Review: The Sleepwalker Tonic (Nightmares! #2) by Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller

Check out my review of book one in this series, Nightmares!, here

The Sleepwalker Tonic

(Nightmares! #1)

by Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller

September 8, 2015

Random House Children's Books

Nightmares! The Sleepwalker Tonic is the sequel to the hilariously scaryNew York Times bestselling novel Nightmares! by multitalented actor Jason Segel and bestselling author Kirsten Miller. You thought the nightmares were over? You better keep the lights on!

Charlie Laird has a dream life.

1) He has a weirdo stepmom who runs an herbarium. 

2) He lives in a purple mansion with a portal to the Netherworld.

3) Since they escaped from the Netherworld, he and his best friends have been sleeping like babies. 

But Charlie can’t shake the feeling that something strange is afoot. Charlotte’s herbarium used to be one of the busiest stores in Cypress Creek. Now her loyal following is heading to Orville Falls for their herbal potions.

Weirder, though, Orville Falls is suddenly filled with . . . zombies? At least, they sure look like the walking dead. Rumor has it that no one’s sleeping in Orville Falls. And Charlie knows what that means.

Things are getting freaky again.

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Praise for Nightmares!, book one
 
A New York Times bestseller

“Charlie Laird, who learns fear will eat you alive if you feed it, makes an impression, and…readers will want to accompany him again.”—The New York Times Book Review

“A touching comical saga…about facing things that go bump in the night.”—US Weekly“Coraline meets Monsters, Inc. in this delightfully entertaining offering from actor [Jason] Segel and co-author [Kirsten] Miller.”—Publishers Weekly

“[Nightmares!] succeeds at scaring and amusing in equal measure…[It’s] sweet, charming, and imaginative.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Segel…and Miller build an entertaining, cartoony world full of scary (but not too scary) monsters, silly jokes, plucky kid heroes…with a promise of adventures to come.”—Booklist

“An engaging and creative story…woven with a generous amount [of] humor.”—VOYA

“There’s humor and a fairly high ick-factor.”—School Library Journal

“Cleverly crafted…This novel presents just the right mix of ‘scary and humorous.'”—ILA Literacy Daily

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Charlie Laird’s life used to be a nightmare. Then he faced his very real Nightmares and saved the day. Now, Charlie’s life is pretty much a dream. He and his stepmom get along better than ever, he actually loves his big purple mansion home, and the nightmares that once plagued him and his friends are gone. But as summer vacation progresses, freaky things start to happen again. His stepmother, Charlotte’s once busy herbarium hasn’t had a customer in days and a competing store in the neighboring town of Orville Falls may be to blame. That store sells a mysterious tonic that claims to chase away nightmares, but really turns people into sleepwalking zombies. Someone or something is trying to destroy the Netherworld, the Dream Realm, and the Waking World. Once again, Charlie and his crew must save the day.

Authors Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller return to their wildly imaginative and fun Nightmares! series with The Sleepwalker Tonic. Like the first book in this series, The Sleepwalker Tonic, is brimming with spooktacular thrills, entertaining laughs, and irresistible characters.

I really loved Nightmares! and has just as much fun reading this wicked awesome sequel. Segel and Miller once again craft a deliciously delightful story full of quirky whimsy, addicting storytelling, captivating settings, and epic adventure. In The Sleepwalker Tonic, we explore three different worlds: the Waking World, the Netherworld (where the Nightmares live), and the Dream Realm. The authors have done a spectacular job of bringing these complex worlds to life through vivid descriptions and smart world-building. The whole premise of this series is just bursting with so much creativity that will surely inspire the imaginations of readers.

And once again, these fantastic settings are filled with a fun array of characters, from the feisty to the wacky, scary, funny, brave, and lovable. Charlie and his friends continue to be endearing and engaging, while his eclectic stepmom continues to amuse and enchant, and the Nightmares stay their awesome selves. But it is Charlie’s little brother, Jack, that really steals the show, in the most charming of ways, in The Sleepwalker Tonic.

There are no shortages of comical humor, thrills, chills, and surprises in this sequel, as our heroes and heroines race to save all their worlds. And a fun new mystery leading into the next book is brewed throughout The Sleepwalker Tonic.

my final thoughts: Like its predecessor, The Sleepwalker Tonic has much to offer: fantastic scares, laugh-out-loud funnies, a clever story, and excellent characters. This is shaping up to be a truly phenomenal and must read series!

MY RATING

5/5 yummy cupcakes

Jason Segel

New York Times bestselling author Jason Segel used to have nightmares just like Charlie, and just like Charlie, he’s learned that the things we’re most afraid of are the things that can make us strong…if we’re brave enough to face them. Jason likes acting, writing, making music, and hanging out with his friends. Sometimes he writes movies. Sometimes he writes songs for movies. Sometimes he stars in those movies and sings those songs. You might know him from The Muppets andDespicable Me. Your parents might know him from other stuff. Nightmares! is his first novel.

Kirsten Miller

Kirsten Miller grew up in a small town just like Cypress Creek, minus the purple mansion. She lives and writes in New York City. Kirsten is the New York Times bestselling author of the acclaimed Kiki Strike books, the Eternal Ones series, and How to Lead a Life of Crime. You can visit her at kirstenmillerbooks.com.