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Sleepless
SOMEONE ELSE WILL DIE SOON she tells herself.
SOMEONE ELSE WILL DIE AND I WILL BE RESPONSIBLE.
A few days after the first time you
walk in your sleep, you kill someone.
That's how the end begins.
Emma Montgomery has been having gruesome nightmares. Even worse, when she wakes up, she isn't where she was when she fell asleep. And she's not the only one. One by one the students of Saint Opportuna High start having nightmares, and sleepwalking. And the next morning one of their classmates turns up dead. Something is making them kill in their sleep. Emma and her friends need to band together, to keep themselves awake until they can figure out what's behind the murders-before anyone else dies.
SOMEONE ELSE WILL DIE AND I WILL BE RESPONSIBLE.
A few days after the first time you
walk in your sleep, you kill someone.
That's how the end begins.
Emma Montgomery has been having gruesome nightmares. Even worse, when she wakes up, she isn't where she was when she fell asleep. And she's not the only one. One by one the students of Saint Opportuna High start having nightmares, and sleepwalking. And the next morning one of their classmates turns up dead. Something is making them kill in their sleep. Emma and her friends need to band together, to keep themselves awake until they can figure out what's behind the murders-before anyone else dies.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published July 28, 2009
About the author
Thomas Fahy
20 books50 followersI grew up in Los Angeles, California, and I have studied literature and music throughout my life. I earned a Ph.D. in literature from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and I'm now a professor of American literature and American Studies at Long Island University (C. W. Post).
My most recent novel, The Unspoken (Simon and Schuster), is my first teen thriller/horror novel. The book is about a group of teens who were raised by a cult that foresaw their deaths. Five years later, they reunite to confront a grisly murder and to save themselves.
I've also published non-fiction as well.
My most recent novel, The Unspoken (Simon and Schuster), is my first teen thriller/horror novel. The book is about a group of teens who were raised by a cult that foresaw their deaths. Five years later, they reunite to confront a grisly murder and to save themselves.
I've also published non-fiction as well.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews
February 14, 2018
Well I don’t know where to start. Do I start by saying I hated all the characters? The authors writing style? The empty shallow ridiculous conclusion? Nah, I’ll just say skip this b.s. book. 👎🏼
October 8, 2014
Isn’t the cover amazing! It caught my eye right away and I couldn’t wait to dive into the story. But, in the end, I was disappointed with many aspects of the book but in love with other parts.
I’ve found that most horror novels I read start off horribly. They’re incredibly boring and I have to force myself to read the book. Sleepless was no exception. Even right now trying to write this review, I can’t remember what the first half of the book was about. I just read it. I did soak up the main details and the important plot points but nothing else really mattered I just wanted something scary to happen. Also, I was not a fan of the way the novel switched between telling the present and telling the past and the dreams. I found it to be choppy and confusing.
That being said, the last half of the book was amazing. It was scary with great twists, everything that should be in a good horror novel. Best of all it was very fast paced nothing that was unneeded happened. Also Fahy’s descriptive writing which I had found long and annoying in the beginning was greatly appreciated during the ending because it brought the story to life.
Even though, it took me a day to read the first 100 pages and an hour to read the last 100, I did enjoy the novel. The ending was enough to redeem the book in my opinion. What do you guys think did you like the book?
Check out my book review blog at www.anibelle.blogspot.com
I’ve found that most horror novels I read start off horribly. They’re incredibly boring and I have to force myself to read the book. Sleepless was no exception. Even right now trying to write this review, I can’t remember what the first half of the book was about. I just read it. I did soak up the main details and the important plot points but nothing else really mattered I just wanted something scary to happen. Also, I was not a fan of the way the novel switched between telling the present and telling the past and the dreams. I found it to be choppy and confusing.
That being said, the last half of the book was amazing. It was scary with great twists, everything that should be in a good horror novel. Best of all it was very fast paced nothing that was unneeded happened. Also Fahy’s descriptive writing which I had found long and annoying in the beginning was greatly appreciated during the ending because it brought the story to life.
Even though, it took me a day to read the first 100 pages and an hour to read the last 100, I did enjoy the novel. The ending was enough to redeem the book in my opinion. What do you guys think did you like the book?
Check out my book review blog at www.anibelle.blogspot.com
December 15, 2009
It starts off menacing enough, with a prologue meant to grab your interest (it may, did for me) and then moves along with frequent mentions of a class trip to New Orleans where something "terrible" happened, something nobody wants to talk about anymore. Turns out someone was murdered (shocker, i know) and the group of kids, including the teacher, swore never to tell anyone what happened.
Unfortunately, for everyone involved, when they got back home, one by one they start having nightmares, and one by one they start killing other students. This is the part that kind of lost me, i mean i know it would be terrible if i woke up to find out i had drowned someone in the ocean, but there's no real threat directly aimed to the main characters throughout the book (well except at the end, of course.) I just never felt like any of them would die or were in trouble, because they weren't. Only unimportant, barely mentioned characters get bumped off. And of course the one character from the group that does get killed, is done so by lighting himself on fire, he was just paranoid, never in real danger. He was also the least developed and most uninteresting of them all.
And then there's the final twist. I mean i can't say i saw it coming, because i didn't, and it was a nice change of pace to have something unexpected, i just did not fully see the character's motivation to do this to all of her fellow students. Yeah, she was "troubled" and having an affair with the teacher, whatever, i just felt there could have been a better reason for her to want to murder half her class. But, the way she did cause the sleepwalking was really neat: through hypnosis using this old projection machine with character's names etched into creepy old paintings. Sure its completely implausible but it sure is nifty!
So, it's a pretty quick read that is hampered down by a unfortunately uninteresting take on the "I Know What You Did Last Summer" story, a group of uninteresting characters, and a meandering plot that never really feels like it actually goes anywhere, especially anywhere interesting. I'd give it a 2.5 if i could, but i cant, and i'm not feeling generous today. A 2 out of 5.
