The comparison of Gotham meets Strange the Dreamer is very a propo when describing City of Nightmares. This morally ambiguous urban fantasy will take you on the best kind of roller coaster ride!

Cheesy, camp, hilarious and so much fun, this was so much fun to read. I liked that it had the gritty, urban vibes of Repo The Genetic Opera and V For Vendetta, plunging us into a dark, grimy city where everyone's just trying to survive day to day.

I wasn't expecting this to be as funny as it is, and the story balances that well with the fear and grief that Ness constantly feels. I loved that she wasn't a complex character, or a savior of the world, she was just a girl trying to get by, wanting to get back to the safety of her small room.

Cy is a more complex character. A boy turned Nightmare Vampire due to the fear of his father who chose to become one, his wit bounces off Ness's sarcasm so well and the scenes they were both in were some of the best. I do want to see more from Ness's friend Priya in the next book, as she only appeared a few times.

I liked that I couldn't predict where this story was going to go next, and I'm so ready for the sequel. This does have a little bit of a cliffhanger ending, leaving me desperately wanting to know what will happen next now Ness's decision seems to have changed her world forever.

City of Nightmares is set into an alt-history world of maybe early twentieth century. For a hundred years, peoples’ nightmares have come to life, changing the person to their worst fears. Some become murderous, some live their lives as before, with altered looks.

Nineteen-year-old Ness lives in Newham, hiding among a ‘cult’ that offers therapy for people suffering from the consequences of nightmares. She’s afraid of all of them, to the extent that she becomes completely paralyzed by fear. But nightmares aren’t the only frightening things in Newham, which is run by mobsters and corrupt people who kidnap children to feed them to monsters, among other things.

Her life changes when a boat she’s on explodes and she’s saved by a young vampire man. Not only is she forced to trust him, in the aftermath she starts to question the safe haven she’s been living in. Little by little, she sheds her fears, so much so that when the worst monsters come at her, she’s able to face them with courage.

The book started a bit slowly and it wasn’t very compelling, but it picked up pace towards the end. The assassination plot didn’t make any sense even after it was explained, but luckily it wasn’t the main focus. That was Ness and her fears. Her transformation was believable at first, but then her fears were wiped away with a kind of deus ex machina solution that came out of blue, as her ability to lucid dreaming wasn’t used anywhere else.

Ness was a good character, but at no point did I believe she was an adult, as her inner life and behaviour were more suitable for a fourteen-year-old. Side characters didn’t really come to life, though I liked Cy.

My biggest problem was with the setting, which was a confusing mess. I thought at first that the book took place in 1930s, with Bakelite phones being the height of modernity, but then there were TVs everywhere. I thought Newham was somewhere in the US, but then there was the bit about annexing Sweden, which doesn’t make geographical sense. In the end, I just imagined it was a secondary world and ignored the odd bits.

This was a start of a series, but it has a good conclusion and the book can be read as a standalone. There were enough open questions left, but I’m not curious enough about them to read more.

This book is weird! I really enjoyed it though. Newham is much like Gotham but with a pet pterodactyl, vampires assassins and even a giant man eating spider.

I liked the themes of friendship and how the main character deals with her fears and obstacles in life.

First at all let’s say just out loud that I did not want to read this book. I had no big expectations at all, I even skipped Fairyloot one. HOW WRONG I WAS

It has been years since I’ve read a dystopian kind of book and I loved it.

The plot is so unique and the characters I love them all.

Ever since her sister became a man-eating spider and slaughtered her way through town, nineteen-year-old Ness has been terrified - terrified of some other Nightmare murdering her, and terrified of ending up like her sister. Because in Newham, the city that never sleeps, dreaming means waking up as your worst fear.

Whether that means becoming a Nightmare that's monstrous only in appearance, or transforming into a twisted, unrecognizable creature that terrorizes the city, no one is safe. Ness will do anything to avoid becoming another victim, even if that means lying low among the Friends of the Restful Soul, a questionable organisation that may or may not be a cult.

But being a member of this maybe-cult has a price. In order to prove herself, Ness cons her way into what's supposed to be a simple job for the organisation - only for it to blow up in her face. Literally. Tangled up in the aftermath of an explosive assassination, now Ness and the only other survivor - a Nightmare boy who Ness suspects is planning to eat her - must find their way back to Newham and uncover the sinister truth behind the attack, even as the horrors of her past loom ominously near.

Ness is such a real character, I think anyone could see herself in her. Since loosing her sister she’s been terrified of pretty much everything (in particular Nightmares). in any situation she double question anything, she’s worse than me I’m telling you.

She doesn’t interact or even double question any nightmares until she meets someone.

I loved Cy from the first scene he was in. His humor was the balance she needed in her life. And with him she stars second guessing if the “bad guys” are really the ones or if something else is happening under her nose.

I loved so much the friendship that those two started and how Cy decided to open up for the first time after “loosing” his best friend, to a girl who’s scared shitless of him.

It is funny how at the end of the book you get to see how Ness safe place is not anymore a small room but wherever Cy is.

Watch me buying this book and waiting not really patiently for the second one cause I NEED TO KNOWWWW.

And I need a joy between those two cause that last scene …. All that angst 😍😍

I read the premise of this book and got so excited - if you dream it will be a nightmare, and you will turn into that nightmare....also it's set in Gotham but with no Batman and an added religious cult. This had a lot of potential and it mostly lived up to it!

There was....quite a bit social commentary that was valid, but not really input into the story the right way - it felt a bit more after-school-special than part of the novel at times. There was a whole chunk that was Rebecca Schaeffer talking rather than our MC, Ness. The actual plot and action of the story is really good though - gritty and depressing, but the inner monologue that didn't add to the character development, plot, or world build was so eye-roll inducing that it very nearly made me give up on the book the second or third time it happened.

This book is also guilty of my number one pet peeve of duologies/trilogies - it could be a standalone and doesn't end at an end point....I feel it could have been edited down and this made into one big book...but we'll see how book two fares.

This was absolutely chaotic in the best ways and it was just a crazy rollercoaster ride from start to finish. Definitely not what I expected from this book but also not really an issue for me!

This book is weird, it's unhinged, it’s funny, and the guy is not an asshole (however he still is a little traumatized and definitely needs an hug).

The writing is very simple and there were a couple of conversations/rants that I'm not sure I really liked, but it was generally such a fun read that I can easily get over them.

Also, how dare the author rob us of Cy and Priya's actual introductions??? I wanted to see them interact :(

I never thought I’d have such a great time and enjoy reading CITY OF NIGHTMARES as much as I did. I loved the idea of the story, I think it’s very original and the humor in it is marvelous. I don’t think I ever read anything like this before and I hope there will me more to the City of Nightmares than just this one book!

Oh, I'm OBSESSED with this book. Which I honestly wasn't expecting but I'm so glad that's the case, because this book is amazing.

Ness lives in a crime filled city where people's worst nightmares happen to wander the street, just your normal, average, every day type of thing.

When people dream, they have nightmares, and when they have nightmares they turn into their worst fear. So one day Ness's own sister forgot to take a pill that prevents dreams and turned into a huge spider that ended up killing their father.

This eventually led fear-filled Ness into joining a totally-not-cultish organisation that provides therapy for nightmares. And this sets off a chain of events which I can only describe as chaotic. I loved every minute of it.

LITERALLY, from the first sentence I was hooked and I didn't want to stop reading.

This book really feels like YA which is a good thing, because a lot of YA books now border NA, but this one is fine for the younger kids to read.

There's a mystery plot in the background, and by the end it makes sense. I didn't really predict any of it which is another plus.

Our main character Ness starts off as a huge coward who's basically scared of her own shadow, but as the book goes on she faces her fears in a way that felt natural. I believed that she was getting braver and braver.

I also like Cy and the Phantom. Both are cool, and I hope they become a trio in the sequel, they'd be unstoppable.

There's a subtle romance happening between Ness and Cy, me being me though I also ship her with the Phantom so we'll see where it goes.

The world is one of my favourite parts of City of Nightmares, it's so well developed and I'd like to live there despite the fact that I could be killed at any moment. But I'd like to live in Gotham too which this city is inspired by soooooo...

The nightmares are a unique concept that was executed perfectly, in my opinion. No one could've done it better.

And this book sends a good message too, that you are not your fears and you shouldn't let them control you.

I AM ABSOLUTELY GETTING A PHYSICAL COPY OF THIS BOOK, not only because I'm obsessed as I said, but also because the cover is gorgeous. I mean JUST LOOK AT IT, SO PRETTY.

*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Superheroes are not my thing. I don't care about people with superpowers saving the world. I mostly don't care about the helpless humans waiting for the superheroes to save the world. However, I do love villains. I do love reading about what they want, how they became who they are, what makes them them. So, when I saw this book I got curious. Very curious. I decided to request a review copy on Netgalley and luckily Hodder and Stoughton granted me one.

The first half of this book was not as dark as I had expected it to be. I guess I'm spoiled by all the dark romance novels I'm reading (those get really dark, trust me), but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the first half of the book. On the contrary. The author built an amazing world, or at least the nightmare part of the world, and I love how she never loses herself into lengthy descriptions but gives us the time to get all the information and put it together ourselves.

I also really loved how this mythology made it possibly for every kind of monster to exist within the same world without it becoming messy. There are a lot of branches of vampires and it makes sense that there are. New monsters are appearing left and right and it makes sense that there are. It must be a real joy to come up with a world like this and to be able to be as creative as you want with the characters walking around.

However, this book does get darker and darker during the story. I personally think that our heroine sometimes seemed a little too smart putting the pieces together (or the research parts were rushed, could be that too), but I love how she does grow so much as a person during the story because of all the action, because of what humans and monsters do to her, because of her own nightmares. I'm really excited to reconnect with her in the next installment.

City of Nightmares is the first book of a duology. The premise was the first thing that caught my attention. It was really unique. And wow it really didn't disappoint me. I really enjoyed it. The story was really fast paced. Once you start reading you can't put it down. Ness is an amazing main character and she is dealing with anxiety and author did an amazing job writing about how she deals with it. If you enjoy darker storylines this was definitely worth a shot. I can't wait to read the final book.

I really loved this. Immediately gripping and such a clever premise.

Imagine if you turned into your nightmare? It would certainly change the world. This is the starting point then off we go on a page turning adventure with our drifting, terrified main protagonist as she begins to understand what actually happened to her sister.

It really is a brilliant concept executed perfectly. The world within the pages is insane, vibrant and always unexpected. The story itself is hugely engaging and really well plotted.

Overall I thought it was fantastic. Really looking forward to the next instalment.

I just finished the "City of Nightmares" by Rebecca Schaeffer and I have to say, I was thoroughly entertained. The book seamlessly blends elements of violence and corruption with great friendships helping you fight your demons, to create a unique and thrilling young adult fantasy. The main character, Ness, is faced with the fear of becoming a monster, but finds the strength to confront her fears and uncover a criminal conspiracy in the city of Newham.

What I appreciated the most about this book was the exploration of PTSD and anxiety, and the way the author addresses the topic in a relatable and sensitive manner. The theme of facing and overcoming your fears and the concept of looking past first impressions were also noteworthy. The friendships that develop between Ness and the other characters are healthy and add an important dimension to the story.

The plot is full of twists and turns that kept me turning the pages, and the writing style is engaging and descriptive. I particularly appreciated the vivid imagery used to bring the city of Newham to life. Overall, I really enjoyed reading "City of Nightmares" and I am eagerly looking forward to the next part of this series. If you're a fan of young adult fantasy, I highly recommend giving this book a try!

thank you netgalley, for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

this book was weird and i'm not even sure how to rate it.

i loved the concept itself, and, surprisingly, i ended up liking the main character, Ness, a lot. she suffers from ptsd and we see her struggle with it and how it affects her daily life, her thoughts/actions and her personality. there was a part where she began to annoy me but then, as the book continued, i began to see her development and understand her.

i also liked how the relationship between her and her two friends developed and i'd say it ended pretty well! however... the pace was weird? the beginning was okay, then it became interesting, and then super dull, then interesting again, then ???, interesting again and then it ended.

my reaction was 🤔 okay, cool! 👌

i'd say to give this book a go if you're looking for a weird and interesting concept, and with almost no romance (there's a tiny, very tiny hint of it so, if you like romance in your books, this one is not for you).

I loved this book!

Another fantastic installment by Rebecca schaeffer.

If you loved the “not even bones” trilogy then you’ll definitely love this even more!


I can’t wait to see what’s next for nessa, cy and priya in the city of nightmares.

I wasn’t sure if this would be for me but I did enjoy my read through Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this title.

Amazon Summary
Ever since her sister became a man-eating spider and slaughtered her way through town, nineteen-year-old Ness has been terrified - terrified of some other Nightmare murdering her, and terrified of ending up like her sister. Because in Newham, the city that never sleeps, dreaming means waking up as your worst fear.

Whether that means becoming a Nightmare that's monstrous only in appearance, or transforming into a twisted, unrecognizable creature that terrorizes the city, no one is safe. Ness will do anything to avoid becoming another victim, even if that means lying low among the Friends of the Restful Soul, a questionable organization that may or may not be a cult.

But being a member of this maybe-cult has a price. In order to prove herself, Ness cons her way into what's supposed to be a simple job for the organization - only for it to blow up in her face. Literally. Tangled up in the aftermath of an explosive assassination, now Ness and the only other survivor - a Nightmare boy who Ness suspects is planning to eat her - must find their way back to Newham and uncover the sinister truth behind the attack, even as the horrors of her past loom ominously near.

My Review
I cant express enough how much i loved this book!!! 5 stars i wish i could give it ten.

i loved Ness, she was such a different take on the female MC, she is not a hero or brave, she hides when monsters are near but i just rooted for her for the whole book and there wasn't one character i didn't like.

I loved the worldbuilding where everyone that has a nightmare becomes their worst fear, this means the population takes drugs to keep the dreams at bay but Alcohol nullifies the the drugs effects and some religious factions wont take the drug so there are lots of nightmares roaming the city.

The plot is great, fast paced and full of action. I love Ness and Cy's friendship and how he helps her grow and overcome her fears. The story is full of twist and turns and keeps me guessing all the way through. I love the ending and cant wait until the next book.

My 5 star rating should speak for itself. No, wait, that’s a lie. I’d probably give this book more than 5 stars if I could. I loved it, and found myself wildly entertained, even if this book did result in one night of nightmares in which I dreamt I got a large spider stuck in my hair (not fun).

I just loved every aspect of this book. From the get go, it had me suckered in. Ness was a brilliant protagonist, and I was delighted with how she was written. Nothing against the protagonists with the mad fighting skills, the ability to stare fear in the face and carry on, etc etc… I loved that Ness was nothing (mostly — she got better lol, in her own way, #characterdevelopment). Ness was, in her own words, a “coward” and it made the story way more intensely interesting than if she wasn’t. Interesting, hilarious, complex. Seeing the ridiculous (and understandable!) ways Ness ran from any perceived danger was magnificent. I get her, I really do.

Ness, I love you.

And there brings me to by lovely Nightmare Vamp Boy Cy (or shall I say Sigh?). Gosh, he cracked me him. Him and Ness both. Their banter and bickering was off the charts and I loved them. I loved their exasperation with each other, and the eventual friendship that formed. This book 100% wouldn’t have been as enjoyable without that relationship.

I can’t forget to show out Priya, Ness’ best friend. Priya is who you’d expect to be the protagonist. She’s good at fighting, courageous (I believe Ness is too, in her own way — the word has many different meanings) etc. So again, I liked that the roles between side character and main were seemingly flipped. But we got great growth out of both Priya and Ness, and they are each stand our characters. Love them.

I loved the world building in this! I thought the writing was magnificent. Look, it was so vivid that (like I mentioned at the beginning of my review) it had me dreaming about concepts in this book. That’s strong writing! It stayed on my mind that much it wouldn’t leave me alone even in sleep.

I loved the plot, the mystery, all of it. I’ve read the blurb for the second one and let me tell you, I wish I hadn’t. I was already excited upon finishing this, and now I am unbearably excited. Can’t wait!

This was an immensely fun read! If, like me, your first thought was this book sounds jam packed and a little unhinged… you’re absolutely right!

Ness might just be my new favourite character. She’s funny, she’s witty and has anxiety that could outmatch my own! Her anxiety, while totally justified, was a little irritating to start with since everyone around her had adjusted, but the more I thought about it the more I thought I would be exactly the same? Even if everyone adjusted, I don’t think I ever would!

The characters had such a great arc, the plot was detailed and brilliant.

Lost a star because the epilogue left me a little confused? I feel I might have missed something?