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Sleepless (Narrowdale #1)

Michael Omer (Goodreads Author)

3.80 · Rating details · 301 ratings · 52 reviews

Don’t fall asleep. Don’t dream. Don’t get caught.

Amy knew she’d hate Narrowdale, a boring suburban town. How could it possibly compare to L.A., where she lived her entire life? Being a high school freshman in a new place made things even worse.

And that was before she started having the same nightmare over and over again. Before she woke up every night to a shrill whistle ...more

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Paperback, 176 pages

Published January 12th 2015 by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform (first published January 10th 2015)

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Average rating 3.80 ·

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· 301 ratings · 52 reviews

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Jul 01, 2015 Melissa rated it it was amazing

This book made the hair on the back of my neck stand up!
I love a good creepy YA book, it's been a favorite of mine since I was a YA and I guess I never grew out of it. Thank goodness or I would have missed out on this creepy but fun little read. Once I started reading, I had to keep going straight through to the end. I thought the choice of the name of the town was great, even though it's supposedly really the town name, it just sounds like a name given to a town by a teen writing her journal. ...more

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Mar 07, 2015 S.J. Pierce rated it really liked it

This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review. To read more of my reviews, visit my blog at www.sjpiercebooks.blogspot.com

The Good:

Straightforward writing, no dragging plotlines or stilted dialogue. I like that the main character Amy was relatable and believable as a teenage girl who'd moved to an unfamiliar town. And not just any town; Narrowdale, where anything weird and creepy can happen. And, boy... does it ever. Amy starts having dreams of being abducted by some creepy, This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review. To read more of my reviews, visit my blog at www.sjpiercebooks.blogspot.com

The Good:

Straightforward writing, no dragging plotlines or stilted dialogue. I like that the main character Amy was relatable and believable as a teenage girl who'd moved to an unfamiliar town. And not just any town; Narrowdale, where anything weird and creepy can happen. And, boy... does it ever. Amy starts having dreams of being abducted by some creepy, whistling guy during the night, only to find out her dreams are tied to real life events that happened years ago. I won't say much more because I don't want to give anything away, but I will say that one of the best/ creepiest scenes is when Amy and her friends talk to a woman they believe is tied to said events and invites them in for a talk. What they find out about her later sufficiently disturbed me. lol The mark of great writing!!!

And speaking Amy and her storyline being relatable (minus the creepy happenings, of course lol), I LOVED that the book didn't follow the usual trend in Young Adult novels these days. Almost EVERY YA book I pick up has the protagonist moving to a new school/ town and they are automatically fawned over by all the popular kids and accepted into their circles without a hitch. (Dang you, Twilight! It's all your fault!!!) I'm a touch guilty of that myself in my own novels *sheepish grin* but it was refreshing to see the new girl struggling to fit in and then, well... not giving a crap when she realized she didn't. Kudos to Mr. Omer, because we all know that's more realistic.

Also, I liked that Mr. Omer didn't have romance at the forefront of the story. Sure, Amy was attracted to the security guard guy, and sure, you could tell he was attracted to her (and protective), but they didn't obsess over it twenty-four hours a day. Refreshing!!! Don't get me wrong, I love me some romance. Heck... it's in all of my own novels. But sometimes it's a nice change of pace to read a novel where the conflicts in the story supersede teenage hormones.

Lastly, I liked that most of the questions in the story were answered, but the author left some of them unanswered to keep you looking forward to the next book. Like why did Amy have the dreams in the first place? And why is her neighbor and his dog so creepy? And why is there a need for the security guards at night? And why is the one she has a crush on so evasive when she asks him about it? I'll happily pick up book two to find out when it's ready!

The Bad:

At times I felt we needed more descriptions about what the characters look like. I'm still not all that certain what Amy looks like other than what she wore or her hair color. I like a little more development. I also don't know much about her. I know she's new to Narrowdale and that she's a typical teenager brimming with curiosity and stubbornness. But who she is as a person, what's shaped her into who she is now, I don't have much of an idea. Maybe her character development will strengthen in future books.

The Ugly:

Nothing to say in this category. ...more

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Mar 22, 2015 C.N. Crawford rated it really liked it

I would describe this as an intense and surreal high school murder mystery with some paranormal elements. I don't typically read middle grade fiction, but this had me hooked. It had a cinematic feel and an impulsive main character who made me want to keep turning the pages. Amy initially seems like an ordinary (if slightly bratty) 14-year-old girl, but her volatile personality becomes compelling reading as the book goes on.

When Amy moves to the suburban neighborhood of Narrowdale, she finds I would describe this as an intense and surreal high school murder mystery with some paranormal elements. I don't typically read middle grade fiction, but this had me hooked. It had a cinematic feel and an impulsive main character who made me want to keep turning the pages. Amy initially seems like an ordinary (if slightly bratty) 14-year-old girl, but her volatile personality becomes compelling reading as the book goes on.

