J.R. JohanssonRecensioni

Mania is a great fantasy, young adult novel for any reader.

To start out with, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE read the previous books before starting this one. I did not, since I got this as a review novel, and boy was I confused for 75% of this book. That's not to say this book isn't highly addicting and incredibly interesting as a "standalone", but having the background information from the other novels would have made this book so much better!

As a standalone, (or as I call it, Bri-anna the reviewer couldn't find the other novels and couldn't afford to buy them), the book was great! The author does back track and explain some of the content of the previous novels to aid the readers. So, I had a basic understanding of what was going on throughout the book.

In short, this book follows some teenagers and young adults through a sort of post apocalyptic / dystopian world. There is a virus that is going around, that makes people similar to zombies - some of them can't sleep and don't read, which leads them to not living long. Our main characters, half brothers Jack and Parker, are trying to find the cure which their Father left behind (but is no longer with them). Together with their friends, they must face a rivaling group bent on evil and cure this disease to aid the world.

I wish I would have read the previous books so I would have more feelings towards the characters. These characters are beautifully written, but since I didn't know their previous relationships and personalities, I felt like I was at a loss. JR Johansson did so great building these characters in just this book, that I can't help but wonder what happened in the two previous!

Overall, this book was great! The plot was summed up, the characters were built well, and it was an original story and plot I hadn't heard often - it was a great spin on what could have been a very typical plot.

Three out of five stars!

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

With the perfect setting of the caves and passageways deep underneath Paris, this is a thriller which leads in unexpected turns and adds more than a few chills along the way.

Harley's life has blown up in all directions thanks to her parents sudden decision to get a divorce. By some miracle, she got them to agree to let her visit her very famous aunt and not so famous cousin in Paris. Pressure from her cousin has her agreeing to go on a not so legal tour of underground Paris. Even though the guide is well-known and experienced, strange things begin to happen while they tour the bone filled passageways and caverns. When an accident leaves the group stuck and the guide dead, they must pray they find their own way out...and that not only before they starve or die of dehydration. They are being hunted. One by one. And the killer might be one of them.

There's something about the underground realm of Paris, which already launches the imagination into the deepest and darkest shadows. This book takes that and flies away into a suspense packed adventure with chills and thrills at every turn. It is a thriller and does hold the reader at the edge of their seat, especially because the characters are sweet enough to root for until the end. Or maybe not? It's hard to guess true intentions and what secrets each one hides.

Harley comes across as a nice girl...just one who is a little at a loss thanks to something she has absolutely no influence over. And her cousin, who wades in the rebellious world, has her reasons and is pretty easy to connect to. The others are strangers, but the author quickly builds up each personality and makes them likeable enough to be hard to suspect. They make mistakes but come across naturally.

The setting in this one is what makes the tale. Not only does the idea already set the reader's mind in the right mood, but the world building shows that the author knows what she's talking about. And if I read her bio correctly, she has visited these herself. The descriptions lure in and hold enough detail to bring each scene to life and build the atmosphere. There were a few things which surprised me, but I'm assuming the author did her research on every end.

It was impossible to guess what was really going on until the very last chapters, and there's even a hint of more as the tale closes off. It's dark, thrilling and intriguing, walking on the line of horror without ever really going across. In other words, it's a great read to cuddle up with and get lost in the pages, but not scary enough to make one loose sleep either. In my eyes, it's wonderfully balanced.

This book was so good, oh my goodness. I loved every bit of it. This is definitely one of those books that pulls you and doesn't let go. I couldn't stop thinking about the characters and what might happen. There was suspense and mystery, and it kept me wondering until the end. I still don't have all the answers, as new ones have come up since the ending, but I can't wait to dive into the next one. I definitely recommend having the next book on hand after this and probably the third one as well. Very good read and probably one of my favorites now.

You simply just can’t imagine the terror Piper had to go through all throughout her life, and then to get out of that vicious cycle shows how strong she is. It’s sad that it had to come to severe extreme measure for her to escape but nevertheless she was able to do so is a feat in itself.

The way the characters; both Piper and Sanda are extremely well done in this book. They’re both mistrustful of others (can’t blame them) and although they try hard to learn how to integrate with society, they do tend to stand out. (Examples such as Sanda being fearful of not seeing Piper again or Piper learning how to register Sanda to school) This is so well done by Johansson. It’s very realistic of their characters and it shows how they struggle to blend in because of their fear of standing out due to their trauma. They shy away from physical contact to the point where it causes them physical discomfort. This is well written and felt by the characters accurately.

