The Nightmarys by Dan Poblocki ARC review

Reading level: Ages 9-12

Hardcover: 336 pages

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers (August 24, 2010)

ISBN-10: 037584256X

ISBN-13: 978-0375842566

Received From: Book It Forward Tours

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                  5 Butterflies

Product Description:

Timothy July has a secret. And it’s giving him nightmares. Abigail Tremens has a problem. Her nightmares are haunting her…while she is awake. When they team up for a school project, they don’t realize that Abigail’s past and Timothy’s present are making them the target of a terrible curse. A curse that turns their worst fears to reality. But their fears are just the beginning. The curse stems from a strange artifact that gains strength by devouring a human soul. And it needs to feed again. Dan Poblocki (author of The Stone Child) has written another bone-chilling page-turner to give you goose bumps. It’s the kind of book best read on a bright afternoon…which may keep your own nightmares at bay.

My Thoughts:

This was a scary, thrilling, creeptastic read!  Timothy and Abigail team up on a school project, and after a scary nightmarish event in the basement of the museum, and an encounter with a tall creepy man in an overcoat, their lives begin to spiral out of control.  Timothy and Abigail have to face some of their worse nightmares.  Timothy's friend and one of the teachers at school are having nervous breakdowns after seeing things that can't be explained, and it all seems to be pointing back to Abigail.  Only thing is, if Abigail is doing it, she doesn't know how, and she surely doesn't know how to stop it.

Timothy was a great male main character.  He was smart and funny.  Even while scared and vulnerable he was still strong.  He was a great and loyal friend from beginning to end.  Abigail was quirky and strong-willed, and great counterpart to Timothy.  I especially loved Abigail's grandmother, this frail old woman was amazing and could still kick-butt in her own way!

Dan Poblocki did a great job of bringing all of the nightmares to life and making this book creepy and still fun at the same time.  It was intense and kept me on the edge of my seat from the first page to the last.  Normally I can figure out the mysteries in a book before they were revealed and that just didn't happen with this one.  I loved the way it was all wrapped up, even when I thought I had the ending all figured out and new curve ball was thrown at me! 

I recommend this one to anyone who loves a good YA, thriller, mystery, or horror book.  Just make sure you have all the lights on as you read it ;-)