Deathly Dreams

by C.C. Solomon

First there are the nightmares.
Then, there’s the violence.
Next, the loss of control.
Finally, death in real life.

Evan’s return after six months comes with a dark secret he won’t share, leaving a rift in his relationship with Jazmine. When his long-lost brother, who may present another hurtle for the pair, comes knocking, the couples reunion becomes even rockier.

However, he isn’t the only one withholding deadly information.

Jazmine kept a busy life during Evan’s departure, including joining a dangerous, fighting task force. However, her new job might cost her life when she and her teammates are afflicted with a dream curse.

When Jazmine’s affliction begins to show signs of progression, Evan and Jazmine must face secrets that could test their relationship. With the clock running, the two must race to find out who is behind the possible curse before time runs out.

When your dreams can literally kill you, where can you escape?

290 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 17, 2022

About the author

C.C. is a USA Today Bestselling author originally from Baltimore, Maryland. She has actively written fiction since the age of eleven. She is an avid “chick lit” reader and urban fantasy fan. In 2012, she participated as a writer and actress in the 48 hour film project. In her other life, she works in Equal Employment and Civil Rights for the Federal Government. Before becoming a public servant, C.C. briefly practiced law after graduating from the University of Maryland School of Law. In her free time she is obsessed with travel, horror, anime and K-dramas!

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Reviews

[Kristen Lewendon · Rating 5 out of 5]

It hurt my heart to start reading this book and see how very disconnected Jazmine and Evan had become. They have an uphill climb to find their way back to one another while also solving they mystery of the killing dreams. Like the previous book, this one had me hooked from the moment I started reading. Not only was I desperate to see them find a cure for the dream affliction, but I needed to see Jazmine and Evan find their center again. This story has lots of engaging characters; some old, but some we get to meet for the first time. I’m not sure where the author is planning on taking us next, but I know I want to be first in line to take that ride.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author.

[Cath · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book two of the Paranormal Rising series and the main character is Jaz (Jazmine), who from the age of nine has had a deadly touch, which killed her own father, whilst her older sister Paige was gifted the power to heal with her touch. Jaz had been unable to touch anyone since, apart from her sister Paige and brother Theo, who is now a living zombie after the event which gave some humans paranormal powers, whilst fifty percent of the population was wiped out by a virus. When she met vampire Evan, a single punch at him, turned him to a living vampire, with a beating heart and able to eat normal food, but only when he was nearby. He became her boyfriend but disappeared on her for some six months, shortly after they had met, which left her broken and having to fill her life with something else. She joined a local task force of fighters keeping their Federation town safe from dangerous beings. Her deadly touch was being used to stop others being hurt and she finally had a purpose for something she had only seen as a curse in her life.
But her nights had been marred by strange nightmares, which leave her with real wounds from her nightmares still there when she awakes. Something strange is happening and she soon finds out that it is not just her who has been having these nightmares! Evan has returned after six months and their relationship is still tense as he holds back some secrets about his time with his long lost brother Gavin in Philly, whilst she keeps her own secrets from him as well. Jaz and her team are now sleep deprived, scared to sleep and have another cursed dream or nightmare, especially finding out that there is a number of these nightmares, before it turns deadly and people don’t survive their night time injuries. The dream curse affliction is spreading all over the world and seems to have no end. Jaz is getting worse and she and Evan finally reveal all of their secrets to each other. His brother turns up with news of the curse and its possible source, a nightmare god. How they are to battle and defeat a god, if that is even possible, is beyond them all. Evan refuses to be intimate with Jaz, not wanting their first time to be when they are all under pressure and may not survive what is coming.
It turns out that Jaz’s power is wanted by many, except herself. She wonders what life is like without it and when the chance happens for her to get this wish, it may have more serious repercussions for those she loves, than she could imagine. She must learn to love her own deadly curse, if she is to overcome the hidden curse in her dreams and many others. But it isn’t something that she can fight alone and everyone will have to help, if any of them are to survive. Because when your own dreams can kill you, staying awake for ever is not a solution! You have to face your fears to be able to live freely. The story ends with a classic battle against evil at its core with Jaz, Evan, Paige, Gavin and others all coming together to fight a common foe. Jaz can’t escape her powers and must learn to love them and evolve them to do more good. A touching tale with lives that have changed forever after the supernatural event and virus, and powers that need exploring to their full extent, with little or no instruction. A good read to see what difference these powers make and what can be done with them, either good or bad. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.

