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Catch up with Ethan, Lena, and Link as they finally graduate from high school and get ready to leave the small Southern town of Gatlin. But when Dark Caster Ridley makes an appearance, the sometime bad girl can't resist picking a fight with her sometime boyfriend, Link. Angry and rebellious as ever, Ridley ends up alone in New York City and becomes entangled in the dangerous underground Caster club scene, where the stakes are high and losers pay the ultimate price.

Where's a Linkubus when you need him?

46 pages, ebook

First published December 17, 2013

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About the author

Kami Garcia

100 books17.1k followers
Kami Garcia is a #1 New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author. She is the coauthor of the BEAUTIFUL CREATURES series, which has been published in 51 countries and 37 languages, with over 10 million copies in print. In 2013, Beautiful Creatures released as a feature film from Warner Brothers. Kami is a cofounder of the YALLFEST kid lit book festival and the author of five solo novels, including her Bram Stoker Award-nominated novels Unbreakable and Unmarked (THE LEGION series) and The X-Files Origins: Agent of Chaos. Kami’s first graphic novel Teen Titans: Raven, with artist Gabriel Picolo, is the first book in her TEEN TITANS series for DC Comics and the adult series JOKER/HARLEY: CRIMINAL SANITY, from DC Black Label.

Find Kami online at kamigarcia.com, on Facebook @KamiGarciaYA, and on Twitter and Instagram @KamiGarcia.

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5 stars
1,627 (33%)
4 stars
1,544 (31%)
3 stars
1,371 (27%)
2 stars
318 (6%)
1 star
68 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 460 reviews
Profile Image for Monyka Manoyrine.
9 reviews5 followers
Want to read
December 4, 2013
ASKDSJF;LA!

My OTP of the entire Caster Chronicles series!



Link is probably my favorite character in the entire saga and it I just can't control my feels right now >^<



Can't wait for this book to come out! I'm just gonna wait here.

Profile Image for Jess the Shelf-Declared Bibliophile.
2,253 reviews880 followers
October 26, 2020
3.5 stars. I was on the fence whether or not I wanted to read these Beautiful Creatures spin-off series, since I’m not really emotionally invested enough in Ridley and Link’s toxic relationship to care. I figured I’d dip my toes in this short story to decide, and while Ridley still certainly isn’t likable, the trouble she gets herself into is intriguing. I’m interested to see how the story will turn out.
Profile Image for Shawna Finnigan.
619 reviews354 followers
December 23, 2021
I would say skip this novella if you haven't read it yet. It doesn't add anything to the series. It covers graduation, a fight between Ridley and Link, and a scene that was already described pretty well in the other books in the Dangerous Creatures series. I was bored while reading this one and when I wasn't bored, I was annoyed at Ridley for being so toxic.
Profile Image for Stacia (the 2010 club).
1,045 reviews4,061 followers
September 10, 2016
3.5 stars. I know. I'm surprised too. My feelings about the Caster Chronicles series that spawned this new Dangerous Creatures series were mixed, and I never got around to finishing the previous series after seeing some spoilers for the end of book 4. I was unsure whether or not to try the spin-off books, until I saw that there was a prequel short story offering, and figured that I could spare a few minutes of my time.

This prequel was pretty much all Ridley and Link, which hooked me instantly. I never fully got on the Ethan and Lena bandwagon with the last series, but was always a big R&L fan.

Link is the offbeat stoner-type kid who makes fun of his best friend for being "whipped."

Ridley is the siren who uses her sexuality to bring all the men to their knees, including Link.

What trouble are these two going to get in to next? My guess is that it's going to be trouble of epic proportions.

