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    Dreamless
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    Dreamless
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    Dreamless
    Ebook449 pages7 hours

    Dreamless

    By Josephine Angelini

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    StarHearts, as fans of Josephine Angelini call themselves, will stay up all night reading Dreamless, the second book in the bestselling Starcrossed series. The saga mixes mythology, romance, action, and intrigue in a completely original way.
     
    Dreamless continues the story of Helen Hamilton, a shy girl living on Nantucket Island whose desire for an ordinary life was thwarted when she discovered she is a Scion, a descendant of a Greek god and a mortal. Each Scion has a power, and Helen’s is the ability to travel to Hades.
     
    Helen is determined to use her talent to stop a war amongst the gods and change her destiny, which is to live a life patterned after that of the tragic Helen of Troy. But her quest may cost her Lucas Delios, the boy she loves.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperTeen
    Release dateMay 29, 2012
    ISBN9780062114358
    Author

    Josephine Angelini

    Josephine Angelini is a Massachusetts native and a graduate of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts with a major in theater and a focus on the classics. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and three shelter cats.

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    Reviews for Dreamless

    4/5

    266 ratings25 reviews

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    • 5/5
      so, somehow i managed to miss reviewing this back when i finished it. Not sure how that happened, but here we go. Helen's future keeps getting murkier by the hour, and she thinks she is going insane to boot. She keeps dreaming about desserts and waking up with mud on her feet, bone weary. This book was captivating start to finish. This story features excellent world building.
    • 5/5
      I absolutely devoured the first book in the Starcrossed Trilogy, Starcrossed. Saying I couldn't put it down in kind of an understatement. It had it's flaws as most books do and while I was excited to see what was in store for the gang in Dreamless, I was slightly nervous because of the big bombshell dropped towards the ending of Starcrossed. That bombshell filled me with the heebie-jeebies for the beginning of Dreamless, but lucky for me that didn't last long. (I'm still very much against incest. I promise the lack of heebie-jeebies wasn't because I was warming up to the idea.)

      I've found that many authors use their second book to further develop the world and put all their ducks in a row for the final book. That's not a bad way to do it, but I far prefer the way Dreamless was set up. Not only are all the ducks in a row, but some conflicts were actually resolved and, get this, there was actually a ton of action. Crazy, I know. I feel very satisfied by this novel, yet so excited for what is to come.

      Helen is getting on my nerves a bit in this book. Every other conversation she has she mentions how she "has literally been to hell and back." What do you want? A trophy? This is your calling and you have the company of the hottest green-eyed, curly haired fellow around. Your life is kind of bad, but really it could be worse. Besides, it's not like it's some surprise you are descending into the underworld every night. You only look haggard and dying. NBD.

      Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I am glad so much was accomplished. I'm happy new characters were introduced, although, I can't help but feel as if Orion will go bad on us. If you liked Starcrossed even just a little bit then you should most definitely read this.
    • 4/5
      It's not often that I say that I loved a sequel (especially a middle book in a trilogy sequel) as much as I did the first book but I most certainly did here. Angelini did a wonderful job of continuing her story, expanding the mythology and carrying me away. I love this series, the Greek mythology and all the characters. I found myself laughing to myself at points because Angelini used phrases that I remember reading myself in the Greek poems that these stories rely on. My only complaint is that there were a number of what I'm going to call printing errors in this book. They usually showed up as missing words in sentences. Not something that would be Angelini's fault but that of people at the publishing house who should have proofread it better.
    • 4/5
      I loved Starcrossed and was excited to get my hands on this one. For the most part I enjoyed Dreamless just as much other than the fact that a sort of love triangle was thrown in.Lucas was more angsty in this book as expected since he and Helen can no longer be together and it is tearing them apart. This is killing me and I'm hoping something is revealed that removes the huge reason Helen and Lucas cannot be together...See the full review at Debbie's World of Books.
    • 4/5
      Another great read! Once I started reading it it was hard to put the book down. Fast paced and exciting I couldn't help but be drawn into the world of Starcrossed once again and feel deeply for the plight of Helen, Lucas, and Orion - as well as all of the other Scions of this series. The underworld is a scary place - but Helen just may be one of the scariest things in the upperworld. I can't wait to see what happens next in this story of starcrossed lovers, families, and hopes.
    • 5/5
      This entire series is amazing, if you've read Starcrossed but haven't read this yet, please tell me what's wrong with you.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      [Wednesday, January 22, 2014] A couple of days ago, I finished reading Starcrossed and let me tell you this, I'm still in a haze, the passion, the power, the myth, the family and forbidden love is all amazing. I'm holding my breath and crossing my fingers for Helen and Lucas... Could history and the fates be kind to these star crossed lovers? Can the Face that launched a thousand ships be finally with the man that caused Greece to fall to its knees?! I hope so. Now, let's dig in!

      Dreamless was amazing, for the largest part of the book, we are in underworld with Helen and Orion, and I want Helen to be with Orion now. The book was amazing,the world Josephine created playing with the myths we know and shaping them differently was amazing, the Déjà vu scenes in Helen's head makes for an amazing third and final installment.

      The final fight was too much for me to bear that I actually hit the book to the covers several times without thinking but when my hubby said: "That's the first time I saw this." I knew I was over my head. It was funny.
    • 5/5
      This is another awesome installment in the Starcrossed series. I couldn't wait for the release of this one after the ending in Starcrossed and it didn't disappoint.

      Helen and Lucas are unable to be together because they are apparently related somewhere down the line. The tension between them causes problems for the whole family.

      Helen must travel to the underworld in order to destroy the furies. Destroying the furies will allow freedom among the Scions and putting a stop to the fighting. Helen must travel in her sleep, but also keep safe from those trying to stop her from succeeding.

      Enter Orion! He is on a mission to help Helen succeed and in the mean time feelings develop between the two.

      Will Helen be able to get over Lucas enough to give Orion a chance? Will she be able to destroy the furies to save the Scions? Will she die while attempting her mission?

      Amazing! Josephine has an unbelievable way of drawing the reader in that keeps turning pages until it's finished.
    • 5/5
      Contemporary, Mythology, Young Adult, Nantucket, UnderworldHelen Hamilton is the only Scion that can descend to the Underworld. As the only one that can she now has a nearly impossible task that she must complete. To stop the endless cycle of revenge that curses her family she wanders through Hades night after night. During the day she fights to overcome the exhaustion that is rapidly eroding her sanity. Helen isn’t sure if she has the strength needed to go on now that Lucas is not by her side. Just as Helen reaches her breaking point she finds a new mysterious Scion that comes to her rescue. Orion is funny and brave and he shields her from the dangers of the Underworld. Time is running out for them and a ruthless foe is plotting against them. The Furies’ cry for blood is also getting louder.The mortal world and the ancient Greek worlds are colliding in Helen’s sheltered world. Nantucket is descending into chaos. Though none of that is as hard as it is proving to forget Lucas Delos.This second book in the trilogy is just as good as the first one proved to be. This is one trilogy that brings the myths to life in a completely different way that makes for a wonderful read. The characters are proving to be fascinating and pull the reader into a world that is different and yet so real that it makes for a book that the reader won’t want to put down until the very last page. The books are woven together so well that they flow one into the other and will have readers eagerly reaching for the third book to see if Helen and Lucas will get a happy ever after and just what will happen when the gods come to visit.
    • 5/5
      Josephine Angelini’s Dreamless turned out to be a book I just couldn’t put down. True story – I was walking through Barnes & Noble the Saturday before Dreamless was due for release and discovered a copy on the shelves. Since it wasn’t due until Tuesday I was a bit surprised, but decided to have a quick look at it anyway. I took it to the store café, ordered a drink, sat down and started to read. I didn’t look up again until three hours later when I finished the book. I was that captivated.

      Helen’s trips to the Underworld have become the focus here, and their effect on her health is not good. Since she is spending her nights walking the Underworld instead of getting true sleep, Helen has lost the ability to dream and it is wreaking havoc on her system. On one of her descents she becomes mired in quicksand and is rescued by a cheerful young man, but wakes up before she can learn who he is. Curious about another human able to join her below, Helen starts searching for him on each of her trips. She eventually finds him and discovers he is a Scion named Orion who has been sent to help her by her mother. But he may have a much bigger role to play in Helen’s life.

      When I originally read the description for this book I was a little concerned by the infamous phrase “an unforgettable love triangle emerges.” If you feel the same concern, banish it. Angelini has done a wonderful job introducing Orion and inserting him into Helen and Lucas’ romance. He is a great guy – brave, strong and caring – and if Helen can’t be with Lucas I’d want her to be with Orion. Of course, Helen and Lucas are destined for each other and when they are together you can feel the heat. What I particularly enjoyed about their relationship this time around was the despair Lucas went through as he tried to distance himself from Helen. I like it when true love doesn’t run smoothly, and seeing how devastated Lucas was made me love him even more. Orion adds an extra layer to the romance that is being played out in this series, and his character is integral to the Truce between the Scions and Olympus.

      Mythology is more prominent in Dreamless than it was in Starcrossed, as we get to meet some of the actual gods and goddesses the Scions are trying to keep away from Earth. Ares (War), his sister Eris (Discord), Morpheus (Sleep), and Hades himself all make an appearance. We are also introduced to Hades’ wife Persephone, and the Furies – the three little girls who have caused such anger and misery for the Scion families. I enjoyed the different ways Angelini wove the gods and goddesses into the story, especially the Furies.

      Action and danger are increased significantly in this book, from the monsters of the Underworld to a full-scale riot at the climax of the story. It looks like this may be just the tip of the iceberg, because the finale sets things up for all-out war in the next book. A nasty new threat to Helen adds to the danger – an insect-like creature called a Myrmidon that seems impervious to death and can bend humans to its will. It gave a nice edge to the tale, and a sense of menace to the proceedings.

      The characters continue to be interesting, and all of our favorites are back. We have an increased presence from Matt and Zach, while Hector’s return to the area increases the family tension. Creon is gone, of course, but we finally meet the father he tried so hard to impress – Tantalus – who is NOT a nice guy, and seems to have an unhealthy obsession with Helen’s mom, Daphne. Claire is just as feisty this time around, and has determinedly inserted herself into the Delos family to help Helen. Overall, I thought there was a nice balance between the primary and secondary characters while the new characters blended easily into the mix.

      I thoroughly enjoyed Dreamless from Josephine Angelini. The new character of Orion is added as a romantic rival for Helen’s affections, and the triangle created by him, Lucas and Helen turns out to be pivotal to the direction the story is taking. Action and romance are increased, which helps keep the pace brisk. Everything builds to an exciting finale that will have dire consequences in the next book, and sets us up for a thrilling conclusion to the series.
    • 3/5
      Another disappointing follow up. Starcrossed was a great adaptation of Helen of Troy ... I have no idea what Dreamless was trying to be. I wanted it to be more, I think. That being said, I'll probably seek out a third book if there is one.
    • 2/5
      *Spoiler alert*
      I loved Starcrossed so needless to say I was going mad with anticipation for Dreamless.

      Ok, I read it, totally disappointed. The dynamic that made Starcrossed so appealing is completely lost on a lame love triangle that diminishes anything once appealing about Lucas (he pushes Helen towards Orion? Seriously? The Lucas I fell in love with would have nothing of the sort) Furthermore, Orion isn't a strong enough character to keep the interest going once any Lucas is no longer the hero. So Zzzzzzz....

      Long story short: Orion's weaksauce, Lucas lost his balls & im moving on to another series.
    • 4/5
      Wow, I usually hate 2nd books, but I loved this one! I had a little trouble at the beginning because I had forgotten a lot of characters from the first one, but once I settled in with the characters it was great. I will definitely be reading the next one.
    • 4/5
      The Good StuffFast paced, non stop action - where you are constantly on the edge of your seat wondering what else can happen to poor Helen Love the little lessons in greek mythology and the Iliad - done in such a fun suble way that readers won't know they are learning something (sign of a fab author in my opinion) Unique storyline Most of the characters are flawed and interesting Love how much importance is placed on the friendships between the characters Enjoy the relationship and dialogue between Helen and her father Jerry Fascinated by the idea and character of Morpheous -- me thinks I could stay with him for eternity Cover is beautiful Angelini's writing is developing beautiful - loved her descriptions of Hades & of the gods Looking forward to reading the final book in this delicious series - nothing better than greek gods & fate Excellent 2nd book in a trilogy - which as we know is a rarity Love Orion -- found him far mor intriguing than Lucas -- so if I have to pick - I say Orion all the way -- eventhough I am pretty sure in the 3rd book we will find out that Lucas isn't really related - bets anyone? The Not So Good StuffThe constant mentions of incest gross me out The beginning was a wee bit confusing for me at first, as it had been a long time since I read Starcrossed -- not really a bad thing, more my lack of brains these days, but it did affect my enjoyment of the book Characters actions make me want to smack them for being so stupid sometimes (sorry I am older and jaded LOL!) Angsty love triangle - again not a bad thing - just as a 42 yr old mom - not my bag baby (In defense of author not overly angsty and both of the boys are intriguing) Favorite Quotes/Passages"It was a frustrating afternoon. The more the two girls read, the more they were convinced that half the stuff written about Hades was written by medieval scribes on serious drugs.""Apollo fell in love with Cassandra of Troy right before the war. When she told him she wanted to remain a virgin and rejected his advances, he cursed her. A dickhead move if there was one.""How young you are!" A musical but melancholic voice came to them from somewhere inside the giant, gilded cage. "Knowing what you really want and having the confidence to say it are two of the hardest things to do in life, young princess."Who Should/Shouldn't ReadWould only recommend to those who have read Starcrossed first - as you would be quite confused as to what is going on But if the premise intrigues you - grab both books and sit down and enjoy For those who enjoy mythology type stories 4 Dewey'sI won this from @harperteen in one of their Twitter contests
    • 5/5
      I adored Starcrossed and I was seriously excited when I came home from my boyfriends and found Dreamless waiting for me. My love for Angelini's writing is immense because it's easy to follow and understand. I had my worries about Dreamless purely because Starcrossed was so good, I didn't know if anything that followed would be AS good. But Dreamless surpassed my expectations and I absolutely loved it. There was, once again, the right amount of romance, action and adventure all combined to make a truly amazing read.We join Helen and Lucas as they continue to struggle with the news that they're cousins and the fact that they have to stay away together, which is obviously a huge struggle for these starcrossed lovers... who aren't allowed to be lovers. But, there has to be a love triangle at some point, and Orion was a great addition to this little gang. Orion helps Helen on her quest as a descender because she just can't do it alone. She finds she's getting no where, and she isn't helping anyone. Although I said it's a love triangle, it isn't one of your typical really annoying love triangles - mostly because we know that Helen and Lucas just cannot be together because they're cousins. Helen just finds it insanely difficult to forget the feelings she had for this boy.The story takes place in the real world and the underworld, but it's never confusing. You always understand where the story is happening, and to be honest it's written beautifully. Josephine has an amazing way of causing her audience to become addicted to her book. I only stopped reading because I had visitors and then my boyfriend came over for 5 days. Otherwise I'd have sat and read Dreamless as much as I could. The twist at the end has set Goddess up to be amazing. I can't wait to get my hands on it, it's a huge shame it doesn't have an expected release date yet, but one thing is for certain: I'll wait as long as I need to to get my hands on that book.
    • 4/5
      Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: This novel falls back on the cliche love-triangle for some added drama (NOT that it needed more) while adding more layers to the mystery of Helen’s role as the Descender and tension to the story. Opening Sentence: On Monday morning, school was canceled.The Review: I am going to try really, really hard not to spoil book one in this review, but some of it will be unavoidable! You should read Starcrossed before reading this review. Helen’s learned a lot more about being from the House of Atreus since she first met the Delos clan, but even they can’t teach her everything. For one thing, they don’t have any idea what a Descender is supposed to do, much less how they can help her in the Underworld. The only thing any of them knows is that the key to saving the Scions lies in the Underworld. But going to the Underworld every night is torture — sometimes literally — and lonely. Time passes differently in Hades, turning the few hours Helen’s asleep into days stranded. Until one night, she’s suddenly not alone. Orion is Helen’s Shield, in accordance to the prophecy. Though he’s from another House, the Furies don’t haunt them in the Underworld and it’s safe for him to protect and save her. As Orion brings news about Helen’s mother and the Hundred Cousins (House of Thebes), their nights (in truth, days) spent together in the Underworld help them grow closer. And with Lucas being…Lucas, Helen really needs someone to lean on. But the Delos family doesn’t trust a boy they’ve never met with Helen’s safety — nevermind that he’s only ever tried to save her — and they hunt even harder for the key to freeing the Scions from the hatred of the Furies. But Helen can’t be a secret forever, and while the Hundred Cousins might have some bigger problems than a teenage girl, she’s on their radar. Not only is she no longer safe, but neither is her father or her best friends who’ve been thrown face first into the world of powers that are completely beyond them. As Helen tries to learn how to fight without her demigod powers, Cassandra begins to be pulled further and further away from humanity by the Fates. The prophecies she’s making are not exactly what the Scions want to hear. Attempting to keep the Truce and keep her distance, Helen sticks close to her friends and tries to forget Lucas. As her friendship with Orion begins to grow stronger outside the Underworld, the dangers they face inside begin to change. When Helen begins to find her powers as the Descender, they face challenges that are more than physical. Delving into mythological histories, Helen tries to find more about the Furies and how the Houses can free themselves without bringing divine destruction down on the whole earth. Because there was significantly less need for set up and explanation, Dreamless is much faster paced. I love the way Angelini is developing the plot to follow a much different path than both the readers and the characters expect. The love triangle really bothers me. A lot. But the fact that Helen’s relationship with Orion blooms slowly and the trials with Lucas make their relationship impossible, the triangle managed to fit within the story. It wasn’t added in for gratuitous drama, it’s just built into the mythology of the Scions. I can’t wait to read Goddess. While I think I know what’s going to happen, Angelini has a way of spinning the situation outside the realm of what seems probable. Notable Scene: Arching ribs soared overhead like the pillars of a gothic cathedral. Lumpy joints, covered in branching colonies of dead and dusty lichens, lay like massive boulders in their path. Helen noticed that may different types of anatomies were jumbled up, as if hundreds of beings the size of skyscrapers had died heaped on top of each other. The scale was increased to such an extent that it was as if Helen were looking through a microscope. From her perspective, each pore inside the sequoia-sized bones was so large it appeared as though they were made out of layers of lace. She ran her hand over one of the latticed surfaces and looked over at Orion. “Do you know what these creatures were?” she whispered. Orion dropped his eyes and swallowed. “The Ice Giants. I’ve read stories about this but never believed it was real. This is a cursed place, Helen.”FTC Advisory: Harper Teen provided me with a copy of Dreamless. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
    • 5/5
      Josephine Angelini is one of those amazing authors that can create both fantastically developed characters and a kick-ass plot. Dreamless was just as amazing as Starcrossed—there was tons of adventure, mystery, romance, and of course, mythology! What more could you ask for?As Helen parades around the Underworld trying to find and destroy the Furies, we get an in depth look at one of the most explored places in Greek mythology. There was nothing interesting about Angelini’s Underworld, but we did get to meet an awesome new character, Orion. Orion adds a lot to the story and I am really looking forward to seeing more of him in the next novel. Angelini manages to keep romance alive in the story despite the ridiculous Lucas/Helen situation (this is the only aspect of the trilogy that truly irritates me beyond belief). Even though Lucas and Helen spend a lot of time a part, they are constantly thinking about each other and I still believe in the strength of their relationship.The storyline in Dreamless is just fantastic. Not only is it action-packed, but it is also surprising and incredibly exciting. As soon as Dreamless was over, I wanted to pick up the sequel (which unfortunately won’t be released for another year). The ending is just amazing and I need to see where Angelini takes us next.Dreamless is a fantastic read that will undoubtedly leave you wanting more. It was nearly impossible to tear my eyes away from the pages and I cannot wait to read Josephine Angelini’s next novel. If you are looking for action, romance, and mythology Dreamless is the perfect choice.
    • 4/5
      Ahhh so I have to start off with the fact that I really did love STARCROSSED, I thought the whole concept and spin that Josephine put towards Scion’s was extremely clever. As I’ve mentioned I’m a huge Mythology fan and while I enjoy my fair share of authors who have redone the Hades/Persephone story, it’s nice to get into a YA-Mythology book that isn’t totally based on the retelling of that story.DREAMLESS starts right where we ended in book one and Chapter 1 was great for my lack of memory. Catches you right up and then spits you out right into the thick of things. DREAMLESS is chalk full of action and suspense, which to me, equals quite the successful second book. The plot in this book was freaking fabulous and yes my friends, we do venture to the Underworld, this was one of the things I was most anticipating with this book. The preface and small bits we got of Josephine’s version of the Underworld in book one were dead-on how I would dream it would be written, and she did not disappoint in book two, at all! Gut wrenching, pulse bounding, nail biting and all, our poor Helen deals with some real nightmares in this book and I loved every moment of it. I will give you a small hint though, not everything that Helen faces in the Underworld is dark and scary!Something that I was really, really, really, really peeved about in book one was the stomach plummet of the relationship between Lucas and Helen. Lucas is, well, swoon worthy and I sooo wanted to see Helen and Lucas fly off together at the end of book one, but no we get left with the “your cousins” news and I totally flipped my lid. I was totally heart broken and curious as to what Josephine was going to do to mend that wound. Oh, wait…in walks Orion…sigh. Now, I’m usually the person that no matter what, I root for Guy 1, no matter what, whoever the girl fell for first gets my vote, but I freaking love Orion and unfortunately, may be rooting for him now. He’s tall, he’s hot and he has some super sweet God Powers!But, my hands down favorite thing about DREAMLESS, the countless hints of things to come, I felt like the further I read, the more I wasn’t just sitting on the edge of my seat for the end of this book, it left me sitting waiting for book 3. I don’t mean this in a way that we were left dangling waiting for book 3 at the very end, I mean that there were a good number of what I feel will be explosive reveals in book 3 that were hinted at from about mid-way through the end of this book. It was great, I love suspense building like that because I probably get a whole year to fester about what things I will guess right and what things I won’t.
    • 5/5
      ******Slight Spoliers if you haven't read Starcrossed in which case this review will make no sense*****Okay, I used the word EPIC to describe Starcrossed, but truly, Dreamless is EPIC. There are so many stories going on besides the one major story and I just can't imagine, as a writer myself, how this author kept everything straight. There are introductions of new characters, new revelations and the often dreaded love triangle. But it works here because Helen and Lucas believe they are cousins and if they can't be together then Helen should have someone right? (NO! I AM TEAM LUCAS ALL THE WAY!) But I can't find anything to dislike about Orion so for now, he's a good guy, just not my favorite for Helen.So the story lines, I can't tell you them without giving things away. I'll tell you that all the Scions have more power than they know and are just now getting to know what they can do. We see Hector a lot more than I expected. Helen does not sit down and have a pity party about Lucas. She powers through all her troubles. Being the Descender is a very hard job and being alone every night is horrible. She's very isolated and she feels hopeless until she meets Orion down in the Underworld. He provides some respite from the loneliness and even some levity at times. And a reminder of what the Furies can do.We learn more about the Furies and why they do what they do. We even see more of Daphne. And feel how deep her hatred of Tantalus really is. And the story she told about Ajax, his death, becomes believable. A new monster I've never read about is revealed. And on it goes.The thing Josie Angelini does is takes the mythology which is ancient and not staid, but isn't really changing, is it? I mean it really is kind of written in stone, buildings and statues and coins. But Josie takes the old mythology and bends it into something I haven't seen before. Or maybe not bends it but brings it forward into our time as if it was still living, existing. I couldn't have dreamed most of this up and I still feel like I need to reread it because at 500 pages, I am bound to have missed a lot. I savored every minute Helen and Lucas were together. I felt every step of Helen's lonely descent into the Underworld. The hopelessness. I understood the Scions being worried about their human friends and relationships. And yep, I had to do research again. Looked certain people up to find out who they were, the stories behind them. You don't have to do that to understand the story, but I love doing that. I don't remember my mythology of the minor people enough to know who did what and what they were famous for or infamous for.I am dying for the next book! I want to slap Daphne still. I don't trust her and don't understand her motives for keeping Helen and Lucas apart. I just don't get her. But I'm sure Josie Angelini won't leave it hanging. She will let us know when we need to and not a minute before. Maybe during the reread I'll be able to see a motive. I just know that I devoured each and every word and even when I tried to predict something, I was never right. Unpredictable, heartbreaking still, revealing, intricate, detailed, sweeping -EPIC. It's the only way to describe Dreamless that doesn't limit it in any way. It's an amazing follow up to Starcrossed and lovers of that novel will love to see all their favorite characters in greater depth in this novel. This is one of my favorite series and I absolutely cannot wait to see where the story leads next. I know it's supposed to be a trilogy, but this seems like such a big story to end in just one more book. I could go another two books! That is just speculation on my part and I have absolutely no knowledge of that at all. Just wishful thinking!My thanks to Harper Teen for an Advanced Reader's Copy of Dreamless! There was no monetary compensation for my review.Heather(Team Lucas)
    • 5/5
      After Josephine Angelini's epic debut with Starcrossed, I could not (but, alas, had to) wait to receive my copy of Dreamless. You can imagine my excitement when my ARC of Dreamless arrived in the mail. From book one, I knew where the story was going, but I had no idea how Angelini would bring us to its conclusion. This is how she does it: action, reaction, and characters. Dreamless is not one of the transition middle books in the series; no, Angelini delves right into the heart of the plot and kept me glued to the sofa until she brought the novel to its stunning conclusion, leaving me breathless and anticipating book three (Goddess).While there is a prophecy and destiny driving the characters, the characters themselves, with their complex personalities and relationships, also drive the plot. Book one left my heart tearing up for Helen and Lucas. Book two broke it two pieces, as I watched the two mature and try to forget each other. Another guy is introduced, and he seems to promise a way to move on. While I typically hate love triangles, this one melds beautifully into the plot. Dare I say that I might have a crush of my own on the new guy? For Helen, however, forgetting is far from easy. Other conflicts arise as Lucas's relatives fall for mortals, Hector comes into contact with family, and Cassandra grows more distant. Every character found its way into my heart, even the nasty villains (I just loved to hate some of them).Helen's duty as the Descender seems pretty simple. She has to find the Furies and eliminate them. However, as always, that isn't all there is to it, and Helen's journey in the Underworld reveals that there is more to her quest that she initially thought. Helen's inability to dream wears her down gradually, threatening her health and mentality, rendering her unable to make the decisions that she needs to make. The fate of the Scions rests on her actions. Dreamless captivated me from start to finish. I absolutely cannot wait to read book three!
    • 4/5
      Starcrossed was one of my favorite books of 2011, and I was chomping at the bit for Dreamless. When I managed to snag an ARC of it, I was beyond thrilled. (By the way, if you’ve not read Starcrossed, you may want to skip this review as there may be minor spoilers.)Dreamless picks up not long after the conclusion of the last book, and Helen and the Delos family are trying to figure out how to stop the Furies so Hector can come home without the rest of the family wanting to rip out his throat. Unfortunately, Helen is the only one of them who can descend into the underworld. The problem is Helen has no idea where to look or what to do when she is down there. The most aggravating problem is she is powerless when she descends, and she always awakens bloodied and bruised and usually with a few broken bones. Things seem hopeless until one night, she meets Orion, a descendant of Aphrodite, who has found a way to descend (thanks to Helen’s mother) and help her out. Throw in a few vengeful gods hell-bent on reenacting the Trojan war and reclaiming the world and things start to get really interesting.When I first started reading the book I was a little underwhelmed. It felt like all I was getting was a few very short scenes before Helen was descending again, and when she descended I didn’t feel like the story was really going anywhere. Things picked up and started to get interesting when Orion entered the picture, but I still didn’t feel like I was getting any answers. By the end of the book it all came together, but I was still left wondering if all that time describing Helen’s nightly descents was really necessary. I felt that some of it could be trimmed.The entire cast from the first book returns, and they are all just as enjoyable as they were in the first book. I absolutely love Claire (Helen’s bff), and Helen is an awesome MC. She seems real, even if she is a powerful demigod. There are also some new villains introduced in this installment. They created all kinds of mayhem and the battle scenes were just as awesome as the ones in the first book.I also really liked the addition of Orion. I was dreading yet another love triangle, but this one was handled well. Since Helen and Lucas are (supposedly) cousins, Helen needs a hot man in her life, though there is a reason why Helen shouldn’t fall for Orion due to some rule about mixing the houses, but I think they need to ignore it. I am team Orion all the way.I’m really looking forward to the final book. Something huge is about to go down and I can’t wait to read it.If you liked Starcrossed, you definitely need to check this one out. Like I said, it has some slow parts that may leave you scratching your head, but it’s still very much worth the time.
    • 3/5
      I was slightly disappointed with Dreamless. I could not get into it. Starcrossed blew me away, and I could not wait to get my hands on the next novel in this series. However, Dreamless fell flat for me. Helen and Lucas were separated at the end of Starcrossed because they are cousins. So what does Helen do? Spend the entire book pining away after Lucas. Oh sure, she met Orion, then she loved him, too. But she still wanted to bang her cousin. I was hoping this would have been handled differently and without a love triangle, honestly. I hoped that they'd find out that Helen's mom is a big liar and that they weren't really cousins. Then they could live happily ever after. But nope! I know Cassandra Clare played with this idea some in the Mortal Instruments series, but she just did it much better than Angelini did. The way Clare handled everything made it seem like it was unnatural for Clary and Jace to be apart. This was handled in a way that made it seem unnatural for Lucas and Helen to be together. I did love Orion, though. I was hoping that Helen would quit running for emo child of the year and decide she wanted to be with him instead. Lucas was annoying in this book. I didn't like him at all. He was all broody and bratty. Orion was great. He was the main source of entertainment for the book. Also, the book just jumped around too much. It was third person limited, but it switched POVs constantly. I could keep up because it stated who the narrator was following, but it was annoying. Every time I'd get into what was happening to one character, it'd switch. Usually, I'd get frustrated and put the book down. Because of that, it took me FOREVER to finish this book. Additionally, I felt that things were dragged out too long. Sure, there was a lot of action, and I know I should have cared more what happened during these action scenes... especially since I loved the first book so much, but I just didn't like the characters that much (outside of Orion) in this novel. Therefore, all of the action and suspense was wasted on me. Furthermore, the characters tried to be funny a lot and they just weren't. There were many places where a character would say something not-funny-at-all and then the other character would just die laughing. I sat there like, "um why are you laughing? THIS IS NOT FUNNY!" I'm assuming these were attempts at humor, but they were not successful. Other than Orion, the one shining part of this novel was Angelini's writing. She has a way of describing things that makes you feel like you're there. She also words things very gracefully. Because of her ability to write, I have hopes that book three in the series will be much better than this one.I didn't hate this book, but I just liked it okay. I mostly talked about what I didn't like because I feel that the good stuff has already been mentioned, and the negative things would make me check this book out from the library first instead of buying it outright. Do I recommend this book? Absolutely. Anyone who read Starcrossed has to read this book. Also, if you haven't read Starcrossed and want a good mythology series that deals with Helen of Troy, then you should start the series. Will I continue this series? Most definitely. While Dreamless wasn't my favorite book, and I feel that Angelini had a bit of a sophmore slump issue with this novel, I have faith that the third book in the series will blow my mind. A lot of things have been introduced, but the novel didn't end on a cliffhanger. The ending did, however, make you curious to see what happens next. I can't wait to see how it plays out.
    • 5/5
      What I LovedBook TwoThe middle book is always the killer book in a trilogy, I love the middle books but at the same time they drive me crazy because I'm so close yet so far from the ending. So many answers I want now and I have to wait, but I loved this one. Dreamless kept me entranced and captivated throughout the entire book. Lots of both good and bad things happened by the end of the book.EmotionsWow this book is filled with so many emotions; desire for the off limits, exhaustion for a seemingly impossible task, betrayal, developing feelings for another. . . the list can go on and on. Helen was being pulled in so many directions and I could feel her pain.CharacterHelen: She was amazing in this book, I admire her for her stamina and continually dealing with her horrible trips to the Underworld. Also handling another heart breaking situation that I don't want to say what it is. Her willingness to fight and learn how to defend herself without her abilities. I really do love Helen in this book and I will be 100% rooting for her in the battles to come. Greek Mythology My favorite thing about this series. I love any retelling or use of Greek mythology in books and Josie does wonderfully with creating her own use of the heroic mythological characters and archetypes. I will also admit that I love Hades especially when he is used as the brooding good guy and I'm so happy with how Josie portrayed Hades in her version. Oh and we get to meet Morpheus, WOW, I would love to visit him in my dreams. Didn't LikeHaving to wait for the final book, killer!Recommendation You have got to read this series especially if you love the tale of Romeo and Juliet mixed with Greek mythology.
    • 5/5
      Two days ago I read Starcrossed and could not put it down! It was the book equivalent to the where-have-you-been-all-my-life? guy. After finishing it, I went straight to my ARC of Dreamless (thank you HarperTeen and Edelweiss) and stayed up most of the night reading. Some people have a way with words---and Josephine Angelini is one of those people. I just got swept away in her descriptions! I felt like I woke up one morning and found myself in her world--looking around to see Lucas, Helen, Hector, Cassandra and the whole gang. I just love when a book can transport you to another place and time--the only true magical powers anyone can have! I absolutely adore Angelini's characters. They are so vibrant and full of life--even the characters that are not in complete focus, like Hector. I just love Hector--strong and mighty, yet completely and utterly devoted to his family. Angelini gives him so much depth even though he's not one of the main two, Lucas and Helen, and I appreciate that she spends so much time building her characters so that every dimension of her book comes to life. The Greek mythology is so....there are no words. The way she depicts the Furies is cataclysmic, and it's so new and original. I can literally see them slinking across the ground in craziness begging for murder so that for one tiny second, they can feel at peace--if that is even possible. I've always pictured the Furies as these evil hellbeasts, and I admit, I much prefer Angelini's tortured Furies over the ones I have always known. And then....drumroll please! Lucas! I admit, I read books for the guys--the ones that sweeep you off your feet over and over again, and Lucas, being the flyer he is, can quite literally sweep you off them! If only I could stay in the air with him and never come down! He is the perfect young adult guy, and I have to say, whenever I see my ideal ya guy in a novel, I find myself never being able to put it down. He rivals Daemon, Aiden, Four, and Jace for me! He's overprotective (which I love), strong and chiseled (oh la la), arrogant and tempermental (sigh), and completley broken and struggling (if only I could save him)! My heart literally aches for him, and I can't wait for everything to FINALLY work out! There were so many twists and turns that I didn't see coming in Dreamless, and I really admire Josephine Angelini for her inventiveness with mythology. I will admit that I longed for more of the love story, but after Daphne's evil treachery (in my mind its evil) of convincing Lucas and Helen that they are cousins when they are not, I knew I was in for lots of angst (grrrr). Hopefully I will get more of my love story in book 3! So....after much rambling about how I love this book, I will say that it is a MUST READ! I went through the gamut of emotions with this one--happiness, sadness, anger, disbelief, more anger, and a little (okay a lot) of lust :) Shame on me (hehe) or shame on Angelini for writing such a wonderfully addictive novel!
    • 5/5
      Wow. Helen really takes a beating in this one, guys! I love how Angelini isn’t afraid to torture her characters, and the payoff is huge. Yeah, there’s a love triangle, and I usually hate those, but Angelini really did a good job with this one, and made it work within the plot to really boost all of the sub-arcs and character journey arcs as well as the main arc. Make no mistake – “Dreamless” shows how far Angelini has come within the short span of a year, and shows how far she’s willing to go to make her stories unforgettable.We get deeper into how the Furies seek their revenge and how the divergence of Greek and Roman myths further complicates the whole Hundred Cousins fleet that’s after Helen and the Delos family (and each other) in this book – and it makes for some fantastic worldbuilding that reinforces even more how dire the situation is, how much higher the stakes are for all of our heroes in this book. We delve deeper into the legend of Helen of Troy and “The Iliad” as we see Helen and Orion fighting together in the underworld, as well as see Helen’s mother Daphne make some surprising alliances without really truly knowing her endgame – and it all makes for a really explosive last third of the book with a really nice big payoff, setting things up nicely for the third (and hopefully not the last) book.As I said before, I usually really am not into love triangles, but Josie worked it hard here, and made it all work so that in the end we know that Helen definitely still loves Lucas, but, as it seems to me, loves Orion more like a brother despite what happened when the Furies overtook them both. Incest being a major theme in both this series and classical Greek literature, it’s also heavily discussed in this book. So if this is your squick, be prepared for lots of talking about it and lots of self-torture on Helen’s part over her attraction to both Lucas and Orion over it. It’s fascinating how Helen tortures herself over it instead of giving into it – her blood debts with Lucas are paid, after all, and in a lot of places, it’s okay to marry your first cousin. So the question is – why doesn’t she give in? I’m curious about this, and would love to pick Angelini’s brain about it should I get the chance.What was also great was finally including Claire and Matt more into things – this was badly needed after the ending of book one, but at the same time, even though they’re human, I feel like Claire out of the two of them wasn’t used to her full potential. Matt gets a pretty large role at the end of this book (I won’t say what or how – read it for yourself!) but it seems like Claire was neglected greatly here, and, to a certain extent, treated as if she were made of glass because she was mortal. I’m wondering why Angelini went this route, and maybe if Claire’s most at risk in the next book. Otherwise, I’m a bit puzzled as to why she was treated so gently when it’s clear that at times she was stronger than Helen when it came to a lot of things.And the final kind of sad character arc transformation that I thought Angelini did brilliantly here – Cassandra turning into The Oracle. The way she painted the picture of this girl becoming something completely inhuman in such a short amount of time was absolutely heartbreaking, yet completely feasible in this situation. I hope she gets a larger part in book three, because she definitely deserves it. And I have the feeling she will, because of that final explosive last third of the book with Orion, Helen, and Lucas concerning the War of the End Times beginning.I feel like everyone’s character here got sketched out a bit more fully, and a bit more rounded out. We got to see other places, and that filled out the world in the setting capacity even more. This feels like a fully functional real world now, and I can see the War coming, and it isn’t going to be pretty. I enjoyed watching the evolution of everyone and everything in this world in this book immensely and I just seriously can’t wait for book three now.Best of all? NO MIDDLE BOOK SYNDROME. PARTY AT MY PLACE!Final verdict? If you haven’t read the first book already, you must read it before this one. You must read it, period! This is on my best of 2012 list, and it’s just…well, at times, breathtaking. Sounds cheesy? Yeah, but it’s also the only way I can really express “all the feels” that couldn’t be held here when it comes to Angelini and her craft. “Dreamless” is out from HarperTeen in North America May 29, 2012 so be sure to pick up a copy then. Middle books of 2012 are on a roll this year, and “Dreamless” is just one more awesome book in that catagory. This is really worth the read, guys.(posted to goodreads, librarything, shelfari, and birthofanewwitch.wordpress.com)