Unfortunately, for everyone involved, when they got back home, one by one they start having nightmares, and one by one they start killing other students. This is the part that kind of lost me, i mean i know it would be terrible if i woke up to find out i had drowned someone in the ocean, but there's no real threat directly aimed to the main characters throughout the book (well except at the end, of course.) I just never felt like any of them would die or were in trouble, because they weren't. Only unimportant, barely mentioned characters get bumped off. And of course the one character from the group that does get killed, is done so by lighting himself on fire, he was just paranoid, never in real danger. He was also the least developed and most uninteresting of them all.
And then there's the final twist. I mean i can't say i saw it coming, because i didn't, and it was a nice change of pace to have something unexpected, i just did not fully see the character's motivation to do this to all of her fellow students. Yeah, she was "troubled" and having an affair with the teacher, whatever, i just felt there could have been a better reason for her to want to murder half her class. But, the way she did cause the sleepwalking was really neat: through hypnosis using this old projection machine with character's names etched into creepy old paintings. Sure its completely implausible but it sure is nifty!
So, it's a pretty quick read that is hampered down by a unfortunately uninteresting take on the "I Know What You Did Last Summer" story, a group of uninteresting characters, and a meandering plot that never really feels like it actually goes anywhere, especially anywhere interesting. I'd give it a 2.5 if i could, but i cant, and i'm not feeling generous today. A 2 out of 5.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 25, 2015
Being a horror fan, I was impelled to pick up this book. The whole concept made me think it was like A Nightmare on Elm Street, but it had a different twist to it. Instead of being killed in your sleep, the dreamers themselves are the killers. When they wake up they have no recollection of what happened, until they're left with a little hint at where they might've been and what they've done.
I liked the book, but I thought there could've been a little more added to it. This book leaves you with some questions that go unanswered the whole time. I feel as if I was more intrigued by the relationship between Emma and Jake. Any less of the horror involved would've made it just another love story between some troubled teens.
All of the characters except Emma were way too underdeveloped. Most of the book talks about Emma's past and her life in general. Readers don't really get a chance to relate with any of the other characters.
Personally, the book was lacking in the horror/gore parts so I would have liked to see more of that. Those parts of the book weren't as descriptive as I would've liked, but for others it could have been the perfect amount. Although there was a shock element at the end of the book the rest of the book was pretty dull.
It was still a good and quick read nonetheless!
I liked the book, but I thought there could've been a little more added to it. This book leaves you with some questions that go unanswered the whole time. I feel as if I was more intrigued by the relationship between Emma and Jake. Any less of the horror involved would've made it just another love story between some troubled teens.
All of the characters except Emma were way too underdeveloped. Most of the book talks about Emma's past and her life in general. Readers don't really get a chance to relate with any of the other characters.
Personally, the book was lacking in the horror/gore parts so I would have liked to see more of that. Those parts of the book weren't as descriptive as I would've liked, but for others it could have been the perfect amount. Although there was a shock element at the end of the book the rest of the book was pretty dull.
It was still a good and quick read nonetheless!
January 9, 2011
This book is about four teens who join this class. Then the pictures do some kind of voodoo type thing and make them kill people in their class or just people they dont like. Emma and jake end up having this thing. Emma is trying to figure out whats happening to everyone. she finds out that caitlin is behind all the killings. The killings are very graphic you can tell just by reading how gross the deaths are. there was this kid who is on the football team and his nickname is hicky stevens beacuse he gives like every girl hickies. This one girl who hates him. She sleepwalks then she finds him at the train station where the class is and she pushes him over the edge right in front of a train. He dies. Duncan sets himself on fire because he kept dreaming about killing lily the girl he likes. Lily goes insaine. Jake,Emma,Caitlin,Duncan, and Lily try staying up all night when they start sleepwalking/nightmares. Emma and Jake end up sleeping in the same bed then they end up making out. Dr. Beecher ends up dead in the end of the book because Caitlin stabs him and hits him in the junk.
I thougth this book was really good. It was a good read. You could read that book in days. It was graphic and fun to read. I would recommend people read the book
I thougth this book was really good. It was a good read. You could read that book in days. It was graphic and fun to read. I would recommend people read the book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
November 8, 2012BEFORE:
I found Sleepless in the school library after being told that we're doing a project in english involving reading a book. No big deal.
The cover is amazing. Kind of cliche, but it makes you think. So a girl is wearing those eye cover things you use to sleep sometimes, and there's blood streaming out from behind it. E.W.
At 209 pages, this book is a bit shorter than I usually read, but this is for a class, so I didn't want to pick too big a book just in case I didn't like it. Because either way, I still have to read it. So, it's best that it's short.
I have high hopes for this book. I'm hoping that it will be scary, yet not too gory. It's hard to find a good book/movie that knows how to differentiate between the two.
So, I know by the blurb that Emma, the main character, starts having dreams, and she kills people in her sleep. Then people in her school start to have the dreams too, and kill people. They have to work together to stop themselves from killing anyone else.
I found Sleepless in the school library after being told that we're doing a project in english involving reading a book. No big deal.
The cover is amazing. Kind of cliche, but it makes you think. So a girl is wearing those eye cover things you use to sleep sometimes, and there's blood streaming out from behind it. E.W.
At 209 pages, this book is a bit shorter than I usually read, but this is for a class, so I didn't want to pick too big a book just in case I didn't like it. Because either way, I still have to read it. So, it's best that it's short.
I have high hopes for this book. I'm hoping that it will be scary, yet not too gory. It's hard to find a good book/movie that knows how to differentiate between the two.
So, I know by the blurb that Emma, the main character, starts having dreams, and she kills people in her sleep. Then people in her school start to have the dreams too, and kill people. They have to work together to stop themselves from killing anyone else.
October 14, 2017
Me re gustó la idea del libro y los temas que toca. Interesante y perturbador.
Me jodió al final con el malo. Estaba tan segura de quién era y si bien también sospeché del que terminó siendo me hubiera gustado más si fuera el que pensaba. Aunque el desenlace le da un toque más de condimento a la historia y el villano es un personaje digno de analizar.
Me jodió al final con el malo. Estaba tan segura de quién era y si bien también sospeché del que terminó siendo me hubiera gustado más si fuera el que pensaba. Aunque el desenlace le da un toque más de condimento a la historia y el villano es un personaje digno de analizar.
