The Dream Slayer (The Dreamer Slayer Series, #1) by Jill Cooper

Jul 11, 2012 Aliaa El-Nashar rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was another choice made due to my obsession with the cover. It was so pretty and I had the whole ‘dream’ theme going for me so I just continued. The book was way better than I had expected, and the idea was new and unique.

It reminded me of another movie I had watched but for the life of me I can’t remember the name. It was pretty cool, not the exact one so that was great. The idea of simultaneously having two worlds out there, one in your dreams in which you are the heroine and a demon...more This book was another choice made due to my obsession with the cover. It was so pretty and I had the whole ‘dream’ theme going for me so I just continued. The book was way better than I had expected, and the idea was new and unique.

It reminded me of another movie I had watched but for the life of me I can’t remember the name. It was pretty cool, not the exact one so that was great. The idea of simultaneously having two worlds out there, one in your dreams in which you are the heroine and a demon slayer at that. The other one from hell, where you look like hell and are brutally bullied by one of the popular kids in school.

Natalie’s subconscious works in a mysterious way, making the dream world and her real word collide to an extent that it affected everyone’s dreams, making their nightmares become a reality. The way Natalie found difficulty to resign herself to the situation in hand, that she is indeed a vampire/demon slayer, that she is indeed the creator of those nightmares, and that she is the only savior was brilliant. It was very realistic and the style of the author got you into the head of the protagonist. Jill Cooper’s debut novel was a bit rough in some parts but more than compensated for it in execution and concept.

I really liked Tristan’s character. He’s the perfect bestfriend I personally never got the chance to have in highschool, and maybe if I did have someone similar to him my time there would have been much more enjoyable. If you know anything about my writings you’d know I wrote a book, and in it I did have characters called both ‘Damien’ and ‘Tristan’ and in mines, they both actually fought for the main character, but in my case Damien won. In Natalie’s it’s still not certain, since this book is a series and I’m still in book one.

It was such a relief to finally read a book I completely love – not as much as Cinder for reasons I will not embark on right now – but close enough. Definitely a great read and would recommend it.

Rating: 5/5
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Jun 26, 2012 Emlyn Chand rated it 4 of 5 stars

Natalie Johnson takes the adage "if you dream it, you can be it" to a whole new level. In fact, her dreams have spilled out into the real world and now threaten her life and the lives (and sanity) of all those who matter to her. Man, that'll teach Nat to dream of demons, vampires, and evil magic-doers--or is it magic evil-doers?

Jill Cooper's debut novel offers a lot of *punch.* Bam, kapow, hiyaaah! Witty dialogue, memorable characters, and hilarity in the face of certain doom all make for a stun...more

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Oct 10, 2012 Candace (Lovey Dovey Books) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Originally posted on Lovey Dovey Books

Action, adventure and surprisingly, romance, fills the pages of Jill Cooper's debut YA novel, The Dream Slayer. Its sarcastic and down-to-earth characters will keep readers entertained and begging for The Dream Slayer's sequel, Demon Royale to hit shelves immediately!

Natalie Johnson is in no way the average heroine. With the ability to dream an alternate dimension, in which she's a slayer of evil, 'dorky' Nat has much more to live for than she believes. In N...more

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May 16, 2013 S.M. Blooding rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal, young-adult

This was a fun read. I have to admit that when I first opened it up, I thought, "Oh, I'm reading Buffy the Vampire Slayer." However, when we hit the Real World, I was able to see the complexities that were woven into this story.

Natalie feels powerless. Well, she is in real life, not because she lacks power, but because she doesn't believe she can be powerful. So she escapes to her dream world where she had power and she's a kick-butt gal. She finds her power that way, and then scares the ever l...more

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Feb 25, 2013 Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal, young-adult, non-erotic

Originally posted at: http://www.longandshortreviews.com/bo...

Natalie has a rotten life. An alcoholic, verbally abusive father, a school bully and more — who could blame her for dreaming a whole new life for herself?

I was fascinated by the idea of a dream world becoming real and am glad to say the story didn’t disappoint. With a nod to “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” in a few ways, The Dream Slayer is a book about a young girl with no self-confidence becoming empowered, first in her dreams and then i...more

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Feb 12, 2013 Judy Thomas rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-mg

What happens when your dreams start to come true? Especially your dreams about being a demon slayer. That's what happens to Natalie Johnson in this first installment of the Dream Slayer series.

The story starts out with echoes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer as Natalie saves the day from a demon and a run-away bus. Unfortunately, in the "real" world, another Natalie Johnson is being bullied at school. There's a juxtaposition between the two Natalies that they are not aware of, but that the author rev...more What happens when your dreams start to come true? Especially your dreams about being a demon slayer. That's what happens to Natalie Johnson in this first installment of the Dream Slayer series.

The story starts out with echoes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer as Natalie saves the day from a demon and a run-away bus. Unfortunately, in the "real" world, another Natalie Johnson is being bullied at school. There's a juxtaposition between the two Natalies that they are not aware of, but that the author reveals early in the book. Natalie Johnson the chubby and bullied (both at home and at school) has always had detailed dreams--and in her dreams she's beautiful, powerful--oh, and a demon slayer. What Natalie doesn't know, though, is that even when she's not dreaming, the characters of her dreams are living their own life.

What's a girl to do when there starts to be slippage between her real life and her dream life? That's the premise for the series.

The series seems inspired by the television series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer: there's Natalie (Buffy), Mr. Buckle (her Watcher), her best friend Tristan (Zander), and a cheerleader nemesis (Cordelia). But, Jill takes the inspiration and makes it into something uniquely her own.

What chubby, bullied girl doesn't dream of being someone different--someone powerful and in charge of her own life? In this series, it comes true for Natalie. I don't want to give away any spoilers, but it will be interesting to see the next installment of the series to see how the author is going to handle two story lines that intersect when Natalie in this life is becoming more like the Natalie in the dream world.

Although this book could be dark, part of its charm is that there are many moments of lightness--especially in the dialogue:

Morach's eyes grew even more afraid. Natalie gripped the hilt in both hands on final approach. "It's just us now, Morach. Maybe you should say a little prayer."

"I don't understand. It was all so well thought out. Why exactly won't you die?" Morach backed up farther as the tip of her sword pushed into his neck. He trembled. "You wouldn't kill an unarmed demon, would you?"

"I think I've proved I would. Six times or so."

"Let's cut a deal. Listen, I have a very extensive DVD collection. I'm sure we can work something out."

"I don't make deals. Do I look like a lawyer to you? I don't think so. I've been waiting a long time for this, and I plan on enjoying it."

I'm going to get this book for the library. I think it will be a good addition.(less)

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May 18, 2012 Summerland Botanicals rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have been privileged to read the entire series by Jill Cooper. The Dream Slayer is a story with so many layers, lovingly told with an enchanting voice. The story is for Every Person. Who can't relate to those moments of awkwardness as a teenager where you wish the world would quake open and swallow you whole? Who hasn't felt their alter ego stir inside them?

Jill Cooper creatively blends two worlds, that of our Every Girl Natalie and that of The Dream Slayer, both equally harrowing in the fant...more

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Jul 09, 2012 Daniela rated it 5 of 5 stars

Sometimes dreams are more than what they seem. They're an escape from reality. A new world we can create just by thinking about it. A new person. A new you. They make our lives so much easier... except in this case.
Normal Natalie is the the insecure, self-conscious teenager who's constantly bullied. Her father is a drunk, her mother allows her own husband to hit her, her sister never visits, and the family is plagued by the haunting memories of a dead son. On the plus side, she's got an awesome...more Sometimes dreams are more than what they seem. They're an escape from reality. A new world we can create just by thinking about it. A new person. A new you. They make our lives so much easier... except in this case.
Normal Natalie is the the insecure, self-conscious teenager who's constantly bullied. Her father is a drunk, her mother allows her own husband to hit her, her sister never visits, and the family is plagued by the haunting memories of a dead son. On the plus side, she's got an awesome best friend. Unfortunately, reality isn't enough for Natalie. She wants more. This is where the dreams kick in.
Demon Slayer Natalie is the awesome kick-butt heroine who's ready for almost anything. She's got the hot boyfriend, the best mentor, the coolest best friends, the icky villain, the body of a model, and the moves even Bruce Lee would be jealous of. Who could ever ask for more?
When strange things things start happening around town, Reality Natalie can't help the deja vu-like feeling. It's almost as if her dreams are coming true (or more like her worst nightmares). People start going crazy, a weird force field seems to surround the town, keeping everyone trapped, and something is trying it's hardest to get rid of Natalie. But what?
The Dream Slayer was a fast-paced, action-packed, hilarious, and absolutely thrilling start to a really promising series. I got hooked by the first page. Seriously, the book starts off with Slayer Natalie saving a school bus that was stolen by Morach the Great (villain) and then gets attacked by demons so we get to see her kick some ugly demon butt. The story line is laced with twists throughout the book. Cooper makes us suspect the people we shouldn't even be suspecting.
The characters really nabbed my attention, especially Natalie. I didn't like how she let herself be bullied in reality, but I loved how her best friend, Tristan, stepped up for her. A true Prince Charming of a sort. Slayer Natalie was even better. She was just like Buffy the Vampire Slayer with a better bad attitude (if that made sense). Reality Natalie did get on my nerves a little. She was so feeble, didn't even stand up for herself, had to have someone else do it. But that's what made the contrast so much more interesting. Reality Natalie and Slayer Natalie were the perfect opposites in almost every way. I loved how everything sort of clashed together in the end (and sort of didn't). And then there's the love triangle. Hot demon-guy vs. best friend... that's a tough one.
The plot was intriguing. There some points that were predictable and others that I definitely didn't see coming. The pace was constant throughout the book, maybe a little too fast at some parts. That may have been the only small problem I had. Some events happened way too fast and I didn't get the chance to adjust to the changes. I struggled a bit to get used to the transition from dreamworld to reality too, but once I did, I was absorbed into the story better.
Overall, I loved The Dream Slayer. It's got almost everything you could ask for: adventure, romance, mystery, and lots of witty comebacks. I will definitely be reading the rest of the books in this series.(less)

