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Dream to Me
From debut author Megan Paasch comes Dream to Me, a YA contemporary fantasy about generational magic, grief, and what it takes to forgive ourselves.
Eva Sylvan didn’t ask for any of this. Not the cross-country move with her sister to a town in the middle of nowhere, not the family estate, inherited from a late great-aunt, that’s falling apart at the hinges, and definitely not the sudden death of her beloved father. So when the locals react with hostility to the very mention of her last name, Eva’s pretty sure things can’t get any worse.
Until she has a dream about a gas station employee and the next day, he’s in a coma.
And then it happens again.
Something sinister is lurking in the corners of Eva's dreams, something that’s having devastating effects on the waking world. People are dropping left and right, and Eva finds herself squarely in the town's crosshairs. In order to defeat the shadows of her unconscious, Eva must not only unearth the magic tied to her family history, but she must confront the guilt that has been haunting her since her father’s death. Only she can save the town from the dark power in her dreams - if the threat is truly even her dreams at all.
Eva Sylvan didn’t ask for any of this. Not the cross-country move with her sister to a town in the middle of nowhere, not the family estate, inherited from a late great-aunt, that’s falling apart at the hinges, and definitely not the sudden death of her beloved father. So when the locals react with hostility to the very mention of her last name, Eva’s pretty sure things can’t get any worse.
Until she has a dream about a gas station employee and the next day, he’s in a coma.
And then it happens again.
Something sinister is lurking in the corners of Eva's dreams, something that’s having devastating effects on the waking world. People are dropping left and right, and Eva finds herself squarely in the town's crosshairs. In order to defeat the shadows of her unconscious, Eva must not only unearth the magic tied to her family history, but she must confront the guilt that has been haunting her since her father’s death. Only she can save the town from the dark power in her dreams - if the threat is truly even her dreams at all.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published January 31, 2023
5 people are currently reading
746 people want to read
About the author
Megan Paasch
1 book15 followersWhen not writing, you’ll find Megan Paasch knitting, sketching, or dreaming about her next adventure. But despite her tendency toward wanderlust, the Pacific Northwest will always be the place she calls home. She currently lives in a small town in Washington’s beautiful Snoqualmie Valley with her husband, two sons, and two very silly cats. Dream to Me is her debut novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
July 12, 2024
Premise of the story: After their father’s sudden passing, Eva and her older sister were forced to move to their father's childhood home, a house owned by a mysterious late great-aunt they had never heard of before. However, upon arrival, the sisters were faced with suspicious, unfriendly townies and the rumors of their late great-aunt being a much-feared witch.
I like the writing, and the situation the sisters found themselves in is easy for me to sympathize with, so far so good.
(1) This is a breath of fresh air in the field of paranormal YA novels with a 'new girl in a small town' setting.
(2) The writing, the characters, and the plot are very solid, so I will recommend this novel to general readers who have a taste for urban fantasy, small-town mysteries, and slight-Gothic thrillers.
(3) I like the sisterly love between the heroine Eva and her older sister, and I also like how their rather tragic backstory is slowly revealed to us.
(4) The townies the sisters encountered are quite colorful too!
(5) Although I can appreciate that the townies didn't go , still on the other hand I am a bit disappointed that they didn't, does it make sense?
(6) I also like how the sisters slowly discovered all the family's secrets! ^_^
(7) The ending, it might not be as Gothic, dark or scary as I like, but it is still a satisfying ending for a suspenseful story! ^_^
(8) Although I am a bit wary of the fact that once in a while! ^_^
I like the writing, and the situation the sisters found themselves in is easy for me to sympathize with, so far so good.
(1) This is a breath of fresh air in the field of paranormal YA novels with a 'new girl in a small town' setting.
(2) The writing, the characters, and the plot are very solid, so I will recommend this novel to general readers who have a taste for urban fantasy, small-town mysteries, and slight-Gothic thrillers.
(3) I like the sisterly love between the heroine Eva and her older sister, and I also like how their rather tragic backstory is slowly revealed to us.
(4) The townies the sisters encountered are quite colorful too!
(5) Although I can appreciate that the townies didn't go , still on the other hand I am a bit disappointed that they didn't, does it make sense?
(6) I also like how the sisters slowly discovered all the family's secrets! ^_^
(7) The ending, it might not be as Gothic, dark or scary as I like, but it is still a satisfying ending for a suspenseful story! ^_^
(8) Although I am a bit wary of the fact that once in a while! ^_^
August 21, 2022
Dream to Me blurs the lines between reality and the fantastic, between dreams and life. Paasch's writing was quite lovely and lyrical in its own right, the cadence of it equally dreamy.
While I really enjoyed the creepy setup and premise, I felt as though the ending really bludgeoned readers over the head with the themes. Perhaps the author wanted to ensure that readers understood the message of guilt and trauma, but I felt as though, as a reader, I wasn't trusted to pick up the pieces she laid down and run with them/understand the themes. I realize that as an adult reading YA, this might absolutely be a "me" issue, but I will say that it soured an otherwise absorbing and excellent novel. My advice (because Paasch and/or the editors will absolutely read this...hah) is to trust your audience. They'll get it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the ebook ARC. All opinions are mine alone.
While I really enjoyed the creepy setup and premise, I felt as though the ending really bludgeoned readers over the head with the themes. Perhaps the author wanted to ensure that readers understood the message of guilt and trauma, but I felt as though, as a reader, I wasn't trusted to pick up the pieces she laid down and run with them/understand the themes. I realize that as an adult reading YA, this might absolutely be a "me" issue, but I will say that it soured an otherwise absorbing and excellent novel. My advice (because Paasch and/or the editors will absolutely read this...hah) is to trust your audience. They'll get it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the ebook ARC. All opinions are mine alone.
November 22, 2022
This story of grief, regret, forgiveness and (of course) magic is a charming mystery with elements of emotional darkness. Though it lacked the excitement that could have pushed it toward 5 stars, it was very well written and entrancing throughout. I felt more attachment to some characters over others, but that's to be expected. I also felt like the finale trope of explaining everything in one scene was a tad long-winded, but I felt an emotional response from it all nevertheless. This is an author I will continue to read moving forward. Dream to Me is certainly recommended for teens and adults alike.
May 23, 2022
Haunting, surreal and laced with delightful Lynchian shades of TWIN PEAKs, DREAM TO ME is an absolute powerhouse of a debut in which Paasch weaves a poignant, shimmering portrait of familial trauma, grief, and the hopeful promise of new love.
June 16, 2023
i enjoyed it but nothing really stuck out
March 6, 2023
It's always exciting when a friend publishes their first book, and this year I've got TWO friends making their literary debuts, starting with Megan Paasch and Dream to Me, a young adult supernatural mystery/drama that has strong thematic underpinnings even though I wanted a little more meat overall.
Eva Sylvan and her sister, Rhonda, move to a small town to inherit Eva's great-aunt's house not long after Eva's dad dies. (Not Rhonda's dad, as they only share a mother, and this small conflict causes some strife I would have liked to see explored more.) When they get to the town, however, it turns out everyone views them with suspicion because said great-aunt was considered to be a witch. Everyone views them with greater suspicion once people Eva comes into contact with start falling into comas...right after Eva dreams about them.
It's a deliciously creepy premise, and I especially loved how Paasch frequently caught me off-guard by transitioning into a dream so fluidly. It's rare that we actually know Eva's fallen asleep and thus assume a subsequent scene is a dream. We often don't know we're in a dream until a character says something off and/or FUCKIN' SHADOW TENDRILS COME OUT OF NOWHERE. It's an effect Wes Craven employs to great effect in A Nightmare on Elm Street, so I liked seeing it work in text form.
I definitely wanted to know more about these mysterious comas and what was up with Eva's great-aunt Miriam and also what was up with Cal, a cute boy Eva befriends who has some cognitive issues and a mysterious past of his own, but I got a wee bit impatient of a lot of setup and teasing for many, many chapters of Eva asking questions over and over. It's not until halfway through the book that Eva discovers that her family has some kind of dream powers, which, duh? Thankfully, once that's out of the way, we can start unpacking more about these dream powers and her family history and, specifically, the history of her family in this town and why her family has such a bad reputation. There are CLUES and shit! Cryptic messages! Secret journals! All that good stuff!
Though I wanted a more propulsive plot, Paasch does nail that small-town vibe where everyone knows everyone, and I felt that uncomfortable paranoia where anything Eva did would travel through a whisper network and get to people she really didn't want hearing about it. I couldn't always keep the characters straight; Cal obvs makes the strongest impression on the reader since he makes the strongest impression on Eva. I also liked Bethany, a girl Eva meets at a diner who's a huge X-Files fan, but I straight-up missed that she was Vietnamese for almost the entire book because as far as I can tell, it only comes up with her mother's last name—which I either missed or just didn't do the brain extrapolation for properly, and that's on me—and then later when she's speaking Vietnamese to her mother. I do like when a character's race is mostly incidental, but I did get a bothersome jolt when I realized I hadn't been imagining her correctly for so much of the book.
Paasch also nails the atmosphere of Miriam's dilapidated house. Every scene set in that house makes you feel like you're in a ramshackle domicile that may collapse on you and kill you at any given moment. The lack of electricity, the rodents, the decay, it's palpable. Ditto to the forests and the cemeteries.
As I said, it's the thematic concepts at the heart of the book I found the most compelling, as it may seem like a book about grief, but it's far more about the related guilt and, more importantly, the need for forgiveness, not for others, but for yourself. Paasch—through Eva—relays a lot of messaging from therapists, and what she says here is familiar from my own discussions in therapy. It's very blatant, perhaps too spelled-out, but I did appreciate that this messaging was going out to teenagers who may need it spelled out that hard at that stage in their lives. As an adult reader, the fact that so much is told rather than shown in the flurry of revelations in the last third diminished the emotional impact of said revelations even as I could now better see all the groundwork that had been laid throughout the book. But also I liked that it gets hella supernatural-as-metaphor in that last third, tying together so many little things had been hinted at until then.
Even though it takes some time to set it all up, I really liked Paasch's conception of this dreaming power and how it relates to our brains being jerks, as Eva frequently notes. It's a clever visual manifestation of the way guilt can not only consume us but also ensnare others unwittingly. Honestly, it's very relevant to my own personal journey, and it will—to reference a different Cranberries song than the title does—linger.
Eva Sylvan and her sister, Rhonda, move to a small town to inherit Eva's great-aunt's house not long after Eva's dad dies. (Not Rhonda's dad, as they only share a mother, and this small conflict causes some strife I would have liked to see explored more.) When they get to the town, however, it turns out everyone views them with suspicion because said great-aunt was considered to be a witch. Everyone views them with greater suspicion once people Eva comes into contact with start falling into comas...right after Eva dreams about them.
It's a deliciously creepy premise, and I especially loved how Paasch frequently caught me off-guard by transitioning into a dream so fluidly. It's rare that we actually know Eva's fallen asleep and thus assume a subsequent scene is a dream. We often don't know we're in a dream until a character says something off and/or FUCKIN' SHADOW TENDRILS COME OUT OF NOWHERE. It's an effect Wes Craven employs to great effect in A Nightmare on Elm Street, so I liked seeing it work in text form.
I definitely wanted to know more about these mysterious comas and what was up with Eva's great-aunt Miriam and also what was up with Cal, a cute boy Eva befriends who has some cognitive issues and a mysterious past of his own, but I got a wee bit impatient of a lot of setup and teasing for many, many chapters of Eva asking questions over and over. It's not until halfway through the book that Eva discovers that her family has some kind of dream powers, which, duh? Thankfully, once that's out of the way, we can start unpacking more about these dream powers and her family history and, specifically, the history of her family in this town and why her family has such a bad reputation. There are CLUES and shit! Cryptic messages! Secret journals! All that good stuff!
Though I wanted a more propulsive plot, Paasch does nail that small-town vibe where everyone knows everyone, and I felt that uncomfortable paranoia where anything Eva did would travel through a whisper network and get to people she really didn't want hearing about it. I couldn't always keep the characters straight; Cal obvs makes the strongest impression on the reader since he makes the strongest impression on Eva. I also liked Bethany, a girl Eva meets at a diner who's a huge X-Files fan, but I straight-up missed that she was Vietnamese for almost the entire book because as far as I can tell, it only comes up with her mother's last name—which I either missed or just didn't do the brain extrapolation for properly, and that's on me—and then later when she's speaking Vietnamese to her mother. I do like when a character's race is mostly incidental, but I did get a bothersome jolt when I realized I hadn't been imagining her correctly for so much of the book.
Paasch also nails the atmosphere of Miriam's dilapidated house. Every scene set in that house makes you feel like you're in a ramshackle domicile that may collapse on you and kill you at any given moment. The lack of electricity, the rodents, the decay, it's palpable. Ditto to the forests and the cemeteries.
As I said, it's the thematic concepts at the heart of the book I found the most compelling, as it may seem like a book about grief, but it's far more about the related guilt and, more importantly, the need for forgiveness, not for others, but for yourself. Paasch—through Eva—relays a lot of messaging from therapists, and what she says here is familiar from my own discussions in therapy. It's very blatant, perhaps too spelled-out, but I did appreciate that this messaging was going out to teenagers who may need it spelled out that hard at that stage in their lives. As an adult reader, the fact that so much is told rather than shown in the flurry of revelations in the last third diminished the emotional impact of said revelations even as I could now better see all the groundwork that had been laid throughout the book. But also I liked that it gets hella supernatural-as-metaphor in that last third, tying together so many little things had been hinted at until then.
Even though it takes some time to set it all up, I really liked Paasch's conception of this dreaming power and how it relates to our brains being jerks, as Eva frequently notes. It's a clever visual manifestation of the way guilt can not only consume us but also ensnare others unwittingly. Honestly, it's very relevant to my own personal journey, and it will—to reference a different Cranberries song than the title does—linger.
June 17, 2023
This book was wonderful. I think it would benefit a lot of people who struggle with grief, guilt and regret regarding death. It also was an on the edge of your seat mystery that I couldn't put down.
January 31, 2023
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Macmillan for the advanced reader copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review. Here are my thoughts !
This contemporary fantasty debut was a good read. It is a very interesting premise- the small town setting, the eerie magical things happening, and family secrets that our main character has no idea exist. When Eva and her sister Rhonda move cross-country to inherit a house from their great aunt Miriam, they have no idea what is in store for them. The town immediately shuns the sisters as soon as they hear their last name, "All Sylvans are trouble." All the while, strange things start happening to Eva and before she knows it, half of the town is in a coma and she believes it is her fault.
This book deals heavily with grief and guilt and I think it handles those difficult topics really well. Eva is struggling with inner guilt after her dad passes away and other characters have similiar struggles going on. It was a bit of a slow-burn, but there is a really good payoff at the end. There were moments where I felt the story dragging a little bit, but plenty of moments where I really enjoyed what was happening. Overall, I'm glad I picked this one up and I would definitely recommend it.
This contemporary fantasty debut was a good read. It is a very interesting premise- the small town setting, the eerie magical things happening, and family secrets that our main character has no idea exist. When Eva and her sister Rhonda move cross-country to inherit a house from their great aunt Miriam, they have no idea what is in store for them. The town immediately shuns the sisters as soon as they hear their last name, "All Sylvans are trouble." All the while, strange things start happening to Eva and before she knows it, half of the town is in a coma and she believes it is her fault.
This book deals heavily with grief and guilt and I think it handles those difficult topics really well. Eva is struggling with inner guilt after her dad passes away and other characters have similiar struggles going on. It was a bit of a slow-burn, but there is a really good payoff at the end. There were moments where I felt the story dragging a little bit, but plenty of moments where I really enjoyed what was happening. Overall, I'm glad I picked this one up and I would definitely recommend it.
January 26, 2023
Reminiscent of The Dead & The Dark with a nightmarish twist, we have another amazing paranormal YA mystery. As soon as I saw that their surname was Sylvan, I knew we were in for something supernatural. But delving into the dream world and having dramatic real life consequences? Perfection. I loved the pacing of the book, mixed with the dark atmosphere. Adding in that Eva keeps having these feelings of deja vu with no inclination as to why gives so much delightful creepiness to the story. It did have predictable elements, but the point here was that Eva was blind to them, adding dramatic irony to the mix. And given that this is Megan Paasch's debut, I'm very excited to see what she does next.
*Thank you to Feiwel & Friends and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*
*Thank you to Feiwel & Friends and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*
September 27, 2022
Megan Paasch has hit a home run with her imaginative debut novel! Full of everything I want from a YA contemporary, the addition of magical gifts to the storyline, mysterious characters, and a lesson in forgiveness, "Dream to Me" is a book I won't soon forget. It had me hooked from the very beginning and did not let go. I look forward to reading more of this creative author's work in the future.
I want to thank Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and Netgalley for the chance to read this incredible tale before its January 31, 2023.
I want to thank Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and Netgalley for the chance to read this incredible tale before its January 31, 2023.
April 25, 2024
A friend recommended this to me, after she heard about woes with the author's publisher.
It's too bad that this book seems to have been forgotten, since it's a good gateway to YA magic/Gothic/paranormal fiction.
Has hints of VE Schwab, Melissa Albert, Alix Harrow.
Long build-up with quick wrap-up ending.
It's too bad that this book seems to have been forgotten, since it's a good gateway to YA magic/Gothic/paranormal fiction.
Has hints of VE Schwab, Melissa Albert, Alix Harrow.
Long build-up with quick wrap-up ending.
July 7, 2024
Intriguing mix of fantasy and mystery, with an interesting twist about how perceptions alter reality. A few loose ends I wish had been explored further, but maybe there is another book coming?
July 4, 2022
This was a really fun read! Two sisters move into town, one inherits a house graffitied with “witch is dead” spray painted on the door. The town is not warm to their arrival but slowly begins to reveal its secrets. Eva begins to understand the power behind her dreams, and that is where things give off a Twin Peaks vibe. I enjoyed the way Eva dealt with grief and how she grew with that. I think that is important for teen readers to read/process .
November 24, 2023
Underrated gem that deserves a wider audience. I'm not always on board with Nebulously Weird maybe-magic/supernatural happenings, and I'm even less on board with a framing device like "everyone here hates your family! because reasons! you should already know why so I'm certainly not going to explain myself, just GTFO on my say-so." But thankfully, this book worked for me.
To be honest, I fell in love with these basically-orphaned sisters so fast and intensely that at first I found myself lamenting it wasn't just a straightforward realistic story of working through grief and starting over. From the moment we were introduced to them in the car, I loved their relationship and never stopped. My heart ached for the barely-past-20 Rhonda struggling to navigate all the financial and legal complications on her own, with a dwindling bank account no less. Not to mention how much I loved Charlie and his hints of flirting with Rhonda, and wanted to watch that develop!
Peak favorite moment: Eva climbing into bed with her to offer a comfort-cuddle while they slept, the way they did when they were younger.
But as the story continued, as more people fell into coma-land and the witchy threads of her family history started to draw together, I was intrigued. Absolutely loved her exploration of the house and items they uncovered there (including the reminders that I personally would not fare well if this trope happened to me. "I love old houses!", I say while opening the door, only to run screaming from the inescapable fact that insects, spiders, and vermin like mice also love old houses, especially ones nobody has cleaned or lived in for months/years. Let alone a washing machine full of mildewed clothing... But the discoveries of actual cool items, including Clues and Secrets, was very fun).
I also loved how centrally the twin themes of grief and guilt came into play. And the small town Pacific Northwest setting, beautifully conveyed by the shadowy and muted tones of the artfully designed cover image, really wrapped around my heart. (the fact that the house sits outside of town, bordered on three sides by forest complete with a family graveyard plot on the land, is just...yeah love it)
I wanted to love Cal and his very-slow-burn inch from friend to more with Eva, but god do I not have patience for mumbly-mouthed characters who constantly grope for the correct word to convey the image in their mind. I don't care if there's a medical reason. The power of fiction is that annoying conditions don't have to exist. I did, however, love Bethany and their insta-frienship, especially Bethany's love of The X-Files. Oh, and the owner of the antique store, Jolee! What a hoot. I adored her.
Overall: what a debut.
P.S. I have a message for the character causing the comas, with as much trigger warning as spoiler (also cursing):
P.P.S. I remain unclear why Miriam was such a bitch as to not even acknowledge the existence of her nephew's adopted-as-his-own daughter. I kept waiting for some kind of explanation about how it was for her own good to at least to protect her from something, but then just...nothing??
To be honest, I fell in love with these basically-orphaned sisters so fast and intensely that at first I found myself lamenting it wasn't just a straightforward realistic story of working through grief and starting over. From the moment we were introduced to them in the car, I loved their relationship and never stopped. My heart ached for the barely-past-20 Rhonda struggling to navigate all the financial and legal complications on her own, with a dwindling bank account no less. Not to mention how much I loved Charlie and his hints of flirting with Rhonda, and wanted to watch that develop!
Peak favorite moment: Eva climbing into bed with her to offer a comfort-cuddle while they slept, the way they did when they were younger.
But as the story continued, as more people fell into coma-land and the witchy threads of her family history started to draw together, I was intrigued. Absolutely loved her exploration of the house and items they uncovered there (including the reminders that I personally would not fare well if this trope happened to me. "I love old houses!", I say while opening the door, only to run screaming from the inescapable fact that insects, spiders, and vermin like mice also love old houses, especially ones nobody has cleaned or lived in for months/years. Let alone a washing machine full of mildewed clothing... But the discoveries of actual cool items, including Clues and Secrets, was very fun).
I also loved how centrally the twin themes of grief and guilt came into play. And the small town Pacific Northwest setting, beautifully conveyed by the shadowy and muted tones of the artfully designed cover image, really wrapped around my heart. (the fact that the house sits outside of town, bordered on three sides by forest complete with a family graveyard plot on the land, is just...yeah love it)
I wanted to love Cal and his very-slow-burn inch from friend to more with Eva, but god do I not have patience for mumbly-mouthed characters who constantly grope for the correct word to convey the image in their mind. I don't care if there's a medical reason. The power of fiction is that annoying conditions don't have to exist. I did, however, love Bethany and their insta-frienship, especially Bethany's love of The X-Files. Oh, and the owner of the antique store, Jolee! What a hoot. I adored her.
Overall: what a debut.
P.S. I have a message for the character causing the comas, with as much trigger warning as spoiler (also cursing):
P.P.S. I remain unclear why Miriam was such a bitch as to not even acknowledge the existence of her nephew's adopted-as-his-own daughter. I kept waiting for some kind of explanation about how it was for her own good to at least to protect her from something, but then just...nothing??
February 11, 2025
I'll say one thing: this book made me cry more than once. There were moments that felt very specific and very real and were so well told. I was super impressed with the story's exposition throughout--it almost never felt like anything was an excuse to explain something, and it was always effortlessly teaching you stuff without you feeling it. And the relationships between the characters all made sense and felt realistic, especially the complex family dynamics that were shown so smoothly. I loved an early scene where it's revealed that Eva's sister Rhonda is not a Sylvan by blood, just by name, and that explains why Eva is the one who was left her aunt Miriam's house and why her sister isn't knowledgeable about any of the spooky stuff.
We learn about Eva while she's trying to remember her dad's voice. We learn she's not assertive when she hears his voice lecturing her. We see she's deeply sorry about something related to her dad and we don't find out why for a long time. I like that Eva comes with baggage and history--she has a best friend she's grown apart from, a set of musical tastes, a love of books.
The language is sometimes awfully poetic and not in a cheesy way. I loved one line where there was some smudged ink in a journal and the protagonist presses it thinking it's like pressing a bruise to see if it's still tender, and concludes that it is. I also loved the little human things she does like folding the letters and putting them back like she can get rid of what they said.
As an eldest sister, I felt for Eva's older sister taking legal responsibility for the situation after a parental death and having to figure out what to do. When Eva can no longer depend on Rhonda and has to figure things out herself, it all lands on her. It's such a specific feeling, dreadful and heavy. This author really nailed that. I love also that the characters are allowed to have mixed feelings. Like when she's relieved that insurance money came in, but resents it because it only exists because her dad is dead.
There were only a couple things I didn't love about the story--one was the handling of a psychic character who handed out some exposition and it felt a little extra. This woman just blurts stuff out all the time that's implied to be her picking up on other people's thoughts, and then kinda acts like she doesn't know why people are confused by it. She knows that people don't expect that, so it felt weird that it was just really in your face and used to push the plot along a couple times. The other thing I wasn't a huge fan of was how often the protagonist was passive, with things kinda just happening to her. She did do some active participation in the mystery (especially toward the end) but there were quite a few coincidences and people just coming to find her and lead her along, so I did notice the passivity.
There was some pretty explicit discussion of grief, death, and guilt in this book. I thought it was well handled, if a little on the nose right at the end with the messages of forgiveness. I for one enjoyed seeing this take on forgiveness--the way letting yourself move on is not the same as being okay with something you did that you'll carry forever. And the way the story was able to connect images together really helped with this--that's the real artistry of this book. Eva has a terrible association with rain because of the night her father died, but then she gets a beautiful memory with a new person in her life that also happens in the rain, and it gets layered onto her worst memory in a complicated way, giving the rain such a complex emotional flavor.
Most of all I just love the WAY this was written and would very much read this author again.
We learn about Eva while she's trying to remember her dad's voice. We learn she's not assertive when she hears his voice lecturing her. We see she's deeply sorry about something related to her dad and we don't find out why for a long time. I like that Eva comes with baggage and history--she has a best friend she's grown apart from, a set of musical tastes, a love of books.
The language is sometimes awfully poetic and not in a cheesy way. I loved one line where there was some smudged ink in a journal and the protagonist presses it thinking it's like pressing a bruise to see if it's still tender, and concludes that it is. I also loved the little human things she does like folding the letters and putting them back like she can get rid of what they said.
As an eldest sister, I felt for Eva's older sister taking legal responsibility for the situation after a parental death and having to figure out what to do. When Eva can no longer depend on Rhonda and has to figure things out herself, it all lands on her. It's such a specific feeling, dreadful and heavy. This author really nailed that. I love also that the characters are allowed to have mixed feelings. Like when she's relieved that insurance money came in, but resents it because it only exists because her dad is dead.
There were only a couple things I didn't love about the story--one was the handling of a psychic character who handed out some exposition and it felt a little extra. This woman just blurts stuff out all the time that's implied to be her picking up on other people's thoughts, and then kinda acts like she doesn't know why people are confused by it. She knows that people don't expect that, so it felt weird that it was just really in your face and used to push the plot along a couple times. The other thing I wasn't a huge fan of was how often the protagonist was passive, with things kinda just happening to her. She did do some active participation in the mystery (especially toward the end) but there were quite a few coincidences and people just coming to find her and lead her along, so I did notice the passivity.
There was some pretty explicit discussion of grief, death, and guilt in this book. I thought it was well handled, if a little on the nose right at the end with the messages of forgiveness. I for one enjoyed seeing this take on forgiveness--the way letting yourself move on is not the same as being okay with something you did that you'll carry forever. And the way the story was able to connect images together really helped with this--that's the real artistry of this book. Eva has a terrible association with rain because of the night her father died, but then she gets a beautiful memory with a new person in her life that also happens in the rain, and it gets layered onto her worst memory in a complicated way, giving the rain such a complex emotional flavor.
Most of all I just love the WAY this was written and would very much read this author again.
March 1, 2023
When I read the synopsis of Dream To Me, I knew this book would be AMAZING and it was!!!! Dream To Me had me hooked from the very first pages. I started this book in day and finished it the same day. Kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. Then there were times that I found myself laughing out loud! You know when you read something, and you just end up smiling, I literally laughed loudly!! I highly recommend this book!!!!!
The next part of this review will have some spoilers, so if you haven't read the book...please do not read any further.
When we first meet Eva and her sister Rhonda, they're driving to the Pacific Northwest (WA), they are moving to a small town, which is a big change for them. Their father had passed away and could not afford to live in New York, so Eva and her sister inherited a house from their Great Aunt. They thought a free house, would help them to save money. But, little did they know that inheriting that house would come with a big secret. Eva begins to develop friendships with a few of the teenagers from the SMALL town, in which she meets Cal. From the start Cal is a cutie, you can feel the instant chemistry between Eva and Cal. You know that there is something between them, like they have known each other for a few years. I won't go into that, because that would be a major spoiler ;) hehehe
Something is happening to the residents of the SMALL town, and people are blaming Eva because of who her family is, and the last name that belongs to her. With the help of her friends, she is determine to clear her family's name, and help the residents. That she is so clearly drawn to. Dream To Me is the thriller/suspense book that I was looking for. If I could give it a hundred stars, I so would! Because this book deserves it!!! Maybe in the future books we will see these characters again *cough* Megan *cough* ;)
Enjoy the book!!!!
The next part of this review will have some spoilers, so if you haven't read the book...please do not read any further.
When we first meet Eva and her sister Rhonda, they're driving to the Pacific Northwest (WA), they are moving to a small town, which is a big change for them. Their father had passed away and could not afford to live in New York, so Eva and her sister inherited a house from their Great Aunt. They thought a free house, would help them to save money. But, little did they know that inheriting that house would come with a big secret. Eva begins to develop friendships with a few of the teenagers from the SMALL town, in which she meets Cal. From the start Cal is a cutie, you can feel the instant chemistry between Eva and Cal. You know that there is something between them, like they have known each other for a few years. I won't go into that, because that would be a major spoiler ;) hehehe
Something is happening to the residents of the SMALL town, and people are blaming Eva because of who her family is, and the last name that belongs to her. With the help of her friends, she is determine to clear her family's name, and help the residents. That she is so clearly drawn to. Dream To Me is the thriller/suspense book that I was looking for. If I could give it a hundred stars, I so would! Because this book deserves it!!! Maybe in the future books we will see these characters again *cough* Megan *cough* ;)
Enjoy the book!!!!
November 20, 2023
After the death of her father, Eva and her sister Rhonda are forced to pack up their lives and move to a place they never thought they would: their great-aunt’s dilapidated house in the middle of the woods. Never having met her, Eva’s not only curious why the house was left to her, but who her great-aunt was. It seems everyone in town knows more about Eva’s family than she does; strong and very strange reactions greet Eva and Rhonda any time their last name is mentioned. Who exactly was Eva’s great-aunt, and why was she so feared by everyone around her? Why did her father never mention her or the town?
I initially picked this up for the premise; a young girl inheriting a potentially haunted house is a novel right up my alley! The fiction side of this novel absolutely lived up to my expectations: I was kept on my toes with the atmospheric mystery of Eva’s journey to find out her family secrets in the small town she was forced to move to. What I wasn’t expecting was a very real and intense exploration of trauma, grief and guilt, and what it means to learn to live with them. There were so many points in this novel that anyone who’s experienced grief and trauma will really relate to. What I loved most was that at its heart, this novel was a beautiful illustration of what it means to learn how to live with grief, the power of friendship, and the importance of therapy and mental health advocacy. This is one I won’t forget for a long time!
Sarah M. | Marathon County Public Library
See this book in our catalog.
I initially picked this up for the premise; a young girl inheriting a potentially haunted house is a novel right up my alley! The fiction side of this novel absolutely lived up to my expectations: I was kept on my toes with the atmospheric mystery of Eva’s journey to find out her family secrets in the small town she was forced to move to. What I wasn’t expecting was a very real and intense exploration of trauma, grief and guilt, and what it means to learn to live with them. There were so many points in this novel that anyone who’s experienced grief and trauma will really relate to. What I loved most was that at its heart, this novel was a beautiful illustration of what it means to learn how to live with grief, the power of friendship, and the importance of therapy and mental health advocacy. This is one I won’t forget for a long time!
Sarah M. | Marathon County Public Library
See this book in our catalog.
December 26, 2022
I was lucky enough to win a digital copy of this novel from a NYCC giveaway hosted by Fierce reads. This novel is equal parts fish out of water story, mystery, supernatural thriller. Eva, along with her half-sister Rhonda come to Madrona from New York after the passing of Eva's father. She instantly has a rough time fitting in, immediately feeling like an outsider. Contributing to the isolation she feels is the notion by many in her new community that she comes from a line if witches. Her aunt Miriam had passed under mysterious circumstances. When someone in the community goes into a comma, Eva is immediately suspected of having some involvement as she was the last person seen to have contacted that person. When additional individuals she comes into contact with go into commas, suspicions about her grow stronger within the community. Eva must uncover why so many individuals she has come into contact with are falling into commas. The pacing was excellent in this story. I found it engrossing, and the author did a good job of building the mystery. The resolution of the central mystery was believable and the ending was ultimately satisfying. I loved the exploration of dreams at the core of the novel. For example, there is a confrontation that takes place within a dream that was a lot of fun to read. I recommend this novel for its pacing, captivating story and well executed resolution to the central mystery.
February 11, 2025
Eva has lost her beloved father and now what's worse, she has to move to a small town where she knows no one to live in a broken-down house with her sister. The house was left to her by her mysterious Aunt Miriam and they don't know anything about her or her history, but Eva and her sister quickly find out that they are unpopular in the town because they share a last name with her. Was she a witch? Was she dangerous? Soon enough Eva is having odd dreams and being blamed for people in the town falling into comas. What if she IS causing this somehow through a process that's been kept from her? And even if she isn't the cause, she's certainly caught up in the mystery--and may have to risk her life and her sanity to keep her new friends, her family, and her legacy safe.
The best thing about this book was the amazing authenticity of the characters and the feeling of history and depth that everyone had. You never really get anyone's full story, even the main character, and that makes them feel real--they don't exist just to act in this book. I liked the distinctness of the personalities and the multiple dimensions. The spooky vibe and the deepening fear as the story ramps up is pretty exciting, and I liked the realistic way the story handled guilt and grief.
I remember the author from our Pitch Wars days so I'm especially excited that I finally got to read her debut!
The best thing about this book was the amazing authenticity of the characters and the feeling of history and depth that everyone had. You never really get anyone's full story, even the main character, and that makes them feel real--they don't exist just to act in this book. I liked the distinctness of the personalities and the multiple dimensions. The spooky vibe and the deepening fear as the story ramps up is pretty exciting, and I liked the realistic way the story handled guilt and grief.
I remember the author from our Pitch Wars days so I'm especially excited that I finally got to read her debut!
February 8, 2023
I read this ARC via Netgalley Shelf.
Eva and her sister just inherited their aunt's house - an aunt they never knew about until their father died. But as soon as they arrive in town, they are met with suspicion and prejudice about their last name, Sylvan, even being called witches. The house is too run down to live in, and luckily there are a few people in town who don't hate them on sight, like Cal, a boy Eva's age who helps them with directions, and Bethany, who offers them a room in the local hotel. When people start slipping into comas after encounters with Eva, however, the town is soon against them - and Eva's strange dreams where she encounters each of the coma victims make her begin to wonder if she does have some witchy power she can't control...
I'm pretty much a sucker anytime a plot involves strange dreams and creepy old houses. The immediate connection to Cal made sense in the end, and didn't feel forced or like instalove. Part of me wanted more time spent on trying to figure out who Aunt Miriam was and exploring the old house, but eventually the pieces started to come together and there was a lot of history with Cal's accident and in the town to explore as well. This was a fast-paced read that kept me guessing and had a satisfying end.
Eva and her sister just inherited their aunt's house - an aunt they never knew about until their father died. But as soon as they arrive in town, they are met with suspicion and prejudice about their last name, Sylvan, even being called witches. The house is too run down to live in, and luckily there are a few people in town who don't hate them on sight, like Cal, a boy Eva's age who helps them with directions, and Bethany, who offers them a room in the local hotel. When people start slipping into comas after encounters with Eva, however, the town is soon against them - and Eva's strange dreams where she encounters each of the coma victims make her begin to wonder if she does have some witchy power she can't control...
I'm pretty much a sucker anytime a plot involves strange dreams and creepy old houses. The immediate connection to Cal made sense in the end, and didn't feel forced or like instalove. Part of me wanted more time spent on trying to figure out who Aunt Miriam was and exploring the old house, but eventually the pieces started to come together and there was a lot of history with Cal's accident and in the town to explore as well. This was a fast-paced read that kept me guessing and had a satisfying end.
July 6, 2023
I finished this book and then the next morning was sad that I couldn't keep reading it. Frequently in novels the teen main characters don't talk to the adults around them which lead to complications which further the plot. This trope frequently annoys me; however, here it was done in such an honest and realistic way that I wasn't mad. It made since why Eve didn't feel like she could talk to her big sister and it was something she conflicted with the whole book. The gradual and intentional growth of Eve is a major selling point for me. Other characters do not really experience growth and are not as fully developed, but Eve's character development is fantastic. The plot is perfectly paced, continuously hooking me with more mystery and questions to have me coming back for more. The ending (while on the darker side) is still very middle grade wrapped up in a perfect bow. This felt a little off because of the traumas being dealt with, but probably required for a "happy ending". Overall a read I am still thinking about.
October 24, 2023
Unique plot!
17yo Eva has moved to Madrona with her older sister Rhonda after their father died from a gunshot wound. Their father’s Aunt Miriam left Eva the Sylvan family house in her will and now that’s the place they head to get a new start. The minute the two sisters arrive in town, they’re met with rude comments and glares from some of the townspeople when they’re recognized as a relative of Miriam and part of the Sylvan family. The next day, the gas attendant that told them to leave is found in a coma and soon more people fall into comas and Eva is accused of causing it. She has no idea what’s going on and when Rhonda falls into a coma, Eva does everything she can to discover her family’s secrets and wake everyone from their comatose state.
Likes/dislikes: I enjoyed the unique plot. The mystery became more interesting as the story progressed. The creepiness and the uncertainty were interesting.
Language: R for 90 swears and 11 f-words.
Mature Content: G for kissing.
Violence: PG-13 for bloody assault and death.
Ethnicity: Bethany is Vietnamese. Falls to white.
17yo Eva has moved to Madrona with her older sister Rhonda after their father died from a gunshot wound. Their father’s Aunt Miriam left Eva the Sylvan family house in her will and now that’s the place they head to get a new start. The minute the two sisters arrive in town, they’re met with rude comments and glares from some of the townspeople when they’re recognized as a relative of Miriam and part of the Sylvan family. The next day, the gas attendant that told them to leave is found in a coma and soon more people fall into comas and Eva is accused of causing it. She has no idea what’s going on and when Rhonda falls into a coma, Eva does everything she can to discover her family’s secrets and wake everyone from their comatose state.
Likes/dislikes: I enjoyed the unique plot. The mystery became more interesting as the story progressed. The creepiness and the uncertainty were interesting.
Language: R for 90 swears and 11 f-words.
Mature Content: G for kissing.
Violence: PG-13 for bloody assault and death.
Ethnicity: Bethany is Vietnamese. Falls to white.
April 12, 2023
The summary for this book sounded right up my alley, and I’m pleased to say it didn’t disappoint.
I like how Miriam (and, we later find out, her sisters) were seen somewhat as witches, but it turned out they were helping people with inner darkness that led to nightmares (or, in a few cases, shadowy beings). The way things played out, leading Eva to believe that she was responsible for people falling into comas, further leading the townspeople to believe that everyone in the family bloodline is a witch, was well done. Seeing the shadowy nightmares where each person was attacked, and Eva waking up each time to find out that the person she’d been dreaming about was now in a coma? Who wouldn’t think they were responsible for something like that!
But of course that would be too simple, and there was a shadow behind the victims being chosen and left comatose.
All in all, this was a good read, decent mysteries, and a satisfying conclusion.
I like how Miriam (and, we later find out, her sisters) were seen somewhat as witches, but it turned out they were helping people with inner darkness that led to nightmares (or, in a few cases, shadowy beings). The way things played out, leading Eva to believe that she was responsible for people falling into comas, further leading the townspeople to believe that everyone in the family bloodline is a witch, was well done. Seeing the shadowy nightmares where each person was attacked, and Eva waking up each time to find out that the person she’d been dreaming about was now in a coma? Who wouldn’t think they were responsible for something like that!