The plot itself was good as well. It just seems like wherever Piper goes horrible awful things just seem to follow. It’s serious and dark, and Piper being stalked does increase the chill factor several notches up. The idea of someone breaking into your apartment and leaving lovely goodies to freak you out is unsettling and terrifying. These moments are well written and does set the mood for the plot. There’s a moment or two where you feel so angry because of particular actions and the suffering some of the characters go through. (Yes Lily, I’m looking at you...you horrible girl you…)

I’m not sure what to think of the relationship between Cam and Piper. Sure Piper has a great deal of mistrust and puts Cam at an arm length’s distance but seriously? Romance? I know he’s trying to be friendly and has a bleeding heart for those in need but I’m not sure Piper would jump in at the chance to have a romance with him. Yes, she puts him as far away from her as possible and he tries hard to approach her through different ways but I really don’t see a romance as a thing in this story. Should there even be one? Why was there one in the first place? I found it rather unnecessary considering the serious subject matter.

This novel is nerve wracking, and props to Piper and Sanda for their inner strength. It was a good read. Not a light hearted one, but one worth the read nevertheless.

Kurzbeschreibung:

Der siebzehnjährige Parker ist total am Ende: Seit vier Jahren hat er nicht mehr geschlafen. Stattdessen ist er dazu verdammt, Nacht für Nacht die Träume desjenigen mitzuerleben, dem er vor dem Schlafengehen zuletzt in die Augen geschaut hat. Er durchleidet fremde Ängste, erfährt dunkelste Geheimnisse – und darf niemals selbst träumen oder schlafen. Wenn sich nicht schnell etwas ändert, wird er sterben. Da trifft er Mia, und in ihren entspannenden Traumbildern findet er endlich Ruhe. Er beginnt sie zu verfolgen, um sicherzustellen, dass er in ihren nächtlichen Visionen landet. Doch damit erweckt er ihr Misstrauen. Denn sie wird schon längere Zeit von einem gefährlichen Stalker verfolgt. Plötzlich sind sie beide in höchster Gefahr.

Autor:

Jennifer R. Johansson hat Public Relations und Psychopathologie studiert. Gerade Letzteres hilft ihr sehr bei der Ausgestaltung ihrer Figuren. J. R. Johansson schreibt hauptberuflich und lebt mit ihrer Familie mitten in der Natur.


Meine Meinung:

Bei Im Schlaf komm ich zu dir von Jennifer R. Johansson handelt es sich um ihr Debütroman.

Wir begleiten den siebzehnjährigen Parker, der seit 4 Jahren nicht mehr wirklich geschlafen hat. Nacht für Nacht taucht er in die Träume anderer Menschen ein. Aber auch nur von denjenigen den er zuletzt in die Augen geschaut hat. Sein Körper ruht, doch sein Gehirn schläft in keinster Weise. Morgen für Morgen „wacht“ er auf und fühlt sich immer elender. Er sieht seinen Tod bereits kommen. Seine Mutter hingegen vermutet das Parker Drogen nimmt.

Eines Tages trifft er auf Mia und blickt ihr eigentlich ungewollt in die Augen. Als er sich dann wenig später zum schlafen legt und in ihre Träume eintaucht, kann Parker das erste Mal nach langer Zeit wieder endlich richtig schlafen. Am nächsten Morgen wacht er erholt aus. Sofort wird ihm klar, dass er mehr davon will und fängt an Mia zu suchen. Er findet sie als neue Schülerin an seiner Schule und versucht nun immer einmal am Tag mit ihr Augenkontakt herzustellen um wieder eine weitere Nacht schlafen zu können.

Im Schlaf komm ich zu dir hat zwar eine für mich gute Grundidee, aber ich bin nie hundertprozentig warm mit dem Buch geworden. Der Anfang zog sich in die Länge und man las immer nur wieder was in den Träumen so passierte. Teilweise waren es schon schreckliche Sachen, aber dennoch kam hier kaum Spannung auf. Erst zum letzten Drittel hin, zog sich auch für mich die Spannung an und es wurde dann richtig interessant.

Das Buch ließ sich relativ einfach lesen. Das ganze wurde aus Parker seiner Sicht geschrieben, so dass man auch direkt mit seinen Gefühlen konfrontiert wurde. Ich kann verstehen das man in Parker seinen Fall alles versucht um endlich wieder schlafen zu können. Er daher auch vor nichts mehr zurück geschreckt hat.

Das Cover hat mir dennoch gut gefallen. Das Ganze in Blau gehalten und es ist ein schlafender Junge zu sehen, der vermutlich in irgendwelche Träume anderer unterwegs ist.

Da mich das Buch über die Hälfte nicht in den Bann ziehen konnte, vergebe ich hier 3 Sterne.

Literary Merit: Fair
Characterization: Fair
Recommended: Yes
Level: High School

There were many unexpected twists at the end which added to the suspense of the book. The relationships were a little too perfect and harsh subjects discussed easily, which seems unrealistic. Although this book contains adult subject matter, it is handled very well and in an acceptable manner.

Don’t judge ANYTHING by its outer appearance is probably the best and simplest way to describe this book ― the cover, the story, its characters, everything. I’m not really a fan of the cover but the synopsis intrigued me.