[Book Life With Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deathly Dreams, the second book in the Paranormal Rising series by C.C.. Solomon was a fabulous continuation of the first and a definite must read for any YA paranormal magic loving romance fan! Solomon is phenomenal at building new engaging worlds, developing characters that pull you right in and creating captivating plots and this one was no exception.

This story picks up right after the first and continues down a heartbreaking road of secrets and lies and broken relationships in a world that leaves you questioning a lot. Our fearless heroine Jaz has gone through a lot in the first book and this one is no different with the return of Evan. (Side note: I love how she makes him work for the privilege of being back in her life and doesn’t easily cave!) but their reconnection may need to wait as they work together to try and find out what exactly is going on and who’s responsible behind the magic wrecking havoc and turning nightmares into deadly dreams.

I loved the growth that Jaz in particular goes through throughout this story and seeing how her powers are evolving as she grows—Both mentally and physically. And I loved how we got to see a bit more of all of their relationships and inner strengths and get to know all the characters a bit more. This is a story of family, friendship and the bonds that tie us together through love and connections and I absolutely loved it!

This story was definitely enthralling and will hook you right from the start as you hope desperately for their tenacious team to find a cure/resolution to the current mystery as well for Jazmine and Evan to resolve their issues and come together. I absolutely loved the intrigue of this plot, the endless action as well as the entire cast of side characters and can’t wait to see what happens next! A definite must read for any paranormal fantasy multicultural mystery loving fan!

[Arabella Auberon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The series is good, and the characters are interesting, but I’m having trouble staying interested in the story, and after a bit I just don’t really care much either way. It’s written just fine and everything is in the right place, I think it’s just not the right time for me. Might be the right time for you though.

5 ⭐️s= Perfect story, exciting, engrossing, well developed complex characters, solid plot with few to no holes, descriptive environments and place settings, great mystery elements, realistic dialogue, believable reactions and behaviors, loved this story so much I’d buy it.

4 ⭐️s= Great story, highly entertaining and enjoyable, exciting storyline, well developed characters and settings, a few discrepancies but nothing that can’t be overlooked. Believable actions and reactions, realistic dialogue, a book I would consider buying.

3 ⭐️s= Good but not great story, noticeable discrepancies, grammatical and or spelling errors, undeveloped characters or unbelievable behaviors but still readable. Nothing majorly wrong with the story, just not interesting enough for me to continue. Would not buy the book.

2 ⭐️s= Not offended by the story, but not interested enough to finish. Unbelievable characters, poor writing, many mistakes, big holes or discrepancies, many spelling or grammatical errors, characters not believable, unlikeable or TSTL.

1 ⭐️= Offensive, extremely poor writing, horrible characters, victimization, gaslighting, blatant abuse, unnecessary violence, child endangerment, or any other highly objectionable behaviors by Main characters. Would never buy this book, and do not recommend it to anyone.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Beba Andric · Rating 4 out of 5]

This second installment was a tad slower than the previous book, well the first quarter that is, I could feel myself drifting off slightly at times but It's back on track with the pace after that as a new intrique develops. Most of us suffer from nightmares at some stage of our lives but nightmares don't cause physical harm, or do they? Jaz and co race to find the culprit, the reason for the nightmares and lo and behold, what emerges, or rather who, is shocking! Travis, the irritant from the previous book, shows such growth, he actually becomes likeable. And Paige, who was controlling, almost cold, has been redeemed, in my eyes at least, her prior attitude, (and boy did she have one!) stemmed from her fear for her sister. I suppose I would also be ultra protective if my sister could kill with a simple touch! It was so cool to see how both Paige's and Jaz's power changes as they try out new ways to use them. Gavin, Evan's brother is a hoot! Nothing gets him down, his "I'm God's gift to everyone" is hysterical, not in a nasty way, more in a comical way, nicely done! I enjoyed the growth that Jaz goes through, no longer the scared teenager but someone with a conviction and with strength. And the nunniest ever is her relationship with Evan, so cute, so tender, so loving. Other than the beginning, I enjoyed the build up, the storyline and the beautiful relationships. And let me not forget to tell you about the awesome fight scenes, especially at the end! Just oooooo! Exciting!

