Sweet Nightmare is the first book in The Calder Academy series, a spin-off of Tracy Wolff’s Crave series. The story takes place in the same world as the Crave series but with a new setting and cast of characters. Though you don’t have to have read the original series before reading this, there are characters and references to events that Crave readers will recognize.

Like the Crave series, the first thing I noticed about the book was the author’s exceptional use of chapter titles. She does titles so well, and I look forward to them in all of her books! They’re quirky and funny while still relating to and giving hints about the upcoming chapter. The chapters are also relatively short, which makes it feel like a fast read.

I also noticed the strong voice right away. Wolff is really skilled at creating dynamic and fully realized characters that you want to learn more about. The story is told from Clementine’s point of view. She has a distinct and entertaining perspective, and the first-person narration really immerses you into her story, thoughts, and feelings. Clementine is the daughter of one of the leaders of the academy, and she has never left the island. She goes through a lot in her personal life as she deals with broken relationships, missing and murdered ex-students, secrets, lies, and more.

As much as I love Clementine, I really need to talk about Jude because I love a dark and mysterious MMC, and Jude is all that and a bag of chips. I can tell why Clementine is so hung up on him because he sounds like a broody, angsty, and gorgeous enigma with some dangerous secrets. And the ex-best-friends-to-lovers romance between Jude and Clementine is the best! There’s so much angst between them, and the chemistry is fantastic.

The story also has two great found families that start merging into one. Love it so much!! There are so many intriguing secondary characters, and I have a feeling many of them will have large roles in the next book. As far as the plot, it’s suspenseful and mysterious, and the whole story has this eerie, ominous feel to it. With secrets, lies, a dark academia setting with a massive storm about to pummel the isolated island, murders, an island of supernatural students who can’t access their abilities, unusual and dangerous creatures, and so much more, there’s a lot to sweep you away in Sweet Nightmare.

Special thanks to TBR & Beyond Tours, NetGalley, and Entangled for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

Sweet Nightmare is the First Book in the Calder Academy series by Tracy Wolff.

This series is a spin-off of the amazing Crave Series. Having read the Crave Series and LOVED it I can say this book stands alone if you dive right in without reading the Crave series first.

The story is about Calder Academy told from the perspective of Clementine Calder who is 17 years old. His family owns Calder Academy a boarding/detention center for paranormal youth.

The Academy is set on a tropical island in the Gulf of Mexico. A Category 5 Hurricane hits the island and that's when things get a little crazy.

This is such a fantastic start to a new series. The characters are well crafted, flawed and well fleshed out as well as FUN and funny.

“I am stronger than all of the problems and challenges I encounter. I just have to believe in myself.”

Really looking forward to the next book in this exciting new series.

If you were a fan of Tracy Wolff’s Crave series, you’re in for a treat as this is the new spin off series. Same universe, and it features Izzy and Remy! (This book isn’t “their” story- that will be the third in the Calder Academy series per Tracy Wolff’s website.)

This book has a lot of “will they / won’t they”, an ex-best friend to lovers trope, lots of paranormal goodness and monsters, and fun references to Beatles songs thrown in, making it a very fun read. Another bonus? (To me at least) Very short chapters! So of course I stayed up too late to read it because it’s very easy to say “just one more chapter” over and over again.

One thing I wish the book would have done differently was dual timelines. It would have been nice if we could have seen Clementine and Jude’s relationship from the beginning and have that go back and forth. Instead, we’re just thrown in there that she was in love with him, and we never really get to see it blossom. I think I would have liked the love story more in that way. But either way, I shipped them so it all works out!

The Calder Academy was a spin off series of Crave series – Tracy Wolff’s other book series.
I haven't read the Crave series yet but I can totally enjoy this one just fine!

The plot was interesting and the short chapters kept me glued to my kindle.
This story have some parts that can be quite dark/ sensitive to some readers so I suggest checking out the trigger warning below before reading this one.

The world building is interesting with a variety of different supernatural beings - vampires, fae, phoenix, dragons, sirens, etc which I think fantasy readers would love.
The characters are pretty good, the bantering within the gang really liven up this dark and scary story of survival in a middle of a storm with a bunch of monsters running rampage.

I also like the romance between Jude and Clementine, I was a little bit frustrating at first with Jude playing ‘push and pull’ with Clementine but I totally adore them together!

