I requested this book mainly because I loved the cover and wow I am glad I did! This is one of those instances where judging a book by it's cover really paid off! This book had such a unique premise and Rebecca Schaeffer executed it so well! This is my first book of hers but it definitely will not be my last!

City of Nightmares takes place in a world where people are afraid to dream. If you have a nightmare when you fall asleep, you risk turning into that nightmare as soon as you wake up! Some nightmares only change your body, leaving your mind completely intact, and some nightmares turn you into mindless monsters, destroying everything in your path! 19 year old Ness, our main character, is more afraid than most after watching her older sister turn into a giant spider as a child and tear their father limb from limb! Now, Ness lives as part of a community (not a cult) called Friends of the Restful Soul who provide free therapy to anyone struggling with the after-effects of a nightmare. When Ness finds out that her place in the community is at risk after one failed job after another, she'll do whatever it takes to keep her home. Which is how she ends up as one of the only survivors of a boat explosion (that may or may not have been an accident), reluctantly allied with a nightmare as they try to figure out who might be trying to kill them!

Yes, the premise of this book was incredible and I absolutely loved seeing all the different ways that the author interpreted the outcomes of nightmares. The mayor has a pet pterodactyl (who at some point used to be human btw), the director of Ness's not-a-cult is a literal lizard person, there are people who transformed into exagerrated versions of their bullies as children and then grew into giants, some people theorize that when people disappear in their sleep it's because they were afraid of getting sick and turned into germs overnight! I could go on and on because the imagination in this book is seemingly endless! The standout to me, though, was the character development!

We got a lot of internal monologue from Ness and I absolutely loved it! I relate to her so strongly (as much as I can relate to a girl living in a world so far removed from reality) and often found myself laughing at how much Ness's thoughts reminded me of my own. I'm not really sure what that says about me considering Ness is suffering from severe PTSD and is afraid of pretty much everything but we'll move on. The growth that Ness experienced was a joy to see unfold on the page! Like I said, she started out scared of everything, running away at the first sign of danger, but as she was put in more dangerous situations throughout the book, she learned to trust not only herself but also Cy, the vampire that she escaped the boat explosion with. Both Cy and Ness were extremely likeable characters and I found myself rooting for both of them the entire way through the book! They both struggled with trusting people and seeing their friendship develop into what it was by the end of the book was one of my favourite parts of this reading experience!

The plot was full of twists and turns and a couple of them were a little predictable but I still really enjoyed the reveals! I found myself gasping and then having to pause and say "wait, I knew that" and then pausing again to pat mytself on the back for guessing the plot twist. There were a couple of twists, however, that I definitely didn't see coming and I'm really looking forward to seeing how all the different sub-plots come together in the next book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it kept me interested the whole way through and I absolutely loved the characters and world that Rebecca Schaeffer created! I would recommend this to you if you enjoy urban fantasy witha slight splash of horror and are looking for a unique premise executed really well! I will definitely be waiting (im)patiently for the next installment in this duology and picking up more of the author's books in the meantime.

I recieved a digital ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publishers in return for an honest review. All of the opinions above are my own.

Likeable characters and a super fun world! Seemed very over the top but in a way that matched the vibes of the book
There is a lot going on, but it's well explained and still feels an easy read. It's very ya, I feel some of the characters read as much younger than they were supposed to be
But it's got a great bit of dark humour and overall chaotic energy that's really. Enjoyable and you'll be compelled to read on

Great world setting but once you get the main gist that there are alive nightmares I got bored. I sounded promising though at the beginning. Since I didn't like the first trilogy I thought I'd give the author another try. And didn't really care about the characters so this book was a miss for me. One thing that I can say that it's an easy read nothing confusing.

Imagine living in a world where there’s a chance you could turn into your worst nightmare while you sleep. You’re afraid of spiders? Say hello to your eight new legs (which you’ll be viewing through anywhere between is and twelve eyes, depending on the specific spider your fear is based on) and try not to eat your family.

This is a book I went into without expectations, but from the first chapter alone I got incredibly sucked into the world. The characters, plot, and writing style are all gripping and make for quite an enjoyable read!

I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

thank you to netgalley, the publisher and the author for this arc!

3 stars.

this book wasn't bad. it just wasn't for me. i feel like i would have enjoyed this much more when i was younger, because what irked me the most was the way it felt a little childish to me. that, and the repetitiveness of some elements in this book. like, yes, i get it. newham bad, newham evil. i am a coward. oh no my tiny little safe closet. (among other things, but i don't wanna list ALL of them.)

the dialogue also didn't feel all that natural to me, and the book tried a little too hard to be gore-y when it didn't have to be (and considering the rest of the book, felt a little misplaced). the plot was okay. nothing shocking, nothing that stood out. but again, that might just be me. maybe it's just a little under my age range, that's on me.

In Newham you are in danger of turning into your nightmare, literally. Ness has joined an organization that claims to help people but is considered a cult. She is trying to avoid ending up like her sister, who turned into a giant man-eating spider, or become a victim of some other monstrous Nightmare. Going out of town, on a job she is doing for the Friends of the Restless Souls, she survives an explosion along with a Nightmare boy named Cy, who may want to eat her. Crazy things start to happen, making her suspect that the explosion may not have been an accident at all...

The idea of people turning into their worst nightmare is brilliant. The mythology is impressive, all its details are well thought out so it makes sense and answers any questions you may have on how this dangerous, corrupt world works. With this drama queen of a city, it gets you hooked from the very beginning. The on-the-nose descriptions bring you right into the world. The pacing was amazing. You could say I was drinking in the pages to quench the thirst brought on by the intrigue.

Ness is a character you root for instantly, self-deprecating and honest with herself. I really liked that she didn't start out as a super-duper badass, but is understandably traumatized, dealing with fear. Though surprisingly crafty at getting what she wants. With one or two sentences you 'know' each character. No one-dimensional characters here, thank you. I must state here how enamored I was with the character of Priya, one of those fun dynamic people you would wish for a friend. And my appreciation for the existence of Cy.

I smiled and chuckled a lot due to the awkwardness & absurdity of the situation, plus the humorous one-liners. There is a great sense of humor evident here with a peppering of cynicism. The protagonist discovers truths about herself and her world through her musings, delving into fleeting and deeper emotions.

Examining the nature of fear, the foundation of dreams and what constitutes a monster, this was such a pleasure to read. With heart-pounding action and sentences dripping with suspense, this is a terrific first installment to a new more than promising series.

Since I'm a huge fan of Rebecca's previous series I was really excited to get into this one. Specially after the fantastic concept of the story but sadly it remain mostly a concept.

In this world nightmares become real, so everybody takes this pills to not dream, I know it sounds amazing, but this part of the world was left aside on the middle of the novel and the plot got a little bit lost along the way.
Another issue I had with it was the MC, which I liked at first since she's portrayed like a coward and that is completely fine, but the problem started when she suddenly change and became an out of nowhere badass. We also have a love interest that a was a bit unnecessary but not really that annoying.

Still, I would recommend it if you find the premise interesting, but keep your expectations on the lower side.

"City of Nightmares" takes place in the city of Newham, a place where nightmares become a reality. The inhabitants of Newham are aware of the dangers posed by their dreams, and they take medication and avoid sleeping without it to prevent their worst fears from becoming real. In this dark and sinister world, the authorities are corrupt, and the city is filled with literal nightmarish monsters and villains.

The story revolves around the character of Ness, a young woman who is haunted by the traumatic experience of losing her family to a nightmare. She has become a coward and lives a scared life, seeking refuge in a small brick box she calls home. Despite her fear, Ness is surrounded by a cast of interesting characters, including her badass best friend, Priya, and Cy, a mysterious figure who becomes a close ally.

The world-building in "City of Nightmares" is both imaginative and original. The city of Newham is described as mouldy, smoggy, and reeking of unpleasant odors, reflecting its dangerous and oppressive atmosphere. The idea of nightmares becoming real is an intriguing concept that is central to the story and sets the tone for a dark and suspenseful journey.

Overall, "City of Nightmares" offers a unique and engaging take on the traditional concept of nightmares and the impact they can have on people's lives. The world-building in this book is a standout feature, making it an enjoyable and entertaining read for fans of dark and twisted fantasy stories.

This book has me absolutely hooked and I can't wait for book two!!!

Many Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing the digital review copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
It’s not often that a book comes out with a new concept, and I’ve got to say I love this book by Rebecca Schaeffer, it’s completely original, the thought of becoming your greatest fear after you have woken up from a nightmare would terrify every one of us.
As far as I can tell it’s set on earth, in the US around the New York, Boston area. It does have some Taylor swift references so I imagine it’s set in the present time. Ness is an orphan and is part of an organization (not a cult!) that helps survivors of nightmare attacks. She is severely traumatised after her own sister’s transformation when she was young and now is terrified of everything. After an incident on a ferry Ness must find out the truth about the explosion and uncover a secret about her past as well as the people around her.
I think what I liked so much about this book, is Ness, she’s a complete mess, and I can relate so easily, she is terrified of everything, with crippling anxiety attacks, and honestly, I’m not surprised, the city is a nightmare without the monsters, full of corruptions, gangs, murder, kidnapping and Ness who is not good at anything must navigate this world and find herself.
One of the things I most enjoyed about this book, was the role of having your own agency, Rebecca explores how the media and other people’s perceptions can affect how you control your own emotions. This is a popular theme at the moment in a lot of books, but not something that I have seen in a fantasy novel.
Favourite Parts: When Ness finds out about her sister.
Recommendations: Yes, Yes, Yes
Rating: Four Stars

*Actual rating is 4.5 stars*

This book features one of my favourite things ever - found family and a great cast of characters! Ness, Priya and Cy are all great, and their friendships just made me so happy.
Furthermore, I really connected with Ness. Because as someone with anxiety myself, I found a kinship in Ness and in her need for security. Not to mention the panic attacks, and the constant knowledge that it’s an overreaction but still having to go through certain procedures just to get some peace of mind. It’s nice seeing more of this represented in books.

The titular city truly sounded like a living nightmare - filled with monsters, gangsters and corruption everywhere. Something which helped make it interesting, although I would never want to set my foot there. The plot had so many layers to it, with multiple twists and turns. There were lots of things happening at the same time and were interconnected, which resulted in the story never losing pace or getting dull. It’s a good thing when you can’t guess the plot twists and turns. But here the revelation to one of the big plot points just felt like it came from too far out of left field. Like it didn’t make sense, at least not to me.

So if you're looking for a YA book with horror elements, found family and slow burn romance tropes, and a multilayered plot with a dark and sinister truth at its core - then this book is perfect for you!

This is startlingly original young adult fantasy set in a nightmarish hellscape world and featuring a very relatable, cowardly main character instead of a sassy, self-confident, improbably mature girl. I was intrigued and will definitely read the next book in the series.

"Ever since her sister became a man-eating spider and slaughtered her way through town" I was hooked from this quote onwards, a fantastic novel and I can't wait for official release

https://www.sffworld.com/2023/01/city-of-nightmares-by-rebecca-schaeffer/

This YA's comparison to Gotham intrigued me, but after reading it, comparing City of Nightmares to the origin stories of the DC universe doesn’t do it justice.

The first few pages come at you fast, leaving you no doubt that you’re in for a ride.

We follow Ness, trying to stay safe in Newham, a city that has learned to live alongside people becoming their nightmares. Nightmares present in many forms, exposing a soul’s deepest fear. The city’s mayor claims a pet pterodactyl, and of course there are vampires.

Fortunately, the water is laced with a protective chemical to prevent nightmares. However, drinking alcohol as it negates the effects. It doesn’t bode well for those who believe ‘one drink won’t hurt.’

Blurb:

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, to 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 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.

We learn very early in the book that Ness’s sister became a nightmare, and the event left Ness with the post-traumatic stress, anxiety and more. This lasting effect marks Ness’s journey throughout the novel.

Friends of the Restful Soul–an outreach program of sorts, provides her with a safe place to sleep every night. They have a reputation for being a cult and are far from well received by most of the city’s patrons.

Ness is presented as a frightened young woman, clearly suffering from the trauma she’s witnessed. She is neither shy nor retiring and her inner courage is revealed on her journey of self-discovery. She can no longer run away from nightmares, where she is supposed to assist victims.

She’s quite willing to venture out into madness and corruption to avoid losing her place at the Friends of the Restful Soul.

Through Ness, Rebecca Schaeffer explores what a person will do to hold on to what they value.

Terrified of nightmares and aware of every danger that might find her, Ness joins forces with Cy, a vampire, to unravel why someone would want to blow up a boat they travelled on.

Keeping in mind this book is for readers unfamiliar with genre tropes, how Cy acts fits the list of woes a troubled vampire must have, but not in the usual ways. Equally, how Schaeffer uses Cy as a lens to explore what a person wants, or must do over what a person can and will do, is an interesting direction. It’s a theme throughout the novel.

Despite its dark, twisted setting, and the intense chaos that Schaeffer builds, Ness and Cy bring a combination of humour and hope into Newham. It’s an encouraging story of dealing with fears and anxieties.

City of Nightmares is book one of a duology and an enjoyable journey through the possibilities of speculative fiction.




ISBN: 1399712101

Available as: Paperback , Hardback, Ebook, Audiobook.

Review copy courtesy of the publisher.

© 2023 Shellie Horst

Ness lives in Newham.... Newham exists in a world where forgetting to take your meds means turning into your worst nightmare when your sleep....

Ness is traumatised from this very thing happening to her sister, when her sister turned into a giant spider, killing their father and some other people on a rampage

Ness now lives at the Friends of the Restless Souls - which is definitely not a Cult - and even with their help is struggling to cope with her fear of Nightmares and also of becoming a Nightmare herself!

In thinking she is avoiding the hard things, Ness takes a job delivering mail via a boat trip where she only has to avoid the party when boom.... her world is turned upside down.

She must team up with the very thing she fears to face more fears - and let's face it, she has a lot!

Such a fun story, but also touching and sweet and thoughtful too... highly recommend and cannot wait to see more in this world after *that ending!!!*

City of Nightmares is the first book in Rebecca Shaeffer’s new Series of the same Name.

And it was fun. I honestly don’t have that much more to say about it. The concept of the Nightmares is really cool, I just wish we could have seen a few more examples of the curse. But maybe that will
come in the sequel.
The characters are fine but not really memorable although I do like that Ness has
a very clear development arch. I do also like her love interest and how subtle the building of the romance was. I just hope the situation with a certain white-haired mystery doesn’t develop into a
love triangle.
I’m sorry this review isn’t longer, I just genuinely don’t know what else to say.

3.5/5 stars

This compelling and fast-paced YA urban fantasy novel features:

✔ a wonderful premise that made me wonder about what *was* my biggest fear : what if every time you fell asleep, you were at risk to turn into your worst nightmare?

✔ a likeable and VERY relatable main character (I, too, would hide and jump out of the window if some huge cockroach attacked me, loved ones be damned—SORRY OKAY, I'M BEING REAL HERE) who struggles with past trauma and has (entirely understandable, all things considered) trust issues

✔ MONSTERS EVERYWHERE!! VAMPIRES!! CORRUPT POLITICIANS WITH A PTERODACTYL PET!!

✔ a Gotham-like corrupt city in a creepy and weird world (see above)

✔ wholesome friendships 🥹🥹

✔ I didn't expect it to make me laugh (see: giant insects) but it did???? What is this magic

I genuinely had such a great time with City of Nightmares and I can't wait for the sequel. Thanks so much to @HodderBooks and @netgalley for the arc!

RATING : 4 to 4.5⭐, recommended (do check CW on storygraph though!)

I received an ARC through Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

Solid 4 stars.

So I honestly was not interested in this book when I read the book description, and I even went out of my way to read the bad reviews to make me dislike this book or deter me from reading it.
So why would I decide to read this book? Because I´m a poor Fairyloot subscriber and this is supposedly the February YA book, which means I need to know if this book is worth 50 pounds.

I liked how the book started, it really pulled me in and made me want to read more.
At first Ness annoyed me with her cowardice. I didn't like how ungrateful Ness was even though Cy just saved her life. And her fear/prejudice towards people that had been turned into nightmares annoyed me a lot.
But as I kept on reading I started to like Ness, I really enjoyed her character growth.

This book was funny and profound at times. And I really liked this book. I had a hard time not reading this book because I started to like it so much.
I was really interested in what was going to happen, and how things would be solved.
I even finished this book at 3:15 AM just because I couldn't put it down!

City of Nightmares really caught me by suprise, and I'm so happy for it.
This book is good, and I would definitely re-read it.
I will definitely be reading the sequel!

This was AMAZING. I don't know what it is but it was such a GREAT book! The premise is so fun, so much imagination, so many wild things can do on. It was giving me young James Patterson book vibes, and it felt like such a nostalgic read. It read very lower YA, but it had some older themes and a little bit of language. The no romance was great too, I feel like Ness could be ace potentially, with how she lacks that attraction and is more into the friendship feels. There was a bit of banter laughs throughout, and I loved Ness as a character. Totally relatable (to me), not a strong badass quippy MC but much more of a scaredy-cat, selfish, watch out for herself type of character which was such a breath of fresh air.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I really enjoyed the tone of this book - it felt very comic-book superhero which is a nice change from the excessively dark, high-stakes fantasy that is increasingly common. Ness was a very relatable character (who wouldn't be absolutely terrified after seeing what she'd seen?) and the friendship that developed between her and Cy felt very realistic. Let's wait and see if it develops into anything more in future books! The whole concept of the Nightmares is fresh and the ending is particularly intriguing. Can't wait to see what happens next!

Sometimes you read a book and you feel like it was written just for you because it is 100% what you love to read about - and that was City of Nightmares for me.

I had this book on my kindle for a few months and I acutally really regret not picking this book up sooner because I just loved it so much.

I think everyone who reviews books knows that it is somehow so much harder to talk about books you loved than books you disliked - I’m finding it pretty hard to pinpoint why I adored City of Nightmares so much but I definitely did.

I was hooked from the first sentence - the world was just so interesting and it is pretty dark, lots of literal nightmarish monsters and corruption and everything is just pretty weird but it’s told in such a fun way. Ness is… not your typical main character I’d think. She’s afraid of everything after her sister turned into a giant spider and ate their dad but she grows so much through out the story and I just loved Ness so much. She’s also one of the main characters who doesn’t forget her best friend as soon as she meets new people, which I thought was great, because I loved the friendship between Ness and Priya. But I also really loved Cy and how Ness was so suspicious of him in the beginning but learned to trust him. I also really liked that there wasn’t any romance in this book. Do Ness and Cy have chemistry? I think so. But I also wouldn’t be mad if they stayed friends. Either way, I just loved all of the characters so much. 🧡

And even though I liked the plot and it was interesting enough, it was my least favorite thing about the book because the characters and vibes just take the cake. The world was so interesting and weird in just the way I like to read about. But I also think this book may not be for everyone. If you love the vibes, you’re going to love the books. If you don’t - well.

For me City of Nightmares worked perfectly, I enjoyed every second of reading this book. It was actually the first fantasy book in a while I didn’t want to put down and where I didn’t read anything in between. It was the most fun I had with a fantasy in a while and I already can’t wait for book 2 later this year.