When Amy moves to the suburban neighborhood of Narrowdale, she finds herself socially isolated in her new school. There were a number of cringeworthy encounters with new classmates during which I was blushing for Amy. I enjoyed watching the slow build of her new friendships with Coral and Shane.

Sleepless has a strong David Lynch feel in the sense that it describes an archetypal American suburban town that has dark and surreal undercurrents. Something sinister lurks behind the picket fences...

I found that it took me a few chapters to get into it. Part of that might have been that it's written in the present tense, which is unusual for a middle grade or YA book. But by a 1/3 of the way into the book, I was hooked to the point where I wouldn't put it down in the car even though it was making me feel nauseas to read in a moving vehicle. I read most of it in one day. There is a compelling and tragic mystery at the heart of this story, and I found myself increasingly desperate to find out the answers. I enjoyed watching Amy develop friendships with two other Narrowdale outcasts as she is drawn deeper into the town's mysteries.

Also important to mention--there is some great subtle and dry humor. An example:

This tree is way higher than I thought, and it’s swinging in the wind! I hug it tightly and shut my eyes.
“Amy?”
“What?”
“Isn’t it hard to look inside the house with your eyes shut?”
“No, no, I got this.”
“Cause when I close my eyes, I see mostly darkness.”
“Yeah?”
“Maybe with you it’s different.”
“Yeah. Just give me a second.” ...more

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Jun 28, 2015 C.J. Anaya rated it it was amazing

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. To read other reviews I've written please visit http://authorcjanaya.com/blog

This YA thriller was super creepy. Oh, I just loved it. Amy's character reminds me of my best friend. Super spunky and full of sarcasm. I took a liking to her immediately, and I felt that I could relate to her since I understand what it is like to be the new girl at school. I really like that the author wrote this narrative in present tense. It made ...more

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May 22, 2015 Daniela Ark rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-fantasy-paranormal-and-sci-fi, ya-page-turners, reviewed, otherworld, fantasy, ya

See this review on my blog and don’t miss Michael’s interview on August 14th!

I'm a big fan of this book :)

Great read! It is pure genius! Scary and funny at the same time Possible? Yes!

My page-turner check marks go to:

Writing, Plot and World-building

4.4 stars

Even though the book is written in first person and present tense, which is not my favorite combination, the writing is pretty good and the suspense is well executed. It builds up subtlety but consistently, with an underlying ...more

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May 25, 2015 Toni FGMAMTC rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, mystery, psychological-thriller, horror, friendship, paranormal, suspense

FGMAMTC Blog Review

This book is different from my norm. It is a YA, paranormal, murder mystery, psychological thriller, light horror, junior sleuth mix, and it kept my interest the entire time.

Amy is teen girl so several of the personal bits revolve around things important to teens. I found her to be relatable, likable and believable with a great dry sense of humor. She just moved to a new weird town so the reader follows with her through the learning and adapting. Mean girls and other school ...more

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May 12, 2015 Gel (Whimsy Wanders) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: ya, read-in-2015, mystery-crime-thriller

REVIEW IS ALSO POSTED ON MY BLOG
ACTUAL RATING: 3.5

Copy was provided for the blog tour. This does not affect my opinion of the book in any way.

Sleepless is a very creepy and fun read.

We follow Amy, a fourteen year old girl whose parents brought her to Narrowdale, a very creepy, mysterious and boring suburban town. Amy is not used to living in a small town because she grew up in L. A. She thought the worst things that could happen to her is a.) die out of boredom in boring Narrowdale b.) die of ...more

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Jun 29, 2015 Samantha rated it it was amazing

I really enjoyed reading Sleepless by Michael Omer. In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I purchased the next book in the series Moth to a Flame yesterday when it released and I can’t wait to read it!

I have to say, I don’t often read books by male authors, not because I don’t enjoy them or because I’m anti-men, but because I feel as though they are few and far between – especially in the indie community. That being said, I LOVE Michael Omer’s writing style. He takes a no-nonsense approach to words I really enjoyed reading Sleepless by Michael Omer. In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I purchased the next book in the series Moth to a Flame yesterday when it released and I can’t wait to read it!

I have to say, I don’t often read books by male authors, not because I don’t enjoy them or because I’m anti-men, but because I feel as though they are few and far between – especially in the indie community. That being said, I LOVE Michael Omer’s writing style. He takes a no-nonsense approach to words and dialogue that drew me in and had me completing this book within 36 hours of starting!

