Thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey for the ARC of this title.

Another Dan Frey kind-of-epistolary thing I've devoured over the course of a day, though this one was less satisfying than The Future Is Yours. The overall idea driving the plot here is great, and it's a very propulsive read, but the various forms of plot delivery all feel a little off - emails go a little beyond the bounds of what two estranged spouses would send to each other via email, the main character's journal gets VERY exposition heavy at times in a way that doesn't quite ring like a journal, and the transcripts and other fragments of text added into the narrative all come off with the same voice rather than truly feeling pulled together from separate sources.

A certain level of that is fine - this is very much a "turn your brain off" book when it comes to the details of the world the book's built, but there are moments where the text truly assumes you woke up today with no knowledge of broad-strokes Los Angeles landmarks in a way that made me check if this was targeted at YA readers who may truly not have that knowledge. I'm on the east coast and I haven't been to LA, but I still know what the La Brea Tar Pits are!

There's some cool ideas happening here (wannabe author makes a deal with the fae that creates a popular YA series, has to hold back the last book because of the power it's created on the other side, etc.) but the main character regularly acts in ways that feel dragged along by plot points rather than a natural reaction to things as they happen. The pacing's a little off as well - this could have been tightened down to 2/3 of its runtime by getting some of the baggier middle parts moving more quickly. I rolled my eyes when it became clear where this was going to end, down to the final plot points of the last 10%. Which isn't bad, and this is very much a fun popcorn book, but I was exhausted with its main character by the end of it and the whole thing kind of just left a bad taste in my mouth.

In DREAMBOUND, by Dan Frey, Byron Kidd's daughter is missing and using his skills and guile as a journalist, Byron goes on a determined search to find his daughter. Will his cynicism is in full force, clue after clue that leads to his daughter seem more and more magical and lack real world substantiation. Byron slowly begins to see that he doesn't understand everything and only when he decides to accept all possibilities does it quickly become clear that he might actually find her.
This novel I felt especially connected to as a dad. Byron's absolutely blind determination to find his daughter and his willingness to abandon his entire belief system if it means he can rescue her is so moving and inspirational. As the search continues, Byron begins to see the world through his daughter's eyes and when he sees himself through her eyes, he is equal parts sad that he didn't do better and even more committed to not only finding his daughter but to become a better father to her. The book also dives into the world of book series fandom, cosplayer, fan fiction and the like. Percy does a good job of not passing judgment (good or bad) on the book series obsession that can often become a young adult book phenomenon, but rather he presents it for what it is: a young person's search for self and purpose. Finally, this book can be seen as a love letter to storytelling and all of the wonderfully imaginative things that can come from sharing a story.
Endearing and electrifying, DREAMBOUND is a book I won't soon forget and the ending is one of the most unique and beautiful endings I've read in the last few years.

Neverending Story but make it modern? Here are reasons to read this fantasy book:

Missing Daughter - Byron’s daughter is missing. And she has left a note saying she has run away

Los Angeles - as he investigates, he is led to Los Angeles, which also happens to be the home of the author of his daughter’s favorite fantasy book series

Fantasy World - Soon he is caught between a fantasy world and one in which he is not sure is real life anymore.

Like I said, this book is very much like Neverending story, in that we are reading this book full of other people’s stories. It is written in alternative media, from articles, emails, text messages, and excerpts. It’s a story about people who have read a fantasy series, also made into movies, and that fantasy series has a basis on other stories. It’s very immersive, but at the same time gets very sloggy. I started this book with the hope that it would be a new favorite, but unfortunately, while it was well written, it felt too long and just too much. However, if you are a huge fantasy lover, you may like it.

I love a great fantasy novel that can suck you in and make you forgot where you are: this is absolutely one of them. I was so impressed with the layering of worlds and the stories within a story. The characters are wonderfully written with distinct personality, goals, dreams, backstories.

This is not what I would consider a typical good versus evil because nobody is entirely one or the other. While the father is our hero, he is definitely flawed and unlikable at times. Our antagonist is definitely corrupted by power, but did not set out to be that way; absolute power corrupts absolutely.

In the acknowledgments Frey wrote "this book is a love-letter to stories" and I find that sentiment, and this book, beautiful.

Thank you NetGalley and the other for my advance reader copy of this book.

