Mixed bag.

Would you try another book from D. T. Dyllin and/or Johanna Fairview?

Probably yes, because this book was a mixed bag. This book had a unique world building element and kept me confused about what's happening for some time (which is both a positive and negative aspect, if you know what I mean). Thus, when the dream world was explained, it became a little exciting. But then, the characters didn't quite develop from there on. Both main characters had just one shade. And thus didn't make me drawn to them. I was mostly in "meh" mode. And Remy running in "Harry Potter mode" didn't help it. She kept doing stupid things and still "saving the day" by convenient incidents / luck. That really irks me.

That said, just because of the good world building I see in this book, I might give another chance to a different book from the author.

How could the performance have been better?

The narration was kinda irritating me too. The narrator over dramatized the narration. Throughout the book, it sounded like Remy was on the edge. Last word of every sentence is dragged. Felt weird to me.

Any additional comments?

I voluntarily received a free copy of this book from the author / narrator / publisher and I'm leaving an unbiased review.

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Unique YA Paranormal Romance

One of the biggest issues I have with this book is that IMO it should be under Young Adult Paranormal/Fantasy NOT a children's book. I have kids under the age group it is listed for and this book would not be appropriate for them.

The story was a bit confusing to follow at times. The rules in Somniare were a bit difficult to understand. There was a variety of nightmares going on in which Remy got caught in. Some of them were kind of scary for young minds. I don't like to give out spoilers but I think it is important to describe a few scenes. There was a big "Baby" bloody with people's limbs around it and he tried to hypnotize Remy to eat her... In another scene zombies attack and Remy goes into a killing spree chopping their heads off. There is a bit of language as well. The person that killed Remy is disclosed towards the end. I was totally shocked to say the least.

Remy's familiar is a peculiar creature that can appear as a boy or a girl called Kitsune. He or she is both genders. There are scenes where Remy and the female Kitsune are attracted to each other and act towards their feelings. I'm pretty strict when It comes down to sexuality. I have no interest in reading about homosexual behavior. Neither do I want my kids to read about it.

The narration was fairly good and brought the story to life.

I know people have different opinions and some might find some of the points I mention a positive thing but I thought it was important to explain my issues so that people can make their own decisions to wether this book is for you.

The book ends in a cliffhanger so a lot is left unexplained. There is much that will probably be explained in the next book. Remy is pretty stubborn and acts reckless a lot.

"I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review."

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Think of It Like an Anime...

The voice performance was really good. There was one word, the word Kiernan used for witches (which I listened to this so I'm not sure how to spell it), which really drove me crazy. It might have been accurate as far as pronunciation, but it came out sounding like someone clearing their throat. Other than that, the voice acting was spot on, almost as near perfect as you can get.

The story... while it was entertaining in parts, it lacked something. Overall, I'm not fond of the "spunky agency" heroines in YA novels, but towards the end it was at least explained in part why Remy was so foolish and gung-ho in the earlier part. She wasn't a bad protagonist, with that explained, but it was hard to like her for a while. I will say this: bravo to the author for having a bisexual protagonist! I gave that a star all by itself! You just don't see that.

The actual story had to do with Remy trying to find her way out of the dream realm, which is called Somniare. I see there's a sequel to it, which isn't surprising since this volume ended on a cliffhanger. It more or less was complete at the end, but obviously meant to lead into the next book. I'm not sure if it's a true cliffhanger or not, but there's enough at stake I would say it is. Not very fond of books leaving off on cliffhangers. Even if it's part of a series, the end should be well defined, and the whole a satisfying story on its own. The world of Sominare is really fascinating though, and I think the author did a fantastic job of world-building. It was a simple concept, yet unique enough that it stood out. I enjoyed the side characters, but as a whole, the book just wouldn't coalesce for me until I imagined it as an anime. Then, the larger than life world, the villains popping out of nowhere, the eternal refilling up of Remy's magic, the inappropriate sexual components (at one point the teen protagonist is tied naked to a bed--nothing happens, but the implications are all there), and the bigger, badder magic and magical beasts all suddenly make perfect sense. When I imagined it as an anime or a JRPG, the book became much more entertaining. I also loved the love interest. I thought the emotional journey there was fairly well done.

I would actually put this at a 3.5. My deciding factor going down to 3 was "Would I listen to it again? Or, would I read the sequel?" The answer to those is both no. It was an intriguing novel with some really awesome world-building and some amusing parts, but it just didn't quite click into place with me. Hence, I would recommend this if you are a fan of unique, fantastic worlds and adventure/romantic anime.

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Paranormal that kept me guessing

If you could sum up Somniare in three words, what would they be?

Inventive, imaginative, original

What other book might you compare Somniare to and why?

I would compare it to The Golden Compass because it involves a daemon-like creature but in a way where you never quite know what's coming with it.

What does Johanna Fairview bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Narrators bring the characters and their emotions to life and this was no exception.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I really enjoyed the relationship between the protagonist and her being/creature. I also felt that the creatures and world were inventive.

Any additional comments?

I received this audiobook in exchange for a fair review. I felt that the world building in this book was quite strong.

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Dead? You decide.

A great beginning for a series.
I can't wait for more of this series, I want to say more about this story but I absolutely hate spoilers, so I won't do it to you by going into details.
The narrator brings the story to life.
Reasons I enjoyed this audio book:
Witty, Wonderful characters, Page-turner, Great world building, Unpredictable, Original, Easy-to-read/listen, Entertaining, Action-packed, Twisted, Funny, Haunting, Scary, Tragic, Whimsical.
This Audio book was given to me at my request from the publisher, author or narrator and I provided this unbiased voluntary review.

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Wanted to love it as I really enjoyed the concept

What did you like best about Somniare? What did you like least?

I thought that the premise of the story was great. I enjoyed some of the humor that was included, like the naming of her sidekicks. The narrator also did a good job in my opinion. As for what I liked least, well, even though I'm a big fan of paranormal/fae/fantasy novels, I just got confused by this one. Perhaps reading the book would have kept it more in order for me, but I had a heck of a time following it at multiple points throughout the story.

Would you recommend Somniare to your friends? Why or why not?

I probably wouldn't recommend this book to my friends only because the work that I had to do to try and follow the story as mentioned above was a little much for me.

What does Johanna Fairview bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I thought Ms. Fairview did a good job with the narration. She brought the characters to life and her voice was perfect for this genre as well.

Do you think Somniare needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

I wouldn't read or listen to a follow-up book, but it enough people out there enjoy this and there is a demand, then I definitely think that there is a place to fit a follow-up sequel in. I just didn't love it enough to hope for a sequel.

Any additional comments?

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.

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Unique fantasy world.

Would you listen to Somniare again? Why?

Yes! I loved the story and the characters.

What did you like best about this story?

Unique characters, you don't see many kitsunes featured.

Which scene was your favorite?

When Remy gets her memories back.

Any additional comments?

Great and unique story, highly recommend. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

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An Interesting Idea That Could Have Been Better.

Someone tried to murder the witch, Remy Novem. Instead of dying, Remy manages to somehow escape to Somniare, a dream and nightmare realm. The problem is Somniare is a place one visits in their dreams. Remy is physically trapped there. To escape, Remy will have to sacrifice someone else. I loved the premise of “Somniare.” I also liked how the author, D. T. Dyllin wrote Remy as more of an anti-hero. Unfortunately, as the story unfolded, there were too many dumb character decisions as well as the injection of the obligatory, formula love interest that the protagonist falls for, pretty much instantly.

Overall, I still liked “Somniare” in spite of the things I didn’t enjoy in the story. I just didn’t love it. Finally, this audiobook was provided by the author at no cost in exchange for an honest review, courtesy of Audio Book Boom.

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I love bitter women

This young "lady" crosses her fingers so much that I am surprised she doesn't have arthritis in them. But everything is not what it seems. Fun story and narrated just right amount of sarcasm.

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Exciting Journey Into Dream World

I really enjoyed Somniare and the Dream Realm that it takes place in. There were many different characters that Remy meets on her journey that are not your average magic creatures - shifter/vampire etc. and that was very refreshing for me. Johanna Fairview does a remarkable job as narrator. She gives each character their own distinct voice which allows the listener to easily follow the story. I look forward to more from this Author & Narrator.

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