River of Dreams

by Jan Nash

Overview

Draped in themes of first love and family, secrets and malevolence, and swirling through an exhilarating dream world full of danger, violence, and love, Jan Nash's exciting debut is a high-stakes adventure full of suspense, romance, and magic.

Finn Driscoll is counting down the days until she can leave for college. With her beloved brother, Noah, in a coma and her high school social life sinking every day, she’s ready for a fresh start.

Until the night she sees Noah in a dream. He begs for her help. At first, she shakes it off as just a nightmare. Then it happens again. And again. Frightened, Finn confides in her grandmother, only to learn the shocking truth about her family. They’re Dreamwalkers—heroes who step into the River of Dreams and fight the monsters in other people’s nightmares, freeing them to face the problems in their real lives.

Awake or asleep, Finn has never thought of herself as any kind of hero, and walking through other people’s dreams seems much worse than just hiding at school. But as hard as facing this challenge might be, Finn knows she has no choice: she will do anything she can to save her brother.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250792051
Publisher:	Square Fish
Publication date:	07/20/2021
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	5.46(w) x 8.25(h) x 0.62(d)
Age Range:	12 - 18 Years

About the Author

Jan Nash is a television writer and producer known for her work on Black Lightning, Ellen, NCIS: New Orleans, and Rizzoli & Isles. Originally from Wheaton, Illinois, Jan now lives in Los Angeles, California, with her children and dogs. Hummingbirds are her favorite bird and River of Dreams is her debut novel.

Editorial Reviews

"Nash employs expert pacing in her sensitive novel, building up the concept of Dreamwalkers and then sweeping readers into a world of shifting dreams, from scary to sexy. Fantasy and reality are well balanced... Teens into dream interpretation and mind-bending reality shifts will appreciate this one." —The Bulletin

From the Publisher

2020-05-02
A 16-year-old girl must venture into the unpredictable and perilous dream world to rescue her comatose brother.

One morning, Noah Driscoll didn’t wake up—that was nine months ago. Presently, Noah remains unconscious at home, under the care of his older sister Finn (short for Fionnuala) and their Nana, while their mother, Julia, is working on a project in Norway. Since Noah fell into his coma, Finn has distanced herself from classmates except for Jed, her best friend and, unbeknownst to Finn, admirer. Nash’s debut begins with Finn waking from a nightmare; Noah was drowning and begging for her help. What Finn assumed was a reminder of how helpless she is to save him turns out to be a family secret: Finn and Noah are Dreamwalkers—warriors who save people in their sleep so they can find peace in their real lives. Nana gives Finn Noah’s notebook, which is filled with strange drawings and notes about something dark and sinister he’s been investigating in the River of Dreams. Finn and Jed’s convenient blooming romance acts as a sweet balm to the menacing mystery behind Noah’s comatose state. Nash presents perplexing questions about the dream world, deliberately weaving shamanism and alchemy into the story, but does not provide enough answers. Despite the slow and uneven pace, there is enough here to keep readers hooked. The Driscolls are Irish American; the cast is mostly white.

A fantasy with a tantalizing cliffhanger ending. (Fantasy. 13-17)

Kirkus Reviews