The Dream Slayer Tour - Review

Welcome to day 1 of The Dream Slayer tour!  Welcome to those of you stopping by for the first time, and welcome back to those of you who are regulars or have visited before.  The love Heather over at SupaGurl Books has put together an awesome tour for a fun book.  To see the entire schedule of events, check out the tour page.

I have a review for you all today, so feel free to stick around while I tell you about my experience reading The Dream Slayer.

by Jill Cooper
date of publication: June 25, 2012
format: ebook
pages: 312

About the book:

When your dreams come true, sometimes you get more than you bargained for...

Natalie Johnson has always dreamed she’s someone else; calm, beautiful, in control. A chosen warrior with a maniacal arch nemesis and a dreamy boyfriend, the type that can make your knees quiver and your heart melt.

Real life is much different. She’s tormented by a bully and endures the sharp tongue of her father, but finds solace in her dreams.

When her bully ends up dead, de ja vu from a dream hits her hard as everything around her begins to fall apart.

Whatever killed Sarah in her dreams is now in reality, hunting her from the shadows. And it wants her dead.

Somehow as the lines between reality and nightmare blur, Natalie must discover hidden strength to pull her friends and family back from the brink of madness.

Add it on Goodreads

When I first read the title for this book, I was intrigued.  What context did the phrase "dream slayer" refer to?  Was it a slayer of out of control dreams, or was there something else.  Reading the description cleared that right up and my interest was fully piqued.  The concept is an especially fun one.  I knew it had the potential to be a really fun read.  As it turns out, I was correct in my thinking.  The Dream Slayer is a truly fun premise with loads of action and some very sweet moments.

I really liked the main character, Natalie... both of them!  You see, the real Natalie is special.  In her dreams, she is something other than herself that makes her more able to cope with the difficulties of her waking life.  In real life, Natalie is overweight, bullied, and abused, but still has a truly sweet disposition that makes the things that are happening to her all the more horrible.  When she escapes into her dreams, however, she is a more fit, confident version of herself that takes no crap from anyone.  Did I mention that her dream self is a demon slayer?  Oh, yeah.  I thought that would get your attention.  Seeing Natalie come out of her shell as she discovered a strength she didn't know she possessed was beautiful.  As her confidence grows, she becomes an even more interesting character.  I really enjoyed her.

The writing that makes up The Dream Slayer is very engaging, as is the world it is set in.  The variety of demons that have to be dealt with are just disturbing enough to add a real sense of menace to the story.  What is even more spectacular is the amount of humor that is injected into the characters you would least expect.  There were several errors scattered throughout the book, but as I had the incomplete copy, I won't fault the story too much for it.  I just hope that they have been corrected, as they can potentially distract readers from a fun story.

I was very pleased with this book and loved getting lost in this strange world that Natalie lives in.  Most of the characters are enjoyable and the stakes are high.  Fans of books featuring girls who can kick butt will definitely want to give this one a go.  It is imaginative and easy to read.  It left me wanting to know what would happen next, which is always the mark of a good story. 

Buy The Dream Slayer at the Following Locations:

Amazon /  B&N

About the Author

Jill Cooper loves tea more than coffee and is obsessed over finding that perfect recipe. She lives in Danvers, MA with two cats, a toddler, a husband, and a 1964 yellow taxi. Her life is chaotic, but fun. She is currently working on a new Sci-fi thriller and the sequel to the Dream Slayer. She can be contacted at http://www.jillacooper.com