September 2, 2017
It seems to me that YA horror books are either good (original or using tropes in new ways) or bad (stuffed with clichés like a Thanksgiving turkey). It’s difficult to find books that go beyond the low budget horror films kind of suck. Sleepless was not one of those books. It just wasn’t very good.
The New Orleans backstory where the starting point of all that ensues was not fleshed out enough. I wasn’t comfortable with the fact that it was right after hurricane Katrina and the whole cliché of evil Voodoo magic was brought up. It just came across cheap and disrespectful.
As for the characters, I disliked them all. Didn’t care about who died or who lived. *shrug* The romance was highly annoying. Jake and Emma..I could have crawled into this book just to murder them both.
Jake is your typical pothead and drug dealer. He’s failing out of high school. No direction whatsoever in life besides wanting to sleep with the pretty Emma. And Emma likes him too. I don’t understand why but 99% of the time she’s thinking about him. Everybody else is dying but who cares, right? He admits he thinks he killed a girl on the beach, considering he woke up with sand all in his clothes and bed..but does this bother her? Nope.
Teens are dying under mysterious circumstances and this is her train of thought:
“Why won’t he touch me like that? Emma keeps asking herself.”
Not only that but she had some petty reasons to hate another girl. The list was things like big breasts, blonde hair and blue eyes, perfect body, and “putting the moves on Jake Hardale.”
… I know girls can be petty to the point of childishness..but in all my days of disliking someone, it was not because of their breast size or hair color. Emma retracts some of this once she gets to know the other girl a little more, but it’s painfully obvious that a dude is trying to write girls and it just didn't work. The only character with any real depth is Jake, even then it’s not much besides getting high and hoping to bang Emma.
If you’re looking for a good horror book to read, this is not it. So underwhelming from beginning to end.
The New Orleans backstory where the starting point of all that ensues was not fleshed out enough. I wasn’t comfortable with the fact that it was right after hurricane Katrina and the whole cliché of evil Voodoo magic was brought up. It just came across cheap and disrespectful.
As for the characters, I disliked them all. Didn’t care about who died or who lived. *shrug* The romance was highly annoying. Jake and Emma..I could have crawled into this book just to murder them both.
Jake is your typical pothead and drug dealer. He’s failing out of high school. No direction whatsoever in life besides wanting to sleep with the pretty Emma. And Emma likes him too. I don’t understand why but 99% of the time she’s thinking about him. Everybody else is dying but who cares, right? He admits he thinks he killed a girl on the beach, considering he woke up with sand all in his clothes and bed..but does this bother her? Nope.
Teens are dying under mysterious circumstances and this is her train of thought:
“Why won’t he touch me like that? Emma keeps asking herself.”
Not only that but she had some petty reasons to hate another girl. The list was things like big breasts, blonde hair and blue eyes, perfect body, and “putting the moves on Jake Hardale.”
… I know girls can be petty to the point of childishness..but in all my days of disliking someone, it was not because of their breast size or hair color. Emma retracts some of this once she gets to know the other girl a little more, but it’s painfully obvious that a dude is trying to write girls and it just didn't work. The only character with any real depth is Jake, even then it’s not much besides getting high and hoping to bang Emma.
If you’re looking for a good horror book to read, this is not it. So underwhelming from beginning to end.
January 23, 2011
I liked the book, I wanted to give it five stars, but there was a loose end that I just could not stand.
The loose end waas the whole Jake and Emma situation. I just love it when you get a book, and in the blurb, it doesn't mention anything about romance, and then in the book, there is some smoochy-smoochy or something. So, Jake and Emma both like each other and they hooked up in Jake's room before and yeah. And that's it. They like each other still, and worry about each other but nothing else happens. I mean, they were in abed making out with each other for heavens sake. And I know that there was stuff going on in their lives but I can't stop worrying abput what happens between them after.
Sometimes in the book when it is in dream sequence, I am confused. Like, not in all of the dreams, but in some of the dreams, I barely have any clue to what is going on. Maybe I was reading too fast, or just not paying attention or something but... I dunno. Blehy.
I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I had a feeling that person was making everything happen. I had a bad vibe coming from him/her. I never like him/her. Blehy. THAT PERSON'S AN EXSPIRED BURRITO!
I give tribute to all those people who died in the book because honestly, they didn't deserve to die. A moment of silence please............................
You ever notice that sometimes when you read a book and the book gives off this book-like smell. You just breathe it in and sigh. Not because it stinks or something, but because the smell relaes you or makes you feel good. The copy of this book that I had had that smell. Ah....
So yeah, here's my review. I seem to notice that my review now-a-days seem to just really talk about what happens in the books and not about the writing itself, so let us say someting about that.
Hmmm.
This book had very grown-up words. :D
Peace.
The loose end waas the whole Jake and Emma situation. I just love it when you get a book, and in the blurb, it doesn't mention anything about romance, and then in the book, there is some smoochy-smoochy or something. So, Jake and Emma both like each other and they hooked up in Jake's room before and yeah. And that's it. They like each other still, and worry about each other but nothing else happens. I mean, they were in abed making out with each other for heavens sake. And I know that there was stuff going on in their lives but I can't stop worrying abput what happens between them after.
Sometimes in the book when it is in dream sequence, I am confused. Like, not in all of the dreams, but in some of the dreams, I barely have any clue to what is going on. Maybe I was reading too fast, or just not paying attention or something but... I dunno. Blehy.
I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I had a feeling that person was making everything happen. I had a bad vibe coming from him/her. I never like him/her. Blehy. THAT PERSON'S AN EXSPIRED BURRITO!
I give tribute to all those people who died in the book because honestly, they didn't deserve to die. A moment of silence please............................
You ever notice that sometimes when you read a book and the book gives off this book-like smell. You just breathe it in and sigh. Not because it stinks or something, but because the smell relaes you or makes you feel good. The copy of this book that I had had that smell. Ah....
So yeah, here's my review. I seem to notice that my review now-a-days seem to just really talk about what happens in the books and not about the writing itself, so let us say someting about that.
Hmmm.
This book had very grown-up words. :D
Peace.
