Janie hates high school and not because of the homework or cliques or anything as normal as that, it’s because every time one of her classmates falls asleep she is plunged right into their dream. And she’s seen it all – the falling dream, the naked dream, the dreams about their crushes. Then Janie happens to catch a disturbing dream from the least likely of persons, mr. bad boy himself, Cabel. And after spending some time together, they find themselves revealing secrets they’ve never told anyone else.Quickly told in journal-esque type entries, Cabel and Janie develop a relationship that was totally engrossing. Both are mature for their ages and both exhibit kindness and love in the most unlikely circumstances. Now if the hold list would just hurry up on it’s sequel Fade…This has nothing to do with my immense joy in this book but Please. Someone tell me why in an almost otherwise fabulous book, the author chose such a weird name as Cabel. I don't get it. ( )

I will admit, I am very hard on heroines. It takes a lot for me to like one. I liked Janie right away. She wasn't perfect but she was real and believable as a person.

Lisa McMann has a fast passed style of writing that grew on me after my initial distraction. I liked the passing and flow because it was an easy feel and pace for a super light yet entertaining story.

Wake is unique and not the cliché stories that we are use to getting nowadays. I also love how McMann took the time to grow Janie and Cabel's relationship and romance. Its one of the rare YA that you could feel the connection and not have to read that these two are liking each other. In Wake, we are showed the relationship growing into what it is and we see why they would feel that’s way. There are a lot of butterfly moments and I cannot wait the read book 2 Fade.

Wake has a lot of plot and a lot of twist that make you say I didn't see that coming awesome. I loved this book. It was never predictable. Which is a very good thing. I was compelled to read it to the end. And it never got too heavy and cumbersome. It reads quick passed and it leaves you refreshed when finished.

I don't think any YA readers will be disappointed when they read this book. ( )

I really enjoyed this book, and it only took me a few hours to read. I wasn't exactly hooked right tin the beginning... there was something about the flashbacks of how her "condition" started that bugged me... but later I was easily hooked. I really like the characters, and there were some twists I didn't see coming. I'll definitely be picking up the sequel. ( )

The premise: Janie keeps getting sucked into other people's dreams. And by getting sucked in, I do mean sucked in. If someone falls asleep in study hall, Janie can't help it. She's there, in the dream, while to the outsider, it looks like she's having an epileptic fit. She's tired of her ability, tired of her helplessness, and tired of knowing the inmost desires of all of her classmates. Until one day she falls into a nightmare of terrifying violence, and that scares her more than anything she's ever experienced before, especially since the dreamer is the guy she might be falling in love with.

My Rating

Worth the Cash: I wouldn't go out and buy these books in hardcover, mind you, so obviously I'm waiting to get my hands on the sequel, Fade, until it comes out in trade, but I will pick it up. Wake was very enjoyable and I'm happy to read forward. The premise itself IS interesting and different, and I'm looking forward to seeing how McMann develops Janie and her abilities in the later books. It's an incredibly fast read, and while there are moments that'll induce eyebrow-raising, honestly, the story itself is so enjoyable you kind of end up not caring. At least, I didn't. I'm glad I grabbed it.

Review style: it's a short book and it'll be a short review. Stream-of-conscious, with spoilers, simply because the book's too short NOT to spoil, and there's a few points I want to discuss. If the spoilers don't bother you, you're welcome to read the full review, which is posted at my LJ. As always, comments and discussion are most welcome. :)

REVIEW: Lisa McMann's WAKE

Happy Reading! :) ( )

It was a cute, fast teen read. I expected it to be scarier than it was, and it was actually more of a paranormal teen romance. ( )

http://www.bookgeeks.co.uk/2009/11/03... ( )

I LOVED Wake! It was so good! Really different from what I’m used to reading in urban fantasy. Such a great premise!

Wake is a very quick, very easy read. It’s not all that fast paced, but it’s not necessary for it to be, as things get interesting as soon as anyone goes to sleep nearby. There isn’t exactly a resolution in to the main story, but there is a resolution to a plot thread that doesn’t really have anything to do with Janie, but the effects will lead on to a big change for Janie in the second book Fade.

Wake is very much a first book; you find out about the main characters, learn about Janie’s dream issues, and go along with her as she discovers more about them. There’s also the set up of the almost separate plot thread, which leads to more happening for Janie.

Not a huge deal happens in this novel in the great scheme of things, a lot of emphasis is put on Janie trying to work out how and why she slips into other people’s dreams, and how she can control it, and her relationship with her love interest, Caleb, but that doesn’t mean the book isn’t interesting. There are a great set of characters, and as I said, the idea of slipping into other people’s dreams is just incredible!

