Lies Annabelle Reynolds has everything she’s ever wanted. A devoted husband, two wonderful daughters, and a career she loves. She couldn’t be happier. So why is she suddenly plagued by disturbing dreams of a future where she hates her husband and her daughters’ lives are at risk? At first, she chalks the dreams up to an overactive imagination. But when details from her dreams, details she couldn’t possibly have predicted, begin to materialize, she realizes these aren’t just dreams but rather premonitions of a terrifying future. They all point to a singular choice, an unknown moment that holds Annabelle’s life in the balance.
Then Annabelle has a dream that her daughter Scarlett is in immediate danger. Someone wants Scarlett dead, and Annabelle has no idea who or why. Suddenly, every choice she makes is fraught with peril, with no inkling of which move could bring this terrifying vision to life. As Annabelle’s present life starts to collide with the future in her dreams, she wrestles with how much control she really has over her destiny and whether she can change what is meant to be.
Don’t Open Your Eyes is a slow-burn, gripping psychological thriller that explores the concept of premonitions in dreams. The story follows Annabelle Reynolds, a successful media marketing executive with a loving doctor husband and two daughters. Her life begins to unravel when she experiences disturbing dreams that begin coming true in real life, threatening the safety of her family and her grasp on reality.
The story is highly original and becomes more compelling by the use of multiple POVs and a dual timeline. Readers get to hear the perspectives of Annabelle as she navigates her disturbing prophetic dreams, her daughter Scarlett, who’s secretly communicating with a stranger online, and the POV of an unnamed woman labeled “The Wife,” who’s investigating suspicions of her husband’s infidelities. The mystery wife POV adds an additional layer of mystery to the story—but all three storylines come crashing together towards the end, and the suspense begins to sizzle. To further keep readers engaged, the author makes the chapters short and maintains a brisk pace, making for a highly bingeable read.
Annabelle is a complex and emotional protagonist. Her strange dreams heighten her already anxious personality, and as some of them begin to become true, her paranoia skyrockets—and understandably so! As she tries to confide in her husband and others about the dreams, they become more concerned for her mental health than about her ability to predict terrible events. Even in instances when she prevents others from dodging a bullet, they still don’t quite believe her—it’s equally frustrating for readers as it is for Annabelle in these scenes, and it becomes easier to empathize with her afterwards!
The book’s central themes around the concept of dreams as premonitions and the extent to which a person can alter fate are seamlessly woven into a suspenseful family drama narrative. The concept of what defines a healthy marriage and the sacred bonds between mother and child are also well depicted in this book. Through the compelling dual timeline, readers discover the backstory of how Annabelle and James’ relationship evolved from friends to lovers, despite Annabelle’s heart never fully recovering from her first love. Anabelle’s concern for her daughters’ welfare, especially after having scary premonitions of their safety, comes across as relatable and authentic. Annabelle uses very different techniques when communicating with her polar opposite daughters, and it’s something many mothers will relate to!
The suspense in this story is slow-burn, with many scenes giving more the feel of a compelling family drama than a thriller. But rest assured because the twists and the nail-biting suspense do come in the second half. The story culminates with some shocking reveals, including the unmasking of the “mystery wife,” and some harrowing circumstances for Annabelle and her family. Just when you think you have it all figured out, the author delivers twists upon twists—some of which require readers to suspend their disbelief to find the ending truly satisfying.
Overall, Don’t Open Your Eyes is an eerie and immersive slow-burn thriller that readers will want to discuss after reading. For this reason and because of its compelling premonition themes, it’s a good option for a book club. The book is another great example of Liv Constantine’s immersive, multilayered storytelling, and it’s a perfect read for fans of domestic suspense and psychological drama. If you’re looking for your next thought-provoking thriller that lingers long after the final page, be sure to pick up a copy of this book!
Narrator Performance
The audiobook of Don’t Open Your Eyes is an immersive and gripping listen narrated by three incredibly talented narrators: Christine Lakin, Valerie Rose Lohman, and Alex McKenna!
Christine Lakin does an impeccable job bringing protagonist Annabelle to life with a perfectly paced, highly emotional performance that draws listeners in and elevates the audiobook to an unstoppable listen! Lakin’s delivery of Annabelle’s inner monologues, where she analyzes her dreams and contemplates what steps to take next, is convincing and entirely engrossing and will have readers empathizing with and rooting for Annabelle! Lakin expertly narrates all of the dialogue scenes, with distinct voices for all the characters. In particular, the scenes between Annabelle and her husband, James, genuinely demonstrate the mutual love but also give listeners the clear sense of unspoken secrets, right from the onset!
Valerie Rose Lohman portrays Annabelle’s daughter, Scarlett, with an animated tone infused with a myriad of emotions, perfectly conveying a teenage girl who’s experiencing an emotional roller coaster and keeping secrets. Lohman increases the emotional intensity of the performance in the second half, when Scarlett is faced with harrowing circumstances, and listeners will be glued to their headsets!
Alex McKenna performs the narration of “The Wife” using an aggressive and angry-sounding tone, brilliantly capturing a vindictive woman who’s on a mission to find out what her husband’s up to. Her performance gets deliciously entertaining towards the end—especially when McKenna dramatically narrates some of the shocking twists—and listeners will find themselves having a love-hate relationship with “The Wife’s” character!
Overall, this highly original, captivating thriller is greatly elevated by the outstanding performances of all three narrators. If you’re considering this book, the audiobook is absolutely the best format to enjoy this story! It’s an absolute must-listen for audiobook readers who enjoy multiple POV psychological thrillers!
Narrator Performance
The audiobook of Don’t Open Your Eyes is an immersive and gripping listen narrated by three incredibly talented narrators: Christine Lakin, Valerie Rose Lohman, and Alex McKenna!
Christine Lakin does an impeccable job bringing protagonist Annabelle to life with a perfectly paced, highly emotional performance that draws listeners in and elevates the audiobook to an unstoppable listen! Lakin’s delivery of Annabelle’s inner monologues, where she analyzes her dreams and contemplates what steps to take next, is convincing and entirely engrossing and will have readers empathizing with and rooting for Annabelle! Lakin expertly narrates all of the dialogue scenes, with distinct voices for all the characters. In particular, the scenes between Annabelle and her husband, James, genuinely demonstrate the mutual love but also give listeners the clear sense of unspoken secrets, right from the onset!
Valerie Rose Lohman portrays Annabelle’s daughter, Scarlett, with an animated tone infused with a myriad of emotions, perfectly conveying a teenage girl who’s experiencing an emotional roller coaster and keeping secrets. Lohman increases the emotional intensity of the performance in the second half, when Scarlett is faced with harrowing circumstances, and listeners will be glued to their headsets!
Alex McKenna performs the narration of “The Wife” using an aggressive and angry-sounding tone, brilliantly capturing a vindictive woman who’s on a mission to find out what her husband’s up to. Her performance gets deliciously entertaining towards the end—especially when McKenna dramatically narrates some of the shocking twists—and listeners will find themselves having a love-hate relationship with “The Wife’s” character!
Overall, this highly original, captivating thriller is greatly elevated by the outstanding performances of all three narrators. If you’re considering this book, the audiobook is absolutely the best format to enjoy this story! It’s an absolute must-listen for audiobook readers who enjoy multiple POV psychological thrillers!
The audiobook of Don’t Open Your Eyes is an immersive and gripping listen narrated by three incredibly talented narrators: Christine Lakin, Valerie Rose Lohman, and Alex McKenna!
Christine Lakin does an impeccable job bringing protagonist Annabelle to life with a perfectly paced, highly emotional performance that draws listeners in and elevates the audiobook to an unstoppable listen! Lakin’s delivery of Annabelle’s inner monologues, where she analyzes her dreams and contemplates what steps to take next, is convincing and entirely engrossing and will have readers empathizing with and rooting for Annabelle! Lakin expertly narrates all of the dialogue scenes, with distinct voices for all the characters. In particular, the scenes between Annabelle and her husband, James, genuinely demonstrate the mutual love but also give listeners the clear sense of unspoken secrets, right from the onset!
Valerie Rose Lohman portrays Annabelle’s daughter, Scarlett, with an animated tone infused with a myriad of emotions, perfectly conveying a teenage girl who’s experiencing an emotional roller coaster and keeping secrets. Lohman increases the emotional intensity of the performance in the second half, when Scarlett is faced with harrowing circumstances, and listeners will be glued to their headsets!
Alex McKenna performs the narration of “The Wife” using an aggressive and angry-sounding tone, brilliantly capturing a vindictive woman who’s on a mission to find out what her husband’s up to. Her performance gets deliciously entertaining towards the end—especially when McKenna dramatically narrates some of the shocking twists—and listeners will find themselves having a love-hate relationship with “The Wife’s” character!
Overall, this highly original, captivating thriller is greatly elevated by the outstanding performances of all three narrators. If you’re considering this book, the audiobook is absolutely the best format to enjoy this story! It’s an absolute must-listen for audiobook readers who enjoy multiple POV psychological thrillers!
