Hi everyone! I was luckily enough to land a spot in The Nightmare Affair blog tour hosted by Shane at Itching For Books! Today I have a review for you all and a giveaway for two signed copies. Check out the rest of the tour here.
Jen's Review
by Mindee Arnett
Publisher: Tor Teen
Release Date: March 5, 2013 (US)
Pages: 367, Hardcover
Source: For review via Netgalley/Blog Tour
Rating: 3 Teacups
The Nightmare Affair caught my attention
immediately after I read the synopsis for it. The concept of Nightmares, a
murder mystery, and taking place at a boarding school completely drew me in. The Nightmare Affair was one of my most
anticipated reads of 2013, and it was a bit of a letdown, but nonetheless a
good read. This novel had its strong points, like the concept and plot, but
things like characters and romance didn't work well for me.
First and foremost,
I was not disappointed by the thing that drew me in in the first place: the
concept. Arnett definitely intrigues the reader with a unique,
never-before-seen idea of yes, witches, demons, and sirens, but also
Nightmares. I'll let you to find out exactly what Nightmares are, but it was
described very well and I loved how different it was apart from the usual
paranormal we see today. It's fresh and a definitive plus side to the book. The
way of explanation wasn't done the best;
it was a bit in the form of info-dumping, but hidden in the way of a teacher
explaining to the main character, Dusty. Not only was the idea of Nightmares
fantastic, but the plot was paced pretty well. I always wanted to know more. I
was constantly eager to find out who this killer was. The twist in the end was
unexpected, unless I'm totally unobservant. Alas, these are the only things I
enjoyed in The Nightmare Affair.
One of the prominent
issues with my enjoyment for The Nightmare
Affair was the lack in character depth. In other words, I had a really
hard time connecting with Dusty, Selene, or Eli. They were all fun,
entertaining, and exciting characters, but I never felt empathetic towards them
on any emotional level. I had no feeling
towards them. Surely, they are not memorable in any way. For me, they were just
kind of there in the story, nothing
more. Along with that, was the romance. The romance wasn’t believable or deep
as well; it was a nice touch, but not really… necessary.
On a side note, The Nightmare Affair writes like it's meant
for a younger YA crowd, which may also explain Dusty's slightly childish tone
and character. She's a bit of a naïve character, but it didn't bother me much
(it may for others!). Also, the conclusion of the story felt very similar to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (minor
spoiler? Sorry!), and it wasn't all that satisfying. I'm curious to see if
there will be a sequel, as it isn't settled very well. However, the ending
didn't really leave me wanting more.
My final thoughts: The Nightmare Affair has its many flaws and
many imperfections here and there, but thankfully, the original, fresh idea
saved it's butt for sure. It's worth a try if you love a lighter mystery with a
different paranormal concept that's never been done. If you can look past the
plain characters and romance, give this one a go!
3 Teacups for The Nightmare Affair!
*Thanks to Netgalley, Publisher, Itching For Books, and author for providing the review copy!*
Check out the trailer for this book!
Giveaway!
Want to read this book? Enter the giveaway for TWO signed copies of the book!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Happy reading,
Jen xx
Posts
I agree on some level about the character depth.. I hoped we got to see more of them.. especially with Dusty's quick friendship with Paul.. I wasn't happy with her naivety there..
ReplyDeleteI also love this new take on nightmares, first time i've ever read this kind of paranormal creature! very original
great review!
- Juhina @ Maji Bookshelf
Worst nightmare: For about a year or two, I had a recurring nightmare where someone was trying to murder me, run after me, or kill someone within my view. It was so horrible.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more, Jen! I really couldn't feel much for the characters in this, the dialogue felt a little forced to me, and the love triangle had me putting the book down before I even finished it. It didn't work for me at all, although I did love the concept, but I'm glad you still managed to enjoy it, despite its flaws. Great review, dearest! :D
ReplyDeleteI'm disappointed to hear the characters aren't that great as I'm really looking forward to this one. I'm hoping the fun plot will pull me through!
ReplyDeleteNot sure what was my worst nightmare, since I usually forget my dreams after I wake up. But I have a recurring dream in which I am running or walking, and then my feet become heavier until I can't stand up at all. It became one of my fears.
ReplyDeleteEhhh lacking in character depth? BOO. Good characterisation is probably the single most important factor for me! I'll probably skip this even though the whole concept of Nightmares is screaming at me to pick it up; but...I CAN'T STAND PLAIN CHARACTERS!!! Lovely review, Jen<3
ReplyDeleteMy worst nightmare is when I dreamed I saw a tornado behind my house, and then soon after it had subsided, my house was on fire...
ReplyDeleteSounds like a bit of an average read, unforch! The lack of connection with the characters would leave me feeling a bit unhappy, too!
ReplyDeleteMy worst nightmare is probally when somone I loves dies.. :(
ReplyDeletexxx
I agree with your thoughts on this one, Jen! I liked it well enough too, but I was also a little disappointed. You're right, the romance probably wasn't entirely necessary. I don't think I'll remember most these characters for long, but I did like Dusty quite a bit. Hopefully the next book will be a little stronger. Great review! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad the plot didn't let you down, as I think that is really what caught most of our attention. The matter of the characters, however, is definitely something of a letdown. I particularly want to like Dusty, but I think I have a slight impatience for naive heroines lol. Glad you did enjoy this overall, lovely review, Jen! :)
ReplyDeleteGot this off netgalley and it's a little disappointing seeing the average rating. still, I'm glad the premise is pretty unique, hopefully that will make keep my attention :) Great review.
ReplyDeleteThanks for participating :)
ReplyDelete