Rising

Dream Wars #1

by Leia Stone

It's been ten years since they came. Creatures that made us terrified to fall asleep at night.

I've been training for the dream wars since I was twelve years old and each time I close my eyes I become a merciless killer. It's earned me the rightful title of Commander and now I protect the rich in their sleep with my team of warriors.

But the one thing I didn't expect was that my irresistibly sexy new client, Damien Striker, might be able to put a stop to this war...

If I can keep him alive long enough.

*This book is for upper YA/NA audience, beware of language.

This is a full length novel, action packed but always with a romantic element.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Science Fiction, Aliens, Paranormal, Dystopia, Ebooks

254 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 17, 2018

About the author

Leia Stone is the USA Today bestselling author of multiple bestselling series including Matefinder and Wolf Girl. She's sold over two million books and her Fallen Academy series has been optioned for film. Her novels have been translated into five languages and she even dabbles in script writing. Leia writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance with sassy kick-butt heroines and irresistible love interests. She lives in Spokane, WA with her husband and two children.


Follow her on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/leia.stone

Reviews

[Jeanny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cliffhanger ending.

[Emma James · Rating 5 out of 5]

**** 5 STARS****

I was cruising around Amazon and this cover stopped me in my tracks.
This book was brilliant!

I absolutely loved the world building and the characters. This is the kind of Sci-Fi/Paranormal story that has me completely consumed and invested in reading more.

Damien the billionaire (you have to have one of those because he's got the mega dollars to pull this story off) is an awesome character. If you have read any of J.D. Robb aka Nora Roberts' In Death series, I liken him in a way to Roarke, which is a good thing. I adore his autistic brother, Jeremy, who is a genius.

Kit Steele is a really cool, kick-ass character who you kinda want to be. I've only read one book, but I could see this as a Netflix Original series already.

This clever story is quite intense and fast-paced.

Leia Stone really delivered and I can't wait for the second installment.

https://www.facebook.com/leia.stone/v...

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dream wars was amazing!!! Okay, so hate me if you want but I’ve never been the biggest fan of alien books, but holy hell if Leia hasn’t changed my mind. I loved that this was a dystopian alien read as it’s something in a different direction than what Leia normally writes and she KILLED IT!
I loved Kit and her cat hating self! Kit and the teams relationship was one of my favorite parts. They’re like family and they’re badass!
The story sucked me in and wouldn’t let go, there was never a dull moment and I loved every second of it!
Also, Damien is sooo (insert heart eyes emoji here)!!
I 100% recommend you read this book! It was seriously so good and is definitely worth every penny!

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read thru KU

Well I'm probably going to have nightmares tonight if I can bring myself to fall asleep but wow. Interesting concept, looking forward the next. I am strongly hoping that there is a beginning middle and end though, I think this world could easily become depressing.

[Rhiannon Chillingworth · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5.

My general feeling with this book is that is a really cool and original concept, which failed a bit in its execution.

There was just so much left unexplained about this alternate reality, that it felt a little lazy. I also found the characters so my somewhat two dimensional.

It is certainly not a bad read, but I was excited from the blurb, but the experience was a little lackluster.

[Book Addict · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is bloody fantastic! As soon as I started reading it was impossible to put down and I cannot as taken into a world that is full of action, kick ass women and tough men! Kit is an amazing MC, she is not only the comms der, she is tough, caring, devoted and piss funny! Al her group are so different and interesting and Leia has written some great character development in this book! Damien and his family are really intriguing from the very beginning you are just rooting for the win all the way through! It ends on such a cliffhanger that I immediately yelled for more! This is highly recommended new series by an extremely talented author that has fully captivated my attention! Cannot wait for more!!

[Cele · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 estrellas

Me gustoo, si bien hay cosas muy ¿? del mundo de Dreams War y cosas que necesitan ser pulidas, dentro de todo es un buen libro. Engancha rápido y tiene un temática interesante. Ame a Kit!

"—Hagamos lo que sea necesario para que
esos brazaletes lleguen a la población en general. Podrían salvar innumerables vidas —. Ellos podrían. Lo harían.
Y me rompió el corazón que el gobierno los quisiera para ellos. Para los ricos y poderosos, los educados y cualquier otra persona que consideren lo suficientemente digna para vivir.
Cómo se atreven."

