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Dream
The last thing seventeen-year-old Ava Evans needed was boy trouble. Moving from the bustling New York City to a small town in Oklahoma, all Ava wanted was some peace. Not the glare of certain dark eyes. But this wasn’t just any typical teenage boy trouble. This was downright bizarre and though she would never admit it aloud, intriguing.
And charming and popular and not too bad on the eyes. Yes, eighteen year-old Miles Greyson seemed to be your typical All-American boy, beloved by his many friends and the residents of the small town he lived in. And he got along with just about anyone and everyone.
…Except Ava. Their first disastrous meeting ending in a bloody nose and a trip to the hospital leaves Ava thoroughly confused. Because Miles seemed to hate her even before all that. Upon first glance to be exact.
Trying to navigate the nefarious world of high school with mean girls, new friends, and awkward unrequited crushes, Ava begins to slowly unravel the mystery that is Miles Greyson while doing her best not to get distracted by Miles himself.
All the while Miles is unraveling her, leading them both to a startling revelation that changes everything. Impossible dreams, enchanting feelings, and the whisper of a magical wish...
Young Adult and Older Recommended
And charming and popular and not too bad on the eyes. Yes, eighteen year-old Miles Greyson seemed to be your typical All-American boy, beloved by his many friends and the residents of the small town he lived in. And he got along with just about anyone and everyone.
…Except Ava. Their first disastrous meeting ending in a bloody nose and a trip to the hospital leaves Ava thoroughly confused. Because Miles seemed to hate her even before all that. Upon first glance to be exact.
Trying to navigate the nefarious world of high school with mean girls, new friends, and awkward unrequited crushes, Ava begins to slowly unravel the mystery that is Miles Greyson while doing her best not to get distracted by Miles himself.
All the while Miles is unraveling her, leading them both to a startling revelation that changes everything. Impossible dreams, enchanting feelings, and the whisper of a magical wish...
Young Adult and Older Recommended
222 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 27, 2014
3 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 6, 2014
I read a lot of books. Some are decent, with a small amount being outstanding and an even larger amount being simply mediocre. That said, I wish I had better news about this one. I think the strongest problem this story had was the fact that it was excruciatingly predictable and it's third person narrative somewhat patronizing, due to its overuse of proper pronouns.
I should probably preface that YA is not my normal genre, and to be fair, I seriously tried my very best to overlook the story's youthful banter and dialogue. Which leads me to another issue. The conversations between characters was cliche and choppy and it's imperative that the author read aloud their written dialogue so they can catch how unnatural some scenes can read.
I do have good things to say about this story. The characters seemed pretty real and the wonderfully descriptive way Ms. Selby brought the small town to life was especially nice. I hope this author continues to write because I can sincerely see her potential.
I should probably preface that YA is not my normal genre, and to be fair, I seriously tried my very best to overlook the story's youthful banter and dialogue. Which leads me to another issue. The conversations between characters was cliche and choppy and it's imperative that the author read aloud their written dialogue so they can catch how unnatural some scenes can read.
I do have good things to say about this story. The characters seemed pretty real and the wonderfully descriptive way Ms. Selby brought the small town to life was especially nice. I hope this author continues to write because I can sincerely see her potential.
March 26, 2014
*I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review*
In the aspect of how the two main characters interacted this book reminded me very much of Fallen by Lauren Kate and therefore I kept waiting for something crazy to happen, but no, these characters are human and for the most part their problems are those of normal high school students. Mostly anyway.
Ava lost her father when she was young and her mother died of cancer when she was twelve, leaving her to live with her step-uncle. He and her aunt never had children before she died so Ava was treated and loved more like a daughter than a niece. But living with him did take her from the city she grew up in to a little town in the middle of nowhere, where everyone knows everyone else.
Miles lost both of his parents in a car accident when he was fourteen, but by his magnetic personality it seemed he’d gotten over it. But when Mr. Personality sees Ava for the first time he seems to become almost bipolar. He wants to be near her, but don’t. He wants to talk to her, but no words come out. He wants to touch her, but always pulls away. Miles and his wonton emotions are definitely frustrating!
“Of all the things you’ve said, I can without a doubt call bullshit on you saying you have low self-esteem Miles Greyson.”
