Of course I'd pick this book up during a week I'm having the most vivid dreams 👀.

Any book having to do with dreams I'm here for it! 

This story follows Mackenzie as her dreams are taking a terrifying turn, she is dreaming of her dead sister and somehow bringing things from the dream into real life. Mackenzie had moved away from home after the death of her kokum. Her sister passed shortly afterwards and Mackenzie never returned home. Until the dreams started getting stronger her friend Joli recommends she return home. Mackenzie calls one of her aunts and tells her everything about her dreams and plans the trip back home. 

Once she is home this is where the story really grips you in. Mackenzie is dealing with a lot of grief and so is her family. She's in a state of wanting these dreams to go away and knows her family can probably help but also doesn't want them to... Which isolates her. I recall a sentence of her thinking how can there be enough love around to extend to her, and that broke my heart. I know that that is a common thing that is felt, I often hear it with parents who have their second kid, how there's a worry of how could I love another being as much as I do already? But love finds a way. 

I felt pain and grief for Mackenzie and her sisters and cousins and gripped onto the book when someone didn't tell another character the full truth or avoided certain topics. I understood their thought process totally but couldn't help thinking "pleaseeeee tell your momma what's going on!” 

I really liked how the descriptions of the dreams were, especially when other characters were describing the type of dreams they have. It reminded me of conversations I had with my family about dreams, especially as my sleep paralysis was getting really bad. 


You could feel the closeness of this family through the pages, it made me feel warm and loved. It made me feel their grief but also their strength to always be there for each other. 

I really loved the presence of the crows. They play a major role in this story entirely. Yet I found a few times of forgetting that they were always around until the main character mentions hearing one on the roof or seeing one out the window. Again it made me pull from experiences with my own family. Discussions we have had about crows in dreams and waking life - to realizations I've had only to look up and see a crow watching. 

The way emotions were potrayed throughout this story was so good. Like the characters noticing small things about each other or the way an auntie would move through the house knowing that you know that she knows whats going on or who is hiding what. Or the way someone hides a small smile that isn't forgivness, but also isn't quite acceptance.  It felt so intimate at times but made me feel even closer to these characters. Which of course added to the horrifying feeling of being fearful for them all. 

I won't spoil anything but I thought the ending was incredible, fierce, dark, gut punching and heart pounding. 

I finished the book at 4am and wrote this review so sorry if thoughts jump around a lot haha.