This book was not bad, I finished reading it, but I'm not going to read the rest of the series. I didn't really love it and I was quite bored with it. Maybe if I were younger I'd enjoy it more. ( )

Mi duole molto scrivere questa recensione: Kerstin Gier mi piace davvero tanto, ma ho fatto una fatica pazzesca a finire questo libro (alla fine mi sono tappata il naso e l'ho “buttato giù” d'un fiato).

Cosa non ha funzionato con me? Dato che lo stile della Gier è frizzante come suo solito, direi la trama. Tutta questa storia dei sogni e dei misteri a essa collegati mi è sembrata priva di senso e di forza. Non è riuscita a catturare il mio interesse, gran parte di quello che ho letto mi è sembrato una sovrabbondanza che impediva alla storia di ingranare.

Avrei apprezzato di più i vagabondaggi di Liv tra i sogni se questo fosse servito a qualcosa, se fosse così venuta a sapere di qualche segreto che mettesse pepe alla narrazione. In parte, credo che il mio disinteresse sia dovuto anche alla scarsa partecipazione del personaggio Liv a ciò che sta accadendo. Più che inconsapevole dei guai in cui si sta cacciando, sembra un'attrice della sua stessa storia: sembra agire sapendo come sarà il finale.

Anche il gruppetto di ragazzi super-bellissimi (Henry, Arthur, Grayson e Jasper) mi ha lasciata perplessa. Quello che mi ha intrigato di più è stato – pensa un po'! – Jasper, ma solo perché il suo ruolo è quello del cretino (anche se forse riserverà qualche sorpresa, chissà!). Grayson, il fratellastro-di-Liv-sì-ma-forse-no, è tenero e dolce, ma non mi ha fatto scoccare nessuna scintilla. Dall'altra parte, sono rimasta del tutto indifferente di fronte a Henry, ragazzo-di-Liv-che-nasconde-qualcosa. Arthur, infine, se la batte alla pari con Jasper per il ruolo di cretino (almeno per come se ne esce da Silver).

I personaggi secondari, invece, mi sono sembrati più interessanti. Su tutti, la sorella di Liv, Mia: mi ha indotto a chiedermi, in effetti, come mai non fosse lei la protagonista... ( )

This book was oddly appropriate to finish reading on Halloween, even through I hadn't planned it that way. Liv, short for Olivia, Silver arrives in London and quickly finds herself in an awkward living situation with her mother's new boyfriend and his family. She's also at a new school, where secrets are being spread via a gossipy blog run by an unknown classmate. Then she finds herself experiencing all too vivid dreams, with all too real consequences. It all may, or may not, be connected to a strange ritual several classmates performed to raise a demon, and the story only gets weirder from there. Overall, this book makes for a good read and it the story comes to satisfying conclusion, even if the door is left open for more books to follow. ( )

DREAM A LITTLE DREAM is a delightful little story about a girl who finds herself wrapped up in her new classmates' demonic rituals that take place in their dreams and if that isn't enough of a hook to keep you reading, then there's no hope for you. This book is fun to read, with the same easy flow that's indicative of Gier's other work. While the relationship growth is a bit quick for my tastes, it's sweet and filled with metaphorical butterflies and hand holding, so that's adorable.

Honestly, this isn't the best book in the world, but I did like it. I enjoyed the experience of reading it, even though it didn't feel like the most compelling story. The dream world was interesting and I'm looking forward to exploring it more in the rest of the trilogy.

For a more in-depth examination of DREAM A LITTLE DREAM, more book reviews, or further bookish content, please pop on by The Literary Phoenix. ( )

I have many guilty pleasures, and it seems one of them is reading Kerstin Gier. Though, none of her books (translated from German to English by Althea Bell) are especially enriching or even unique in every single way, I do so enjoy reading her work.

The Ruby Red Trilogy got me hooked a few months back, and I decided to get my hands on Dream a Little Dream, the first book in her Silver Trilogy, because it just sounded like the perfect book to wind down with. And it was a great book to read when you're not especially in the mood for something that'll hurt your brain. In fact, it's the perfect "palate cleanser" read between heavier books (I actually picked it up between reading Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter and Every Night I Dream of Hell by Malcolm Mackay).

Before I continue, please take note that although the summary of Dream a Little Dream sounds a lot like Maggie Stiefvater's The Raven Boys, it is nothing like it. The only similarities you'll find is 1.) There are four boys; and 2.) It revolves around dreams. That's it.

What you can expect in Dream a Little Dream is demons, mean girls, and some intriguing dream sequences that's mostly fast-paced. The book isn't especially long, so I flew through it in one sitting, but I still enjoyed it.

"But, Monique," you ask. "What's up with the star rating then?"

Well, although it's a good book to read on a rainy afternoon, and although I'll read the next books, it's not what I'd call a must-read. It won't kill you if you skip it, because there's nothing wholly unique about it. Dream a Little Dream is a guilty pleasure that would've gotten an even lower rating if this was my first taste of Kerstin Gier. So, honestly, it's not the best book out there. Still, it did have its moments and I'll probably read it again in the future.

All in all, if you're familiar with Kerstin Gier (and you like the Ruby Red Trilogy), you'll grow to love-hate Dream a Little Dream. If not, rather skip it. ( )