There are so many dark secrets especially surrounding Clementine - her power and her past.
The last chapter ended with quite a huge bomb for Clementine, that cliff-hanger really made me wish I had the 2nd book with me!
Overall, this was an enjoyable read and I would definitely want to check out the Crave series now!

<i>Thank you to TBR and Beyond Tour, Netgalley, author and publisher for giving me an e-ARC of the book and for having me on this book tour. I’m leaving this review voluntarily! </i>

⚠️ 𝐓𝐖: graphic violence, gore, death, blood, vomit, fire and burning, drowning, venom and poisoning, bullying, hallucinations, profanity, monster attacks that relate to common phobia, and natural disasters are depicted. Death of family member is also discussed.

Sweet Nightmare is Tracy Wolff's first spin-off of the Crave series. I didn't read the original Crave series, but I didn't feel too lost, so I think it's good for those who are just reading from this author! Calder Academy is a chilling institution where supernatural rules and fear reign supreme.

This dark story kicks off with a bang and I was completely hooked! Jude and Clementine are two of the most wonderful and badass MCs I've read in a long time. I loved their witty banter and the stolen moments between them. This book is a roller coaster of emotions - you will laugh, cry, gasp, maybe even squeal. This story is both riveting and spine-tingling, making "Sweet Nightmare" a captivating read for lovers of dark YA fantasy. This is a must-read! I can't wait for the next one in the series!

I got to read an E ARC of Sweet Nightmare by Tracy Wolff. I absolutely love it. It was such a wild ride to read. It kept me interested throughout the whole book. Love all the characters and getting to know them. Jude and Clemintine are my favorite, but I also love Remy and Izzy from the Crave series. So, I can't wait for more of them and see what happens to them next. Tracy has a way with her books that I feel like I'm in the story with the characters and I love it. It is definitely a book that I can read over and over again. I am already looking forward to the next one.

There is something I loved about this book that has nothing to do with the story itself, and that is the chapter titles! They were so good, and perfect, and I have just learned Tracy Wolff also does in her Crave series. If that wasn't enough to make me want to read that series, how much I loved Sweet Nightmare has definitely cemented my desire to dive into her other works.

I first started Sweet Nightmare with the thought of picking it up for an hour or so before going to bed.. and ended up reading the entire book in one sitting! It had me from the first page and it only got better as the story progressed. I loved Camilla and her friends, the setting of the school and the storm was atmospheric and so well-written I felt like I was there. Jude and Camilla have the best love/ hate, will they/won't they thing that is happening, and every time they are together on page sparks fly. The action was fast-paced and intense, I couldn't put it down. I loved the twists and turns and those reveals OMG!
I loved that while school is a last resort for these kids, they still build friendships and work together to survive. This is also the kind of place, especially with all those roaming nightmares where not everyone we meet is going to make it to the end. And Tracy Wolff did such an amazing job writing this that even those who died off the page had me feeling all the feels.
Sweet Nightmare is fun, fast-paced, intense, action-packed, and through all that still had me laughing out loud. I can't wait for the next book! It's a good thing I have the Crave series to keep me occupied.

I loved this book! I was immediately drawn into the story and I imagined a cartoon in my head like Vamparina. It just made it all the more enjoyable to me. The story follows Clementine, whose family owns and operates Calder Academy located on a reclusive island. It’s a school for paranormals but doesn’t exactly prepare them for the outside world. Clementine has to battle against dangerous creature, an overbearing mother, and loss. It was such a good book!

I loved every second of this book! I loved each and every character and their personality differences. It was so refreshing to meet new faces and see old faces as well!! I can’t wait for the next book and to continue the journey with these characters!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Sweet Nightmare is a masterful concoction of fantasy and suspense that ensnares the reader from the very first page. The novel is a thrilling ride through a world where the lines between dreams and reality blur, creating an intoxicating romantasy that is both unique and compelling.

The chemistry between Jude and Clementine is off the charts , igniting sparks that leap off the page. The author weaves a tale so rich in detail and emotion that one cannot help but be drawn into the lives of her characters. Their interactions are a complex dance of tension and tenderness, underscored by a suspense that keeps the heart racing.