If I was going to criticise the book at all, I would criticise Caleb-as-a-boyfriend. Generally, he’s fine, but when he’s expressing his feelings, it’s not completely believable in my opinion. I had no trouble over looking it though, because generally speaking, the book is amazing!

I highly recommend this book to everyone! Wake is just awesome, and Fade looks even better! A great start to what looks to be a fantastic series! ( )

The book I am Reviewing is called Wake. It is written by Lisa McMann. I chose to read this book because I was searching the shelves for a book. The details in this book are graphic and well written.
The main idea of this story is that Janie Hannagan is a dream catcher. She drifts into people's dreams. She has no choice on whose dream she enters and wheter it is good or bad. She finally learns to help them change their dream and in the process she finds love.
Your dreams are your own, and if you want to change them its up to you to do so. Janie has offered to help the police department to help find people with her "talent". I really didnt have any expectations for this book, I just needed something to read. This is a good book and I would recommend it to any one who needs something to read. ( )

Wake is the first book in the Dreamcatcher series by Lisa McMann. Wake is from the perspective of Janie, a seventeen-year-old girl who is unexpectedly sucked into the dreams of others sleeping nearby. Janie thinks of this as a curse and not a gift so she's never told anyone because she knows they would think of her as a freak. It's something shes never been able to control and is usually just a backround character too but, now Janie is becoming an unwilling participant in some of the dreams and nightmares.

Wake is one of my all time favorite books. Once I started reading it I couldn't put it down; I read it front to back in one sitting. I thought the plot was very original, the characters had depth, the story never felt fake, and I could really relate to Janie in all her situations and emotions. Wake is a book I will read more than a dozen times. ( )

Great, quick read. Finished in about 2 hours. ( )

Reviewed by Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen for TeensReadToo.com

Dreams can usually be categorized as our source of entertainment while we are sleeping. Although we sometimes may not remember them, they often take us on a journey that we may (or may not) want to happen. For Janie Hannagan, though, dreams are her worst nightmares.

Not like any other normal teenage girl, Janie witnesses the dreams that anyone within close proximity is dreaming. Of course, she doesn't really want this to happen, but it has been going on ever since she was eight. Janie is able to see the ordinary dreams, from falling to drowning to going to work without wearing any pants. Along with that, she is able to see people's secrets and what they desire the most.

There is nothing Janie can do about this but to just keep the knowledge to herself. That all changes when Cable, the guy who everyone thought was a pothead and a dealer, enters her life as she enters his dreams. Half the time, the dreams are somewhat sweet and romantic, but then other times she witnesses the nightmares that have been haunting him.

As Janie tries to sort out not only his dreams but her own feelings for Cable, she learns that the only way to survive her reactions towards other people's dreams is to control them -- and to help the people complete the tasks that they so desperately want to accomplish.

Every now and then a novel gets published and becomes a work of art that we all will long remember. WAKE is one of those novels that is not only unique but also mesmerizing and exhilarating. With her debut novel, Lisa McMann creates something that will be on our minds and change the way we think about what we read. ( )

Wake is the story of Janie Hannagan, a high school student who is uncontrollably drawn into the dreams of nearby people. While this power sounds cool, it means she must live other people's nightmares. When someone dreams nearby, she is sucked into it, which is extremely problematic when you're an otherwise normal teenager.

I enjoyed Wake. It's a fascinating paranormal concept, and Janie is a likable heroine. I felt her pain, fear and awkwardness and admired her strength and perseverance. My one complaint is the length; it's too short. I was left wanting more depth and story. Thankfully, there is a sequel out, Fade, which I hope to read soon. ( )

What an interesting book. I found it very unique in it's format, how as a novel, it rarely chose to abide by mere chapters, and something I seem to think is very interesting that some don't seem to notice is...correct me if i'm wrong, but...there is no climax? Im not downing on the book, now, I loved it, but that's just it, I read the whole thing, happy as can be, in about a day, and when I finished it, thought "...well...where was the climax?" Therefore I cannot afford to give this book the 5 stars I want to give it, but 4 will do. Some will argue there was in fact a climax, but from the perspective and format the novel is told, it's either very unclear or verging nonexistant. ( )

i thought this was only in my dreams. well it was. in wake the main character dreams things. everytime someone falls asleep so does she. she sees in their dreams. in this book she learns how to control it though and ends up helping out the police. this is about falling in love, and contolling something she never thought she could. i loved this book because its hard to understand exactly what is happening.

