Dead is Just a Dream, by Marlene Perez Review

Dead is Just a Dream (Dead Is #8), by Marlene Perez
Publication: September 3, 2013, by HMH Books for Young Readers
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance, Paranormal
Pages: 176
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased
Rating: 

The people of Nightshade, California, are dying in their sleep, and fifteen-year-old paranormal warrior Jessica Walsh is determined to find the killer . . . or killers. Justice isn’t the only thing on Jessica’s mind, however. Some days she’s not sure which is worse—having a creepy clown lurking outside her window or having her rock star boyfriend’s hot ex-girlfriend drop by for a surprise visit. Could the ex be behind the dastardly doings in town? Or could the disturbing works of a strange painter somehow at the heart of the mystery? Jessica is losing sleep—but she’s got to figure out what's going on before the night terrors strike again.

The Dead Is series has been there with me since the start, really. I've been reading it since I was a tween, and I've always enjoyed it. Now, though, I feel that I've grown out of it and am completely bored with the idea. Thankfully this was the finale or I would've just never picked any of Perez's books up ever again. If you're looking for a book for a tween who's 11, then this is a great start, as these books are incredibly tiny and paranormal. If you hate the genre of paranormal, then you're literally going to be scarred for life with this series.

THERE ARE EIGHT BOOKS IN THIS WHOLE SERIES. I just can't believe it. Is this another PLL? I hate it when authors go mad with their ideas (in some cases) and give us a thousand books of boredom. This was one of those cases where I feel so crazed with madness! Perez, what is this? A spinoff series of the first series, with less romance and some cheesy predictable romance?

You're now probably asking me what wasn't the problem as all I've been doing was complaining for the first two paragraphs. But really, the positive stuff was the characters. Jessica was kick-ass and she was the main highlight of this story and of course, her boyfriend. (Who's name I don't even recall...) Though I did want to punch this dude because HIS EX WAS STAYING AT HIS HOUSE AND LIKE WHO KNOWS....? She seemed to like him, anyways. Nothing ever came out of that situation but hey... it was absurd. 

I guess you can start off reading this with high expectations... at least I did. I was hoping for a quick but memorable read that will get my mind thinking and fangirling over the cute moments. But in the end, I was just left sighing and trying to figure out what to do next after reading after my lostness. I guess that's what a book does to you in a close and clumsy situation like that?

The plot of this was okay, but I guess that the genre ended up turning this all the way around. I felt bored but since I wanted to finish the book... I did. There would've been problems, trust me.

This was a great ending to the series, and Perez did it just about right, though the plot and actual mystery could've been less Disney-Channel and more real. Those who enjoyed the previous novels will either have a love or a hate relationship with the book itself! Now, you tell me what's your opinion. :)