Kirkus Reviews

A teenage girl suffering from a sleep disorder finds that an experimental drug cure comes with some unexpected and potentially deadly side effects. High school senior Sarah Reyes is a "good and appropriately ambitious soldier" in the army of queen bee Gigi. All's well until Sarah almost snaps Gigi's neck during a sleepover, the result of a REM sleep behavior disorder that renders her unable to control her actions while she sleeps. She physically acts out her dreams. Sarah, who is multiracial ("a hint of Latin America, a dash of Dutch colonialist, plus a generous helping of Southeast Asia"), becomes a social pariah after the incident with Gigi. But she has the support of her ex-boyfriend Jamie, who is black, and her white best friend, Tessa. Sarah also becomes involved with Wes, a new white guy at school. But Sarah knows she's seen Wes somewhere before—in one of her nightmares. When Sarah tries an experimental drug to cure her disorder, the strange side effects are way more than she bargained for. Both savvy and vulnerable, Sarah draws readers in with her dry wit as she laments her fall from social grace. Well-placed social media and pop-culture references further anchor them in Sarah's increasingly surreal world. The paranormal elements of the story are suspenseful and surprising, but the book's otherwise solid pacing lags at times during the dreamscape scenes. A fresh, mostly successful thriller about vengeance, loyalty, and friendship. (Paranormal thriller. 12-16)

School Library Journal (Sat Jul 01 00:00:00 CDT 2017)

Gr 9 Up-arah Reyes isn't having a great year. She has a rare REM sleep behavior disorder that causes her to act out in her sleep and requires that she be tied down every night. When Sarah spends the night with her friends and falls asleep before being strapped down, she almost breaks the neck of one of the most popular girls in school. Now ostracized, Sarah is determined to find a way to move past her disorder with an experimental new drug. As a result of the drug, her dreams become more vivid, but she doesn't move a muscle. Sarah meets an unlikely friend, Wes Nolan, a new guy at school who also has a sleep disorder. While on this new drug, Sarah and Wes can possess the bodies of others under the influence of the drug who don't have sleep disorders. Wes suggests the two of them take revenge on the people who have been making Sarah's life awful. But as Wes starts to make more serious and dangerous plans with their classmates' bodies, Sarah wonders whether it's time to stop. Told from Sarah's point of view, this narrative presents her dreams and reality. Sarah is a sympathetic character, even as she's getting her revenge. The secondary characters are more peripheral, although Sarah's best friend and ex-boyfriend are a little more fleshed out. References to drugs, drinking, and sex make this title more appropriate for older teens. The ending leaves the possibility of a sequel open. VERDICT Recommend for fans of Lisa McMann's "Wake" series or where light science fiction novels are popular.Natalie Struecker, Atlantic Public Library, IA

Voice of Youth Advocates (Thu Apr 28 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

Instead of entering REM sleep in a paralyzed state, Sarah remains capable of motion and acts out her dreams while sleeps. On a rare sleepover to the lacrosse captain, Gigi’s, house, Sarah dreams she meets a boy and of strangling a deer. She is awakened by cries of terrors as she is strangling Gigi. Now a social pariah, only best friend Tessa and ex-boyfriend Jamie dare to be seen with her. When new student, Wes, shows up looking exactly like the boy she met in her dream, Sarah returns to the sleep clinic and is enrolled in a new drug study. This drug allows Sarah to enter the dreams of those who also have taken this drug. Wes possesses the same capabilities. They plot to punish Gigi and the other mean girls. As they increase their drug use, they grow their powers to include possessing individuals. As collateral damage is inflicted on others, Sarah realizes she cannot have both peaceful sleep and dream possessions. With Wes wanting more revenge, can Sarah escape the monster she has created? The high school mean girls trope may be a cliché, but it is effectively used by Cadenhead to tell a story of revenge and redemption. Both Sarah and Wes are deeply flawed characters who make incredibly bad decisions. Wes is a master manipulator and a very controlling boyfriend, and their relationship is unhealthy. Sarah is sympathetic at the beginning, but her slide into anger and revenge makes her less so. She redeems herself by the conclusion, however, in an entirely predictable way. Multiple references to drug dealing and drug use occur through the story.—Etienne Vallée. Sleeper is an astonishing page-turner that grabs attention from the first scene to the last word. The main characters are well fleshed-out and the supporting characters contribute to moving the plot along. The connections and ability to navigate through dreams is a fresh approach to an action novel. Fans of adventures and of mysteries will appreciate this book. 4Q, 4P.—Kobi Dostie, Teen Reviewer.