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andypeloquinauthor's review
3.0
I wanted to like this book, but I have to say that it was a bit too simplistic for my tastes.
The writing is average-quality at best, with a lot of typos, spelling and grammar mistakes, and no real flow. There is no tension, no suspense, and hardly any real depth to the book. It's the kind of story that you'd expect to find in a VERY SMALL children's book. It is written for children, but I've come to expect more from children's books--look at the Redwall series, the Harry Potter novels, the Percy Jackson books, etc. Kids are smart enough to read writing of good quality, and this just didn't meet the standard.
This story lacked any real depth. Kids need to be more than just entertained, but they need to be brought along on the journey of someone who is sharing the life they are leading. All of the best children's books teach lessons subtly, but this book is little more than an interesting story.
The writing is average-quality at best, with a lot of typos, spelling and grammar mistakes, and no real flow. There is no tension, no suspense, and hardly any real depth to the book. It's the kind of story that you'd expect to find in a VERY SMALL children's book. It is written for children, but I've come to expect more from children's books--look at the Redwall series, the Harry Potter novels, the Percy Jackson books, etc. Kids are smart enough to read writing of good quality, and this just didn't meet the standard.
This story lacked any real depth. Kids need to be more than just entertained, but they need to be brought along on the journey of someone who is sharing the life they are leading. All of the best children's books teach lessons subtly, but this book is little more than an interesting story.
amethystbookwyrm's review against another edition
3.0
Thanks to Michelle Lee Murray for giving me this book to review
In the land of Mystica there were 6 wizards, three light and three dark, but Midnight, one of the dark wizards got to power hungry and accidentally trapped them all in stones. Centuries later a curious boy finds one of the stones and releases Midnight on Mystica. The only person who can find the light wizard Lightning, who can stop Midnight, is collage girl Miranda who has been dreaming of Mystica, but is she able to help in time?
The Dream Walker is an enjoyable light fantasy novella, which has a fairytale feel to it, as it has adventure, magic and a battle between good and evil. Saying that the characters are lacking in depth and I felt a distance from the story and I could not connect to it. Also I normally don’t notice grammar mistakes but the book has quite a few but with a few tweaks this book could be really good.
Miranda is a sweet and strong girl who I would have liked to learn more about, but she did accept everything very easily. The main secondary character is Walking Bear who is protective and never breaks a promise, and I thought he would Miranda’s love interest but he wasn’t, at least in book.
This is a short sweet book and I look forward to the next book The Dream Walker Returns. I would recommend The Dream Walker to fans of light fantasy novels.
This and my other reviews can be found at Amethyst Bookwyrm
In the land of Mystica there were 6 wizards, three light and three dark, but Midnight, one of the dark wizards got to power hungry and accidentally trapped them all in stones. Centuries later a curious boy finds one of the stones and releases Midnight on Mystica. The only person who can find the light wizard Lightning, who can stop Midnight, is collage girl Miranda who has been dreaming of Mystica, but is she able to help in time?
The Dream Walker is an enjoyable light fantasy novella, which has a fairytale feel to it, as it has adventure, magic and a battle between good and evil. Saying that the characters are lacking in depth and I felt a distance from the story and I could not connect to it. Also I normally don’t notice grammar mistakes but the book has quite a few but with a few tweaks this book could be really good.
Miranda is a sweet and strong girl who I would have liked to learn more about, but she did accept everything very easily. The main secondary character is Walking Bear who is protective and never breaks a promise, and I thought he would Miranda’s love interest but he wasn’t, at least in book.
This is a short sweet book and I look forward to the next book The Dream Walker Returns. I would recommend The Dream Walker to fans of light fantasy novels.
This and my other reviews can be found at Amethyst Bookwyrm
aly36's review
4.0
This book to me is a mystical journey. I enjoyed the wizards and magic and everything that comes with it in these pages. I think if you like to read about magic and wizards and dragons, you should read this series. I think this was a very fun book for me. * I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
nikkiethereader's review
5.0
Midnight wants to rule the land, but to do so he has to get rid of the other wizards. He gets lucky and finds a spell, but it backfires and it traps him along with every other magical creature. Only a dream walker can release them. Will the dream walker ever be found to release them?
I truly loved this story. I thought it was adorable. On one hand, I feel like I'd of preferred it in first person because I got a little confused with sudden character switches. On the other, I think it was great he way it was. I think it's a great story for people of all ages to enjoy. I fully recommend it and can't wait to read the rest of them!
