The characters in this book are well-developed and interesting. The author has created a specific, complex personality for each of them; they are likeable but flawed. The twists and turns keep the plot moving. I have already suggested this novel to friends and family.

Thanks to NetGalley for the free advance copy of I Dream of Falling by Julia Dahl in exchange for an honest review. (I got this ARC before publication but it’s out now so you can - and should - get it.)

I enjoyed this solid stand-alone mystery about the suspicious death of a young Hudson Valley mother. Ashley, a yoga instructor, and Roman, a local journalist, are the young unmarried parents of four-year-old Mason, living with Roman’s mother Tara and Tara’s fiance John when Ash’s body is discovered behind her high school BFF Bella’s house with drugs in her pocket. The case seems open and shut but it turns out it’s anything but. Was it an overdose? Or did someone kill Ashley - and if so, why?

Four stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

3.5/5 Stars

Reporter Roman's long-time girlfriend, and mother of his 4 year old son, Ashley is found dead at the bottom of the ravine. Roman quickly realizes that there is a lot that he doesn't know about Ashley, and decides to find out what killed her.

This was an okay story, but I don't think it was anything memorable in the end. It was rather slow-paced, but the chapters are very short, so it kept my attention. The book covers topics such as depression, drug use, bad parenting and open relationships. There was also a lot of COVID talk, so if that is something you're not a fan of, maybe skip this one. There were quite a few suspects, but it does get narrowed down by the final few chapters. Every one of these characters are flawed, and unlikeable, but I did want to know what happened to Ashley.

Oof. I wanted so badly for this to book to work because it started out strongly but it just didn’t fully connect for me, unfortunately. Also, I’m not adverse to Covid talk - heck, one of my favorite books of the past few years is Jodi Picoult’s pandemic focused “Wish You Were Here”, however; in I Dreamed of Falling, there is excessive and completely irrelevant references to Covid. Over and over again that I was SO convinced it was a key to solving the mystery but…nope, it was just…there? Small things like that were prevalent in this book and kept it from being a success for me. I kept reading thinking that surely, this would come together in some dramatic way but it just fell flat and was largely disappointing. Not the thriller for me, unfortunately.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur books for the advance electronic copy. All opinions are my own.

I Dreamed of Falling by Julia Dahl is a mystery suspense based in a small town.
A slow burn, this book invites you into go deep into the shady underworld and characters of a small town.
While a good thriller, I found certain elements confusing and wanted a fasterr pace at times.

I would recommend the book to fans of slow burn thrillers and books set in small towns.

This was an awesome mystery. There were lots of twists and turns. If you think you know, I promise, you do not!

This one wasn't for me, but I didn't think it was bad by any means and I think others will enjoy it.

The pacing was a little bit slow for my taste, and I found the plot to be fairly predictable.

I really liked the family dynamic in the small community, but it was a little too covid focused for me.

Overall, I would encourage others to give it a shot, especially if you like more of a slow burn mystery.

I don't know why I waited so long to read this book. I really enjoyed it. It had suspense, drama, and some well thought out characters. I didn't see the ending reveal coming AT ALL!

While I did think this was a slow burn, it still kept my attention. I was invested in finding out what happened to Ashley. I'll be looking into this author's blacklist!

In acclaimed author Julia Dahl's new standalone, the death of a young mother triggers an avalanche of secrets in a small Hudson Valley town.

Thank you Minotaur Books & Macmillan Audio for both of my copies of this book! I’m sorry that I’m late reviewing this book. I decided to DNF this book at 61%. I didn’t like the characters and I didn’t like that Covid and the pandemic were mentioned so much.

Another great mystery thriller!

I really enjoyed I Dreamed of Falling . (Thank you, @minotaur_books !)

There were so many layers to the story that had me really engrossed. The characters were written so well. They were multidimensional and authentic. They are human, with flaws, which was refreshing.

There are twists and turns that will leave you guessing. I loved how the story all tied together in the end and it finishes on a hopeful note.

This is a good one to add to your TBR!

This book was really good, but it is very, very sad and depressing and emotional Just get yourself in that headspace prior to reading it and I think you will enjoy it.
It’s about a young mother being found dead - initially, it’s considered an overdose, but more begins coming to light.

"I Dreamed of Falling" is a book that had the making for a fantasitc slow burn thriller. The beginning  immediately grab my attention, but as the story progressed, I became less interested in the storyline and truth of what happened to Ashley. I did love the setting,  small town where everyone knows everyones business and gossip runs rampant. The Story follows a broken family that becomes more broken after a tragic event.

I really enjoyed the audiobook. The narrator was great and the addition of Ashley telling her own side of the story was great!

This was my first book by author Julia Dahl. It was a slow burn character driven murder mystery where it seems like every one has a motive and could be guilty. In the final chapters, the story starts to pick up into an enjoyable psychological thriller. If you enjoy family secrets and a classic whodunnit story, you might enjoy this one.

The synopsis of this book sounded intriguing and I decided to give it a chance. Honedtly, this book just wasn't for me! I wanted to love it but my brain kept drifting while reading it. I still would love to give a chance to any of the authors reads.

This book had some great bones for a thriller! But I think it just was not my cup of tea. I still urge every thriller fan to check it out. There were some good elements and twists that were executed well. I wanted to love it but I think it is a good fit for other thriller readers.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review! 3 stars out of 5.

This one was just okay for me. I liked the small town setting and the complex dynamics of the family, and I thought the twist at the end was really good. I struggled with the pacing, which was just too slows for me, and I also wasn't the biggest fan of the many references to Covid. That's just a me thing because I read as a form of escape and the mention of Covid just brings me crashing back to reality.

I enjoyed the mystery of this one but I worked it out on my own so it lost some of the thrill!

Covid was mentioned A LOT, almost to the point of it being a distraction.

Overall I think it could have been balanced better between temporary fiction and mystery.

I enjoyed this read a lot. The family drama!! And that ending was very much not expected. Just when I thought I had it figured out….nope!

I will start by saying this book was just ok. I think the characters were well developed and the main plot was a great idea. However the pacing and lead up to the twist was a little bit of a let down.

I love a book about a small town and this was great. In this small town any news is big news which is great for Roman, the only reporter. However, when his girlfriend and mother of his child is found dead he soon realizes he has no clue what really goes on in his town.
Thank you #minotaur and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

I couldn't get through the end of this book. It moved incredibly slow. The characters didn't seem to be very interesting and I just wasn't even interested in the resolution of this story.