[Hawkeye K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jazmine and Evan are back as they both deal with new aspects of their power, who knew even Vampires can learn something new about themselves. Jasmine is developing new skills that her sister doesn't like, nor does she care for the group that she is working with. Evan is learning more about who he really is thanks to his brother. The story has you pulling for our young lovers but will the secrets and their powers keep them apart? Will friends and family members pull them in different directions? A lot of questions will be answered as new ones will appear for others in the story. Yet the most important question to be answered is whether are not Jasmine and Evan will get their happily ever after in this new and strange world.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Seraphia Bunny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deathly Dreams is the second book in C.C. Solomon's Paranormal Rising series and things pick up where book one left off. The pace is a bit slower for a quarter of the book, but the pace begins to pick up again. So, if the pacing is a thing for you just hang in there. It gets better.
Jaz is struggling with a lot in this book. Things with Evan didn't "end" well when they parted ways, and now things are taking a darker turn. Evan is keeping secrets, and his brother's return is only complicating matters. Can things get any more complicated for these two characters? Glad you asked because the answer is yes! LOL!
This book is packed with ups and downs and I'm here hoping for more! I'm rating this book 4.5 out of 5 stars.

[Lene Blackthorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Secrets on both Jazmine and Evan's sides cause rifts between the two, especially due to Evan's 6-month absence and Jazmine's new lifestyle. However, now Jaz is in extreme danger - her nightmares have the potential to harm and even kill her for real. Would they be able to find out what is behind the deadly dreams and how to stop the threat?
Disturbances in the relationship between Jaz and Evan and the dangerous dreams drive the story fast forward. The story flows at high speed, ever changing, escalating the emotions both naturally and plot-driven. Jazmine and Evan change a lot under the circumstances, as well as Paige and Matt and Theo, and Gavin is a nice addition to the cast. A read full of excitement.

[Jennifer Soppe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sent dreams both dark and light to the reader

Jazmine, a website and game developer, has been training with an attack force while waiting for Evan, a bartender, to return from his trip to find himself. As the story progresses a mission goes sideways, their relationship might follow, and learning to handle the hand dealt by fate may be easier said than done C.C. Solomon sent dreams both dark and light to the reader in Deathly Dreams. The characters have quite the personal journey in this book, time will tell if they can save this new world that they are living in.

I received a free copy of the book from the author. I had the opportunity to review or not.

[Becky Brook · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book 2 of CC's Paranormal Rising series (book 1 was Deathly Touch).
I think this universe is well created and unique. This story was a bit scary at times (the bad guy is a Nightmare Creature), but manageable for me; the ending had great teamwork and was very satisfying. The characters are all different, realistic and likeable. Well, not all likeable, obviously, but the main characters are :D The relationship isn't all smooth sailing, which I like, but it doesn't take forever to sort out their issues either :)
If you liked the first book in the series, you'll enjoy this too. If you haven't read the first book yet, then go do that now, it's great!

[Ljay · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this is the second in a 2-book series, I didn't really feel like I missed much not having read the first one. It was pretty seamless like that. Though it was a YA read, it was mature. I really liked all the main characters. Evan and Jazmine were a reasonably solid pair. Still some growing pains, but solid. Also, the secondary characters were cute, sexy, fierce and fun. There were magic powers, magic beings and an epic final battle! It was also a pretty good paced and engaging story! Interesting world-building concept the author created. It was a fun read!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Chante · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just as we think Jaz and Evan are finally going to have their chance to figure out their relationship, hurdles pop up. They each keep a secret and it unknowingly places them in danger. This new danger is something they need to face together though and it's really interesting to see how their relationship matures and their connection becomes deeper in order to conquer the situation. I enjoyed the side characters' stories - they had some really good humour. It was a good and adventurous book to end off this story. Well done to the author.

[BLT · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book two picks up a few days after book one, but it is not all rainbows and hearts. Secrets are being kept, by both and how can a relationship progress on half truths?
I really appreciate that Jaz is a realist and doesn't fall at Evan's feet with moon eyes, she makes him work for it and if he can prove himself then and only then can they move forward. And then you must read to fill in the gaps, but I cannot give away all the juicy bits, but they are good and juicy.
The end is lovely and the second end (just like a hobbits second lunch) is a nice little teaser.

[Sonya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paranormal Rising series continues with the second installment by C.C. Solomen. This book seamlessly picks up where the first book leaves off. Evan and Jazmine have to work together to find out who is responsible for the chaos of the dream curse. Can they find out before it is to late? With both of them keeping secrets that put them in danger, can they find their way back to each other? I loved how Jazmine makes Evan work for the right to be in her life. Utterly adored these characters and hope to read more about some of the secondary characters soon as well.

[Chey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evan is back after six months away and has a secret he can never tell. Jazmine has her own secrets, and the pair may not be able to get past them.

