Title: Fractured Dream
Series: The Dreamer Saga (Book 1)
Author: K.M. Randall
Published: June 21, 2014
Pages: 410 pages
Format: eBook
Source: Received from publisher for an honest review
Summary (Goodreads):
Have you ever wondered where fairytales go once they’re created?
It’s been eight years since Story Sparks last had a dream. Now they’re back, tormenting her as nightmares she can’t remember upon waking. The black waters of Lake Sandeen, where her Uncle Peter disappeared decades before, may hold the secret to Story’s hidden memories, or a truth she’d rather not know. On a bright summer afternoon, Story and her two best friends, Elliot and Adam, take a hike to the lake, where they dive into the cool water and never reemerge. What they find is beyond anything they’ve ever imagined could be possible, a world where dangers lurk in the form of Big Bad Wolves, living Nightmares and meddlesome witches and gods.
Now Story must remember who she really is and somehow stop two worlds from ultimate annihilation, all while trying not to be too distracted by the inexplicable pull she feels toward a certain dark-eyed traveler who seems to have secrets of his own. The fates of the worlds are counting on her.
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I have a lot of mixed feelings about Fractured Dream. I liked it, I really did, but its just that it took me way too long to get into the story that I’m afraid it’s something that took away from my overall enjoyment. The first half was a bit slow and confusing for my liking, so I had to force myself to continue reading. However, to my huge relief, the book got so much better by the second half. It’s like the turning point for everything: characters, plot-line, pace, and action.
Many of the characters from Fractured Dream are based on our favorites from fairytales or myths, but with interesting twists in their personalities. Snow White & Sleeping Beauty, for example, are kind of vampires who rest in the forest waiting for handsome prey so they can lure them in and feed from their blood. Or Red, who is a wolf-hunter and has amazing abilities that are passed down from generation to generation. I really liked these characters and even more when they got the chance to grow throughout the story, to become more solid.
Story, the main character, was a difficult character to understand at first. I actually thought she was out of her mind since her thoughts were a bit unstable, but later on when she travels to Lake Sandeen and gets some of her memories back, she turns from a hazy character to a strong one. It was pretty cool how everyone looks up to her and expect great things, even when she is unsure of her abilities. Everybody’s faith pushes her to fight harder and she manages to finally embrace her true identity as the Dreamer.
Her faithful side-kicks, Elliot and Adam, were also sweet additions to the whole array of characters. They are humans, but have gifts of their own, making them important to Story’s quest as the Dreamer to save Tressla (the fairytale-like world) and Earth from being destroyed. Then, there’s Nicholas, Story’s love interest. I liked the guy, but I didn’t fall head-over-heels for him. I hope he works harder in the next book, he has potential.
All in all, Fractured Dream‘s storyline was intriguing and it was a nice adventure, though I hope that in the sequel things get more exciting. I think a faster pace would make everything flow so much better and keep readers interested in Story’s life as the Dreamer. A bit more of action from our heroine wouldn’t hurt either.
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