December 22, 2015
"Someone else will die soon, she tells herself. Someone else will die, and I'll be responsible."
A group of teenagers in high school are in a club. They all have one thing in common. They all went to volunteer in New Orleans. Something happens and it is making some of them sleepwalk.
This story is told through Emma and Jake. Each chapter is told through their point of view. The premise hooked me but I was a little iffy about reading this book because some of the reviews said it wasn't scary. I went into this book thinking I won't be scared but halfway in I got spooked... This may not be the case for most of you but if you are scared easily, beware.
"Sons of Hypnos,
The gods who bring dreams into the world,
Bring us rest."
A group of teenagers in high school are in a club. They all have one thing in common. They all went to volunteer in New Orleans. Something happens and it is making some of them sleepwalk.
This story is told through Emma and Jake. Each chapter is told through their point of view. The premise hooked me but I was a little iffy about reading this book because some of the reviews said it wasn't scary. I went into this book thinking I won't be scared but halfway in I got spooked... This may not be the case for most of you but if you are scared easily, beware.
"Sons of Hypnos,
The gods who bring dreams into the world,
Bring us rest."
March 7, 2010
Gets one star because I stopped reading and skimmed the rest of the book. I feel really disappointed in this book because the premise sounded great and the cover is beautifully haunted, I was hoping for a good horror novel.
I simply couldn't get past the third person present tense voice that jumps from narrator to narrator, and the tell, don't show descriptions. The choppy, disjointed sentences really kept me from getting involved in the book. From page 7:
"Jake Hardale likes old cars. Everything about them."
"He likes his job more than school, that's for sure. But Saint Opportuna High isn't the worst place in the world. Some of the girls are hot. Especially Emma Montgomery. Sure, she's a total nerd, always studying and carrying around a book, but still, she's hot."
Blugh. Then the book gets into some New Orleans Voodoo nonsense, and it completely lost me. Voodoo/Vodou/Voudon et al. is a real religion that involves ancestor worship and, particularly in Haitian Voodoo, is tied to Roman Catholicism. I'm not a big fan of raising yet another generation to have misconceptions and racist fears about a religion.
Anyway, I would ignore that if the plot made sense and/or the book was good.
I simply couldn't get past the third person present tense voice that jumps from narrator to narrator, and the tell, don't show descriptions. The choppy, disjointed sentences really kept me from getting involved in the book. From page 7:
"Jake Hardale likes old cars. Everything about them."
"He likes his job more than school, that's for sure. But Saint Opportuna High isn't the worst place in the world. Some of the girls are hot. Especially Emma Montgomery. Sure, she's a total nerd, always studying and carrying around a book, but still, she's hot."
Blugh. Then the book gets into some New Orleans Voodoo nonsense, and it completely lost me. Voodoo/Vodou/Voudon et al. is a real religion that involves ancestor worship and, particularly in Haitian Voodoo, is tied to Roman Catholicism. I'm not a big fan of raising yet another generation to have misconceptions and racist fears about a religion.
Anyway, I would ignore that if the plot made sense and/or the book was good.
January 19, 2016
This book sucked :/
January 14, 2023
Before I have decided to buy this book I read some reviews first.
Now that I have readed the book, I disagree with the biggest complain people had: the third person narrative. I wasn't a problem and was necessary to put both Emma and Jacke as main characters.
The real problem for me was in the plot. I sound kind weird and not because of the paranormal side of things.
First: I know it may be just me, but I found strange how in so small town there were such specialized business like a store for mystic artefacts and fortune reading. A kid that sells weed in large scale is there too. But the town was supposed to be the "smallest in country" according to the Jake! So how there were so many customers for such narrow business?
Second: What end was that? Or the writer got tired of writting or he didn't know how to end the story.
And at last: In a moment were you and your friends are having a collective sleeping walking crysis and may are being compelled to kill under supernatural force, thinking if you are going to hold hands with you crush is not your top priority! Those teenagers were too much stereotyped "teens in love" to be belivable in that storie.
Those flaws weren't so bad as they looks, but screw a plot that had so much potential.
Now that I have readed the book, I disagree with the biggest complain people had: the third person narrative. I wasn't a problem and was necessary to put both Emma and Jacke as main characters.
The real problem for me was in the plot. I sound kind weird and not because of the paranormal side of things.
First: I know it may be just me, but I found strange how in so small town there were such specialized business like a store for mystic artefacts and fortune reading. A kid that sells weed in large scale is there too. But the town was supposed to be the "smallest in country" according to the Jake! So how there were so many customers for such narrow business?
Second: What end was that? Or the writer got tired of writting or he didn't know how to end the story.
And at last: In a moment were you and your friends are having a collective sleeping walking crysis and may are being compelled to kill under supernatural force, thinking if you are going to hold hands with you crush is not your top priority! Those teenagers were too much stereotyped "teens in love" to be belivable in that storie.
Those flaws weren't so bad as they looks, but screw a plot that had so much potential.
February 12, 2019
Sleepless by Thomas Fahy was a very intriguing novel. I rate this three out of five stars because it was a decent book but not completely in my interest. The book is about a group of teens from Habitat for Humanity. The main characters are Jake, Emma, Caitlin, Duncan, and Lily. The group Habitat for Humanity, that is ran by Reverend Michaels, went on a trip to New Orleans to help rebuild a house that was massively destroyed from Hurricane Katrina for Calliope and Selene Johnson. During their trip, something horrifying happened that changed the lives of these teens forever. To cope with the feelings and memories they have from New Orleans, they go to their teacher, Dr. Beecher's house to work on their senior projects and talk as a group about their feelings. Sooner than later, ominous and strange things started to happen with these teens. Unfortunate and mysterious deaths within these teens started to occur. The only way to solve this creepy crime is to all work together to see what is causing these fatalities.