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Jul 24, 2012 The Haunted Rose rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Ya paranormal lovers

Recommended to The Haunted Rose by: Jill Cooper

Shelves: dream-slayer

Cover Thoughts-
Love it! The girl on the cover is probably Natalie and she is probably in her dream world because she is holding her sword thing. Bad ass covers like this is what really catches my attention.

First Thought-
Just what I was looking for! Romance, Adventure, Paranormal, and Slayers! I can not wait to get started on this book!

What I liked-
There is so much to like! First off Butt kicking heroins are my favorite characters. Natalie is basically a nobody wimp nerd by day and a somebody bra...more Cover Thoughts-
Love it! The girl on the cover is probably Natalie and she is probably in her dream world because she is holding her sword thing. Bad ass covers like this is what really catches my attention.

First Thought-
Just what I was looking for! Romance, Adventure, Paranormal, and Slayers! I can not wait to get started on this book!

What I liked-
There is so much to like! First off Butt kicking heroins are my favorite characters. Natalie is basically a nobody wimp nerd by day and a somebody brave hero by night. In her dreams she defeats evil doers like Morach the Great. She has awesome skills using weapons and has a I'm better than you attitude. Everybody knows her name. And if your a demon you better hope you don't run into her. Then when she wakes up she is living her nightmare at home and at school. Dreams are her only escape. A little while into the book her dreams become reality and it becomes harder to escape them. The whole book is a dangerous middle between fantasy and reality. Somebody or Something is out to get Natalie and how can she overcome them when she is actually a little weak nobody? I was seriously swept in this tide of dreams throughout the whole book. I found myself comparing my dreams and even wishing I had such realistic ones like in The Dream Slayer. I even pictured myself exactly like the weak real Natalie. I guarantee this series is one I'll be following just because this book kept me on the edge all the way through. When I thought all evil was defeated at the end I was still wrong!

What I disliked-
The beginning was so confusing! I struggled through the first couple chapters trying to keep up with the action and adventure and fierce fighting skills then a sudden weak girl who does nothing shows up. I finally got it after a few more pages. :) The idea is genius! Anyway that is really it. The Dream Slayer had everything I could want in a book; romance, fights, dreams, vampires, slayers, nerds, and bad ass girls like I want to be. I loved it!

Overall Readability-
A total top of the to read lister. I finished it all in one sitting because every page puts you on edge. You have to know what happens next. Everything is so beautifully detailed and totally fierce in the butt kicking. I actually am already thinking about rereading it. :) I recommend The Dream Slayer for people who love dreams and the paranormal.

My Final Thought-
She blossomed! Once a wimpy nerd now a beautiful brave somebody!

5 out of 5 Haunted Roses
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Jul 12, 2012 Christina Madison rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: demons-devils, dreamers, ebooks, magicians-mages, vampires-dhampirs, 2011-2012

Full review here: http://zodiacbookreviews.blogspot.com...

Natalie Johnson is a girl tormented by a bully at school and her alcoholic father at home, but when she dreams Natalie is the Slayer. Strong, beautiful, and completely in control, the Slayer is everything that Natalie isn't but desperately wishes she was. When the Real World and the Dream World begin merging together, Natalie will need to find the strength hidden deep inside herself to claim her destiny and save both worlds from destructi...more Full review here: http://zodiacbookreviews.blogspot.com...

Natalie Johnson is a girl tormented by a bully at school and her alcoholic father at home, but when she dreams Natalie is the Slayer. Strong, beautiful, and completely in control, the Slayer is everything that Natalie isn't but desperately wishes she was. When the Real World and the Dream World begin merging together, Natalie will need to find the strength hidden deep inside herself to claim her destiny and save both worlds from destruction.

When I first started reading The Dream Slayer I was a little confused. The book starts with Natalie (the Slayer) trying to stop a runaway school bus. She succeeds and proceeds to chase her arch nemesis, Morach, behind the school where she loses him. Shortly thereafter, the story moves to Natalie being beaten up by her bully at school, Sarah, on the bus to school. I couldn't tell which world was supposed to be the real one, but as I kept reading it all began to make sense and I really started enjoying the book.