I really enjoyed Wake. Janie is a typical teenage girl, focused on work, school, getting into college and avoiding her alcoholic mother as much as possible. However, it's hard to be "normal" when you get pulled into the dreams of anyone who falls asleep in the same room as you.

The premise is extremely interesting, although some of it was a bit predictable. The main characters were fleshed out nicely, although some of the secondary characters felt a little flat. All in all, a nice read. I'm looking forward to the next book. ( )

McMann has taken a very creative concept and a character with a superhuman ability and used them to tell a story about growing up, feeling different, and learning to make sense of the things that make us unique. Anyone who has ever been a teenager will recognize their thoughts, fears, and worries within these characters and their dreams. I am very glad a coworker recommended this to me as a way to continue my foray into young adult literature. I really enjoyed Wake, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for YA books with solid writing and new ideas. This is a one-sitting read that would make perfect company on a lazy fall afternoon.

Read my full review at The Book Lady's Blog. ( )

This book is about Janie who has a condition that pulls her into other people's dreams. She is stuck trying to care for herself (because her drunk mother won't) and hiding her secret. Janie has to try and control the dreams because she becomes a participant. This book was very good. What was interesting was the plot was based on something that is not often the story in books. It was very different and had a good storyline. It was captivating and included some romance which every good novel contains. ( )

I immediately read this book after the first. It was somewhat darker than I had anticipated, which was both good and bad. Good, in that I feel it lends the story more realism. Bad, since I like to read books that leave me feeling upbeat after reading them. The character development for the lead character was very nicely done. I wish the author had worked a little harder on developing the boyfriend though. Unfortunately with this book, I had a pretty good idea what was going to happen before it happened. Suspense level was very low for me, though I still read the book in less than a day to find out what happened. Almost as good at the first.
Still looking forward to the third installment. ( )

The premise for Wake is excellent and I had high hopes for it. It didn't quite live up to them, but was still a good read.
Janey is a 17 year old high school girl who slips into the dreams of anyone who falls asleep around her. To the outside world it looks like she is having some kind of seizure (especially if she falls into a nightmare). After the first few pages, the story takes a leap back to Janey's visions over the last 9 years, which gives the book a disjointed feel that doesn't straighten out until you are back in the present.
The love interest, Cabel, is likable--as is Janey's best friend Carrie, and their dreams reveal quite a bit about them that help with their development. The dreams that Melinda, the snotty rich girl, has, however, leave a lot of possibilities unturned that I wish Janey had used more to her advantage.
Wake is worth the read, especially since it goes so quickly, but I'm not entirely sure how the author plans to get several sequels out of this book. ( )

Can you imagine it? Every time someone near you falls asleep, you experience their dreams? This is Janie's life. She doesn't know what is wrong with her but she has been protecting her secret from everyone for a long time. From her alcoholic mother to her childhood best friend. School, especially study hall, is a nightmare - literally. Sleepovers? Let's just say, the things she learns about her friends, are things she really doesn't need to know.

She's never wanted anyone to know the truth about her, until now. Cabel has a secret of his own but Janie can't help wanting him. The romance that ensues isn't overpowering in the least and I think it adds a good dimension to Janie's character.

McMann's writing is very realistic and entertaining. I found Wake very hard to put down but it was also a very easy, naturally flowing read for me. Each chapter is broken down further into short snippets of time as you experience Janie's life along with her. The subtle change in fonts lets you know you are now within a dream without a lot of external explanation which I think helps the story move along at a good pace.

This book takes an interesting twist near the end and the ending leaves you wanting more. Good thing there is more :)

I would recommend this book to any YA supernatural fiction but also mystery fans.
5 stars.

Young Adult Fiction
Ages 14+
Simon & Schuster (SimonSaysTEEN.com)
Published March 2008
210 pages
Part of a Series: Wake 2008, Fade 2009, Gone 2010

Title: Wake Author: Lisa McMann Publisher: Simon Pulse Number Of Pages: 210

Summary: Not all dreams are sweet. For seventeen-year-old Janie, getting sucked into other people’s dreams is getting old. Especially the falling dreams, the naked-but-nobody notices dreams, and the sex-crazed dreams. Janie’s seen enough fantasy booty to last her a lifetime. She can’t tell anybody about what she does-they’d never believe her, or worse, they’d think she’s a freak. So Janie lives on the fringe, cursed with an ability she doesn’t want and can’t control. Then she falls into a gruesome nightmare, one that chills her to the bone. For the first time, Janie is more than a witness to someone else’s twisted psyche. She is a participant….

