To Build A Dream

 

 

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 *Thank you to author, Greg Hickey for the ARC in exchange for an honest review*

He could be dead, dreaming, or painfully alive. Does he really want to find out which? 

 
Timothy Smit is sick. He’s stuck in middle management at a second-rate news aggregator when an intense coughing fit causes him to pass out at his desk. Tim wakes up in the ICU to a diagnosis of a rare and aggressive form of lung cancer and the news that he likely has no more than a few months left to live. 

Confined to a hospital bed with his health deteriorating, Tim finds himself immersed in a series of vivid dreams. As he becomes increasingly captivated by this enigmatic fantasy world, he realizes his dreams just might be keeping him alive. 

But can Tim discover a real life worth living before it’s too late? 

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 Haunting. 

I don't know how I should be feeling right now. There are a lot of different emotions that are going through me right now. Even though I know this is fictional, To Build A Dream felt so real; in every chapter, I imagined I was there, along with Tim. Through the years, I have read a few books that dealt with cancer, but it was nothing like this. This story was so vivid, especially the dreams, and I felt like I was going on a roller coaster ride with Tim. Once I started reading the book, it didn't take me long to figure out the title behind the book. There wasn't a single moment in the book that didn't keep me engaged. I would have finished it within a few days if it wasn't for being a full-time student and working. A few times during the weekend, I read late into the night. 

I can't begin to imagine finding out that you have cancer and there was a chance that you might not survive. I loved that Tim didn't give up and kept fighting. I have lost a few family members due to cancer. I can imagine how it was for his sister, Jessica, to see him suffering through it. I have a good feeling that there is a chance that he wouldn't made it as far as he did if it wasn't for her. I believe that he kept on fighting because of her. To Build A Dream was an emotional book to read, but at the same time, it is a book you won't be able to put down once you start. When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about reading it and wanted to see how it would end. 

I loved the dream portions of the book. I always wondered where the dreams would lead Tim next. Throughout the book, I was rooting for Tim to make it through; I had grown attached to him. I loved the transition between the real world and the dreams. Once I turned in the last page, I wanted to go back and reread it. This is the second book I have read by Greg Hickey , and I can't wait to see what adventures await us next.