We have the Real World and the Dream World. In the Real World Natalie is a shy girl who is the target for bullies; whereas in the Dream World Natalie is the Slayer, kicking demon butt and looking good while doing it. In the Real World Natalie's enemy is the Patricians--magicians with the power to manipulate dreams for their own purposes--and in the Dream World Natalie's enemy is Morach the Great, a demon master of great power. And in the Real World Natalie's love interest is her best friend, Tristan; and in the Dream World Natalie is deeply in love with Damien, a half-demon warrior. Though there are similarities between the two worlds there are also a lot of differences to look out for.

There were two things that I thought were pretty cool:

1) Natalie may not be a Slayer, but she has a role just as important.

2) Natalie created a growing, thinking world that is more than just a dream. What was not real before may very well be real now.

I would very much like to learn more about WOMP (World Organization of Magical Protection) and about who Marcus is. He just shows up one day and all of a sudden is pretty chummy with Natalie and her friends. He's not even surprised by the mention of demon slaying. Just who is he??

I loved seeing Natalie finally stand up and fight. I could picture the battle in my head and it was just amazing!

I can't wait to read the sequel, Demon Royale, and see how Natalie has changed, what's going on with the Slayer, and what new adventure there is to be had!(less)

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Feb 04, 2013 April rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Dream Slayer is a good start to a new Young Adult series. Cooper does an excellent job transitioning the writing from real life Natalie to the dream Natalie. I enjoyed this concept of two alternate dimensions. Cooper’s writing style easily transitions between the two dimensions. I loved the witty dialogue and pop culture references.

In real life, Natalie’s character lives in an abusive home with an alcoholic father and is bullied my peers at school. Natalie does not disclose her bullying to...more

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May 10, 2012 Jane rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 3, to-review

3.5*

The cover art on this book is really appealing and had I seen it in a book shop I would be instantly drawn to it, after scanning the blurb I would have bought it, and after reading the book I wouldn’t have been disappointed.

The Dream Slayer is an interesting story, Natalie Johnson has two lives. Her real life is quite depressing she is bullied by the ‘popular’ girl Sarah, she lives with a drunken, verbally abusive father and a mother who is too tolerant of his brutish behaviour. Her other li...more
3.5*

The cover art on this book is really appealing and had I seen it in a book shop I would be instantly drawn to it, after scanning the blurb I would have bought it, and after reading the book I wouldn’t have been disappointed.

The Dream Slayer is an interesting story, Natalie Johnson has two lives. Her real life is quite depressing she is bullied by the ‘popular’ girl Sarah, she lives with a drunken, verbally abusive father and a mother who is too tolerant of his brutish behaviour. Her other life is in the dream world where she is strong and confident, the slayer of all things evil and the protector of her town. When Sarah turns up at the pep rally cut bruised and dying, Natalie has a sense of de ja vu and remembers Sarah died in her dream too. It soon becomes clear that both her lives are blending into one and she has to find a way to save her family and the town for real.

I couldn’t help but think of ‘Buffy the vampire Slayer’ while I was reading this, obviously there were differences, the dream world and the real world etc but once the picture of Sarah Michele Gellar was planted in my head it was the only image I had for Natalie and the story played out for me like an episode of that show. There were a few places once the dream world seeped over that I got a little confused and wasn’t sure which dimension I was in but it kind of sorted itself out in my brain with a little mind juggle and deep thoughtsy!

I enjoyed the writing style it wasn’t heavily laden with big words and unnatural dialogue, the teenagers sounded like teenagers and the adults sounded like adults so it was a comfortable read. The ‘dream’ slayer part of the book was new to me but like I said the actual slayer didn’t feel so unique. I enjoyed the read and was able to escape for a few hours while I read it, it left me satisfied but not overly excited about the book. I would definitely read more work by this author and more tales about Natalie and her friends should there be a sequel.

Copy supplied for review
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Jul 18, 2012 Amy Fournier rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, ebook

Okay, so dreams bleeding into real life, awesome right? I was so excited to read this book. I am fascinated with dreams and the lines between them and real life. When those lines get blurred it has to make for a whole lot of awesome. Well, yes and no. I have to say for a lot of this book I was absolutely confused. I couldn't make sense of anything for the first few chapters at all. The idea of this is really awesome and after a while I was able to grasp it, but I had a really hard time at first....more Okay, so dreams bleeding into real life, awesome right? I was so excited to read this book. I am fascinated with dreams and the lines between them and real life. When those lines get blurred it has to make for a whole lot of awesome. Well, yes and no. I have to say for a lot of this book I was absolutely confused. I couldn't make sense of anything for the first few chapters at all. The idea of this is really awesome and after a while I was able to grasp it, but I had a really hard time at first. Maybe that is the way it's supposed to be, I don't know. Anyways, I did end up enjoying it though.

