Reviewed by Vered Ehsani for Readers' Favorite

Alice Waterston starts seeing monsters in the shadows and thinks she’s losing her mind – again. Ned knows first hand how real those monsters are. Separated by time but connected through the curse of a wicked shaman, Alice and Ned must each find a way to survive in the Australian Dreamtime where a shadow demon lurks, waiting for them. As the danger that stalks their nightmares slowly leaks into their lives, both Ned and Alice try desperately in their own ways to escape or deny the Aboriginal Dreamtime legends that are coming alive. But the furious demon has other plans: find a way to break the centuries-old curse or die.

This is a well-written book with some pretty intense nightmarish scenes. Initially, as I started reading, I was a bit confused. I hadn’t read the first book in this series, and that definitely would have explained the background to the main plot. But part of the confusion was the writing style: the story goes back and forth between dreams and reality from two different generations. However, as I continued reading, I enjoyed this interweaving of the storylines. The distinction between reality and dreamtime, of past and present, becomes blurred both for the characters and the reader. The connections between the characters grow clearer and stronger, until it all comes together. The use of Australian Aboriginal mythology is a refreshing change, and I relished the submersion into a different cultural mindset and its legends. Overall, I would recommend this, but read the first book in the series first!