Book excerpt: It wasn't until Tallis tried REM for the first time that he realized he wasn't happy. The average person might stop sometimes to smell the flowers, but Tallis was the kind of person who would even admire the weeds. To him, life itself was beautiful. While anyone else would see the city of Neuvale as dirty and chaotic, Tallis adored the buzz of life and the stunning sights around every corner. He was content, even though his love life was complicated, his professional life had plateaued, and his personal life would put just about anyone to sleep. Desperate to make something of his life, he goes chasing love, success, and excitement. Along the way, he meets a mysterious and electrifying woman by the name of O. When she introduces him to REM, a drug that lets you customize your hallucinations, he finds himself unable to resist the temptation. REM seems to give him the excitement missing from his life, but it comes at a cost, and Tallis has to decide if it's worth losing himself. Thieves of Joy, book by Jen Guberman