While I really enjoyed the creepy setup and premise, I felt as though the ending really bludgeoned readers over the head with the themes

Very good book! One of those that you don't want to put down. Very descriptive, imaginative, and mysterious with a message that can resonate with everyone on some level.

Unique plot!
17yo Eva has moved to Madrona with her older sister Rhonda after their father died from a gunshot wound. Their father’s Aunt Miriam left Eva the Sylvan family house in her will and now that’s the place they head to get a new start. The minute the two sisters arrive in town, they’re met with rude comments and glares from some of the townspeople when they’re recognized as a relative of Miriam and part of the Sylvan family. The next day, the gas attendant that told them to leave is found in a coma and soon more people fall into comas and Eva is accused of causing it. She has no idea what’s going on and when Rhonda falls into a coma, Eva does everything she can to discover her family’s secrets and wake everyone from their comatose state.

Likes/dislikes: I enjoyed the unique plot. The mystery became more interesting as the story progressed. The creepiness and the uncertainty were interesting.
Language: R for 90 swears and 11 f-words.
Mature Content: G for kissing.
Violence: PG-13 for bloody assault and death.
Ethnicity: Bethany is Vietnamese. Falls to white.

I picked up Dream to Me multiple times in an attempt to finish but unfortunately couldn’t get into it. I had to DNF at 23%. I was interested in the plot and the characters but the pacing is where I had an issue. Perhaps this reflects more on my own impatience than anything else. This is also not the genre I typically read which could have impacted my overall enjoyment as well. I think the story and the writing style may be exactly what someone else is looking for but this book just wasn’t for me.

This was a good story. It was an interesting look at grief. I enjoyed it and look forward to reading more from this author.

Many thanks to Megan Paasch, Netgalley and publishers for providing my review copy.

I thoroughly enjoyed Dream to Me. I found it to be a well rounded YA; fit with new friendships, romance, family and and thrills. I thought the execution was well done and really enjoyed the lead up to the final few chapters of the book. There is something to be said about a person's dream state vs. their waking hours and the back and forth for Eva was super haunting. I have recommended this to my HS book club and all of my teen patrons at the library where I work!

Dream to Me was a book that took me by surprise. The premise seemed interesting enough, but the story blew me away, despite some issues with the conclusion. The characters were interesting and helped make an intriguing story. The writing was amazing and I look forward to seeing where the author’s career goes from here. This is not a book for every reader, but it’s a great read overall and is the perfect choice for someone looking for a fantasy with deeper themes.

This atmospheric YA debut pulls you in from the beginning and takes you on a haunting ride that moves quickly and hits deep for those of us who've experienced grief first hand. I loved this emotional story, complete with layers of secrets wrapped up in a paranormal bow.

great book and such great characters. I enjoyed the mystery and some romance. I also enjoyed the journey of the characters. I didn't know what to expect with this book but I enjoyed it .

Thank you to the author and to NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to give my honest review on this ARC!

The story did take a bit of time to really get into but after a slow start it has great development and I really enjoyed the vibes and atmosphere the author was able to create. A plot revolving around strange and unexpected dreams and a creepy inherited house will always get me every time. I really enjoyed the way the author was able to handle the feelings of grief and guilt that played a large role in the plot.

A really interesting premise (though it takes a while to get into it, and I would have loved to have seen more development once the story picked up) that unfortunately suffers due to a weaker execution.

Honestly, it read more like a middle-grade than a YA, mostly due to the voice of the main character, Eva. Felt like there was much more below the surface that could have been developed, in terms of character and setting and plot, but wasn't. Like--it was *good* but it really could have been *great* with some more attention to a more robust devlopment.

***Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.***

Through Dream to Me, Megan Paasch beautifully tackles the intimate difficulties of grief, despair, and longing. The fantastical setting allows these themes to percolate in an accessible but still pertinent way that will undoubtedly speak to many people, especially teenagers who might not yet be able to give words to their own grief.

