The Ninja Reviews. . .Wake by Lisa McMann

Janie has a problem that no one knows about. When she is close enough to someone who is asleep, Janie falls into their dreams. She can't control it and, what's worse, the strongest pull comes from intense nightmares. Her vision goes and she can't control her body. The first time it happened was when Janie was 8. As she gets older, it becomes more and more difficult to deal with. High school students are more likely to fall asleep in class, and this makes it harder for Janie to cope.

On top of that problem, Janie lives with her alcoholic mother who doesn't work, so Janie has to work evenings and nights at a nursing home. All of this while struggling to keep her grades up so she can have a better life.

Janie drives by a house late one night and nearly wrecks her car after being thrown into the most violent, frightening nightmare she's ever experienced. After this and an equally strange experience at her work, Janie knows she has to learn how to navigate and possibly control the dreams.

I love the way this book is set up. It's a quick read because the book is written in segments marked by the day and time. This sets up the reader for a lot of suspense. There are also some intriguing characters, like Cabel, whom I had the hardest time figuring out if he was good or bad.

If you love mysteries and just a little bit of supernatural, you will definitely enjoy this book. Check out the sequel, Fade, and also keep an eye out for the third book, Gone, which will be published in Spring 2010.