What do you think?
Rate this book
Sleepless
Eron DeMarchelle isn't supposed to feel this connection. He is a Sandman, a supernatural being whose purpose is to seduce his human charges to sleep. Though he can communicate with his charges in their dreams, he isn't encouraged to do so. After all, becoming too involved in one human's life could prevent him from helping others get their needed rest.
But he can't deny that he feels something for Julia, a lonely girl with fiery red hair and sad dreams. Just weeks ago, her boyfriend died in a car accident, and Eron can tell that she feels more alone than ever. Eron was human once too, many years ago, and he remembers how it felt to lose the one he loved. In the past, Eron has broken rules to protect Julia, but now, when she seems to need him more than ever, he can't reach her. Eron's time as a Sandman is coming to a close, and his replacement doesn't seem to care about his charges. Worse, Julia is facing dangers she doesn't recognize, and Eron, as he transitions back to being human, may be the only one who can save her. . . .
Even once they've become human again, Sandmen are forbidden to communicate with their charges. But Eron knows he won't be able to forget Julia. Will he risk everything for a chance to be with the girl he loves?
Cyn Balog's follow-up to Fairy Tale has more wit, more supernatural delights, and more star-crossed romance! Teen girls will love this story of a Sandman who falls in love with his human charge.
But he can't deny that he feels something for Julia, a lonely girl with fiery red hair and sad dreams. Just weeks ago, her boyfriend died in a car accident, and Eron can tell that she feels more alone than ever. Eron was human once too, many years ago, and he remembers how it felt to lose the one he loved. In the past, Eron has broken rules to protect Julia, but now, when she seems to need him more than ever, he can't reach her. Eron's time as a Sandman is coming to a close, and his replacement doesn't seem to care about his charges. Worse, Julia is facing dangers she doesn't recognize, and Eron, as he transitions back to being human, may be the only one who can save her. . . .
Even once they've become human again, Sandmen are forbidden to communicate with their charges. But Eron knows he won't be able to forget Julia. Will he risk everything for a chance to be with the girl he loves?
Cyn Balog's follow-up to Fairy Tale has more wit, more supernatural delights, and more star-crossed romance! Teen girls will love this story of a Sandman who falls in love with his human charge.
215 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 2010
47 people are currently reading
7618 people want to read
About the author
Cyn Balog
15 books877 followersCyn Balog is a normal, everyday Jersey Girl who always believed magical things can happen to us when we least expect them. She is author of young adult paranormals FAIRY TALE (2009), SLEEPLESS(2010), STARSTRUCK (2011), TOUCHED (2012), and her most recent release: DEAD RIVER (2013).e. She lives outside Allentown, Pennsylvania with her husband and daughters.
She also writes under the pen name Nichola Reilly. Nichola Reilly is Cyn Balog's post-apocalyptic fantasy-writing alter-ego. The first book in her series, DROWNED, will be releasing from Harlequin TEEN sometime in 2014, followed by a sequel, BURIED, in 2015.
She also writes under the pen name Nichola Reilly. Nichola Reilly is Cyn Balog's post-apocalyptic fantasy-writing alter-ego. The first book in her series, DROWNED, will be releasing from Harlequin TEEN sometime in 2014, followed by a sequel, BURIED, in 2015.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 396 reviews
November 21, 2011
I was happily reading this YA novel when I read something...
It's not a spoiler, it's on page 50 of the book (really on the begin) and the Sandman is talking to someone and get confused hearing the expression "Cool"...
Eron (the sandman) live for almost 100 years as a sandman, staying on earth and observing the humans during the day, when he has nothing to do.... So, can anyone tell me why he don't understand an easy slang as "cool"? Really a strange thing, to one that don't do a thing but observation of the society for 100 years during the day, no? NO?. He say that! He stay all day observing the humans!!!For almost 100 years!!! It's a lot of time, and strangely, by the most bizarre case of the universe, he never EVER heard the slang "cool".
It's just an absurd that the editor, the writer and the (minimum) 100 people that read it before it's release don't saw that! COME ON! It's a terrible error!
So... put it aside FOREVER.
This book is not for me... sorry, but abandoned!
It's not a spoiler, it's on page 50 of the book (really on the begin) and the Sandman is talking to someone and get confused hearing the expression "Cool"...
Eron (the sandman) live for almost 100 years as a sandman, staying on earth and observing the humans during the day, when he has nothing to do.... So, can anyone tell me why he don't understand an easy slang as "cool"? Really a strange thing, to one that don't do a thing but observation of the society for 100 years during the day, no? NO?. He say that! He stay all day observing the humans!!!For almost 100 years!!! It's a lot of time, and strangely, by the most bizarre case of the universe, he never EVER heard the slang "cool".
It's just an absurd that the editor, the writer and the (minimum) 100 people that read it before it's release don't saw that! COME ON! It's a terrible error!
So... put it aside FOREVER.
This book is not for me... sorry, but abandoned!
March 15, 2023
I’m a simple girl: promise me a story with Sandman mythology and I’ll pick it up. By now, I should know setting my expectations too high leads to the biggest disappointments. Sleepless was not what I hoped. It was a mess of problematic romantic relationships and poor world-building.
First of all, let’s be clear: the relationship between our protagonist, Julia, and her boyfriend, Griffin, was abusive. Griffin constantly verbally abused her. He drove her away from her friends and isolated her. He emotionally manipulated her, making her feel so bad for applying to her dream school’s out-of-state summer program that she was not going to attend it. He ridiculed her and her interests. He told her she was weak. Despite all of this, it is only his actions as a Sandman - after his death - that are portrayed as negative; their relationship is not portrayed as being inherently negative, let alone abusive. If this had been part of a larger narrative, I would not have minded so much. Obviously, I do not believe censoring abusive relationships from stories is the answer. I do find the idea of writing about an abusive relationship without addressing it as such, in a young adult title, to be dangerous. It romanticizes the abuser’s actions, which has terrifying implications for impressionable readers.
… and, on top of this, Griffin was a poorly written character. He was chauvinistic. He slut-shamed. He was a disgusting, entitled dickhead - to put it nicely - who expected the world handed to him on a silver platter simply for existing. Ugh.
Julia’s relationship with Eron was no better. The fact that Eron is more than a hundred years older than Julia is an alarm bell in itself. The fact that Eron was her Sandman, literally watching her entire life and being in charge of her sleep, is a giant siren of nope. The power balance is so off! It is never addressed in the text and just nope, nope, nope.
The sexual assault element similarly sickened me. Bret, Griffin’s best friend, sexually assaults Julia within the story and Julia completely ignores it. There is no discussion of the issue within the narrative or in Julia’s monologue, apart from a throwaway line that he was intoxicated (implying it is justifiable? minimising it? just no). I know that there is a very real problem of sexual assault victims not speaking out about their traumas for an infinitesimal list of reasons. I hate to make assumptions about the mentality of sexual assault victims but the lack of narrative about this specific situation did not seem like any sort of purposeful commentary; rather, none of the characters thought it was a big deal, that it didn’t even need to be addressed. *red flag alert*
Other Cons:
• The sloppy world-building. It is all very vague and some of it contradicted itself. For one, Eron’s confusion with the modern world was nonsensical. He observed it for a hundred years - literally watching it unfold before his eyes - but still got tripped up on modern lingo. It didn’t make sense.
• I also found his obsession with his first crush disturbing, rather than endearing.
• The female characterisation was appalling. Julia was ‘not like other girls’. Vomits.
• There is a lot of slut shaming.
• The side characters, particularly Julia’s parents, had no personality.
• Unemotive writing.
• The fact that Julia was not traumatised by her kidnapping as a child is very unrealistic. It was purely a romantic plot device: something to make the love interest save her life. I really did not appreciate that.
• Abrupt and unsatisfying ending.
• The plot was nonexistent. What did this even achieve?
Overall?
Sleeples tried to tackle so many important topics and does none of them justice. It should have focused on the unique Sandman lore, using its potential to build the fascinating world and plotline we were promised. Instead, it wasted time on poor female characterisation and problematic romantic relationships. This made Sleepless a difficult and nauseous reading experience that I would not recommend.
➸ Trigger warnings for .
Blog • Trigger Warning Database • StoryGraph
First of all, let’s be clear: the relationship between our protagonist, Julia, and her boyfriend, Griffin, was abusive. Griffin constantly verbally abused her. He drove her away from her friends and isolated her. He emotionally manipulated her, making her feel so bad for applying to her dream school’s out-of-state summer program that she was not going to attend it. He ridiculed her and her interests. He told her she was weak. Despite all of this, it is only his actions as a Sandman - after his death - that are portrayed as negative; their relationship is not portrayed as being inherently negative, let alone abusive. If this had been part of a larger narrative, I would not have minded so much. Obviously, I do not believe censoring abusive relationships from stories is the answer. I do find the idea of writing about an abusive relationship without addressing it as such, in a young adult title, to be dangerous. It romanticizes the abuser’s actions, which has terrifying implications for impressionable readers.
… and, on top of this, Griffin was a poorly written character. He was chauvinistic. He slut-shamed. He was a disgusting, entitled dickhead - to put it nicely - who expected the world handed to him on a silver platter simply for existing. Ugh.
Julia’s relationship with Eron was no better. The fact that Eron is more than a hundred years older than Julia is an alarm bell in itself. The fact that Eron was her Sandman, literally watching her entire life and being in charge of her sleep, is a giant siren of nope. The power balance is so off! It is never addressed in the text and just nope, nope, nope.
The sexual assault element similarly sickened me. Bret, Griffin’s best friend, sexually assaults Julia within the story and Julia completely ignores it. There is no discussion of the issue within the narrative or in Julia’s monologue, apart from a throwaway line that he was intoxicated (implying it is justifiable? minimising it? just no). I know that there is a very real problem of sexual assault victims not speaking out about their traumas for an infinitesimal list of reasons. I hate to make assumptions about the mentality of sexual assault victims but the lack of narrative about this specific situation did not seem like any sort of purposeful commentary; rather, none of the characters thought it was a big deal, that it didn’t even need to be addressed. *red flag alert*
Other Cons:
• The sloppy world-building. It is all very vague and some of it contradicted itself. For one, Eron’s confusion with the modern world was nonsensical. He observed it for a hundred years - literally watching it unfold before his eyes - but still got tripped up on modern lingo. It didn’t make sense.
• I also found his obsession with his first crush disturbing, rather than endearing.
• The female characterisation was appalling. Julia was ‘not like other girls’. Vomits.
• There is a lot of slut shaming.
• The side characters, particularly Julia’s parents, had no personality.
• Unemotive writing.
• The fact that Julia was not traumatised by her kidnapping as a child is very unrealistic. It was purely a romantic plot device: something to make the love interest save her life. I really did not appreciate that.
• Abrupt and unsatisfying ending.
• The plot was nonexistent. What did this even achieve?
Overall?
Sleeples tried to tackle so many important topics and does none of them justice. It should have focused on the unique Sandman lore, using its potential to build the fascinating world and plotline we were promised. Instead, it wasted time on poor female characterisation and problematic romantic relationships. This made Sleepless a difficult and nauseous reading experience that I would not recommend.
➸ Trigger warnings for .
Blog • Trigger Warning Database • StoryGraph
November 13, 2023
This won't be a long review because Sleepless isn't a long book. I believed it was rocking somewhere around the 150-200 pages mark. Sleepless had one of the best concepts I've heard of/read in a long time, but the concept wasn't enough to make up for the few issues I had with it.
The two main characters, though likable, both are lacking in subsistence. Neither ever feel fully fleshed out. Julia is a nice character, but that's it. She is just nice. Her thoughts are realistic and funny but there's not really much else going for her. Also though it is possible I didn't fully believe that 3, yes 3, guys could be head over heels freakishly in love with her. That leads me to Eron, our other POV and main character. Eron is a sandman. He sounded super sweet, but again, that's it. He too was highly lacking in depth. Both characters appearance wise sounded nice, but we also only got a tiny description of the two. When it comes to the side characters Julia's boyfriend and best friend, I had no real feeling towards them whatsoever. Neither was anything to write home about.
The plot of Sleepless could have really been something. The start of the book has this nice steady pace that matches most other books in its genre. The middle of this book is 100% the strongest part. When things actually start happening, and it gets a little more spooky I was hooked. I was really excited to see how things were going to play out and what direction the author would take it. I was starting to get into the characters and started to feel like I was getting to relate to them. Sadly, this was short lived. The ending was a little anticlimactic. We had all this build up, things were setting up, characters were developing, relationships were forming, events were really coming together... then nothing. The ending is all shoved into a handful of papers and ends up being mundane and predictable.
Overall Sleepless is a nice light read. It just had all this wasted potential. I wish the concept behind this book would have plated out better than it did. Sleepless wasn't the worst read ever, but wasn't the best. If this book had maybe had 100-200 pages more it could have used the extra space to fill it with more action and really highlighted more.
The two main characters, though likable, both are lacking in subsistence. Neither ever feel fully fleshed out. Julia is a nice character, but that's it. She is just nice. Her thoughts are realistic and funny but there's not really much else going for her. Also though it is possible I didn't fully believe that 3, yes 3, guys could be head over heels freakishly in love with her. That leads me to Eron, our other POV and main character. Eron is a sandman. He sounded super sweet, but again, that's it. He too was highly lacking in depth. Both characters appearance wise sounded nice, but we also only got a tiny description of the two. When it comes to the side characters Julia's boyfriend and best friend, I had no real feeling towards them whatsoever. Neither was anything to write home about.
The plot of Sleepless could have really been something. The start of the book has this nice steady pace that matches most other books in its genre. The middle of this book is 100% the strongest part. When things actually start happening, and it gets a little more spooky I was hooked. I was really excited to see how things were going to play out and what direction the author would take it. I was starting to get into the characters and started to feel like I was getting to relate to them. Sadly, this was short lived. The ending was a little anticlimactic. We had all this build up, things were setting up, characters were developing, relationships were forming, events were really coming together... then nothing. The ending is all shoved into a handful of papers and ends up being mundane and predictable.
Overall Sleepless is a nice light read. It just had all this wasted potential. I wish the concept behind this book would have plated out better than it did. Sleepless wasn't the worst read ever, but wasn't the best. If this book had maybe had 100-200 pages more it could have used the extra space to fill it with more action and really highlighted more.
October 26, 2017
Cyn Balog was really trying to grab your attention in the first chapter when **SPOILER ALERT** Julia’s boyfriend has a tragic death. I did enjoy this book, I give it four stars because this book did have potential in it. Sleepless was not like any other book where I would just read fifty pages, and if I did not like it, I would just move on. First, the characters acted like real teenagers and you could feel a connection, well if you were a teenager. The main characters had the same ideas and characteristics that teens today have about gossip, school, dialogue, and appearances. Second, the author really tries to grab the reader’s attention, but also understands that the book was meant for teens. She uses few literary elements but she really hooks you in with suspense at every ending chapter. In my perspective, I immensely enjoyed this book because it was about Sandman, which I never read in any other book . sandman were people who seduced their “ charges” sleep. Eron was my favorite character because he was from another time but yet he wasn’t self absorbed and always thought about Julia . In conclusion, this book was really exciting because of the characters and author’s writing.
November 14, 2010
I picked up this book because of the beautiful cover and that I mildly liked the author's first novel, Fairy Tale, so I was expecting the same fun, humorous stuff out of this one. Man, this was an ultimate no. What the heck went wrong?
Okay, all of the guys were totally undesirable leads. I am not joking about this. Griffin was a jerk. He's an insensitive, chauvinistic (I love that word), possessive prick. I'm serious. He'd say some of the meanest things to her and if Julia showed any type of emotion or felt bad because, you know, being upset over having your application rejected into a dream program you've always wanted to go to is paramount to being an emo, melodramatic loser. Anytime she actually felt upset about something, Griffin would just cut her down. Sure, he'd do something sweet but then in the next second say something that would really make you grit your teeth. And then when she starts showing interest in another guy because that's the only logical thing after your boyfriend is dead and it's time to move on, he goes ape shit and is all territorial about it. And slapping girls on the ass is not a way to show her how much you love her (which he never admits or even shows that he has any sort of deep feelings/affection for her). A jerk boyfriend? You bet.
Griffin's friend (I forgot his name) is a cut out of the same mold, only more stupid. If a girl constantly avoids you, plasters on fake smiles, or says things that are gentle put downs, obviously it means she's not that into you, so could you please go away? Guess he couldn't figure that out. Not to mention he tried to almost rape her. Or maybe that's to harsh, *forcibly* push himself on her, makes me want to cringe in disgust.
Eron is a pussy. He's such a weak, spineless guy who doesn't have the balls to admit how he feels, and instead has to just wander around in his own thoughts about how much he likes her. Second, he doesn't ever really tell Griffin off when he's trying to flaunt the rules laid out for him, or is doing something that jeopardizes their operation. He just leaves it up to that chick who's in charge to do it for him. Then what's really weird is that he's been around for over a hundred years give or take putting people to sleep and an observer of the human world that he doesn't know what cars are? Excuse me? And hasn't picked up modern speech when his lady in charge has easily done so and uses it in her conversations with him as well? What? Plot hole?
Julia is just... one of those many fishes out in the sea. Not worth reeling in. She's brainwashed by Griffin not to feel emotion and I don't know falls flat. She lets people walk all over her (but her maybe that's why her and Eron make such a good match) and I don't know. I didn't like any of the characters much.
The concept of this story was good, I mean, what other books have you read about sandmen? Not me. (Oh, here's an aside, Griffin is just raging mad that his girlfriend is falling in love with Eron and is causing this whole mess and screwing things over, but when Eron steps in and is like stop it, he does? What? Convenient and easy much? Sort of a rushed, lazy, and cop-out ending.) The book had interesting alternate viewpoints between Julia and Eron, and they both have beautiful images placed on each chapter. The moon for Eron and the flower on the cover for Julia (I think that's what it was) Each chapter is short so reading is fast and the pace moves at a decent clip although it took me much longer than it needed to for me.
My suggestion? Skip this one.
Okay, all of the guys were totally undesirable leads. I am not joking about this. Griffin was a jerk. He's an insensitive, chauvinistic (I love that word), possessive prick. I'm serious. He'd say some of the meanest things to her and if Julia showed any type of emotion or felt bad because, you know, being upset over having your application rejected into a dream program you've always wanted to go to is paramount to being an emo, melodramatic loser. Anytime she actually felt upset about something, Griffin would just cut her down. Sure, he'd do something sweet but then in the next second say something that would really make you grit your teeth. And then when she starts showing interest in another guy because that's the only logical thing after your boyfriend is dead and it's time to move on, he goes ape shit and is all territorial about it. And slapping girls on the ass is not a way to show her how much you love her (which he never admits or even shows that he has any sort of deep feelings/affection for her). A jerk boyfriend? You bet.
Griffin's friend (I forgot his name) is a cut out of the same mold, only more stupid. If a girl constantly avoids you, plasters on fake smiles, or says things that are gentle put downs, obviously it means she's not that into you, so could you please go away? Guess he couldn't figure that out. Not to mention he tried to almost rape her. Or maybe that's to harsh, *forcibly* push himself on her, makes me want to cringe in disgust.
Eron is a pussy. He's such a weak, spineless guy who doesn't have the balls to admit how he feels, and instead has to just wander around in his own thoughts about how much he likes her. Second, he doesn't ever really tell Griffin off when he's trying to flaunt the rules laid out for him, or is doing something that jeopardizes their operation. He just leaves it up to that chick who's in charge to do it for him. Then what's really weird is that he's been around for over a hundred years give or take putting people to sleep and an observer of the human world that he doesn't know what cars are? Excuse me? And hasn't picked up modern speech when his lady in charge has easily done so and uses it in her conversations with him as well? What? Plot hole?
Julia is just... one of those many fishes out in the sea. Not worth reeling in. She's brainwashed by Griffin not to feel emotion and I don't know falls flat. She lets people walk all over her (but her maybe that's why her and Eron make such a good match) and I don't know. I didn't like any of the characters much.
The concept of this story was good, I mean, what other books have you read about sandmen? Not me. (Oh, here's an aside, Griffin is just raging mad that his girlfriend is falling in love with Eron and is causing this whole mess and screwing things over, but when Eron steps in and is like stop it, he does? What? Convenient and easy much? Sort of a rushed, lazy, and cop-out ending.) The book had interesting alternate viewpoints between Julia and Eron, and they both have beautiful images placed on each chapter. The moon for Eron and the flower on the cover for Julia (I think that's what it was) Each chapter is short so reading is fast and the pace moves at a decent clip although it took me much longer than it needed to for me.
My suggestion? Skip this one.
February 7, 2016
Sleepless definitely had the potential to be a good book. It's about sandman which i havent read in any other books (and i keep remembering about that yellow guy from the jack frost movie). But then then came the bad part. Unecessary romance. This book doesnt even have a love triangle anymore because the main character has 3 love interest (nasty, i know). The main character's boyfriend aka Griffin is dead and he became a sandman, replacing Julia's old sandman Eron. Both are in love with Julia meanwhile Griffin's best friend is ALSO in love with Julia. The conversation in the book is boring, the jokes arent even funny, characters are bland and one dimensional, and Julia is your typical something-bad-happened-to-me-when-i-was-a-kid character and it's the only interesting thing that happened in her life. She doesnt have any girl friends or any friends whatsoever that doesnt at least want to make out with her. The problems in this book are resolved so easily they dont seem like a real problems, and then theres the emotion issue in which Griffin died and Julia didnt even cry, not even once. I get it, you're strong but come on. Your boyfriend is dead, why aren't you sad?? It's just not realistic because her inner monologue when Griffin died was more like 'what should i do now¿¿ he was the one who defined who i am, the one who made me interesting'
Also an actual quote from the book:
"I wonder what I’ll have to do this time to be thought of as normal again. Before, it was Griffin who made me normal. Now … maybe I need to attach myself to a new guy. And the logical choice is Bret."
Your boyfriend just died and you're more worried about getting a new boyfriend? Bitch that's harsh.
Also an actual quote from the book:
"I wonder what I’ll have to do this time to be thought of as normal again. Before, it was Griffin who made me normal. Now … maybe I need to attach myself to a new guy. And the logical choice is Bret."
Your boyfriend just died and you're more worried about getting a new boyfriend? Bitch that's harsh.
December 22, 2011
I love sleeping.
After reading this book I wondered if there really was a Sandman who seduces me to sleep.
Sleepless was a very easy and light read.
The concept was very original.
It was not in anyway like my favorite graphic novel by Neil Gaiman, Sandman.
However, I felt that this book did not live up to its potential.
It was good but it could have been better.
I was a little disappointed with the characters as well because they were not thoroughly developed.
I liked Eron but I disliked Julia.
She was the type of character I would never like.
She doesn’t have self confidence.
She thinks too low of herself.
She depended too much on Griffin.
Arrrg.
Anyways, if you are just looking for a quick and sweet read then this book is for you. :D
After reading this book I wondered if there really was a Sandman who seduces me to sleep.
Sleepless was a very easy and light read.
The concept was very original.
It was not in anyway like my favorite graphic novel by Neil Gaiman, Sandman.
However, I felt that this book did not live up to its potential.
It was good but it could have been better.
I was a little disappointed with the characters as well because they were not thoroughly developed.
I liked Eron but I disliked Julia.
She was the type of character I would never like.
She doesn’t have self confidence.
She thinks too low of herself.
She depended too much on Griffin.
Arrrg.
Anyways, if you are just looking for a quick and sweet read then this book is for you. :D
July 26, 2010
What a wonderful and dreamy book this is! SLEEPLESS is honestly a breath of fresh air that left me on cloud nine. It's got a truly original concept and Cyn Balog's writing absolutely put a smile on my face and gave me sweet, sweet dreams! It is easily one of my favorites of the year. Actually, I enjoyed it so much it inspired my future Halloween costume! I plan on being a character from the book this year, Chimere, an Original Sleepbringer. Simply put, SLEEPLESS is about a Sandman who falls in love with one of his charges, but it is much, much more. Cyn has created a beautiful, mystical and ethereal world that gives me a new appreciation for when I go to 'sleepytime'. Who knew that Sandmen had their own culture and rules? SLEEPLESS is a delightful modern-day fairy tale, much like her previous book titled, well, FAIRY TALE. I absolutely adore her books as much as I adore her. And that's a lot. THIS MUCH *holds arms as far apart as they can reach*!!!
Eron DeMarchelle is a Sandman. For 100 years he has diligently taken care of his charges, soothing and seducing them to sleep each night. He has mostly followed the rules, except for once when he helped Julia when she was in danger. Julia was a sweet red-headed child at the time and she needed him. Sandmen are forbidden to interfere in the lives of humans, but just once he had no choice but to break this rule. Now, Julia is a beautiful young woman and Eron relishes every evening that he spends easing her into a blissful slumber. Over the years, Eron has fallen in love with Julia and he is about to get his chance to share the same world with her. You see, he is about to finish his time serving as a Sleepbringer and become a human once again. No longer will he watch outside the windows of his charges for the right moment to sprinkle them with sand and take them to dreamland. Soon, his mentor Chimere, an Original Sleepbringer, will choose another soul for him to train to take his place. Eron will be released of his duties and be permitted to tend to his "unfinished business", whatever that may be. He's not sure what that business is, but he knows he wants nothing more than to be able to talk to Julia as a human.
But alas, things are never that simple. His replacement does not seem to be taking to the job very well. He is quite difficult and he's not able to let go of the people and things he left in the human world. If he can't be trained in time, Eron will lose his chance at freedom. But that's not the only problem he faces. Eron has been frozen in time for a century, from his clothing to his view of the world. He's seen things in people's dreams, but nothing that could prepare him for a very changed world. Everyone he knew and loved is gone and he has no idea what to do next. The worst thing is that he's been told he must stay away from his former charges once he becomes human. This includes Julia, who he believes is in terrible danger once again. He's broken the rules once, but this time it could cost him his only chance to be near the girl he loves. If he does nothing, he could lose her anyway.
SLEEPLESS is sweet, funny, romantic and imaginative. It is a refreshing and one-of-a-kind addition to YA, giving it something it's never seen before. Cyn Balog literally gave us the man of our dreams!
Eron DeMarchelle is a Sandman. For 100 years he has diligently taken care of his charges, soothing and seducing them to sleep each night. He has mostly followed the rules, except for once when he helped Julia when she was in danger. Julia was a sweet red-headed child at the time and she needed him. Sandmen are forbidden to interfere in the lives of humans, but just once he had no choice but to break this rule. Now, Julia is a beautiful young woman and Eron relishes every evening that he spends easing her into a blissful slumber. Over the years, Eron has fallen in love with Julia and he is about to get his chance to share the same world with her. You see, he is about to finish his time serving as a Sleepbringer and become a human once again. No longer will he watch outside the windows of his charges for the right moment to sprinkle them with sand and take them to dreamland. Soon, his mentor Chimere, an Original Sleepbringer, will choose another soul for him to train to take his place. Eron will be released of his duties and be permitted to tend to his "unfinished business", whatever that may be. He's not sure what that business is, but he knows he wants nothing more than to be able to talk to Julia as a human.
But alas, things are never that simple. His replacement does not seem to be taking to the job very well. He is quite difficult and he's not able to let go of the people and things he left in the human world. If he can't be trained in time, Eron will lose his chance at freedom. But that's not the only problem he faces. Eron has been frozen in time for a century, from his clothing to his view of the world. He's seen things in people's dreams, but nothing that could prepare him for a very changed world. Everyone he knew and loved is gone and he has no idea what to do next. The worst thing is that he's been told he must stay away from his former charges once he becomes human. This includes Julia, who he believes is in terrible danger once again. He's broken the rules once, but this time it could cost him his only chance to be near the girl he loves. If he does nothing, he could lose her anyway.
SLEEPLESS is sweet, funny, romantic and imaginative. It is a refreshing and one-of-a-kind addition to YA, giving it something it's never seen before. Cyn Balog literally gave us the man of our dreams!
January 30, 2023
What a fresh air Cyn brought by writing this book! I was really happy to read something with a different plot. The Sleepbringers idea was really awesome and made me always want to sleep and dream after reading this book!
I liked that although it is not a big book, I have found out different things about the characters and I really loved everything about Eron DeMarchelle, the male protagonist. He is a Sleepbringer, a Sandman. He puts to sleep some people that he had been given in charge of but his time as a Sandman is almost at the end and he must take a decision regarding one of his charges, Julia, but also a decision that is realted to his Sandman "life".
The action is somehow simple yet complicated at the same time but this book is really worth it!
Every word of it makes you read faster and faster. The change between each chapter, from the male protagonist to the female one is an appealing thing that made the story even more interesting.
I really loved the strenght of Eron and Julia, the protagonists of the book, since they had some hard moments in their lives but they managed to get past them somehow. I felt sorry for Griffin, another male character, who was confused at times with his feelings that kept changing, never letting you know of what's going to happen next.
This book is an easy read, with a really nice story that is suited for teens and adults also! It is filled with all kind of feelings, starting from love and ending up with anger, hate and fear but you will surely fall in love with at least one character!
Quotes:
I liked that although it is not a big book, I have found out different things about the characters and I really loved everything about Eron DeMarchelle, the male protagonist. He is a Sleepbringer, a Sandman. He puts to sleep some people that he had been given in charge of but his time as a Sandman is almost at the end and he must take a decision regarding one of his charges, Julia, but also a decision that is realted to his Sandman "life".
The action is somehow simple yet complicated at the same time but this book is really worth it!
Every word of it makes you read faster and faster. The change between each chapter, from the male protagonist to the female one is an appealing thing that made the story even more interesting.
I really loved the strenght of Eron and Julia, the protagonists of the book, since they had some hard moments in their lives but they managed to get past them somehow. I felt sorry for Griffin, another male character, who was confused at times with his feelings that kept changing, never letting you know of what's going to happen next.
This book is an easy read, with a really nice story that is suited for teens and adults also! It is filled with all kind of feelings, starting from love and ending up with anger, hate and fear but you will surely fall in love with at least one character!
Quotes:
August 22, 2010
This was a very disappointing read. When I first heard about this book, I was intrigued by the premise. I still think it's an interesting premise, I just don't believe enough was done with it. We never really get to know the characters that well except for Julia and Eron, and even that could have been explored in greater detail, especially the seemingly complex relationship the two should have. The plot had so much potential, but wasted almost all of it. And worse, the ending was not only contrived, but was so rushed I think I got whiplash.
What really gets to me the most, however, has to do with the jacket-blurb. Of the many presumed obstacles in the way of Julia and Eron, there is one mentioned that that would seem, if not insurmountable, at least something that would add some drama. But not only does this obstacle turn out to be nothing to worry about, it is never mentioned and isn't actually part of the plot of the book which either means whoever wrote the jacket-blurb either didn't actually read the story, or...I don't even know, but it's that more than anything else that bothers me. Well, that, and there were several editing and grammatical errors which just made me twitch. Word to the wise, Ms. Balog: "is" should be used for the singular. Using it to refer to a group reads very awkwardly.
Considering I finished this book in an afternoon I suppose I shouldn't complain so much, as this really was nothing more than a frivolous Saturday-afternoon type of read. And some of it was a bit entertaining. I just always feel rather sad over what I feel is wasted potential over what could have been a good plot with more thought and effort.
What really gets to me the most, however, has to do with the jacket-blurb. Of the many presumed obstacles in the way of Julia and Eron, there is one mentioned that that would seem, if not insurmountable, at least something that would add some drama. But not only does this obstacle turn out to be nothing to worry about, it is never mentioned and isn't actually part of the plot of the book which either means whoever wrote the jacket-blurb either didn't actually read the story, or...I don't even know, but it's that more than anything else that bothers me. Well, that, and there were several editing and grammatical errors which just made me twitch. Word to the wise, Ms. Balog: "is" should be used for the singular. Using it to refer to a group reads very awkwardly.
Considering I finished this book in an afternoon I suppose I shouldn't complain so much, as this really was nothing more than a frivolous Saturday-afternoon type of read. And some of it was a bit entertaining. I just always feel rather sad over what I feel is wasted potential over what could have been a good plot with more thought and effort.
May 29, 2015
This is my first read by author Cyn Balog, and she caught me at the first word. This has to be one of the most unique paranormal storylines I've read in a while. The idea that "the Sandman" is real, was such a different one, that I couldn't help but be captured. Add to that the fact that it isn't just one, but multiple sandmen, and that everyone has their own who helps put them to sleep at night, and this is so intriguing. Eron is Julia's sandman. He has watched over her all of her life, helped her to sleep every night, and cares for her more than he does himself. I love it!
Julia is definitely someone who needs protection. She had a very bad experience when she was little, and it changed her a bit. She's naive and trusting, sad, and puts up with treatment in her life that just isn't right. I kind of liked seeing this vulnerability. Although I admire strong heroines, not everyone is going to be strong that way. It was kind of refreshing to read a book about a character that isn't super strong. Someone that appreciates some protection and care. And Eron is there.
Eron was such an awesome character. Sandmen become so when they die, and Eron died one hundred years ago. So you have a gentleman here who never grew out of his old world ways. It was so endearing to read. Their romance was sweet, but at the same time, fraught with some peril too, as things are out to get them.
I'll definitely be looking for more Cyn Balog books in future!
Julia is definitely someone who needs protection. She had a very bad experience when she was little, and it changed her a bit. She's naive and trusting, sad, and puts up with treatment in her life that just isn't right. I kind of liked seeing this vulnerability. Although I admire strong heroines, not everyone is going to be strong that way. It was kind of refreshing to read a book about a character that isn't super strong. Someone that appreciates some protection and care. And Eron is there.
Eron was such an awesome character. Sandmen become so when they die, and Eron died one hundred years ago. So you have a gentleman here who never grew out of his old world ways. It was so endearing to read. Their romance was sweet, but at the same time, fraught with some peril too, as things are out to get them.
I'll definitely be looking for more Cyn Balog books in future!
April 25, 2010
I read the ARC of this book so don't know what will end up hitting the shelves but based on my copy I can say that it's a nice read.
I really liked the idea of a Sandman falling in love with one of his charges and breaking rules to protect her. I am generally a fan of incorporating folklore into contemporary fiction and building stories around it so here Ms. Balog did well as far as I'm concerned. What I was much less fond of is how from a perfectly satisfying middle of the book where the story developed at a good pace we jumped to the conclusion that felt cut short and rushed and where the main trouble-maker acted completely out of character. I literally turned the last page and wondered "What? That's it? Aren't there supposed to be more chapters?"
The characters are interesting, each with their own voice, and you can see how they change and develop over the course of the story. It would have been great to learn more about them. With the book being as short as it is I feel we've been given a glimpse but there's more to know about every one of them and since I think Ms. Balog does a good job with her characters I bet it would've only made the story better.
Read more of my reviews at Bibliophile's Corner
I really liked the idea of a Sandman falling in love with one of his charges and breaking rules to protect her. I am generally a fan of incorporating folklore into contemporary fiction and building stories around it so here Ms. Balog did well as far as I'm concerned. What I was much less fond of is how from a perfectly satisfying middle of the book where the story developed at a good pace we jumped to the conclusion that felt cut short and rushed and where the main trouble-maker acted completely out of character. I literally turned the last page and wondered "What? That's it? Aren't there supposed to be more chapters?"
The characters are interesting, each with their own voice, and you can see how they change and develop over the course of the story. It would have been great to learn more about them. With the book being as short as it is I feel we've been given a glimpse but there's more to know about every one of them and since I think Ms. Balog does a good job with her characters I bet it would've only made the story better.
Read more of my reviews at Bibliophile's Corner
May 28, 2011
I really wanted to like it but it just wasn't for me.
June 10, 2010
I was raised on a mix of classical music and 50s and 60s hits, with a foray into 40s big band every once in a while. Mix that in with a father who danced my mother around the kitchen and whistled to every tune, and what do you get? A love (or at least a grudging appreciation) for those oldies. I’m still not a huge fan of opera – my mom pushed that – but I find myself humming doo-wop hits more than I’d like to admit. Thanks, Dad.
Predictably, one of my favorite songs to sing to myself is “Mister Sandman.” When I realize I’m doing it, I usually stop guiltily, but there’s no denying that it’ll be in my head forever. So when I heard about the concept of Cyn Balog’s upcoming novel Sleepless, I was understandably intrigued.
Real, live, fiction fantasy Sandmen! That in and of itself gets an A+. And not only because I have a ‘thing’ for Sandmen. But ALSO because it’s (as far as I know) completely original in YA fiction, and Balog creates a plausible mythology for this story.
I think Sleepless has a lot going for it, and the summary/teaser/whatever-you-call-it is certainly appealing. I like the ‘his and hers’ perspective that alternating chapters provide. It allows for wider reader interaction with the characters and storyline, and the changing viewpoints kept me from being too biased towards one character or another. There is satisfying tension and mystery despite the two-narrator system.
With those things said, I did note one weakness. It’s Eron’s voice. I know that it is extremely difficult to replicate the tone, language and speech variance of times gone by, especially in a format that will appeal to a young adult audience. I still felt that Eron sounded stiff, modern and clueless rather than like a man from 1910. It’s probably just me being nit-picky, so if you don’t think it will bother you, pick this book up!
And before I get back to what I liked, I’m going to mention the elephant in the room. I hate to say it (except I don’t – look, I said it last year!), but this book has Twilight-like elements. They’re not all over the place, and no one is going to get sued for copyright infringement, so don’t get your panties in a twist. I just have a few Edward Cullen/Eron De Marchelle similarities to point out:
1. Age. Both gentlemen are over 100. For cereal.
2. Death. They both kicked the bucket in gruesome fashion back in the day, but were ‘saved’ from it.
3. Creepy bedroom stalking scenes. He watches while she sleeps. (I know, it’s kind of the point in Sleepless, but still.)
4. Super-polite behavior. I’m stretching this one, but think of it as a ‘gentleman complex.’
Those things begged to be said. You understand, right? OH! And did I mention the cover artwork?!
Now that I’ve done my duty, I have to tell you one more thing I enjoyed about Sleepless. It was my utter and complete hateration of the character Chimere. Yes, I just used a made-up word in that last sentence. It fit. Don’t argue. Okay, back to Chimere. She is everything I love to hate: inhuman, beautiful, naïve-seeming, and giggly. Plus I think she wears ruffles and corsets a lot (or maybe I’m imagining things). And let’s not even get started on what she actually does and says. Anyway, I quite enjoyed my absurd dislike of Chimere; it made the reading experience a lot of fun to imagine different ways to do her in. If that can even be done. But you know.
So there you have it: Sleepless is a flawed by unique tale that will please fans of the YA paranormal genre. Recommended for incurable romantics, anyone with a Sandman fixation (I know you’re out there – I can’t be the only one!), and readers everywhere looking for a tale to wile away those sleepless hours.
Predictably, one of my favorite songs to sing to myself is “Mister Sandman.” When I realize I’m doing it, I usually stop guiltily, but there’s no denying that it’ll be in my head forever. So when I heard about the concept of Cyn Balog’s upcoming novel Sleepless, I was understandably intrigued.
Real, live, fiction fantasy Sandmen! That in and of itself gets an A+. And not only because I have a ‘thing’ for Sandmen. But ALSO because it’s (as far as I know) completely original in YA fiction, and Balog creates a plausible mythology for this story.
I think Sleepless has a lot going for it, and the summary/teaser/whatever-you-call-it is certainly appealing. I like the ‘his and hers’ perspective that alternating chapters provide. It allows for wider reader interaction with the characters and storyline, and the changing viewpoints kept me from being too biased towards one character or another. There is satisfying tension and mystery despite the two-narrator system.
With those things said, I did note one weakness. It’s Eron’s voice. I know that it is extremely difficult to replicate the tone, language and speech variance of times gone by, especially in a format that will appeal to a young adult audience. I still felt that Eron sounded stiff, modern and clueless rather than like a man from 1910. It’s probably just me being nit-picky, so if you don’t think it will bother you, pick this book up!
And before I get back to what I liked, I’m going to mention the elephant in the room. I hate to say it (except I don’t – look, I said it last year!), but this book has Twilight-like elements. They’re not all over the place, and no one is going to get sued for copyright infringement, so don’t get your panties in a twist. I just have a few Edward Cullen/Eron De Marchelle similarities to point out:
1. Age. Both gentlemen are over 100. For cereal.
2. Death. They both kicked the bucket in gruesome fashion back in the day, but were ‘saved’ from it.
3. Creepy bedroom stalking scenes. He watches while she sleeps. (I know, it’s kind of the point in Sleepless, but still.)
4. Super-polite behavior. I’m stretching this one, but think of it as a ‘gentleman complex.’
Those things begged to be said. You understand, right? OH! And did I mention the cover artwork?!
Now that I’ve done my duty, I have to tell you one more thing I enjoyed about Sleepless. It was my utter and complete hateration of the character Chimere. Yes, I just used a made-up word in that last sentence. It fit. Don’t argue. Okay, back to Chimere. She is everything I love to hate: inhuman, beautiful, naïve-seeming, and giggly. Plus I think she wears ruffles and corsets a lot (or maybe I’m imagining things). And let’s not even get started on what she actually does and says. Anyway, I quite enjoyed my absurd dislike of Chimere; it made the reading experience a lot of fun to imagine different ways to do her in. If that can even be done. But you know.
So there you have it: Sleepless is a flawed by unique tale that will please fans of the YA paranormal genre. Recommended for incurable romantics, anyone with a Sandman fixation (I know you’re out there – I can’t be the only one!), and readers everywhere looking for a tale to wile away those sleepless hours.
December 25, 2010
It’s taken me a long time to write this review. I should have posted it weeks ago, but I couldn’t figure out what to say about this book. I had some strong likes and dislikes and just couldn't figure out how to reconcile them.
Since the moment I heard about this book I had wanted to read it. Sandmen, an existence somewhere between life and death, and a strange love triangle. I was instantly enamored, and, at the same time, concerned this book wouldn’t live up to my expectation.
After all, reading about a book on Amazon is like having a virtual love affair. When the two of you meet, you might have nothing in common. Sometimes you hype someone or something up so much that the reality can’t live up to the fantasy. And a paranormal without vampires, werewolves, or any other traditional creepy crawlies had a lot to live up to. I'm such a skeptical, picky reader that I was pretty sure one of us would be calling a cab mid-date.
Well, I was wrong. It didn't just step outside the box. It shattered the box.
Normally, it takes me a while to sink into a new world. I was shocked at how quickly I was consumed by Cyn Balog’s Sleepless. Her writing is captivating, the concept is unlike anything I’ve seen, and overall it was a quick, fun read.
I was thrust directly into the story, which I always love. Balog wastes no time getting the reader up to speed on what had happened prior to page one. She effortlessly weaves background information and bits and pieces of her mythology into the plot, crafting a beautiful yet lonely world that exists on the fringes of our own.
All Balog's characters have distinct identities that set them apart from one another, but Eron DeMarchelle was by far my favorite. He was well developed within a matter of chapters. I felt like I really got to know him, past and present. By about chapter two or three, I was secretly wishing he was my sandman.
The only problem was that this rapid, in-depth development Eron went through overshadowed other characters, namely Julia and Griffin, who I felt like should have been tracking along with him. As I read, I waded through Julia's chapters while anxiously anticipating Eron's. I couldn't wait to see him again.
Julia failed to engage me in the same way. I didn't feel like I knew as much about her or her motivations. Griffin's character was nearly stagnant, but he had no point-of-view, so I am more forgiving in his case. However, it did contribute to the only other major problem I had with this book.
About six chapters from the end, I thought I was going to walk away satisfied in a way that I hadn't been with a book in a while. It had this beautiful potential for a bittersweet ending, but, in a matter of pages, all of that changed.
In sight distance of the finish line, one of the major players did a total 180 and ruined all hope that the ending would be as original as the premise of the book. I could literally see things changing course, and the worst part is that I cannot attribute this character's change of heart to careful development throughout the book. It came out of nowhere and was less than believable. The sudden turn around made for an ending that was too neatly tied up for my taste.
Sleepless was an enjoyable read, but it left me wanting something more.
Since the moment I heard about this book I had wanted to read it. Sandmen, an existence somewhere between life and death, and a strange love triangle. I was instantly enamored, and, at the same time, concerned this book wouldn’t live up to my expectation.
After all, reading about a book on Amazon is like having a virtual love affair. When the two of you meet, you might have nothing in common. Sometimes you hype someone or something up so much that the reality can’t live up to the fantasy. And a paranormal without vampires, werewolves, or any other traditional creepy crawlies had a lot to live up to. I'm such a skeptical, picky reader that I was pretty sure one of us would be calling a cab mid-date.
Well, I was wrong. It didn't just step outside the box. It shattered the box.
Normally, it takes me a while to sink into a new world. I was shocked at how quickly I was consumed by Cyn Balog’s Sleepless. Her writing is captivating, the concept is unlike anything I’ve seen, and overall it was a quick, fun read.
I was thrust directly into the story, which I always love. Balog wastes no time getting the reader up to speed on what had happened prior to page one. She effortlessly weaves background information and bits and pieces of her mythology into the plot, crafting a beautiful yet lonely world that exists on the fringes of our own.
All Balog's characters have distinct identities that set them apart from one another, but Eron DeMarchelle was by far my favorite. He was well developed within a matter of chapters. I felt like I really got to know him, past and present. By about chapter two or three, I was secretly wishing he was my sandman.
The only problem was that this rapid, in-depth development Eron went through overshadowed other characters, namely Julia and Griffin, who I felt like should have been tracking along with him. As I read, I waded through Julia's chapters while anxiously anticipating Eron's. I couldn't wait to see him again.
Julia failed to engage me in the same way. I didn't feel like I knew as much about her or her motivations. Griffin's character was nearly stagnant, but he had no point-of-view, so I am more forgiving in his case. However, it did contribute to the only other major problem I had with this book.
About six chapters from the end, I thought I was going to walk away satisfied in a way that I hadn't been with a book in a while. It had this beautiful potential for a bittersweet ending, but, in a matter of pages, all of that changed.
In sight distance of the finish line, one of the major players did a total 180 and ruined all hope that the ending would be as original as the premise of the book. I could literally see things changing course, and the worst part is that I cannot attribute this character's change of heart to careful development throughout the book. It came out of nowhere and was less than believable. The sudden turn around made for an ending that was too neatly tied up for my taste.
Sleepless was an enjoyable read, but it left me wanting something more.
November 29, 2011
Eron is a sandman. He has watched over Julia ever since she was a little girl. His term of service is just about up, but his replacement is Julia’s boyfriend, Griffin, who just died in a car crash. Griffin has a hard time following the rules especially when it comes to Julia. If he can’t learn to do his job Eron may be stuck as a sandman for another hundred years. [return][return]I loved CB’s first book Fairy Tale, so I was really looking forward to this book. I was pretty disappointed. For starters, Griffin was obnoxious and so was his friend Brett. We never find out why they are so brutally honest, so nothing redeems them. I'm not sure why Julia hangs out with them. It's never explained why she felt she needed to toughen up. Eron was cute, but so naïve it frustrating. The romance was so contrived. Julia does not interact with Eron so there is no tension or sparks. She didn’t even know him, and suddenly they are together. We barely get to see Eron’s ability to enter dreams, which is how I thought he would interact with Julia. The ending was anticlimactic, it all wrapped up in just a few pages. There is no gradual growth for the characters they just suddenly change and everything works out. There are a few intense situations like kidnapping and stalking. Instead of exploring these experiences, they are just glossed over as if they weren’t really a big deal. All in all a disappointing read.
March 9, 2011
Sleepless tells the dreamy story of Julia and her sandman, Eron. Julia has been having a hard time sleeping because her boyfriend, Griffin, recently died in an accident. Also, Griffin’s best friend is trying to become her new boyfriend. Julia feels lost and vulnerable without Griffin. What a nightmare!
Eron makes an excellent Sandman. He has been a Sandman for many years and Julia has been one of his charges since she was a baby. Isn’t it great to think that a baby has a Sandman? Eron has such great qualities. He can be trusted, he is a gentleman, and he has sweetly fallen for Julia. Oh, and he wears a top hat!
The story really takes off when Griffin finds a way to communicate with Julia. He isn’t exactly the guy that I was expecting and this made me like Eron even more. Griffin, well, it seems that perhaps he has changed since the accident – and not for the better.
The plot is unique with just enough of the unexpected. I wish it were longer so I could read even more about Eron. Overall, I enjoyed this enchanting story of a Sandman and the girl he dreams of.
RATING
4 Liked
COVER COMMENTS
Sleepless is told in alternating points of view. Eron’s chapters have a moon and Julia’s have a flower. The cover is a perfect fit. I love that pretty pink too!
Eron makes an excellent Sandman. He has been a Sandman for many years and Julia has been one of his charges since she was a baby. Isn’t it great to think that a baby has a Sandman? Eron has such great qualities. He can be trusted, he is a gentleman, and he has sweetly fallen for Julia. Oh, and he wears a top hat!
The story really takes off when Griffin finds a way to communicate with Julia. He isn’t exactly the guy that I was expecting and this made me like Eron even more. Griffin, well, it seems that perhaps he has changed since the accident – and not for the better.
The plot is unique with just enough of the unexpected. I wish it were longer so I could read even more about Eron. Overall, I enjoyed this enchanting story of a Sandman and the girl he dreams of.
RATING
4 Liked
COVER COMMENTS
Sleepless is told in alternating points of view. Eron’s chapters have a moon and Julia’s have a flower. The cover is a perfect fit. I love that pretty pink too!
August 11, 2010
Sleepless is a quick, light, fun read. I really liked it, it just wasn't amazing. It needed to be longer. The ending was too short and abrupt, and should have been explained more. I really liked the idea of the story, it's very original. The execution of it was okay, but it could have been better. The characters were okay, just didn't seem to have a lot of development in them. Eron was very nice and sweet. At first, he just seemed weird, but then later he turned into one of those swoon worthy characters, with his 1900's courtesy, and had me smiling. I liked the romance between Eron and Julia, but more of it would have been nice. Overall, a nice, quick read.
August 28, 2010
I will come right out and confess that I am not well-read when it comes to the paranormal romance genre. Reading YA is a new thing for me this year and I've been turning my nose up to most paranormal books because I thought they would all be overdone with vampires and werewolves. Don't get me wrong. I like those things in moderation but I get a little bored when everything seems like I'm rereading Twilight over and over again. Call me a book snob if you wish.
Upon reading the description of this book and hearing excellent things about it, I decided to shell out the money and dabble in a little bit of paranormal romance. The premise of this book is certainly unique and made me excited to get started as soon as I got home from PAYA. Instead of vampires and werewolves, Cyn Balog creates a world around those who bring sleep to humans--also known as the Sandman! *waits for you to get the "Mr. Sandman" song out of your head* Our beloved Sandman is Eron and one of the humans he is assigned to seduce to sleep is Julia--a girl who is considered an outcast by her schoolmates and suppresses her emotions by jokes and sarcasm. Eron has a strong connection with Julia--more than a Sandman should ever have with one of his humans. Eron, who was once a human, faces making the transition back to becoming a human after completing his 100 years as a Sandman. He is troubled by his new replacement as well as dangers that he wants to protect Julia from but can't due to rules that forbid it.
This book was such a compelling read. I read it in the course of one day and I just loved the idea of this world of the Sandman. Props to Cyn Balog for originality! I really liked the characters of Eron and Julia. Eron was such a charming character and I felt like Balog really created a vivid picture of him in my head. Sometimes he seemed a little too perfect but I got over that pretty quickly. Julia was a very complex character that was written very well. Her facade quickly crumbles and we learn who she really is after the death of her boyfriend Griffon (not a spoiler!). The story unfolded through alternating chapters and I was more than pleased with how Balog was able to smoothly go from Julia to Eron, as there is nothing I hate more than a jarring transition between point of views.
I was quickly on my way to slapping a whopping 5/5 stars on this and serving it to you all on a shiny, silver platter that would cause you all to be flocking to your local bookstores to make this your next read. But then--much to my dismay-- a few issues prevented this from happening.
1. The ending! I was starting to get panicky towards the end as I was realizing how few pages were left. I could not comprehend how this could be resolved with what was left. I started checking to make sure I wasn't missing pages or that this was part of a planned series. I could feel the anxiety level rising and sadly this was the end indeed. I felt the ending was rushed and some of the character's actions were too contrived, just for the sake of ending it neatly. (I'm talking about the ending with Griffon and how he went from one emotion to the next and finally gave in without a fight)
2. I felt like for the most part Balog did a really great job with Eron's transition into being a human. A few minuscule parts, however, did not feel believable. I find it hard to believe that after observing humans for a hundred years that he was so bewildered by a BUS! I mean, he had clearly seen cars before. This shouldn't have been a big deal but he sat there acting like it was a giant cheeseburger flying through the air. I understand that he didn't get some of the intricacies of how human speech had evolved or the trends but that part just didn't seem believable to me.
I really did enjoy this book and think that the concept of the book was one of the most unique out there! Had it not been for the things I mentioned above, I would have happily given it 5 stars as it really would have deserved it. Balog has a knack for writing a compelling storyline and sucking you far into it. If you are a paranormal romance fan, this is a MUST read! If you are not really a paranormal fan, I'd read a few other things and THEN read this so that you will appreciate a truly unique story in what has become a very saturated "market".
Upon reading the description of this book and hearing excellent things about it, I decided to shell out the money and dabble in a little bit of paranormal romance. The premise of this book is certainly unique and made me excited to get started as soon as I got home from PAYA. Instead of vampires and werewolves, Cyn Balog creates a world around those who bring sleep to humans--also known as the Sandman! *waits for you to get the "Mr. Sandman" song out of your head* Our beloved Sandman is Eron and one of the humans he is assigned to seduce to sleep is Julia--a girl who is considered an outcast by her schoolmates and suppresses her emotions by jokes and sarcasm. Eron has a strong connection with Julia--more than a Sandman should ever have with one of his humans. Eron, who was once a human, faces making the transition back to becoming a human after completing his 100 years as a Sandman. He is troubled by his new replacement as well as dangers that he wants to protect Julia from but can't due to rules that forbid it.
This book was such a compelling read. I read it in the course of one day and I just loved the idea of this world of the Sandman. Props to Cyn Balog for originality! I really liked the characters of Eron and Julia. Eron was such a charming character and I felt like Balog really created a vivid picture of him in my head. Sometimes he seemed a little too perfect but I got over that pretty quickly. Julia was a very complex character that was written very well. Her facade quickly crumbles and we learn who she really is after the death of her boyfriend Griffon (not a spoiler!). The story unfolded through alternating chapters and I was more than pleased with how Balog was able to smoothly go from Julia to Eron, as there is nothing I hate more than a jarring transition between point of views.
I was quickly on my way to slapping a whopping 5/5 stars on this and serving it to you all on a shiny, silver platter that would cause you all to be flocking to your local bookstores to make this your next read. But then--much to my dismay-- a few issues prevented this from happening.
1. The ending! I was starting to get panicky towards the end as I was realizing how few pages were left. I could not comprehend how this could be resolved with what was left. I started checking to make sure I wasn't missing pages or that this was part of a planned series. I could feel the anxiety level rising and sadly this was the end indeed. I felt the ending was rushed and some of the character's actions were too contrived, just for the sake of ending it neatly. (I'm talking about the ending with Griffon and how he went from one emotion to the next and finally gave in without a fight)
2. I felt like for the most part Balog did a really great job with Eron's transition into being a human. A few minuscule parts, however, did not feel believable. I find it hard to believe that after observing humans for a hundred years that he was so bewildered by a BUS! I mean, he had clearly seen cars before. This shouldn't have been a big deal but he sat there acting like it was a giant cheeseburger flying through the air. I understand that he didn't get some of the intricacies of how human speech had evolved or the trends but that part just didn't seem believable to me.
I really did enjoy this book and think that the concept of the book was one of the most unique out there! Had it not been for the things I mentioned above, I would have happily given it 5 stars as it really would have deserved it. Balog has a knack for writing a compelling storyline and sucking you far into it. If you are a paranormal romance fan, this is a MUST read! If you are not really a paranormal fan, I'd read a few other things and THEN read this so that you will appreciate a truly unique story in what has become a very saturated "market".
January 29, 2016
I was excited about Cyn Balog's novel Sleepless right from the beginning because of the fresh, fabulous-sounding premise, and I'm happy to say that it does not disappoint!
The narrative alternates between Eron and Julia's perspectives in a style that really works for this book. Both Eron's and Julia's voices are true to the times they were raised in - Eron's is decidedly old-fashioned, and Julia's very much 21st-century. The characters Cyn Balog creates are delightful, multi-faceted personalities (with the possible exceptions of Bret and Griffin, who, let's face it, the reader isn't really intended to like.)
I enjoyed Eron's voice right away; it was such a refreshing change from the modern viewpoint of Julia. True, he's a bit opinionated and stuck-up sometimes, but he really does care a great deal for Julia as well as his other charges, and his chivalrous attitude stands out in stark contrast with Griffin's crude manners. Also, I loved seeing him react to the modern world and all its conveniences for the first time!
Julia's character, on the other hand, it took me longer to warm up to, although eventually I did. I found her somewhat irritating at the beginning, mostly because I didn't understand why she would want to date a guy like Griffin to begin with (who seemed like a jerk!) But once we get a little more background to her story and what has shaped her outlook on life, it makes more sense. Her personality is gradually fleshed out through her interactions with her mother, Bret, and Eron, and it's great to see her realizing that what Griffin once offered her she doesn't want or need anymore.
The mystery of Julia's past added another angle to the story that kept me reading, although I think it was dragged out a bit too long before the truth was revealed. Still, as a hook it definitely worked! Suspense was also added in the form of a love...pentagon? Griffin's still in love with Julia, but so is his best friend Bret; Julia's not really sure who she's in love with; Eron knows exactly who he cares for but for him it's forbidden. Add to this Chimere, one of the Original Sleepbringers (who was never human) who seems to be making a play for both Eron and Griffin, and you have quite a tangled web of romance.
I really liked seeing the world of the Sandmen the author creates; it brings to life the Sandman folklore and makes it a good deal more complex. The Sleepbringers have certain talents (for instance, speaking through dreams and turning invisible) and also certain rules they must follow (no touching humans or human objects). If I have one complaint about this it's that I'd like to better understand how the Sandman's presence in dreams works. Why Julia didn't recognize Eron the first time she saw him, given that later she remembers he's the one who took her places in her dreams? Also, how does Eron manage to wake Julia up when Griffin's her Sandman and Eron is human?
The more serious concern I have is the ending, which was just a bit too pat for believability. The romances are all straightened out with amazingly little difficulty (considering how complicated everything was) and Julia's past is not explained fully enough for my taste. Then everything wraps up really quickly - abruptly, in fact - without even mentioning what happens to one of the relatively important characters. It felt a bit like the author needed to finish it all of a sudden to meet a deadline! Some more resolution tying the loose threads together - preferably with Julia's history - would have been greatly appreciated.
Overall, though, this is a fantastic addition to the YA fantasy genre because it is such an intriguing concept. Sandmen have never been done before as far as I know, but Cyn Balog's book could certainly spark some more on the topic!
My rating: 4 out of 5 shooting stars.
The narrative alternates between Eron and Julia's perspectives in a style that really works for this book. Both Eron's and Julia's voices are true to the times they were raised in - Eron's is decidedly old-fashioned, and Julia's very much 21st-century. The characters Cyn Balog creates are delightful, multi-faceted personalities (with the possible exceptions of Bret and Griffin, who, let's face it, the reader isn't really intended to like.)
I enjoyed Eron's voice right away; it was such a refreshing change from the modern viewpoint of Julia. True, he's a bit opinionated and stuck-up sometimes, but he really does care a great deal for Julia as well as his other charges, and his chivalrous attitude stands out in stark contrast with Griffin's crude manners. Also, I loved seeing him react to the modern world and all its conveniences for the first time!
Julia's character, on the other hand, it took me longer to warm up to, although eventually I did. I found her somewhat irritating at the beginning, mostly because I didn't understand why she would want to date a guy like Griffin to begin with (who seemed like a jerk!) But once we get a little more background to her story and what has shaped her outlook on life, it makes more sense. Her personality is gradually fleshed out through her interactions with her mother, Bret, and Eron, and it's great to see her realizing that what Griffin once offered her she doesn't want or need anymore.
The mystery of Julia's past added another angle to the story that kept me reading, although I think it was dragged out a bit too long before the truth was revealed. Still, as a hook it definitely worked! Suspense was also added in the form of a love...pentagon? Griffin's still in love with Julia, but so is his best friend Bret; Julia's not really sure who she's in love with; Eron knows exactly who he cares for but for him it's forbidden. Add to this Chimere, one of the Original Sleepbringers (who was never human) who seems to be making a play for both Eron and Griffin, and you have quite a tangled web of romance.
I really liked seeing the world of the Sandmen the author creates; it brings to life the Sandman folklore and makes it a good deal more complex. The Sleepbringers have certain talents (for instance, speaking through dreams and turning invisible) and also certain rules they must follow (no touching humans or human objects). If I have one complaint about this it's that I'd like to better understand how the Sandman's presence in dreams works. Why Julia didn't recognize Eron the first time she saw him, given that later she remembers he's the one who took her places in her dreams? Also, how does Eron manage to wake Julia up when Griffin's her Sandman and Eron is human?
The more serious concern I have is the ending, which was just a bit too pat for believability. The romances are all straightened out with amazingly little difficulty (considering how complicated everything was) and Julia's past is not explained fully enough for my taste. Then everything wraps up really quickly - abruptly, in fact - without even mentioning what happens to one of the relatively important characters. It felt a bit like the author needed to finish it all of a sudden to meet a deadline! Some more resolution tying the loose threads together - preferably with Julia's history - would have been greatly appreciated.
Overall, though, this is a fantastic addition to the YA fantasy genre because it is such an intriguing concept. Sandmen have never been done before as far as I know, but Cyn Balog's book could certainly spark some more on the topic!
My rating: 4 out of 5 shooting stars.
July 12, 2011
Eron DeMarchelle isn't supposed to feel this connection. He is a Sandman, a supernatural being whose purpose is to seduce his human charges to sleep. Though he can communicate with his charges in their dreams, he isn't encouraged to do so. After all, becoming too involved in one human's life could prevent him from helping others get their needed rest.
But he can't deny that he feels something for Julia, a lonely girl with fiery red hair and sad dreams. Just weeks ago, her boyfriend died in a car accident, and Eron can tell that she feels more alone than ever. Eron was human once too, many years ago, and he remembers how it felt to lose the one he loved. In the past, Eron has broken rules to protect Julia, but now, when she seems to need him more than ever, he can't reach her. Eron's time as a Sandman is coming to a close, and his replacement doesn't seem to care about his charges. Worse, Julia is facing dangers she doesn't recognize, and Eron, as he transitions back to being human, may be the only one who can save her. . . .
Even once they've become human again, Sandmen are forbidden to communicate with their charges. But Eron knows he won't be able to forget Julia. Will he risk everything for a chance to be with the girl he loves?
Cyn Balog's follow-up to Fairy Tale has more wit, more supernatural delights, and more star-crossed romance! Teen girls will love this story of a Sandman who falls in love with his human charge.
I really liked this book. It was different; I certainly haven't ever come across another book like it, have you? The whole Sandman concept had me intrigued from the start, it was definitely highly original.
Sleepless was told in alternating views: Eron and Julia. In being written this way, the reader is able to get into each character's head and see what makes them tick. You learn about their past in bits and pieces. For example, Julia. She has those three scars on her face that she is always trying to hide and at first, she doesn't explain how she got them, all you know is that something bad happened when she was young. That leaves the mind wandering, wondering what could have happened that was so bad. And with Eron, you don't find out how he dies right away. I actually almost missed the subtle explanation he gave. I found I adored Eron; he had the certain quality that comes with being in a new century that made him so adorable. The poor guy had been dead for over 100 years so he would clearly be facing some challenges during his transition back to human. I thought he was sweet, with his old school ways; it was hard not to love him.
Griffin and Brett-well, Griffin seemed kind of like a jerk to me, but I think he really did care about Julia which is what drove him so crazy. I felt sort of bad for him: first for watching his best friend (Brett) pining after his girlfriend shortly after he does, and then realizing that Eron and Julia were falling for each other and he might actually make her happy. Brett, well I felt bad for him too. Always being the "goofy side-kick" and never getting the girl, living in the shadow of his best friend. I would have liked to know what happened to him at the end of the story, but I'm glad that he seemed to work things out with Julia towards the end; he really did seem like a good guy, just a little lost.
The only thing that I really didn't love about this book was the ending. I mean, it was an okay ending, but it seemed like it was just that: an ending. I feel like it could have explained a little more, maybe what happened after Julia hit Eron, and if Griffin ever adjusted fully to becoming a Sandman. But overall, it was a good, quick read. A 3.5 or 4 on my scale. :)
But he can't deny that he feels something for Julia, a lonely girl with fiery red hair and sad dreams. Just weeks ago, her boyfriend died in a car accident, and Eron can tell that she feels more alone than ever. Eron was human once too, many years ago, and he remembers how it felt to lose the one he loved. In the past, Eron has broken rules to protect Julia, but now, when she seems to need him more than ever, he can't reach her. Eron's time as a Sandman is coming to a close, and his replacement doesn't seem to care about his charges. Worse, Julia is facing dangers she doesn't recognize, and Eron, as he transitions back to being human, may be the only one who can save her. . . .
Even once they've become human again, Sandmen are forbidden to communicate with their charges. But Eron knows he won't be able to forget Julia. Will he risk everything for a chance to be with the girl he loves?
Cyn Balog's follow-up to Fairy Tale has more wit, more supernatural delights, and more star-crossed romance! Teen girls will love this story of a Sandman who falls in love with his human charge.
I really liked this book. It was different; I certainly haven't ever come across another book like it, have you? The whole Sandman concept had me intrigued from the start, it was definitely highly original.
Sleepless was told in alternating views: Eron and Julia. In being written this way, the reader is able to get into each character's head and see what makes them tick. You learn about their past in bits and pieces. For example, Julia. She has those three scars on her face that she is always trying to hide and at first, she doesn't explain how she got them, all you know is that something bad happened when she was young. That leaves the mind wandering, wondering what could have happened that was so bad. And with Eron, you don't find out how he dies right away. I actually almost missed the subtle explanation he gave. I found I adored Eron; he had the certain quality that comes with being in a new century that made him so adorable. The poor guy had been dead for over 100 years so he would clearly be facing some challenges during his transition back to human. I thought he was sweet, with his old school ways; it was hard not to love him.
Griffin and Brett-well, Griffin seemed kind of like a jerk to me, but I think he really did care about Julia which is what drove him so crazy. I felt sort of bad for him: first for watching his best friend (Brett) pining after his girlfriend shortly after he does, and then realizing that Eron and Julia were falling for each other and he might actually make her happy. Brett, well I felt bad for him too. Always being the "goofy side-kick" and never getting the girl, living in the shadow of his best friend. I would have liked to know what happened to him at the end of the story, but I'm glad that he seemed to work things out with Julia towards the end; he really did seem like a good guy, just a little lost.
The only thing that I really didn't love about this book was the ending. I mean, it was an okay ending, but it seemed like it was just that: an ending. I feel like it could have explained a little more, maybe what happened after Julia hit Eron, and if Griffin ever adjusted fully to becoming a Sandman. But overall, it was a good, quick read. A 3.5 or 4 on my scale. :)
August 14, 2010
I was really excited to read this one, loved the idea of a Sandman~something I haven’t read before~ and thought it had the potential to be a unique and imaginative read.
Not so much.
See, Eron has been a Sandman for almost 100 years, helping his charges go to sleep (referred to as “seducing” them) and seeing into their dreams. So far so good. Where it all started to fall apart for me was when he acted surprised at seeing cars and the way girls dress “nowadays.” You would think after watching people for so long, these things wouldn’t be so shocking. He’s had YEARS to see the changes so this just didn’t sit well with me, not believable at all.
I was really disappointed with what we get to see of the life of Sandmen too. The author had a chance to build a whole new world for them to exist in, but all the Sandmen do when they’re not seducing their charges is SIT IN TREES. Good God, how dull. Such a missed opportunity here. It would have been infinitely more interesting if the Sandmen actually had a world all their own, but no. There they sit. In the trees. Day after day.
As for Julia…the book hints (for a very long time before the reveal) that she went through something traumatic when she was seven years old. Because of this, she has been somewhat of a social outcast, not fitting in and having no friends. Again, I found THIS very unbelievable as well. Teenagers are not the horrible people they are so often made out to be in YA books. Considering what happened to Julia, I think most kids would have way bigger hearts and be better people and actually befriend her. I have a teenage daughter and neither her nor her friends would be so awful to someone.
To be completely honest, by the end of the book I didn’t even LIKE the idea of a Sandman anymore. There is one scene where two Sandmen are watching over Julia as she sleeps and it was actually, well…icky. The idea of two guys you can’t see in your room at night felt just downright creepy.
SPOILER ALERT!!!!
I can’t finish up this review without mentioning one other thing that bothered me. Julia’s boyfriend dies in the first chapter of the book and ends up becoming a Sandman. Now he never comes across as having been the greatest guy while he was alive, but as a Sandman he’s downright psychotic. See, his best friend wants to get involved with Julia and yeah, he’s a little pushy about it. We never quite know if he’s actually dangerous or just in love with Julia, but he (Julia’s now dead boyfriend) freaks the hell out and want his best friend KILLED. Seriously? This felt so extreme and out of character that I almost stopped reading. It’s one thing to be upset about something, but to have a pretty normal guy decide he wants his best friend dead was just too much for me.
So to sum it up, sorry, just can’t recommend this one. It was a great initial concept that just didn’t live up to its potential, damaged by poor characterization and lack of creativity.
Not so much.
See, Eron has been a Sandman for almost 100 years, helping his charges go to sleep (referred to as “seducing” them) and seeing into their dreams. So far so good. Where it all started to fall apart for me was when he acted surprised at seeing cars and the way girls dress “nowadays.” You would think after watching people for so long, these things wouldn’t be so shocking. He’s had YEARS to see the changes so this just didn’t sit well with me, not believable at all.
I was really disappointed with what we get to see of the life of Sandmen too. The author had a chance to build a whole new world for them to exist in, but all the Sandmen do when they’re not seducing their charges is SIT IN TREES. Good God, how dull. Such a missed opportunity here. It would have been infinitely more interesting if the Sandmen actually had a world all their own, but no. There they sit. In the trees. Day after day.
As for Julia…the book hints (for a very long time before the reveal) that she went through something traumatic when she was seven years old. Because of this, she has been somewhat of a social outcast, not fitting in and having no friends. Again, I found THIS very unbelievable as well. Teenagers are not the horrible people they are so often made out to be in YA books. Considering what happened to Julia, I think most kids would have way bigger hearts and be better people and actually befriend her. I have a teenage daughter and neither her nor her friends would be so awful to someone.
To be completely honest, by the end of the book I didn’t even LIKE the idea of a Sandman anymore. There is one scene where two Sandmen are watching over Julia as she sleeps and it was actually, well…icky. The idea of two guys you can’t see in your room at night felt just downright creepy.
SPOILER ALERT!!!!
I can’t finish up this review without mentioning one other thing that bothered me. Julia’s boyfriend dies in the first chapter of the book and ends up becoming a Sandman. Now he never comes across as having been the greatest guy while he was alive, but as a Sandman he’s downright psychotic. See, his best friend wants to get involved with Julia and yeah, he’s a little pushy about it. We never quite know if he’s actually dangerous or just in love with Julia, but he (Julia’s now dead boyfriend) freaks the hell out and want his best friend KILLED. Seriously? This felt so extreme and out of character that I almost stopped reading. It’s one thing to be upset about something, but to have a pretty normal guy decide he wants his best friend dead was just too much for me.
So to sum it up, sorry, just can’t recommend this one. It was a great initial concept that just didn’t live up to its potential, damaged by poor characterization and lack of creativity.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 6, 2010
It used to be that if I didn’t like a book within the first fifty pages, I would stop reading and move on to the next one. It seems silly doesn’t it? I mean with some books it takes a hundred pages or more before the story really starts to pick up and things get interesting. However, there are still those books, such as Sleepless, where you try your damnedest to give the book a shot, to not judge it too soon, but by the end you just wind up feeling as though the book was undeserving of your time and attention. As it was, I didn’t even make it through the whole story. I skimmed the last eighty pages, just to see how it ended. While the idea of Sleepless and sandmen is interesting, the plot was almost non-existent and the characters were irritating and unlikable.
At barely over 200 pages, we as readers learn little about the characters other than that they are impulsive, selfish, and at times violent. The story focuses on Julia, a girl in high school who recently lost her boyfriend in a car accident, and Eron, a sandman who has performed his duties for a hundred years and is ready to move onto the next phase of his life—to become human again. Certain humans who are near death are given the choice to move on to the afterlife or become a sandman, and once they have completed their service they are given a second chance at life. It is Eron’s job to train the next sandman (Julia’s recently departed boyfriend, Griffin) before he can fully transition to the next stage of his life. The one thing that both men have in common is that they are madly in love with Julia and neither is willing to let her go. That’s where the similarities end.
Griffin is a jerk who treated Julia like crud when he was alive (I love how this behavior is somehow justified when she claims that he toughened her up and gave her a thicker skin) and even worse as a sandman. You know that Griffin is truly a winner when he plots the murder of his best friend, simply because he was making advances towards his former girlfriend. As for Eron… well… he is just dull and annoying, and at times even a little bit creepy. Eron describes putting people to sleep as seducing his charges into slumber. Yuck. Helping someone sleep should not be confused as a sexual act, which is exactly what happens when Eron is trying to show Griffin how to perform his duties. As for plot, there really wasn’t much there. First Julie is in danger from Griffin’s best friend. Then Julie is in danger from Griffin. Eron has elected himself her personal hero and must protect her from both. Insert some false alarms and then throw in a little danger and wah lah, you have Sleepless!
At barely over 200 pages, we as readers learn little about the characters other than that they are impulsive, selfish, and at times violent. The story focuses on Julia, a girl in high school who recently lost her boyfriend in a car accident, and Eron, a sandman who has performed his duties for a hundred years and is ready to move onto the next phase of his life—to become human again. Certain humans who are near death are given the choice to move on to the afterlife or become a sandman, and once they have completed their service they are given a second chance at life. It is Eron’s job to train the next sandman (Julia’s recently departed boyfriend, Griffin) before he can fully transition to the next stage of his life. The one thing that both men have in common is that they are madly in love with Julia and neither is willing to let her go. That’s where the similarities end.
Griffin is a jerk who treated Julia like crud when he was alive (I love how this behavior is somehow justified when she claims that he toughened her up and gave her a thicker skin) and even worse as a sandman. You know that Griffin is truly a winner when he plots the murder of his best friend, simply because he was making advances towards his former girlfriend. As for Eron… well… he is just dull and annoying, and at times even a little bit creepy. Eron describes putting people to sleep as seducing his charges into slumber. Yuck. Helping someone sleep should not be confused as a sexual act, which is exactly what happens when Eron is trying to show Griffin how to perform his duties. As for plot, there really wasn’t much there. First Julie is in danger from Griffin’s best friend. Then Julie is in danger from Griffin. Eron has elected himself her personal hero and must protect her from both. Insert some false alarms and then throw in a little danger and wah lah, you have Sleepless!
December 23, 2011
Maybe because this wasn't my first Cyn Balog book, but I really wasn't put off by the really short length, the rushed climax, or the odd characters. For me, these were all a part of the book's charm.
I've read a lot of negative reviews about this book (indeed, about most of Balog's books), but I have to say that I really enjoy her unique takes on fantasy elements. This book is centered around paranormal creatures called Sandmen that put us to sleep through means of "seduction," which is pretty much just coaxing people to sleep. Sandmen have certain "charges" that they take care of, and they're only assigned to people that they would find physically attractive in real life.
Our main Sandman is Eron, who was a really interesting protagonist. He's been a Sandman for 99 years, and he's about to be turned human again. Over the course of his time as a Sandman, he's fallen for one of his charges, Julia. He's risked a lot for her, but we're not told just how much until halfway through the book.
Eron was probably my favorite character. I liked his old-world values and way of talking, and the fact that he wore spats. (Umm...cool!)
I enjoyed watching his return to being human. And I guess that maybe his interest in Julia was a little creepy since he had watched over since she was a little girl, but I never got a creeper vibe from him - he was too innocent. And I think that's why I really liked him; he was just a nice guy.
Julia was pretty average. She didn't really resonate with me, but I didn't dislike her either. I found her relationship with Griffin to be a little unhealthy, but I think that's dealt with well in the story. I did like, however, that she has a normal job and big aspirations. Her character felt very true to life.
In regards to the main criticisms of this book (namely, that it's too short and underdeveloped, and that the climax is rushed), I'll just say that I never felt the story rushed. But again, that could be because I've read a Balog book before and knew what to expect. Her pacing is very clipped, and there isn't a lot of lengthy conversations or much direct action. There are a lot of internal monologues and memories, but I thought they were really interesting.
I liked the length of this book. It's like a fun-size candy bar: short, sweet, and over before you know it. Sleepless was a lot like brain candy for me. There were quite a few funny bits, and I really enjoyed reading Eron's POV. I look forward to reading more of Cyn Balog's books in the future.
I've read a lot of negative reviews about this book (indeed, about most of Balog's books), but I have to say that I really enjoy her unique takes on fantasy elements. This book is centered around paranormal creatures called Sandmen that put us to sleep through means of "seduction," which is pretty much just coaxing people to sleep. Sandmen have certain "charges" that they take care of, and they're only assigned to people that they would find physically attractive in real life.
Our main Sandman is Eron, who was a really interesting protagonist. He's been a Sandman for 99 years, and he's about to be turned human again. Over the course of his time as a Sandman, he's fallen for one of his charges, Julia. He's risked a lot for her, but we're not told just how much until halfway through the book.
Eron was probably my favorite character. I liked his old-world values and way of talking, and the fact that he wore spats. (Umm...cool!)
I enjoyed watching his return to being human. And I guess that maybe his interest in Julia was a little creepy since he had watched over since she was a little girl, but I never got a creeper vibe from him - he was too innocent. And I think that's why I really liked him; he was just a nice guy.
Julia was pretty average. She didn't really resonate with me, but I didn't dislike her either. I found her relationship with Griffin to be a little unhealthy, but I think that's dealt with well in the story. I did like, however, that she has a normal job and big aspirations. Her character felt very true to life.
In regards to the main criticisms of this book (namely, that it's too short and underdeveloped, and that the climax is rushed), I'll just say that I never felt the story rushed. But again, that could be because I've read a Balog book before and knew what to expect. Her pacing is very clipped, and there isn't a lot of lengthy conversations or much direct action. There are a lot of internal monologues and memories, but I thought they were really interesting.
I liked the length of this book. It's like a fun-size candy bar: short, sweet, and over before you know it. Sleepless was a lot like brain candy for me. There were quite a few funny bits, and I really enjoyed reading Eron's POV. I look forward to reading more of Cyn Balog's books in the future.
July 4, 2010
Sleepless was a witty, exciting and refreshing YA novel. It literally kept me sleepless until I finished it. The plot was absorbing and uniquely crafted. The idea of a Sandman soothing humans to sleep was magical yet innocent. I am sure some of you remember the Sandman childhood folk story. Seeing it come to life in YA was incredibly entertaining and fun! Now, Eron, was by far an amazing character and Sandman. His personality was filled with elegance and style. In my eyes, he was the ultimate, old-fashioned, heartthrob. Julia, the female protagonist was strong-willed and likable. The dual narration between the two distinct voices was well-written and the transitions between scenes were organized.
Eron was Julia's Sandman, every night his duty was to soothe her to sleep without touching or causing her distress. He loved her from afar and hoped to one day meet her once his Sandman commitment of 100 years was finalized. The twist came along once Julia's boyfriend, Griffin tragically passed and was brought into the world that Eron lived in. In order for Eron to transform back into humanity he had to teach Griffin to let go of his anger and soothe Julia in her sleepy state. Throughout Eron's transition he sometimes had the opportunity to fill his human form for a couple of hours. That is where him and Julia had a chance to re-acquaint themselves in reality. Their chemistry was magnificent and infectious. I couldn't stop smiling whenever they were around each other.
The journey for Eron was difficult due to a few people who were holding him back. I enjoyed watching his fight to be with Julia. I found pleasure in the thought that true love existed in this novel. The ending had an "Oh Hell No" moment but then left me feeling ecstatic. Honestly, after I finished the book I hugged it. I don't normally do that so that's how significant this book was to me. I loved every minute of this fast-paced story with exceptionally likable characters. It warmed my heart and I really am yearning for a sequel. Although, I don't think Cyn Balog will be writing one since the novel ended without any cliffhangers. On the whole, a fantastic read with an original interpretation of the Sandman.
Eron was Julia's Sandman, every night his duty was to soothe her to sleep without touching or causing her distress. He loved her from afar and hoped to one day meet her once his Sandman commitment of 100 years was finalized. The twist came along once Julia's boyfriend, Griffin tragically passed and was brought into the world that Eron lived in. In order for Eron to transform back into humanity he had to teach Griffin to let go of his anger and soothe Julia in her sleepy state. Throughout Eron's transition he sometimes had the opportunity to fill his human form for a couple of hours. That is where him and Julia had a chance to re-acquaint themselves in reality. Their chemistry was magnificent and infectious. I couldn't stop smiling whenever they were around each other.
The journey for Eron was difficult due to a few people who were holding him back. I enjoyed watching his fight to be with Julia. I found pleasure in the thought that true love existed in this novel. The ending had an "Oh Hell No" moment but then left me feeling ecstatic. Honestly, after I finished the book I hugged it. I don't normally do that so that's how significant this book was to me. I loved every minute of this fast-paced story with exceptionally likable characters. It warmed my heart and I really am yearning for a sequel. Although, I don't think Cyn Balog will be writing one since the novel ended without any cliffhangers. On the whole, a fantastic read with an original interpretation of the Sandman.
July 22, 2010
Okay, this book is great! After Julia's boyfriend, Griffin, dies in a tragic accident, things go all wrong. People are getting the wrong impression from her mourning and just wants everything to go back to the way it use to be. Bret, Griffin's best friend, begins hanging out more with Julia. Griffin now a sandman is having a hard time adjusting to his new life and that means watching Julia.
Eron has been a sandman for a century and is Griffin's mentor. He has also watched Julia for a long time. He cares for her deeply and is waiting for the training to be done so he can have a chance with Julia. But with Griffin messing in a world he longer belongs in, trouble begins to brew.
Julia has never had a dream about Griffin. Now all of the sudden he begins showing up in her dreams angry. Personal items are being misplaced and some things changed. Julia suspects she is being haunted by her dead ex-boyfriend but dismisses the idea. All she knows is something is not right.
First off, Eron was such a great character and a guy (if I was not married) I would totally date. He is respectful, trustworthy, and very gentlemanly. He is very courteous with Julia and wants nothing more but to protect her, guide her. I did laugh and felt sorry for him at the same time because of the way he was being treated. Here was a young man, who has been dead since the 1900's and has no idea of the way of the world today. I wanted badly to step inside the book and help the guy out. After all, he doesn't know what to do.
This book is everything I thought it would be. Adventurous, witty, and great writing. I love the plot and the many twist in the story. I like how she worked with two different characters, from two different worlds. The twist in the story were out of this world. Dreams to nightmares. Risking everything your worked for to protect another. Cyn did a fabulous job. I could not be happier with her book.
If you have not, check this book out. It is simply an amazing read that will have a hold on you. Cyn's unique interpretation of the Sandman was nothing that I have seen before. Sleepless is definitely a book to read this summer.
Eron has been a sandman for a century and is Griffin's mentor. He has also watched Julia for a long time. He cares for her deeply and is waiting for the training to be done so he can have a chance with Julia. But with Griffin messing in a world he longer belongs in, trouble begins to brew.
Julia has never had a dream about Griffin. Now all of the sudden he begins showing up in her dreams angry. Personal items are being misplaced and some things changed. Julia suspects she is being haunted by her dead ex-boyfriend but dismisses the idea. All she knows is something is not right.
First off, Eron was such a great character and a guy (if I was not married) I would totally date. He is respectful, trustworthy, and very gentlemanly. He is very courteous with Julia and wants nothing more but to protect her, guide her. I did laugh and felt sorry for him at the same time because of the way he was being treated. Here was a young man, who has been dead since the 1900's and has no idea of the way of the world today. I wanted badly to step inside the book and help the guy out. After all, he doesn't know what to do.
This book is everything I thought it would be. Adventurous, witty, and great writing. I love the plot and the many twist in the story. I like how she worked with two different characters, from two different worlds. The twist in the story were out of this world. Dreams to nightmares. Risking everything your worked for to protect another. Cyn did a fabulous job. I could not be happier with her book.
If you have not, check this book out. It is simply an amazing read that will have a hold on you. Cyn's unique interpretation of the Sandman was nothing that I have seen before. Sleepless is definitely a book to read this summer.
January 21, 2011
I'm kind of an idiot.
I thought that Sleepless was a sequel to Fairy Tale, but it seems that both of these books are stand alone. Which I'm more than okay with, because I keep getting drawn to series, and need to stop doing that.
I liked this one a little more than her previous book; the concept of Sandmen isn't something that I've seen done much, if at all, in current YA fiction. I felt the world building was quite lacking, though. I had so many questions: Why do Sandmen only work for 100 years? Who is higher up than Chimere? What do Sandmen do during the day? I really would have enjoyed learning more about their duties, the other Sandmen (or can they be women, too?), and maybe getting to see where they all hang out when they aren't on duty.
And speaking of duty. So I don't know about you, but I don't go to bed at the same time every night. Each Sandman has a few different charges, but it seems like the Sandman has to just kind of randomly check in on the person, who may or may not even be sleeping at his or her own home. That seems complicated to me.
Then there's the characters. I never at all felt like Julia loved Griffin. He pissed me off more than any other YA fiction character has in a long time. His little buddy Bret didn't have any personality of his own, he just seemed like a living doppleganger for Griffin. These three people were supposed to be best friends, but I didn't get that feeling at all. And how weird is it that Bret had never even been to her house before? Don't you go to your best friend's house?
Eron is probably my favorite character. I kept picturing him in my mind as Matt Dallas in his business suit in that Hilary Duff movie "Beauty and the Briefcase", and that made getting through the book all the more easier.
I did like how this all ended, but it seemed too easy. Would Griffin really just give up like that? I don't think so.
Definitely flawed, but I really liked the concept of this book.
I thought that Sleepless was a sequel to Fairy Tale, but it seems that both of these books are stand alone. Which I'm more than okay with, because I keep getting drawn to series, and need to stop doing that.
I liked this one a little more than her previous book; the concept of Sandmen isn't something that I've seen done much, if at all, in current YA fiction. I felt the world building was quite lacking, though. I had so many questions: Why do Sandmen only work for 100 years? Who is higher up than Chimere? What do Sandmen do during the day? I really would have enjoyed learning more about their duties, the other Sandmen (or can they be women, too?), and maybe getting to see where they all hang out when they aren't on duty.
And speaking of duty. So I don't know about you, but I don't go to bed at the same time every night. Each Sandman has a few different charges, but it seems like the Sandman has to just kind of randomly check in on the person, who may or may not even be sleeping at his or her own home. That seems complicated to me.
Then there's the characters. I never at all felt like Julia loved Griffin. He pissed me off more than any other YA fiction character has in a long time. His little buddy Bret didn't have any personality of his own, he just seemed like a living doppleganger for Griffin. These three people were supposed to be best friends, but I didn't get that feeling at all. And how weird is it that Bret had never even been to her house before? Don't you go to your best friend's house?
Eron is probably my favorite character. I kept picturing him in my mind as Matt Dallas in his business suit in that Hilary Duff movie "Beauty and the Briefcase", and that made getting through the book all the more easier.
I did like how this all ended, but it seemed too easy. Would Griffin really just give up like that? I don't think so.
Definitely flawed, but I really liked the concept of this book.
August 30, 2010
We start with Julia. She was traumatized as a kid and still has the scars on her face to prove it. The whole world felt sorry for her and acted like she was too fragile.
Then she meets Griffin. The world is a joke to him. That is until he dies.
He and Julia had been going out for a while and he has made her strong, made her acceptable to the world. Julia takes his death lightly, no tears.
Enters Eron, short for a rather ridiculous name that I dare not even mention, is a stunning seventeen year old Sandman. He seduces women to sleep and protects them. They are not quiet dead but far from alive. Invisible to the human eye except in our dreams (which our eyes aren’t opens so this statement doesn’t make sense but I have not motive to change it) they sprinkle a dab of sand wave their hands and BAM were asleep!
Julia is one of Eron’s charges, or one of the girls he brings sleep to. But Eron’s time of serving as a sand man are up, it’s been 100 years and he ready to be human again. Funny thing is Griffin is his soon to be replacement.
This story is about a girl, her dead boyfriend, and her soon to be human, sandman. Serious damage is about to begin.
IN THE BEGINNING… it was a big fat bore (No, not the pig!). I mean the concept was the only thing keeping me from leaving the book and never returning. Luckily I did and boy was I rewarded! A big fat romance, of course, that is bound to shock and amaze. The story switches from Julia to Eron and back and forth. They each tell their story, Julia and her tragic accident and departed boyfriend, and Eron of his life in the 1900’s. They actually wind together nicely. The fact that Eron and Julia are falling in love just slaps icing on the cake. Their chemistry is undeniable. The middle of the book was like a build up that sucked you into the book. The end was a tragically misleading ending, I cried but I cry at a lot of things but mainly just good books. I recommend this book, it’s quick and cute!
Then she meets Griffin. The world is a joke to him. That is until he dies.
He and Julia had been going out for a while and he has made her strong, made her acceptable to the world. Julia takes his death lightly, no tears.
Enters Eron, short for a rather ridiculous name that I dare not even mention, is a stunning seventeen year old Sandman. He seduces women to sleep and protects them. They are not quiet dead but far from alive. Invisible to the human eye except in our dreams (which our eyes aren’t opens so this statement doesn’t make sense but I have not motive to change it) they sprinkle a dab of sand wave their hands and BAM were asleep!
Julia is one of Eron’s charges, or one of the girls he brings sleep to. But Eron’s time of serving as a sand man are up, it’s been 100 years and he ready to be human again. Funny thing is Griffin is his soon to be replacement.
This story is about a girl, her dead boyfriend, and her soon to be human, sandman. Serious damage is about to begin.
IN THE BEGINNING… it was a big fat bore (No, not the pig!). I mean the concept was the only thing keeping me from leaving the book and never returning. Luckily I did and boy was I rewarded! A big fat romance, of course, that is bound to shock and amaze. The story switches from Julia to Eron and back and forth. They each tell their story, Julia and her tragic accident and departed boyfriend, and Eron of his life in the 1900’s. They actually wind together nicely. The fact that Eron and Julia are falling in love just slaps icing on the cake. Their chemistry is undeniable. The middle of the book was like a build up that sucked you into the book. The end was a tragically misleading ending, I cried but I cry at a lot of things but mainly just good books. I recommend this book, it’s quick and cute!
June 18, 2010
SLEEPLESS is a unique and delightful supernatural read that combines romance with suspense, the real with the mythical.
The story travels along in a gentle yet always engaging pace, as we learn about Julia, her history with Griffin, and Eron’s backstory. Julia is appreciably complex: oftentimes we might find ourselves wondering why she ever dated Griffin in the first place, but Cyn Balog masterfully weaves together the different parts of a complicated girl who feels like she has to pretend to be someone she isn’t in order to protect herself. Eron, too, is a sweetheart, though perhaps less developed. It’s easy to see why he’s different from others of his kind, and we find ourselves cheering for him and hoping that he gets the girl and everything turns out alright.
Cyn Balog does a marvelous job with the supernatural element of SLEEPLESS. I had only vaguely heard of the Sandmen, but I like how Cyn puts together a complete portrait of a mythical people who have more complex motivations than legend says. Alongside the supernatural, the “real world” element is also well done. SLEEPLESS is a bit light on the grief stage, but—without giving away any spoilers—it does a great job of blending so many different things together, from Eron’s struggles with his too-human feelings, to Griffin’s inability to get over the past, to…the thing that Julia has to deal with.
SLEEPLESS is an easy but enjoyable read, with just the right touch of romance, human struggle, and heart to make it a story that lingers in your mind.
The story travels along in a gentle yet always engaging pace, as we learn about Julia, her history with Griffin, and Eron’s backstory. Julia is appreciably complex: oftentimes we might find ourselves wondering why she ever dated Griffin in the first place, but Cyn Balog masterfully weaves together the different parts of a complicated girl who feels like she has to pretend to be someone she isn’t in order to protect herself. Eron, too, is a sweetheart, though perhaps less developed. It’s easy to see why he’s different from others of his kind, and we find ourselves cheering for him and hoping that he gets the girl and everything turns out alright.
Cyn Balog does a marvelous job with the supernatural element of SLEEPLESS. I had only vaguely heard of the Sandmen, but I like how Cyn puts together a complete portrait of a mythical people who have more complex motivations than legend says. Alongside the supernatural, the “real world” element is also well done. SLEEPLESS is a bit light on the grief stage, but—without giving away any spoilers—it does a great job of blending so many different things together, from Eron’s struggles with his too-human feelings, to Griffin’s inability to get over the past, to…the thing that Julia has to deal with.
SLEEPLESS is an easy but enjoyable read, with just the right touch of romance, human struggle, and heart to make it a story that lingers in your mind.
August 3, 2011
Honestly I thought this book was a little ridiculous. While it's not entirely impossible, though it is improbable, for a girl to have three guys in love/obsessed with her, I just didn't understand why the guys in this story felt so strongly about Julia. Sleepless was short, yes, but I think authors can flesh out characters in short books just as well as long ones. These characters weren't entirely flat, but unfortunately they were a little one-note and there was nothing particularly unique about them. We know Julia can dish out insults (only because Balog told us, not because Julia does it all the time), yet it turns out she does this as a shield. She also likes architecture, but still this doesn't offer the reader much insight into her personality. Who is the real Julia? As for Griffin, we don't really get to know him since he dies in the prologue, . Some things are hinted about Bret, and then completely forgotten. Now Eron, he was probably the best character. I believed he was from another time, especially with the maddening comments on a woman's virtue based solely on whether she has a lot of sex or not. I thought it was funny, him walking around town in an old-fashioned tuxedo. The writing was not amazing or poetic or anything like that, but it was pretty solid. So, points for that. However, Sleepless was mostly just flat. It wasn't a very strong book at all.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 396 reviews