A slow burn from two points of view. A well-narrated audiobook for thriller fans who like a story that slowly and carefully unfolds. Suspenseful, chilling, with some unreliable (or is it?) narration and a satisfying amount of twists and turns. I'd be interested to read more from this author!

I loved this book and was enthralled with the writing. I loved the character study. Would read more from the author!

I just couldn't get into this one. The narrator read in a monotone voice that I wished had more emotion and I felt bored from the start even though the premise had promise. A miss for me unfortunately. DNF'd only 20% in. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an opportunity to listen to an early audio copy in exchange for my honest opinions.

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.

This audiobook didn't entirely work for me. I had a difficult time getting into the story because the I wasn't vibing with the narration. There was nothing particularly bad or wrong with the narration, it just wasn't holding my attention.

I thought the story was alright, but it didn't immediately grab my attention. I have a hard time differentiating whether it was the story or the narrator that caused the issue for me.

Either way, I would recommend others give it a shot if you enjoy thriller books.

"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!

I listened to the audiobook and the narrators were excellent. The storyline was interesting but the book was so slow. I found myself getting distracted because it felt like nothing was happening for long periods of time. I’m sure this will be a favorite for some but this was not the book for me. I absolutely loved the other book I read by this author, so I will definitely try another by her in the future.

Good points? Dual points of view so you know the whole story as Roman is unreliable narrator. 2. Explores societal matters like what it means to be a family these days and how there is a new definition to extended families. Ashley deserves better in that sense.
Not so great? For a thriller with a un-a-living (can’t say the M word) it is painfully slow. And that either in audio or written format, that is going to drag down the suspense to a shoulder shrugging level of meh.

What a great story where we are reading seeing a story from2 points of view we have Roman and Ashley. Ashley was found dead and they think it was drugs but Roman knows there is something more to this and for their sons sake he is determined to figure it all out. What he finds is a lot but he still continues on to get this fully solved.

I Dreamed of Falling is not for everyone. A slow unwinding of a story of Roman, his partner Ashely, their four year old son, his mother and her fiancé and the town they live in somewhere in the state of New York. Roman went to NYU for grad school in journalism and works as the only reporter for a small town paper funded by a charity to keep local news alive. Much of the novel takes place in Roman's head, starting with his return from a night in "The City" that ended in far too much drinking. He is pondering what to do to revive his long term live in relationship with Ashley. The couple lives in his mother's house and his mother is their son's caretaker. Roman arrives home and Ashley is gone. As time goes by and he continues to think about their time together, all the way back to age 13, Roman learns little by little that as they were drifting apart, there is much he does not know about Ashley's last few months. Then, while visiting the house where she attended a party the night before a friend finds Ashley dead at the foot of a cliff.

Roman continues his questioning and the story may be too slow for some. I read the audio version and we hear both Roman and Ashley tell about what she was up to in recent months, how she saw their open relationship that also involved (mostly) a strict agreement to be honest, what led each to drift from honesty and to be on the way back to one another when tragedy struck. These are flawed but growing characters all through the novel. I did not find them horrible or lovable, but I did find them sympathetic. I would give it a 3.7. So, 4 stars from me.

While I've enjoyed Julia Dahl's previous works, "I Dreamed of Falling" didn't quite resonate with me. The descriptive style felt a bit flat, making it hard to immerse myself in the story. The pacing was slower than I anticipated, and I found it difficult to connect with the characters. If I hadn't committed to reviewing it, I might not have finished the book. Overall, it just didn’t capture my attention the way her other novels have.

This story unfolds at a leisurely pace. If you’re not seeking a suspenseful mystery but rather a reflective narrative that delves into the grief of losing a loved one at a young age while touching on various political issues, then I Dreamed of Falling might resonate with you.

That said, I found the exploration of certain social issues a bit overwhelming. The topics addressed hit close to home, as they have deeply impacted my family and many others. This regular inclusion made the book challenging for me to engage with. It often felt more like a political statement, and I tend to shy away from that due to the stress it causes. I appreciate the chance to read this, but it ultimately wasn’t the right fit for me.

When Roman’s longtime girlfriend and the mother of his child, Ashley, ends up dead at the bottom of a cliff, suddenly Roman has to face the fact that he knows little of what Ashley was up to in the last months. Ashley and Roman live with his mother and her Fiancé (Tara and John) and Tara has become the main care taker of their young son, Mason. Was Ashley’s death drug related … or was it something much more sinister? Small town secrets come to life as the story unfolds. None that were earth shattering! With a cast of unlikable characters, open relationships and drug use, this one was not one I enjoyed. As an audio book, the narrators did a good job of telling the story, but it was a story that I was not fond of. Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an ALC of this book.

