Review: Sleepless by Cyn Balog

Title: Sleepless
Author: Cyn Balog
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: 07/13/10
Summary:

Eron De Marchelle isn’t supposed to feel a connection. He is a Sandman, a supernatural being whose purpose is to seduce human charges to sleep. While he can communicate with his charges in their dreams, he isn’t encouraged to -- after all, getting too involved in one human’s life would prevent him helping his other charges get their needed rest.

But he can’t deny that he feels something for Julia. Julia, with her fiery red hair and her sad dreams. Just weeks ago, her boyfriend died in a car accident, and Eron can tell that she feels more alone than ever. Eron was human once too, many years ago, and he remembers how it felt to lose the one he loved. Eron has always felt protective of Julia... but now, when she seems to need him more than ever, he can’t seem to reach her...

Sandmen are forbidden from communicating with humans outside their dreams. But will Eron be willing to risk everything for a chance to be with the person he loves?

Plot: 4 Stars
I have never read a book about Sandmen before, so this was a very refreshing novel in the world of Paranormal Young Adult. And it did not disappoint. The lore behind the Sandmen was very interesting and thought out. There was more to being a Sandman than I thought there would be before I read the novel. I really enjoyed how the relationship between Eron and Julia grew and changed over the course of the novel. The author balanced Julia's disbelief of the Sandmen with the facts laid out in front of her. I felt like Julia came around to believe him in just the right amount of time; she fought against what she thought was crazy, but came around as the facts started lining up.

Pace: 4.5 Stars
This was a very short novel, but it didn't feel rushed or cut short in anyway. It was the right length for the story that was told. It was a quick read, but still flowed very naturally. The chapters alternate between Eron and Julia's points of view. The alternating between the two worked really well, and gave a more rounded picture of the events happening throughout the book. The jumping back and forth didn't feel forced, and there was never any retelling of events through the other's eyes.

Characters: 4 Stars
I absolutely adored Eron. His character was so positive and kind, and although he was a Sandman, he seemed real and down to earth. He dealt with the issues he came across very well, without getting angry. And it was fun to see him try to interact in a new world. Julia was a very likeable character as well, although I wish her past hadn't been hinted at so many times before being explained. She was a very strong person, considering what she had been through. Griffin was a piece of work. I really disliked his character, although I think that's what the author was going for on some level. He was headstrong and didn't want to listen and caused a number of problems.

Cover: 3.5 Stars
As beautiful and striking as the large flower on the cover is, it really has nothing to do with the story at all. I like covers with dark backgrounds and a large, colorful object as the main focus, but it's got to be relevant to the plot. Otherwise, it just seems random. The moon in the upper-lefthand corner of the cover is the only part that is relevant, and it seems out of place and much too small. But I do like the simplicity of the text chosen for the title. With such an intricate and colorful flower, a more complex text would've drawn attention away and really clashed with the flower.

Overall: 4 Stars

Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my local library for my own enjoyment.