ARC Review: The Vault of the Dreamers by Caragh M. O'Brien

The Vault of the Dreamers
Author: Caragh M. O'Brien
Publication: Roaring Brook Press (September 16, 2014)

Description: The Forge School is the most prestigious arts school in the country. The secret to its success: every moment of the students' lives is televised as part of the insanely popular Forge Show, and the students' schedule includes twelve hours of induced sleep meant to enhance creativity. But when first year student Rosie Sinclair skips her sleeping pill, she discovers there is something off about Forge. In fact, she suspects that there are sinister things going on deep below the reaches of the cameras in the school. What's worse is, she starts to notice that the ridges of her consciousness do not feel quite right. And soon, she unearths the ghastly secret that the Forge School is hiding—and what it truly means to dream there.

From Caragh M. O'Brien, author of the Birthmarked trilogy comes the first book in a new series, The Vault of Dreamers, a fast-paced, psychologically thrilling novel about what happens when your dreams are not your own.

My Thoughts: THE VAULT OF THE DREAMERS combines science fiction with reality television. Rose Sinclair has been accepted at the prestigious Forge School where she can pursue her dream of becoming a filmmaker - if she can survive the cut that sends half of each new class home. She has to raise her popularity rating to get into the top 50. When she squeaks in at number 50, she should be home free. But soon Rose gets suspicious about the goings on at the Forge School.

Why are the students drugged each night so that they sleep for 12 hours? Why does she wake up to find out that an IV has been inserted and removed from her arm while she slept? When she skips her sleeping pill one night, she is surprised to find that students are removed and returned during the night sometimes. She enlists the help of Linus from the kitchen and fellow student Burnham Fister to aide her investigations.

What she learns rocks her world. Nothing was as she thought. But how can she convince the world that the head of the school is actually exploiting the students. She can't even trust her own mind. What she believes is true could just be nightmares or hallucinations.

This was an exciting and intriguing story. The reader has to follow the clues along with Rose to find out what was happening. I am really hoping that the wait for the next book isn't long. I need to find out what happens to Rose, and Linus, and Burnham.

Favorite Quote:

My homesickness wasn't truly for home, I realized. It was for something more elusive. A silent, low-grade, unnamed yearning persisted inside me. It was always there, a reaching feeling that few stronger when I was alone and listened for it. The rain understood what it was.

I got this ARC from Macmillan. You can buy your copy here.