This book is appropriately labeled as young adult. It covers many things that teenagers deal with, like unrequited love, jealousy, temptation, rumors, friendships, love, and even sex. Although if steamy sex scenes are what you’re looking for, you will not find them here. Sorry to spoil it for you, but actually all you’ll get in detail here is second base. It is however a very sweet story with a twist on how Ava and Miles are connected.
My Favorite Laughable Moment: Definitely the bathtub! Talk about getting caught red handed.
“I swear Miles, this is NOT what it looks like,” she croaked.
My Favorite Quotes: “Do we need to have a discussion about sex-”
“God no Roger!”
*******
“Oh sorry, I forgot you had a date with your bed that night but I’m sure it won’t mind if I steal you away for a few hours.”
“My bed is really jealous and possessive, it might knock you out.”
******
“My mistake,” Miles said breezily. “I thought your eyes were just violating my body for a good five minutes.”
******
“Did you make a fort?” ~ I loved this part, because yes he did actually make a fort!
In the aspect of how the two main characters interacted this book reminded me very much of Fallen by Lauren Kate and therefore I kept waiting for something crazy to happen, but no, these characters are human and for the most part their problems are those of normal high school students. Mostly anyway.
Ava lost her father when she was young and her mother died of cancer when she was twelve, leaving her to live with her step-uncle. He and her aunt never had children before she died so Ava was treated and loved more like a daughter than a niece. But living with him did take her from the city she grew up in to a little town in the middle of nowhere, where everyone knows everyone else.
Miles lost both of his parents in a car accident when he was fourteen, but by his magnetic personality it seemed he’d gotten over it. But when Mr. Personality sees Ava for the first time he seems to become almost bipolar. He wants to be near her, but don’t. He wants to talk to her, but no words come out. He wants to touch her, but always pulls away. Miles and his wonton emotions are definitely frustrating!
“Of all the things you’ve said, I can without a doubt call bullshit on you saying you have low self-esteem Miles Greyson.”
This book is appropriately labeled as young adult. It covers many things that teenagers deal with, like unrequited love, jealousy, temptation, rumors, friendships, love, and even sex. Although if steamy sex scenes are what you’re looking for, you will not find them here. Sorry to spoil it for you, but actually all you’ll get in detail here is second base. It is however a very sweet story with a twist on how Ava and Miles are connected.
My Favorite Laughable Moment: Definitely the bathtub! Talk about getting caught red handed.
“I swear Miles, this is NOT what it looks like,” she croaked.
My Favorite Quotes: “Do we need to have a discussion about sex-”
“God no Roger!”
*******
“Oh sorry, I forgot you had a date with your bed that night but I’m sure it won’t mind if I steal you away for a few hours.”
“My bed is really jealous and possessive, it might knock you out.”
******
“My mistake,” Miles said breezily. “I thought your eyes were just violating my body for a good five minutes.”
******
“Did you make a fort?” ~ I loved this part, because yes he did actually make a fort!
March 2, 2014
Seventeen year old Ava Evans has moved to Oklahoma with her uncle after losing her mother to cancer 4 years ago. The first person she meets is popular and friendly Pixie, who quickly introduces her to Miles Greyson. Miles is popular also, but seems short and unfriendly towards Ava. While trying to find herself again in a new high school the last thing she needs is to fall for Miles. This is a story of dreams, first kisses and loves, and being true to who you are.
My Review:
This is definitely a young adult book, which I loved. Kyra Selby wrote a book that kept my attention from the first page. I loved Ava. I felt for her with the loss of both parents and then having to move to a new town not knowing anyone else. But I quickly could tell how strong and sure of herself Ava was. She stood up for herself against her classmates, kept true to what she knew was right and wrong, and did not let a boy play with her feelings.
Miles scared me at first. He was so intense in his concern and worry about Ava. He kept her at arms length, although their attraction was so intense and obvious, from their very first meeting. Miles seems to run hot and cold towards Ava. It made me mad that he treated her like that when it was obvious that she would give or do anything for him. He did finally redeem himself in my eyes and definitely in Ava’s eyes.
