Dealing in Dreams

The story is about a violent society and how violence can be used to keep citizens in line. There are many violent scenes, including major gladiator-like public spectacles between gangs, taser use, knifings, heads getting bashed in, vicious beatings, and an attempted drowning. For much of the book, Nalah thinks violence is the solution to most problems.

Some kissing. Desirability and attraction figure into the story. Book is set in a female-dominated society, where men are treated as worthless or as sexual objects, working and dancing in brothel-like clubs for female pleasure.

Infrequent swearing includes, "hell," "damn," "ass," "pissed," "s--t," and "Jesus."

The gang goes to a club a few times to drink. An opiate-type drug called "sueño" is used heavily by many citizens, but it is not viewed favorably by Nalah and her gang.

Parents need to know that Dealing in Dreams is a futuristic dystopian novel about the leader of a girl gang on a dangerous mission for her government. Nalah and her crew police the streets of Mega City, hoping to finally earn the privilege of living in Mega Towers, the entrance to which is tightly controlled by city's leader, Déesse. The story explores loyalty, trust, what makes up a family, gender politics, and totalitarian rule. Expect lots of violence, as it's a central theme in the story. Author Lilliam Rivera (The Education of Margot Sanchez) explores government violence against its own people, citizens pitted against each other, and violent hatred of foreigners. There are major gladiator-like public spectacles between gangs, taser use, knifings, heads getting bashed in, vicious beatings, and an attempted drowning. The Nalah's gang drinks at a club a few times, and characters swear a little (including "hell" and "s--t"). An opiate-type drug features in the plot, but it's not represented favorably. Though the story's set in a fictional world, the characters are all Latinx and use many Spanish words and phrases.