I liked the basic premise of the book but it was slow to get going and I think I would have liked it more if we got to the fictional world sooner and spent more time there. It is described in the book’s description as fantasy so the fantasy part should have been a lot soon than later. It wasn’t until about the 80% mark that things got going and gets a little interesting and then suddenly it was over all nice and tidy. Some people might not enjoy that the whole story was written as series of notes, recording, book excerpts, emails, and text messages. I think sometimes it works and sometimes it didn’t.

Every once in a while, a book grabs you by the throat and sucks you into the story. It happened to me as a child with Alice in Wonderland and more recently with The Wind-up Bird Chronicle. Dreambound is my latest magical realism obsession.

Journalist Byron’s twelve-year-old daughter, Liza, ran off six months ago. Liza left a note implying she was going to enter a hidden world popularized by a wildly successful fantasy book series. Her decision breaks up Byron’s marriage and sets him on a mission to find her. First stop is Los Angeles, where Lisa’s cellphone last pinged.

The book is written in a modern epistolary format. Instead of letters, the plot is advanced through Byron’s journal, interview transcripts and various written secondary sources. This makes for an extremely fast-paced read.

The format also slowly reveals that Byron is a rather obnoxious husband, father, and person in general. If you need a main character that you like to enjoy a story, don’t pick up this book. However, if you want an entirely immersive tale that will leave you wondering about reality well after the last page, don’t miss Dreambound. It has an unforgettable plot and will remind you how much fun can be found within a book’s covers. 5 stars and a favorite!

Thanks to Del Rey Books and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.

When Byron's twelve year old daughter goes missing, he soon realizes she has crossed into a second reality inspired by a high profile author's book series. He transitions in and out of different realities looking for his daughter, and in the process, he is forced to face his skepticism about the fantastical.

I really enjoyed this high minded exploration of beliefs, family ties, and the power of stories, especially as an avid reader myself. I loved how the story straddled multiple perceptions, and the pacing was really great as well.

Wow! What a compelling story about the power of stories, a father’s love for his daughter, and what makes a hero. I didn’t know what to expect when I started the book, and now that I am finished, I’m just sitting here dumbfounded.

Dreambound may be a fantasy story about a fantasy world - the world of fae - but it is more raw and authentic than any contemporary story I’ve ever read. When Byron’s 12-year-old daughter vanishes, there’s no stone he won’t upturn to find her. Even if it means going to LA and entering the fictional Hidden World found in a popular fantasy series called Fairy Tale. How does one enter a fantasy world? It’s not easy; it takes sacrifice and enduring pain beyond belief. But when a dad wants to save his daughter, nothing will stop him.

Byron tells the story through emails, notes, and other written documents. This format is far from new and has grown stale for me. But in this story, there’s a fundamental reason for it, and the author handles it so expertly that I soon forgot that I wasn’t reading a traditional format. The story immersed, moved, and led me on a fast-paced journey with a perfect, surprising conclusion.

Dreambound by Dan Frey is a fantasy novel that is highly recommended for lovers of the genre.

Byron Kidd’s twelve-year-old daughter Liza vanishes from their home in Boston. She leaves a note stuck in her favorite fantasy book written by Annabelle Tobin saying that she’s going to the end of the world - basically to the land found in the book. Liza is not the only child to do so. Byron is a reporter and decides to uncover the truth behind his daughter's disappearance along with others. The last known clue to her whereabouts is a ping from her phone identifying her location as in Los Angeles. Byron goes to L.A. and begins to use all his skills to interview people and uncover clues about where his daughter could be.

The narrative is told through journal entries, transcripts, emails, texts, and excerpts from Tobin’s novels, Dreambound and other fairy tales. This modern epistolary approach to the novel works very well and moves at a smooth, quick pace. The plot is compelling and interesting while the suspense remains high to the end.

The characters are unique and all portrayed as fully realized individuals. Not all characters are likeable or trustworthy, but they all resemble people you may know or see daily. In the end, setting all the fantastical elements aside, this is a novel about a father searching for his missing daughter, as well as an ode to the love of stories.

I will admit to not being a huge fan of all genres of fantasy novels and tend more to science fiction, but the plot held my interest throughout. Those who enjoy fantasy will likely enjoy this novel even more than I did.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Random House via NetGalley.
The review will be published on Barnes & Noble, X, Edelweiss, and Amazon.