“He’s told me a million times that he would be with us if he could. His wishes can’t overcome the steel and bars that have been placed between us by a broken system. My hopes can’t erase the words that were spoken in a different courtroom by Judge Reamers when I was only six years old.”

Riley Beckett comes from a family torn apart by the law. Every day, she comes back to a house that is usually empty. Her mother works day and night just to keep her job. She visits her father, who is on death row, every Friday without fail. She is a very strong character and I absolutely loved reading from her point of view. It was very vocal and real. And this led to the emotional whirlwind that crashed through me as I was reading this book. I got so emotionally attached to most of the characters, especially the one who is like a father figure to her, that at 2am my eyes were blurring over as I neared the climax of the book, and it wasn’t due to drowsiness. Emotional wreckage aside, it also makes for some really good quotes.

“As badly as I need him, he needs me, too. We heal the broken pieces of each other because we’re so opposite. We have both nothing and everything in common and I’ve never felt like someone could understand me the way he somehow does.”

Though the fact that Riley, the daughter of a convicted serial killer on death row, meets and falls in love with Jordan, the son of the policeman who put said convicted serial killer behind bars, seems too coincidental to be true and kinda cliché, I didn’t really mind. I liked how their relationship was originally formed on the basis of comfort and to some extent, understanding.

While reading mystery novels (or any kind of fiction book actually), as a rule of thumb, everyone’s a suspect in my eyes. I’ll come up with all kinds of possible motives and scenarios I can think of. I actually had my bets placed on another person, and it was mainly because of his last name (¯_(ツ)_/¯). Who the murderer was didn’t surprise me as much as his/her intentions behind the murders. It’s like “oh, things went pretty dark there for a second…”

The pacing was really, really good and helped a lot in building up suspense for the climax. As Riley and Jordan tried different methods to gather information about the case and uncover the truth behind the murders, there wasn’t a single moment that felt dull or draggy. This book had me at the edge of my seat (or should I say ‘bed’?) and every page I turned kept me wanting for more.

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Wonderful ending to a very unique and entertaining series. I would highly recommend this to all YA Thriller fans!

Opening Sentence: Staring into the pit that had ripped away every answer I needed, I could still feel the Earth shake and the burning heat from the fire against my face.

The Review:

Jack and Parker are both Nightwalkers. They have the ability to enter into the dreams of the last person they came into eye contact with before going to sleep. In some ways their abilities can be amazing but they can also be hard on their health. While walking through others dreams their bodies don’t get any rest so eventually if they don’t sleep they will eventually die. The solution for them is to enter into the dreams of a Builder. Builders have the ability to make dreams for the nightwalkers which gives them the ability to truly rest their bodies. There is one other type of nightwalker and they are called Takers. Takers have the ability to take over the body of the last person they had eye contact with, but unfortunately Takers can’t dream so Builders can’t help them to sleep. So basically they live very short lives because your body can only survive for so long without sleep. The Takers are enemies to the other two types of nightwalkers and they have been at war with each other for quite some time now.

Jack and Parker are half brothers and their father was working on a cure to help the Takers sleep. Throughout the years he has created many different types of drugs to help and some of them have had very bad results. Their father died so that some of the solutions he created would be destroyed but it turns out that he finally found the cure. He left clues for his two sons to find so they can put together the formula and hopefully end the war. But before they have a chance to complete their quest Parker is kidnapped by the Takers, and Jack is only given a short amount of time to produce the solution or the takers will kill Parker. Both brothers will have to endure much, but if they can truly bring peace to their people it will all be worth it in the end!

From the very first time I met Parker in Insomnia I was instantly drawn to him. Throughout the series I really grew to love his character and my admiration for him just continued to grow through each book. He is such a great guy and he goes through a lot in this book. I respected that even when times got tough he never gave up and he stayed true to himself no matter what. I loved his sense of loyalty, it made him someone that you know you can rely on. I am sad that his story has come to an end but I am glad I got to read it.

One of my favorite things about Mania is that it alters between Jack and Parker’s POV’s. The two previous books were just told from Parker’s perspective, but I loved that we got to be inside of Jack’s head as well. Jack is a very complicated guy. He had an interesting childhood where his father taught him how to survive. He is very smart and good at almost everything, but he struggles with letting people in. He was raised not to trust anyone and he has a really hard time excepting help from others. I really enjoyed watching Jack grow as a character, he learns so much throughout his journey, and it made it easy to develop a strong connection with him. Out of the two boys I think that I actually liked Jack just a little bit better because he is one of those guys that is rough around the edges but a total teddy bear on the inside.

