When an experiment goes wrong 7 teens are now stuck in a nightmarish world in their heads. It is is up to them to figure out what is going on and how they can survive/get out.

Finally, after 2 years I was able to read this book! My library (one of them) finally had it, now here is to hoping that they will get the second book faster than 2 years after the release date as I worry I may have forgotten things or am not into the story any more. I guess I could buy the book, but since this book is only 4 stars and maybe the next as well it would just mean I would buy them and then give them away again (I only keep 4.5+ stars).

This book starts off with our group of teens going to experimental therapy to cure their insomnia and then things go oh oh oh so wrong as an earthquake hits (yes, of all the things to happen) and they get stuck in their own minds in a nightmarish world that they will have to beat/survive. Next to seeing what our teens are up (through the voices of Fergus and Cata) we also get the POV of Jaime the premed student who was there to see how the research/therapy went.

While I loved seeing Fergus and Cata, and also later Jaime, I do have to say I at times thought they had the same voices. Now with Jaime it wasn’t that bad as he was in another part (the real world), but Cata and Fergus? I had to go back at times to check who was talking this time.

The nightmare world/Dreamfall and how it worked was very interesting, though also frightening as hell. All of the nightmares are terrifying and I have to say, since I could mostly read this at night, I had a few nightmares here and there. There are clowns, genocide, being buried alive, and several others. Though especially the clowns… shivers

I loved that they found out bits and pieces of how the world is working and what they are supposed to do. It was really great that they started to work together and form a team.

I also liked the Jaime parts as those gave us more insight in the characters, in what may be going on, and I just loved what Jaime did near to the end, I do hope his words find the right person.

My least favourite character? Ant. I just wasn’t a fan of this character. They had some good moments, but mostly they weren’t that helpful and even caused a few moments that had me groan in frustration.

From the start I had suspicions about Sinclair. It was just his character. He was too much of a slimeball to me. Too much trying to please people, or not even caring what he said. He was just way too suspicious and I kept wondering when he would show his true colours.

Who or what the flickering monster was? I was eager to figure it out, though at times it just frightened me too much that I couldn’t think anything other than that I wanted to run away. 😛

There are tons of twists and turns concerning characters, I have to say I never expected them, and was going AH, really??? quite a few times. 😛 I guess some you could have seen coming, but with how tired and fried I am given all the things in my life now, I just didn’t see them.

Oh, and bonus points to the fabulous cover!

I am just sad this one ended on a cliffhanger. sighs

This book was scary, amazing, it had an amazing atmosphere, it was delightfully dark and spooky, and it has plenty of twists and turns to keep you on your toes throughout the entire book. Recommended!