Some viruses go after the body. But the Nightmare Virus goes after the mind.

When dream technology goes wrong, a virus spreads across the globe, trapping people in a universal dreamscape. They call it the Nightmare Virus.

Cain Cross is determined to find a cure . . . if he can decipher his brother’s chicken-scratch formula notes. But when he gets infected, he has only 22 days until he’s trapped in the mental prison forever. Now, every time he falls asleep, he must fight in a Nightmare Arena until he earns his freedom to live in the “new world” that exists only in the mind.

Then he finds a way to manipulate the Nightmare—to change it by mere thought.

Forced to navigate a world of nightbeasts, mistblades, and half-truths, Cain turns his focus to survival. When the Emperor offers him a LifeSuPod—and access to a cure—in exchange for a dangerous favor, Cain thinks he’s found a way out. But Cain’s new power threatens to take him on paths that jeopardize his very soul.

Will he continue searching for a cure, or will he swear allegiance to the Nightmare? And the bigger question might be . . . will he even have a choice?

The Nightmare Virus infects without warning, casting unsuspecting victims into a relentless nightmare from which they eventually never awaken. In a world trapped in this cycle of terror, Cain Cross uses his brother’s old notes to race against time in search of a cure. But when Cain finally goes to sleep, he finds himself in a twisted world of trained fighters and ghoulish beasts where he must fight to save his soul. In The Nightmare Virus, Nadine Brandes masterfully crafts a vivid dreamscape where wicked battles rage but hope cannot be extinguished. Like a haunting lullaby, this tale reminds readers that God’s light will prevail even in the darkest of dreams.

Best for: Teenagers and young adults as well as adult readers.

Discern: Combat violence as well as mentions of blood and injuries, themes of light versus darkness.