Living Nightmare

by D.M. Dore

DEATH STALKS HER DREAMS Night after night in the fourth-floor ward of the Mendwell Institute, Tobin Blake awakens screaming from nightmares of gruesome deaths and tortured souls. Therapy isn't helping, the drugs aren't helping, and lately the nightmares are getting worse. When a new doctor and his hypnotist colleague arrive promising breakthroughs, most patients are relieved, but Tobin senses something deeper is amiss.Now a stranger is hiding cryptic clues and suspicious newspaper clippings beneath her pillow, and when the nightly visions begin leaving bruises and scars on her waking body, Tobin must fight to retain what's left of her sanity.A riveting supernatural thriller that will leave you wondering where nightmares end, and reality begins.

411 pages, Paperback

Published January 22, 2019

About the author

D. M. Dore wanted to be a superhero growing up (still does) and uses that dream to create characters with supernatural abilities, witches coming into their powers, and creatures fighting their inner demons.

Creativity and a wild imagination livened up her childhood as she and her five siblings put on homemade plays and pretended to be characters from children’s books. Writing became a new form of growing and sharing her imagination.

Her first novel "Living Nightmare" is book 1 of The Other Side of Gifted series, and takes readers into a world where there is a thin line between what is a dream and what’s reality. She also has a short science fiction story titled “Playing with Dolls” included in Tod Foley’s UbiquiCity series' book 2: "UbiquiCity: Undercurrents"

Reviews

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderfully written book! Tobin has been a patient at the Mendwell psychiatric facility for the past six years, living up on the most restrictive of its four floors—the floor for psych patients who never, ever get to leave. Her days as a patient, as well as her terrifying and hauntingly specific nightmares are described in intricate detail in this fascinating tale I couldn’t put down for even a second. I loved every minute, from the slow peeling back of the story in layers what was happening around Tobin, to the large and wonderfully described cast of characters—Nurse Tiffany, Dr. Dawson, Ange, Hannah, Marie and Dr. Owens. Tobin keep dream journals detailing the terrors that haunt her every time she closes her eyes—but eventually she begins to wonder… real or not real? This was absolutely fantastic!!

Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.

[Anthony Hulse · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderfully crafted account of a young girl's incarceration in a mental institution. Tobin experiences frightening nightmares throughout her confinement and with the permission of her parents, allows a new psychiatric doctor and hypnotherapy nurse to conduct a series of experiments, but what is their real motive? A splendid array of characters and the story flowed wonderfully. I look forward to reading more from this gifted author.

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good read . Bought this book at a sale and glad I did , a teenage girl has been committed to an insane asylum for violent Nightmare about death and horror, so real she can feel what they feel, some times when she wakes she still has the marks on her body from what happen to them. Years go by .shes around 20 when thing start to change at the hospital shes in .a new doctor and his assistant come to try a new type of treatment, hypnotism. Working their way through the staff they wind up takeing over the ward and takeing Tobin over.she starts to slowly realize that they arent just dreams but premonitions and a close friend of hers crazy ramblings about her and a few other patients haveing super powers just might not be so crazy. I love the way that theirs a new chapter every few pages ,that give a recap of a dream she has as if to keep you in the loop of her mind . I will definitely be looking for more of her books and from what I gather this is one a type of series.

[Danalynn Donovan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! Just... WOW! I absolutely LOVED this book! It is one of the best written novels I've ever read--especially from a debut author! The story pulls you in from the first page and doesn't let go until The End, and even then you're left wanting MORE! I'm excited to read Book 2 and see where the characters go from here.

The strength of D.M. Dore's writing really SHINES in this novel! She's awesome at description: both physical and emotional, and she's EXCELLENT with similes and metaphors. The dialogue was natural and very well done, with each character in the novel having their own unique voice (which is NOT easy to do--especially when you have a lot of characters), and the story flowed flawlessly. I was honestly shocked that this is a debut novel, because D.M. writes with the skill of a very seasoned writer.

The only cons of this book were that it needed another pass of editing from fresh eyes. Don't get me wrong, the vast majority was pretty well edited! But throughout the novel there were several misspellings (overhead instead of overheard was done more than once), missing words here and there, and the occasional extra word that shouldn't be there. The biggest issue was when two different characters spoke in the same paragraph, when each character's dialogue should have his or her OWN paragraph. This happened often, though not excessively, and I don't know if it was the author's error or a formatting issue. I'm hoping D.M. won't make these mistakes in the next novel, because without these typos, this novel (and author) would go from third-base good to knock-it-out-of-the-ballpark GREAT!