November 15, 2019
This novel was very well written. Nightmares, sleepwalking, and murder all were great attributes to this plot and made it by far, an extremely thrilling ride. Emma and her friends have been having a problem. Ever since their trip to New Orleans following the hurricane, they've been having gruesome, repetitive nightmares that have resulted in sleepwalking. However, this is not your average take on sleepwalking. The students have had violent tendencies during these episodes which have made them fearful of sleeping. As a result, the students make it their duty to find the source of these nightmares while trying to restrain from sleeping in an attempt to keep others from getting hurt. Can they find its origin? Can they restrain from hurting others? I'd recommend this book to those who are able to follow a slow plot. Considering how long it takes for the plot to develop, it's important to pay close attention to the small details that are presented during this novel. Overall, this was a fantastic choice! The end was quite the cliché, but it was still rather interesting to read. 7/10.
May 30, 2019
The book overall was okay to me it could've been better. Reading the back of the book for an overall summary of what the book was going to be really didn't help at all in this case. By the cover the book looks like it instantly has something to do with something horrific along with sleeping, this book didn't really give me a scary vibe at all. The characters were very emotional, the book was kinda all over the place. There was a lot of suspense that kept you waiting but it was hard for me to connect and gain a neutral amount of interest to the book to fully understand it. Some events in the book took to long to get to the point as if they were being dragged. I wouldn't say its a bad, horrible book but it could've been better but ill still recommend you to read it.
May 15, 2017
re read a creepy book I loved as a kid! did not disappoint
September 8, 2017
Pretty good short book for my reluctant YA ass. I really liked the relationship between Emma and Jake, and DRUGS! Bongs, weed, and a Big Box of Weed. Nice touch
September 29, 2018
Actual: 2.5 stars
September 20, 2019
Didn’t love it, but didn’t hate it. The story line was what kept me reading because I wanted know how it ends. Kind of confusing in some parts. But overall 3/5 stars.
April 11, 2021
This was a very quick read. I really enjoy Fahy's style. It was a good thriller/mystery that kept me guessing until the last few pages. A good read overall.
July 3, 2021
A book about teens who keep having strange dreams. Eventually people begin to die and you must read to find out what happens!
August 5, 2022
Quick, fun read. Good story. Great basis with enough supporting information that it could have continued or had a sequel.
August 26, 2012
There's a reason that NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, despite all of it's cheesiness, is, at its very core, frightening: because Freddie attacks people in their dreams, in their sleep, when they're at their most vulnerable. SLEEPLESS also tapped into that inherent attack method and it's why I think, even despite my ultimate disconnect with the story, it's still scary. Sleeping is something a person just can't not do. You have to sleep but that's also where you're being attacked and there's nothing you can do to prevent it. Anyone that doesn't think that's scary to at least some degree is lying. Liars!
Don't get me wrong; I liked SLEEPLESS. But there was something there keeping me from really connecting with the story, most likely the way it was told. It was third person limited and flipped between Emma and Jake throughout the book but it wasn't necessarily the POV that did it. I think it had more to do with the mechanical, almost dry execution of the story that kept me at bay. It kept me interested but I've been interested in newspaper articles too. It was more of a recounting of events with little effort at trying to make me scared. For a horror novel that's a pretty big deal. I WANT to be scared when I read horror. That's why I read it. Yeah, it's masochistic but quite frankly I liked being scared. If horror doesn't scare me then it's failed it's most integral part. I couldn't even feign frightened. Yes, the things happening to the kids was scary but I didn't feel it. I just read the story and carried on.
The New Orleans event laced throughout the book dragged on a bit too long without coming to its useful point. I get the technique but I don't think it worked to the story's advantage here. Of course it kept me reading but I was more annoyed with it toying with me than anything else. I wanted to know HOW it was relevant and it kept teasing me for chapters. I was irked. It ultimately wove itself in but it didn't end up being what I thought it could be. It slid down a more more cliched route that ended up being a bit contrived. No vengeance or cover-ups or anything like that. The ending was really ho-hum and a bit of a disappointment.
I liked Emma and Jake as characters. They were both probably the best parts of the book. They were just really well-fleshed out characters that I felt came alive on the page. I believed their actions, their words and how they made everything unfold around them. It worked. I think SLEEPLESS could have been an amazing horror story if the rest of the elements around Jake and Emma were as finely tuned as they were, not to mention the story would have been better if it ended up being something BIGGER than what it was. Again, disappointment, but Jake and Emma were good, with Emma taking the lead despite everything going against her. She was the glue of the group, making things happen instead of waiting for them to happen. If I knew I was about to kill someone in my sleep I'd like to think I'd take the same initiative and do something about it instead of just cowering in the corner. No cowering for Emma. Always a plus.
I think someone not as attuned to horror would find SLEEPLESS far scarier than I did but seeing how desensitized to it I am it fell kind of flat in the scare department. I wish it were scarier for me because it would have been amazing! I liked almost everything I was reading. All that was missing was me being scared. But it had just enough elements (like the execution of the voice) going against that amazingness to bring it down to something that was decent to read but didn't instill the horror like it should have. It will make you think twice about sleeping, and watching slides, I'm sure but the ending didn't lend itself to anything greater than another teen horror cliche. I liked it but that's about it.
Don't get me wrong; I liked SLEEPLESS. But there was something there keeping me from really connecting with the story, most likely the way it was told. It was third person limited and flipped between Emma and Jake throughout the book but it wasn't necessarily the POV that did it. I think it had more to do with the mechanical, almost dry execution of the story that kept me at bay. It kept me interested but I've been interested in newspaper articles too. It was more of a recounting of events with little effort at trying to make me scared. For a horror novel that's a pretty big deal. I WANT to be scared when I read horror. That's why I read it. Yeah, it's masochistic but quite frankly I liked being scared. If horror doesn't scare me then it's failed it's most integral part. I couldn't even feign frightened. Yes, the things happening to the kids was scary but I didn't feel it. I just read the story and carried on.
The New Orleans event laced throughout the book dragged on a bit too long without coming to its useful point. I get the technique but I don't think it worked to the story's advantage here. Of course it kept me reading but I was more annoyed with it toying with me than anything else. I wanted to know HOW it was relevant and it kept teasing me for chapters. I was irked. It ultimately wove itself in but it didn't end up being what I thought it could be. It slid down a more more cliched route that ended up being a bit contrived. No vengeance or cover-ups or anything like that. The ending was really ho-hum and a bit of a disappointment.