So the big question is this : Can you read Dangerous Dream if you haven't read Caster Chronicles? I would hesitantly say yes, you can. It might take you until about 50% in to start to get a handle on what's going on (but it's a short story, so 50% is really only a few minutes). I don't know if you'll completely understand just how awesome Link and Ridley are if you haven't gotten to know them before now, but by the time you get to the club scene and find yourself immersed in Ridley's predicament, you will probably get a feel for whether or not you'll like where this story is going. If you'd really like to know more about the world background and difference between light and dark casters, but don't want to have to read through 4 books of Caster Chronicles, you could always rent the movie Beautiful Creatures for a quick crash course and introduction of the characters, even though R&L are side characters in that movie.

If things keep going as they are, I have the feeling that this series is going to be a big hit with me, and I'll end up liking it more than I did Caster Chronicles.

Troublemakers always make for more interesting stories. Link and Ridley have never marched to the beat of the traditional drum, so I look forward to what's up next.

A free copy of this story was provided from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for April.
319 reviews16 followers
December 18, 2013
Fans of Beautiful Creatures, let's get a trip back to Gatlin!

When I discovered that Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia will make a spin-off to one of my favorite series, I was beyond excited. And guess what, they didn't disappoint me. This novella showcases, Ridley's feelings for Link.
Profile Image for Mizuki.
3,167 reviews1,328 followers
Want to read
October 2, 2013
Link and Ridley? Of course I'm going to read it!
Profile Image for Alaina.
6,683 reviews213 followers
March 18, 2018
I welcomed Dangerous Dream with open arms mostly because it was a novella and I knew I would breeze through it. I also was hoping it would make me like Link and Ridley a little bit more too.

Now I've never been a huge fan of their relationship because I was so in love with Ethan and Lena's. So I was trying to go into this series with an open mind and not judge it based on the characters I didn't really like since the first book. Honestly, I sort of liked this book but I still don't like the characters.

Dangerous Dream is basically a novella showcasing Ridley's feelings for Link. It was interesting enough to get me to finish it but I was also a little confused throughout it as well. Besides being a little confused I also kind of found it boring. Thank god it was less than 100 pages but still... it was a boring novella. I can't wait to finish out this series and move on from it. I'm hoping that the last book will be really good because if it isn't I'm going to be sad about this series.
Profile Image for Mlpmom (Book Reviewer).
3,098 reviews396 followers
November 26, 2014
I went into this, even though it is a novella, expecting very little. I didn't love the original Caster Chronicles series, or at least the two books that I tried but I was hoping that I would like this better, even though like I mentioned, I didn't have any expectations. So I went into this just wanted a light, hopefully fun take on the Casters.

I am pleased to say I loved this and really want to read the first book now. I think I will like Link and Ridley even more than I did Ethan and Lena.
Profile Image for Olivia.
6 reviews
Want to read
December 6, 2013
This is me when I saw this on my email - :0!!!!! I am sooooo excited for the series, but I don't have a kindle so I guess I'll have to wait for January... I can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GO BEAUTIFUL CREATURES!!! AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Profile Image for Helena Fili.
174 reviews
December 27, 2013
That was brief but still damn good. I have a feeling Dangerous Creatures is going to rock this world. Ridley and Link are fucking amazing and I can't wait to read their story.
Profile Image for Tinka.
302 reviews49 followers
January 30, 2016
“Happy endings don’t come cheap.”
Man, it feels strange being back in Gatlin with all these characters again. A good kind of strange however. I don’t know why I waited so long to visit them again, probably some fear that the spin off series will fuck up an ending I actually really enjoyed. Yeah, jury is still out on this, since this is a novella and not the ‘real’ first book of the new series, but hey whatever.

Serving as an introduction to the new series Dangerous Creatures, this short novella takes the reader back to Gatlin and right into the High School Graduation ceremony of Ethan, Lena and Link. Instead of focusing on Ethan and Lena however, this short story then follows Link and especially Lena’s cousin Ridley to New York and right into her own spin off series.

This novella is a nice little game of catching up, at least in the beginning. It is a good feeling back in Ethan’s mind, I always enjoyed his narration and good to know that he and Lena, as well as Liv and John are still going strong.

Ethan’s dad has a new girlfriend and to my disappointment it doesn’t seem like Macon and Marian have hooked up yet. There’s also a serious lack of Macon in this story. You can never have enough Uncle Macon.

Whatever, moving on.

Like every spin off set up this story slowly transitions from lovey dovey Ethan and Lena to Link and Ridley and their complicated relationship.

Link is pretty much the best so I appreciate being in his head for a while, though it is surprisingly no first person narration this time.

The Linkubus is a fun character, most of the time hilarious, genuine and witty. He also is a love sick puppy when it comes to Ridley. You have to feel sorry for Link. He genuinely loves that girl and well, Ridley is simply being Ridley. He finally confesses his feelings for her, which was pretty much an open secret and leads to a hilarious scene in which all of his friends basically flee the scene, because everyone expects Ridley’s bad reaction.

And as everyone already knew she flips out on him and leaves town.

Which leads us to the final perspective in this story and which I expect the major point of view during the rest of the series: Ridley’s perspective.

Well, I was a bit disappointed to be honest.

I don’t know what exactly I expected from Ridley’s point of view, I guess just something different. Her voice wasn’t particular interesting which surprised me. This is Ridley, she has always been one of the most fascinating characters in the series and yet, it didn’t work out for me. Her little ‘adventure’ was more interesting as an idea but the execution fell flat.

Ridley herself seemed like a different person than the one I got to know in the course of four full length novels. Maybe that is just because people view her differently than she does herself (which is pretty much natural) still I was left wanting more, wanting something else. I have this theory that some characters are not meant to be point of view characters, because that kills part of what makes them fascinating and I’m afraid that is what could happen to Ridley. Some characters work better with a little bit of mystery attached to them.

Of course this is just a novella and only a glimpse to a new series, so maybe Ridley’s voice will find its own footing and actually improve.

By the way, the ending indicated a possible love triangle. Ugh.

Conclusion: Nice little story and an easy way back into the Caster World. Not the best crafted novella, but surely enjoyable.

Recommendation: Definitely for fans of the series.
Profile Image for Carol [Goodreads Addict].
2,702 reviews25.1k followers
November 11, 2015
Dangerous Dream is the prequel to the new series Dangerous Creatures by Kami Garcia. This series will focus on Link and Ridley who have had an on again, off again relationship and it seems still are.

We start out at graduation for Link, Lena and Ethan. A graduation that can’t go off without some of Ridley’s antics. Link is in love with Ridley and finally admits it to her which causes her to run. In New York she manages to get herself into some trouble, of course, so we are led to believe that Link will come back into the picture to help to sort it all out. I loved Beautiful Creatures so I am really looking forward to this series. After reading this prequel, I think I am going to love it.
Profile Image for Ellis.
442 reviews230 followers
January 10, 2015
Beautiful Creatures is one of those series I just can't seem to quit. Even with their mind-numbingly slow pace and pretentious tendency to throw around literary quotes like you'll be quizzed immediately upon finishing, these books are mildly amusing to me. So, when I saw Dangerous Dream, the prequel novella to the New Adult-ish spin-off featuring Ethan and Lena's "dangerous" best friends, Link and Ridley, my curiosity got the better of me.

Yeah.


Find out what happened on Finding Bliss in Books.
Profile Image for Leeanne.
185 reviews9 followers
August 31, 2022
This was ok. It's a very short transition store leading into the Dangerous Creatures story from the Beautiful Creatures series. It was a good lead in to where the series is going to go. I'm glad they decided to write a spin-off with Riley.
Profile Image for Bong.
122 reviews66 followers
June 19, 2015
Bring It On The Siren
A review on Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl's Dangerous Dream


Title: Dangerous Dream
Author: Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Series:Dangerous Creatures 0.5
Rank: 79th book in 2015

Plot movement: 4stars
Entertainment Factor: 4stars
Characters: 4stars
Writing Style: 3stars
Details: 3stars
Provoking: 3stars
Action Scenes: 3stars
Suspense: 4stars
Conclusion: 4stars
Emotion: 3stars


Therefore

Before
And I am very fond of Beautiful Creatures series. I craved for more of the series. I love Lena and Ethan and their adventure towards death and survival. Actually, I compared the series to Vampire Diaries because of the simmilarities between the characters and the plot of the story. However, I still love this series than The Vampire Diaries. So when this series ended with Beautiful Redemption, I was so sad. But luckily, thanks for a spin-off and now we have another series to read.