The fantasy elements are beautifully crafted, with a lore that is both intricate and accessible, inviting readers to lose themselves in a world that is as enchanting as it is dangerous. The author ’s skillful storytelling ensures that the suspense never overshadows the romance, but rather complements it, adding depth and excitement to the narrative.

In Sweet Nightmare, Tracy Wolff has created a world where love is a strength, mystery is a constant companion, and every page holds the promise of another thrilling twist. It’s a book that doesn’t just tell a story—it weaves a spell that lingers long after the final chapter.

Highly recommended for fans of romance with a dark twist, this book is a standout in the genre. Tracy Wolff has outdone herself, delivering a novel that is sure to become a favorite on many shelves.

This book had me saying, "I forgot I was reading" from the first chapter; it was full of tense action that drew me in, and each chapter was brief, which piqued my interest. Even though I've never read the Crave series, I've had a looooong-standing desire to do so.

Not knowing that Sweet Nightmare is a spin-off of Crave. I’m soooorry. But now that I've finished this book, I must read Crave. but even so, I had no trouble understanding Tracy Wolff’s unique world-building and engrossing writing style. What I find most enjoyable is the concept of the paranormal romance, which is new to me as I don't often read books like this. The characters are distinct. Some of them, I really like, but some really get on my nerves. Their strong personalities kept me from putting this book down. I can’t wait for the sequel!

Tracy Wolff has done it again!! This is the perfect start to a brand new series set in the Crave universe and I am so happy to have read it!
Calder Academy is a school that no one aspires to attend. It's the last resort for paranormals that have made questionable choices or cannot control their powers. Clementine has spent her entire life here and is itching to find a way off the island in the Gulf of Mexico. Jude was Clementine's best friend, but one night that changed forever. Cut to three years later with a hurricane headed their way and they are thrown back together in the biggest fight of their lives trying to survive.
I was so happy to see Remy and Izzy again and to meet so many great new characters like Luis, Eve, Ember, Mozart, etc. Any character Tracy writes seems to jump off the page. They all have very distinct and fun personalities. I loved all of the action, banter, suspense, and the crazy twists and turns that Sweet Nightmare provided.
Fair warning... Tracy is a master of leaving you wanting more and I will be counting the days until Sweet Chaos is available so I can continue the journey. ♥️🖤

So grateful to have won an advanced reader copy of this novel in a giveaway! Thank you to Brittany and the facebook group!

Note: You should read the entire Crave series before picking this up. There are spoilers for the Crave series in this book, but won't be spoilers in this description.

4.5/5 Stars

General Description: Clementine Calder, daughter of the headmistress of Calder Academy, has never left the Academy. Meaning, she's never accessed her magic. Calder Academy takes in troubled magical youths, does not allow them to access their powers, and tries to reform them. Clementine knows she'll be stuck at the Academy forever. However, when an exceptional hurricane is heading towards the Academy, the Academy has to evacuate. Clementine gets paired with the boy who broke her heart, Jude Abernathy-Lee, and some other friends, to put in storm measures to protect the Academy as they plan to leave. When everything goes wrong, Clementine must rely on herself, Jude, and anyone left alive. How will they weather the storm?

The goods:
- Seeing past Crave characters was so sweet to see and I loved the addition they had to the story.
- The new found family of Clementine, Jude, and others stole my heart.
- The concept of having NO magic and having to face the sudden influx of magic was captivating.
- This is heavier than the beginning of the Crave series, a bit darker magic and situation, which felt nice to see the series grow up with the readers.

The loss of a half star:
- The pacing of all of Tracy's books are always faster than I am used to, which makes the amount of information you take in a bit overwhelming and takes me out of the books a bit. There is a lot of information related to future books that are left open and between the pacing of the book and open plot points, it was overwhelming.

Overall: If you're a fan of the Crave series, you'd enjoy this. If you are not a fan of the Crave series, you will not enjoy this.

This was soooooo good. Clementine and Jude are top fucking notch and the side characters were so funny I absolutely loved them, especially Simon.

Halfway through I had to add this one to my emotional hazard bookshelf because wow that hurt. Badly. But I’m so excited for the next book. Thank you Entangled for the advance copy!!

LOVE! I've read many of Ms. Wolff's works and never disappointed. Nice flow and world building is outstanding. I received an ARC and reviewed freely.

𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 4 ⭐️

𝙉𝙤, 𝙞𝙩’𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙣𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙬𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙚𝙖𝙧. 𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙚 𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢.