I liked Emma and Jake as characters. They were both probably the best parts of the book. They were just really well-fleshed out characters that I felt came alive on the page. I believed their actions, their words and how they made everything unfold around them. It worked. I think SLEEPLESS could have been an amazing horror story if the rest of the elements around Jake and Emma were as finely tuned as they were, not to mention the story would have been better if it ended up being something BIGGER than what it was. Again, disappointment, but Jake and Emma were good, with Emma taking the lead despite everything going against her. She was the glue of the group, making things happen instead of waiting for them to happen. If I knew I was about to kill someone in my sleep I'd like to think I'd take the same initiative and do something about it instead of just cowering in the corner. No cowering for Emma. Always a plus.
I think someone not as attuned to horror would find SLEEPLESS far scarier than I did but seeing how desensitized to it I am it fell kind of flat in the scare department. I wish it were scarier for me because it would have been amazing! I liked almost everything I was reading. All that was missing was me being scared. But it had just enough elements (like the execution of the voice) going against that amazingness to bring it down to something that was decent to read but didn't instill the horror like it should have. It will make you think twice about sleeping, and watching slides, I'm sure but the ending didn't lend itself to anything greater than another teen horror cliche. I liked it but that's about it.
April 16, 2014
UGH. Halloween week is just not working out for me this year! Sleepless is the second thriller/horror I’ve read for the countdown to the BEST HOLIDAY EVER, and it’s the second one that I’ve disliked greatly. The writing was so stilted, all but one of the characters were flat, and the whole thing was inexplicably boring.
I have no idea how Fahy managed to take a great-sounding concept (though similar to one of my favorite movies, Nightmare on Elm Street) and make it excruciatingly boring. But he did. This short, 200 page novel was positively filled with almost non-stop action, and yet I was bored to the point of falling asleep for most of it. And it took me almost a week to get through it. Much of this comes down to the writing, I think. It was SO awkward and stilted. It felt very young, with overly simple sentence structure. The third person present tense didn’t work for me either. You mix this young voice with more mature content and everything gets really weird. There are drugs and sexual situations, but the book felt like it was written for 12-year-olds. The whole thing was uncomfortable.
And the characters in Sleepless were flat as a board. A group of students who would otherwise have nothing to do with one another is brought together in helping rebuild homes after Katrina devastated New Orleans. While they’re there, they all witness the same traumatizing event and swear themselves to silence. Now, back home, something strange is happening to them – they’re sleepwalking, and are maybe responsible for the death’s of their fellow students. Even though this sounds intriguing, with limp characters, there’s no way to keep this plot afloat. They all – Lily, Emma, Catherine, Duncan – each have roles to fill and they never deviate from that role, or grow out of it. They’re simply the nerd, the girl next door, the cheerleader, etc. It was very formulaic, like a lot of 90s horror movies.
The only character that was the least bit interesting was Jake, resident pothead, drug dealer, and literature reader. He doesn’t really fit in at their school, his parents are disappointed by his choice in career and attire, and he’s basically just the social misfit. He develops a relationship with the girl next door, Emma, and it’s sweet and natural – lots of hormones and thinking that centers around sex sex sex – realistic, without the crazy “I love you” crap after one week. Jake does stand out a little because I don’t think I’ve ever read a book where the main character was a pothead – or did any drug, honestly, when the book was ABOUT drug use. I liked that he didn’t fit the mold everyone kind of forced him into.
I wasn’t scared at all through the duration of Sleepless. I admit that I didn’t really know who was behind everything, and that’s the main reason why I kept reading. I was actually kind of surprised by the culprit and how everything came together. But at the same time, I wonder how the police handled the use of voodoo and hypnotism. I don’t doubt that other readers will be engaged, but this one just wasn’t for me.
I have no idea how Fahy managed to take a great-sounding concept (though similar to one of my favorite movies, Nightmare on Elm Street) and make it excruciatingly boring. But he did. This short, 200 page novel was positively filled with almost non-stop action, and yet I was bored to the point of falling asleep for most of it. And it took me almost a week to get through it. Much of this comes down to the writing, I think. It was SO awkward and stilted. It felt very young, with overly simple sentence structure. The third person present tense didn’t work for me either. You mix this young voice with more mature content and everything gets really weird. There are drugs and sexual situations, but the book felt like it was written for 12-year-olds. The whole thing was uncomfortable.
And the characters in Sleepless were flat as a board. A group of students who would otherwise have nothing to do with one another is brought together in helping rebuild homes after Katrina devastated New Orleans. While they’re there, they all witness the same traumatizing event and swear themselves to silence. Now, back home, something strange is happening to them – they’re sleepwalking, and are maybe responsible for the death’s of their fellow students. Even though this sounds intriguing, with limp characters, there’s no way to keep this plot afloat. They all – Lily, Emma, Catherine, Duncan – each have roles to fill and they never deviate from that role, or grow out of it. They’re simply the nerd, the girl next door, the cheerleader, etc. It was very formulaic, like a lot of 90s horror movies.
The only character that was the least bit interesting was Jake, resident pothead, drug dealer, and literature reader. He doesn’t really fit in at their school, his parents are disappointed by his choice in career and attire, and he’s basically just the social misfit. He develops a relationship with the girl next door, Emma, and it’s sweet and natural – lots of hormones and thinking that centers around sex sex sex – realistic, without the crazy “I love you” crap after one week. Jake does stand out a little because I don’t think I’ve ever read a book where the main character was a pothead – or did any drug, honestly, when the book was ABOUT drug use. I liked that he didn’t fit the mold everyone kind of forced him into.
I wasn’t scared at all through the duration of Sleepless. I admit that I didn’t really know who was behind everything, and that’s the main reason why I kept reading. I was actually kind of surprised by the culprit and how everything came together. But at the same time, I wonder how the police handled the use of voodoo and hypnotism. I don’t doubt that other readers will be engaged, but this one just wasn’t for me.
October 20, 2013
Originally posted on Paranormal Sisters http://www.paranormalsisters.blogspot...