Character development is a strong suit for this book, all while retaining some of the mystery for each character. Amy, the main character, has just moved to Narrowdale from LA and is trying to make it through her days. She isn’t sleeping because she’s experiencing the same nightmare over and over. Omer utilizes this nightmare as a plot driver, giving details to the reader and allowing us to take this exhausting journey with Amy. Each character in this story has an important role to play. The thing I found most interesting was that inanimate objects seemed to become characters – the storage closet, the air conditioner, Amy’s blog.

On that note, I love the idea of Amy’s blog being a real thing. I would have loved to see more posts to this blog and even had them as a glossary in the back of the book for those readers who decide to purchase a print edition instead of the e-book. Regardless, awesome idea.

The plot was perfectly rated at Young Adult, as this was a cleanly written book with only a few moments of violence and a focus on the thrilling moments. I appreciate that those creepier moments were typically followed up with humor or sarcasm to relieve the reader a bit, as I could imagine this could freak out some of the younger readers.

The detail was great, the characters were interesting and each played their role, and I loved the use of imagery and dialogue to move the story along. I look forward to reading Omer’s next book in the series and will definitely keep an eye out for future books by this author.

Don’t miss this great read! ...more

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Apr 16, 2015 Pauline Ross rated it really liked it

Shelves: 4-star, self-pub, genre-no-idea, price-borrowed, year-2015

This is one of those books that I would never, ever have read if I hadn’t bumped into the author online in an author’s forum and got to know him. YA? Horror? Eek! No way… and blow me down, if it wasn’t a whole heap of fun. Who’d a thunk it?

Here’s the premise: Amy is fourteen when her parents uproot her from LA and move to dull, small-town Narrowdale. She thinks her worst problem is going to be boredom. Ha! Not a chance. Because first there are the strange dreams, where she’s being followed and ...more

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Dec 14, 2015 R.A. White rated it really liked it

4.5 stars
This was a fun YA book, easy to read and kept my interest. Actually, at first I found the main character very annoying (she's a serious whiner, and I'm tired of fictional teen whiners), but I persevered, thinking there was enough potential for a cool story. And I was right. The plot itself isn't super original, but I love the coolness of the town and all it brings with it, and the characters were likeable, aside from the afore mentioned whining. I'd say 'Sleepless' is more plot-driven ...more

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Jun 25, 2015 Chris Torretta rated it really liked it

This definitely has a creep factor! Which is the exact reason why I wanted to read the book. Sadly, it is a little younger than I normally read and I think that threw me a bit. I liked the story but I was not in love with it. The characters are good and the plot is there but this is definitely driven for young adult readers.

Firstly, Amy is your normal teen that does not want to move into a strange house in a strange town. The first problem is that their new house is exactly like all the others ...more

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Jul 02, 2015 Wendy rated it it was amazing

I ... Loved ... This ... Book!!! The characters are believable. The main character and story development is gradual and builds at a great, suspense-building rate. The plot is not necessarily unique in and of itself, but did not sound too much like anything I've seen elsewhere. I enjoyed very much how the plot developed partially through repetitive dreams Amy has, each dream revealing just a little bit more than the one before. And the description of Amy as she adjusts to a new town full of ...more

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May 12, 2015 Arkham Reviews rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed-on-blog, book-tours

I really like the creepy atmosphere that that Sleepless portrayed. In tone, it fell somewhere between Welcome to Nightvale and Higurashi When They Cry in the way that it blended the paranormal with the mundane. Narrowdale is a town that seems, at a glance, incredibly normal but its other side makes itself known through tiny offhanded remarks (such as a headmaster who went into an empty classroom and vanished without a trace). This combines to make a setting which is very eerie and memorable.

...more

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May 30, 2015 Michelle rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-in-2015

I found this book on Xpresso Tour site and was taken by how awesome the synopsis sounded. Seemed like something that would be both creepy and interesting. What I didn’t expect was how creepy it was, this was a great thriller like book, almost reminded me of that movie with Kevin Bacon, Stir of Echoes but without all the hypnotizing.. I always seemed to read this book at night when everyone else was sleeping which made it even more creepy. :)

I thought I would give you a few reasons why I liked ...more

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Jul 20, 2015 Kimber Wheaton rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review

Billed as a YA paranormal thriller, Sleepless, reads closer to lower YA or even middle grade. The plot, the characters, and even the writing have a very young feel to them. Not surprising since the main character is a freshman in high school.

Narrowdale is an odd town where strange things seem to happen to some of the residents. One of the first scenes in the novel, when Amy was listening to an odd exchange in a clothing store, ...more

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Jun 17, 2015 Sylvia rated it really liked it

I've won this book online and I will give a objective review.

So as I said I've won the book online but I had it on my e-reader for a while....
It is a bit strange to say the cover of the book did not invite me to read it.... but it did not...soooo I put it away for a while.