I’ll admit I own the entire Crave Series but I’ve yet to read it. HOWEVER, something about this blurb called to me so I took a chance on requesting the arc and I got it! It’s technically a spin off from Crave but I think I was okay not reading that series first (although I think I’m finally gonna read it).

So we have Clementine Calder, the daughter of the headmaster of Calder Academy and Jude Abernathy-Lee, the gorgeous, 6’7”, broad-shouldered (lurve their names) at the center of Sweet Nightmare by Tracy Wolff and dare I say I LOVED them? Their push and pull was delicious with so much tension and heart and sorrow. These two have everything going against them but their connection is absolute and they KNOW it.

Chapter 34 is SPECTACULAR.
Chapter 62-68 is THRILLING. I mean, wow!

A typical “high school” PNR including self-sacrificing, lack of communication, and drama that while exhausting, is fun to read about as a near 40 year old woman. The plot, however, was unique and fun! I loved all the twists and turns and revelations!

And that ending! A bit confusing and a bit abrupt, but I feel satisfied with what we got so far and I definitely can’t wait for more from this series! Side Note: dang, I don’t remember so many people dying in the older ya pnr series I used to read! So many people died in this book! Again, I was sad but I liked the tense vibe it gave and never let up.

𝘙𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘋𝘢𝘵𝘦: May 7, 2024
𝙄 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙥𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠. 𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙤𝙬𝙣.

Another Entangled book… another 5 star read.

Sweet nightmare by Tracy Wolff

This book knocked it out of the park. Recently I’ve been reading less and less YA books but this one held my attention from the start to the end. It had me up at 3am reading and unable to sleep. Yes it is YA so don’t get disappointed by the lack of spice , the story makes up for that ten folds.

The pace is fast enough to understand what is going on but not so fast that we are rushed through the book. The world building is easy to understand and I just love the concept of a school for misfit paranormals where their powers are dimmed down to almost nothing. The school is built on an isolated island, to what? Protect the students? Protect the rest of the world. And what happens when the island is in the center of a massive storm and they need to evacuate?

The FMC, Clementine while being 17 seems older. She is smart and for the most part thinks things through, however every now and then her heart takes over and she acts on it. But she’s 17, she’s still got so much to learn. Oh she’s also a manticore shifter, don’t know what that is? Let me tell you. Imagine a lion with the wings of a dragon and the tail of a scorpion. Cool right ? One little issue, she was born on the island and never experienced shifting before.

The MMC, Jude is a mysterious brooding male, just how we like them right? He used to be Clementines best friend until 3 years prior when he just ghosted her. Pretty rude if you ask me. Even if the story is told in Clems POV we learn about Jude, he arrived on the island at 7 which is young considering most come as teens. His magic also revolves around dreams, but that’s all I’m going into about him for now! You need to read the book, seriously just go ahead and order it.

The side character had me laughing through the book, and Izzy?! There should be a drinking game, take a shot every time she pulls a knife out. Where is she hiding them all?!

Circling back , being young adult doesn’t take the excitement factor away from this book. There is so much action , adventure and mystery. The ending … I didn’t see that coming. I cannot wait for book 2.

Sweet Nightmare was a wonderful mix of mystery, teen angst, and magic. I found myself deeply involved with characters in an instant. There is something special about young love in a well-written story, and Wolff nails it.

This was a great young adult paranormal fantasy! I really enjoyed the academy setting and loved the fast pace of this book. The chapters were super short and definitely left me wanting to read more at the end of every one. I liked all the different characters and overall this was a great read.

Read this if you like:

📖 Academy Settings
📖 Paranormal Romance
📖 Short Chapters
📖 Found Family

I can’t wait to read the next book in this series, I’m definitely curious as to how the story will continue.

Thank you to Entangled Teen for sending me this advanced copy.

A school for delinquent paranormals on a secluded island, what could go wrong? So much happens in this book in a short amount of time! It is definitely fast paced and full of action. I liked the mix of all different types of paranormals, I had to google some of them because I hadn't even heard of them before.

There was a nice classic "secrets and lies" element that is in a lot of dark academia. There is a ton of angst and tortured souls with tragic pasts. Whether you think you know what's going on or not, you probably don't. The overall story was cleverly delivered and it set up well for another book.