Member Reviews

I liked this, I just didn't LOVE it. I enjoyed the multiple POVs and timelines. I felt like this was really well done by the author and even though it could have been confusing, she made it work. The multiple twists added some interest to the story, I just felt like some of it was way outside the realm of possibility. I have enjoyed Liv Constantine books in the past and will continue to read future ones- this just wasn't my favorite of hers. Definitely still readable, though! 3.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for an ARC of this novel.

Was this review helpful?

Oh my goodness! I have made it completely obvious that I adore all of Liv Constantine's novels, so of course, I jumped at the opportunity to read their latest book, “Don’t Open Your Eyes”!

I went into this book completely blind, and I'm so glad I did. The novel was unputdownable from the very first chapter. What I love about a Liv Constantine novel is how the layers build as the characters become more developed, consuming you completely! “Don’t Open Your Eyes” is an incredibly original story that deserves a spot at the top of your summer reading list. I've already told some friends and family to make it their book club selection this summer!

Was this review helpful?

I love everything Liv Constantine writes and this book is another hit. I was hooked from the beginning and finished in 2 days.

Was this review helpful?

DON’T OPEN YOUR EYES was an engaging and twisty thriller that kept me guessing, written in multiple POVs and timelines but still easy to follow and digest. Liv Constantine never fails to deliver an entertaining and quick read and this was no different than their usual hits!

Thanks to NetGalley and Bantam Books for the opportunity to read and review DON’T OPEN YOUR EYES.

Was this review helpful?

I requested this book because I am a fan of Liv Constantine books, and I went into it with no idea of the plot, so I was pleasantly surprised. I wasn't sure where it was going at first but the different plot elements came together in a way I was not expecting. Despite this, I wouldn't say the pacing is slow--it seemed just right! It was an entertaining, well-written book.

Was this review helpful?

If you can get past the deeply shallow (see what I did there?), one-dimensional characters it's actually a pretty fun little read, but...should you just let that slide?

Was this review helpful?

I thought this thriller was so much fun. The story is told by alternating characters but the main story is following Annabelle. Annabelle is having some scary dreams that start coming true. What is happening and how can she fix this? The whole book is a rollercoaster and is a solid 4 stars.

Was this review helpful?

Love Liv Constantine! It's not my favorite of their books, but a very enjoyable read. I look forward to the next one.

Was this review helpful?

Wow, so many twists and turns that I could not put it down. About 60% in I figured out a good portion of the tale but certainly not the punch at the end. Keep the books coming as they keep getting better and better.

Was this review helpful?

In this gripping psychological thriller, one woman’s nightmares become a terrifying reality—forcing her to question everything she knows about fate, fear, and the fine line between paranoia and truth.

Annabelle Reynolds has the perfect life—a loving husband, two wonderful daughters, and a career she’s passionate about. Everything is just as it should be. Until the dreams start.

At first, they seem like nothing more than eerie nightmares—fragmented glimpses of things yet to come. But when a tragic accident she dreamed about actually happens, Annabelle can’t shake the feeling that her visions are more than just coincidence. And then she dreams of something far worse: her daughter is in danger.

Determined to protect her family, Annabelle turns to her husband, James, but he refuses to believe her. What starts as a desperate plea for help soon spirals into a battle for control—of her mind, her family, and the truth. The more she pushes, the more isolated she becomes, until she’s forced to ask herself: Is she losing her grip on reality, or is someone gaslighting her into silence?

As time runs out and the lines between dream and reality blur, Annabelle must confront the terrifying possibility that knowing the future doesn’t mean she can change it… and that the real threat may be closer than she ever imagined.

A fast-paced, unsettling thriller, Don't Open Your Eyes is a chilling exploration of intuition, accountability, and how the people we trust most can become the ones we fear the most.

#DontOpenYourEyes #Ballantine #RandomHouse #PsychologicalThriller #LivConstantine #TrustNoOne

Was this review helpful?

A psychological thriller about a woman who can dream the future. This ends up being less creepy and more of a plot device allowing us to understand the accountability at the end. I remember reading The Last and Next Mrs Parrish and liking them, they were some of the first books I read in the psychological suspense/thriller genre. While this book was just as suspenseful and with a clever plot, I found the writing style to be overly simplistic and the characters not well developed. In all, this was a good story written simply. Some will be disappointed in the conclusion, but it wrapped up the story very well with not many loose ends. I liked how the main character, Annabelle, was written. Her inner dialogue seems transparent and vulnerable while being compelling. I liked her husband, James, and part of the conclusion regarding his character didn't ring true. Her daughter's character grew on me, I found her to be immature, way below her age level, but over time she became a stronger person.