So yesterday evening I was out of books to read and I was really searching and found Sleepless again.
I'm a quick reader so 162 pages... even if it would not be what I wanted, I would be done in 'no tome'.
But I can happily say ...more

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Mar 10, 2015 Bruce Carroll rated it really liked it

Sleepless is the story of fourteen-year-old Amy in her new home in Narrowdale. Narrowdale is not like L.A. It's small and suburban. And strange.

The brand-new air conditioner that doesn't work and the creepy neighbor and his dog are bad enough. Amy also has to cope with being the new kid at school and all the difficulties that entails. Worse still are the nightmares....

I enjoyed this book. It is a tale of suburban life with just a touch of the supernatural. And there are just enough unanswered ...more

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Jun 30, 2015 Meredith Amelotti rated it really liked it

Shelves: review-books

You can find a full review for Sleepless by Michael Omer at A Book Lover's Corner

I honestly didn't think I was going to end up liking Sleepless so much when I started reading it. Amy, the narrator and one of the main characters, just complained about everything...literally. As I progressed through the book, I began picking up some of the humor that is threaded throughout. Once I got used to Omer's writing style and the flow of the nightmares I was golden. It's been a while since I have finished ...more

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Jul 04, 2015 Jo rated it really liked it

Let me start this review off by saying that the writer has, for me at least, nailed the teenage attitude and snark in this book. Amy's world revolves around Amy, and the perceived hardships being visited on her by the move to Narrowdale. The horrors of no air-conditioning and a less than spectacular mall.

But then the dreams start and Amy's world takes a turn for the peculiar. Very eerie with a hint of spooky.

If I had to pick fault, it would be that sometimes, given Amy's age, I felt that her ...more

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Mar 04, 2015 April rated it it was amazing

Amy is a teenager kind of lost when her parents move to a small town called Narrowdale. Amy is used to the big bustle of the bigger city life and Narrowdale is anything but big and bustling. After Amy moves she becomes unable to sleep due to severe nightmares that are more like night terrors but are they real? They seem real enough to Amy but she refuses to tell her parents for fear that they will worry about her. Amy is a normal teen girl whose life has changed dramatically and this new town ...more

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Jul 14, 2015 Jan farnworth rated it really liked it

This book was a bit slow to grab me but once the main character starting having her strange dreams i was hooked and ended up being a tad bit like lovely bones but still creepy. It had great mystery theme that made you want to find out what exactly happened to kimberly. The author did a great job of setting the tone for this thriller and pulling you in to really want to figure out what happening. I liked the element of the blog links though i would of really liked a blog link to the creepy video ...more

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Feb 21, 2015 Gail rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

A fast paced young adult thriller that will keep you wondering what will happen next. Strange things happen in Narrowdale the town where Amy's family moves to from LA. Being a freshmen in high school Amy feels like her life has ended in this boring town. Than she starts to have nightmares night after night about the town's hidden secrets.

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Feb 04, 2015 Faye Ridpath rated it it was amazing

The author of this book offered me a free ebook in exchange for my honest review.

This book is so creepy!

I loved Amy and her commentary.

And I really loved the bonus links to Amy's blog in the ebook.

This book can be enjoyed by young adults and adults.

I can't wait for the sequel!

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Jan 18, 2015 Elad rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

brilliantly written, the mistory is being unwrapped in the exact rapidity to keep the reader facinated yet, not frustrated

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Feb 24, 2015 Laura Hermosa rated it really liked it

Love the book, I just have finished it in 3 days. It has the right amount of mistery and fun so it is very easy to read.
tTks for let me read it

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Feb 24, 2015 Sheetal Dash marked it as to-read

Shelves: seem-interesting-giveaway-books

This book seems very interesting.

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Mar 05, 2019 Lori Fuller rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I couldn't put it down!

If you like suspense, and a little bit of horror, this book is for you! I've been trying to find something of interest for me to read and when I found this, I was hooked. The author did an amazing job of making me feel like I was actually there. I can't wait to read the second book. Two thumbs way up! ...more

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Oct 23, 2018 phelms rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Cuddos for a great book!

I didn't think I would enjoy this book with it being about a teenager. But once I got into it, I really was captivated. I didn't want to put it down. Cuddos Michael!

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May 08, 2019 jerrie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Teen Book

I bought this book because I like the author. I didn't know it was a young adult book. But, it was good. I wish they had this book when I was seventeen. It's scary in a good.way.

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Mar 21, 2019 Camille Knebl rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Sleepless, no quiet

This book held my attention, but was slightly drawn out. Sometimes to wordy, but for the most part a decent read

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About Michael Omer

Michael Omer

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My name is Michael Omer, and I’m a writer, journalist and game designer. I wrote and published my first novel when I was sixteen, and figured I’d keep at it. Since then, I have published two more novels, and wrote… who can even count how many? I’m happily married to a woman who keeps pushing me to write more, and have three kids who insist I should stop writing and come play with them. I also have ...more