Title: John Dreamer
Author: Elise Celine
Publication Date: February 12th 2014
Publisher: AuthorBuzz
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
*ARC provided by Netgalley*
Goodreads Blurb:
Andy wasn’t usually sure about much, but she was absolutely certain this was the weirdest day of her life as she stood stranded in the middle of a great white room with six strangers. Well, they were mostly strangers. She could have sworn she’d seen the guy with the green eyes before, and maybe that was why he kept staring at her.
When a man calling himself the Guardian appeared and said they had come to make their deepest dreams come true, they embark on an adventure none of them ever imagined, and the consequences of their actions would change them forever.
"John Dreamer" is the first in a series of books set in the confines of the Great White Room.
In John Dreamer, Andy is transported to the Great White Room and meets with six other, interesting people who share the same birthday. As they struggle to make sense of their situation, they are thrown into different scenarios that push them out of their comfort zone and force them to overcome their faults.
The first who is allowed to leave this Place of Dreams is Marcus. When the seven subjects are captured by soldiers, Marcus uses his karate skill and frees himself from his captors. He "saves" the day, and in the process discovers that he is brave. After Marcus disappears, the others realize that the key to being free of this Room is to discover and overcome whatever prevents them from truly living their life.
Similarly, Olivia learns self-acceptance, Linda learns to overcome her shyness, Roy learns gratitude, and the Matty finally feels appreciated and known. And they all move on to be great people who truly change the world.
The two others, John Dreamer and Andy fall in love at first sight but the constantly moving plot prevents anything real communication between them. But at the end, these two are the ones left in the Place of Dreams and find out that they met as children and finally confess their deepest secrets. Andy confesses that she has been unable to connect to anyone after her mother's death and John reveals just how heartbroken he was over his dad's desertion.
This book can be a little overwhelming at times and starts off with a bang but has a great moral, interesting plot, and engaging characters. And Ms. Celine really draws the readers in by making the characters understandable and realistic. The supernatural theme is overshadowed by her ability to convey important, human truths such as our ability to change and accept.
A bit like the Wizard of Oz, this book is about self-discovery, accepting change, and learning to be a better person.