Sleepless has the perfect set up for a Halloween read. You've got the blood, the nightmares, the classmates killing each other, the voodoo magic, and a very suspenseful mystery on your hands. Sounds perfect right? Well it is entertaining and can hook any horror fan for sure!
I loved the buildup of the present mystery with the past hurts of the cast of characters we have here. This is told in two point of views, one male and one female, with them both secretly liking each other. What book doesn't have a little bit of romance, right? I was excited about this subplot however it fell short for me. They hardly show each other their feelings for each other, however the moment they share a bed it just explodes out of them. Wtf is what I was thinking but I'm getting a head of myself.
A group of students went down to New Orleans one summer to help rebuild but they ran into some trouble. I don't want to say much but you'll see right away what truly happened down there. However I promise you'll be stumped on what's or who is behind the happenings of the present trouble.
The crazy things that happened in New Orleans followed them back home. The kids from the group are now having nightmares, very real nightmares but they don't know this yet. They start noticing these nightmares are coming true so they ban together and work together, making sure when one falls asleep they can stop them if they stir. Cause when someone sleeps bad things happen. And here is when the two share a bed and their true feelings show. I think I would have liked it better if they showed their feelings more to each other before but they never do, so this was kind of sudden. So I wasn't a big fan and which is why this relationship fell a little short for me.
Overall, I did enjoy this. I was hooked, especially at night when I read this. Though I don't recommend if you have a very powerful imagination haha. Or if you want to go right ahead. These disturbing scenes can give a girl chills.
I think the only thing I didn’t like about this was why this person was doing this to the kids. I didn’t figure out who the person was till the author showed us but the reasoning behind it was just so lame. Like really?!? You’re doing all this for that, really?!? Seriously it needed more meat behind it to make this horror fan happy.
July 19, 2014
2.5 stars rounded up because the actual writing was pretty good. This was a fast read (about 3 hours), and I can't say I was bored or terribly annoyed reading it. It was just a little too difficult for me to buy into the concept and some of the things that the characters did. Maybe if it had been a book twice this length, with a lot more time to make me understand and believe the whys of it all, but meh.
The concept was neat: somehow people are being made to sleepwalk and "dream" terrible things, and somehow people are dying because of it. I also liked the characters well enough. There were a few times when I rolled my eyes at the typical teen stereotypes being used (cheerleader, druggie, popular kids, etc.), but I think it did a decent enough job showing characters who broke those stereotypes that I could forgive it. The connection between Emma and Jake was well done, too. It covered a pretty short period of time (a week, I think?), so they were already on the cusp of a relationship when it started, but the build-up was still good.
But reeeeally? When was the last time you went on a school-related summer trip to New Orleans to build homes for Habit for Humanity after Hurricane Katrina, I also felt that the climax was pretty weak. Sure, it was nice that the person behind it all wasn't as easily identified as the facts made it seem, but come on. Making everyone sleepwalk and kill people seems pretty extreme for
Glad I checked this one off the list of books-I-own-but-haven't-gotten-around-to-reading, but it's not going on the keeper shelf.
The concept was neat: somehow people are being made to sleepwalk and "dream" terrible things, and somehow people are dying because of it. I also liked the characters well enough. There were a few times when I rolled my eyes at the typical teen stereotypes being used (cheerleader, druggie, popular kids, etc.), but I think it did a decent enough job showing characters who broke those stereotypes that I could forgive it. The connection between Emma and Jake was well done, too. It covered a pretty short period of time (a week, I think?), so they were already on the cusp of a relationship when it started, but the build-up was still good.
But reeeeally? When was the last time you went on a school-related summer trip to New Orleans to build homes for Habit for Humanity after Hurricane Katrina, I also felt that the climax was pretty weak. Sure, it was nice that the person behind it all wasn't as easily identified as the facts made it seem, but come on. Making everyone sleepwalk and kill people seems pretty extreme for
Glad I checked this one off the list of books-I-own-but-haven't-gotten-around-to-reading, but it's not going on the keeper shelf.
June 18, 2014
What attracted me to Sleepless is the fact that it sounded very much like a horror movie. Turns out that it reads like one too which was my favourite aspect of this book. I picked Sleepless up because I wanted to read something creepy and twisted. Being a bit of a masochist, I actually enjoy a good scare. My favourite time to read this book was right before bed, when it was completely dark outside MUAHAHAHA. It was deliciously creepy.
In all seriousness though, Sleepless is a definite page turner. I for one was eager to find out what was happening to Emma and her friends and read this book fairly quickly as a result of my morbid curiosity. I'll admit that I was in the dark for pretty much the entirety of this book (no pun intended). The plot was unlike anything I'd read or watched before and so I really had no idea who or what to suspect and so on which is a good thing. There's nothing worse than being a short distance into a book or a movie and coming to the conclusion that you know exactly what's happening and what is to come. Who likes that? I know I don't prefer it which is why Sleepless keeping things under-wraps and well contained within a lot of action was a good thing. There was so much going on that I didn't really even have the time to just try and assess what was happening.
Plot wise, I have no complaints. The characters on the other hand were just okay. Now, I didn't read this book for great character development etc. I read it for the story, the plot which is I feel, this novel's main selling point. Sure, it delves into the lives of the characters, more so Emma and Jake, the two more stationary characters but aside from that, I honestly felt as if they could have been anyone and it wouldn't have affected the story all that much or me. I did really like Lily and Duncan (two of the supporting characters) mostly because I liked their relationship and the slight emphasis placed upon it.
Overall: If you like a good creepy story with an interesting take on things, I recommend Sleepless. It is a quick and entertaining read that will sustain your attention the whole way through.
In all seriousness though, Sleepless is a definite page turner. I for one was eager to find out what was happening to Emma and her friends and read this book fairly quickly as a result of my morbid curiosity. I'll admit that I was in the dark for pretty much the entirety of this book (no pun intended). The plot was unlike anything I'd read or watched before and so I really had no idea who or what to suspect and so on which is a good thing. There's nothing worse than being a short distance into a book or a movie and coming to the conclusion that you know exactly what's happening and what is to come. Who likes that? I know I don't prefer it which is why Sleepless keeping things under-wraps and well contained within a lot of action was a good thing. There was so much going on that I didn't really even have the time to just try and assess what was happening.