Kyra Selby wrote a book that was true to the teenagers. It did not sugar coat the cattiness between girlfriends, the partying with others, late hours, writing notes in class, and all the other fun stuff that teenagers do. It was nice to read a book that did not make the teenagers perfect. I was able to flash back to some of my high school days and remember when I did that. The book also brought out the closeness between best friends and the protectiveness of those that love each other.
I truly enjoyed every word of this book. I will recommend it to my fellow young adult readers.
My Review:
This is definitely a young adult book, which I loved. Kyra Selby wrote a book that kept my attention from the first page. I loved Ava. I felt for her with the loss of both parents and then having to move to a new town not knowing anyone else. But I quickly could tell how strong and sure of herself Ava was. She stood up for herself against her classmates, kept true to what she knew was right and wrong, and did not let a boy play with her feelings.
Miles scared me at first. He was so intense in his concern and worry about Ava. He kept her at arms length, although their attraction was so intense and obvious, from their very first meeting. Miles seems to run hot and cold towards Ava. It made me mad that he treated her like that when it was obvious that she would give or do anything for him. He did finally redeem himself in my eyes and definitely in Ava’s eyes.
Kyra Selby wrote a book that was true to the teenagers. It did not sugar coat the cattiness between girlfriends, the partying with others, late hours, writing notes in class, and all the other fun stuff that teenagers do. It was nice to read a book that did not make the teenagers perfect. I was able to flash back to some of my high school days and remember when I did that. The book also brought out the closeness between best friends and the protectiveness of those that love each other.
I truly enjoyed every word of this book. I will recommend it to my fellow young adult readers.
September 11, 2014
"Dream" was a pretty good read with the potential to be a great read. The concept behind the story was heart melting and riveting. I was extremely taken with the idea that a dying parent's love, an unbreakable force, compelled their final wish for their child to be heard and granted.
Some of the characters are very well drawn out. Pixie was a favorite. Ava and Miles were a sweet couple facing more than the average teenage angst in order to finally come together. I was glad to see how patient Miles was with her in regard to an intimate relationship, and that they built a bond slowly. I'm sure their romance would appeal to teenage girls. Sophie teetered on the edge of being an excellent villain but somehow fell short. I think she could have been more useful in the plot.
Maybe it is the "Mom" in me, but I was concerned for the serious lack of parental supervision of the teens in this book. Miles's parents were dead, and he lived alone. Jesse's parents were consistently away on business and so he was able to throw drunken parties at his house all the time, surrounding himself with the entire school and there were never any consequences. This leads me to the fact that on more than one occasion, Miles had been drinking and then got behind the wheel of his car - and Ava rode with him. Ava lived with her uncle, but he also didn't seem to pay much attention to her whereabouts. At one point in the book, Ava stayed out all night and I didn't notice anything mentioned to the uncle, nor did he ask any questions about where she was.
I'm not sure the book was in its end stage when I read it. It appeared in need of some editing and proofreading to clean up typos and grammatical errors and possibly whittle out some unnecessary or repetitive bits.
Over all, I believe "Dream" could become an extremely popular read within the young adult audience.
I was given a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
Some of the characters are very well drawn out. Pixie was a favorite. Ava and Miles were a sweet couple facing more than the average teenage angst in order to finally come together. I was glad to see how patient Miles was with her in regard to an intimate relationship, and that they built a bond slowly. I'm sure their romance would appeal to teenage girls. Sophie teetered on the edge of being an excellent villain but somehow fell short. I think she could have been more useful in the plot.
Maybe it is the "Mom" in me, but I was concerned for the serious lack of parental supervision of the teens in this book. Miles's parents were dead, and he lived alone. Jesse's parents were consistently away on business and so he was able to throw drunken parties at his house all the time, surrounding himself with the entire school and there were never any consequences. This leads me to the fact that on more than one occasion, Miles had been drinking and then got behind the wheel of his car - and Ava rode with him. Ava lived with her uncle, but he also didn't seem to pay much attention to her whereabouts. At one point in the book, Ava stayed out all night and I didn't notice anything mentioned to the uncle, nor did he ask any questions about where she was.
I'm not sure the book was in its end stage when I read it. It appeared in need of some editing and proofreading to clean up typos and grammatical errors and possibly whittle out some unnecessary or repetitive bits.