I was totally prepared to give this either 3.5 or 4 stars, but holy hell, the MMC's narcissism, misogyny, and egotism seriously bombed the story and made the ending into something even worse than I thought it could be.

Lord, where do I even start...

So, the positives:

I actually really liked how this story was told in email format, news articles, interviews, journal entries, etc. It was really unique and actually made me want to read on just to see how certain situations would be handled or played out.

One caveat though: the emails between the MMC, Byron, and his estranged wife, Valerie, sounded so painfully stilted. Like I understand what the author's aiming for since their relationship is very strained, but jc, at least make it sound less robotic and more personable.

I liked the use of Los Angeles as a multilayered setting. It was really cool to read about Byron discovering that the city of Los Angeles is ~more than it seems~.

It was really cool to see the fantasy elements finally come into play, and how it was interwoven with reality. I'm a huge fan of mixing fantasy subgenres together and this was a great example of fairy tale-inspired fantasy mixed in with urban fantasy.

But, of course, the negatives outweighed all of this imo.

Byron was not a likeable MMC at all. I think that might be what the author was aiming for, and I'm assuming that the character growth at the end was supposed to redeem him.

But the redemption arc didn't work out for me at all. In fact, it made the story even worse. Without giving away too many spoilers, Byron becomes co-author of sorts to Annabelle's final Fairy Tale book. Annabelle already didn't have full agency over her own novels, and to have Byron hijack her work?? Holy shit, can the guy be even more egotistical???

The way that the ending played out was seriously the worse redemption arc I've ever read. Very, VERY patriarchal, even though it's supposed to be seen as ~inspirational.


***SPOILERS AHEAD***


I know Annabelle's last book became a collaboration of sorts due to Byron's story and character arc, but what the hell happened to her original FMC, Ciara? It rubs me the wrong way for a grown ass man to become the MC of a series of Harry Potter-esque novels when Ciara, a girl, had been the protagonist in the first five books.

Idk, man.


***END SPOILERS***

As mentioned before, Byron is the absolute worst. As bad as it sounds, I wouldn't mind if he was only a neglectful father to his daughter, Liza. But jfc, at least have him be a decent human being to the other people around him.

He was so insufferable to the point where at parts, I didn't care that his daughter was missing. He judged another character, Misha, for being quirky and different. (But ofc, despite all of that, she still helped him. I would've blocked his ass and moved on.) He judged random ass people for following their dreams. He only cared about nonfiction and the "real world," while basically dismissing fiction as trash.

Worst of all, he judged his own daughter for loving fantasy novels and fantasy worlds, dismissing it as unimportant and way beneath him (and her). He didn't take his daughter seriously at all, even yelling at her for reading a book during dinner (anger issues, much?).

The sad part was, I was hoping that Byron would redeem himself at the end, but it all ended up feeling very hollow.

If Byron wasn't such a narcissistic asshole, I would've given this 4 stars for being an interesting and unique take on fantasy with some suspense/thriller vibes, with a commentary on fandom and its collective consciousness.

Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for this arc.

Dan Frey’s latest novel Dreambound opens with a great hook. James Kidd’s twelve-year-old daughter Liza has disappeared. Kidd believes that her disappearance is linked to the disappearance of other children around the world and connected to a popular series of fantasy books. Kidd is also an investigative journalist but his publication will not allow him to investigate this, pointing out (correctly) that he is too close to any story. And his wife just thinks he is unable to process his grief. Despite all of this, Kidd heads across the country to Los Angeles where it is possible his daughter was last seen.
A few caveats then for readers before jumping into Dreambound. Firstly, similarly to Frey’s last book The Future is Yours, Dreambound is told in an epistolary style. The book is collection of emails, notes, interview transcripts, excerpts from various books. Frey does eventually provide some payoff for this approach but it is one that is inherently distancing. For example, he has to represent Kidd’s mental state or real views as crossed out text in his notebook. The second is the character of Kidd himself. Again, Frey is charting what is essentially a sceptic to believer journey but the character himself is incredibly obnoxious and judgemental (and remains so even after he starts to believe) and becomes the centre of what is essentially a “dad saviour” narrative. And the third is that idea that Los Angeles is essentially the centre of the world so that puzzles can be solved by mapping the book narrative against the geography of Los Angeles.
All of that said there is plenty of enjoy in Dreambound. Not least of which is Frey’s exploration of modern day fantasy fandom. There are fanfic writers, cosplayers, a “con” and superfans. There is a film series of the books which takes liberties with the text. And there is reclusive author who is desperately trying to finish the final book in the series which it seems the world is waiting for. All of it reads as a mash up of properties like Harry Potter and Game of Thrones.
And there is the increasingly common trope of: What if fantasy worlds were real but not as cosy as we would like them to be – explored in series like Lev Grossman’s The Magicians and more recently in Adrian Tchaikovsky’s And Put Away Childish Things.
Overall, in Dreambound Frey has delivered a narrative that is fast paced and interesting enough to run most readers past the plot holes. In doing so they have to stay with a character who takes questionable steps and seems to be doing his best to turn readers off. But as noted, he does pay all of this off in a final act which manages to capture some of the wonder while also still looking askance at the industry that spawned it.

