I really liked the idea of this story. An unknown illness take over a small college town, causing people of all ages to fall into deep sleeps that they can't be awakened from. They live in a dream like state for weeks, though some recover more quickly than others. This book had no main characters just a few points of views from the people who live in the town this is happening in. The ending really left a lot open to interpretation, and didn't explain how the illness came to be and if it was something that could suddenly take effect again on an unsuspecting town. But for that I enjoyed this book and looking forward to other books by Karen Thompson Walker.

New author for me but pleasantly surprised. Thank you for the approval and look forward to a book relationship with other reads in the future,

4-5 stars! A very intriguing read, which definitely held my attention in a manner that I found myself staying up past my bedtime to get a few more pages in. Not thrilling, but more of that slow burn suspense so thick you can cut it with a knife thrill ride. A must read for those who enjoy YA mysteries, which really leave you yearning to know what the heck is happening!
Will let the members of Chapter Chatter Pub know about it!

A strange affliction is starting to affect some college students at a small town in California. These people are falling asleep and simply not waking up. It appears as though they're in a very deep sleep, and scans of their brain activity show some serious dreaming going on. All other bodily functions are normal for most and they're able to continue living with medical intervention. It starts off slow with other students who attend the college coming down with the "sickness", but then it begins to spread to other residents of the town. How will this mysterious sickness be stopped? What will happen to those who've contracted it?

This was the first book I've read by Karen Thompson Walker (I have The Age of Miracles in my bookshelf waiting to be read). The Dreamers is a frightening scenario as no one understands how the sickness begins and how to cure it. Some hints were dropped about environmental events that coincidentally were taking place when the sickness begins - water levels in the town were oddly low, a fire breaks out right before the sickness really starts to spread - but no actual explanation was given to what truly caused it. I was a little disappointed by that, but at the same time I can see why the author would've left this out. The lack of cause and cure adds to the mystery and terror of a scenario like this. I definitely enjoyed this book. I found it to be fast-paced and frankly a bit terrifying as the situation is relatable to real-life.

In the humble town of Santa Lora, California, the sudden appearance of a mystifying illness begins on the college campus. A female student falls asleep in her dorm room and cannot be awakened, but tests reveal she is dreaming.
As the airborne virus spreads, we follow the stories of college students Mei and Matthew, young sisters Sara and Libby, whose father is infected, professors Ben and Annie and their seventeen day old baby, biology teacher Nathaniel and neurospsychiatrist Catherine Cohen.
As the sickness runs its course, many are left dead. But others wake up after weeks and months of sleeping and dreaming.
Remarkable and vivid dreams, of memories, past events and glimpses into the future.
Evocative and mystical, lyrically written. I was deeply touched by the poignant stories of the characters. Many intriguing questions about our dreams.
4.5 stars, rounded down to 4 stars.
Thank you to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVE Karen Thompson Walker. While I didn't like this book quite as much as I liked Wolves at the Door, she's got this incredibly clear, dreamy, and elevated voice that I find so enjoyable to read. I often find that in books like this, where there's a mystery that serves as the background to the plot, that I wish the focus was more on solving the mystery than exploring the characters' inner lives. I did not feel that way this time around-- the characters were realistic, engaging, and unique. I really enjoyed this read. Highly recommended.

I devoured this book. Absolutely could not put it down. While a bit of a slow burn the pages fly because you just want to know what happens!

The Dreamers came highly recommend to me by some fellow reading friends. I found the story to be super unique and captivating. The premise of the book was like nothing I have ever read before and I felt the storyline flowed well. The author's decision to share the story in the third person worked okay with the plotlines but I did find it harder to connect with any of the characters or feel super invested as the reader. All in all, this was a fresh and enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

*Thank you to the author and Netgalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

I truly appreciate it.

Thank you very much for allowing me the opportunity to read this book! I appreciate the kindness. <3

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

I was so excited about this book! I thought it had a great premise that would keep me hooked through the whole book. Unfortunately, I thought it fell a little flat. By the end, I was glad to be done. What was I supposed to get out of this? I'm not too sure. I would rather have a story like the movie "Contagion" then the tameness this novel brought. I expected more from a novel centering on chaos in a town when a scary and mysterious illness is occurring..

Such a unique story! Some parts were slow, but overall I really enjoyed it. I will say it also took some time to really get into the story, but once I did I breezed right through..Thanks Netgalley for my free review copy!

I always enjoy it when a book grabs my attention in the first few paragraphs before taking me on a wild ride. And that is exactly what happened when I read The Dreamers. From the first page to the last, I was enthralled by the story and continually wondering what would happen next.

One of the good things about this book is that there aren’t too many characters to try and keep track of. Yes, the book takes place in a small college town, but what is happening is presented from only a few points of view. The fact that the characters are all different ages and come from different walks of life only adds an extra layer of enjoyment.

The only real complaint I have is in regards to the virus itself. So very little attention is given to it, though it plays a major role in the story. Where did it come from? How did Kara, Patient Zero, originally contract it? Where did the virus eventually go? It’s alluded that it simply fizzled out, but because the whole town wasn’t affected, I find that tiny point a little hard to swallow.

Personally, I enjoyed reading The Dreamers; I practically devoured it. I wouldn’t recommend it for hypochondriacs, but for those looking for a good fairly quick read, I say give this one a try.

This book was not my favorite, The writing was beautiful but the character development was flawed and I struggled to connect. I just couldn’t stay interested.

This was a really fast, compelling read. I came to it with tempered expectations after not loving The Age of Miracles., but enjoyed this one so much!

There’s a nice balance of plot and characters here. The plot is in the foreground, as the movement of the epidemic through the affected college and town is front and center. While there is a large cast of characters they are well described and most have just enough substance.

Light, escapist, fun.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC.

I love Thompson Walker's writing style. Both of her novels have solid plots that are bizarre enough to keep the reader interested, but one cannot help but to admire the humorous lines and poetic turns of phrases sprinkled throughout her narrative.

The missing star in the review comes with my dissatisfaction with the ending. I had issues with the ending of The Age of Miracles as well, but I enjoyed the resolution in this book much more than that of her debut novel.

Very good book. Well written and fascinating. Third person narrative definitely worked well. Great tone and use of foreshadowing added to experience. Will make a great movie!@

I was really excited about the premise of Karen Thompson Walker's The Dreamers, especially because the book got major buzz in the publishing world. Unfortunately, at least for me, the premise was far more exciting than the execution.

A "sleeping disease" is going around a California college town. One day, a college girl falls asleep in her dorm room and never wakes up. It doesn't take long before the disease travels around the dorm floor. Some of the other people in the town become infected, and the National Guard is called in to enforce a quarantine. How did the disease start and what is the cause? Will the "dreamers" ever wake up, and if they do, will they ever be the same?

The ultimate problem of The Dreamers is that many of the questions the reader will definitely expect to be answered are not. The book also bounces from character to character so much that we never really get to know them (and therefore, care about them). I did enjoy the "dream-like" quality of the prose, but because there are so many plot points left open-ended, I ultimately wondered what the point of it all was.

MY RATING - 2

An incredible read. I’d say the style is reminiscent of Stephen King—but it’s more literary in a way or perhaps just more lyrical. I loved it. This is crafted masterfully and cuts to the core of the story. No extraneous words used. Just simply powerful and so well done!

Thank you to NetGalley and Karen Thompson Walker for allowing me to read and review The Dreamers. I really enjoyed this novel. It kept my attention and was an all-around enjoyable read! I'll be recommending it. The cover is gorgeous, too!