Mania is a fast paced thriller that is filled with loveable characters, cute romance, and an intriguing plot. It pretty much starts right where the last book ended and from the first page the action starts and it doesn’t stop until the very end. It has been a little while since I read the first two books in the series and it did take me a little bit to get back into the story. But once I was hooked it was pretty much impossible to put down. I love how original the idea was and combine that with Johansson’s amazing writing this entire series was very unique and enjoyable. I have grown to love all the characters in this series and I am really sad to see their stories come to an end, but Johansson did a wonderful job wrapping up everything nicely. All of my questions were answered and I felt very satisfied. Overall, this was a very entertaining story and I would highly recommend it to anyone that is looking for a fast paced thriller.

Notable Scene:

Another zipping noise sounded just before the next gunshot rand out. Pain burned through the left side of my head, I tripped and fell to the ground as everything around me slowed down. Visions of Addie laughing, my mom smiling at me across the kitchen counter, Finn goofing off in the back yard … they pelted me from all angles.

My life here and gone in an instant.

The gun fell from the officer’s fingers as he yelped out in pain. I just caught sight of a whirl of motion near the car before a crowd of rebels with guns surrounded all three men.

I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t blink. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jack running toward me. I though I could hear him yelling my name.

FTC Advisory: Flux provided me with a copy of Mania. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

So, so dark and disturbing as it explores a first-person experience of a teenager abused for most of her life and the steps she is willing to take to prevent that from happening to others. I liked it a lot but promptly forgot it.

Cut Me Free by J. R. Johansson is the story of Piper aka Charlotte, who wants to start over, severing all ties to her abuse-filled past. A sympathetic main character, a fast-paced story, and a guessing game all make for an entertaining read. Logic gaps exist in the story, but it does not matter. The the story and Piper draw you in and capture your heart.

Read my complete review at: http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2015/03/cut-me-free.html

Reviewed for GoodReads First Reads program

3.5 liked it a lot
I wanted to read Cut Me Free because abuse and then emotional healing are issues that I love to read about. The messages are important for everyone to read, and the emotion is what I seek when reading contemporaries.

I enjoyed getting to know Piper aka Charlotte. She had such a rough childhood but she managed to escape and she harbors a lot of guilt because her little brother Sam didn't make it, and she wishes that she could have done more for him. She was abused badly, leaving scars all over, and kept a secret, locked in the attic. Her Nana came to live there and she taught her so many things, but couldn't get the police to believe her because she had cancer and was on all sorts of meds.

She refers to her conscious or her racing thoughts as Sam, and its not in a crazy way. I think that is her way of keeping his memory alive and she will attribute her thoughts of danger or of suggestions of what to do next or in response to his voice.

She meets Cameron as she is trying to get a new identity in a new city, and you can tell right away that he is attracted to her but she is nowhere ready to be in a relationship, she can barely even stand to be touched because it causes flashback type things. She almost doesn't start working with him because he is so young and he asks a lot of questions, but he is the best.

Cameron helps her get settled, new id, an apartment and even a job. He keeps showing up and trying to help her, but Charlotte is one tough and stubborn gal. But she kinda is rightly so because of the way she grew up.

She sees a little girl that is being abused and she steps in and rescues her. She brings her home with her because she is illegal, and apparently a victim of sex trafficking. The poor girl has scars and fresh wounds and Charlotte can't just stand back and do nothing. But I will say while its brave and I can understand why she never wanted to get the cops involved, it is also sad for me that her parents might never know what happened to her, and if she needed adults in her life no matter how much Charlotte cares for her. But its just a story so I will try to suspend belief where that is concerned.

When Charlotte starts getting threats it goes more into mystery mode, and honestly I skimmed over a lot of that. I figured who it was pretty easily and I am not usually that person. But I didn't keep reading for the mystery, but for the character development of Charlotte, to see Sanda get to experience things like going to school, and laughing and being carefree, and to see if the romance with Cam and Charlotte would ever go anywhere.

It was a pretty quick read, and it wrapped up to my satisfaction, but not without testing and putting more on the character's shoulders. But I like the hope of the end, that things might just be okay for them and seeing them begin to get themselves together and figuring out how to heal and live the best life they can have.

Bottom Line: Unique twist on the escaped abused child.½

I read this book a while back. While I haven't forgotten everything that happened, I can say that none of it made a very lasting impression on me. It's a simple case of a fantastic premise with a lackluster execution.

We have an MC who can jump into the dreams of the last person he made eye contact with. Sounds cool, but then when you get into the logistics, it all kind of falls apart. It doesn't help that the MC isn't very likable as he falls into mental instability.

Because the MC has purportedly not slept in four years (due to his uncontrollable dream watching), he becomes obsessed when he finds the one person whose dreams he can actually get some rest in. He then goes out of his way to try and make eye contact with this girl every day before he goes home, so that he can sleep. Needless to say, this isn't an easy task. At first, it is, but then it gets tricky. Eventually, she starts to notice that he's a fucking weirdo who is going out of his way to see her. She becomes understandably shaken to the point where she fears for her life. Coincidentally, there is an actual stalker in real life who is hounding her and everyone begins to suspect the MC.

