Enchanting Review: Dream Life (Dream Girl #2)

DREAM LIFE (Dream Girl #2)
LAUREN MECHLING
Paranormal YA
Delacorte Books
ISBN# 978-0385735230
336 Pages
$16.99
Hardcover—Available Now

Rating: 4.5 Enchantments

When her best friend Becca starts acting funny after returning home from holidays, Claire feels abandoned, until she finds out Becca's been tapped for a secret society, and surprisingly she gets 'invited' to join herself. But if only things were that easy. It seems there's a rival society out to get the Blue Moons and take over New York for themselves. Soon Claire finds herself in the thick of things, trying to solve the mystery before their top secret plans are disclosed and the group is relegated to nothing more than a name forever.

DREAM LIFE is my favorite book in the Dream Girl series so far. The characters seemed much more formed this time and I found myself liking Claire a lot more. DREAM LIFE stands well on its own, so if you haven't read the first novel 'Dream Girl' don't worry about it. The world created is at times a bit eccentric but nonetheless fun to visit.

My favorite scenes happened when Claire was tapped to become a member of the Blue Moons. From the scene where they 'grabbed' her to where the hangout was actually located were really fun. Also, the friendship between Claire and her unusual society grandmother, Kiki, continues, climaxing at her grandmother's birthday party, a scene which turns out to be so horrific for Claire, I could only hope she'd get out of there as fast as she could.

Overall DREAM LIFE is a really fun and unusual read. I can't wait to return to Claire's world and see what happens next.

Lauren Mechling is the coauthor of all three 10th-Grade Social Climber books. She has written for the New York Times, Marie Claire, and Seventeen. She lives and writes in New York City. You can visit her at www.laurenmechling.com.

Lisa
Enchanting Reviews
February 2010

Enchanting Review: Dream Girl

DREAM GIRL
LAUREN MECHLING
Paranormal YA
Delacorte Press
ISBN# 978-0-385-73521-6
320 Pages
$15.99
Hardcover-Available Now

Rating: 4 Enchantments

Claire Voyante has always had strange dreams since she was little, but when her fifteenth birthday arrives and her grandmother Kiki gives her a beautiful onyx and ivory cameo, suddenly her dreams seem amplified-and black and white. Is it a coincidence, or something more?

It’s bad enough that high test scores have pulled her away from the only school she’s ever really loved and sent her to Hudson High, a place for the gifted. While her parents may be thrilled, Claire is anything but. Now she has to make new friends and deal with her former friend, Sheila, who’s part of the BDLs-best dressed list. And Sheila will do anything it seems to make sure Claire’s life is miserable, including spread an old picture of Claire in costume to the entire high school. But then Claire meets fellow outcast Becca, and the two of them strike up a friendship,

It took me awhile to get into DREAM GIRL. While Claire was likable from the start, the pace was pretty slow for a good portion of the start of the book as things got established, her kooky parents, her brother (who seemed older than his age). Once Claire met Becca and the two girls started hanging out, that’s when I think the story really began. What I liked most about this book were the characters. Claire, her grandmother Kiki, Becca and her family, all were really well done. I loved how Claire escaped the chaos that sometimes was her home life and went to visit Kiki at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. I loved how Claire, once she realized what her gift was, wanted to help protect her new friend, Becca. It was interesting to see how Claire’s dreams evolved and how she was able to piece things together to out who was after her new best friend.

Lauren Mechling is the coauthor of all three 10th-Grade Social Climber books. She has written for the New York Times, Jane and Seventeen. She lives and writes in New York City. Visit her newly revamped website at

Lisa
Enchanting Reviews
August 2008