Natalie is the girl who gets picked on. She is overweight, not pretty by a lot of the other people's standards, wears glasses, and doesn't have cool clothes. She escapes into her dreams where she is a total bad ass vampire slayer who is pretty, confident, and has a hot guy who adores her. In her dreams she is what she wishes she could be in real life. That's all great until somehow she dreams of her number one bully getting possessed by evil demons and killing herself to warn Natalie, and she dies in real life too. The problem is, now it seems that everyone's nightmares are a reality. Somehow she has brought the dream world to life. She is the only one who can stop whatever is going on, but in real life, she isn't the confident bad ass she is in her dreams.

Tristan is really great. He is her best friend since they were toddlers. He's her BFF in both the real world and dream world. He will do anything he can to protect her and be there for her. Even though she lies to him and keeps secrets, he still really cares about her and can't stay mad at her. He is not the toughest guy ever, but he is honest and caring. Yes, he can totally be a jerk, but when he is, it's for a reason.

As the lines between dreams and reality blur, Natalie finds out that dream Natalie continues to live her life in dreams while she is awake and living her real life. Also things that affect them in dreams also will affect them in real life. If you die in the dream, you will die for real for example. Natalie must learn how to get some of her dream alter ego's confidence and skill to defeat the evil that has leaked into the real world.

Overall this was an interesting story. I didn't like how confused I was for almost the first half of the book, but I did like the great action in it and the creativity of her being able to go in and out of her dreams. There is a great magical element to the story too. It was a fast paced read with a lot of fighting, action, and a little romance.(less)

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Jul 28, 2012 Michelle novelsontherun rated it 3 of 5 stars

RATING: 3.75 DAMIEN STARS!

Natalie is a demon slayer and a kick ass one ...... in her dreams. Damien the hottie , Mr Buckle and Mark are also in her dreams. Damien is the half demon hottie.

Now....I am going to be honest and say that I was a tad confused sometimes where reality and dream scenes blurred a bit and my head got the fuzzy wuzzys, but!! I totally loved what Jill was doing.

Picture Buffy the vampire demon slayer and this is how the sub characters and Natalie felt a bit in a comparison w...more

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Jul 28, 2012 Novels On The Run rated it 3 of 5 stars

MICHELLE'S REVIEW:

RATING: 3.75 DAMIEN STARS!

Natalie is a demon slayer and a kick ass one ...... in her dreams. Damien the hottie , Mr Buckle and Mark are also in her dreams. Damien is the half demon hottie.

Now....I am going to be honest and say that I was a tad confused sometimes where reality and dream scenes blurred a bit and my head got the fuzzy wuzzys, but!! I totally loved what Jill was doing.

Picture Buffy the vampire demon slayer and this is how the sub characters and Natalie felt a bit...more

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Nov 18, 2012 Katrina Tinnon rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book is action packed and unique.

Some of the characters were difficult to connect with, but that didn't take away from the story. Natalie, the main character, is a high school student that is bulled because of her appearance. All that changes when her bully ends up dead. Her best friend, Tristan, is awesome. He's witty, sarcastic, and completely loyal to Natalie. He has always defended her, and doesn't understand why she puts up with everyone's crap. Natalie's "other" self was incredibly co...more

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Jul 24, 2012 Andrea Heltsley rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was pretty original. I liked how the author used the dreams to merge with reality. The first half of the book was really entertaining.

I got a little confused in the second half of the book. She was having two realities and a dream world at one point. Also, the narration switched to multiple people without any distinctions between them.

If you like demons, this book is everything you could want. It was very reminiscent of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, only in dreams. Natalie and her sidekic...more

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Jul 09, 2012 Shane rated it 4 of 5 stars

Sometimes dreams are far more exciting than our reality. Jill proves that in her adventurous and exciting new novel. Why open your eyes when you have a stronger sense of purpose only in your sleep? That's if it you don't lose sight of the difference between the real and the unrealistic.

The story opens up with, you guessed it right, a dream. It's all fun and exciting, totally badass at start, but then we're taken back to a reality where Natalie constantly gets the shit kicked out of her. So, basi...more Sometimes dreams are far more exciting than our reality. Jill proves that in her adventurous and exciting new novel. Why open your eyes when you have a stronger sense of purpose only in your sleep? That's if it you don't lose sight of the difference between the real and the unrealistic.

The story opens up with, you guessed it right, a dream. It's all fun and exciting, totally badass at start, but then we're taken back to a reality where Natalie constantly gets the shit kicked out of her. So, basically its like this: in her "dreams", she's strong, unafraid, and considered pretty, while in "reality", Natalie is seen as beyond average; she's bullied daily physically, emotionally, and verbally. One can understand why she doesn't believe in herself with her peers constantly bashing her feelings. That sucks!