We see Jazmine and Evan back again, but this time they're not the happy couple they once were. Secrets have pushed them apart and it's heartbreaking to see them so out of touch with each other. The writing has improved since the first book, but still falls flat in many places. I would've liked to see more of Jazmine and Evan's story play out a little more, since the focus shifted away from that part, even though it felt like a huge plot point.

[VANESSA BARRITT · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yay jazmine and Evan are back, but so is stress and nightmares that have a habit of attacking poor jazmine.

Yep have to admit as much as Paige means well she is still an annoying character for me, she acts so controlling when it comes to jazmine.

What a battle scene so hooked was so hard to put the book down.

I'm glad Evan and jazmine sorted themselves out and Gavin omg he sounds like a right hoot.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book!!! I loved how jasmine's life really started to take off. Solomon shows us so many important things in this book. Family bonds. The bonds of love. She shows us working together we can accomplish anything. The love between jasmine and Evan is precious. I couldn't put it down. It was such a smooth easy flowing read. And the ending wow is there gonna be more in this series or maybe a spin off ?

[R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 2 doesn't disappoint. Hooked from the start, I loved all the twists and turns through who was responsible for the events occurring. I liked the way the characters pulled together and enjoyed all the different supernaturals coming together. Hope there is more adventures to come as I'd love to know what happens next. I really liked the development of Jaz's character and her relationships with everyone.

[Debbie Eyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

So we pick up after book one but not all is sunshine and roses! Secrets are being kept and half truths are told and Jaz and Evan just cannot seem to sort things out and catch a break! It’s an exciting story that grabs you and does not let go as they both realise they must face things as the danger mounts up. Full of adventure, a little fun, this is an entertaining 2nd book and a great addition to the series.

[Lynn Stifle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book two in the Paranormal Rising Series and picks up where book one left off. Jazmine and Evan can’t seem to catch a break, and with them both keeping secrets, it places them in danger. Now the two must work together to find who is responsible for the dream curse before it’s too late. A terrific read and one I recommend.

[Joy Whiteside · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an awesome read that took me away from my everyday reality to another world in which I could lose myself. It moves along at a speed which is perfect for the story. The characters are amazing and you feel as though you know them and by the time the book is done you are loving them. This book needs to be read, you will not be sorry that you did.

[Amy Hannagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lovely conclusion to the story of Jaz and Evan. It has the same feel as the first book with the hints of mystery and things are not easy for our main characters. They have secrets, new characters to deal with and much to overcome in their quest for an HEA. This is a well plotted story all throughout both books and I really enjoyed them.

[Lexi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one picks up a little after the first book did. It was enjoyable though a bit slower in pace than the previous book. I did enjoy the fact that Jazz didn’t fall head over heals and do everything Evan said. But these two definitely have some serious hurdles to get over. They have to be honest with each other and learn to trust better. The premise was very interesting and I enjoyed the story.

[Roslyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms. Solomon continues the story of Jazmine and Evan in book 2. There are so many secrets that Jazmine and Evan are keeping from each other. They must learn to trust each other to solve the problems that they are facing. I loved how the story evolved and the characters growth. I enjoyed reading book 2.

[Susan May · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story. It sucked me right in. Jazmine is a website and gaming developer. She trains with an attack force while she waits for Evan the bartender to return. When he does return, they can't connect yet because they need to find out who is behind the magic that is causing chaos and turning nightmares into deadly dreams. A great story.

[June McKibben · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely love the dynamic between Jazmine and Evan. They are still holding secrets close to the vest and now the must face some to save the people they love. They have to figure out who has cursedbthem before its to late

[Alina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a great book and series so far, filled with fun, 3D characters that pull you into a dangerous world, with a dangerous objective. The romance is believable and enjoyable.
Creative and entertaining, a recommended read.

[Joy Lynch · Rating 5 out of 5]

CC Solomon gives us a wonderful finale to this fantastic duet! Jaz and Evan continue to grow and evolve in this beautifully written story with complex characters and plot twists that keep you turning pages throughout. I loved reading this book and highly recommend the duet! Don't miss out!!

[Kira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Taking off right where book one ended, Deathly Dreams held nothing back for our main characters Jasmine and Evan. They have been through a lot and things seem to only get worse. But not all is lost and it was great seeing these two grow together throughout! I am excited to see what is next!

[Rachel Joi Maples · Rating 5 out of 5]

one with a touch that kills, one with touch that heals, an undead vampire, a zombie, and a gargoyle all trying to help their world while being targeted by an ancient being … twists and turns aplenty … fabulous book!