Let’s talk about Wake Up and Open Your Eyes because this book lives rent-free in my mind. It was disturbing, unsettling, and made me want to throw my phone out the window. This is a review full of spoilers so if you do not want any spoilers, check out my other blog post reviewing this book.

Noah’s Descent into Madness

We start off with Noah, our protagonist, who notices that his mom hasn’t reached out in a while. He’s initially annoyed by her strange voicemails but grows concerned when the silence stretches too long. Leaving his wife and child in Brooklyn, he travels to his parents’ home in Virginia, only to realize something is seriously wrong.

When he arrives, something is blocking the door—immediate red flag! (Me? I’d call 911 and never step foot in that house. Book over, roll credits.) But Noah? He barrels in, only to find his home in disarray and his parents acting like eerie shells of themselves. His mother is locked in a trance, staring blankly at the television, while his father is ranting at full volume about the news. Possession? Brainwashing? Something demonic? Whatever it is, they are not themselves—and worse, they turn violent.

Noah barely escapes—losing a chunk of his ear in the process—only to step outside into a world gone mad.

Asher, Devon, and the Cult of Influence

Noah isn’t the only one dealing with this nightmare. His brother Asher and Asher’s wife, Devon, are also caught up in it—but from opposite sides. Devon has become obsessed with a lifestyle influencer, “YOGAMAMA,” while Asher has fallen down the rabbit hole of news hysteria. Their home is another horror show of possession, manipulation, and mind control—except for their son, Marcus.

Noah, still in survival mode, goes to Asher’s house and encounters Devon, who is fully possessed and tries to kill him. (At this point, I would have given up. Too much is happening.) But Noah survives again and escapes with Marcus, his young nephew, in tow. Now, the two of them are on the run, trying to navigate a world where anyone who has been watching a screen is no longer themselves. The only goal? Get back to Brooklyn and hope Noah’s wife and daughter haven’t been turned.

Baby Shark Will Never Be the Same

Their journey is brutal, full of horrifying encounters and near-death experiences. But the most chilling moment? Marcus gets possessed through an iPad. (Of course it was an iPad! Those things are evil!) And how do we know? He starts singing a nightmarish version of Baby Shark. (Nope. That’s it. I’m out.)

Even after all that, Noah and Marcus make it back to Brooklyn. He reunites with his wife Alicia and daughter, but the question lingers: Are Marcus and Noah, really themselves? The book strongly implies they’re not—and Alicia and their daughter may now be in a death trap for letting them in. It seems like Noah himself has succumbed to whatever this thing is, and it’s heavily implied that Alicia and their daughter don’t make it out alive.

Final Thoughts: This Book Messed Me Up

I closed this book and immediately wanted to shut off every electronic device I owned. (Meanwhile, I had Hulu playing in the background because I am a hypocrite.) But seriously, Wake Up and Open Your Eyes highlights the terrifying power of influence, media, and technology in a way that feels way too real.

It made me reflect on my own habits—how often am I sucked into an influencer’s world? How many unnecessary things have I bought just because someone on TikTok told me to? (Too many. Don’t ask.) This book paints a reality that is already dark and twists it into something even more sinister.

If you’re looking for a book that will make you question reality, second-guess every screen you look at, and haunt your thoughts for weeks, then this one is for you. But be warned—once you read it, you won’t stop thinking about it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 – Disturbing, thought-provoking, and chillingly relevant.