Wake

By Lisa McMann

For seventeen-year-old Janie, getting sucked into other people's dreams at any given moment is getting tired. Especially the falling dreams, and the standing-in-front-of-the-class-naked ones. But then there are the nightmares, the ones that chill her to the bone… like the one where she is in a strange house…in a dirty kitchen…and a sinister monster that edges ever closer. This is the nightmare that she keeps falling into, the one where, for the first time, Janie is more than a witness to someone else's twisted psyche. She is a participant…

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
• Release date: Apr 1, 2010
• ISBN: 9780857070265

Lisa McMann

Lisa McMann is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous books for kids and teens, including the middle grade dystopian fantasy series The Unwanteds. She lives with her family in Phoenix, Arizona. You can visit Lisa at www.lisamcmann.com and follow her on Twitter (@Lisa_McMann) or Facebook (Facebook.com/McMannFan).

Reviews for Wake

[chaoticbooklover · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have read a lot of mixed reviews on this book, and this series. But I slowly found all three books so that I could read them without having to wait. And let me tell you, I am glad that I did.
I picked up Wake last night at about 11:30 p.m. and finished it at 5:15 a.m. I couldn't put it down. From the very beginning it sucked me in and kept me flipping pages to find out what exactly was going to happen next.
Janie ( the main character) isn't your typical teen, she gets sucked into other peoples dreams if she is close enough to them; unless there is a door in the way. Now, at first I thought " Hey, that would be awesome!!" but I soon realized that it may at times be cool, do I really want to know what some stranger dreams about? Then I started to really feel bad for Janie. She only really has one close friend through most of the book, and really I don't think you could call Carrie mush of a friend.
The first few chapters skip a lot but that is just to get us caught up so we understand what exactly is going on. After that everything pretty much evens out and we get a lot of detail without living every single day with her.
When Cabel ( love the name) comes into the picture, I instantly disliked him, my first thoughts were great, he's a druggie and since Janie was kinda starting to fall for him, I wasn't happy at all. but he soon redeemed himself, even though I was still skeptical until all the truths were revealed.
Lisa McMann is an amazing writer and I am sorry that it took me so long to pick up one of her books. she gets to the point without making us wait forever and even though we don't live every single day with the main character, we aren't left wondering what happened between one paragraph and the next.
I love how she took us into the dreams with Janie and how we got to see exactly how Janie normally reacted to being sucked into a dream. Now I'm off to read the second book in the trilogy Fade.

[devourerofbooks · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

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.

[jenneb_2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Not totally world-changing, but you could recommend this to teens who liked Twilight--it's "romantic and dramatic" as one girl asked me for.
And it's not as cringey.

Basic plot: a girl gets sucked into people's dreams if they fall asleep near her. This is a problem during high school of course because everyone is sleep-deprived. (ask me sometime to give you my whole rant about how teenagers would be so much less horrible if they didn't have to get up practically in the middle of the night to go to school)

Anyway, there is also a boy! And terrible parents! And mean rich kids!

The dialogue is pretty unbelievable, but you know, whatever.

[stephxsu · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Every time someone near her falls asleep, Janie Hannagan gets sucked into their dreams. This is hardly fun at all, as most people's dreams consist of falling, nudity, or sex, and, while Janie is technically awake through these experiences, she's blind to the real world. Talk about an uncomfortable lifestyle.Janie's troubles only continue to escalate when she starts to fall into the once troubled, now sexy Cabel Strumheller's dreams...and finds that she appears in them as well, and that he, too, is aware of her presence in his dreams. There may be more to her ability to fall into people's dreams than Janie realizes, more power than she realizes she has. So begins a new chapter of Janie's life, one where she learns to control her abilities and use them for good.What WAKE lacks in good writing and interesting characters, it makes up in a stunning story idea. McMann's writing style is straightforward and succinct in an almost ethereal manner. This, while effective in exposition, does not work as well when the plot really needs to get going, and I felt like I was missing what was going on between Janie and Cabel as their relationship developed.Cabel, whom I at first thought to be some sort of Marcus Flutie incarnate, is sadly underdeveloped; I do not understand his motivations nor his attraction to Janie. Janie passes through in a little better shape, as the self-motivated "white trash" girl who learns to rely only on herself, which is why I was upset when she seemed to lose perspective when things with Cabel hit some bumps.WAKE works fairly well as a stand-alone novel, but thanks to its fascinating premise, I think I am going to pick up the next book in the series, FADE, and see if Janie, Cabel, and the situation they're in become clearer to me over time.