I think that the author's portrayal of the MC's downward spiral into madness was spot on. It officially creeped me out and it was well written. That doesn't make it easier to swallow the actual events, though. He got really, really nasty for a bit there. There were also numerous plot holes that just that made the story not very cohesive.

Despite appearing to be a unique story, the conclusion was rather predictable and lackluster, making this one an acceptable, but not exceptional read.

Insomnia was one of my favorite thriller reads from 2013, a book that more than lived up to the promise in its name, so I was excited to reenter Parker’s world in Paranoia. After all the chaos that erupted in the last book, our boy has earned some peace, and he got it for a little while, but when Paranoia starts, things go topsy-turvy in typical Johansson fashion.

READ THE FULL REVIEW AT: http://www.shaelit.com/2014/07/review-paranoia-by-j-r-johansson/

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Fantastic story that was almost impossible to put down. Jam packed with action, romance, and suspense this is sure to please all YA thriller fans!

Opening Sentence: Weird stuff was going down in Oakville, and this time I was definitely—well, fairly—sure that I had nothing to do with it.

The Review:

For the last few years of his life, Parker hasn’t been able to sleep. Every time he tries to sleep he ends up going into the dreams of the last person he had eye contact with. The lack of sleep was slowly killing him and then he met Mia. Her dreams were so relaxing that he was finally able to sleep in them. Parker always thought that he was just different, but it turns out that there are others just like him. Parker is a Night Walker or more specifically a Watcher. A Watcher is someone that can enter into other people dreams. They can subtly influence the dreamer if they choose to or they can just watch and learn.

Parker soon learns that there are other types of Night Walkers, Takers and Builders. Takers have the power to possess any one they choose, but they can only do it for one night at a time. They don’t have the ability to sleep so they soon wear out their bodies and live very short lives. Builders on the other hand have the power to heal Watchers. They can restore the energy the Watcher use while in others dreams. The Takers are at war with the Watchers and Builders and Parker has found himself right in the middle of it. Parker finds an unlikely ally in Jack, the mysterious guy that supposedly was sent by his dad to help him master his Watcher abilities. He will have to learn to control his darker side if he has any hope of keeping his friends and family safe.

Parker is a very interesting character. He is such a great guy and always tries to do the right thing, but he also has a darker side to him. A side that will sometimes take control of his body when he is asleep, which always lands him in a bad situation. When he wakes up in jail after having no memories of the last 12 hours, he knows that he has to learn to control it. It was interesting to see his inner struggles with what was truly right and wrong. It made him feel like a more realistic character because I think that in general most people struggle with this every day in one form or another. I thought that Parker grew immensely as a character and I felt my connection with him strengthen. I think he was the perfect hero and I am hoping that we will get more of his story.

All of your favorite secondary characters make an appearance in the book as well. You have Finn, the best friend who brings lots of humor into the story with his witty remarks and funny t-shirts. Then there is Mia, the girl that keeps Parker alive with her calming dreams. She’s not in this story nearly as much as she was in the first book but I loved still seeing glimpses of her. Next is Addie, she is Finn’s little sister and the love interest. I loved getting to know Addie better and watching her relationship with Parker develop was cute. The last character I wanted to mention was Jack. He was just briefly introduced at the end of the last book, but he actually played a much bigger role in this one. You get to learn who he really is and the connection he has with Parker. I actually really like Jack, at first he comes across as kind of a jerk but the more I got to know him, the more I liked him. That’s all I’m going to say about him because I don’t want to spoil anything!

Paranoia gets huge props for being so original. While it has all the elements that a young adult thriller should have, it also has a very unique idea. I love that the characters can enter into other’s dreams, but I also like that there are consequences for any actions they take while in those dreams. The characters are so much fun in this series and each one of them was a great addition to the story. I love Johansson’s writing style, it is just so easy to get lost in her stories. She draws you in with the suspenseful plot and keeps you hooked with all the different twists and turns she adds. I really enjoyed Insomnia, it was a great start the series but Paranoia was an even better read. I loved learning more about the different types of Night Walker’s. I’m not sure if this is the end of the series because the ending was very satisfying, but Johansson could easily expound on the story. Either way, I would be happy, but honestly more from this world would be preferred! Overall, this was an excellent book and I would highly recommend this to any YA thriller fans, it will not disappoint.

Notable Scene:

I sat straight up and my vision burst into violent white, like a light bulb exploded behind my eyeballs. Then everything went dark, all but a pinpoint of glaring brightness in the center. Leaning back, I found what felt like a brick wall, and rested against it, panting—and panicking.