As the story progresses you get the sense that these aren't exactly dreams but are more like two separate lives. It gets intense when both paths are crossed and that's when things really take off. Where the plot's concerned, I liked it. This is different from what I've been reading lately and certainly fresh for the summer. The author was narrating, and not the main character, which made sense being that the story plays out from two different personalities.

Character wise, I felt that Natalie was such a mouthful that I couldn't focus on anyone else. I was too distracted by her. Not a bad thing, but it seems there wasn't much depth to the others to appeal to me.

I have to talk about the romance aspect, which was sweet while it came up, but again, Natalie's battles with her dual self as well as with her enemies kept me preoccupied to even enjoy her relationship.

Overall, I liked the novel. Even though it's over 300 pages the writing style is very fast paced and engaging. I must say though, if you don't keep up well you will get confused by what's taking place, but that makes the story even more interesting. Alternate realities is not easy to write about I should think, but the author did an exceptional job keeping me tuned in.(less)

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Jul 29, 2012 Bonnie Paulson rated it 5 of 5 stars

I read this in less than 2 days. Couldn't put it down. Fast paced and so much fun. The world building was interwoven with witty dialogue - internal and external - and fun action.

I was cocnerned at first that maybe the humor would detract from the action, but surprise-surprise when it only enhanced it. That was a shocker for me. I've never seen that pulled off in books - in movies, sure, but not books. When I'm sitting on the edge of my seat and then suddenly laughing out loud, there's a lot goi...more

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Oct 12, 2012 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

I liked the overall idea of Dream Slayer. Sometimes dreams can become what we can’t make our reality out to be. In the case of Natalie, she is a teenage girl with insecurities. She is bullied, a little chubby and has one constant friend. Her reality isn’t all that great. In her dream world she becomes this all powerful, kick butt, not so chubby slayer. As the story unfolds the two worlds of Natalie start to blur; reality and dream cross boundaries. She faces many challenges and is faced with cho...more

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Nov 03, 2012 Cameron rated it 3 of 5 stars

Originally posted on the blog: What the Cat Read

So I’m of two minds when it comes to this book. On the one paw, there are moments where I liked it. But on the other paw, there are some elements that just kept me from getting into the story as much as I would have liked.

One of those elements was the continual parallels to the TV show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. There are a lot of them. And yes, I almost put the book down and walked away because I was finding it difficult to get past the whole fan...more

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Jul 14, 2012 Ellen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-tours

Natalie is a teenage girl who has low self-esteem, is overweight, has an abusive father, and is targeted by bullies. She has always dreamed of being someone else, never having realized what a special person she is. After being attacked on the school bus one morning, her best friend Tristan takes her to the nurse's office. Soon thereafter, Sarah, the girl who has been bullying her, ends up dying tragically. Natalie then begins to remember the dreams she has been having. Dreams where she is a "sla...more Natalie is a teenage girl who has low self-esteem, is overweight, has an abusive father, and is targeted by bullies. She has always dreamed of being someone else, never having realized what a special person she is. After being attacked on the school bus one morning, her best friend Tristan takes her to the nurse's office. Soon thereafter, Sarah, the girl who has been bullying her, ends up dying tragically. Natalie then begins to remember the dreams she has been having. Dreams where she is a "slayer" that fights against demons, vampires, and defends the city against all kinds of evil. Not only is she a kick-butt heroine, she has a hot boyfriend to. She discovers that the things that are happening in her dream world are also beginning to parallel and spill over into this world. Natalie finds out she is much more than she thought she was, a paladin, destined to truly defend her city against evil, but can she live up to the expectations that are placed upon her and rise up to the occasion before it's too late?

The Dream Slayer is not dull by any means, it starts off with action and just keeps on going. I felt bad for Natalie and what she was going through, and hated that she had such a low opinion of herself in most of the book, though she finally does manage to begin to get past that by the end, and actually turns out doing some pretty kick-butt stuff herself. I thought the love interest with Tristan was sweet, and was glad to see some of Natalie's relationships begin to mend with family and friends. This is one of those books you will need to pay attention to because it switches from Natalie the normal teenage girl, to Natalie the Slayer, her alter ego, though this is actually taking place in her dreams. Overall, this was a fun read, and though it dealt with killing demons and the like, to me it was not gruesome like your typical horror story. If you are into teenage fantasy, the paranormal, with a little bit of horror, and some sweet romance, then you would probably enjoy The Dream Slayer. (less)

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Jul 21, 2012 Valerie rated it 4 of 5 stars

A paranormal story where Natalie (the main character) has a split personality....in reality she is a bullied insecure girl and in her dreams she is a slayer. The book follows Natalie's struggles and battles in both the dream world and reality. Then one dream changes it all and brings the dream world into reality and puts the reality Natalie in a predicament where she must become as strong and confident as her other slayer personality. Natalie's character gets put to the test when Morach, a demon...more