Review: Wake was really good! I was totally immersed in the story. I liked the characters , I thought they were intriguing. Hmmm..I don’t really know what to say about Wake. It was an unusual premise and Lisa was able to write it perfectly. I really liked how it was written to look like a journal! I wouldn’t suggest that younger teens read this because it was a really mature YA novel. I don’t have much to say about Wake except that it was beautifully written and I really liked it!!!!

I recommend this book if you like romance, supernatural, YA novels, and an overall interesting read! ( )

For Janie Hannagan, life is a dream. Unfortunately, it isn’t HER dream.

Whenever Janie is within a certain proximity of someone who is asleep, she falls into their dreams. This is a bigger problem than it sounds when you’re in high school and your classmates begin to fall asleep in school with increasing regularity. Particularly if you often have something resembling a seizure while you are in someone else’s dream.

“Wake” is oh-so-very high school: appearances are everything; the ‘cool’ kids can’t be bothered with people like Janie; and love is a heart-wrenching, tortured experience. I enjoy young adult fiction very much, but only when it is something more than just high school. I love the way Laurie Halse Anderson deals with real, tough problems in books like “Winter Girls,” I adore Westerfeld’s social commentary in the “Uglies” series, and Markus Zusak’s use depiction of WWII in “The Book Thief” is awesome. Unfortunately, I didn’t feel that “Wake” had a lot of depth. Sure, there was a message about looking beyond appearances and not letting preconceived notions make you judge people. Plus there was a little about believing in yourself. None of that is really unique for a young adult book, though.

The style totally bothered me as well, everything was very choppy. I’m nearly 100% positive that this was a deliberate choice by the author to mimic the disorienting state of dreams. In other words, it wasn’t because she is a bad writer, but the choice just didn’t work for me at all.

It sounds like I’ve been bashing this book for the entire review, but it really isn’t a bad book. It is entertaining and a very quick read. I wouldn’t caution you against picking this up or anything like that, but I also wouldn’t recommend anyone rush out and read it. Of course, if you’re more interested in the premise of falling into dreams than I was, you might really enjoy it. ( )

This was a pretty cute book, based on the concept of a girl who gets sucked into other people's dreams and has to learn how to control and use this ability. It was a quick and engaging read, with a typical YA voice and tone. There's a little bit of everything--realistic teen problems, romance, a teensy bit of danger and intrigue, and then the whole paranormal aspect, of course. And it was totally set up for a sequel/series. The details of the plot are a little improbable and quite...safe, but I will recommend it to my students for sure. ( )

All of us have had dreams both good and bad. Some we try to pull ourselves out of and can't. Imagine you are sitting somewhere and suddenly you are pulled into someone else's dream. This is what happens to Janie Hannagan, and she has absolutely no control over it. Janie has had this problem since she was eight years old. It has gotten worse as time has gone on. She is pulled into one dream that when she sees it reminds me of Edward Scissorhands. She is beginning to think she is a freak and will be alone forever. Enter Cabel Strumheller. One kindness is repaid by another and Janie and Cabel become friends. Drawn into Cabel's dreams Janie learns that he hides some secrets as well. As their friendship blossoms into a romance Cabel is forced to share some of those secrets or else give up their relationship. Sharing the secrets will mean drawing Janie into the world formed by those secrets, and possible danger.
To try and explain anything besides what I have written would be giving so much away. I will say that I immediately pulled out the sequel and read it. This book was and absolute must read for those who like the twisted mind type of read. ( )

YOUR DREAMS ARE NOT YOUR OWN

Ever since she was eight years old, high school student Janie Hannagan has been uncontrollably drawn into other people's dreams, but it is not until she befriends an elderly nursing home patient and becomes involved with an enigmatic fellow-student that she discovers her true power.

WAKE is about a Girl named Janie, who finds herself falling into people's dreams, but not by choice.She realize she could do this when she was little. I think the first time it happened she was on a train/bus. It's kind of becoming a pain in the butt as she gets her life into high school. I mean just think of all the dreams she falls into. I mean your arousing dreams, nightmares, the one where you stand NAKED in front of a bunch of people...nightmares, and the falling dreams(hate those)shesh..

This isn't just about Janie falling into dreams, she is trying to discover how to use dreams to her benefit.That's when she meets a guy and there's a love story to it but there's also a lot of mystery and suspense.I just really like this book.

O.k. To sum it all up... there's love, suspense, catching bad guys,there's Craziness!! It's well written, in the present tense.WAKE is an overall good book and on top of that it's a short book.So if your looking for a quick read it's just for you. ( )