After
Dangerous dreams is a novell to start the Dangerous Creatures. It was divided into three parts.
Before: Ethan
After; Link
Aftermath: Ridley
So in other words, this is the part where the author transferred the story to Link and Ridley because on the Beautiful Creatures series, it was Ethan who tells the story.

Aftermath
With love hate love story of Link and Ridley, they will put you to more dangerous adventures and dark twisted magic with new characters we're going to watch for. New breed and new conflicts. With a bad brat Ridley, expect one thing.... DANGER.
I really love this series!
Profile Image for Patty .
817 reviews411 followers
November 8, 2016
I received a copy of Dangerous Dream from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers via Netgalley in exchange of an honest review*


 photo c84e18c8-8677-4526-89d4-fbd17c81445a_zpscae30e67.jpg

Short & Sweet

*2 / 2.5 stars*

Maybe it's just me, but if you haven't read the Beautiful Creatures/Caster Chronicles series then I wouldn't suggest reading this novella. Some people would disagree but I found it so annoying to come across parts that said "long story" and "another long story" UGH!!! Plus, there were so many characters in the first chapter I had trouble trying to figure out who was who! I felt like I should of had a family tree available to keep flipping back to.

Don't get me wrong, this was well written and interesting but I personally just like having ALL the background information so I don't end up feeling so lost. I have an arc for Dangerous Creatures and I don't think I'll read it anytime soon. I felt like I was missing key information that was probably given in the first series. So until I read the Beautiful Creatures/Caster Chronicles series, which who knows when that will be, Dangerous Creatures will be sitting here collecting dust.
Profile Image for Alexa.
832 reviews
August 6, 2016
“If I’d go to Saint No Way today, I’ll go to Suffer tonight. At least the name’s settin’ my expectations where they probably belong.”


A really nice novella, I'm surprised to find that I was really sucked into that game of cards. And I actually think this is the only time ever in the history of the world that I LIKED ETHAN LAWSON WATE. I liked the guy. He always annoyed me to no end in the actual main series, but in this novella? Jesus, he was cool.

Link felt like she’d thrown a bucket of water in his face. “I love you, Rid. You gotta know that by now.”

“Here we go,” Ethan said, pushing his way out of the booth.


That was damn smooth, Ethan. When did you get so likable? Seriously, guys. I'm at a loss here.

All in all, now I'm really looking forward to Dangerous Creatures, to be quite honest.

___

YES. LINK. (And Ridley)
The only male I ever enjoyed during Beautiful Creatures.

And very nice cover, too.
Profile Image for Anne.
146 reviews25 followers
June 14, 2017

I was so excited for this e-novella. I had a freaking countdown. I think my sister got tired of hearing me fangirl about it. AND FINALLY!!! When I woke up this morning, I know it wasn't released yet(I live in Philippines. Time zones suck.) and I was so freaking excited I couldn't think of anything else while I was in school. HA! When I got home, the first thing I did was download it. HEEEE

I consider Ethan Wate an old friend. I've been there since the start. I know a lot of people didn't like the Caster Chronicles but I did. I love it. "Dangerous Dream" didn't disappoint me. It was nice to hear Ethan's voice in my head again. Also, Link and Ridley are my favorites (next to Ethan)!!!

And also, I loved this part...

[image error]1526873_10202579963120962_1500807080_n

Ethan Wate, you'll always be in my top ten fictional boyfriends. (Don't worry, Link, you are too!)