I truly loved this story. I thought it was adorable. On one hand, I feel like I'd of preferred it in first person because I got a little confused with sudden character switches. On the other, I think it was great he way it was. I think it's a great story for people of all ages to enjoy. I fully recommend it and can't wait to read the rest of them!
becsa's review
3.0
When Mortimer picks up a stone he has no idea the power he has unleashed from a time in Mystica when wizards kept the balance of power over the land and there was an equal divide between good and evil.
Miranda is in class when she feels as though she is being called as someone needs help. Miranda then begins a journey in another time and place and must decide who is there to help her with her journey and who is there to stop her so she can help the King of Mystica.
I honestly had some trouble getting into the book and had to remind myself that it is a YA book. That being said I usually love YA. I found that I never got attached to any of the characters in the book and everything happened so fast that I felt like I was being forced along.
I liked the character of Miranda but felt like I didn't get to know her enough outside of the quest and therefore felt like she was just forced into the quest. I would have liked to know a bit more about her outside of what she was doing to save the King of Mystica.
The other characters were talked about but aside from Walking Bear I felt detached from most as it was a quick introduction and then they were gone. I would have definitely liked a bit more character development!
Hopefully the next books fill in more of the gaps!
Miranda is in class when she feels as though she is being called as someone needs help. Miranda then begins a journey in another time and place and must decide who is there to help her with her journey and who is there to stop her so she can help the King of Mystica.
I honestly had some trouble getting into the book and had to remind myself that it is a YA book. That being said I usually love YA. I found that I never got attached to any of the characters in the book and everything happened so fast that I felt like I was being forced along.
I liked the character of Miranda but felt like I didn't get to know her enough outside of the quest and therefore felt like she was just forced into the quest. I would have liked to know a bit more about her outside of what she was doing to save the King of Mystica.
The other characters were talked about but aside from Walking Bear I felt detached from most as it was a quick introduction and then they were gone. I would have definitely liked a bit more character development!
Hopefully the next books fill in more of the gaps!
jferrell526's review
4.0
Miranda travels by dream to Mystica to help balance magic. I loved the imagery here. I could see it all work out in my mind. The magic of the words drew me in a set me on a course of discovery.
rebecavleal's review
1.0
The Dream Walker made me check its goodreads page twice in the time it takes me to read 118 pages. Twice. I had to make sure this is definitely considered a young adult book before writing this review because it surely didn't feel like a young adult read to me...
Michelle Murray's writing style stroke me as oversimplistic and somewhat childish. There was a consistent storyline with beginning, middle and end, true! But I cannot say I got to know the characters and the world at all. After finishing The Dream Walker I feel like someone just showed me a map of the world and a diagram with the characters' names and relationships. Everything was described too quickly or not at all. The story was so fast-paced it seems like it didn't really happen.
Besides this I also found the characters to be a bit incoeherent and their behaviour unrealistic on some occasions. Just to give you an idea: if the situations I'm referring to and that are described in the book as non-fantasy situtations, happened in real life and I witnessed them I would be screaming "What the hell are you doing lady/sir???" at the top of my lungs.
If this was a Middle Grade book my review probably would have been very different in some aspects, but since it's not: here's my opinion of it as a Young Adult.
I'm sorry to admit I do not recommend The Dream Walker.
Michelle Murray's writing style stroke me as oversimplistic and somewhat childish. There was a consistent storyline with beginning, middle and end, true! But I cannot say I got to know the characters and the world at all. After finishing The Dream Walker I feel like someone just showed me a map of the world and a diagram with the characters' names and relationships. Everything was described too quickly or not at all. The story was so fast-paced it seems like it didn't really happen.
Besides this I also found the characters to be a bit incoeherent and their behaviour unrealistic on some occasions. Just to give you an idea: if the situations I'm referring to and that are described in the book as non-fantasy situtations, happened in real life and I witnessed them I would be screaming "What the hell are you doing lady/sir???" at the top of my lungs.
If this was a Middle Grade book my review probably would have been very different in some aspects, but since it's not: here's my opinion of it as a Young Adult.
I'm sorry to admit I do not recommend The Dream Walker.
pelicanfreak's review
4.0
This book is not like anything I've ever read AND is a quick read - two things I'm always looking for. Could use a round of editing but overall well written and the characters are quite likable - and they, like the story are unique. I was gripped instantly and while the story seemed a bit complicated it was written in a way that was very easy to follow. I enjoyed the point of view switch up as well.
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