Dream Life
Lauren Mechling
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Release Date: January 12, 2010
Pages: 336

Rating: 4.5 stars

Claire Voyante’s first semester at Henry Hudson High School was eventful, to say the least. As she heads into her second semester, things are calming down a bit. But Claire has a few secrets that are getting harder to keep. Her biggest secret of all? The onyx and ivory cameo necklace her grandmother gave her for her 15th birthday. Ever since she started wearing it, her dreams have been coming to her in black and white and turning out to be oddly prophetic.

Becca’s been hanging out with her old prep school friends and never seems to have time for Claire anymore. And soon, Claire discovers why—there’s a secret group of society girls with a mysterious identity. And, turns out, a mysterious enemy who’s out to get them. The second she sniffs out trouble, Claire jumps on the case. But is it someone close to Claire who’s in danger again—or could it be Claire herself whose life is at stake?

As a sequel to Dream Girl, Dream Life does not disappoint readers one bit. I found myself really liking Dream Girl, but I absolutely LOVED Dream Life. It was wonderful visiting Claire’s world again – it’s a world I’ve fallen in love with.

Lauren Mechling delivers outstanding characters once again in Dream Life. Claire is a wonderfully written character – she’s witty, snarky, smart, and always makes you laugh. Kiki is the coolest grandmother ever! You really can always count on Kiki for a good laugh. It simply amazes me how none of the characters blend into the wallpaper. They all stick out and are memorable.

Claire does some major sleuthing in Dream Life, and while the mystery aspect is a bit far-fetched and causes you to stretch your imagination, it’s absolutely fascinating. I was so caught up in the story – I carried Dream Life with me everywhere I went. There were so many laugh out loud moments in the book. There was one scene at Kiki’s birthday party that had me practically rolling!

Dream Life is an enjoyable read with a perfect balance of romance, a secret society, mystery, and everyday problems. This is definitely a read for anyone wanting a hilarious, page-turning, light mystery.