Looking forward to what will happen to my "old friends"! I AM BEYOND EXCITED FOR "DANGEROUS CREATURES"!!! <3

Profile Image for Bookschatter.
Author 1 book98 followers
February 4, 2015
Dangerous Dream is a novella intended to introduce readers to the Dangerous Creatures series, without having to have read the popular Beautiful Creatures series.The premise of the story is right up my street - packed with dark supernatural beings, and given that this book is only around 35 pages long, this should have been a very enjoyable quick read... yet it took me three days to force myself to finish it. For the first time in an incredibly long while I did not enjoy any aspect of this work. There were too many characters who were mentioned but who did not actually have any active part in this story. None of them seemed to gel or stir any interest or sympathy in me as a reader.I also found the writing style arduous, and I was left feeling that vast amounts of words were used to convey the least amount of information. It lacked pace.Unfortunately, Dangerous Dream has not only completely failed to engage me and spur me to purchase either series, it has in fact achieved the opposite and deterred me from reading anything further from these authors.[ARC received via Netgalley]
Profile Image for Kribu.
510 reviews55 followers
April 25, 2014
I'm not a fan of short stories, as a rule.

However, I've got the impression that this serves as a useful prequel to Dangerous Creatures - the brand new spin-off to the Beautiful Creatures series, which I, against every expectation, ended up enjoying an awful lot - so I figured I'd give it a go.

This definitely does have more of a prequel feeling than an autonomous short story. I don't think it'd make a lot of sense to anyone who hasn't read the original series; as it was, it took me some time to really get into it / remember the setting and magic and characters well enough for things to fall into place.

Also, as much as I've been looking forward to this spin-off, Ridley and Link were not my favourite characters in the original series, so one focusing just on them... hmm. We'll see. I'll say that I ended up liking/appreciating Ridley in this short story, anyway, more than I expected, so I hope this will work out okay in spite of the unfortunate lack of Macon.
Profile Image for Majanka.
Author 67 books407 followers
June 30, 2015
Book Review originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/mini-rev...

The best part of this novella is that it featured Ridley and Link. While I couldn’t always relate to Lena and Ethan and wasn’t fully on the bandwagon promoting their relationship, I’ve always been a huge fan of Ridley and Link. The book is brief, but it does has a story and plot, and it doesn’t fall into some of the tedious, slow-paced writing traps the other books in the series are prone to. If you’re a fan of the series, I’d definitely recommend it.

Profile Image for Shannon .
2,121 reviews151 followers
Shelved as 'dnf'
October 1, 2015
Dangerous Dream

The Characters:

Wesley “Link” Lincoln
Ridley Duchannes
Our other usual suspects in Gatlin County.

The Story:

I lost interest the moment this stopped being about Link AND Ridley. I skimmed a few more pages but I give up. I really don't like Ridley and don't care what she does. I give up.

The Random Thoughts:

*DNF so no rating

Stars
11 reviews
Want to read
December 11, 2013
I have been begging for a spin off series since I finished the series last May! Gahh. I can honestly say that Kami and Margaret have a way of writing that connects you with the characters and makes it hard for you to let them go. I can truly state that Beautiful Creatures is my favorite series and ive read Hunger Games, Twilight, Divergent, etc. Er Mah Gerd. I cant wait!
Profile Image for Darcy.
13.5k reviews514 followers
December 21, 2013
Ridley is my favorite character in this series, but often her mouth gets her in trouble. With this one she does just that. I liked seeing her bested, she needs to be taken down a peg, her ego is too big. I am intrigued by what Ridley found out and to see where things go in the new series.
Profile Image for Stephanie.
1,058 reviews80 followers
December 26, 2013
Ugh! This just left me wanting to read Dangerous Creatures ASAP. Ridley, you are trouble with capital letters, girl. Poor Link, what awaits him.
Profile Image for Nasiba.
34 reviews
Want to read
December 6, 2013
WHAT IS GOING ON?!?!?!? I THINK I'M HALLUCINATING!!!!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 460 reviews

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