[elizajane_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Seventeen-year-old Janie gets sucked into other people's dreams. It's been happening since she was eight. Now that she is getting older things are getting worse. More and more students in high school fall asleep at their desks and Janie blacks out and enters the dreams more frequently. She blacks out at school, on the job at a seniors home, and shortly after buying her first car, while driving. This is getting out of hand and she must learn how to take control of the episodes. So far all she knows is that distance or a closed door will prevent the dreams.I'm going to say it straight off. I loved this book so much, I could gush about it on and on. Page one and I was hooked! With an absolutely unique plot and characters that appeal to you from the first; I could not put this book down. The world around me stood still as I entered this fabulous plot.It is a quick read, compelling and moves at a fast pace. Written in a journal type format, yet in the third person, there are no chapters but only short dated entries that make it so easy to keep saying "just a few more pages" well into the wee hours of the morning.This is a book that is going to appeal to older teens and adults, equally. The story is very realistic; dealing with issues of abusive and negligent parents. This will haunt me for quite some time and is most certainly my most favourite book read this month.

[xhollishx · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Janie has been going into people's dreams since she was young. When someone has a door open, or is sleeping near her, she can jump into the dream, even if she doesn't want too. Her best friend Carrie has no knowledge of this, as Janie doesn't tell a soul. Just when she sees someone fall asleep in class, she braces herself for their dream. But when she starts going into a nightmare, where she's alone and behind a shed, she starts getting worried. Whose dream is she in and what is happening in it? When she meets Cable, the loner turned heart throb at school, she finally has someone that she can lean on. That is, until Cable starts hanging out with the popular students, especially a party girl named Shay. When Carrie informs Janie that Cable is hanging out with Shay and selling drugs, Janie doesn't talk to him and has to deal with her "dream dropping" by herself.This book will cause you to use your brain. I love Janie's attitude and her solitude. Cable is a loveable kind of guy, but you will be angered at him when Shay steps into the picture. It's terrible to say, but I hated Shay most of the book. I think that Cable is the only one who can keep Janie sane and you will love him for that. But, never fear, in the end, it will all come together. And you will be waiting (like me, of course) for your second dose of the book, because FADE (the sequal) is scheduled to come out around February 2009. I'll be in line for that one!

[epbee · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I'm going to agree with the readers who said this book had a great concept, but fell flat with the writing style. A few reviews ago, someone said that the third person narrative made the story "detached" which might have been intentional, we are viewing the story the same way Janie is viewing the dreams, an outsider with no real connection to what we see, viewing things through others' eyes. Which fits with the story perfectly, but doesn't really allow for much character development. I think this book will pull in many teens, it's a quick read, the story is interesting, and it holds some edge. But, without that connection to the story (even if the lack of it reflects the concept of the book) I can't rate it any higher than "a good book." It falls solidly in the "good teen read" group without branching into anything deeper.

[millett23 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really liked this book. The language made me give it only 4 stars, but other than the F word here and there, this was a good book. I liked the concept of going into peoples dreams. I did feel that the male Character did fall in love with her a little fast. Will be reading the next two books to see where they go.

[wyvernfriend · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This I enjoyed. It's the story of Janie, a girl pulled into other peoples dreams, a girl whose mother is a drunk and father absent. A girl clinging to her sanity with her fingertips. A girl who has maybe found love but he's possibly all wrong and who really would like to know how to control her ability and how to lead a normal life.I enjoyed it, I look forward to more in this series, for me this was a very quick read. I could see how she would like to keep away from people and how she also had to make choices about her sanity and her life. Working part-time was a good choice and I wonder how her new job is going to work out!

[simplykatie_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

still trying to digest this book. it's a decent read and i'm going to order it for the library because my teens cannot get enough supernatural stuff, but i'm still not thrilled with the explanation of the mythology. the writing is strong, but the ending just came out of left field and doesn't really feel plausible. that's about it.