But of course that would be too simple, and there was a shadow behind the victims being chosen and left comatose.
All in all, this was a good read, decent mysteries, and a satisfying conclusion.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 14, 2023
Wow, just wow. I was surprised by the premise of this book, but more than anything I found myself moving right beside Eva in trying to figure out what exactly was going on with the dreams she was having.
The detail in this gave me chills because I could sense everything, but the mystery also kept you guessing what exactly was going to happen. I found myself drawn into what dream was going to happen next and who was going to get hurt. More than that though I think the details of here added up and the author did amazing at making sure everything tied up at the end even though you were afraid it wouldn't.
I was both nervous and excited as the book was winding down and it looked like we would never find out what was going to happen. I would also 100% suggest going into this blind because it just makes it even better.
The detail in this gave me chills because I could sense everything, but the mystery also kept you guessing what exactly was going to happen. I found myself drawn into what dream was going to happen next and who was going to get hurt. More than that though I think the details of here added up and the author did amazing at making sure everything tied up at the end even though you were afraid it wouldn't.
I was both nervous and excited as the book was winding down and it looked like we would never find out what was going to happen. I would also 100% suggest going into this blind because it just makes it even better.
June 15, 2023
Roll credits- the wrap up leaves nothing to be desired. Previous frustrations are answered and all loose ends are tied. This book has a lot of little details, easy to forget, and I beg you to not. Each one is a puzzle piece that creates the ending and makes it that much sweeter. So remember people, what they say, what you’ve been told, and where it’s going~ I promise you won’t regret it.
It’s really heavy hitting in the grief and trauma aspect, often making note of things a reader could intuitively pick up on. However, this is something that truly reminds me it is YA fiction, not a negative characterization. YA is meant for a transitional reader from stated to inferred clues. As an adult who can infer a lot, it seems elementary. As an individual who read YA at the age of 10, it’s perfect in reconfirming my thoughts. Well done~
It’s really heavy hitting in the grief and trauma aspect, often making note of things a reader could intuitively pick up on. However, this is something that truly reminds me it is YA fiction, not a negative characterization. YA is meant for a transitional reader from stated to inferred clues. As an adult who can infer a lot, it seems elementary. As an individual who read YA at the age of 10, it’s perfect in reconfirming my thoughts. Well done~
September 25, 2023
Wow. I’m going to remember this for a long time! I initially picked this up for the premise; a young girl inheriting a potentially haunted house is a novel right up my alley! The fiction side of this novel absolutely lived up to my expectations: I was kept on my toes with the atmospheric mystery of Eva’s journey to find out her family secrets in the small town she was forced to move to. What I wasn’t expecting was a very real and intense exploration of trauma and grief and guilt, and what it means to learn to live with them.
There were so many points in this novel that anyone who’s experienced grief and trauma will really relate to. What I loved most was that at its heart, this novel was a beautiful illustration of what it means to learn how to live with both of those things, the power of friendship, not to mention how important the work of therapy is!
There were so many points in this novel that anyone who’s experienced grief and trauma will really relate to. What I loved most was that at its heart, this novel was a beautiful illustration of what it means to learn how to live with both of those things, the power of friendship, not to mention how important the work of therapy is!
January 2, 2023
**I was provided with an advanced review copy of this novel, courtesy of Netgalley.
Dream to Me was a book that took me by surprise. The premise seemed interesting enough, but the story blew me away, despite some issues with the conclusion. The characters were interesting and helped make an intriguing story. The writing was amazing and I look forward to seeing where the author’s career goes from here. This is not a book for every reader, but it’s a great read overall and is the perfect choice for someone looking for a fantasy with deeper themes.
My full review can be found here
Dream to Me was a book that took me by surprise. The premise seemed interesting enough, but the story blew me away, despite some issues with the conclusion. The characters were interesting and helped make an intriguing story. The writing was amazing and I look forward to seeing where the author’s career goes from here. This is not a book for every reader, but it’s a great read overall and is the perfect choice for someone looking for a fantasy with deeper themes.
My full review can be found here
February 3, 2023
Resilience
Dream to Me was well crafted; I enjoyed reading it. The pace was good it did not drag at all and the ending was well timed. I did not know the songs that were referenced (I am great-grandma aged,) but when I easily looked them they were a perfect fit for the story line. The book has a good message about dealing with a past that is painful without being overt - it was woven seamlessly into the story. Recommended audiance would be YA and all adults who want to avoid the excessive dark and steamy scenes in some adult novels. Thank you! I am looking forward to the next book.
Dream to Me was well crafted; I enjoyed reading it. The pace was good it did not drag at all and the ending was well timed. I did not know the songs that were referenced (I am great-grandma aged,) but when I easily looked them they were a perfect fit for the story line. The book has a good message about dealing with a past that is painful without being overt - it was woven seamlessly into the story. Recommended audiance would be YA and all adults who want to avoid the excessive dark and steamy scenes in some adult novels. Thank you! I am looking forward to the next book.
January 9, 2023
This was a story centered on guilt, grief, and trauma and what happens when the inner demons take over. While Eva raced to solve the mystery of her great-aunt and why town residents kept falling into comas, she had to face her underlying guilt surrounding her father's death. Even though this had a magic theme, that part was minor compared to the relationships Eva built with the town residents as she struggled with her dreams, missing her dad, and yearning to find out more about her great-aunt and why everyone was terrified of her. Thank you NetGalley for an ARC.
February 26, 2023
DREAM TO ME is a heartbreakingly raw story about grief and guilt, set against an atmospheric setting in a Pacific Northwest forest. Eva's pain and trauma were depicted sensitively, and the point she reaches with these feelings is realistic but still satisfying. Mystery readers should enjoy unraveling the Sylvan family secrets alongside Eva, and while there is romance, it doesn't overshadow the rest of the book.
Thank you to Macmillan for providing a review copy.
Thank you to Macmillan for providing a review copy.
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