Eva and her sister just inherited their aunt's house - an aunt they never knew about until their father died. But as soon as they arrive in town, they are met with suspicion and prejudice about their last name, Sylvan, even being called witches. The house is too run down to live in, and luckily there are a few people in town who don't hate them on sight, like Cal, a boy Eva's age who helps them with directions, and Bethany, who offers them a room in the local hotel. When people start slipping into comas after encounters with Eva, however, the town is soon against them - and Eva's strange dreams where she encounters each of the coma victims make her begin to wonder if she does have some witchy power she can't control...

I'm pretty much a sucker anytime a plot involves strange dreams and creepy old houses. The immediate connection to Cal made sense in the end, and didn't feel forced or like instalove. Part of me wanted more time spent on trying to figure out who Aunt Miriam was and exploring the old house, but eventually the pieces started to come together and there was a lot of history with Cal's accident and in the town to explore as well. This was a fast-paced read that kept me guessing and had a satisfying end.

A huge Thank You to The author, The publisher and NetGalley for providing the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Was in a haze. The entire time.

This contemporary fantasty debut was a good read! It is a very interesting premise- the small town setting, the eerie magical things happening, and family secrets that our main character has no idea are secrets. When Eva and her sister Rhonda move cross-country to inherit a house from their great aunt Miriam, they have no idea what is in store for them. The town immediately shuns the sisters as soon as they hear their last name, "All Sylvans are trouble." All the while, strange things start happening to Eva and before she knows it, half of the town is in a coma and she believes it is her fault.

This book deals heavily with grief and guilt and I think it handles those difficult topics really well. Eva is struggling with inner guilt after her dad passes away and other characters have similiar struggles going on. It was a bit of a slow-burn, but there is a really good payoff at the end. There were moments where I felt the story dragging a little bit, but plenty of moments where I really enjoyed what was happening. Overall, I'm glad I picked this one up and I would definitely recommend it.

DREAM TO ME is a heartbreakingly raw story about grief and guilt, set against an atmospheric setting in a Pacific Northwest forest. Eva's pain and trauma were depicted sensitively, and the point she reaches with these feelings is realistic but still satisfying. Mystery readers should enjoy unraveling the Sylvan family secrets alongside Eva, and while there is romance, it doesn't overshadow the rest of the book.

Thank you to Macmillan for providing a review copy.

- I love a good YA mystery, and DREAM TO ME brings that along with a dash of supernatural, making it a book I couldn't put down.
- This book covers some really (really) heavy stuff. I liked how this could have been a straightforward whodunit but it really became about the physicality of grief and how damaging it can be to everyone involved.
- I will say that it took awhile to get going - one too many people falling into comas before the clues started stacking up - but I was still invested anyway.

Reminiscent of The Dead & The Dark with a nightmarish twist, we have another amazing paranormal YA mystery. As soon as I saw that their surname was Sylvan, I knew we were in for something supernatural. But delving into the dream world and having dramatic real life consequences? Perfection. I loved the pacing of the book, mixed with the dark atmosphere. Adding in that Eva keeps having these feelings of deja vu with no inclination as to why gives so much delightful creepiness to the story. It did have predictable elements, but the point here was that Eva was blind to them, adding dramatic irony to the mix. And given that this is Megan Paasch's debut, I'm very excited to see what she does next.

*Thank you to Feiwel & Friends and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

Interesting idea but unfortunately a little shallow in the execution. It’s mean to be YA, but reads like a middle grade novel with some cussing. The subject matter is dark, but there are several holes in plot and character development.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my free copy. These opinions are my own.

This was a story centered on guilt, grief, and trauma and what happens when the inner demons take over. While Eva raced to solve the mystery of her great-aunt and why town residents kept falling into comas, she had to face her underlying guilt surrounding her father's death. Even though this had a magic theme, that part was minor compared to the relationships Eva built with the town residents as she struggled with her dreams, missing her dad, and yearning to find out more about her great-aunt and why everyone was terrified of her. Thank you NetGalley for an ARC.