[Bec · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a bit mixed on this one. The concept was interesting and pretty original. An entire war with an alien race is being waged in a dreamscape, you don't hear that every day. It was pretty fast paced and kept my attention. The problems I had was with some of the world building, I found it unlikely that if half the worlds population is killed off that the economy and government was run much like it always had... I'm still undecided if I'll read the next book.

[Marianne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a fan of all the ghoul fighting. In hindsight, I probably should have realised that a book with the word "wars" in it would contain a lot of fight scenes, I suppose, so this is a case of it's not you, it's me. Didn't feel any real chemistry between the h&H either, but it did cure my insomnia - which is pretty ironic given the theme of the book. Oh well...

1.5 stars, rounded up.

[Jody McGrath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sci-Fi Amazing

I don’t read many sci-fi books. I mostly read mysteries and paranormal type book. This one was so good though I read it in 4 hours straight. Now I’m off to the next one in the series!!

[Ellie Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the most weirdest, wildest fun book ever 😂😂 I swear Leia Stone’s imagination is INSANE

SCI-Fi Paranormal Fantasy romance?! ALIENS?! I think it’s a new favourite of mine

[Jana Gundy · Rating 5 out of 5]

She made me like sci fi!

So I’m not an alien, different world, sci fi fan of anything but Ms. Stone has made me one with this series. Each character has some lovable endearing quality and they are just so real. Kit is an alpha in every way and Damien is as well but he steps back and supports her, so he’s me in a million. I loved every word.

[Aimee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this story. I have read other stories about fighting while asleep and it has always fascinated me. I think I am also fascinated by the concept of group consciousness and this book also touches on that theme.

I can't wait to see what Kitty and Damien get up to next. I also love Jer and hope that we get to see more of his genius.

Oh this book ends on a cliffy but good news, the next one is out.

I hope you enjoy it too.

Happy Reading!

[Kristen Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3.5 stars.

I could totally see this series' premise being turned into a movie.

While I enjoyed Dream Wars' unique plot, I do think that the story could have used a bit more fleshing out, and I had some trouble connecting with the characters. Something seemed to be missing, but maybe with such refreshing world building I simply expected more. It's worth mentioning that I've been fortunate enough to read some really great books lately, so that probably affected my rating. Had I read this after a book slump, I think that I would have been more engaged.

Still definitely going to continue with the series though. I'd love to see some alternate POV chapters as well - Maxine's especially.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been mostly reading the traditional fantasy (sword and sorcery, etc) genre. Upon reading all of Leia Stones books, I decided to dip my toes back into the sci-fi genre.

This book immediately got me hooked. I felt the character development and futuristic urban setting was interesting. The concept and execution of the story kept pulling me in. I almost finished the book in one sitting until I looked at the clock and realized I should have been asleep an hour earlier. The ending of the first book happened at a perfect point in the storyline. I would recommend this book for anyone and not just sci-fy readers to give it a shot.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love sci fi or even a hint of it I truly believe that you will enjoy this series. The author did a fabulous job adding a bit of mystery to this book. It grabs you and pulls you in further! It’s so intense, fast paced, and packed with action.

🎧Audiobook review 🎧
4 stars
The narrator was great except with a few voices she would sound a bit nasally sometimes but not enough to take away from the narration. I truly enjoyed this book and look forward to listening to book 2.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was completely sucked in to this sci-fi fantasy! It was so original. The concept of training during the day and fighting a war in your sleep was unlike anything I’ve ever read about. How does Leia do this with every single book she writes? How am I going to survive until book 3 in October?!

[Uva Agria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Este argumento es taaaan original que solo le di una oportunidad por eso. No voy a mentir que la portada también me encanto, jajaja pero el argumento fue todo.

Realmente crei q sería malo, porque es corto… no se xk no me gustan los libros con menos de 200 hojas. Al final fui tan sorprendida como deslumbrada.
No fue lo mejor que leí, pero definitivamente es bueno.

[Natalia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the book idea and story....

The characters should have a little more development...

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (10/15/2020)! 🎁

[C.J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing story that draws you in from the first page. Totally unique take on an alien invasion with excellent world-building. Loved all the characters and can’t wait to see where the story goes next.

[Brie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book the day after it released back in May and have been so busy reading others that I had forgotten I had it waiting for me until just 2 days ago.

