Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Sweet Nightmare by Tracy Wolff Narrator: Suzy Jackson, Andrew B Wherlen
Series: Calder Academy #1
Published by Tantor Audio on May 7, 2024
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy Romance
Length: 15 hours, 21 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
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Most schools are about being the best. This school? It's about being the worst. Calder Academy is where the rogue paranormals go. The ones who break the rules or lose control. And when that happens for vamps, werewolves, witches, and dark fae? It gets pretty freaking scary. I should know. Because I'm trapped here.
Look, every seventeen-year-old girl thinks their mom is a tyrant. But mine just happens to run Calder Academy, which paints a giant target on my back. The way I make it through these dark halls is by steering clear of the things—and kids—who go bump in the night. Especially Jude Abernathy-Lee.
But when a freak storm hits our isolated island, I'm stuck without a backup plan. The power is gone. The lights are out. And our worst nightmares are suddenly real—and out for blood. Now the only way to survive is to align myself with one evil to avoid the other. And the only thing worse than the idea of getting close to Jude? Secretly loving every minute of it.
Sweet Nightmare is the first book of The Calder Academy, a spin off to the Crave series set in the same world with a few cross over characters. I have not read the Crave series and kept up just fine, but I’m sure there are some nuggets in here for those who have read the other series. Set at a school for the magically blessed…vampires, witches and fae oh my, Calder academy is where you get sent when there isn’t a good place to keep you and your magic or you are a bit out of control. Clementine has been there her whole life. Not because she is bad, but because her family runs the school and her mom is in charge of it all.
Clementine wants nothing more than to get off the Island she has lived on her whole life. Her mother, on the other hand, is never going to let that happen. She is stuck in the school, stuck on Trickler duty (trust me it isn’t fun) and stuck trying to avoid the boy she has loved her whole life that ghosted her three years ago. Well, as much as you can ghost someone you go to school with on an Island off the coast of Texas. Jude and Clementine were everything to each other, until they weren’t. She never found out why, but with a storm coming to the Island and everyone getting ready to evacuate, she might just have a chance to find out why.
I adored Clementine and Jude. I loved their pet names for each other, their banter, the longing…oh the longing. I was engrossed in the story and couldn’t wait to find out more about their history and why a boy who is so clearly in love with the girl would walk away like he did. I just knew it was going to be good and man was I right. But in the middle of all of that, there is danger around every corner. The hurricane is getting closer to the Island and the ward keeping all the not so well adjusted kids without their magic is failing. Chaos is a bunch of teenagers getting their magic back all at the same time. Something strange is going on and with the storm everyone’s nightmares are released too. Clementine, Jude and friends will have to fight for their lives and try to find a way survive or get off this crazy Island.
There was quite a bit going on with the plot. Some twists, turns and pretty big surprises near the end. I thoroughly enjoyed the ride and the imagery of this story. I would classify it is a bit romance, a bit urban fantasy and a little horror lite to it. The ending isn’t a cliff-hanger but does give the reader a lot to ponder on before the next book in the series. I am looking forward to digging in deeper to some of the revelations made and getting to know a few of the characters a little better especially Remy and Izzy who I hear are in the Crave series.
“The past is set, but the future can change.”
Narration:
Suzy Jackson narrates the majority of this book, all but one chapter in fact. I have enjoyed her is a few other series and think she plays the young spunky protagonist well. A few of the voices sounded a little similia for some of the very minor characters but other than that she was again phenomenal and a perfect pick to be Clementine. Andrew Wehrlen only got to do one chapter as Jude but I hope he gets more voice time in the next book. I enjoyed the audio narration as I believe it added to the excitement of the story. I was able to listen at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
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You’ve piqued my curiosity. I do like the blend of genres. Great review Robin.
A fun couple…twists…..surprises! Call me intrigued.