Friday, April 5, 2013

Review of The Nightmare Affair by Mindee Arnett and New International Giveaway

The Nightmare Affair (The Arkwell Academy, #1) Welcome back, my loyal blog followers! I'm so excited to introduce this next book as well as a new international giveaway for the book! Sign up early!

Goodreads Book Description: Sixteen-year-old Dusty Everhart breaks into houses late at night, but not because she’s a criminal. No, she’s a Nightmare.

Literally.

Being the only Nightmare at Arkwell Academy, a boarding school for magickind, and living in the shadow of her mother’s infamy, is hard enough. But when Dusty sneaks into Eli Booker’s house, things get a whole lot more complicated. He’s hot, which means sitting on his chest and invading his dreams couldn’t get much more embarrassing. But it does. Eli is dreaming of a murder.

Then Eli’s dream comes true.

Now Dusty has to follow the clues—both within Eli’s dreams and out of them—to stop the killer before more people turn up dead. And before the killer learns what she’s up to and marks her as the next target.

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

My Review:  I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I've seen the Nightmare Affair by Mindee Arnett around and the premise was enticing enough for me to pick it up. Dusty is a Nightmare in the most literal sense, and she has to feed on dreams of people for energy/magic/fictus. She feeds one night on a hot guy from her old school, Eli, but he notices her in the dream and forcefully wakes them up. Turns out they are a Dream-Seer duo, and now both attend a magical school. From there, things get dangerous with a murderer on the lose, and they need to use their newfound powers to figure out the mystery.

If I had to describe this book, I would say it's a cross between Veronica Mars and Harry Potter. I thoroughly enjoyed myself from page one when I met the fiesty protagonist, Dusty, and the very intense and sexy, Eli. Mix in some magic and a school setting with some mystery, and you have my Achilles heel. I actually tried to be good and read a book that I promised an author to read, but that didn't happen because I couldn't put this one down. The pacing is excellent, and the world building while not entirely unfamiliar, is sound and fascinating with its own unique twists.

I had only one slight complaint-- there is a plot twist that I felt was very deus ex machina, which I'm not a huge fan of. But it wasn't the only twist, and it was the only one I felt that way about.

Overall, a highly entertaining first book, and I really do hope we see more of Dusty and her friends.


Now enter to win a signed copy or some great swag! Tune in later for a great interview with Mindee Arnett, the author!
 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

23 comments:

  1. Thank you for such a great post! The Nightmare Affair sounds like a fantastic read, and i love the pretty cover :)

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  2. The cover is part of how I first noticed this book—it immediately caught my eye. Not to mention that I found the blurb intriguing, and the promises of a well-built world enticing. I'm tired of vampires and werewolves; give us Nightmares instead! :)

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  3. Love the HP comparison-I am hoping that this series really builds into something with more character depth but continuing to be a lot of fun.

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  4. You're my A-Z feature today!

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  5. Been dying to read this one :) Thanks for hosting a giveaway for us international readers too :)

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  6. Thank you for this giveaway!

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  7. Thanks for the giveaway! I've seen this book around on various blogs and it sounds like a good read, especially considering you gave it a 5/5 rating.

    mestith at gmail dot com

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  8. thanks for give away. i hope i can win this book.

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  9. I've seen this book on a couple of blogs. It was your interview and review that made up my mind that it's a book that I want to read. Thanks for such good insight!

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  10. I want to read this book, it sounds unique, quirky and entertaining. Nicely reviewed, you made me push the book a bit higher on my tbr list.

    BookishTrish @ Between the Lines

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  11. This sounds like a book that I must read! Thank you for the giveaway and great review, by the way!

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  12. I really want to read this. thanks!

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  13. I've been wanting to read this for some time now. I am in awe of the cover. And the blurb for it sounds awesome. I mean, the protagonist has to feed on dreams of people!! NIIICE. Great review. Thank you =)

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  14. This seems like an interesting read! Thanks for the giveaway! (:

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  15. I hadn't heard of the book before the giveaway, but it definitely piqued my interest.

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  16. 3 swag, huh? I already have 7 swags, but 3 more and it'll make an even ten. Crossing my fingers for this one! ^_^

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  17. I'm really excited for this novel! That cover is gorgeous and your review makes me all the more excited =D

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  18. Heard great things! Excited to read it!

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  19. Sounds great! I'll definitely have to check this one out!

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  20. i like you review .. i will like to read the book .. sound great
    almendra

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  21. I love that this world isn't built around Vampures or werewolves! Nightmares!? Who'd have thought! Great idea for a change, hope I win this books not my interest peaked!

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