Genre: YA/Romance
Publisher: Createspace
Published: 30 April 2011
Product Description:
It was happening again. The dreams. The nightmares. It was something seventeen year-old Elizabeth “Lizzy” Hayes thought she’d outgrown; dreams that would come true; detailed premonitions of how people would die. This time she dreams about her boyfriend, Michael Young, and soon discovers that he’s been found… dead.
Michael hasn’t crossed over because he was murdered, and now his murderer is coming for Lizzy. His spirit won’t rest until she is safe, and as a newbie spirit, the easiest way for him to make contact is through Lizzy’s dreams. When she dreams, it’s as if he hasn’t died.
Lizzy must learn to pull on her inner strength to survive horrifying events. Meanwhile, in the spirit world, Michael learns everything he can about his supernatural gifts to help. But will it be enough to save her?
My Review:
Lizzy and Michael are the epitome of happiness. Childhood sweethearts who started off as best friends and then became a couple, this book starts on the day of their fourth anniversary. Lizzy is waiting for Michael to whisk her away on a magical celebration just like her very own Prince Charming. Little does she know that her fairytale was about to turn into a nightmare.
When Michael is brutally murdered, Lizzy finds herself in grave danger running from the murder that has taken the life of her boyfriend. And its with the help of Michael’s spirit (and a native Alaskan with the ability to see ghosts) that Lizzy is able to foresee the danger that she is about to encounter before it actually happens. The question is, will she manage to change the course of events prior to them happening? Without Michael’s help, Lizzy’s future – and the future of her friends – looks exceedingly grim. As Lizzy finds herself in danger, she learns that not only is she able to see and talk to Michael, but she has been given the gift of communicating with spirits from the afterlife.
In My Dreams is a story about love and how the strength of it can save you. At times it very much reminded me of a modern day ‘Ghost’ with Michael taking on Patrick Swayze’s character and Lizzy being Demi Moore. In fact, the way in which Michael contacts Lucy Crow, the Medium who introduces herself to Lizzy shortly after Michael’s passing, is very similar. I could actually picture Whoopi Goldberg as the character in the book!
I have to admit to being slightly frustrated with Lizzy’s character at times. As someone who had just lost the love of her life in an extremely brutal way, I found it hard to connect with her and the way she showed her emotions through her narration. I wanted her to be more expressive in her loss, yet instead she was somewhat flippant in her reactions.
There are parts of this book that are fairytale – Lizzy’s dreams about Michael and all the things he tells and shows her now that he is spirit certainly come across as being perfect. Well, as perfect as they can be when your boyfriend is half way through passing to the other side. There are also parts of this book that are nightmare. Lizzy’s assailant is certainly not one that I would care to meet on a dark night.
If I’m being honest, I would have liked to have had more drama with the pursuit of Lizzy and how she overcomes this; and less of the supernatural element. I would have liked more drama and suspense, but then I’m someone that prefers the angst level to be right at the top rather than something in between and that may not be everyone’s preference.
In My Dreams is certainly a love story with a underlying tone of being a thriller and if both of those genres appeal to you – with a hint of the supernatural thrown in – then I would recommend you add this to your reading list.