I'm giving Living Nightmare 4 stars, but I'm doing it reluctantly because these errors pull the reader out of the story, but JUST FOR A SECOND, and don't take away from the overall enjoyment of this extremely well-written book.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this novel and ANYTHING else that D.M. Dore writes!

[Moona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Living Nightmare by D.M. Dore is a gripping supernatural thriller that immerses readers in the harrowing experience of Tobin Blake, a patient at the Mendwell Institute. Tormented by recurring nightmares of violent deaths, Tobin finds no relief through therapy or medication. Her dreams not only worsen but start leaving real bruises and scars on her body when she wakes.

When a new doctor and hypnotist arrive, offering hope with advanced treatments, most patients welcome the change, but Tobin senses something off. Soon, cryptic notes and mysterious newspaper clippings begin appearing under her pillow. As the line between her nightmares and reality starts to blur, Tobin races to uncover the truth about the doctors and her terrifying visions before her mind unravels completely.

D.M. Dore expertly combines psychological suspense with supernatural elements in this haunting tale. The story builds tension with each new revelation, pulling readers deeper into Tobin’s unsettling reality. Living Nightmare delves into the horror of both the unknown and the fragile human psyche, making it a compelling read for fans of eerie, thought-provoking thrillers where the boundaries between dreams and reality are disturbingly unclear.

[Anya Pavelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tobin’s existence in Living Nightmare is, indeed, a living nightmare. She lives in a mental institution, plagued by nightmares of people’s gruesome deaths. Tobin’s roommates never stay because she screams in her sleep. Even Tobin’s parents rarely visit. She has a lonely existence in a mundane world. The author communicates this monotony-punctuated-by-moments-of-terror well. As the story continues, the line between reality and unreality blurs. No spoilers, but Tobin has a gift, one that others want to exploit. This book has a fun amount of tension. I highly recommend it.

[Jody Capogreco · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not expect this book to go into the direction it did. I thought it was a very good story. I really appreciate the research and ideas with the thought process to put forth this story.

[Jennifer Works · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book and cannot wait for book 2!!! Every chapter you get a small chunk of Tobin's diaries and more insight in to what she is going though and how she is feeling. This book doesn't shy away from discussing mental health issues as well as putting a supernatural twist on it. Won't give anything away, but it is a must read if you are a fan of supernatural teenage/young adult books!!!

[Kathleen Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Living Nightmare by D.M. Dore tells the story of Tobin Blake, a young woman institutionalized due to her unrelenting gruesome nightmares that stalk her nightly. It is a story told entirely from Tobin’s point of view which adds to the protagonist’s feeling of isolation and terror.

This story is not typical of the genre I read so I was surprised at how quickly I devoured this book. It is a true mystery with many unexpected twists. I felt compelled to understand what is causing this horrible condition and felt awful about Tobin’s self-absorbed, uncaring parents and the ordeals she endures at the institution. Despite all this, Tobin is relatable in her interactions with the staff and other patients. You can feel her conflict between wanting to be left alone and her normal human need for friendship and belonging.

This is an excellent debut novel and I look forward to reading more from this author.

[Marsha Baxter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surpised when I found out that this was the author's first novel. I appreciated the short blurbs at the start of each chapter that gave me a little more insight into the characters. After reading a few chapters I was feeling a lot of empathy for Tobin..what an upbringing! The writing was fluid and easy to follow. I like a book that is not a chore to read. I brought it with me to finish when I went away for a couple of days and stretched the last pages as much as I could because I didn't want it to end. I look forward to another book!

[Kat Dore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could not put this book down and want to read more from this author. Great description of characters, so much so you really feel for Tobin. It's a good story that you want to keep reading. There is always something new to look forward to. I hope we can read more about Tobin. If you like suspense you should really read this book.