All around me was confusing noise: a loud printer, a phone rang in the distance, metal on metal, footsteps. And then so close I felt I could reach out and touch them, many people breathing: heavy breathing, light breathing, a cough here, a sniff over there. Someone laughed an emotionless, empty chuckle, but it echoed around me, through me, and I couldn’t decide which direction it had come from. This time I took it slower, parting my eyelids just enough to peek through and see a small slice of the room.

Everything around me was dingy white, with grey benches along all the walls. Other people sat or stood nearby—all men—and a few stared at me. I widened my eyelids a bit more and noticed the one detail that defined everything else. To my left, the white bricks I leaned against ended at a wall of grey bars.

What the hell is going on?

FTC Advisory: Flux provided me with a copy of Paranoia. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

"Insomnia" introduces you to Parker Chip who isn't your ordinary high school student. For the past four years Parker has been plagued with the dreams of others. Thrown into the subconsciousness of the last person he made eye contact with he is unable to fully sleep and he is afraid he won't last much longer.

That is until he meets Mia. Mia's dreams are different then any others he has seen before and to his surprise and gratitude he is able to sleep for the first time in years.

Parker quickly becomes addicted to Mia's dreams and can't stop himself from over stepping his boundaries to get his much need rest.

It doesn't take long for Mia to notice his strange behavior and she warns Parker to stay away from her. Parker's life quickly starts to spiral out of control as he begins hurting the people close to him and himself as he tries to deal with having the semblance of a cure so close yet so unattainable.

When someone starts harassing Mia, sending her anonymous death threats Parker is at the top of everyone's list of suspects. Even his own.

This is teetering somewhere between a 2 or 3. Definitely not what I was expecting.

Review:
The first line of the premise says that Parker hasn’t slept for 4 years. Well, I’ll admit, I’m not a pleasant person without sleep, so the idea of someone not sleeping for that long, certainly got my attention. Could you imagine doing that? How could someone even function with no sleep? Not only the not sleeping, but to see other peoples dreams too. How crazy is that?

Parker is the main character, he just a young guy, goes to school, doesn’t have many friends, but the most interesting thing about him is, he doesn’t sleep, well at least what we think of as sleep. Being a Watcher as he call himself, he see the last person he made eye contact with’s dreams. Parker is one of those characters that you just aren’t sure about. I felt sorry for him for what he was going through but at the same time, he did come off a little cocky and on the selfish side and the way her treats his mother was awful. She was actually being a parent and caring what was happening with him. Finn is his best friends, and he was so funny with his vintage t-shirts with the sayings and one liners on them. I liked him a lot and was a good friend to Parker despite all that was happening. Finn’s sister was a character that I thought was good for Parker to have a friend and maybe more. She wanted to help him in whatever she could.

The story story start out strong, and with the dreams that Parker experiences, I thought I was in for one creepy, and hauting story. Once Mia, the new girl, come into the picture everything changes, especially for Parker. Yes, he can sleep because Mia’s dreams are different from everyone else’s, but then he becomes stalkerish and just down right creepy. He has to get her to look at him, and he does this anyway he can. Then, the scary and threatening email start, and she thinks it Parker and she becomes afraid of him. There is so much evidence against him, hell, I even began to think it might be him. Through all of this Parker and Addie become closer, and he finds that his friends are probably the best friends he could possibly have and just what he needs, but doesn’t make him any less creepy. The events that lead to to the very end were anti-climatic and the big reveal of who it really was behind it all didn’t make sense, and the why made even less sense. The ending was open ended, and I’m not sure where the story will go next.

The concept was fantastic, but the execution as a whole didn’t do it for me. Just too many holes that weren’t filled. I think those looking for a book that isn’t extremely scary and a paranormal, mysterious story will enjoy this.

Any person that suffers from insomnia will tell you that it can be one hell of a ride. It is like a theme park that goes on and on for hours. A battle that happens with the spirit and mind. No matter how hard you try and relax, your brain refuses to turn off. So once again you lay in bed and stare at the ceiling wondering how long you can tolerate this before you completely shutdown. This story is about a young man named Parker that suffers from this cruel disorder for four long years. Tortured and exhausted, he feels that he will die if he does not find a way to sleep. Along with the gift of never ending wakefulness he is gifted with the ability to jump into the dreams of people he makes eye contact with. This ability has caused him to resent the life he is living and dread making any eye contact. Thus, making people think he is a drug addict or mentally ill. By chance he stumbles into a girl that is new in town and makes eye contact with her. For the first time in four years he discovers he can sleep. From there his obsession grows and his behavior becomes strange. The girl that is his potential savior becomes threatened and is afraid of him. Then strange visions start appearing and he feels he is starting to loose his mind.