I'm so mad at myself for not reading this sooner. SO MAD. Because it is SO GOOD. BUT then on the other hand..when I went to pre-order the second book this morning, I discovered that it was already available. Freaking SCORE. I mean..I love when I LOVE a book but having to go through that awful waiting period for the next one? It's always tortuous! THANKFULLY not the case here. So instead of being just a Debbie Downer about not realizing this gem of a story was just sitting there waiting for me, I'm trying to be a Positive Pollyanna and focus on the silver lining that I can start book 2 immediately after finishing the first. Because..I am absolutely going to be devouring book 2 tonight (because you best belieeeeeve it's already waiting on my Kindle! The moment I saw it was available, I one-clicked that son of a gun immediately.

So as always - no spoilers. I'm not going to mention character names or plot or anything, just my complete love for all that is this story. You know, because that's just how I do things ;)

Okay okay, so this book..it's different in such a cool way. I mean I've read a lot of stories involving aliens or alien like beings (I mean the definition of alien is "belonging to a foreign country or nation") so while they aren't called aliens, but something else (again, not going to say..) to me I mentally referred to them as alien because you know "not of this earth" kinda thing 😉 ANYWAY lol..this story the author created was just so compelling. No lie, I wasn't sure what to expect for sure. I mean, part of me thought okay it's probably going to remind me of "blah blah blah" or "blah blah blah". I can't help but see similarities to other stories (..I hate when I do this, it really drives me crazy but I can't help it!) But did that happen with this book? NOPE. It was perfectly original and I haven't read anything like it at all. I LOVED that. I mean, I loved so much of this story. Just..SO MUCH. This isn't the first book by this author that I've read either, so I honestly don't even know why I was surprised that I loved it so much, because the first book I read by her was the same for me. Original and nothing I had read before and the more I read, the deeper my crush grew! hahaha

I really really really encourage you to read it because..it really is so good and I doubt you've read anything remotely similar so it's going to be a breath of fresh air that maybe you've needed recently in regards to your TBR! Maybe it's the book you never knew you were missing? I wouldn't doubt it.

GO READ IT YAWL.
For serious.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

**********Contains Spoilers**********

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I’ve had this series sitting in my Kindle library for years but haven’t gotten around to reading it until now, as I’m not that much into sci-fi books but this book was great and I really should’ve read it sooner. It’s completely different than any books that I’ve read before. I loved meeting Kit and her team/family. I loved the way Leia made each person’s personality shine through while they got page time.

The world is completely different than what we know as when people sleep they’re attacked by an invisible alien race called ghouls, that are a cross between a vampire and a zombie. Kit and her team are hired by rich people to protect them while they sleep but their latest client is a complete wild card and different than any client they’ve had. They’ve been hired by Damien Striker of Striker Industries, a private weapons research facility to help protect him, his little brother Jeremy, their kind of adoptive mother Josephine a bada*se fighter in her own right and his butler Mr Hansen aka Daniel an ex-M16 operative who he considers part of his family.

Kit and Damien completely butt heads to start with, as they’re both extremely strong willed. Damien has hired their team to protect his brother Jeremy who has mild autism but is creating a cuff that sends out a plasma shield that attacks the ghouls and will hopefully end the Dream Wars once and for all. Kit has an affinity for mental projections that she uses to keep in touch with her team and those close to her, as it’s easier to connect with someone’s mind if she has a close bond to them. I really liked all the characters and loved the banter between Kit and Damien and their chemistry is completely off the charts. Man, I really wanted to throat punch Damien at the start of the book lol but he grows on you and he’s actually completely down to earth and extremely generous.

All I can say is the government are complete a*seholes. All Damien and Jeremy want to do is protect humanity from dying each night while in the Dream Wars and having to fight against the ghouls. The FBI bugged and raided their house and took all the information about the cuff as well as the prototype that they’ve been trying out each night, as they don’t want the general public to have it and for it to only be available to the uber rich. After the ending I’m really looking to seeing what happens next for Kit, Damien and their friends/family. I’d definitely recommend this book, series and author to everyone.