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Jul 09, 2012 Katrina (Kindred Dreamheart) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, blog-review, blog-tour, e-reader, misleading-cover

3.5 hearts

We've all experienced a funk where NOTHING interests us. I mean you have satellite with over a thousand stations, for Pete's sake and there is NOTHING worth watching on the tube. Then there's an info commercial that really catches your eye. I mean it looks great and sounds like a miracle...God made that AB fat zapper specifically in answer to your prayers, wrapped that baby in gold foil, and presented it to you on Angel wings. So you you dial that toll free number and get your blessing...more 3.5 hearts

We've all experienced a funk where NOTHING interests us. I mean you have satellite with over a thousand stations, for Pete's sake and there is NOTHING worth watching on the tube. Then there's an info commercial that really catches your eye. I mean it looks great and sounds like a miracle...God made that AB fat zapper specifically in answer to your prayers, wrapped that baby in gold foil, and presented it to you on Angel wings. So you you dial that toll free number and get your blessing for 4 easy installments of 29.99. And you're beaming for all the world to see. Heck you may even tweet about it. One week later it arrives in the mail and you're seriously questioning if it's really worth 120 bucks plus shipping and handling. *Sigh*

I was in a reading funk before this book came along. From first impressions, the synopsis and beautiful cover art instantly snagged my attention and interest.

The Dream Slayer is about a teenage girl named Natalie who is from an abusive home and get bullied at school. To cope with her unfortunate life, she created an alter ego in her dreams. She often visits this fabricated universe by dozing off or daydreaming. Natalie is a tad narcoleptic, but I loved her. She was believable. Her insecurities could have easily been my own. I loved the male friend harboring unsaid emotions swing and once best friend who grew apart. It helped to create a realistic high school portrayal. I felt that the school bully was way overdone; and the other nemesis' were a bit corny.

Overall, I had mixed feeling about this novel. While there were parts I loved, there were equally parts I didn't. The stereotypical 90's prime time show jargon, where the teenage dialect is super long winded in an attempt at comedy and intelligence was a major turn off. I mean it worked in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, sometimes on the Gilmore Girls and was a gray zone on Dawson's Creek. Any who in this story it acted as a distraction always taking the character completely off subject. Then as I read on I realized that this was Natalie's dream state. It bewilders me why her alter ego was so annoying, but heck, to each his own. Aside from her being a push over I actually liked the real Natalie. I especially liked the love triangle. It was definitely unusual and unique. In future novels I hope to see more of Natalie instead of her dream self. In the end, this novel helped pull me out of my reading funk. The non-stop action definitely keep me turning the pages.

Favorite Quote:
"'dreams don't kill people, people kill people' or do they?"

*I received a copy of this novel for an honest review.(less)

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Jul 18, 2012 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012, book-tour, ya-paranormal, indies-and-self-pubs

I really liked Dream Slayer - loved it actually. It's really different from all the other paranormal stories out right now. Dream Slayer is a complex story with two worlds - the real world Natalie lives in, where she is an over-weight, bullied girl with a bad home life. In the dream world Natalie kicks butt and fights evil and has a strong sense of confidence and self-worth. The real action begins when the two worlds start to collide.

I liked the fact that the heroine, Natalie, is "plus size." (o...more

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Jul 10, 2012 Marla rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, books-read-in-2012, demons, fantasy, magic, paranormal, supernatural, ya, vampires

This review appears on my blog, Starting the Next Chapter.

When I first read the title for this book, I was intrigued. What context did the phrase "dream slayer" refer to? Was it a slayer of out of control dreams, or was there something else. Reading the description cleared that right up and my interest was fully piqued. The concept is an especially fun one. I knew it had the potential to be a really fun read. As it turns out, I was correct in my thinking. The Dream Slayer is a truly fun premise...more This review appears on my blog, Starting the Next Chapter.

When I first read the title for this book, I was intrigued. What context did the phrase "dream slayer" refer to? Was it a slayer of out of control dreams, or was there something else. Reading the description cleared that right up and my interest was fully piqued. The concept is an especially fun one. I knew it had the potential to be a really fun read. As it turns out, I was correct in my thinking. The Dream Slayer is a truly fun premise with loads of action and some very sweet moments.

I really liked the main character, Natalie... both of them! You see, the real Natalie is special. In her dreams, she is something other than herself that makes her more able to cope with the difficulties of her waking life. In real life, Natalie is overweight, bullied, and abused, but still has a truly sweet disposition that makes the things that are happening to her all the more horrible. When she escapes into her dreams, however, she is a more fit, confident version of herself that takes no crap from anyone. Did I mention that her dream self is a demon slayer? Oh, yeah. I thought that would get your attention. Seeing Natalie come out of her shell as she discovered a strength she didn't know she possessed was beautiful. As her confidence grows, she becomes an even more interesting character. I really enjoyed her.