[tigerlms · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

17 year old Janie Hannagan has been able to see into-- and more often is sucked unwillingly into-- other people's dreams. She's been haunted by this for nearly a decade, and as a result knows to avoid sleepovers and dreads high school study hall. Her affliction causes her to learn more about people than she wants, but she doesn't really understand why it's happening to her or what it might mean. Two things help: one is Cabel Strumheller, a boy Janie has previously barely spoken to, the other is an elderly woman at the nursing home where Janie works (because old people rarely dream). Author Lisa McMann's brief narrative, written in a journal format with time and date stamps, but told in third person omniscient observer, keeps the reader interested despite some obvious plot gaps. Adults are barely present in the novel, other than a cursory glance of Janie's drunk mother and a late-in-the-book appearance by a police captain, as well as even briefer descriptions of a couple fathers and a school principal. Missing, for instance, are chaperones on a weekend school trip to Canada (the story is set in Michigan) which leaves any adult reader wondering what kind of school doesn't take head counts of students coming and going from hotels and theaters in a foreign (albeit neighborly) country. Teens most likely won't notice the omission. That said, McMann's terse text reads very quickly and will leave teenagers asking for more-- which of course is supplied in the sequel Fade. This is a Missouri Gateway Readers Award nominee for 2010-2011, and I expect it to be snapped up in my library by reluctant readers.

[krissy724 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I had read Cryer’s Cross by Lisa McMann as soon as it came out and really enjoyed it. I have wanted to start her Dream Catcher series since then, but just never gotten around to it until now. I borrowed Wake from the library, read it in a day, then went and bought all three of them in paperback.Wake is the story of Janie. If she is a certain number of feet near someone who is sleeping, she will go into their dreams and nightmares. She can not control this and she can’t stop it. One day she appears in the nightmare of Cabe, who has repeating dreams of being burned alive then murdering his attacker. Janie is terrified but also wants to know more about Cabe and be able to help him. The two of them begin a friendship and Cabe learns what’s going on with Janie, which is something she has never told anyone.I loved both Cade and Janie. They were great characters who have been through a lot and they are both able to help the other heal. I was glad that Cade finally had someone to open up to about his past and Janie was finally able to tell someone about her strange ability.McMann had my attention from page one. The plot was quick and exciting and I loved how she brought to lonely, pained teenagers together. Wake was overall a great read and I can not wait to read Fade and Gone!

[catholickittie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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.

[twonickels_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An Open Letter to Lisa McMannDear Ms. McMann,Please stop writing books.This is a very serious request. To this date, you have written and published two novels, Wake and Fade. Because of your books, I have on two occasions been compelled to read deep into the night, and in this manner I have lost two good nights of sleep. I can only conclude that any further books written by you will lead to long nights with the bedside lamp switched on, frantically reading. I will not have it! I must firmly request that you stop at once.If you insist on continuing with your flagrant book-publishing, I have a few suggestions that may alleviate the problem. Please take the following requests into account in any and all future books.1. If there is one thing on which I really must insist, it is a general loosening-up of your writing style. This tight, exciting prose will be the death of me! If every sentence did not compel me to read the next, perhaps I would be able to put your books down long enough to get a few good hours of sleep. Perhaps you could insert some clunky dialogue?2. Your characters must - MUST - be less compelling. In fact, it would be best if Janie and Cabel could be excised completely, and less interesting characters could be inserted in their place. If I am forced back inside of Janie's head, where I can see the fascination, terror and exhaustion that are caused by her ability to see other people's dreams, I will most certainly not be able to put your book down. And Cabel, with his terrible past and his willpower and determination to do good, both in his relationship with Janie and in his work, is much too sympathetic a character.3. In a related note, the tumultuous romance between Cabel and Janie is much too intense. If you persist in writing about these characters, their relationship must be taken back a notch. As it currently stands, their emotions are too strong! Their sense of discovery of themselves and each other is too genuine! Their frustrations with one another are too palpable! Their sex is too sexy!4. Slower pacing is a necessity in any future novels. Constantly throwing your readers from horrific nightmare to sweet and sexy romance to exciting mystery causes agitation and suspense, forcing the reader to keep turning pages until the very end of the book.Thank you for your time. I look forward to not reading your books in the future.Sleepily yours,Laura Koenig

[tyuiop159 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An awesome book; Lisa McMann has written her first book and it it incredible! Her witting style is original and it shows thought Wake. The idea that people can travel/go into other people's dreams is a common idea, but Lisa McMann made it different from any other book with the same structure.

[erincathryn · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Actual rating: 1.5 - rounded up because I am apparently RIDICULOUSLY nice.

This book had promise. It seemed like it was going to be really cool. A girl who gets pulled into other people's dreams? Count me in.

Until I opened the book. It is broken up into this weird diary-esque style. Some sections have dates, some have times, some have dates and times. It is very inconsistent and it doesn't make for writing that flows.

And then it is written in third-person. OK, who has ever heard of a third-person diary?

The third point of the writing style that bothered me so much took me about 1/4 of the book to figure out. I couldn't put my finger on it. Something was off. And then it hit me like a lightning bolt. Present tense. The book is written in freaking PRESENT TENSE!

And then there is the story itself. It fell SO flat that I was just feeling very blah. I mean, with a main character named "Janie" can you really expect great things? The dream-sucking thing doesn't play much of an integral part, and there is this weird don't do drugs message and supblot added.

Oh, had to edit this to add. The romance? So forced. Nice break from the OMG I LOVE HIM I NEED HIM NOW mentality in most YA, but it went too far the other way and was forced and flat.

So overall? Big letdown. Will not be continuing with this series.

[wwe_fan_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book, despite the author's choppy writing style in various points in the book. Where this story really got me, was when Janie confronted Cabel about the burns he suffered at the hands of his father. I loved the twists, and I'm glad Cabe was finally revealed to be one of the good guys. Can't wait to read the second book. Definitely going to buy this series!

[skstiles612 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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.

[comacalm_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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....This is actually quite a sweet story. Surprised? I certainly was. The gruesome nightmare wasn't particularly gruesome either. The story focuses on Janie, how she copes seeing other people's dreams. The writing style is unique, written in diary format and very engaging. You follow Janie has she copes with her alcoholic mother, lesbian friends and confusing relationships. While doing this she tries to find ways to pull herself out of dreams and while doing so learns that she can help people with their dreams too. Despite not getting what I was expecting after reading the back of the book, I still really enjoyed this. I will be reading the next book very soon!

[aerrin99 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is a delightful and quick read. Although the book is short, it's also packed-full with emotion and characters I cared about and Stuff that Happens. Having just come off a rather long book that somehow didn't manage to do any of these things, it was delightfully refreshing. I really love fiction that takes a preposterous 'what if' scenario and then runs with it, all the way, through good and bad, and really explores the consequences. 'Wake' does that for Janie, who can (in fact, /must/) fall into the dreams of those around her. This is a story with emotional impact - there's love and pain and loss and nightmares and wishes and neglectful parents and best friends and everything that you get in dreams, and in life, too. It's written with a very unique style. The sentences are short, choppy, straight to the point. This might annoy some, but for me, they worked very well as a stylistic choice. They made the emotional impact starker, drove the point home more fully, and kept the pace ripping forward so I couldn't put the book down. They also serve to convey Janie's confusion and exhaustion and inward struggles very well. Now Janie knows what else she's missing. She grunts when Carrie nudges her arm.Gets up. Two more classes. Janie is weary. And she has to work a full shift tonight. Apparently things get worse before they get better. If they ever get better.Janie's doubtful.I was a bit sad that this book went by so quickly, and I can't wait to grab the sequel.

[bigorangemichael_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

What if you had the ability to enter into other people's dreams? One first glance, it seems like it might be a pretty cool little power and insight into your friends and family.And while having this ability may seem cool to Janie Hannagan at first, we quickly find that it's more a burden. Janie is constantly aware of being sucked into people's dreams becuase in doing so, she falls asleep as well. Couple that with the dreamer potentially realizing Janie is there and has seen some subconsious desire, thought or random dream and the ability soon begins to take a toll. Janie is pulled into dreams during classes at school, while working at a local nursing home and even while driving. And that doesn't even cover the disturbing dream she witnesses for her friend and potential new boyfriend Caleb.With "Wake," Lisa McCann weaves a fascinating story that draws the readers into Janie's plight slowly, in an almost dream-like fashion. McCann uses short, direct sentences while Janie is awake, saving the longer, more flowing prose for Janie's being part of people's dreams. It makes an effective tool for readers to know if they are in the dream world with Janie or not (though the book does help by having both worlds appear in different typefaces, as well). "Wake" is the first book of a trilogy and it is content to estabish Janie, her ability and begin to scratch the surface of what the ability is and how Janie could learn to control and use it.It definitely left me intrigued enough to want to find out more about Janie and Caleb in the next novel, "Fade."

