Dream a Little Dream

October 20, 2014
Liv Silver’s dreams take on a life of their own in this first book in this Silver Trilogy. Shortly after moving to London and meeting her soon-to-be stepbrother Grayson, both Grayson and his friends begin to appear in Liv’s dreams, performing an occult ritual. Before long they have asked virginal Liv to join in the dangerous game of black magic, including a blood offering that opens a portal into each other’s nocturnal musings through a series of doors. In Liv, Gier (the Ruby Red trilogy) has created a smart heroine who loves a good mystery and has her wits about her. But her precociousness and the fact that most of the action takes place in dreams robs the story of its sense of peril; Olivia remains flippant even in the face of real danger and human sacrifice. The romantic pairings of the main characters and a subplot involving a student with an anonymous Gossip Girl–style blog will likely be explored in more detail in later books, but the main plotline resolves without generating a driving force toward the sequel. Ages 12–up.

November 1, 2014
A teen who loves secrets finds herself in the dreams of four handsome guys at her posh London school in this first volume of the Silver Trilogy. Having lived in six different countries on four different continents in the span of eight years, 15-year-old Liv and her younger sister look forward to settling outside Oxford with their divorced mother. Instead, they move in with their mother's boyfriend and his twin teens, Grayson and Florence. Adjusting to her new family and school, Liv has a bizarre dream in which she's watching Grayson and his three best friends perform a demonic ritual in which Liv figures prominently. The next day, Liv remembers the dream clearly, and Grayson's friends, especially Henry, seem very interested in her. She realizes she's able to visit their dreams, and they can visit hers. Determined to uncover the truth behind the dreams and unsure whom to trust, Liv discovers she's slated to complete a demonic circle. As she narrates this surreal puzzler, feisty Liv conveys the curiosity, humor and bewilderment of a contemporary schoolgirl navigating a strange dream world while coping with her first romantic crush. While it's less compelling than her Ruby Red Trilogy, fans should enjoy Gier's latest chilling, unresolved tale of sinister dreams and budding romance. (Fantasy. 12-17)

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January 1, 2015

Gr 9 Up-Liv Silver has lived all over the world, but upon her arrival at her new home, the 15-year-old is shocked to learn that not only does her perpetually single mom have a serious boyfriend (a widower with twin 17-year-olds), but that their families plan to "merge." She and her little sister have to move to their stepfather's London home and be students at an exclusive preparatory school that stepsiblings Grayson and Florence attend. Grayson runs in a conspicuous quartet of fellow handsome upper-class boys at "Frognal Academy"-Arthur, Henry and Jasper. When Liv falls asleep in a borrowed sweatshirt, she finds herself in a vivid dream with Grayson, Henry, Arthur, and Jasper. It becomes clear that these are not ordinary dreams. The protagonist learns that the boys, along with Arthur's ex-girlfriend Anabel (who has since moved away), conjured a demon that grants wishes and allows access to shared dreams. For the "magic" to work, at least one of the five members must be a virgin. Anabel was the only virgin of the original group, but when that changed, the girl's beloved dog died, presumably as punishment. Liv can fill the virgin void and does not believe in demons anyway, so she takes the blood oath and makes one (clever) wish. Gier's series opener offers the right ratio of closure to still unanswered questions (a rare feat in today's vast pool of sequels). Plot twists, dream make-out sessions, a touch of humor, and a scary culmination make for a thoroughly enjoyable read. Give to fans of light paranormal romance and to those who enjoyed the author's "Ruby Red Trilogy" (Holt).-Tara Kehoe, New Jersey State Library Talking Book and Braille Center, Trenton

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2015
Grades 7-10 It is another new school for Liv and her little sister, Miatheir peripatetic mother has landed a new job at a university in England and, along with it, a serious boyfriend. As Liv begins to settle into the rhythms of her newly melded family life, the oddest thing begins to happen: a group of boys from her school begins to appear in her dreams. These aren't the regular run-of-the-mill fantasy dreams but are startlingly realistic, with conversations that both parties seem to remember the next day. Soon Liv discovers that these dream meetings have a much darker undertone. Teen romance readers will enjoy the clever writing and the repartee between Liv and her love interest, Henry. The romance between Liv and Henry gradually builds throughout the novel, leaving lots of room for growth and development in the subsequent installments. A smart twist at the end will make readers eager to see what the future holds for the pair and what new plot surprises will be conjured up in the planned trilogy.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)