Blog Tour/Review: The Dreamosphere by Laura Stoddard

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The Dreamosphere, by Laura Stoddard
2014, 208p, Middle-Grade Fantasy
My Rating=4 Stars
Source: Received copy from publisher for an honest review



What if dreams don’t disappear when we wake up? Haunted by her younger sister’s death, and her unwitting role in the incident, 11-year-old Gwenevere Stoker takes solace in the Dreamosphere—a dimension where all dreams still exist. But when someone begins destroying her dreams, Gwen must find the culprit—or risk losing all her happiness forever. Bask in the mystery and imagination of dreams in this touching, funny, mind-bending children’s tale that encompasses themes of grief, friendship, family, healing, and grand adventure!

EXCERPT

"What do you think happens to your dreams after you wake up?"

Gwen shrugged distractedly, too disoriented by her sudden arrival in the remarkable setting to focus. "I dunno. They disappear?"

The unblinking gray eyes of her young companion flashed as she leaned forward. "Incorrect. Every dream you've ever had still exists. All of them. They reside in a dimension called the Dreamosphere. It's where we are right now, as a matter of fact. Each dream basically exists as its own world, or dream-orb. There are thousands and thousands of them, connected like drops of dew on a gigantic spider web. Every dream you've ever had, Gwen. They're all up here. And you can visit them any time you want."

Tabitha, the enigmatic child who shares this information, has some even more shocking news. Gwen’s dreamosphere is in danger. Someone has been hacking into it—destroying her dream orbs, erasing pieces of her past, and affecting Gwen in more ways than she realizes. Together, Gwen and Tabitha travel through the outlandish landscape of Gwen’s dream worlds to find the person responsible. What will happen to Gwen when all her dreams are gone? What critical clues lie within the pages of her dream journal? And what does Edgar Allan Poe have to do with it all?

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If you read the excerpt and watch the trailer, you'll have a good idea of what the book is about. First of all, the cover is absolutely gorgeous. Gwen's dreams are vivid and creative and sometimes quite horrifying. Gwen starts out with a chip on her shoulder and is pretty miserable. We soon learn that her sister died and she feels that she was to blame. She's also been having a hard time dreaming lately. She meets Tabitha who helps her understand the Dreamosphere and there are still plenty of questions to be answered. 

I really liked Gwen! Even though she was sulky at the beginning, I understood why and was anxious to see how she would turn it all around. Gwen makes some new friends in her journey and also has to deal with Xander, the bully. She is also able to come to terms with what happened to her sister. The villain took me by surprise and I thought that part was well done. 

Overall, I enjoyed this story and I know my 10-year-old daughter will absolutely love it! The author definitely leaves an opening at the end for a second book and I would love to see where it goes from here. There are some great questions at the very end which will help spark discussions about dreams, bullies, small town living and Edgar Allan Poe. This is a great start to a fun and creative new middle-grade series!

Laura Stoddard was born in Idaho and spent her formative years running amok in the great outdoors. She received her bachelors degree in English Literature from Arizona State University. After being rejected from the masters program for creative writing she decided that she didn't need a masters degree to tell her she could write, so she started really dedicating her time to finishing the story she'd started months earlier, with the goal of writing a complete novel, and getting it published. The result is her debut novel, The Dreamosphere, for which her own vivid, bizarre, and incomprehensible dreams provided the inspiration.  Laura is an adrenaline junkie and will try anything once--or twice--or maybe three times. She can already check whitewater rafting, going down in a shark cage, and skydiving (three times) off of her list. Oh, and getting Lasik. It was five minutes of terror. She enjoys hiking, rowing, reading classic literature, embarking on new adventures and hobbies, volunteering regularly, and spending time with family. She currently resides in Phoenix, Ariz.

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