The writing that makes up The Dream Slayer is very engaging, as is the world it is set in. The variety of demons that have to be dealt with are just disturbing enough to add a real sense of menace to the story. What is even more spectacular is the amount of humor that is injected into the characters you would least expect. There were several errors scattered throughout the book, but as I had the incomplete copy, I won't fault the story too much for it. I just hope that they have been corrected, as they can potentially distract readers from a fun story.

I was very pleased with this book and loved getting lost in this strange world that Natalie lives in. Most of the characters are enjoyable and the stakes are high. Fans of books featuring girls who can kick butt will definitely want to give this one a go. It is imaginative and easy to read. It left me wanting to know what would happen next, which is always the mark of a good story. (less)

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Jul 17, 2012 Lisseth (Read-a-holicZ) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-tours, i-own, summer-read

** Originally on Read-A-holicZ**

Although I’m not into fantasy this book was really good. It was a bit confusing in the beginning I didn’t know she was dreaming. Natalie was bit clueless about the whole best friend romance thing. Tristan made it WAY too obvious. In the beginning I felt pity for Natalie but I also wanted to smack her for not standing up for herself.

Her alter ego “the slayer” was very witty and stronger than Natalie, but I feel like she could channel her alter ego if she just gain...more

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Jul 15, 2012 Sana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012

Jill Cooper takes the paranormal genre to another level in The Dream Slayer. Natalie Johnson's life sucks; bullied by Sarah the cheerleader, a parent who is always drunk and the other a bearer of the outcomes. It seems like apart from Tristan, the one BFF she hasn't managed to lose to the social abyss that is high school (insert Michelle, captain of the cheerleading team), life is at its worst. The escape? Dreams. Only if that weren't so complicated what with Natalie's dreams now crossing over t...more Jill Cooper takes the paranormal genre to another level in The Dream Slayer. Natalie Johnson's life sucks; bullied by Sarah the cheerleader, a parent who is always drunk and the other a bearer of the outcomes. It seems like apart from Tristan, the one BFF she hasn't managed to lose to the social abyss that is high school (insert Michelle, captain of the cheerleading team), life is at its worst. The escape? Dreams. Only if that weren't so complicated what with Natalie's dreams now crossing over to the reality and the constant onslaught of déjà vus. What's a girl to do?

Natalie is a loser and a scared little mouse, nobody pays her any attention except to laugh at her when she's being bullied. She hates it, Tristan hates it; but she knows it will only get worse if she does anything to resist the bullying. Except it does in her dream because Sarah becomes possessed and throws herself over the window of the high school building. Talk about a dramatic death and on the night of the pep rally no less. Only Natalie has seen that already, in her dream.

It all really started when a portal opened and the Patricians escaped through it. It happened in her dream but the horror of it spilling over to the reality was only the beginning. It's a good thing that Natalie's alter ego is a kick-butt, strong, fearless demon slayer with a hot boyfriend, Damien. Mark is her custodian in dreams but in reality, it is Charles. Oh and the demon master, Morach is a big, fat nuisance to just everybody included.

As much as Natalie has to now embrace her fate of being a paladin, she needs all the strong-wiliness she can muster and she does. She rises above and beyond the pitiful feelings of being scared and pushed over all the time. She pulls out of it a stronger, kick-butt, magic-wielding heroine. How she does it is a sure treat to read and a very enjoyable and engrossing one at that.

The Dream Slayer is an action-packed, chock full of one hell of a great storyline debut by Jill Cooper. The cover is mesmerizing and the paranormal aspect of the story mixed with the dreams is like a breath of fresh air. For Natalie, it is somewhat of a coming of age story as well and it was a novel thing to see an average, fat girl with chunky fingers get transformed into a strong character in her dreams and then some. I will recommend The Dream Slayers to the lovers of the paranormal genre. This is a thrilling start to an awesome series.

(less)

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Mar 02, 2013 Marked By Books rated it 2 of 5 stars

For the original review and more, please visit Marked By Books.

This book wasn't completely terrible, but I still couldn't get very far into it without having to give up. The idea itself is very interesting, but I didn't connect with any of the characters and actually ended up hating most of them. The way that it was laid out was a little confusing, without much distinction between Natalie's real life and the dream world.

I might be able to read a little more if I try again, but I was having to wo...more

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Jun 26, 2012 Michael Cooper rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is an amazing book about the most unlikely of heroes. Natalie Johnson is a downtrodden girl who never gets a break. She dreams about a better world where she is popular and everyone likes her. This isn't terribly uncommon--except the world she dreams of is real...

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topics	posts	views	last activity
Team Tristan or Team Damien?	4	6	Jul 14, 2012 03:22am
If you could be ANYONE from Dream Slayer who would it be?	3	3	Jul 09, 2012 11:55am

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The Dream Slayer (The Dreamer Slayer Series #1)

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