Book Genre: Adult, Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Crime, Fiction, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Thriller The promising premise centered on 10th anniversary reunion of university students which also a reason to drag them to the murder scene to solve the cold case of Heather’s brutal killing by stabbing 17 times with a scissor in her dorm room ( I still have conflicts about book’s name as you see the murder weapon is not knife but scissors !!!) But not everyone is ready to move on. Not everyone left Duquette ten years ago, and not everyone can let Heather's murder go unsolved. Someone is determined to trap the real killer, to make the guilty pay. When the six friends are reunited, they will be forced to confront what happened that night--and the years' worth of secrets each of them would do anything to keep hidden. The Phi Delta Fraternity of 2008 and the NFL of Frankie’s expectations are not supportive places for LGBTQIA+ members. What was your impression of his attempts to navigate those attitudes? What would you do in his position? I wanted to reread this book as soon as I finished. That feeling almost never happens these days. I could not put this book down and resented when I had to; this book is that good. And that ending! Wow! For a second I wasn’t sure how I felt about it, but then I thought how it made sense with the breadcrumbs that were scattered throughout. I loved it. Obviously.

This dark campus tale is told in dual timelines and is taut as a bowstring. It really delves deep into how far one would go to achieve everything they have ever wanted. Ashley Winstead excellently shows the dark side of ambition, obsession and love. The characters were so well-developed, their heart’s desires and flaws were laid bare for all to see. My advice is hard-earned from personal experience, so it might not be right for everyone. With that said, the most important thing I have done is to work on no longer feeling ashamed of myself or anything that’s happened to me. That’s my advice: let go of shame and guilt. Shame can creep in and manifest as a lot of other things—anxiety, sleeplessness, anger—so take the time to really explore yourself and the weight you’re feeling. Look at yourself the way you would a book character, putting together the narrative of your life and thinking about the many events that have shaped you, shaped your desires and your actions, good and bad. See yourself in your complexity, and then give yourself the grace and forgiveness you would give any interesting, complex character. It turns out the real you is a quilt, made up of the light and the dark. The life you’ve lived in sunshine and your shadow life, stretching underneath the surface of your mind like a deep underwater world, exerting invisible power. You are a living, breathing story made up of the moments in time you cherish, all strung together, and those you hide. The moments that seem lost. Until the day they’re not.” This is absolutely genius, outstandingly entertaining, extremely heart pounding, absolutely better mash up of Breakfast Club and Pretty Little Liars than “one of us is lying” installment! In My Dreams I Hold a Knife definitely offered more drama than plot. Or rather, the friend and relationship drama was the entire plot.

Even though clearly, I’m capable of imagining those things! I guess my advice is to nurture the flame of your desire, tend to it daily, and become friends with it, so neither of you undermines the other. Beautiful writing, juicy secrets, complex female characters, and drumbeat suspense—what more could you want from a debut thriller? I'm Ashley Winstead's new biggest fan. If you liked Marisha Pessl's Neverworld Wake or Laurie Elizabeth Flynn's The Girls Are All So Nice Here, trust me—you will love this." A murder on campus. Six college friends. A ten year reunion. And no one is leaving this party until the case is solved. In My Dreams I Hold a Knife was definitely entertaining. I enjoyed trying to figure out which of these “friends” was a murderer. If you’re okay with very unlikable characters and enjoy books and shows with a lot of interpersonal drama, this is the book for you!

One college reunion, six friends, and one unsolved murder. This book kept us up reading late at night, and is perfect for those looking for a heart racing thriller! I was invested in the story throughout even though I really didn't like any of the characters. They all had some twisted motivations and dark things they are hiding. At one point or another I suspected pretty much everyone, so the ultimate revelation definitely came as a surprise to me.There is a plot twist I called in chapter 2 and was so annoyed when it was revealed because DUH. Like 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️

When all your characters have secrets, how do you get to know them? Did you have their failures and alibis mapped out before you began writing, or did you figure out their roles as you went? Describe the development of Mint’s anger. Was there ever a moment when someone could have intervened? How could he have channeled his anger in a healthier way? Booklist “[An] edge-of-your-seat academic thriller...Taut and atmospheric, with scenes from Jessica's childhood and college years interposed with the dramatic events of the present day, In My Dreams I Hold a Knife will keep readers guessing until the very last moment. Perfect for fans of dark academia, the well-drawn characters will remind many of their own college days. In My Dreams I Hold a Knife is a twisty, literary thriller not to be missed.” I say: the character development is mind blowing, surprisingly honest and deeply layered. The pace is well balanced, intriguing. Haunting They were called the “East House 7”—a group of popular best friends at Duquette University. They were always in the public eye, and they had inseparable bonds. But near the end of senior year one of them was murdered and another was accused, and things were never quite the same between them.Stewing in grief and anger, I thought to myself, Why do I feel so frenzied by this disappointment, so desperate? And what if there was a woman who didn’t tamp down those feelings but explored them to their dark ends? And so a villain was born. I think I saw that the author has another book coming out next year. I can’t wait to read that one. Newsflash: In My Dreams I Hold a Knife is one of the best, most addicting thrillers I’ve read all year!!