Book Review :: Dreamslinger by Graci Kim

Dreamslinger by Graci Kim
ISBN: 1776953436
Series: Slinger #1
Published by Penguin Publishing Group
Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade
Find at Penguin Books NZ
Goodreads

Fourteen-year-old Aria Loveridge lives at the Resthaven Home for Dreamslingers, a safe haven for children born with a genetic mutation that transports them to a powerfully magical realm while they sleep. But this magic can be unpredictable—even deadly. After all, it was only ten years ago when members of the Royal League of Dreamslingers caused the Great Outburst—a tragedy that killed hundreds of people, including Aria’s mom.

Since then, Aria’s dad has become leading expert on Dreamslinger Welfare, which means Aria knows better than most what it takes to keep society safe from her, and others like separation, identification, and most importantly, power suppression.

So when the Kingdom of Royal Hanguk—home of the Dreamslinger League—announces the first Dreamslinger trials where teenage slingers from around the world are invited to compete for a chance to join the League and learn how to use their powers, Aria knows what she must join the trials and take down the League from the inside.

But the Trials introduce Aria to a world of wonderous magic and friendship, a world where she finally feels like she belongs. And as dark secrets from the past are revealed—ones that make Aria question her very identity—she becomes even more determined to discover the truth for herself. She just has to survive the trials first.

Last updated on 9 June 2025

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What is Dreamslinger by Graci Kim about?

Dreamslinger by Graci Kim is the story of 14-year-old Area, who is a dreamslinger: when she sleeps, she slips into a wild and unpredictable magical realm.

Sounds cool, right? Except that the magic can turn deadly. It already has. Ten years ago, a disaster known as the Great Outburst killed hundreds of people, including Aria’s mum. The ones blamed? A powerful group called the Royal League of Dreamslingers.

Aria’s dad is now one of the top experts on controlling slingers like her, and they’re all about keeping them separate and their powers locked down. So when the Kingdom of Royal Hanguk announces that their elite dreamslinger Trials are open to teens from around the world, Aria knows what she has to do: join up, get in deep, and take the League down from the inside.

But once she’s in, everything shifts. The magic is stunning. The friendships feel real. And for the first time in her life, Aria starts to feel like she actually belongs.

But the deeper she digs, the more she uncovers about her past, and the more dangerous the Trials become. Now she’s not just fighting to stay in the competition. She’s fighting to figure out who she is and what she believes in… before it’s too late.

My thoughts on Dreamslinger

This was such a fun book! I haven’t read a middle grade book in a while, actually, so this was a really nice way to take a break from fantasy, romantasy, and general fiction for a while.

The plot of this story, much of which you can read above, clipped along at a good pace (perhaps middle graders are used to that more than adults? 🤷🏻‍♀️), and there were a plethora of simply genius fun elements to the story. Such as Butterfly Mail, Mood Menus, and a little bit of a Sorting-Hat-esque choosing ceremony where the kids’ dreampanions, which are almost like Pokémon.

Sounding like a fun time, already, right?

Graci Kim has New Zealand connections, so the amount of New Zealand that was in the book was so so lovely. We don’t often get characters in books set in other places that are from NZ, so when Tui, the NZ character, was introduced, it was so much fun. Speaking of characters, they were really sweet, too. Aria’s friendship group, while young and all still learning the ways of the Dreamslinger, were all unique and had their quirks.

If you’re looking for a magical, quirky, sweet fantasy story for either yourself or a middle-grader you know, then Dreamslinger is a goodie! This is also the first in a series, so there’s more to come!

Have you read Dreamslinger by Graci Kim? What did you think?