to being a gladiator, a Jew in Auschwitz, and Joan of Arc. As farfetched as it might sound, Linda Rey, transports the reader back to each of those time periods and makes us believe Joan truly is each of these people. She reminds us of the horrors that occurred in the past and the injustices people suffered.
Linda Rey also shows the reader how mental illness and self-harm can have a negative impact not only on the individual but also the person’s family. I found the devotion of Joan’s younger sister heart-warming. The actions of Joan’s parents at times frustrated me to not end. On the other hand, I understood why they were overly protective and hard on Joan.
This story will touch on a number of your emotions. It will make you question past lives and whether or not you believe in reincarnation. It will show what lengths people will go for the ones they love and even complete strangers. If you are looking for something rather different then I would recommend this book.
Joan is hoping, if she can take a family trip to Europe that her life will turn around. She’s hoping to find a new start. What she finds when she visits different locations in Europe are locations that trigger memories of her past lives. She goes from being an American teenager in Europe to being a gladiator, a Jew in Auschwitz, and Joan of Arc. As farfetched as it might sound, Linda Rey, transports the reader back to each of those time periods and makes us believe Joan truly is each of these people. She reminds us of the horrors that occurred in the past and the injustices people suffered.
Linda Rey also shows the reader how mental illness and self-harm can have a negative impact not only on the individual but also the person’s family. I found the devotion of Joan’s younger sister heart-warming. The actions of Joan’s parents at times frustrated me to not end. On the other hand, I understood why they were overly protective and hard on Joan.
This story will touch on a number of your emotions. It will make you question past lives and whether or not you believe in reincarnation. It will show what lengths people will go for the ones they love and even complete strangers. If you are looking for something rather different then I would recommend this book.
July 4, 2017
I loved this book. It is part thriller and part historic novel. Joan Portman is not a happy teenager. Her parents don't know what her problems are so they take Joan to a therapist who prescribes antidepressants for her. Joan doesn't think she is depressed but she realizes that she runs on a high stress level and her way to cope is to cut herself. She is a cutter and has scars on multiple parts of her body to prove it. Joan convinces her therapist and her parents that she hasn't cut recently in order to be able to take a trip to Europe with them. She is hoping the trip will rid her of the horrible nightmares she has been having. There are three repeating themes: she is torn apart by wild animals and dies, she is shot in the back of her head and dies, and she is burned to death.
While on vacation she starts to have "seizures" and comes face to face with her nightmares.
While on vacation she starts to have "seizures" and comes face to face with her nightmares.
May 17, 2017
holy thriller.. this is amazing.. i love a good thriller and a lot of times they fall short a bit.. but this one didnt fall short at all.. it was amazing. it kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what was next.. what would happen next.. who would do what next.. and the nightmares were so real feeling i felt as if i was in her head watching it happen.. it was so sad in spots... i felt so bad for her.. and it wa sjust wonderful to read. i am glad i got to review it
April 25, 2018
Fantastic read. Well written with a great plot and characters. I was engrossed from start to finish. Joan has to relive her deaths from the past over and over. I love how the author is able to transport readers back in time with Joan as a gladiator, and Joan of Arc. Joan cuts herself to feel and to make sure she is in reality, still alive. I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.
April 16, 2019
A weirdly good book. That will take you on a journey of the past lives of a 17 year old girl named Joan. Every cut she makes, is her trying to make sure she's still alive. But if what she did in those past lives is ever present. What is in store for her in this present day? It takes some time to get use too. But once started its a really fast paced book.
November 9, 2023
A very unusual story that will keep you intrigued. Joan’s life is definitely not easy. Her nightmares are literally killing her. She endures death in different places and time. How will this all end. Couldn’t put it down.
May 18, 2017
A really stunning book with hard hitting subjects. Well worth a read. Would recommend this author to friends and family
March 25, 2018
Great read
A really great story and easy to connect with the characters. I definitely recommend this to everyone. I will definitely look forward to reading more from this author.
A really great story and easy to connect with the characters. I definitely recommend this to everyone. I will definitely look forward to reading more from this author.
October 18, 2016
I received a copy of this book in exchange for review.
I love the premise of this book--a girl reliving the few weeks leading up to her death in past lives. The past life of the Jewish girl in Nazi Germany really struck a chord with me. The writing was masterful, and it was so incredibly painful to read. I actually didn't want to read it, but I forced myself out of respect for the real victims of Auschwitz. Fantastic job portraying the horrors suffered by those poor people.
There were some small dialogue issues to note. At one point, Aelia says, "I know, right?" That kind of modern slang was not around in ancient Rome. There were a few other similar instances. Just something that needs to be caught during editing and/or the author's final reading of the book before publishing.
I rather liked at the end when she was having her "coming of age" moment, understanding that she doesn't have to live some grand life in order to live. Unfortunately, right after, the happened. I felt that part was very forced and unnecessary. I would have preferred it to end with her self-realization. Not a deal-breaker though.
Overall, this is a great book, designed to make you think. It paints a realistic picture about self-harm in regards to mental illness, and that's something we should always discuss and be open about.
I love the premise of this book--a girl reliving the few weeks leading up to her death in past lives. The past life of the Jewish girl in Nazi Germany really struck a chord with me. The writing was masterful, and it was so incredibly painful to read. I actually didn't want to read it, but I forced myself out of respect for the real victims of Auschwitz. Fantastic job portraying the horrors suffered by those poor people.
There were some small dialogue issues to note. At one point, Aelia says, "I know, right?" That kind of modern slang was not around in ancient Rome. There were a few other similar instances. Just something that needs to be caught during editing and/or the author's final reading of the book before publishing.
I rather liked at the end when she was having her "coming of age" moment, understanding that she doesn't have to live some grand life in order to live. Unfortunately, right after, the happened. I felt that part was very forced and unnecessary. I would have preferred it to end with her self-realization. Not a deal-breaker though.
Overall, this is a great book, designed to make you think. It paints a realistic picture about self-harm in regards to mental illness, and that's something we should always discuss and be open about.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews