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The Dreamers
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
A strange illness induces sleep and heightens dreams in an isolated college town, transforming the lives of ordinary people, in this mesmerizing novel by the New York Times bestselling author of The Age of Miracles. A college girl tells her friends that she's feeling strangely tired. The next morning, when they find her in bed, she is still breathing--but she won't wake up. Within a few days, another student, down the hallway, won't wake up. As the sleeping sickness spreads, the town is turned upside down. We meet Ben and Annie, a young couple determined to keep their newborn baby safe; Sara and Libby, whose survivalist father has long prepared for disaster; Mei and Matthew, and other college students. A quarantine is established, the national guard is summoned. Yet, those who have fallen asleep are showing unusual patterns of brain activity. More than has ever been recorded in any brain--asleep or awake. They are dreaming--but of what? With gorgeous prose and heart-stopping emotion, The Dreamers startles and provokes about the possibilities contained within a human life, when we are awake and, perhaps even more, when we are dreaming.
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ImperfectCJ
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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Pickpick

I enjoyed this one a lot (despite it dragging a bit towards the end). Walker is so spot-on about public reactions to the discovery and spread of a novel virus, I could hardly believe that this was published in 2019. With one kid at college near the mountains east of LA and another who goes to camp every year in the mountains there, I had a lot of stored imagery to apply to the setting of this novel (but I think I would have liked it anyway).

ImperfectCJ That said, I am quite annoyed at the outcome for a couple of the characters. But the fact that I'm annoyed indicates I was invested, so could be seen as even more evidence for this being a solid novel. 1mo
44 likes1 stack add1 comment
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ImperfectCJ
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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Audiowalk while waiting for my kiddo at the community college. I keep looking at the publication date; I'm amazed this novel was written before the pandemic. Walker must have had major déjà vu in 2020.

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Michellesibs
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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Pickpick

It starts with one college kid that goes to sleep and doesn't wake up regardless of the people around them trying to wake them up, they continue dreaming.

Then it starts to spread. The sickness.

I really enjoyed The Age of Miracles by the same author and here she is again taking an everyday occurance and using it to create an after to our before.

I do think the ending was rushed but overall I enjoyed this.

Sweet dreams readers.

36 likes1 stack add
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RedxoHearts
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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Bailedbailed

I was looking forward to reading this book from the same author as The Age Of Miracles. The premise of an unknown sleeping sickness racing through a college campus sounded interesting. Unfortunately it just didn't click for me so I'm bailing on it.

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DoonTheGoon
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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Pickpick

For me, this one fell somewhere between a "Pick" and "So-so" - but Walker gets points for being SO right about how our society handles a pandemic (this book came out in 2019). An interesting read, but lacked any real punch of meaning for me.

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AlysonCB
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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Mehso-so

Crazy that this came out just before Covid 19 - set in a town in California where a mysterious sleeping illness sweeps the population, forcing quarantine. The book explores the struggles that come with a pandemic for the town and follows individuals' stories of survival. At the end it needed more explanation of the virus - considering the suggestion that there was some sort of mystical/ dimensional element. I got no answers at the end *shrugs*

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Injeanious
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
Pickpick

I enjoyed this book until the end which felt rushed and a little confusing. It‘s interesting that it was similar to Covid but written before then.

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LaurenMags
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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Mehso-so

Wasn't for me. Funny enough, I was falling alseep while reading it.

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Decalino
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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Pickpick

On the campus of a small California college, one student after another succumbs to a mysterious sleeping sickness. A lonely freshman, a paranoid prepper father & his young daughters, a young couple & their newborn, a biology professor, all are affected as the sleeping sickness spreads. A fascinating exploration of the nature of dreams & reality, identity, memory & perhaps even prophecy. I will be thinking about this one for a long time.

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perfectsinner
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
Mehso-so

Well, having waited since October for that to come in, I guess I'm disappointed. I think I would have liked it better if there would have been a reason or explanation for the sleeping sickness.

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perfectsinner
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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I've been waiting on this hold thru Libby since October, and it finally came in. Hope it's worth the wait...
I'm 100 pages in, so far not that impressed 😐

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Kazzie
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
Mehso-so

Interesting story, but the writing could have been better. I was more invested in some stories than others, and I would have wanted a more satisfying ending - more info on the virus?

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DHill
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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I am really enjoying this. Perfect narration that reinforces the tone of the story.

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TheDaysGoBy
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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Mehso-so

This book was just a so-so for me I think. I liked the characters and the story itself kept me interested, but there weren‘t any answers by the end. Not really. It felt more philosophical than anything and watching a town handle the epidemic of people falling asleep was so surreal given everything we‘ve experienced as a society with Covid.

Overall I think this was just an okay read for me. I liked it fine but wasn‘t really satisfied by the end

BarbaraBB Great review. I was underwhelmed by this one too. 3y
slategreyskies Ah, I have this one on my list, but I‘ve seen it get mixed reviews. I‘ll probably still read it, but at least I know not to have high hopes for it. :) 3y
TheDaysGoBy @BarbaraBB I was disappointed because the cover was gorgeous - wanted to keep this one around 😂 But looks like I‘ll probably donate it so I can make room for more books I‘ll hopefully love 3y
TheDaysGoBy @slategreyskies You might like it. Everyone has different taste. Maybe I just had a different idea what this story was going to be? I don‘t know but it‘s a quick read regardless 3y
sharread Cute 😺. 3y
33 likes5 comments
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ChaoticMissAdventures
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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#conflictedworlds #insomnia (or the opposite of because I don't have any books about insomnia!)
@eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Eggs Beautiful 💙💗💙 3y
20 likes1 comment
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Rachel.Rencher
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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I really want to like this book, but my mind keeps wandering. The writing feels too distant for me. 🤔

perfectsinner on my want to reads list 3y
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Serenity_Within86
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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Pickpick

⭐⭐⭐⭐

EvieBee This was one of my faves in 2019. So good! 3y
Serenity_Within86 @EvieBee omg sooo good ❤️ 3y
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Serenity_Within86
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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It's finally cooling down enjoying some reading time while the little one plays. I really need to come to this park more often to read

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AvidlyAlexis
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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Pickpick

36/100, 4☆, This book was so eerie in how closely it mirrored the events of 2020, yet it was published in 2019. I loved the concept of this weird sleeping virus and the ramifications of such an event in a small college town. I was fascinated and completely consumed by this story.

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BarbaraBB
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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#BookReport 14/21

A week away from the city and the chores. I‘ve been in my parents‘s holiday cabin for the week with my girlfriends. We‘ve all been working but when we weren‘t, have walked and wined and played games like 30 Seconds and Cluedo. So much fun but so few books!!!

Simona I love Cluedo! Going away from everyday chores it‘s always a great time 👍 4y
TrishB I‘d swop the books for that! I‘m finally seeing my best friends on Friday for an outdoor meal and drinks! We can‘t socialise indoors yet. Missed them so much. 4y
BarbaraBB @TrishB A friend of mine lives in the UK and your measures are really so much stringent than ours. Then again, you are being vaccinated, which is going super slow here. 4y
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batsy Wine and Cluedo and friends away from the city sounds perfect ❣️ 4y
LeeRHarry Sounds like a fab time - glad you enjoyed it 😊 4y
Cinfhen I‘m glad you aren‘t reading!!! Enjoy wine & friends 🎉💗 4y
TrishB Not everyone is following them though! I‘ve had 1st vaccination and so have my friends 🤞🏻🤞🏻 4y
squirrelbrain Sounds like a lovely week! 💕 4y
emilyhaldi How fun!!! Enjoy! 🍷🥂🍹 4y
LeahBergen What a lovely week! 💖 4y
Kalalalatja Sounds like the perfect week 💕 4y
cathysaid ❤️❤️❤️ 4y
Suet624 That sounds delightful. I‘m so happy you‘re hanging with your friends. 4y
68 likes13 comments
review
BarbaraBB
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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Panpan

This book started interesting because it felt so similar to the start of our very own pandemic Written in 2019, it seemed as if Walker had had a premonition of what was about to happen to the world. She wrote about a virus causing people to fall asleep in a Californian university town, complete with face masks and quarantine. However, the plot soon became a mess and not an interesting one. No need to read it, if you want my opinion.

Moonprismpower I listened to this a few years back. I think the plot was very slow but I enjoyed how the afflicted dreamt of better lives and if they survived woke up to disappointment. And that those still awake had to deal with the sleeping and try to get on without them and the constant fear of being next or all possible dangers. But it‘s one without a solid ending and I agree that such a slow book is likely to dissuade readers. 4y
Erinreadsthebooks Love your picture! 😍 4y
Suet624 Good to know I can skip this one. 4y
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Reggie Lol there‘s this booktuber I watch and this was one of his hated books from last year. And now all I‘ve seen is pans of this book. How funny. 4y
BarbaraBB @Reggie I should have known about that booktuber. Would have saved me time lol. @Suet624 @Megabooks (edited) 4y
87 likes6 comments
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BarbaraBB
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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#WeeklyForecast 14/21

Because I‘m having an Easter break I‘ve chosen some easy reads, to which I‘m very much looking forward. And in case I‘ll have a lot of time to read, I‘ve brought more books of course!

TrishB Good selection 👍🏻 4y
Cinfhen Smart girl!!! I liked the tagged book and of course I loved 4y
65 likes2 comments
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readingjedi
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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Pickpick

Starting this I did wonder if it would be a bit too 'close for comfort' re: The Current Situation. But a weird thing happened. As I read I kept thinking "crikey, it would be awful if something like this really happened". Being in the story had removed me so effectively from reality that I didn't even recall that reality when it was in front of my eyes. And that, folks, is the power of fiction! But more of the story ... continues in comments ⬇️⬇️⬇️

readingjedi I really enjoyed the vignettes of the various characters experiences of the epidemic once I'd got used to the narrative tone - I found it a little patronising & ironic at first but then realised it totally suited the detached commentary & it gre on me. Was a little disappointed by the ending at first (no big reveal or even any answers) but on reflection it fitted perfectly as the book was never about the virus. Very thought provoking. 4y
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readingjedi
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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About to start this one. Another one from #netgalley that I'm disgracefully late getting round to. I always leave a review though even if it is 2 years or so overdue and recently my percentage reached the heady heights of 27% 😇🤔😜 Onwards, ever onwards!

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Gissy
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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Pickpick

I enjoyed this book but the end for me in particular was a little disappointed. I know it has mix reviews. But I can say that it kept my attention. If this pandemic situation of COVID-19 has been difficult for you, maybe this is not the book for you. It is about a virus 🦠 that put persons to sleep and dream. Very descriptive in every stage that we all know a person can go through in a quarantine period with sad and not so sad outcomes. 3.3⭐️

Gissy #BookSpinBingo @TheAromaOfBooks
#ShutdownReadathon @Squidget
#JoyousJanuary @Andrew65
#Buzzwordathon (YouTuber BooksandLala)

Bookmark message-One more chapter
(edited) 4y
DieAReader 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 4y
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 4y
WanderingBookaneer Pensélo mismo. ¡Me encanta el bookmark! (edited) 4y
61 likes1 stack add4 comments
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Rachiiebookdragon
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
Pickpick

A very interesting book, glad I picked this one up, Read as part of the #Buzzwordathon - January word is DREAM 5/5

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8little_paws
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
Pickpick

How odd to read a 2019 book about a pandemic in 2020. It was pretty wild to compare and contrast. Though instead of a cough and lung damage this virus leads to lengthy sleep. It examines dreams, time and community behavior. Very interesting book and I found it to be a page turner.

Suet624 Sounds so interesting! 4y
31 likes1 comment
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amyf0x
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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Pickpick

In the small college town of Santa Lora, people are falling asleep and never waking up... and the sickness is spreading.

Read September 7-14
Rated 4.5/5 ⭐️
Book 37/60

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ChrissyReads
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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ChrissyReads
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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monalyisha
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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“Even if one were to read every book in these stacks, certain mysteries would persist.”

Freespirit Lovely old books 💕 4y
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monalyisha
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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“And always, there is the musty smell of the old books rising up from the stacks around her, like the soil, like roots, like the trees they once were.”

marleed That‘s such a pretty thought! 4y
DaveGreen7777 I love my eReader, but it will never be able to duplicate that magical smell of books! 😌 4y
Suet624 I love this photo and the quote. 💕 4y
64 likes3 comments
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monalyisha
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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Pickpick

My Book Club chose to read this novel — about a rapidly-spreading virus — back in January. You know, before we knew that we‘d be living out the plot. It was different enough (the virus in the book is a “sleeping sickness,” whereby the infected fall asleep & cannot be roused but continue to dream) that it didn‘t feel oppressive. Yet, the descriptions of the fear, anxiety, & the toll on the community‘s mental health were achingly familiar. 👇🏻

monalyisha 1/1: It was a fast read. There are a few different sets of characters & I found all of their stories engaging. Still, it was missing something. It was very good but shy of being GREAT. Sometimes, I come out of a book completely in awe of the author‘s genius. I didn‘t feel that here. I think the writing could have been *deeper* — more introspective, more observant, more universal. I wish I could pin it down more specifically...but that‘s the gist. (edited) 4y
MicheleinPhilly These days I would welcome a sleeping sickness! 4y
monalyisha @MicheleinPhilly Ha! Some days, I feel like I might be coming down with it...You know that quote about not being an early bird or a night owl, but some sort of “permanently exhausted pigeon”? That‘s me. 😅 4y
See All 8 Comments
MicheleinPhilly Spot on! 😂 4y
monalyisha @Annie1215 I see you‘ve stacked it & thought you should know that there‘s a character named Annie! 🤗 4y
Annie1215 @monalyisha it‘s kismet! 4y
Librariana According to my Goodreads app, I've been reading this since February ?? Where are the emojis for slapping one's own face and "SMH in complete embarrassment"? When news about the coronavirus started to become more commonplace stateside, I abandoned the poor book because it was a little too much art imitating life. I know I need to pick it back up and finish because I am genuinely enjoying her writing style! 4y
monalyisha @Librariana Ha! I think I‘ve been reading “Little Women” for the same amount of time (to be fair, it‘s an audiobook & I wasn‘t driving for a long time). Almost done, though! 4y
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monalyisha
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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“There is a difference between what is not true and what cannot be measured.”

57 likes2 stack adds
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monalyisha
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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I‘ve always said that creativity is one of my strong suits. 😱😅

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monalyisha
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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“But whoever shares her lipstick that day, whoever borrows her eyeliner, whoever kisses her cheek that night or dances too close or clinks her flute of champagne, whoever touches her hand to admire the ring, whoever catches the bouquet at the end of the night — all of them, every one, is exposed.

This is how the sickness travels best: through all the same channels as do fondness & friendship & love.”

monalyisha THIS BOOK! I‘m reading slowly, as it feels so uncomfortably real. *Pictured: Seating cards, from my wedding (2015). I‘m officiating my brother‘s (small, intimate) wedding in two weeks. It‘s going to be so different. I have such sympathy for everyone going through big moments with their families this year, whether joyous or sad. 💗 (edited) 4y
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monalyisha
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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“Even the skin behind her ears has begun to adjust, chapped by the elastic that holds the mask to her face. And something similar, maybe, is happening to her mind.”

Is it possible to both feel this quote, but also feel like Stanley most days? 😅

Hooked_on_books This picture! 😂 4y
Birdsong28 Love Stanley 📚📖 4y
Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick This is fantastic!🤣🤣🤣 4y
89 likes3 comments
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monalyisha
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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Catching up on Book Club reading. This title, chosen at the beginning of the year in an eerily prescient fashion, is about a worldwide pandemic: a “sleeping sickness.”

The above quote shows the fear that I think is at the root of some folks‘ obstinacy when it comes to wearing masks. Note: to understand is NOT to excuse.

ChaoticMissAdventures I read this last year and really enjoyed her writing. 4y
Librariana I started reading this book back in February when it was becoming more and more clear... more evident how we would be affected by the outbreak. And the whole experience... art imitating life... became too eerie for me. So I stopped reading. But I don't want to give up on it. I feel guilty every time I look at it in my bag, especially, as @ChaoticMissAdventures expressed, because I've also greatly enjoyed her writing style. 4y
ChaoticMissAdventures @Librariana I have read a couple of pandemic books since February. I might just be morbid but I find it so interesting how real life differs - especially in smaller things - then what the authors predict. For instance no author I have read so far predicted a TP shortage! 4y
See All 7 Comments
Librariana @ChaoticMissAdventures - Oh, you're not morbid. Not at all! Despite how my anxiety got the best of me at the beginning, I too am deeply curious about/fascinated by how human reaction differs to these type of events between fictionalized accounts and reality. I fully intend on continuing with The Dreamers 😊 4y
Librariana @ChaoticMissAdventures - Also! I know at the beginning of all of this, there was a news article/video somewhere about how authors and filmmakers felt about the similarities. Outbreak was definitely one of the movies mentioned... and there were quite a few books. The one that comes to mind is 4y
Librariana @ChaoticMissAdventures - I think one of the authors talked about a shampoo shortage! (Sorry to've taken over your comments section @monalyisha!) 💜 4y
literacassandrature COVID such a virus. Such a position we are all in at present! 4y
71 likes7 comments
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Soubhiville
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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Pickpick

I feel like reading this Pandemic themed Dystopia now, during the Covid 19 pandemic, made The Dreamers more relatable for me.

I loved this story! I thought Walker described the spread of the virus really well. I loved the storyline of the two little sisters and their kitties having a better idea about how to survive and isolate better than a lot of adults did all because there dad was a survivalist.

Great book for this moment in time.

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Pearrr
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

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KyrstinElizabeth
The Dreamers | Karen Walker

But matching the words to the dream only dissolves what is left of it, the way certain stars vanish from the sky if you look directly at them.

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Jeannineth
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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This has been on my TBR for a awhile. Today is the day I start it!

78 likes1 stack add
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saguarosally
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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The answer to both is yes. It‘s other things that go haywire.

Just reading more pandemic fiction to figure out the world right now. 🤷‍♀️

CocoReads See? And I‘m avoiding it like the plague (pun intended). But I get enough reality at work so I don‘t need it in my fiction too. 5y
32 likes1 comment
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DavidDiamond
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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How...timely.

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Apinlibraryland
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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Looking for some good dystopian to go with your COVID-19 news? I recommend The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker and Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel.

Megabooks I don‘t think Corona Virus is the Georgia Flu. 5y
Megabooks At least I hope not. I just started this book and there‘s something that‘s killed off almost everyone. 5y
20 likes2 comments
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Tracyantoon
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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Ask and you shall receive @TracyReadsBooks Here‘s my Sci Fi section of my bookshelf for #SundayShelfie. I am one of those people who organize by genre. 😀❤️📚

TracyReadsBooks Love it! My son and I are both big fans of Illuminae and, of course, The Hitchhiker‘s Guide to the Galaxy. Severance is also in my TBR pile. I haven‘t read any of the other books. I‘ll keep an eye out for your reviews! 5y
26 likes1 comment
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Lisas.Library
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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I‘ve had my eye on this book since it released in January 2019. As soon as I saw the price on Amazon I ordered it!!

NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW EDITORS‘ CHOICE • An ordinary town is transformed by a mysterious illness that triggers perpetual sleep in this mesmerizing novel from the bestselling author of The Age of Miracles.

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JennyM
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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A deadly #fever gripped pretty much everyone in these ☝️
#movember @Cinfhen

Cathythoughts Station Eleven ❤️👍🏻... don‘t know the others. Nice pic 5y
Cinfhen Well done!!! Still have to read 5y
batsy Like your image! 🦠 5y
JennyM @Cinfhen it‘s very sad! 5y
JennyM @batsy germs! 🦠🤢 5y
66 likes5 comments
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Rissreads
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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Oops, I did it again! 🤣
Thanks @MrsMalaprop for a beautiful afternoon of book shop browsing (and buying!), eating, drinking and chatting.
Always a pleasure 🧡❤💚💜💙

MrsMalaprop Yaaayy! Books, tea, cake, bubbles & the most delightful company 😗. Very pleased to be complicit in your book stacking 📚📚📚. 5y
35 likes1 comment
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Tonidreads328
The Dreamers | Karen Walker
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Just hit Chapter 6, and things are really getting interesting.

22 likes1 stack add