[missyreadsreviews · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I know I have a ton of reviews to catch up on. However, I'm starting with my most recent read because it's the freshest in my mind. As soon as I read it, I wanted to talk about it - which is the whole reason of this blog. So, instead of letting it join in the notebook of jumbled reviews, I'm dealing with this computer to bring you a fresh review!As a footnote, I'd like to say that I did actually read some other reviews and the author's book commentary before I started this review. I needed some information to make my rating completely justified, and I feel as though I have that now - which I will explain in further detail within my review.When the book starts, you meet a present-day Janie dealing with what is your first insight into her "condition". You learn that whenever someone goes to sleep in her presence, she instantly gets sucked into it. She's not narcoleptic - she's actually aware of her surroundings during the whole thing - she just can't control her gift enough to get herself away from the dream. She doesn't tell anyone about what she has to go through, she just keeps to herself about it. If at all possible, she avoids being around anyone that falls asleep ... but school seems to be a problem, considering that kids can and do fall asleep in her classes. She's pretty used to the petty dreams that highschoolers have because they usually just center around that person, a crush they may have, or something more perverted. However, that changes one fateful night when she happens to drive past a house where a guy is having a nightmare and actually murders someone in his dream. It shakes Janie up - and shakes her up even more when she figures out that the murderer notices her in the dream.I love the plot of this book. It's something that hasn't been touched on a lot in the YA genre and has a unique feel to it. Having said that, I have to point out my biggest problem with this book: the writing style. Short, choppy sentences. Incorrect grammar. Too many time flips. I do love the concept of the timestamp, but I feel as though it was overused. The positive to this was that the dates helped out a lot when it flipped from present to past, then back again. As I said before, I've read reviews and I've seen the commentary on the writing style - but, I just cannot accept it. Call me a grammar nazi if you'd like, but I'm a stickler on using complete, descriptive sentences. I don't believe in ending a short sentence, only to use "but" as the beginning of a new sentence. Yes, I know "but" can be used to begin a sentence when used with "for" or "what" as an idiom - I just don't agree with it. Nor do I recall if this was the case when used in this book - I'm just stuck on short sentences. I'm also shocked by the fact that people see the use of short, choppy sentences as "lyrical" and argues that such is better to keep the attention of young adults. As a student, I was taught in school that you have to pause after each period. Doing so in this book gives me a headache. Periods indicate the end of a complete thought. It's not the case in Wake.The author argues that the reason it was written that way was because it was just the way she wrote it out the first time. I agree with this. As a writer, I know that most authors do tend to write short sentences when writing their first drafts. It allows the author to get everything out while their mind is going, and then they can go back and edit with more description. While this book had description, I didn't feel like it had enough. It was written in third person so it had the potential to give you a wonderful look at the world around the characters as well as more insightful feelings inside of the characters. I feel as though I was cheated of these things and felt as though the characters lacked growth and development because of it.I'm getting off the subject of the review. Writing is a bit of a soft-spot for me. ;) Despite the writing, the story is wonderful. Normally, I tend to trash reading the rest of the series if the grammer gets to me, but I can't see myself doing it with this series. Why? The story is THAT good. The characters, while I feel I'm missing some of their depth, do have enough to them to keep me interested. Even if I don't know their past or most of their present, their actions can sometimes speak louder than words. My emotions did get tangled up in the story because these are true characters, most with not-so-perfect lives, that you can relate to. Janie is also NOT a Mary Sue ... and that is something in YA that you don't see much of. She's actually flawed and sometimes makes bad decisions. Like I said, you can definitely relate to the characters in the book.

[hpluver07 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was amazing! It is a different kind of story and written in a different style and that's what made me love it so much!

[theepicrat · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

WAKE is a one-of-a-kind story that keeps you in suspense, wondering if Janie will ever conquer her unwanted dream-crashing, aching to see if she will find a worthy knight-in-shining-armor in Cabel the school bad boy, wistfully comparing it to Veronica Mars if Miss Mars had any psychic ability, absolutey itching like mad to get a copy of FADE immediately to find out what does happen to Janie!

[mmillet_7 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

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.

[missnickynack · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

For seventeen-year-old Janie, getting sucked into other people's dreams is getting old. 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, cursedwith 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....

[runa_17 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I think this book has restored my faith in YA. I've only started browsing the booksites, and already I'm noticing a large amount of people criticizing the narration style, to which I say, "HUH?!" While I found Wake just a tad bit too description-heavy for my tastes, the narration was still some of the best I've read in a really long time, and I only wish more authors wrote like this. The characters are heartbreakingly human, particularly Cabel, and I just want to learn more! More about them, more about who they are, who they will be, where it all began. I'd like to learn the origin of Janie's ability, and why she's chosen to have it. I really cannot wait to read Fade, and I hope Ms. McMann doesn't ever break up the amazing [crimefighting] duo! Rating: 5/5

[punkfarie · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

different but it was interesting. i liked enough to continue the series.

[df1a_aubreed · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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.

[stephaniekerr · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wake is about a girl, named Janie who falls into other people's dreams. Unlike most books I've read, it's written in present tense. I thought that was pretty cool. I loved this book. I couldn't put it down.