This book felt very much like a YA book. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, but unexpected when you go into it thinking you are reading an adult book. And, my son (in his 20s) agrees with me. I would be more likely to recommend this book to a younger audience despite the horrible relationship between the parents and the father's excessive drinking. Overall, the father was an unlikeable character for most of the book. The story was provided in a combination of the father's investigative journal, emails, texts, quotes from "source" material, and interviews. I enjoyed this approach. It kept things fresh, especially when it felt like the story was lagging at times. I did not understand why Bryan, the father, crossed things out in his own journal. Theoretically those are his own notes and it doesn't matter if he lets his personal feelings in. He could edit them later. A basic understanding of the general outlines of fantasy and fairy tales would help enhance the reading enjoyment of this book. I also wish more time had been spent in the conclusion of the book. For a 400 page book, it felt like a speedy wrap up after a super long build up.

This is my second book by Dan Frey, and I enjoyed it. Byron Kidd is a journalist who's daughter goes missing. She leaves a note saying she's going to the Hidden World, which is a universe in a series of YA books called the Fairy Tale series.

Byron, who thinks Fantasy novels, fan fic, and cosplay are a waste of time, is disbelieving of the idea that someone could enter a fictional world. However, if he wants his daughter back, he will need to reexamine those beliefs.

I liked the format this was told in. It is in the form of emails, texts, journal notes, and interview transcripts. The pacing was decent, but it does get really long-winded here and there. Many of the characters were unlikable and didn't necessarily redeem themselves. I would recommend to those who like contemporary fantasy and YA fantasy.

My thanks to Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine, Del Rey, author Dan Frey, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

After reading Dan Frey's last book, this was very much unexpected. It feels quite YA, but technically the main character is a middle aged man who wasn't present for his daughter as she grew into herself and difficult middle school years. The main point is that a father can GO THERE and meet his daughter where she is. Except not quite because it's all about getting her home. Frey tries to put a bandaid on that with the ending, but it doesnt really work.

Dad starts as an a$$hole. Characters make that explicit for you in case you didnt pick it up. But Frey never really rehabilitates him. He has characters that didnt like him like and support him, but mostly for the greater good or for his daughter. It doesnt solve it.

Add in a Harry Potter level popular female protagonist fantasy book series, a parallel universe where time works differently, and some quite watered down discussions of fan fic for flavor. Throw in a dash of marginal seediness a la The Magicians series. There you have it.

I'm not sure what I expected, but this left me feeling meh, as if it were a rehash of overdone ideas for someone to work out their issues on the difficulty of being a father. If you are on the daddy side of daddy issues, then maybe good for you? I don't see me recommending it widely.

Reminded me of Sandman Slim, the idea that LA is magical but not fun, a darkness that spreads everywhere. A story of a father's love and commitment.

Magical realism, a father love for his daughter, what lengths he will go to rescue her from her stories.

It cannot be overstated enough: I LOVED this book. LOVED IT. And I don't like fantasy. Like at all. But this wasn't really fantasy, until it was. And by then I was so invested and it was so intriguing I didn't care.

Byron is a dad and a journalist whose 12 year old daughter goes missing and he is determined to find out what happened to her after everyone else (her mother included) seems to have given up. He discovers that his daughter's obsession with a fantasy book series may have something to do with her disappearance that sets him on a journey to LA to investigate.

