Book Review for Don’t Wake Me Up by M.E. Rhines
Don’t Wake Me Up, by M.E. Rhines, is a paranormal young adult novel about a young woman who managed to find the strength to move on.
Colleen is a talented astral projector who had been in an abusive relationship with her quarterback boyfriend, Jimmy. After helping her high school teacher find peace, as well as comfort her daughter, she meets a ghost, a boy her age by the name of Daemon. Initially intrigued, she slowly begins to fall in love with him, until finally she realizes she can’t let go of him, no matter how painful it is. In this extraordinary novel, Rhines describes the pain of falling in love, and the sorrow of growing up within the confines of domestic abuse.
I loved reading about Colleen in the story. Despite everything that’s happened, she still chooses to help the people stuck in the afterlife, and while she herself is hurting, she doesn’t want to be put down by what happened between her and Jimmy. Yes, I was annoyed by her stubborness, but eventually, she managed to let him go. In fact, it’d gotten to the point where she even cut out poisonous friends for her life, knowing full well that they weren’t good for her. Loyalty, after all, is something that kept her grounded throughout the story. What’s more, I liked Daemon and Colleen together. They were good for one another, and though I couldn’t help but wonder if she was really able to let him go in the end, she did, and I admit, I feel proud of her.
Even so, throughout the story, I kept finding the concept of love acting like a drug. From Colleen’s abusive relationship with Jimmy, to her constant need to help Daemon, I couldn’t help but feel that she’s drowning in a substance that she believes will make her feel better. Little does she know however, that she’s only using it to stave off the pain, to, in a sense, numb herself from whatever it going on. Her entire situation reminds me of one of my favorite songs, “Lithium”, by Evanescence. She can’t let either one go fully, and it isn’t until she realizes how badly addicted she is to them that she knows she has to let them go. It was painful to read, but it was essential nonetheless.
Rhines cultivates a story filled with hope, frustration, and finally, peace. From Jimmy’s irrational anger, to Eva’s loyalty, to even Daemon’s genuine care, Colleen was a character that was influenced by everyone around her. Not only this, but Rhines takes a realistic approach on how to fall out of love, despite knowing how harsh it can be. As such, I would give this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars, and would recommend it to fans of Monsters I Have Known by Jess Hartley and The Angel of a Madman by Ricky Dragoni.
