The Nightmare Virus by Nadine Brandes Blog Tour Book Review

About the Book

Book: The Nightmare Virus

Author: Nadine Brandes

Genre: YA Science Fantasy

Release date: July 16, 2024

Some viruses go after the body. But the Nightmare Virus goes after the mind.

When dream technology goes wrong, a virus spreads across the globe, trapping people in a universal dreamscape. They call it the Nightmare Virus. Cain Cross is determined to find a cure . . . if he can decipher his brother’s chicken-scratch formula notes. But when he gets infected, he has only 22 days until he’s trapped in the mental prison forever. Now, every time he falls asleep, he must fight in a Nightmare Arena until he earns his freedom to live in the “new world” that exists only in the mind.

Then he finds a way to manipulate the Nightmare—to change it by mere thought.

Forced to navigate a world of nightbeasts, mistblades, and half-truths, Cain turns his focus to survival. When the Emperor offers him a LifeSuPod—and access to a cure—in exchange for a dangerous favor, Cain thinks he’s found a way out. But Cain’s new power threatens to take him on paths that jeopardize his very soul.

Will he continue searching for a cure, or will he swear allegiance to the Nightmare? And the bigger question might be . . . will he even have a choice?

Click here to get your copy!

My Review 

This is a unique fantasy where the adventure has been created by a mind. Even though bodies might seem physically real, death is by no means the same as we would see in a physical world. People who appear to die actually live again.

There is more violence than I had anticipated. There is lots of action but I did feel the plot was a bit repetitive. Cain is a flawed hero. While he made mistakes, I could sympathize with him as I had difficulty figuring out the good and bad guys too. Still, I found it hard to like him. There are allusions to Christianity, such as a coliseum setting for fight to the death battles, stoning, five stones in a slingshot, and resurrecting characters. There is an emphasis on believing. “The disease is in our minds...but the cure is there too.”

This is the first novel by Brandes I have read. It is quite an adventure and I recommend it to lovers of fantasy that has Christian elements.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

 

About the Author

Nadine Brandes has been known to do wild things (like ride a sleeper train across Russia) in the name of book research. She’s the four-time Carol Award–winning author of seven young adult books and has been a professional fiction editor for over a decade. She is passionate about Jesus, motherhood, and creating with the Creator. When she’s not busy inventing worlds and magic systems, she’s adventuring through Middle Earth with her Auror husband and their four Halfling children.

More from Nadine

“Really, God? Now?” That was my reaction when He told me it was time to sign a contract for The Nightmare Virus less than two years after a global pandemic. “No one wants a book with the word “virus” in its title.”

That was the first of many moments that revealed this book was not my choice to write or publish or even title, but was instead the Lord’s. I’d had the idea for over a decade. And while it had nothing to do with the 2020 pandemic it arose from the concept that this world is not our home. This world is temporary and yet, during our time in it, we—as Believers—know the path to freedom out of darkness.

It was a story I was waiting and waiting to write and share with the world and yet when God said “Go” I argued with Him. I was convinced this was the worst time to try and publish this book. I told Him I’d have no time to write it (as a mama of 3 children in 3 years with another one on the way at the time.) Yet God said, “I’ll make the time.” And He did. He paved the way for this book—both in my imagination and in my practical life—and that’s the best road an author can walk, one where her King has gone before her.

This book is unlike anything I’ve ever written and I know that can be either a very good thing or a very bad thing, haha. But God has made it evident that He has a purpose for this story, not the least of which was to draw me closer to Him while writing it.

As I prepared this blog post I thought I could talk about the characters or themes or plot…but you’ll encounter all of those things when you read it. Instead I chose to share the heart journey behind it. Readers may pick it up because of the title or perhaps they’ll pick it up in spite of the title. No matter how the story finds its way into their hands, I know that it is the Lord who got it there. And I can’t wait to see what sort of sparks come from it.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, July 31

The Lofty Pages, August 1

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 2

Through the Fire Blogs, August 3 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, August 3

Blogging With Carol, August 4

Blossoms and Blessings, August 5 (Author Interview)

Inspired by fiction, August 6

Guild Master, August 7 (Author Interview)

Faery Tales Are Real, August 7

Live.Love.Read., August 8

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 9

Fiction Book Lover, August 10 (Author Interview)

Simple Harvest Reads, August 11 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, August 12

Denise L. Barela, August 13

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Nadine is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and a copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/2d08f/the-nightmare-virus-celebration-tour-giveaway

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Celebrate Lit. My comments are an independent and honest review. The rest of the copy of this post was provided by Celebrate Lit.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)