[Aaron D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this book 3 days ago and I've delayed writing the review. Why? Because I want to get it right. This book deserves the best of reviews. I was so impressed with it.
As a writer myself, I also have to admit of feeling a bit like Salieri listening to Mozart. I have a choice to make. Do I keep writing knowing that I will never grasp the concept of scene (or tension) in the same way this author has? (I probably will carry on because there is a quality in variety, I hope.) Tobin has been sent to the Mendwell Institute to help her get over the terrifying nightmares she endures. Why is the Institute so basic, like a prison? Why does she have to stay there? Each page grasps the reader, almost round the neck, with the desire to know what the hell is happening and why. What are the character’s motives? Each character is introduced calmly and with a quality sketch that brings them to life. I just want to see this book made into a TV series. It would be great. Not because TV is better than books but because TV is lacking new ideas.
I haven't for a while, disturbed my regular bedtime but I had to with this book when I was so nearly at the end. I was ever so slightly disappointed to realise that all my questions were not to be answered. But on the bright side there are to be more books in the series, and more enjoyment to be had.
I hope that I have done justice to this book with this review but will just sum up to say that, unless you are likely to be traumatised by the idea of being locked up in an Institution you will enjoy this book.

[Chris Hepler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Independent books tend to be pretty hit-or-miss, but I found "Living Nightmare" to hit more often than not. D.M. Dore's protagonist Tobin starts in a miserable situation -- relentless night terrors that leave physical injuries on her body -- and somehow, things get even worse for her as the pages turn. Though the plot takes literally years to unfold, Tobin can't escape the nightmares, and the book serves as a kind of origin story for Tobin, who will no doubt be appearing in a sequel. It is not, however, a cliffhanger or a story that left me unsatisfied at the end.

As for the literary mechanics, I found the book to be pretty well-edited (which is not always the case with indies), and smiled at a few turns of phrase ("her heart was a bomb ready to go off" comes to mind). Glad I spent some time with this one.

[Renee Marski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dreams and premonitions

Tobin has nightmares. Extremely violent ones. So she lives in a mental institution, where she struggles to survive. She likes her routine but things start to change. A dr pushing hypnosis shows up and starts to gain control of the hospital. Her roommate gets worse and then the head nurse is fired. Tobin struggles to cope but Dr Owen has a goal and Tobin is at the center of it. Can she survive what he has in store for her?

Super trippy and twisty. Great world building.

[A.N. Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A superbly-written, page-turning mystery! I love that this story is not what it seems at first. We have Tobin, a resident of a mental institution who suffers from terrifying nightmares. But what’s really going on at the Mendwell Institute? With well-drawn characters and a quick pace, this one kept me glued to the page. What’s real and what’s not? You won’t be able to resist finding out!

[Frances Evelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engrossing and thoroughly unsettling.

Tobin Blake has disturbing dreams, so disturbing that the other inmates at the Mendwell Institute refuse to share a room with her. But she's not mad, so she doesn't engage with her therapy.

I don't want to say too much, because I love how the story unfolded, but this is highly recommended.

[Martin Mcgregor · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read

A quite enjoyable read, with a dash of one flew over the cuckoo's nest and a hint of x men added. I had no idea where it was going, but it kept me reading every day. There were a few typos, but nothing serious, and I am interested to read the next book inbthe series. Good effort!

[Morgan Elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

I’m blown away with this book. I stayed up all night reading it. The suspense gripped me from the start and kept my attention. This is a perfect example of a suspenseful thriller in my opinion.

[Joseph Doliczny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. How each scene and the living nightmare the main character is going through is so well done. I really felt for them and wanted to know more, as the book keeps you guessing. I would definitely recommend.

[mara · Rating 5 out of 5]

love this!!!

I absolutely 100% love this story! I can’t wait for book two to come out.
I read this book in two days, I was not able to put it down and when I was forced to I was annoyed! I can’t wait to see what happens next!!🩵🩵🩵🩵

[Jessica Piro · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a good read, especially if you want intrigue, a plot that keeps you guessing, and people-not-tapped-into-their-powers/mutants, but it took me about 80% into the book to really ramp things up. Most was a bit mundane/routine... boring. But, I mean, we are in a mental institution so perhaps that was the author's intent. *shrugs*
Near the end, there were some instances that pulled me out of the story, *spoiler-free* like where and when did she name what happened to her 'the Primal' (it came out of nowhere) and if she was emaciated, she wouldn't have been strong enough to do any of what she did, but that's just me.