I really enjoyed this book due to the fact that I am a fellow sufferer of insomnia. I have been battling it off and on for 5 years and I can honestly tell you it is horrible. I felt that I could relate to the frustration and exhaustion the character felt throughout the story. This book was a wild ride and felt raw in many parts. I found myself feeling sorry for Parker and wanting to shake his friends from shear anger. How could two people be so stupid at times? I loved the emotional ride that this story brought, but hated the shallow characters that occasionally showed up. I also wish there was some history thrown in about his childhood. I thought that was a little short changed at times. Even with all of my frustration I can honestly say this book was fun. I strongly recommend it to anyone who is looking for something different in the paranormal world. I find this story unique and look forward to reading the next installment.

It may seem easy to just say, "I didn't sleep last night." Yet, when Parker says it, he really - literally - means it. And every night.

"Her eyes saved his life.
Her dreams released his darkness.

After four years of sleeplessness, high school junior Parker Chipp can't take much more. Every night, instead of sleeping, he enters the dreams of the last person he's made eye contact with. If he doesn't sleep soon, Parker will die.

Then he meets Mia. Her dreams, calm and beautifully uncomplicated, allow him blissful rest that is utterly addictive. But what starts out as a chance meeting turns into an obsession; Parker's furious desire for what he needs pushes him to extremes he never thought he'd go. And when someone begins to terrorizing Mia with twisted death threats, Parker's memory blackouts leave him doubting his own innocence."

It seems like I have read quite a few books recently where the main character(s) were somehow experiencing some form of sleep loss beyond the norm. What made Insomnia different - and one of the things I really liked about it - was that it's main character, Parker also experienced the effects of that sleep deprivation.

Parker's extreme sleep deprivation wasn't just a plot element used to make his character more interesting or make things quirky. In a lot of ways, his 'insomnia' and its repercussions were the plot of Insomnia. We see the full toll it has taken and continues to take on Parker's life.

Though it's been four years of sleepless nights, the book is set at really the perfect time. Insomnia introduces us to Parker at two turning or, perhaps, tipping points. He seems to be reaching that point where it's all becoming too much (or not enough) and it's also when he meets Mia who promises a possible salvation.

A possible salvation she may not be willing to offer.

The closer Parker gets to that ultimate tipping point (where his lack of sleep will kill him), the more desperate he is for the real sleep Mia can provide. It's also the more unsure he becomes of his own actions.

The struggle present within Parker -- both physically and mentally/emotionally -- is incredibly well portrayed. What he's feeling physically and the mental effects it produces fuel his actions as the story progresses. It's also enough motivation that it, along with the turmoil we see him experiencing, would stop even the most unsympathetic action from alienating him as a character. We can understand why he's doing what he's doing.

Or at least why he thinks he needs to.

I will say that the way one character was written made them seem more villainous than they were and so I kept waiting for some nefarious twist or turn involving them. It may have been a purposeful red herring deal or they may just have come across that way (to me).

How everything wrapped up though was fantastic and I am really happy that I didn't see it all coming together that way. (Although, I am happy that one of the minor characters was there for the reason I suspected and I am, thus, looking forward to Book 2.)½

Insomnia brings something new and original to the table, and it is an addicting read. I didn't want to put it down and wanted to know what would happen next.
I chose to read Insomnia because I was intrigued by the concept, and jumped at the chance to review an arc ebook. I was very into this story, but its very dark. I like male pov and it was done well through Parker. It was quite an adventure being in Parker's head, and I, like him, didn't know the truth of what was going on in several instances. I didn't know if he was somehow responsible, or what was going on in those missing times. I def sympathized with him, and was confused right along with him. I think that even though insomnia brings out a darker part of his mind, good still wins out with him, even when bad things happen, he has regret, and that is the important thing for me.
His friendship with Finn was a high point in this story for me. I love to read about male friendships, listening to their banter, and ragging on each other. I appreciate the support and how he believed the unbelievable for his best friend. That he fought for his life and that he wanted to get to the bottom of things.
I also liked Finn's sister, Addie. She appeared to be a strong character, and I liked the interactions with him and Parker.
Mia was a mystery to me, and I wanted to know what made her dreams different from others, and what exactly was going on between her and Parker, and the secrets from her past.
The love in this one was subtleish, and even though I thought there was going to be a love triangle, there ended up not being one. I liked that it distinguished immediate attraction with deep feelings that develop over time.
The world building felt well done to me, I get the information I need when I need it and the pacing was good. I was never bored, and there was always something happening to keep things going.
The ending was an explosion of action and emotion. It caught me completely by surprise but it somehow was most of the things that I wanted, just not in the way I thought they would happen. It wrapped up the plot lines of this one very well, but threw in something that I know will be the focus of the sequel.

Bottom Line: Dark mystery with original concept from a well done male POV.

This was such an interesting concept. I've always thought sleep and dreams were so thought provoking. Just dreams in themselves are somewhat mysterious. I mean sometimes you remember them, sometimes you don't; you dream of absolutely weird things and it's all beyond your control.

Getting a free pass inside Parker's mind and going on this sleepless ride with him will have you white-knuckling your way through the book. It's keep you up late material that is sure to keep you turning the pages well into the night.