Plot wise, I have no complaints. The characters on the other hand were just okay. Now, I didn't read this book for great character development etc. I read it for the story, the plot which is I feel, this novel's main selling point. Sure, it delves into the lives of the characters, more so Emma and Jake, the two more stationary characters but aside from that, I honestly felt as if they could have been anyone and it wouldn't have affected the story all that much or me. I did really like Lily and Duncan (two of the supporting characters) mostly because I liked their relationship and the slight emphasis placed upon it.
Overall: If you like a good creepy story with an interesting take on things, I recommend Sleepless. It is a quick and entertaining read that will sustain your attention the whole way through.
September 6, 2009
The teenage years are trying times when it comes to sleeping. But what if you can't control your sleeping patterns anymore? What if you're plagued by nightmares and sleepwalking, but remember nothing when you wake up? What if you're doing terrible - murderous - things whilst asleep?
This is the concept that Thomas Fahy has explored and implemented in his chilling YA horror novel Sleepless. It's definitely a welcome addition to the 2009 collection of YA; especially since there aren't that many offerings in this genre at the moment. Fahy's diction choice and writing style is fairly fluid; the story is definitely easy to get into the swing of, even for reluctant readers.
Size-wise, at 224 pages, Sleepless isn't very thick. For the most part, this works well with the story; it's face-paced, it's got action, it moves along nicely. The suspense strings along the mystery, the two themes harmonizing well. Unexpected twists and seemingly irrelevant details tie in nicely and add a little extra ka-bam. With that being said though, the story could potentially have been lengthened in exchange for a little more character development, a little more depth.
As it is though, although not quite as much intimacy is established, the characters are still relatively interesting. Perhaps Fahy intended it this way - a sort of distance from the characters to keep the audience guessing, to wonder at their next steps, to highlight the idea of how even if you think you know someone, you could be wrong. Deadly wrong.
The alternating perspectives is actually something that Fahy pulls off very well in Sleepless. It enhances the mystery while providing more insight, which is always an impressive feat. Speaking of which, there seems to be a nice balance between horror and mystery as well. It's not actually hardcore scary, so if that's what you're concerned about, it's not something too major to worry about. The twist at the end was very well implemented, nicely executed. So to speak.
With Sleepless, Fahy has crafted a fast-paced, suspenseful thriller. And that is one gorgeously chilling cover.
This is the concept that Thomas Fahy has explored and implemented in his chilling YA horror novel Sleepless. It's definitely a welcome addition to the 2009 collection of YA; especially since there aren't that many offerings in this genre at the moment. Fahy's diction choice and writing style is fairly fluid; the story is definitely easy to get into the swing of, even for reluctant readers.
Size-wise, at 224 pages, Sleepless isn't very thick. For the most part, this works well with the story; it's face-paced, it's got action, it moves along nicely. The suspense strings along the mystery, the two themes harmonizing well. Unexpected twists and seemingly irrelevant details tie in nicely and add a little extra ka-bam. With that being said though, the story could potentially have been lengthened in exchange for a little more character development, a little more depth.
As it is though, although not quite as much intimacy is established, the characters are still relatively interesting. Perhaps Fahy intended it this way - a sort of distance from the characters to keep the audience guessing, to wonder at their next steps, to highlight the idea of how even if you think you know someone, you could be wrong. Deadly wrong.
The alternating perspectives is actually something that Fahy pulls off very well in Sleepless. It enhances the mystery while providing more insight, which is always an impressive feat. Speaking of which, there seems to be a nice balance between horror and mystery as well. It's not actually hardcore scary, so if that's what you're concerned about, it's not something too major to worry about. The twist at the end was very well implemented, nicely executed. So to speak.
With Sleepless, Fahy has crafted a fast-paced, suspenseful thriller. And that is one gorgeously chilling cover.
June 3, 2014
This book was a fun, quick read to pursue while I was away on vacation for a weekend. It wasn't deep, but I enjoyed it well enough. There were some moments of true creepiness, and I really liked the concept of it, but there were some trip-ups that kept me from loving it.
Likes:
- The concept — — seems really cool! And the dream sequences were pretty eerie.
- There's some very good tension in it, especially when .
- The slow build of the love interest was pretty well done.
Dislikes:
- The language describing the pot smoking was, at times, pretty fuddy-duddy and unintentionally hilarious.
- The villain's motivations weren't very clear at all and didn't make much sense.
- For the inclusion of such a racy and taboo theme of it wasn't explored very well. It was just… there, and I'm not quite sure what purpose it served.
- The powers that sound so interesting are barely discussed.
- Why voodoo? Whyyyy? It seemed like such a forced addition, and hit so many tired stereotypes — the such as the "voodoo mama" — that I rolled my eyes often when it was discussed.
As for writing, it's usually nice and quick, but stumbles on repeated, overly involved descriptions of places… which seems odd when some, more important details aren't mentioned until halfway through! Also, there's some funny stuff with the tenses…
All and all, I had fun, but I don't think this is something I'd read again, and wouldn't recommend widely. Looking for a quickie, though? Have at it.
Likes:
- The concept — — seems really cool! And the dream sequences were pretty eerie.
- There's some very good tension in it, especially when .
- The slow build of the love interest was pretty well done.
Dislikes:
- The language describing the pot smoking was, at times, pretty fuddy-duddy and unintentionally hilarious.
- The villain's motivations weren't very clear at all and didn't make much sense.
- For the inclusion of such a racy and taboo theme of it wasn't explored very well. It was just… there, and I'm not quite sure what purpose it served.
- The powers that sound so interesting are barely discussed.
- Why voodoo? Whyyyy? It seemed like such a forced addition, and hit so many tired stereotypes — the such as the "voodoo mama" — that I rolled my eyes often when it was discussed.
As for writing, it's usually nice and quick, but stumbles on repeated, overly involved descriptions of places… which seems odd when some, more important details aren't mentioned until halfway through! Also, there's some funny stuff with the tenses…
All and all, I had fun, but I don't think this is something I'd read again, and wouldn't recommend widely. Looking for a quickie, though? Have at it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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