I Know When You're Asleep

I want to start by saying this rating is **purely based on personal preference**, not the author's writing ability.

Jessica Blade did a great job creating an intriguing storyline with plenty of suspense and a mystery that kept me wondering what would happen next. The premise was unique, and the pacing kept me turning the pages to see how everything would unfold.

That said, I went into this expecting more of a straight YA thriller, and I wasn't aware it leaned into Christian themes. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that—it just isn't the type of story I typically gravitate toward. Because of that, I found it harder to fully connect with the book.

If you enjoy YA suspense with faith-based elements, I think you'll probably appreciate this one much more than I did. It simply wasn't the right fit for my reading tastes, but I can definitely see the audience it was written for.

I've never read anything by this author before and I definitely will have to read more! This book gave me that Scream vibe. By the end of the book I wanted to throw my kindle because of that ending. Haha

I, unfortunately am not the targeted audience, as it felt like young adult mystery thriller. The FMC felt quite childish, naive and at time the plot felt unrealistic. However, read by the right target audience, I do think that this book could be a hit, as it has all the elements of a young adult mystery drama : love, betrayal, friendships, drama, mystery, murders etc

I Know When You’re Asleep by Jessica Blade is a high-stakes YA murder mystery that blends a festive Christmas atmosphere with a brutal, small-town slasher vibe.

The story is set in a town where a killer is systematically thinning out the local high school population, leaving a trail of bodies in their wake. While the premise is classic YA mystery, the execution is a bit of a "weird one." The main character, Mandy, feels a bit "too much of everything," and the plot suffers from a lack of realism—specifically in the school's and the police's puzzling inaction as the body count piles up.

The book moves at a pace that occasionally feels sluggish, losing momentum around the 60% mark. For a reader looking for closure, the experience is further complicated by the fact that this is book one of a series; many of the central questions, including the killer's identity and motivation, remain unanswered by the final page. While it drags in sections, it is a solid pick for YA fans who enjoy a "Christmas horror" setting and don't mind a cliffhanger ending. A 3-star read for a story that needed a bit more rhythm and a lot more answers.