Over all, I believe "Dream" could become an extremely popular read within the young adult audience.
I was given a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
February 5, 2014
A sweet romance
Although not being really my cup of tea, sometimes, I do venture in the world of pure and simple romance just to break a little from all the action, adventure and bloody fights, and in rare occasions I do end enjoying the read as was the case with Dream.
Kyra surprised me with a very endearing love story with just the right amount of humor. So if I liked it so much, how come I didn’t give it five stars? Well, as I said before, this is not really my favorite genre, and it lacked some action and danger, but was good enough to keep me reading all night what only happens when I’m really into the story.
Ava is an average teenager, who had to deal with her mother’s illness and subsequent death when she was just twelve years old. Now she has seventeen, but the baggage she carries is not light and she struggles to overcome her loss and depression.
Miles is the golden boy of the small city, loved and admired by everyone, but he also went through a lot of pain in the past, and is struggling to overcome his issues very much like Ava.
So, there is not much suspense, and Miles’ secrets aren’t that hard to guess, especially taking in account that the author just went and revealed them in the synopsis, but even without it the story captured my attention and in no time I was fuming and laughing right along with Ava and her friends.
I also loved the carefree and spirited Pixie (Ava’s new best friend), but was a little disappointed with Sophie... She would have made an excellent villain if there was such a thing in this story.
I recommend the book to all who loves young romance and an easy, light read.
Although not being really my cup of tea, sometimes, I do venture in the world of pure and simple romance just to break a little from all the action, adventure and bloody fights, and in rare occasions I do end enjoying the read as was the case with Dream.
Kyra surprised me with a very endearing love story with just the right amount of humor. So if I liked it so much, how come I didn’t give it five stars? Well, as I said before, this is not really my favorite genre, and it lacked some action and danger, but was good enough to keep me reading all night what only happens when I’m really into the story.
Ava is an average teenager, who had to deal with her mother’s illness and subsequent death when she was just twelve years old. Now she has seventeen, but the baggage she carries is not light and she struggles to overcome her loss and depression.
Miles is the golden boy of the small city, loved and admired by everyone, but he also went through a lot of pain in the past, and is struggling to overcome his issues very much like Ava.
So, there is not much suspense, and Miles’ secrets aren’t that hard to guess, especially taking in account that the author just went and revealed them in the synopsis, but even without it the story captured my attention and in no time I was fuming and laughing right along with Ava and her friends.
I also loved the carefree and spirited Pixie (Ava’s new best friend), but was a little disappointed with Sophie... She would have made an excellent villain if there was such a thing in this story.
I recommend the book to all who loves young romance and an easy, light read.
February 19, 2014
Dream is best described as a magical young-love story.
Dream is about two individuals being drawn together under unique circumstances. They are as close to soul mates as you can get.
Miles has been dreaming of Ava for the last four years. Coincidentally, the dreams started after tragic events in both of their lives.
When Ava moves into town and Miles sees her for the first time, he feels like he is seeing a ghost.
After the initial shock wears off, they become inseparable. They are drawn together and cannot get enough of each other. The funny thing is, both of them have doubts about how the other feels about them.
Once the truth comes out about Miles’s dreams about Ava after a near-death experience for her, everything about their relationship begins to make sense and it becomes stronger than ever.
The first half seems to be a character build up for both Ava and Miles. Pixie and Jesse are the supporting characters here and add to the story with friendly dialogue and party experiences.
There is not much action between Ava and Miles in the first have, but from reading the excerpt it was evident that things change for those two eventually.
It is a cute story from the beginning. It is nice for a young adult novel. Sometimes a cute young love story is a nice break from some denser books you may pick up to read.
It was written really well aside from a few spelling mistakes. One more round of editing and it will be good to go.
The characters were really well rounded. Even Jesse and Pixie who were more of a supporting cast had some nice character depth to them.
4/5 Stars.
Dream is about two individuals being drawn together under unique circumstances. They are as close to soul mates as you can get.
Miles has been dreaming of Ava for the last four years. Coincidentally, the dreams started after tragic events in both of their lives.
When Ava moves into town and Miles sees her for the first time, he feels like he is seeing a ghost.