I really loved Parker's relationships with Finn and Addie. Finn is his best friend and Addie is Finn's sister. The friendship between the boys is so realistic and Finn is just one cool character. I can't wait to read the rest of this series. I'm giving this one 4 1/2 sleepy kisses!

I finished this book over twenty-four hours before writing this review, and I'm still flailing. I've been stuck in a DNF rut over my past few reads. Nothing was grabbing me. The books I was reading weren't bad, but I was bored. But from the moment I picked up Insomnia, I was stuck to the page. The voice was authentic and natural, the writing flowed smoothly, and I was interested in the setup from the first paragraph.

READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW AT: http://shelversanon.blogspot.com/2013/05/review-insomnia-by-jr-johansson.html

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: Great suspenseful mystery with a twist of paranormal thrown in. The idea was fresh and original and it was a really good read.

Opening Sentence: It’d been over four years since I’d really slept, and I suspected it was killing me

The Review:

Parker is a Watcher. When he turned 12 years old he stopped sleeping, well at least real sleep. Whenever he would fall asleep he would enter into the dreams of the last person he came into eye contact with. While he is in their dreams he sees everything they see and feels everything they feel. Because his brain never really goes to sleep he never gets the rest he needs to regenerate his body, so this insomnia is slowly killing him. Then he meets Mia. For the first time in 4 years he is able to really sleep. There is something different about her dreams that when he enters them he can fall asleep in them and have his own dreams. Because it’s the only way for Parker to survive he tries to make sure that Mia is the last person he makes eye contact with everyday and it starts to really freak Mia out. He always seems to show up where ever she is and it feels like he is stalking her. Then Mia starts to get threatening emails and immediately she thinks it is Parker. Parker would never do anything to hurt anyone, but he starts to have blackouts. Parker will do anything to help Mia, but what if it’s him that she really does need to be afraid of?

This book is told from Parker’s point of view, and I found him to be a really good character. He is really a sweet guy, but I have to be honest at times he was a little creepy. He is so obsessed with Mia, that it makes you really doubt him. He is a very fleshed out developed character and I really liked him. He has kept his issues a secret from everyone for obvious reasons, but with everything that is happening with Mia he finally breaks down and tells his best friend Finn.

Finn is that funny guy that lightens the mood of the intense moments in the book. He has been best friends with Parker since they were little kids and he is a really good guy. When Parker finally opens up to him about what’s going on he is concerned and really wants to help in any way that he can. He is a good friend and a fun character to get to know.

Mia is new to school this year and she has quite a sad past. She is currently a foster kid that lives with one of the boys from Parker’s soccer team. There was a tragic accident and Mia’s parents were killed. She already has a lot of hurt from the past and now she has to deal with a stalker. She doesn’t know if she can handle all of it. I really felt bad for Mia; she is a sweet girl that got dealt a bad hand in life.

This book was way different than I was expecting, but in a good way. From the description and the cover I thought that this book was going to be more of a horror book, but while it was intense, it’s not really scary. I really enjoyed the idea; it was so original and new. The plot really kept me guessing and had good twists throughout. I really loved all the characters and found myself really caring about all of them. The ending of the book was perfect, it wrapped up the plot line nicely, but definitely left me wanting more and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a good mystery with a paranormal twist to it.

Notable Scene:

I glanced back just in time to see Mia waving at Addie and moving toward the parking lot. Jumping to my feet, I ran to cut her off. I only needed a minute, one glance, and then I’d let her go.

I skidded to a stop in front of her, my feet tingly and raw as I realized I’d forgotten my shoes back on the beach.

Mia jumped away and gave a little squeak before glaring at me.

“What on Earth is wrong with you?”

“Sorry, I … ” My mind went blank.

“Seriously, if it weren’t for Addie telling me you were just acting weird lately, I’d have you committed.”

I’d have to thank Addie for that later, although, a very strong argument could be made for a padded room and a white jacket these days. I put my hands on my knees and feigned panting, trying to buy time to figure out what to say.

“Look, I’m flattered, really.” Mia’s voice was a little softer when she spoke again. “I mean, you’re really cute, but let’s be honest. You keep showing up everywhere I go, and the way you act—you’re starting to freak me out.”

I stood up straight. “What?”

“Come on, Parker. Do you really think I don’t notice you staring at me? The way you came by my house to talk to Jeff last weekend? Am I supposed to believe you didn’t know he was at football practice?” She shuffled her feet and looked away. “And just now, I thought you were going to bore a hole through my head back on the beach.”

“I’m sorry. I just really like your … your eyes?” I’d meant it to come out as a statement, not a question. I wanted to kick myself.

She stared at me, unblinking. “My eyes?”

“Yeah, you have pretty eyes.”

FTC Advisory: Flux provided me with a copy of Insomnia. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.