Wednesday, August 7, 2024

"The Nightmare Virus" by Nadine Brandes Blog Tour (Review) & GIVEAWAY!

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

"The Nightmare Virus" by Nadine Brandes is a young adult sci-fantasy dystopian novel with some impressive spiritual themes! I have read all of Nadine’s books and this one reminded me the most of her “Out of Time” trilogy. It has more of a dystopian, darker feel than some of her more recent books. Nadine always produces such unique, multi-layered stories that pack a spiritual punch. There is a lot of allegory, but the allegory is not obnoxious or in your face, so it can easily be enjoyed just for the great fiction story it tells. I could read it again and I am sure I would catch aspects and layers that I did not catch on this first read through. I love that the main character is a male (we need more of that in Christian fiction) and that it is great for boys, with non-stop action and just a little romance. The plot is gripping, and action packed, and I often could not find a stopping place.

The story is “Hunger Games” meets “Gladiator” meets “Inception” meets “Ready Player One.” I loved the nods to “Harry Potter,” “Lord of the Rings” and other fandoms throughout the story. Nadine includes great themes such as asking, “Where is the light in the darkness?” and encourages readers to examine how they are using their time. “The Nightmare Virus” encouraged me in my Christian walk and had me thinking about it throughout the day.

God most speaks to me through story, so I loved that this was a great, engaging story packed with Biblical truths (although they never take you out of or distract from the main story)! I have a feeling many of my fellow book nerds will feel the same way about this one!

I give this story a PG to PG-13 rating. Some examples of the content are: someone’s dad cheated on his mom; a character’s family member dealt with depression; a man curses, but the words are not actually written; someone possibly committed suicide; there is blood, violence, death, and battle scenes.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Nadine Brandes, Enclave Publishing and Celebrate Lit and was under no obligation to post a review.

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.