[Eva · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story mixing SF and paranormal with a very interesting use of theories on parallel worlds.
The great strength of this author is the interaction between the characters. Right from the start, we feel the great bond between the members of Kit's team. Their banter is very entertaining.
The progress of the story and the pace are a little less good. The pace is sometimes broken by remarks made out loud or in Kit's head (like when she and Damien are on the verge of being killed and they flirt with each other. It's not plausible enough for me to believe it. ).
In fact, the plot potential is so good that I find the love story between Kit and Damien taking up too much space. It could have been treated in the same way as those between the other members of the team, in a lighter way. I would have liked to know more about the work of Jeremy and Damien, see more fights, for examples.
Another problem with the progress of the narrative is that it's hard to believe that almost nothing has changed in ten years, and that suddenly the humans and the aliens are developing several new tactics simultaneously (the use of the Galadrias as mounts, the plasma screens, for example).
Where plausibility takes a serious hit is when Damien reveals the existence of a very rare mineral that is found, what a coincidence !, only in the United States, where the story takes place. And it turns out he's the owner of the mine, and ... nobody else knows that information? While the government has been spying on him electronically since who knows when?
But hey, the fact remains that Kit's team is really very engaging, I'm going to continue reading the series.

[Jassicca · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the year 2020, the invisible alien race visited Earth. Since then, falling asleep is equal to a death sentence if you're unfit, for it's hunting time for the alien, and any injuries or death will reflect in your physical state. However, for those with funds, the easier way to survive is to hire a security team for protection in the dream.

Kit Steele and the team is the most booked and desired private security team. Our heroine, Kit Steele, has already earned a commander title, and her team is about to start their new job protecting the Striker family. This new client is a billionaire, brothers with genius minds that will bring an end to the Alien invasion.

Throughout the story, we slowly learn about this new dangerous world, the characters' story, how they got together and formed the team, the challenges, and the love interest.

The main character, Kit, is a fantastic protagonist. She is a credible leader with a big heart and is hilariously funny. The secondary characters are an eclectic bunch of individuals, all with their own stories and motivations. They each bring their unique traits and talents to the table, creating a dynamic team ready to take on any challenge.

Rising, this first book of the series is exhilarating and will leave you wanting more. It is full of dangerous adventure, action-packed with suspense and romance that will keep you hooked until the end. The characters are likeable, and the story is well-written. It is definitely worth five stars!

¨It was pitch black outside other than the glow of city lights, but I recognized the Petronas Twin Towers of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.¨

Thank you for mentioning my country in your book, Leia Stone. Welcome to KL, Kit Steele!

[Krystal M · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my second go around on this because I had been waiting forever for book 3 to come out and when it did I just didn’t get to it like I wanted to. So I had to refresh my brain on this story and I’m glad I did. I remembered just how much I liked this story!

It is super fresh and a topic that I haven’t seen before. Either I’m not looking or it’s one of the only ones out there. This spoke to the inner Nightmare on Elm Street lover in me. The only difference is it isn’t Freddy coming after them but a whole different monster. Monsters actually. Earth was invaded and what seemed to be empty UFO’s really was neurological warfare. They attack you when you are most vulnerable, when you are the most tired, when you’re asleep.

Kit Steele is the commander of her dream team (see what I did there?) and is a hot commodity in the personal safety world. She has a waiting list of 6 months and Damien Striker is finally up.

He is well known as a highly wealthy man who distributes weapons, which is very needed in this world. He needs Kit and her team to keep him and his family safe. Really he wants his brother kept safe the most because if his big beautiful brain. Jeremy is a high functioning autistic 20 year old who is trying to end the dream wars.

With the help of Kit’s team, he is hoping to end the wars for good but he needs to be kept alive in a world that is literally gunning for them.

In Kindle Unlimited fashion, this is a short story type of series that of course ends in a cliff hanger. But now that it is a completed series I say go for it!!

[Alexandra L. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and would have rated it higher if author Leia Stone hadn't immediately defaulted to her worse habit- racial caricatures and offensive racial descriptors with a weird side of mental health tone deafness.

We are introduced to Ronnie and her "long, black, silky Asian hair". We soon learn that "even though Ronnie was Japanese, she somehow turned into an old Mexican lady when she was frustrated." (Leia loves the fiery Latina stereotypes- Fallen Academy anyone?)

We then meet Nox Lightfoot. "His father was Japanese and his mother a full-blooded Navajo, which gave him a smooth brown complexion and cheekbones to die for." He fills the spiritual and exotic Asian x Native American stereotype.

We soon learn that the white main character has an Asian "Master" who has a house with a tea garden and taught her everything she knows, Karate Kid style.

