Publisher: Rebel House Ink
Date of publication: March 1st, 2022
Genre: Young Adult, Dystopia
Series: Dream Runners
Dream Shatter—Book 1 (review here)
Dream Runner—Book 2 (review here)
Dream Watcher—Book 3
Dream Giver—Book 4
Dream Rising—Book 5
Dream Legacy—Book 6
Purchase Links: Kindle
Goodreads Synopsis:
Logan Kent knows too much.
He knows his idyllic life in The Capitol is a lie. He knows a secret society is pulling the strings of their puppet government. And worst of all, he knows they built their utopia upon the stolen dreams of its citizens.
When the rebel faction, Anyone, rises up against The Capitol, Logan escapes The Circle and runs away with Reina, the rebel medicine thief who helped him see behind The Capitol’s lies. But having reached Anyone’s last free base in the country, Logan realizes what he knows is a weapon.
Anyone will use what Logan knows to bring The Circle to its knees. And his biological mother is at the heart of Anyone’s council.
Having a choice is what Anyone has been fighting for. Why they’ve wanted to free others. Free agency is worth dying for; but to Logan, going back across the arid Expanse and Heartlands feels like a suicide mission.
What choice does he have other than to betray his friends and the freedom of every citizen back home?
Fans of The Matrix, Inception, and The Giver have been dreaming of this series for a long time coming.
First Line:
Naressa is my mother.
Dream Watcher by Anne Hunter
Logan Kent has finally reached Base Nain with Reina. But Reina, gravely injured after an attack by The Capitol’s Army, is taken to the hospital to recover. With his knowledge of what The Circle is doing to its citizens, Logan realizes that what he knows could free The Capitol from The Circle. Given a choice of remaining with the Anyone faction and risking a massacre of its people or going home and using his knowledge to help Anyone expose The Circle, Logan chooses to go home. But going home will have risks, and Logan knows what they are. Can Logan accomplish what Anyone wants him to do? Or will everything he risked be for nothing?
I am deeply involved in this series, you all. I figured my enjoyment of it would wear off after book three, but it hasn’t. The author has done a great job hooking me and keeping me hooked on this series.
As with the last review, Dream Runner has some trigger warnings. They are assault, body horror, and torture. Logan witnesses the king of the Duners brutally assault his right-hand man for Reina’s attempted rape. The king has injuries replaced with cybergenetic parts (his eye changes color with his mood). The Duner who tried to rape Reina is chained to the wreckage of his bike and is refused water. Logan tries to give him some, and another Duner stops him, explaining that he knowingly broke the rules and will suffer the consequences. The Duner king also assaults Logan to make it look like he was tortured while he was gone.
Dream Watcher is the 3rd book in the Dream Runners series. You need to read the first two books to understand what is happening in this one. In other words, you cannot read this book as a standalone. You will be confused (even with the author’s brief rundown at the beginning).
Dream Watcher’s storyline centers around Logan, Anyone, and what This book has a twisty plotline that kept me glued to my Kindle. I did not know what each chapter would hold.
The storyline with Logan, Anyone, and what he knows is twisty. I get why Logan ultimately did what he did: he didn’t want any more people to die because of him. But I wish that I didn’t get the sense that his biological mother was subtly pushing him towards going home. Something about her didn’t sit right with me. Also, I wouldn’t say I liked how Logan was treated when he returned to The Capitol.
I felt so bad for Logan throughout this book. He had one bombshell after another dropped on him. Finding out that Naressa wasn’t his mother. Finding out that Elehnya is his mother and that she got chipped to keep him safe. Finding out that he isn’t chipped. Finding out that Elehnya did something to him so she could speak in his mind. Discovering that Elehyna is the head of Anyone’s council. Realizing that he was in love with Reina. Going home. It was a whirlwind, and even I got dizzy reading it. I thought to myself that the kid needed a break. He needed something good to happen to him. Even when he got back home, he was traumatized.
Reina wasn’t featured much in this book. She was dealing with severe blaster injuries, a dislocated arm, and trauma from nearly being raped. So, the author gave her some time to recoup. She does pop up toward the end of the book, but not how I wanted her to.
The end of Dream Watcher was jaw-dropping. I did not expect what happened to happen. My mouth dropped open, and a “No way” was said. I had to reread what was written because of what happened. Of course, it ended on a cliffhanger, but it was a good cliffhanger this time.
I would recommend Dream Watcher to anyone over 16. There is violence and language. There is no sexual situations.
Many thanks to Ann Hunter for allowing me to read and review Dream Watcher. All opinions stated in this review are mine.
If you enjoy reading books similar to Dream Watcher, check these out:
Other books by Ann Hunter:
