What do you think?
Rate this book
The Dream Wars #1
The Dream Runner: The Dream Wars, Book 1
What if you could order a custom dream? Any kind. Dark and twisted, sweet, sensual, or redemptive. For the right price, a dream runner will deliver one to your doorstep.
Jesse Davison skipped town the week she turned sixteen, with nothing but the clothes on her back and her father's vintage Indian Scout motorbike. She swore never to return to the town where in one night of tragedy she lost everything she ever loved.
When news of her estranged mother's death calls her home, she hopes for some time to sort out ten years of tangled emotions. But Jesse’s job doesn’t exactly allow personal days. She’s been forced into service as a runner by the Dream Merchant to pay back a debt for her own dream of revenge, and there are always orders to fill.
Struggling to figure out her mysterious inheritance is more than enough to get a girl down, and things get even worse when the man Jesse loathes—ex-boyfriend Will Alderson—shows up. But she soon discovers the person she’s been running from might just be the one she should be running towards. Too bad she’s been dreaming of killing him for the past ten years.
Jesse Davison skipped town the week she turned sixteen, with nothing but the clothes on her back and her father's vintage Indian Scout motorbike. She swore never to return to the town where in one night of tragedy she lost everything she ever loved.
When news of her estranged mother's death calls her home, she hopes for some time to sort out ten years of tangled emotions. But Jesse’s job doesn’t exactly allow personal days. She’s been forced into service as a runner by the Dream Merchant to pay back a debt for her own dream of revenge, and there are always orders to fill.
Struggling to figure out her mysterious inheritance is more than enough to get a girl down, and things get even worse when the man Jesse loathes—ex-boyfriend Will Alderson—shows up. But she soon discovers the person she’s been running from might just be the one she should be running towards. Too bad she’s been dreaming of killing him for the past ten years.
Kindle Edition
First published October 27, 2013
9 people are currently reading
71 people want to read
About the author
Kerry Schafer
22 books217 followersKerry Schafer (aka Kerry Anne King) is the Amazon Charts and Washington Post bestselling author of thirteen novels. An incorrigible genre hopper, Kerry has written fantasy, paranormal mystery and book club fiction. Known for her lyrical writing and memorable characters, Kerry weaves deep emotional insights, humor, and often a touch of magic into all of her tales. Her most recent writing venture is an amateur sleuth novel, Party Planning Can Be Murder, releasing in March of 2025.
In addition to writing, Kerry co-hosts the One Happy Thing podcast with bestselling authors Jennifer Moorman and Maddie Dawson and runs Author Genie, where she provides virtual assistant services to fellow authors.
Kerry lives in a small town in northeastern Washington with her real-life Viking and a crew of neurotic rescue animals—two dogs and four cats—whose favorite pastime is interrupting her writing.
In addition to writing, Kerry co-hosts the One Happy Thing podcast with bestselling authors Jennifer Moorman and Maddie Dawson and runs Author Genie, where she provides virtual assistant services to fellow authors.
Kerry lives in a small town in northeastern Washington with her real-life Viking and a crew of neurotic rescue animals—two dogs and four cats—whose favorite pastime is interrupting her writing.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
January 21, 2014
I received this novella through NetGalley for a honest review.
Wow where to start. I understand this was a Novella but I wanted MORE! I wanted more of the storyline. I wanted the storyline to be more in-depth. I wanted better background on the characters and I wanted more information on the Merchant and what a Dream Runner really does.
However, I find wanting more is a good thing. The fact that the author was able to make me want more is splendid. The writing was very well thought out and put together. The storyline was very interesting and was not the same paranormal storyline that has been done ad nauseum. There was a feeling of certain things being rushed, but once again its a novella and is to be expected.
The story.. Jesse is a Dream Runner. Long ago she was involved in a tragic accident that left her father dead and the boy that she loved at fault. With so much hatred in her heart she turned to the Merchant for a dream. A dream of revenge. Revenge against the boy she loved for her father's death. Having got her dream, she now is now indebted to the Merchant. Her price? She has to run dreams. When another soul asks for a dream from the Dream Merchant, she must find them and deliver that dream. 10 years after the accident, she returns to the town she left behind. Her mother has finally died and the old farm is left to her. What happens when she returns can only be called serendipitous. Read the book. Find out what dreams people have. ;)
A 4 star Novella!
Wow where to start. I understand this was a Novella but I wanted MORE! I wanted more of the storyline. I wanted the storyline to be more in-depth. I wanted better background on the characters and I wanted more information on the Merchant and what a Dream Runner really does.
However, I find wanting more is a good thing. The fact that the author was able to make me want more is splendid. The writing was very well thought out and put together. The storyline was very interesting and was not the same paranormal storyline that has been done ad nauseum. There was a feeling of certain things being rushed, but once again its a novella and is to be expected.
The story.. Jesse is a Dream Runner. Long ago she was involved in a tragic accident that left her father dead and the boy that she loved at fault. With so much hatred in her heart she turned to the Merchant for a dream. A dream of revenge. Revenge against the boy she loved for her father's death. Having got her dream, she now is now indebted to the Merchant. Her price? She has to run dreams. When another soul asks for a dream from the Dream Merchant, she must find them and deliver that dream. 10 years after the accident, she returns to the town she left behind. Her mother has finally died and the old farm is left to her. What happens when she returns can only be called serendipitous. Read the book. Find out what dreams people have. ;)
A 4 star Novella!
November 11, 2013
I'm not sure Dream Runner is set in the same world of Between (don't think so) or it's just meant to remind us of it. Surely it deals with a dream world, but it's less on the fantastic side, more of a UF.
Being a short novella, the world-building can't be predominant, but the sketches are wonderful. What if you could buy a dream? What price are you willing to pay for the chance to see a different past?
The author weaves again a wonderful, beautifully written tale. As in Between my problem is linked to the heroine. There we had a very weak heroine, here we have a 26 yo woman who never overcomes the death of her father, blaming unfairly her friend and destroying both lives for 10 years. I'm not sure I got her fully, but surely I didn't appreciate the IQ lowering moments with the beefcake selling her house. Again, giving its length, I don't know if we will be able to blame some form of magic or if it's just the way it is. In any case, as my usual I didn't really like this aspect.
Overall Dream Runner is an interesting short novella. I hope it's the hook up to a new series and not simply the first part of a book divided into chunk. (A fear due to the many threads left open).
November 6, 2013
http://koeur.wordpress.com/2013/11/06...
Publisher: TKA
Publisher Date: October 2013
ISBN: 9781937776633
Genre: Fantasy
Rating:3.2/5.0
Publisher Description: What if you could order a custom dream? Any kind. Dark and twisted, sweet, sensual, or redemptive. For the right price, a dream runner will deliver one to your doorstep. Jesse Davison skipped town the week she turned sixteen, with nothing but the clothes on her back and her father’s vintage Indian Scout motorbike. She swore never to return to the town where in one night of tragedy she lost everything she ever loved.
Review: This is the third novella in the series. If you pick up this novella without having read the others in the series, you can get up to speed easily. The cover art is really good. I am a sucker for ravens and crows.
I gave this novella a middle of the road rating as short stories are really hard to rate in terms of character development and story-line. I like the author’s prose. It is very smooth and merges scenes with story-line content seamlessly. There just isn’t enough meat on this bone to make a verbose evaluation. You would have to combine about 7 of these short stories to make a novella with any viable content.
Publisher: TKA
Publisher Date: October 2013
ISBN: 9781937776633
Genre: Fantasy
Rating:3.2/5.0
Publisher Description: What if you could order a custom dream? Any kind. Dark and twisted, sweet, sensual, or redemptive. For the right price, a dream runner will deliver one to your doorstep. Jesse Davison skipped town the week she turned sixteen, with nothing but the clothes on her back and her father’s vintage Indian Scout motorbike. She swore never to return to the town where in one night of tragedy she lost everything she ever loved.
Review: This is the third novella in the series. If you pick up this novella without having read the others in the series, you can get up to speed easily. The cover art is really good. I am a sucker for ravens and crows.
I gave this novella a middle of the road rating as short stories are really hard to rate in terms of character development and story-line. I like the author’s prose. It is very smooth and merges scenes with story-line content seamlessly. There just isn’t enough meat on this bone to make a verbose evaluation. You would have to combine about 7 of these short stories to make a novella with any viable content.
October 29, 2013
Kerry Schafer's The Dream Runner is an absorbing and addictive opening to The Dream Wars series. Schafer's protagonist, Jesse, is strong-willed, capable, and fiercely independent, and yet emotionally vulnerable. She lives in and is drawn deeper into a world where dreams can be customized and purchased. Schafer does an excellent job of exploring the inherent dangers in these transactions, as well as taking us inside Jesse's head while she deals with the fall out from her own personal tragedy. This was a gripping read and I look forward to the next novellas in the series.
November 15, 2021
I read the Dream Runner, Thief, and Wars all together. This is a combined review. This series starts out great. The author plops you right into her world and let's you work out the rules as you move along with Jesse, the main character. Jesse is a relatable girl next door. Sometimes you love her and sometimes you want to shake some sense into her. The series revolves around the idea of made to order dreams. As you read through, you will learn how they are ordered, made, delivered, and what they cost. Beware, the price can be high. Book 3 leaves us on a cliff. Looking forward to book 4 when it is released.
April 28, 2024
My first book (novella) by this author & I am so very impressed. An original & totally engaging story that grabbed me from the first page & didn’t let go until the satisfying conclusion. I’m excited to read the second & third installments in this series.
Death, supernatural elements with a smattering of humor. What’s not to love?
Favorite Line: “In my experience, trust, faith, whatever you want to call it, is a bitch that bites people in the ass when they’re expecting teddy bears and snuggles.”
Thank you Kerry for a gifted eReader copy during your Author Speed Dating Newsletter Giveaway.
Death, supernatural elements with a smattering of humor. What’s not to love?
Favorite Line: “In my experience, trust, faith, whatever you want to call it, is a bitch that bites people in the ass when they’re expecting teddy bears and snuggles.”
Thank you Kerry for a gifted eReader copy during your Author Speed Dating Newsletter Giveaway.
November 9, 2019
Most definitely a different type of book for me to read, but I enjoyed the fantasy of The Dream Runner!
It has made me wonder what type of dream I would like to have and would it be good or not?
What will Jesse do? Will she stay in her town and actually sell her family home or will she continue to run from the horror of the tragedy that occurred?
Now- I need to read the next story in "The Dream Wars".
It has made me wonder what type of dream I would like to have and would it be good or not?
What will Jesse do? Will she stay in her town and actually sell her family home or will she continue to run from the horror of the tragedy that occurred?
Now- I need to read the next story in "The Dream Wars".
June 29, 2023
This is the same review as. for the other two books in the series https://www.goodreads.com/series/1235....
These short stories are not badly written and the characters are engaging. But there is not a complete story contained within them-yet as far as I can tell these are the only three entries in the series.
There are SO many things unresolved in these "books." And so much more could have been done with the characters. So I won't be reading Kerry Schafer's work again unless someone tells me that there is a complete story contained, whether within one book or several.
Sorry. Good luck to the author. Who needs to publish an entire story, not just a bunch of good ideas strung together
These short stories are not badly written and the characters are engaging. But there is not a complete story contained within them-yet as far as I can tell these are the only three entries in the series.
There are SO many things unresolved in these "books." And so much more could have been done with the characters. So I won't be reading Kerry Schafer's work again unless someone tells me that there is a complete story contained, whether within one book or several.
Sorry. Good luck to the author. Who needs to publish an entire story, not just a bunch of good ideas strung together
April 22, 2024
Quick read, a giveaway from the author. Was interesting, pretty well-written. Will I read more of the series? I'm not sure, but I wouldn't rule it out :)
January 21, 2014
I didn't know this was a novella until I saw the number of pages. I don't read a lot of novellas, because I prefer more time to get sucked into a different world.
I loved this one.
The plot was fast-paced, and there were no lags or info-dumps. The novella starts with the Jesse Davison's return to her hometown after she ran away ten years ago to escape a horrible accident. She has come back to sell her father's house and resolve some of her longstanding issues. She is a Dream Runner, which means she takes dreams to people who need them. These are desperate people, willing to do anything to have a dream of redemption, revenge, love, hope... and they all must pay an unnamed price for their dreams.
The being who sends the dreams is mysterious and otherworldly, and exacting in her requirements of her Runners. Never is Jesse permitted to refuse the Dream Merchant.
Jesse's past is spooled out as the plot progresses, using Jesse's memories and dreams to neatly hint at what drives her, so that the reader is ultimately left with a complete understanding at the end of the events that led up to the beginning of the tale. Closely intertwined with the hints about her past is the current action, and a lot happens in these 75 pages!
Relationships are complicated, characters are realistic, and the world unique and convincing, if strange. Most of the world is the same as our own, except for everything revolving around Dreams. Dark undercurrents of addiction, dissatisfaction, and despair run through the narrative as Jesse tries to make amends for her past.
It must be challenging to introduce readers to a complex, new world in under 100 pages, without confusing them by leaving out information or telling too much. Schafer does an excellent job. I tore through this one, and I can find no fault with it.
Do you like your contemporary fiction a little twisted? Are you looking for a new kind of dark urban fantasy? Do you want to know what it would be like to barter for a dream that could give you your heart's desire every time you dream it? This is the novella for you.
Check out my review at The Book Adventures (coming soon) for a read-alike or two.
I loved this one.
The plot was fast-paced, and there were no lags or info-dumps. The novella starts with the Jesse Davison's return to her hometown after she ran away ten years ago to escape a horrible accident. She has come back to sell her father's house and resolve some of her longstanding issues. She is a Dream Runner, which means she takes dreams to people who need them. These are desperate people, willing to do anything to have a dream of redemption, revenge, love, hope... and they all must pay an unnamed price for their dreams.
The being who sends the dreams is mysterious and otherworldly, and exacting in her requirements of her Runners. Never is Jesse permitted to refuse the Dream Merchant.
Jesse's past is spooled out as the plot progresses, using Jesse's memories and dreams to neatly hint at what drives her, so that the reader is ultimately left with a complete understanding at the end of the events that led up to the beginning of the tale. Closely intertwined with the hints about her past is the current action, and a lot happens in these 75 pages!
Relationships are complicated, characters are realistic, and the world unique and convincing, if strange. Most of the world is the same as our own, except for everything revolving around Dreams. Dark undercurrents of addiction, dissatisfaction, and despair run through the narrative as Jesse tries to make amends for her past.
It must be challenging to introduce readers to a complex, new world in under 100 pages, without confusing them by leaving out information or telling too much. Schafer does an excellent job. I tore through this one, and I can find no fault with it.
Do you like your contemporary fiction a little twisted? Are you looking for a new kind of dark urban fantasy? Do you want to know what it would be like to barter for a dream that could give you your heart's desire every time you dream it? This is the novella for you.
Check out my review at The Book Adventures (coming soon) for a read-alike or two.
November 11, 2013
Mon avis en Français
My English review
I have not read the Between series although it is in my huge TBR pile but when I saw that the author had released a new novella , well, three new novellas, I thought that it was the opportunity to try one of her writings.
I can not really say more about the story because the synopsis already says a lot, besides maybe a little more than the story itself, but I must say that everything was really well done. Jesse is a young woman who left the city at 16 after the death of her father, but now that her mother also died, she must return to take care of the formalities. But in return, she will have to face her past and all the people she left behind. I confess that after meeting Will, her ex, I was immediately intrigued. He seems to be a fascinating character to explore and I was eager to know more about him. But maybe I should talk a little more about Jesse and her most intriguing ability! Indeed, our beloved heroine works for the merchant of dreams, dreams she sells at prices they know much later. I won’t speak about it more however, so you can discover the details by yourself.
I really liked this novella and I ‘m looking forward now to read more. I must say that the author gave us a beginning of history that makes us want more. Unlike other novellas, the story is shared in several volumes and therefore at the end of the first book we would like to read the others to see more adventures of Jesse. Then point to note, we’ll also have a real book after the ends of these three stories.
So as you understand, it’s a nice surprise we can quickly read.
My English review
I have not read the Between series although it is in my huge TBR pile but when I saw that the author had released a new novella , well, three new novellas, I thought that it was the opportunity to try one of her writings.
I can not really say more about the story because the synopsis already says a lot, besides maybe a little more than the story itself, but I must say that everything was really well done. Jesse is a young woman who left the city at 16 after the death of her father, but now that her mother also died, she must return to take care of the formalities. But in return, she will have to face her past and all the people she left behind. I confess that after meeting Will, her ex, I was immediately intrigued. He seems to be a fascinating character to explore and I was eager to know more about him. But maybe I should talk a little more about Jesse and her most intriguing ability! Indeed, our beloved heroine works for the merchant of dreams, dreams she sells at prices they know much later. I won’t speak about it more however, so you can discover the details by yourself.
I really liked this novella and I ‘m looking forward now to read more. I must say that the author gave us a beginning of history that makes us want more. Unlike other novellas, the story is shared in several volumes and therefore at the end of the first book we would like to read the others to see more adventures of Jesse. Then point to note, we’ll also have a real book after the ends of these three stories.
So as you understand, it’s a nice surprise we can quickly read.
April 20, 2014
DEFINITELY DOES CONTAIN SPOILERS!!!!!!!!
Hmmmm.... I am of a mixed mind about this book. First of all -- my very first thought? It ended much too abruptly. I was reading right along, and all of a sudden, I turn the page expecting to see the next paragraph and see "Thank you so much for reading 'The Dream Runner' by Kerry Schafer!"
What what?!?!
Totally threw me off... completely. I realize this was a novella AND part of a series to boot, but still... very disappointing ending.
On the plus side of things, the premise for the book was pretty great. Custom-tailored dreams, made to order? Piping hot, fresh, and delivered in 40 minutes or less or its free? (Wait... is that pizza?)
Still. Very cool. I even really like the mystery surrounding the Dream Merchant. But Jesse is not a great protagonist. I felt no empathy for her at all. She suffered a terrible loss as a teenager, but her reaction to it is so far BEYOND extreme... she literally terrorizes her ex lover every night in her custom dream world because he killed her father in a complete freak accident to which he could not POSSIBLY have changed the outcome. Even at the end, when she has her big moment of honesty and self-realization... yeah. It actually made me like her even less.
Furthermore, some of the scenes in the book were very "out of left field" and felt very forced. There was no reason for them at all. It was as though the author thought, 'Hmmmm...maybe people would enjoy this more if I threw some obligatory sex in there. Or at least hint at it.' But it is very clumsily done and adds nothing to the story.
However, all that being said, this was by no means the worst book I have ever read. With a lot of work, I think this could potentially be turned around and made into a great series.
Hmmmm.... I am of a mixed mind about this book. First of all -- my very first thought? It ended much too abruptly. I was reading right along, and all of a sudden, I turn the page expecting to see the next paragraph and see "Thank you so much for reading 'The Dream Runner' by Kerry Schafer!"
What what?!?!
Totally threw me off... completely. I realize this was a novella AND part of a series to boot, but still... very disappointing ending.
On the plus side of things, the premise for the book was pretty great. Custom-tailored dreams, made to order? Piping hot, fresh, and delivered in 40 minutes or less or its free? (Wait... is that pizza?)
Still. Very cool. I even really like the mystery surrounding the Dream Merchant. But Jesse is not a great protagonist. I felt no empathy for her at all. She suffered a terrible loss as a teenager, but her reaction to it is so far BEYOND extreme... she literally terrorizes her ex lover every night in her custom dream world because he killed her father in a complete freak accident to which he could not POSSIBLY have changed the outcome. Even at the end, when she has her big moment of honesty and self-realization... yeah. It actually made me like her even less.
Furthermore, some of the scenes in the book were very "out of left field" and felt very forced. There was no reason for them at all. It was as though the author thought, 'Hmmmm...maybe people would enjoy this more if I threw some obligatory sex in there. Or at least hint at it.' But it is very clumsily done and adds nothing to the story.
However, all that being said, this was by no means the worst book I have ever read. With a lot of work, I think this could potentially be turned around and made into a great series.
November 11, 2013
Jesse is not your typical urban fantasy heroine.
She's not sexy. She's not smirky. She's not sassy. She's not particularly snarky. She's not even a badass.
What she is is broken, tough, practical, intelligent, and very, very easy to relate to. She's real--and that, more than anything, is why I adore this story.
I fell in love with Jesse's voice from the moment I started this novella. It takes talent to build a strong character in so few pages, and even more talent to create such a vivid panoply of characters in that same amount of space. From the Dream Merchant to Will to Marsh, each character comes to life within just a few lines, instantly giving you someone to care about, someone to root for, someone to despise, someone to fear.
The writing is smooth, quick, clever, seamless. The story flows swiftly, yet never feels rushed. I don't want to say too much without giving away spoilers; other people have summarized the book better than I could in their reviews, so there's no point in repeating it. What I will say is that every time you think you know what will happen, Schafer surprises you and keeps you hooked, desperate to know what happens next, heartbroken as the subplot between Jesse and Will continues to develop.
This is a unique, creative entry in the realm of urban fantasy, with a refreshing look at the concept of dreams--and just how dangerous it can be to reach for the dream you've always wanted most.
She's not sexy. She's not smirky. She's not sassy. She's not particularly snarky. She's not even a badass.
What she is is broken, tough, practical, intelligent, and very, very easy to relate to. She's real--and that, more than anything, is why I adore this story.
I fell in love with Jesse's voice from the moment I started this novella. It takes talent to build a strong character in so few pages, and even more talent to create such a vivid panoply of characters in that same amount of space. From the Dream Merchant to Will to Marsh, each character comes to life within just a few lines, instantly giving you someone to care about, someone to root for, someone to despise, someone to fear.
The writing is smooth, quick, clever, seamless. The story flows swiftly, yet never feels rushed. I don't want to say too much without giving away spoilers; other people have summarized the book better than I could in their reviews, so there's no point in repeating it. What I will say is that every time you think you know what will happen, Schafer surprises you and keeps you hooked, desperate to know what happens next, heartbroken as the subplot between Jesse and Will continues to develop.
This is a unique, creative entry in the realm of urban fantasy, with a refreshing look at the concept of dreams--and just how dangerous it can be to reach for the dream you've always wanted most.
November 2, 2013
The Dream Runner is the first book in a new series (Dream Wars) for author Kerry Schafer. I'm a huge fan of the world she created in her debut novel, BETWEEN. This book, while still walking through a dreamscape, is a different animal. Jesse Davison is a dream runner. She "picks up" and "delivers" dreams to people who request a special one. Payment is high, which is how Jesse found herself in her current predicament. Compelled by circumstances, she has returned home and is forced to confront things she's been running from. This is one of those books that you think you'll read a chapter or two before bed and then you realize it's way after midnight and you've finished it. Once again, Schafer delivers impeccable world-building, flawed but arresting characters, and dream-like prose woven around a fast-paced story. This is another keeper.
November 10, 2013
I fell in love with Kerry Schafer's Between, so when I was asked if I wanted to read and review The Dream Runner I jumped at the chance.
And it turned out Kerry Schafer wrote another story I could fall in love with.
The Dream Runner is the first in a series of 3 novellas and as such isn't a complete story: there are story lines left open. But that didn't stop this story from capturing me.
Schafer's writing is beautiful, and the story she tells in this novella is filled with darkness, heartbreak and hope. It touched me and made me hunger for more.
The idea of someone bringing customized dreams to those who ask for them is very intriguing, and i couldn't help wondering what dream I'd ask for if I had the opportunity to ask for my own customized dream.
All in all this is a beautiful story that temptingly hints at what is yet to come in the other two novellas. You can bet I will be getting my trotters on both of them, because I want more.
And it turned out Kerry Schafer wrote another story I could fall in love with.
The Dream Runner is the first in a series of 3 novellas and as such isn't a complete story: there are story lines left open. But that didn't stop this story from capturing me.
Schafer's writing is beautiful, and the story she tells in this novella is filled with darkness, heartbreak and hope. It touched me and made me hunger for more.
The idea of someone bringing customized dreams to those who ask for them is very intriguing, and i couldn't help wondering what dream I'd ask for if I had the opportunity to ask for my own customized dream.
All in all this is a beautiful story that temptingly hints at what is yet to come in the other two novellas. You can bet I will be getting my trotters on both of them, because I want more.
August 12, 2015
I enjoyed the writing style and voice in this novella. Knowing the length, I wasn't surprised or bothered by the shallow explanations around the protagonist's occupation and all that entails.
The reasons I only gave the novella three stars are:
1. The ending was very abrupt. I felt like Jesse should have experienced what she just went through a little more.
2. For all of the bloodlust Jesse carried around all those years, to the point she'd practically sell her soul (or possibly did) to fill her nights with dreams of violent revenge, it would have been nice if her realization of needing to forgive Will hit her as hard as the truth did him. After all, she knew her father's predicament and still held onto the desire for vengeance. There had to be some strong denial in the works.
I plan to keep going with this series, since I enjoyed the author's style.
The reasons I only gave the novella three stars are:
1. The ending was very abrupt. I felt like Jesse should have experienced what she just went through a little more.
2. For all of the bloodlust Jesse carried around all those years, to the point she'd practically sell her soul (or possibly did) to fill her nights with dreams of violent revenge, it would have been nice if her realization of needing to forgive Will hit her as hard as the truth did him. After all, she knew her father's predicament and still held onto the desire for vengeance. There had to be some strong denial in the works.
I plan to keep going with this series, since I enjoyed the author's style.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 27, 2016
Read through netgalley.com
Schafer delivers an interest premise and a solid opening for the Dream Wars series. We have this strong and rough, bit still vulnerable woman, Jesse. Struggling with her own problems, and being drawn deeper into merchanting market for dreams. The Dream Runner ends with a last bomb that will have you questioning more about Jesse's past and background.
Schafer delivers an interest premise and a solid opening for the Dream Wars series. We have this strong and rough, bit still vulnerable woman, Jesse. Struggling with her own problems, and being drawn deeper into merchanting market for dreams. The Dream Runner ends with a last bomb that will have you questioning more about Jesse's past and background.
July 31, 2017
The Dream Runner, by Kerry Schafer, is over almost before it begins. Granted, it is a novella, but I ran through it in a little over an hour. And, I’ll say it now, it ends with a cliffhanger...
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review consideration.
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review consideration.
November 26, 2013
I am very curious to see how this series will develop. There was just enough of a story to get you hooked. There is a minor annoyance of a few unanswered questions, but since this story will be continuing on it is tolerable. The dream merchant is a very intriguing character and I wanted more.
March 23, 2014
Excellent book. I loved the characters and the premise. The writing was spot on. My only problem was it was too short! I want more! Off to find out if the 2nd book is out yet or whether I'll have to suffer...
January 9, 2016
4.5 Dreaming Stars
So this is my first book by this author and let me say, it was good! She paints such a world with her words. The description is vivid, I do wish though she put more time into the main character. Overall, it's worth reading!
So this is my first book by this author and let me say, it was good! She paints such a world with her words. The description is vivid, I do wish though she put more time into the main character. Overall, it's worth reading!
November 18, 2014
Originally read 11/3/13.
Re-read on 11/17/14
Very short novella, but good. It seemed more like a short story hook for a coming novel. I hope the next one is longer.
Re-read on 11/17/14
Very short novella, but good. It seemed more like a short story hook for a coming novel. I hope the next one is longer.
June 25, 2014
My rating: 3.5 of 5
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews