What do you think?
The Lucid State
“Click on this video to start lucid dreaming TONIGHT.”
In a cold and isolated trailer park in Maine, Carter stumbles across a YouTube video that promises to teach her how to lucid dream. Caught up in the nostalgia of old internet trends, she clicks. When impossible things start happening, she realizes that the video might have been real–and that there is such a thing as being too good at dreaming. When nightmares and reality begin to bleed in terrifying ways, Carter must question not only her own sanity, but what exactly has noticed her...and what is coming closer to entering her waking world.
The Lucid State is a terrifying descent into a surreal nightmare set in a place that feels familiar, but just a little untrustworthy. The door has been opened. The things from her dreams are getting closer.
In a cold and isolated trailer park in Maine, Carter stumbles across a YouTube video that promises to teach her how to lucid dream. Caught up in the nostalgia of old internet trends, she clicks. When impossible things start happening, she realizes that the video might have been real–and that there is such a thing as being too good at dreaming. When nightmares and reality begin to bleed in terrifying ways, Carter must question not only her own sanity, but what exactly has noticed her...and what is coming closer to entering her waking world.
The Lucid State is a terrifying descent into a surreal nightmare set in a place that feels familiar, but just a little untrustworthy. The door has been opened. The things from her dreams are getting closer.
- GenresHorror
301 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 27, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
September 4, 2026
THIS BOOK FUCKS WITH THE LIGHTS ON.
Coincidentally, that’s also how I’ll be sleeping this next week. Read some reviews and that was enough to snag a copy, although I’m always skeptical. Not a single negative thing to say about this book (besides fuck this Eric guy). I was drawn in 100% of the time and actively crawling in my skin. The ending made me feel like shit in the best way possible. GOOD. SHIT. DUDE. Fantastic for a debut, absolutely can’t wait for more.
Coincidentally, that’s also how I’ll be sleeping this next week. Read some reviews and that was enough to snag a copy, although I’m always skeptical. Not a single negative thing to say about this book (besides fuck this Eric guy). I was drawn in 100% of the time and actively crawling in my skin. The ending made me feel like shit in the best way possible. GOOD. SHIT. DUDE. Fantastic for a debut, absolutely can’t wait for more.
August 11, 2026
**this is a e arc reveiw**
The Lucid State by Madison Estrada ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Lucid State was such a strange and unsettling read! This was my first liminal horror book, and I really loved how it played with the idea of not being able to trust your own mind.
Carter was a character I really felt for. Between her past trauma, losing someone she loved, and everything she experiences with lucid dreaming and sleepwalking, you can really feel how much she’s struggling. I especially loved the relationship between her and her daughter.
The more the story went on, the more I found myself questioning what was real and what was happening inside Carter’s dreams. There were some seriously creepy moments that had me feeling uneasy.
I also loved the isolated Maine setting. It gave the story such a cold, dark atmosphere that fit the psychological horror perfectly.
If you like psychological horror, cosmic, liminal spaces, unreliable narrators, and stories that make you question reality, definitely add this one to your tbr!!
The Lucid State by Madison Estrada ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Lucid State was such a strange and unsettling read! This was my first liminal horror book, and I really loved how it played with the idea of not being able to trust your own mind.
Carter was a character I really felt for. Between her past trauma, losing someone she loved, and everything she experiences with lucid dreaming and sleepwalking, you can really feel how much she’s struggling. I especially loved the relationship between her and her daughter.
The more the story went on, the more I found myself questioning what was real and what was happening inside Carter’s dreams. There were some seriously creepy moments that had me feeling uneasy.
I also loved the isolated Maine setting. It gave the story such a cold, dark atmosphere that fit the psychological horror perfectly.
If you like psychological horror, cosmic, liminal spaces, unreliable narrators, and stories that make you question reality, definitely add this one to your tbr!!
September 2, 2026
Me dio bastante estrés , solo de pensar en tener esos sueños de los que no sabes que está pasando si estás despierta o si no , más agrégale arañas , más un ex bastante odioso .
Disfruté mucho la lectura , muchas escenas fueron bastante escalofriantes .
————
It stressed me out a lot, just thinking about having those dreams where you don't know what's happening, whether you're awake or not, plus add spiders, plus a pretty hateful ex.
I really enjoyed the reading, many scenes were quite chilling.
Disfruté mucho la lectura , muchas escenas fueron bastante escalofriantes .
————
It stressed me out a lot, just thinking about having those dreams where you don't know what's happening, whether you're awake or not, plus add spiders, plus a pretty hateful ex.
I really enjoyed the reading, many scenes were quite chilling.
October 4, 2026
MISS MADISON!!!
There’s many threads going around like “this book was so highly recommended & it was not scary 😐” THIS IS NOT ONE OF THOSE!
RAPID FIRE REVIEW:
* am I trippin? Or is she trippin?
* dread vibes
* apple orchards
* creepy creatures
* creepy people
* “wait…. What??”
* abusive a*holes
* Maine in the fall 🍂
* RUN B*TCH
* CONFUSION!
Some parts were a bit repetitive, some chapters were a little too long
There’s many threads going around like “this book was so highly recommended & it was not scary 😐” THIS IS NOT ONE OF THOSE!
RAPID FIRE REVIEW:
* am I trippin? Or is she trippin?
* dread vibes
* apple orchards
* creepy creatures
* creepy people
* “wait…. What??”
* abusive a*holes
* Maine in the fall 🍂
* RUN B*TCH
* CONFUSION!
Some parts were a bit repetitive, some chapters were a little too long
September 12, 2026
A read that will literally f**k with your mind and will challenge your own sanity. If you've ever been interested in lucid dreaming, you know that it promises a trip like no other and that's what this author delivers effectively!
I think the author managed to really hit the nail with this story because of the great arc of the main character. The story of this woman trying to make a life for herself after trying to leave her abusive partner, whilst dealing with a baby, leaves the door open for a vulnerable mind.
The reader easily empathises and becomes emotionally invested in her story, so much so that I had to pause at times asking myself what was real and what wasn't, questioning if I was too lucid dreaming.
As the story progresses, the nightmares become more vivid and haunting, until the very end where nothing makes sense anymore and neither the protagonist, nor the reader can discern reality from fiction anymore.
If you're ready to let this author mess with your mind, then get reading!
Thanks to the author for a copy and this is my honest opinion.
I think the author managed to really hit the nail with this story because of the great arc of the main character. The story of this woman trying to make a life for herself after trying to leave her abusive partner, whilst dealing with a baby, leaves the door open for a vulnerable mind.
The reader easily empathises and becomes emotionally invested in her story, so much so that I had to pause at times asking myself what was real and what wasn't, questioning if I was too lucid dreaming.
As the story progresses, the nightmares become more vivid and haunting, until the very end where nothing makes sense anymore and neither the protagonist, nor the reader can discern reality from fiction anymore.
If you're ready to let this author mess with your mind, then get reading!
Thanks to the author for a copy and this is my honest opinion.
August 18, 2026
The Backrooms, Smile, and Vivarium all wrapped into one
September 4, 2026
ＴＨＥ ＬＵＣＩＤ ＳＴＡＴＥ by Madison Estrada
🧠 lucid dreaming | 🧌 uncanny valley | ♾️ liminal dread
vibes ----×--- plot
tension ------×---
ＹＥＳ 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘰:
• Want accessible, "this could happen to anyone" fear
• Love fast-paced tales
• Crave edge-of-your-seat horror movie tension.
ＮＯ 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘧:
• Plot logic needs to be 100% airtight
• You hate darker endings that leave you with questions
ＴＨＥ ＰＬＯＴ:
After clicking a late-night video on lucid dreaming, a woman in an isolated trailer park must stop her nightmares from bleeding into reality before a faceless entity enters her waking world.
ＴＨＲＩＬ Ｌ－Ｏ－ＭＥＴＥＲ: 🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵
From page one, this book grabs you by the throat with an absolutely TERRIFYING opening scene. It drags you into a tight, suffocating spiral of "is she crazy or haunted?" that keeps the tension pumping at full throttle.
There's a faceless man (among other things) that consistently gave me the squirms BIG TIME, sparking multiple "Oh, HELL NO" moments that played out like a paranormal movie from the good ol' days.
Anchoring the nightmare is a fierce mother-daughter bond, giving Carter a real relatability in her fight to survive. The lucid episodes tap straight into uncanny valley terror, building to a grand finale that is creepy AF that will leave you staring at a wall.
Estrada preys on basic, primal fears to warp your reality, making this a banger you can devour in a single weekend.
🧠 lucid dreaming | 🧌 uncanny valley | ♾️ liminal dread
vibes ----×--- plot
tension ------×---
ＹＥＳ 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘰:
• Want accessible, "this could happen to anyone" fear
• Love fast-paced tales
• Crave edge-of-your-seat horror movie tension.
ＮＯ 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘧:
• Plot logic needs to be 100% airtight
• You hate darker endings that leave you with questions
ＴＨＥ ＰＬＯＴ:
After clicking a late-night video on lucid dreaming, a woman in an isolated trailer park must stop her nightmares from bleeding into reality before a faceless entity enters her waking world.
ＴＨＲＩＬ Ｌ－Ｏ－ＭＥＴＥＲ: 🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵
From page one, this book grabs you by the throat with an absolutely TERRIFYING opening scene. It drags you into a tight, suffocating spiral of "is she crazy or haunted?" that keeps the tension pumping at full throttle.
There's a faceless man (among other things) that consistently gave me the squirms BIG TIME, sparking multiple "Oh, HELL NO" moments that played out like a paranormal movie from the good ol' days.
Anchoring the nightmare is a fierce mother-daughter bond, giving Carter a real relatability in her fight to survive. The lucid episodes tap straight into uncanny valley terror, building to a grand finale that is creepy AF that will leave you staring at a wall.
Estrada preys on basic, primal fears to warp your reality, making this a banger you can devour in a single weekend.
September 6, 2026
I read this entire book in LESS THAN 24 HOURS. One day. That’s it. I could 👏🏼 not 👏🏼 put 👏🏼 it 👏🏼 down!
Early in the book there’s a mention of those gullible early YouTube days, videos claiming they could hypnotize you, help you summon spirits, open your third eye, induce lucid dreaming, etc. and I immediately thought, “oh shit, is this book about ME?!”
Did I watch those videos? Maybe.
Did I try to hypnotize myself with meditation videos? Possibly.
Did I attempt lucid dreaming and try to open my third eye? SHHHH! 🤫 We don’t need to talk about it.
Will I ever do any of that again after reading The Lucid State? ABSOLUTELY NOT.
This book gave me anxiety in the BEST possible way. It created this constant sense that something was about to happen, even when absolutely nothing was happening. At one point Carter got into an elevator and my brain immediately went, “OH GOD. SOMETHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN THIS ELEVATOR!!” Nope. Normal-ass elevator ride 😂
Enter a hypnotherapist. And I’m like, OH, THIS IS GONNA GET GOOD! Then as I’m reading the hypnotist’s words “lie on the couch” …. ironically while I’m also lying on the couch … and she begins the session, I found myself following along subconsciously. “Focus on your chest rising and falling”, “your body is growing heavier”, “it starts in your toes”, “then your feet” …. BRANDY?! What did we obviously NOT learn? 🤭
Then this book had the AUDACITY to hit me with “Are you afraid? Are you alone in the house?” Alrighty then. Let me just sit my ass up and click this light on💡
And the SPIDERS?! Hell naw. Respectfully.
I swear I could feel my skin crawling! 🕷️
But none of that, and I mean NONE of that, prepared me for CHAPTER 19. CHAPTER. NINETEEN. I almost 💩 myself.
Can you imagine if I read this chapter at night?!⚰️ “Our Father, Who art in Heaven…” 🙏🏼
But clearly I loved it because my final note after finishing the book literally says, “Sigh. Amazon…take my money cause I need this book on my shelf!” 💳
Early in the book there’s a mention of those gullible early YouTube days, videos claiming they could hypnotize you, help you summon spirits, open your third eye, induce lucid dreaming, etc. and I immediately thought, “oh shit, is this book about ME?!”
Did I watch those videos? Maybe.
Did I try to hypnotize myself with meditation videos? Possibly.
Did I attempt lucid dreaming and try to open my third eye? SHHHH! 🤫 We don’t need to talk about it.
Will I ever do any of that again after reading The Lucid State? ABSOLUTELY NOT.
This book gave me anxiety in the BEST possible way. It created this constant sense that something was about to happen, even when absolutely nothing was happening. At one point Carter got into an elevator and my brain immediately went, “OH GOD. SOMETHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN THIS ELEVATOR!!” Nope. Normal-ass elevator ride 😂
Enter a hypnotherapist. And I’m like, OH, THIS IS GONNA GET GOOD! Then as I’m reading the hypnotist’s words “lie on the couch” …. ironically while I’m also lying on the couch … and she begins the session, I found myself following along subconsciously. “Focus on your chest rising and falling”, “your body is growing heavier”, “it starts in your toes”, “then your feet” …. BRANDY?! What did we obviously NOT learn? 🤭
Then this book had the AUDACITY to hit me with “Are you afraid? Are you alone in the house?” Alrighty then. Let me just sit my ass up and click this light on💡
And the SPIDERS?! Hell naw. Respectfully.
I swear I could feel my skin crawling! 🕷️
But none of that, and I mean NONE of that, prepared me for CHAPTER 19. CHAPTER. NINETEEN. I almost 💩 myself.
Can you imagine if I read this chapter at night?!⚰️ “Our Father, Who art in Heaven…” 🙏🏼
But clearly I loved it because my final note after finishing the book literally says, “Sigh. Amazon…take my money cause I need this book on my shelf!” 💳
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
***ARC Review***
I really loved The Lucid State I loved the way it written the story it told but what stood out to me the most was how detailed every scene was. The writing made everything feel so real, like I could actually picture myself there while I was reading. The atmosphere was super creepy in this really ominous way, and there were definitely moments where I felt uneasy because I had no idea what was going to happen next. I also really liked how the story kept making me question what was real and what wasn’t. It had this unsettling vibe that kind of stuck with me even after I finished it. Overall, I really enjoyed it and would 100% recommend it if you like psychological horror great detailed books and stories that mess with your head this is the book for you 10/10
I really loved The Lucid State I loved the way it written the story it told but what stood out to me the most was how detailed every scene was. The writing made everything feel so real, like I could actually picture myself there while I was reading. The atmosphere was super creepy in this really ominous way, and there were definitely moments where I felt uneasy because I had no idea what was going to happen next. I also really liked how the story kept making me question what was real and what wasn’t. It had this unsettling vibe that kind of stuck with me even after I finished it. Overall, I really enjoyed it and would 100% recommend it if you like psychological horror great detailed books and stories that mess with your head this is the book for you 10/10
August 31, 2026
I received an arc copy and I'm leaving a voluntary review
Okay. First of all.. wow. What an experience.
Some scenes played like a movie in my head. Very vivid and disturbing- in a good way since it means it was written well.
Reading this felt like how i felt when i read 'Dont let the forest in' by c.g. drews -of course they're different and all but i love how i experienced them.
The story is a bit linear. Like it's expected for Carter to experience strange things and fall deeper into it.
And it's just about her descent.
I love how every character is important. And how their interactions flow naturally.
(I hate Eric but he's also kinda written well)
Regarding the ending.. i dont think it's lacking.
If this was made into a movie, a cliffhanger ending like that would be expected/typical..
"Victim is subdued, whatever entity/ sickness is dormant... but there's a hint that it's still there" kind of ending.
But maybe that's just me. I dont mind open endings / cliffhangers as long as it's consistent with the story/ characters.
Some things doesnt have to be resolved.
Okay. First of all.. wow. What an experience.
Some scenes played like a movie in my head. Very vivid and disturbing- in a good way since it means it was written well.
Reading this felt like how i felt when i read 'Dont let the forest in' by c.g. drews -of course they're different and all but i love how i experienced them.
The story is a bit linear. Like it's expected for Carter to experience strange things and fall deeper into it.
And it's just about her descent.
I love how every character is important. And how their interactions flow naturally.
(I hate Eric but he's also kinda written well)
Regarding the ending.. i dont think it's lacking.
If this was made into a movie, a cliffhanger ending like that would be expected/typical..
"Victim is subdued, whatever entity/ sickness is dormant... but there's a hint that it's still there" kind of ending.
But maybe that's just me. I dont mind open endings / cliffhangers as long as it's consistent with the story/ characters.
Some things doesnt have to be resolved.
August 27, 2026
I received a free advanced copy of Lucid State in exchange for an honest review.
Liminal horror meets the cosmos. This book had me uneasy and even scared being alone at night.
An extremely fun and scary read perfect for your spooky season TBR.
It is so refreshing to see women absolutely killing it in the horror space.
Liminal horror meets the cosmos. This book had me uneasy and even scared being alone at night.
An extremely fun and scary read perfect for your spooky season TBR.
It is so refreshing to see women absolutely killing it in the horror space.
September 22, 2026
This was a very good debut novel!
Hard to put down and there was some very creepy imagery. Love horror that revolves around dreams 👌
Author has a great imagination and I look forward to reading whatever she comes up with next.
Hard to put down and there was some very creepy imagery. Love horror that revolves around dreams 👌
Author has a great imagination and I look forward to reading whatever she comes up with next.
August 9, 2026
"I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review"
Creepy, unsettling, claustrophobic and that ending? Absolutely devastating!
Creepy, unsettling, claustrophobic and that ending? Absolutely devastating!
October 2, 2026
Note: this is an ARC review for The Lucid State:
This book was AMAZING! Like it grabbed me and I finished it in two days! And I’m absolutely going to need a hard copy.
This book was AMAZING! Like it grabbed me and I finished it in two days! And I’m absolutely going to need a hard copy.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you to Madison Estrada for ARC!
As someone who lucid dreams, this premise immediately fascinated and scared me. The increasingly blurry line between dreams and reality, mixed with some genuinely creepy and bizarre imagery made for such an unsettling read.
There were a few moments, but one in particular that had me going, ohh hell no!
As someone who lucid dreams, this premise immediately fascinated and scared me. The increasingly blurry line between dreams and reality, mixed with some genuinely creepy and bizarre imagery made for such an unsettling read.
There were a few moments, but one in particular that had me going, ohh hell no!
August 29, 2026
“I received a free copy of this book via an ARC and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.”
I really appreciate the arc but this book just wasn’t for me. Good writing though and atmospheric!
I really appreciate the arc but this book just wasn’t for me. Good writing though and atmospheric!
Review of advance copy received from Author
First of all, thank you Madison for sending me an ARC copy of your novel!
I think this was a good debut for a new indie author. The concept for the story was very cool and creepy. While I enjoyed it, I found myself struggling to get through some parts of the book.
The horror was great, the monster was terrifying. The reason I’m giving 3 stars (3.5 if Goodreads would allow) is that the story lacked a bit of cohesiveness. I felt like before the climax it was a bit repetitive, just alternating between Carter being a mom and dealing with her awful ex and then a scary dream and so on. BUT, that’s to be expected with a debut. With more practice comes more cohesion.
That being said, the scary parts were actually quite terrifying and the final “dream” is a scene that will definitely stick with me. Also THAT ENDING. As a parent it broke my little heart. I love a book that makes you feel BAD at the end.
Keep it up Madison, you absolutely have a future in writing horror and I’m excited to see what you come up with next!
I think this was a good debut for a new indie author. The concept for the story was very cool and creepy. While I enjoyed it, I found myself struggling to get through some parts of the book.
The horror was great, the monster was terrifying. The reason I’m giving 3 stars (3.5 if Goodreads would allow) is that the story lacked a bit of cohesiveness. I felt like before the climax it was a bit repetitive, just alternating between Carter being a mom and dealing with her awful ex and then a scary dream and so on. BUT, that’s to be expected with a debut. With more practice comes more cohesion.
That being said, the scary parts were actually quite terrifying and the final “dream” is a scene that will definitely stick with me. Also THAT ENDING. As a parent it broke my little heart. I love a book that makes you feel BAD at the end.
Keep it up Madison, you absolutely have a future in writing horror and I’m excited to see what you come up with next!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Book Review: The Lucid State by Madison Estrada
Disclaimer: This is an eArc review. I received a free copy of this book and am leaving an honest review. And I honestly loved it.
I was very excited when I had the chance to review this story, because in terms of horror elements, it checked all the boxes that I'm drawn to. There is a lot going on in this book, and that's not a bad thing at all. As a person who has been able to lucid dream for as long as I can remember, I was immediately drawn in by the premise of this book. I've been able to control my dreams, and in instances where I couldn't I've been able to at least recognize what it is and wake myself up (if it's a nightmare, otherwise I try to stay in it). I also appreciated that so many of the experiences of the main character were actually pretty spot on. Feeling like she's awake, not knowing what's real or not, being in touch with her senses, everything. Lucid dreaming is one of the weirdest things you can experience, especially once you realize what's happening.
Being a person that loves horror of the cosmic and f***ed up kind (not so much for the slashers unless it's done exceptionally well), this did not disappoint. It has a touch of cosmic horror, monster horror, body horror, paranormal what the f***ery, liminal space horror, and the general horror that comes from feeling like you're a failure in your life because of poor decisions.
That last one actually resonated with me a lot, because I wasn't entirely sure I was going to vibe with the main character at first, seeing that she is a young 20 something, new mother, and that's not typically someone I would connect with. However, Madison does a great job at making you immediately feel like you understand where Carter is coming from. She very much is not wanting to live with her parents, even though she just managed to (kind of) get herself out of a toxic relationship. At the same time she's trying to make her own path in life while navigating well meaning but overbearing neighbors, but there is the rumination of past mistakes and relationships that constantly plague her mind and make her question things. And the result of all this is that you get a character that seems overly complicated, until you realize she's just like any other person going through the paces of life. She's just like you, or me, and that makes her relatable.
I also really liked that the story took off almost immediately. There's already a general fear of what could be in the dark when you suddenly find yourself living alone, but it's all superficial until Carter watches a questionable video and those *perceived* events of wrongness become *actual* events of wrongness, and the subtle shift in the tone of the book is well done. And this is where the author does an exceptional job of portraying the main problem. Lucid dreaming is only good when you realize you're asleep. Any other time, it's nearly impossible to realize that you're in a dream, and through half of this book you honestly can't tell if Carter is being haunted by something, or if she simply dozed off and didn't realize it because reality and dream blend together.
Overall, this book left me really pondering things quite a bit. It didn't feel like the stakes were super high at first, but then Carter has some issues with liminal space and actual physical repercussions of things happening and you realize that's she in serious trouble.
The ending does come up a bit quickly, and it wasn't entirely surprising, but with the set up of the story there wasn't a need to make it a long drawn out thing, and we're still left wondering was it real, or was she simply dreaming and she just worked herself up with all the recent trauma? I guess we'll never really know.
Maybe.
Disclaimer: This is an eArc review. I received a free copy of this book and am leaving an honest review. And I honestly loved it.
I was very excited when I had the chance to review this story, because in terms of horror elements, it checked all the boxes that I'm drawn to. There is a lot going on in this book, and that's not a bad thing at all. As a person who has been able to lucid dream for as long as I can remember, I was immediately drawn in by the premise of this book. I've been able to control my dreams, and in instances where I couldn't I've been able to at least recognize what it is and wake myself up (if it's a nightmare, otherwise I try to stay in it). I also appreciated that so many of the experiences of the main character were actually pretty spot on. Feeling like she's awake, not knowing what's real or not, being in touch with her senses, everything. Lucid dreaming is one of the weirdest things you can experience, especially once you realize what's happening.
Being a person that loves horror of the cosmic and f***ed up kind (not so much for the slashers unless it's done exceptionally well), this did not disappoint. It has a touch of cosmic horror, monster horror, body horror, paranormal what the f***ery, liminal space horror, and the general horror that comes from feeling like you're a failure in your life because of poor decisions.
That last one actually resonated with me a lot, because I wasn't entirely sure I was going to vibe with the main character at first, seeing that she is a young 20 something, new mother, and that's not typically someone I would connect with. However, Madison does a great job at making you immediately feel like you understand where Carter is coming from. She very much is not wanting to live with her parents, even though she just managed to (kind of) get herself out of a toxic relationship. At the same time she's trying to make her own path in life while navigating well meaning but overbearing neighbors, but there is the rumination of past mistakes and relationships that constantly plague her mind and make her question things. And the result of all this is that you get a character that seems overly complicated, until you realize she's just like any other person going through the paces of life. She's just like you, or me, and that makes her relatable.
I also really liked that the story took off almost immediately. There's already a general fear of what could be in the dark when you suddenly find yourself living alone, but it's all superficial until Carter watches a questionable video and those *perceived* events of wrongness become *actual* events of wrongness, and the subtle shift in the tone of the book is well done. And this is where the author does an exceptional job of portraying the main problem. Lucid dreaming is only good when you realize you're asleep. Any other time, it's nearly impossible to realize that you're in a dream, and through half of this book you honestly can't tell if Carter is being haunted by something, or if she simply dozed off and didn't realize it because reality and dream blend together.
Overall, this book left me really pondering things quite a bit. It didn't feel like the stakes were super high at first, but then Carter has some issues with liminal space and actual physical repercussions of things happening and you realize that's she in serious trouble.
The ending does come up a bit quickly, and it wasn't entirely surprising, but with the set up of the story there wasn't a need to make it a long drawn out thing, and we're still left wondering was it real, or was she simply dreaming and she just worked herself up with all the recent trauma? I guess we'll never really know.
Maybe.
Review of advance copy received from Author
It's actually 3.5 ⭐ but I cannot do it on Goodreads (I did on Storygraph though).
First of all, I want to thank Maddie for sharing her book with me. I had fun reading your story 😁.
So, this story is intriguing and it kicks right from the first chapter on the creepy and tense atmosphere. Maddie definitely knows how to build tension.
I love the main character, and all the correlation between fear, dreams and past dramatic experiences.
I've been hooked right from the first page, and it's not an easy thing to do.
I really love this story and the lore coming with it. It's well studied and you can literally feel Carter's fear.
The only reason I didn't put the last 1.5 stars, is that the end kind of felt short on me 😅. There is some kind of apotheosis and you can almost touch the last seconds of development and the climax but then I turned the page and I saw 'epilogue'. A really fast and vague one with that. I thought at first I might have missed some pages, but no. I spotted 1 or 2 light plot holes in the middle that I simply for ot about because it didn't has real impact on the story, but seeing the end, maybe it has, a little bit 😅. So yeah it felt a bit short on the resolution for my taste. But the story is great and it's super easy to root for Carter (and to want to kill her ex).
First of all, I want to thank Maddie for sharing her book with me. I had fun reading your story 😁.
So, this story is intriguing and it kicks right from the first chapter on the creepy and tense atmosphere. Maddie definitely knows how to build tension.
I love the main character, and all the correlation between fear, dreams and past dramatic experiences.
I've been hooked right from the first page, and it's not an easy thing to do.
I really love this story and the lore coming with it. It's well studied and you can literally feel Carter's fear.
The only reason I didn't put the last 1.5 stars, is that the end kind of felt short on me 😅. There is some kind of apotheosis and you can almost touch the last seconds of development and the climax but then I turned the page and I saw 'epilogue'. A really fast and vague one with that. I thought at first I might have missed some pages, but no. I spotted 1 or 2 light plot holes in the middle that I simply for ot about because it didn't has real impact on the story, but seeing the end, maybe it has, a little bit 😅. So yeah it felt a bit short on the resolution for my taste. But the story is great and it's super easy to root for Carter (and to want to kill her ex).
Review of advance copy received from Author
*I received a free copy of this book via an ARC and am voluntarily leaving an honest review*
I had the pleasure of reading an ARC of the upcoming release The Lucid State by Madison Estrada🕷️
Carter stumbles upon a weird video that can teach her how to lucid dream. Maybe she got too good at this. Now her nightmares are blending in with reality and it is terrifying. Carter starts to question her sanity as she determines what’s real, and what creature is haunting her dreams…and why is it trying to come out?
This upcoming horror story was absolutely TERRIFYING. Estradas storytelling made me feel the terror and grief the main character felt as the story went on. As someone who suffers from nightmares, I couldn’t even imagine seeing and feeling what Carter experienced during her sleeping state. I was scared and needed more, but was also rooting for peace for the main character, I also kept questioning what was real and what wasn’t. I was very satisfied with the ending and the pace of the story kept me interested from start to finish.
I had the pleasure of reading an ARC of the upcoming release The Lucid State by Madison Estrada🕷️
Carter stumbles upon a weird video that can teach her how to lucid dream. Maybe she got too good at this. Now her nightmares are blending in with reality and it is terrifying. Carter starts to question her sanity as she determines what’s real, and what creature is haunting her dreams…and why is it trying to come out?
This upcoming horror story was absolutely TERRIFYING. Estradas storytelling made me feel the terror and grief the main character felt as the story went on. As someone who suffers from nightmares, I couldn’t even imagine seeing and feeling what Carter experienced during her sleeping state. I was scared and needed more, but was also rooting for peace for the main character, I also kept questioning what was real and what wasn’t. I was very satisfied with the ending and the pace of the story kept me interested from start to finish.
Review of advance copy received from Author
A new mom Carter is learning how to be a single mom all alone in her trailer house. Late one night she stumbles upon a YouTube video on how to lucid dream, but it wasn't what she was expecting, or hoping for. Now she sees people lurking in shadows when no-one is there, or in the woods having the errie feeling that someone is watching her. Is it real? Or all just a nightmare?
It is such an atmospheric read, it transports you right there with Carter. You feel her anxiety, paranoia, fear and her love for Chloe. If you just imagine being in Carter's place it would be terrifying! I feel so bad for her and all that she's going through, and yet she still puts Chloe first.
The scene with Hunter made my skin crawl, it was so creepy and disturbing. It was so well written. It also makes you question what's real and what's a dream.
The story is a perfect blend of in your face horror and psychological horror.
The ending....
It is such an atmospheric read, it transports you right there with Carter. You feel her anxiety, paranoia, fear and her love for Chloe. If you just imagine being in Carter's place it would be terrifying! I feel so bad for her and all that she's going through, and yet she still puts Chloe first.
The scene with Hunter made my skin crawl, it was so creepy and disturbing. It was so well written. It also makes you question what's real and what's a dream.
The story is a perfect blend of in your face horror and psychological horror.
The ending....
Review of advance copy received from Author
I don’t think I have words to describe what I thought about this book. 📖 It was a lot to take in, that’s for sure. I’ve never read a liminal horror, and this being my first can have them becoming my favorites sooner than I think.
Carter is such a strong FMC, the love that she has for her daughter is amazing and being a mother myself, I can feel her emotions through the pages. At first, I thought that this may be an underlying story into what post partem can feel like, but add to that the trauma of the things she went through with Eric, the devastation of losing her true love to sickness, and having to raise Chloe so far from her family and being alone just adds to how messed up Carter’s mental stability really is.
Without trying to find some underlying cause for these lucid dreams and sleepwalking, reading it for the horror it truly is… it was awesome! I hope to see more from this author in the future 💜💀💜
Carter is such a strong FMC, the love that she has for her daughter is amazing and being a mother myself, I can feel her emotions through the pages. At first, I thought that this may be an underlying story into what post partem can feel like, but add to that the trauma of the things she went through with Eric, the devastation of losing her true love to sickness, and having to raise Chloe so far from her family and being alone just adds to how messed up Carter’s mental stability really is.
Without trying to find some underlying cause for these lucid dreams and sleepwalking, reading it for the horror it truly is… it was awesome! I hope to see more from this author in the future 💜💀💜
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thanks to the author for ARC copy of the lucid state.
Carter’s is a young woman who just got out of an abusive relationship, and has a baby named Chloe Wich she raise alone. As postpartum depression sets, she one night decided to search a video on you tube about vivid or lucid state dreams. This exploration of lucid dreams leads to vivid nightmares, sleepwalking, and hearing knocks in the house—culminating in waking outside, unaware how she got there. She eventually calls her abusive ex an involved him in the situation seeking help (feels more like Stockholm syndrome),but manipulation also takes its toll on Carter’s mental state.
She eventually goes to therapy where she undergoes hypnotherapy to block the dreams .
Things went back to normal, until one day a voice in her mind claims it will undo the doctor’s block, and she began to have these lucid and vivid dreams again, to the point of endangering the baby’s life. Her parents came and take her and the baby with them. Although to this point the book is structured, is from here that the book became kind of messy.
Is here when Carters sickness evolve, however, the book never explains how she transitions into a coma-like lucid state and enters a liminal space where an evil spider like evil lurks. It can be interpreted as she is inside her own mind Wich appears to be a maze of different thoughts and memories.
The book explained where she is and what she is seeing but never how she get there (was she in an accident? Was she injured? Or does she fall asleep and just don’t woke? She ends up unresponsive in an institution, leaving a major gap in the plot’s resolution
Carter’s is a young woman who just got out of an abusive relationship, and has a baby named Chloe Wich she raise alone. As postpartum depression sets, she one night decided to search a video on you tube about vivid or lucid state dreams. This exploration of lucid dreams leads to vivid nightmares, sleepwalking, and hearing knocks in the house—culminating in waking outside, unaware how she got there. She eventually calls her abusive ex an involved him in the situation seeking help (feels more like Stockholm syndrome),but manipulation also takes its toll on Carter’s mental state.
She eventually goes to therapy where she undergoes hypnotherapy to block the dreams .
Things went back to normal, until one day a voice in her mind claims it will undo the doctor’s block, and she began to have these lucid and vivid dreams again, to the point of endangering the baby’s life. Her parents came and take her and the baby with them. Although to this point the book is structured, is from here that the book became kind of messy.
Is here when Carters sickness evolve, however, the book never explains how she transitions into a coma-like lucid state and enters a liminal space where an evil spider like evil lurks. It can be interpreted as she is inside her own mind Wich appears to be a maze of different thoughts and memories.
The book explained where she is and what she is seeing but never how she get there (was she in an accident? Was she injured? Or does she fall asleep and just don’t woke? She ends up unresponsive in an institution, leaving a major gap in the plot’s resolution
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received a free copy of this book via an ARC and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
The first chapter had me hooked. The nostalgia and reminiscing of early YouTube days was such a "you had to be there" time. And then the creep factor really takes over and I couldn't stop reading.
The video triggering the supernatural events is very The Ring coded. The descriptions of the monster made it very easy to imagine the horror Carter was enduring. Throwing in the fact that she is also trying to protect her baby makes you want to root for her even more.
The cold Maine trailer park near the woods is a perfect setting for this unsettling story and the dreams warping it make it even better.
I highly recommend this if you are looking for a story that makes you reconsider sleeping for the night. ;)
The first chapter had me hooked. The nostalgia and reminiscing of early YouTube days was such a "you had to be there" time. And then the creep factor really takes over and I couldn't stop reading.
The video triggering the supernatural events is very The Ring coded. The descriptions of the monster made it very easy to imagine the horror Carter was enduring. Throwing in the fact that she is also trying to protect her baby makes you want to root for her even more.
The cold Maine trailer park near the woods is a perfect setting for this unsettling story and the dreams warping it make it even better.
I highly recommend this if you are looking for a story that makes you reconsider sleeping for the night. ;)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC Review:
I love a good liminal horror story and let me tell you, The Lucid State absolutely delivers.
While reading I felt like I was reading something that could take place in the Insidious universe.
It’s an extremely well written story with characters you can love and ones you can HATE. And oooohhhh I HATED this one character and wanted nothing but the worst to happen to them. (As everyone should feel about this a’hole) 🤣
One particular chapter of this book actually gave me the f’n creeps and will stick with me for a VERY long time.
If you enjoy a book that will have you questioning reality, looking over your shoulder, and turning on all the lights when you’re alone, add this to your TBR immediately!
I love a good liminal horror story and let me tell you, The Lucid State absolutely delivers.
While reading I felt like I was reading something that could take place in the Insidious universe.
It’s an extremely well written story with characters you can love and ones you can HATE. And oooohhhh I HATED this one character and wanted nothing but the worst to happen to them. (As everyone should feel about this a’hole) 🤣
One particular chapter of this book actually gave me the f’n creeps and will stick with me for a VERY long time.
If you enjoy a book that will have you questioning reality, looking over your shoulder, and turning on all the lights when you’re alone, add this to your TBR immediately!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I enjoy cosmic and liminal horror a lot, so I was excited for this book. Also, the cover is fire, making me even more eager to read. There were some really scary and tense moments throughout this book, and the weird spider monster was all kinds of creepy. I really liked the idea of a weird nightmare you can't escape from. It made me think of A Nightmare on Elm Street. What I wasn't so sure about was the main character Carter. There were parts I really liked her, like when she was being brave or being a caring mom. But other times she made some really idiotic decisions, especially regarding her ex. Her character just didn't seem very consistent to me. Still a super cool read! I received a free copy of this story and write this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I’m thankful for receiving an ARC of this story. It sounded creepy and scary from the description and delivered! From the first chapter I was hooked on the haunting details and descriptions of the events happening to Carter, the main characters. Throughout the story there were times where I felt it wasn’t a dream for Carter but a real life event and liked the uncertainty of how that felt while reading it. I loved the dream traveler aspect to the story and fear of the events and different things Carter went through. Didn’t see the outcome ahead of time. Highly recommend!
Review of advance copy received from Author
*Disclaimer* I received an ARC of this book. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.*
The Lucid State. Whew! This had me in a chokehold from the advertisements on TikTok. The setting being so eerily familiar to how/where I grew up. The characters were likable and the plot unputdownable!! From the video that started it all to the terribly horrifying ending, I give this 5 stars and 2 thumbs up. I felt as if I had figured it out many times, only to again be surprised!
Looking forward to anything in the future from this author.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thanks for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review!
This book really reads like a dream scenario. A fever dream probably. I quite enjoyed some parts, but also found it dragged on a bit. The ending was a cool spin, and it makes me think about possible analogies, hmmm! 3 stars because I found I couldn't really become absorbed easily and I did need to push to continue. It's obvious the author has a serious interest in horror. I'll be keeping an eye out for future works!
This book really reads like a dream scenario. A fever dream probably. I quite enjoyed some parts, but also found it dragged on a bit. The ending was a cool spin, and it makes me think about possible analogies, hmmm! 3 stars because I found I couldn't really become absorbed easily and I did need to push to continue. It's obvious the author has a serious interest in horror. I'll be keeping an eye out for future works!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received a free copy of this book via an ARC and am voluntarily leaving an honest review. I read the entire book in one night, once the story grips you, it won’t let go. I love the style of horror and tension the author delivers, one of the few books I’ve read that was genuinely spine tingling and delivers on the creepiness it promises. I would highly recommend this book to any horror lovers, especially those into liminal spaces and cosmic entity horror.
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