Nikki Moyes

Wow! This is one of the most powerful YA stories I’ve read since Thirteen Reasons Why. In this story, we’re introduced to Lucy, a loner longing to have just one friend. Even her own mother doesn’t seem close to her. On her eleventh birthday, Lucy goes into a deep sleep where she first meets Will, named Wu, and from there her birthdays become a marker. It’s only then that she is able to see Will, her only friend, through various periods in time.

Lucy is a well-developed character. She shows both flaws and strengths and my heart really went out to her whenever something bad happened to her. I loved the way that even though she had given up on herself, she went all out to save Will at every possible chance. This book was fantastic in the way it combined both realities into one to create the perfect ending. I would definitely recommend this fantastic story!
… (más)

"If I Wake" was just too out there for me, especially in the second-half of the book when Lucy ended up in 2084. True, Lucy's life was hell, but to the point where it was unbelievable, especially where her mother and Frank were concerned near the end. Also, I could never ascertain why Lucy's peers at school bullied her as much as they did and I was beginning to wonder which was her real life and which was her dream one.

Lucy's flashbacks of various historical times - Pompeii, 14th century England and Pearl Harbour - were interesting, and I preferred these sections to Lucy's present-day life. However, I found Will to be extremely bland and I couldn't understand Lucy's infatuation with him except that he was kind to her.

As for the ending, it was too contrived and I was left shaking my head at all the convenient, ridiculous resolutions. A very disappointing read.… (más)

**I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and not influenced by my source.**

While the traveling back in time aspect is great, for me it was all about the bullying. And this is a beautiful story about how your actions impact a person. It was so hard for me to watch Lucy get beaten down in her everyday life. I remember thinking to myself that this can't happen in real life because there is no way people could be so cruel.

I absolutely loved trying to figure out what the dream world had to do with the real world. And I'll admit, I really didn't figure it out until the last chapter. It was like this big eureka moment for me where I put it all together and my mind was blown a bit because it was a great link. (And I don't want to say more because I think it's a great thing for the readers to figure out on their own).

Lucy's character evolution is fantastic, even if some of the moments were disheartening. It was so hard for me to watch this girl get beaten down (in the real world) at every turn for no reason at all. (Why are people so cruel?!?) Which is why I liked those moments in the dreams where she literally transforms into a confident person before your eyes. It was great to see her have those moments of joy in her life.

This is just a fabulous story about the multi-layered impact bullying can have on a person. Such a beautiful novel.

Check out more spoiler-free book and series reviews on my blog SERIESousBookReviews.com as well as read book series recaps!

Full Review: http://wp.me/p7hLUw-24v
Actual Rating: 5/5… (más)