Although the book is "dedicated to anyone who has ever been affected by or loved someone with autism", the portrayal of a character in the spectrum is heavy handed and cringey. He is a genius who can't make eye contact; an adorable child-like grown man; the "different" guy who is going to save the world to show you all that people with "issues" are heroes!

Speaking of issues, a character with PTSD and anxiety is introduced and frequently referred to as having "mental issues" which cause her to be dangerous and a loose cannon. I guess trauma-informed care doesn't exist in a world where basically everyone has watched their family and friends get eaten in front of them.

Like I said, the plot was engaging and unique but the author could definitely stand to step outside her white bubble.

[Sandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book jumps off the block pretty quickly, spinning into a fast paced story action packed energy. It’s been 10 years since the invasion, and people are being killed in their dreams, food for the alien invaders (sentries and ghouls). Kit and her motley team of badasses are one of the best teams of protectors in the world, who work to keep people safe by traveling into the dream world with them and protecting them. Enter their latest client, Damien, super hot billionaire with the super brainy, autistic brother who may have invented the thing that will protect people from the aliens and end the dream wars. This is definitely an interesting spin on the idea of lucid dreaming, making things much more real and scarier. Stay awake for days, because going into the dream world is dangerous, and terrifying. The characters each have their unique quirkiness, and their play off each other is a mixture of hardcore teamwork, and a familial level of affection (or maybe not so familial in some cases). I found the action scenes to be engrossing and tense, with enough detail to create an impressive visual in my mind. The world building was woven into the story well, building up both the characters and the world they live in at a good pace so you can keep up with what’s happening pretty well. It’s a short, quick, fun read. And that cliffhanger ending! Definitely makes me interesting in continuing the journey.

I received this audiobook free in exchange for my fair and honest review.

[debturk1970_bookvibes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uncompromising Bad@ssery Awake & Asleep!!😲🙏🔪🌍💥
(Read using Kindle Unlimited)
Rising (Dream Wars #1)

Woah, this is a kind blowing world build!!😲💥
When Earth is invaded by a race of Aliens that ate anything alive, from inside our dreams, civilisation as we knew it, ground to halt.😳 In the sort of 'virtual reality' known as Dream Wars, children were safe until they hit puberty. Then they were aged in & were fair game - literally.😡 In the decade since the Ghouls had arrived they'd decimated most creatures & half of the entire human population!!😲💔😭

Kit her elite team had been together for years & had been through the cadet school together to train, they were family.😍 Kit also trained at a dojo in meditation & samurai sword fighting to hone her skills & better protect their team & clients!🙏👍 They have just taken a contract to provide protection in the Dream Wars for Damien & Jeremy Striker plus their two staff members they class as family. Once they all sleep & are copied to the Dream Wars scape they were struggling to stay protected & Jeremy was a genius who designed many of weapons & gadgets they all needed to stay alive, Hence Kits elite team was needed!!🙏

This is full of terror, complete bad@ssery, terror & heroics. Then they discover there's political and elitist shenanigans going on that are hard to believe let alone swallow!!💔😭 Decisions need to made & lines in the sand drawn before the Dream Wars obliterate the human race for good!!😲💥

Debbie, 1970, UK

[Heather Rainwater-Alvarado · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who has very, very few Sci-Fi books that I enjoy, I only started this series because I’ve read several books by Leia Stone and decided to give it a shot. The description of the book was unique, and nothing I had ever heard of before. I was a little worried the concept would make the books scary. So much so that I didn’t start the actual Dream Wars chapter until daytime (I hate scary movies/stories). Despite the conflict, it’s still a page-turner, but not scary. Kit’s team is well-rounded, and despite focusing on some characters more than others, they’re quickly well developed, and well liked. I like how main characters are safe (so far), though she’s not afraid to reflect the conflict of the Dream Wars in the wounds Kit and her team receive.

I really don’t have many criticisms of the story. I wish it was a bit longer if I’m being honest. Though it’s well rounded and doesn’t have any unnecessary fluff mixed in. The fact that the characters on average have 4 hours of sleep every two days is a bit unbelievable. Even worse when they have to make it 6 days without sleep at one point of the story. I can’t imagine how the body would handle that, if at all. But it’s an acceptable detail to overlook in order to fit within the story.

I really enjoyed book 1 and can’t wait to read more!