Cheryl Abbott’s debut, REM, is an interesting take on dreams and the ability to enter dreams of others. Bradalynn Collier is haunted by nighttime visions and disturbing images in other people’s dreams. Each night she finds herself thrust into the unconscious minds of those around her. Obviously, this wreaks havoc on her psyche, making her restless, tired and afraid to go to sleep. Then she meets the mysterious Alexander, an Edward Cullen archetype without the fangs and pasty skin. Drawn to Alex, Brady finds herself seeking him out and wondering about his enigmatic and seemingly absent parents. When Brady starts wandering into Alex’s dreams and sees the darkness lurking there, she realizes there is more to this boy than meets the eye. The two embark on a relationship that strains the bonds of friendship she has built with her friend, Doug. Brady is then put to the test to see if she has what it takes to control her abilities and protect those she loves.
The concept for REM is an interesting one. What if you could enter people’s dreams, know their inner-most secrets? Yet, Brady seems a reluctant hero for quite a while. She is sympathetic and likable. She clearly cares about her brothers and mother and is drawn (aren’t we all?) to the mysteriously handsome new boy at school. The plot moved solidly along, and though there were times where I longed for the pace to pick up a bit, I never stopped reading. Alex is appropriately sexy and cloaked in mystery. Doug, the valiant friend, plays his role well, too. And I found the ending to be intriguing, making me wonder what Abbott might have in store next for our characters.
I hope that in upcoming sequels that Brady really explores the depth and breadth of her power. There are vast dream worlds to explore and I would have loved to see more of that in this novel. I have a feeling, Abbott is keeping that rabbit under her sleeve for the next installment. I also longed for an antagonist to appear sooner in the story. I’ve always heard the fifty page rule for the major conflict to appear and REM stretches that a bit. Overall, REM is a solid, enjoyable story, that brings some fresh air to a tired genre and is worth the three dollar price tag.
You can find REM here.
You can find Cheryl Abbott here.
The concept for REM is an interesting one. What if you could enter people’s dreams, know their inner-most secrets? Yet, Brady seems a reluctant hero for quite a while. She is sympathetic and likable. She clearly cares about her brothers and mother and is drawn (aren’t we all?) to the mysteriously handsome new boy at school. The plot moved solidly along, and though there were times where I longed for the pace to pick up a bit, I never stopped reading. Alex is appropriately sexy and cloaked in mystery. Doug, the valiant friend, plays his role well, too. And I found the ending to be intriguing, making me wonder what Abbott might have in store next for our characters.
I hope that in upcoming sequels that Brady really explores the depth and breadth of her power. There are vast dream worlds to explore and I would have loved to see more of that in this novel. I have a feeling, Abbott is keeping that rabbit under her sleeve for the next installment. I also longed for an antagonist to appear sooner in the story. I’ve always heard the fifty page rule for the major conflict to appear and REM stretches that a bit. Overall, REM is a solid, enjoyable story, that brings some fresh air to a tired genre and is worth the three dollar price tag.
You can find REM here.
You can find Cheryl Abbott here.
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