I am not sure the title fits the story, which I will say is compulsively readable and easy to follow. If you are in the mood for a suspense book with a strong female lead but escapist and not needing a lot of mental gymnastics, this could be a great next read for you.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bantam/Random House for the ARC. Book to be published June 17, 2025.

Was this review helpful?

Enjoyed it even though I figured out the plot twist quicker than I would have liked. It was a nice slow paced read.

Was this review helpful?

This book was an absolute ride! From the very first page, Liv Constantine had me hooked with Annabelle’s unsettling dreams and the eerie way they start creeping into reality. The tension just keeps building, and every time I thought I had things figured out, another twist threw me off. The suspense was insane! There were moments where my heart was pounding because I needed to know what would happen next. Don’t Open Your Eyes is a must read! It’s creepy, twisty, and full of moments that will have you questioning everything. Definitely one of those books that sticks with you after you finish!

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed most of this slow-burn thriller. Foreseeing future events or having premonitions is a fun premise for me and the authors did a great job portraying these cryptic dreams and nightmares well. I felt spooked while reading these parts. It was reminiscent of Stephen King's The Dead Zone, which is one of my absolute favorites. With that being said, I did feel letdown at the end. I thought that Annabelle's dreams were building up to something big. They were a huge part of the story and created so much mystery and intrigue, but the reason why was never really established. I was confused by this. I did enjoy having the POV of an "unknown". This added even more mystery and suspense, and I had fun trying to figure out who this character was. The story is split between three different POVS with three different concurrent plots. I never felt lost by this, and I thought that their stories came together nicely towards the end. There weren't many twists, but the story was fast-paced, and the suspense was on point. All in all, it was a fun read worthy of 5 stars if it had a better ending. I would definitely recommend!

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for granting me a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!

Was this review helpful?

I love the way this story came together! It was suspenseful and mysterious but also heartwarming, I was crying a little at the end. I loved the characters. Another hit by Liv Constantine!

Was this review helpful?

Liv Constantine's books are an auto-request for me, so I was super excited to get an ARC of Don't Open Your Eyes. I hate to say it, but I'm shocked by this book. And while it hurts my heart to write bad reviews, this is so unexpectedly underwhelming that I want to be honest.

Normally their books are suspenseful, twisty, and have great characters. This one could have been written by an entirely different author (or, in this case, authors). The characters fell flat, the plot was repetitive, and the writing was not at all what I'm used to from Liv Constantine. Scarlett's entire plot line, from the outdated texting slang to her acknowledging stranger danger and then making poor choices, was just off. More than once I checked to make sure the author was indeed Liv Constantine.

While I'm clearly bummed out by this book, I remain a huge fan of the author(s), and I will absolutely read whatever they do next. Fingers crossed that this was just an outlier.

Was this review helpful?

For about the first half of this book I was pretty confused with where things were going because three different plots were vying for attention and it just seemed a bit messy. But I started loving it when they started slowly coming together. The real plot wasn’t something I could see coming and I was very pleased with the outcome. Liv Constantine never disappoints.

Was this review helpful?

The story navigates between Annabelle’s present as a wife and mother, her past when she fell in love with a man named Randy, and a third perspective told by “the wife.” As Annabelle begins experiencing unsettling dreams that come true, she starts to question everything—her doctor husband, her family, and even herself. Are these dreams uncovering a hidden truth?
I loved this twisty, suspenseful ride!

Was this review helpful?

3.5 ⭐️

A mother is having dreams that do not seem to connect to her current reality, are frightening in nature, and are now coming true.

I could not stop reading. I was constantly confused about what was really happening and who I could trust. The story is broken into 3 POVs and one of them is an unknown person. It was fun to try and figure out who that was.

While I did enjoy the suspenseful nature of the story, I didn’t really love any of the characters. There did not seem to be much personality given to any of them so even the really emotional parts did not seem to impact me like I would have expected.

Thank you Random House, Ballantine, and NetGalley for the arc.

Was this review helpful?

I couldn't put this book down! Liv does it again. The story is thrilling, with a lot of domestic twists and turns that I expect from her. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Was this review helpful?