Dream Stalker
Awe-Struck E-Books
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REVIEW BY DAVID LAGRAFF
This young adult thriller is the latest entry in the ByteMe teen fiction series from Awe-Struck. In Dream Stalker, two teenage girls prepare to take a "byte" out of the Big Apple when they receive a free trip to NYC as a high school graduation present. But their first visit turns into a harrowing adventure when it becomes apparent that someone may be preparing to take a bite out of them as girl meets boy, then boy stalks girl. Heather, an art major suffering from recurrent nightmares about being chased by an unseen pursuer, is an otherwise normal boy-crazy product of rural Oregon, raised by hippie-era parents to believe in the absolute certainty of relative truth. Her best friend Tara is a drama major from the same pea patch Heather hails from, as well as a self-described psychic and claustrophobe. As soon as the girls step off the plane, Heather meets a "drop-dead gorgeous guy" named Curt Bonner. He's a hunk with great eyes -- hazel with gold flecks in them -- in town from Boston. (Does a boy-crazy teenage girl require anything more?) Meeting again in the city of 10 million souls might seem unlikely, but Curt starts showing up everywhere the girls go. Even as a romance is budding, Heather's nightmares escalate, and she finds herself wondering if Curt is the faceless villain chasing her in the dreams. Tara's psychic sensibilities keep sending out warning signals; Curt gives her the creeps, and she tries to intervene. Eventually they're forced to leave New York, but their stalker follows them home. Heather's dreams have become a terrifying reality. Author Mari Bailey delivers page-turning suspense in this teenage thriller. Dream Stalker doesn't drag us tortuously through complex psychological mazes or moral situations. Instead, Bailey's easy, flowing style gives us an interesting peek into a number of world views while drawing the reader into the chilling tale. If you're one of today's young adults who can sit through the teen mutilation films without batting an eye, you may find it a bit tame. Which is a good reason to download it. Dream Stalker a nice way to escape from the pressures of your own life, and this e-book offers nightmares only found on the screen. David LaGraff is a California novelist.
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