What was cool about this book is that it takes place right in the same area that I live. The town in the book isn't a real town, but they mention real towns in the area as well as the Bear Mountain Bridge.

I enjoyed how realistic these main characters felt. They were just a regular flawed family doing what they could to get by. There's no clear character to root for, other than Mason, because none of them are perfect.

I wasn't able to correctly guess who Ashley's killer was, so hats off to the author for stumping me!

This book seemed to be set in a time where everyone’s dreams go to die. There were some seriously miserable characters in this who would really use some therapy. With that said, I enjoyed the mystery at the heart of it and liked trying to piece together the breadcrumbs left throughout. I could have done without all the Covid mentions but I see why it was used as a plot device. The audiobook was well done and I enjoyed the narrator.

With a Gillian Flynn blurb of "simply one of the best thriller writers working today," I knew I had to read I Dreamed Of Falling by Julia Dahl!

What I love about psychological thrillers is how slowly character development occurs, but by the ending all secrets are revealed. Dahl reflected upon and explored a lot of emotionally charged topics as each characters' layers were discovered, which stands to make aspects of this book controversial, while simultaneously luring readers into the dark plot and helping make these characters three dimensional! Many thought-provoking questions are posed in this story which is filled with family drama and shifting roles, fearlessly showcasing past regrets and the warmth unfailing love provides.

It was a slow, and often meandering road to get there, but the ending was worth the wait, and I didn't see that answer coming at all!

This is now the second book I've read that has been narrated by Jennifer Blom, and her voice fit Ashley so perfectly; once again I've noticed a lack of emotion with her style of narration, and again this fit the character she gave voice to so perfectly! Shahjehan Khan performed the rest of the story in a way that mirrored Blom's style, making for a cohesive audiobook experience!

I am not easily triggered, but this one has topics that bothered me. Warnings: abortion, abortion clinic, miscarriage, suicide, substance abuse, loss of spouse, graphic death of a loved one, open relationships, and the Covid-19 pandemic.

This book is full of red herrings, and although I could have done without a few of the sub-plots being so politically strong, this was an absolute four-star read!

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for the complimentary copies to read and review.

This was an ok read, but I felt as though it was missing something. There was a lot of pandemic talk even 4 years after the fact. I also felt as though the characters and the plot weren't fully developed. I struggled to relate to the characters, maybe it was because they weren't well developed. It was an interesting premise that initially had me intrigued, but ultimately it fell flat in execution. I did think the narrators did a good job.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

I could not get into this book. Maybe I will come back to it later? I just didn’t feel like there was anything exciting about it. It felt predictable and slow. It definitely has the potential to be a great thriller, it just fell flat for me.

A mystery filled family drama, I was so excited to receive this ARC from @minotaur_books and when I saw @macmillan.audio had it via @netgalley I knew it would be a win! Thank you publishers!

When Roman's long-time partner, Ashley is found dead, the small town reporter has to dig for answers. They have always had an unconventional relationship, but after their son was born 4 years ago, and Roman's mom began to help out more, it seemed things settled into a good routine that allowed everyone a bit of freedom in this family. What Roman begins to understand as secrets come to light, is naturally, it wasn't all as it seemed.

While the levels of unconventional relationships in this story felt a bit much for me, I did really appreciate the look into the roles we play as family. The pressures of filling these roles in such exacting ways as well as how it changes with subsequent generations was fascinating. It felt like a fresh look at these dynamics.

This was a long, slow burn mystery. This is not a dig. I actually wasn't sure if it should have been marketed as a family drama, but it did add suspense and mystery, especially through the second half. Settle in for the first half and just get to know the characters as they are revealed, and it will pay off.

The audio was a nice addition, narrated by Jennifer Blom and Shahjenehan Khan. I loved the dual narrators though Roman had a majority of storyline with Ashley peppered in. It was a good balance to keep bits of information revealed in a timely manner.

A definite recommendation for the dramatic suspense focused on family roles and secrets!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me this book for free in exchange for my review! All opinions are my own.

I thought this book was unique and enjoyable. I was honestly expecting the narration to be more from a woman's perspective (Jennifer Blom) but I thought the male narrator Shahjehan Khan did a good job as well.

TW: COVID19, death of a ex.


Many Thanks again to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest review.

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