I love that this book was written to include Byron's notes, interviews, emails, excerpts from books, etc. to really pull the story together. It made the book so engaging and felt like the reader was also part of the investigation. I found myself looking for clues right along with Byron. As I said before, I don't read fantasy so a lot of that aspect was lost on me. I honestly feel like I was missing a lot since I don't have experience reading fantasy books. Despite that, I was still really able to enjoy those parts of the story, and did not deter me at all from reading.

This book also hit home on a personal level: as someone who used to be a weird kid with weird interests who grew up to be a weird adult with weird interests. I have to say this: parents, please please PLEASE take an interest in the the things your kids love. Even if you think they are silly or stupid or boring...just take the time to let them talk to you about it and learn about it. It will mean more to them than you know and it just might help save their life. Ok I know that was a little intense, but this is a huge part of this book and what really grounded the story that was really fantastical, and fun. I also would love for this to be a TV series!

When I started this book, my first thought was that believability was going to be stretched beyond the limit - and I was spot on. That said, count me as one who took a deep breath (make that two or three) and decided to go along for the ride.

And what a ride it is! Part Peter Pan, part Harry Potter, part Narnia and all fantasy with roots in reality, it really blew me away. One big reason is the unique presentation: Written as a cleverly composed compilation of notes, interviews, emails, book excerpts and other interactions between Bryon and other characters, it's far from any of the standard writing styles common to most books. Basically, it follows the frantic attempts of successful writer/reporter Byron James (nee Kidd) to find his 12-year-old daughter Liza. The girl, it seems, left a note, meaningfully stashed in her favorite fantasy book, to inform her parents that she was leaving home to find her way to "the end of the world." Byron and his wife Val are devastated, of course, but Bryan - knowing that several other children have gone missing in similar fashion and never been found - takes it to a whole new level by vowing to find her and bring her back.

Not a little of his intensity is born of guilt; he blames himself for failing to give Liza the attention she deserved and not supporting her strong beliefs in the fantasy world she clearly loved. And, his attempts to win Val over to his assertion that Liza is still alive fall mostly on deaf ears; separated from Byron and in therapy after Liza's disappearance six months earlier, she's struggling to come to terms with her grief and isn't inclined to drag things out any longer. And that brings up another point: while Bryon's dogged determination to find Liza is commendable, he's not the most lovable of heroes. Put another way, his controlling, misogynistic attitudes make it easy to see why he no longer has a wife and daughter. Still, there remains a clear and present danger to Liza - and there are some signs that he's trying for an attitude adjustment - so (insert a couple more deep breaths here) I gave him a pass.

Early on, Bryon concludes that the author of Liza's favorite books, Annabelle Tobin, is central to the disappearance. The wildly popular series has spawned a huge following, right down to an annual event similar to Comic Con. Now, all those fans are clammoring for the sixth, and final book, to be completed; but so far, Annabelle's promises to produce are empty and the author has become a virtual recluse. Just to land a meeting with her, then, is the first significant hurdle Bryon must overcome. The rest of the story follows Byron's progress - complete with gains, setbacks and near disasters - as he tries to follow the path Liza took to get wherever she went and, hopefully, find that she's still alive, able and willing to come back home. Loved it - and I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the privilege of reading and reviewing a pre-release copy.

this was an absolute bummer. i was really looking forward to reading this based on the premise. i DNF'd at 40%- i just couldn't connect with the characters. thanks netgalley & the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

Dreambound was kindly provided to me by NetGalley and Random House in exchange for my honest review.
Dreambound follows a father/reporter desperately trying to locate his 12 year old daughter who has recently gone missing. The police can’t help, the mother has moved on and he has no clues other than the fact that his daughter is very obsessed with an unfinished fantasy series.
The more he investigates the links between his daughters disappearance and the strange disappearances of other youths that love the series, the more he discovered that maybe the series isn’t such a fantasy after all.
I really enjoyed this book. I liked the mystery surrounding the disappearances. I liked the interesting and sometimes strange characters that we encounter on the journey to find the truth of where these kids have gone. I would definitely recommend this book to other readers BUT I will caution that this book is told via emails, Reddit threads, interviews, text messages, story excerpts. This is really not a format that I enjoy while reading so I would caution anyone else who does not enjoy this format. I’m giving this book 4 stars as I really enjoyed it.