After the initial shock wears off, they become inseparable. They are drawn together and cannot get enough of each other. The funny thing is, both of them have doubts about how the other feels about them.
Once the truth comes out about Miles’s dreams about Ava after a near-death experience for her, everything about their relationship begins to make sense and it becomes stronger than ever.
The first half seems to be a character build up for both Ava and Miles. Pixie and Jesse are the supporting characters here and add to the story with friendly dialogue and party experiences.
There is not much action between Ava and Miles in the first have, but from reading the excerpt it was evident that things change for those two eventually.
It is a cute story from the beginning. It is nice for a young adult novel. Sometimes a cute young love story is a nice break from some denser books you may pick up to read.
It was written really well aside from a few spelling mistakes. One more round of editing and it will be good to go.
The characters were really well rounded. Even Jesse and Pixie who were more of a supporting cast had some nice character depth to them.
4/5 Stars.
March 4, 2014
From the moment I read the excerpt, the intensity between Ava and Miles captivated me and made me yearn for more. I truly loved Ava and Miles’ first kiss; the response was so real, even if it wasn’t what either of them expected. Though Miles tries to keep his distance from Ava, he is remarkably sweet. My favorite scenes are when he declares his love for her and the slumber party. Though they are teens, and there is some of that angst, they have been matured by their separate tragedies. Their romance is slow, going from strained to friendship to something deeper.
The secondary characters are just as lively as Ava and Miles. Pixie is one of those quirky girls that cannot help but be friends with everyone she meets, and her mutual unrequited love with Jesse is as sweet as it is tortuous for them both.
There were many moments that made me laugh, a few that made me cry, and a few that were so precious I couldn’t help but grin like an idiot. I loved this story, the characters, and the tiny hint of a miracle that brought Ava and Miles together. I would definitely recommend this author to others, and cannot wait to read more.
FTC Disclaimer- This book was either purchased by the reviewer or given by the author/publisher for a fair and honest review. The reviewer is not compensated in any way by the author and/or publisher of the book(s) being reviewed.
The secondary characters are just as lively as Ava and Miles. Pixie is one of those quirky girls that cannot help but be friends with everyone she meets, and her mutual unrequited love with Jesse is as sweet as it is tortuous for them both.
There were many moments that made me laugh, a few that made me cry, and a few that were so precious I couldn’t help but grin like an idiot. I loved this story, the characters, and the tiny hint of a miracle that brought Ava and Miles together. I would definitely recommend this author to others, and cannot wait to read more.
FTC Disclaimer- This book was either purchased by the reviewer or given by the author/publisher for a fair and honest review. The reviewer is not compensated in any way by the author and/or publisher of the book(s) being reviewed.
March 14, 2014
I did enjoy the concept for this book--the mystical idea behind it is good, the characters are likeable and the gradual romance between Ava and Miles, both troubled souls, is something teenage girls will definitely get into.
The story does drag a bit in places, and while I liked the hint of magical realism in this story, I didn't feel the author developed it enough to have as much of an impact as it should. The other issue, from a picky critic standpoint, is the writing--a little rough, could use some good editing to not only pull the story into a more cohesive, flowing form, but to smooth out some of the grammatical issues.
But I can see girls getting into this book. It's a love story, first and foremost, and not a bad read for an older teen. For younger girls, there is some language in it, so it may not be as appropriate.
Nikki Bennett
Nik's Picks Book Reviews
www.nikki-bennett.com/blog1
(The author has provided me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.)
The story does drag a bit in places, and while I liked the hint of magical realism in this story, I didn't feel the author developed it enough to have as much of an impact as it should. The other issue, from a picky critic standpoint, is the writing--a little rough, could use some good editing to not only pull the story into a more cohesive, flowing form, but to smooth out some of the grammatical issues.
But I can see girls getting into this book. It's a love story, first and foremost, and not a bad read for an older teen. For younger girls, there is some language in it, so it may not be as appropriate.
Nikki Bennett
Nik's Picks Book Reviews
www.nikki-bennett.com/blog1
(The author has provided me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.)
March 5, 2015
This was an interesting concept. The book started off slow, but it picked up pace. The characters could have been fleshed out more. I rate this book a three-star read.
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