Winners of TGWCFIASOHOM Giveaway!

So my giveaway for five copies of The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making ended a few weeks ago but I forgot to announce the winners on the blog.  Paperback copies of the book will soon be finding their way to these lucky people:


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Thank you for replying to my email in such a timely manner and I hope you all enjoy the book!

And if you weren't a winner this time, why don't you try your luck on my 270 Followers Giveaway?

Happy reading,
Beverley x

Showcase Sunday #2

Showcase Sunday is hosted by the lovely Vicky over at Books, Biscuits and Tea!  It's a great way to share what you have received over the past week and to also gush over the wonderful books other bloggers have added to their bookshelves!


I haven't done an SS post in a while so here are the books I received since the last one: 

For Review:


Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer (ARC): I adored this book: it's magical, enchanting and very heart-warming.  You can read my review HERE. You really should read it :) Thank you to Luisa at Chicklish, you always seem to know which books I'd enjoy!


And as you can see, I received a lovely finished copy too as Luisa was utterly kind and sent me it too!  It is the most beautiful book ever - there are full-length colour illustrations, quirky silhouette drawings and the different POVS of the book are colour-coded too.  It would make a lovely present for a friend or just a lovely addition to your own bookshelf <3


Milledgeville Misfit by T.L. Gray: It was quite a compelling read but it still wasn't as good as I'd hoped it would be :( Check it out if you have the chance, it's a short book so it would be good for reading between heavier books.  Read my review HERE.


Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry: Eeeeeeeeee, how I'm ADORING this book <3  I'm still reading it, nearly finished though... I'm such a slow reader -.- although I think in this case I'm simply taking my time with it because I can't bear to part with my darling Noah <3  He's such a frikkin' babe - I'm sure girls across the WORLD will be falling for him soon!  He and Echo are like the BEST couple in YA fiction ever - the steamy romance between them is enough to make me blush!  And the way they mend each other's broken hearts and emotional scars is simply... amazing. My review will be up next week - prepare for a LOT of gushing ;)


Won:


My blogging friend Cliona over at Bookster Reviews had a 100 Followers Giveaway and I was lucky enough to win the prize pack from Macmillan Publishers.  Here are the books I got:

All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin: I've heard a lot of good things about this book from  reviews on other blogs so I have high hopes.  I'm trying to read more dystopian so once I've finished The Hunger Games and Divergent, I hope I'll get round to this.  (Is it just me, or does it take ages to actually get round to reading the books you really want to read because you have to prioritise books for review?)


Jane Austen Stole My Boyfriend by Cora Harrison:  This sounds like such a fun, flirty read and I love how it's based on Jane Austen as a teenager! I'm not much of a history fan but I'm eager to read this :)

Jasmine Skies by Sita Brahmachari:  I love how it's set in India and isn't the cover just gorgeous? I think this will be a lovely summer read and a nice 'escape' from the dull British weather!

And I also won some swag!

Never Enough by Denise Jaden bookmark and signed postcard:  This was how I first found out about Never Enough.  They are a constant reminder that I NEED to get my hands on the book soon!  Thank you to Julia at That Hapa Chick! It was a lovely surprise!

Thorn by Intisar Khanani bookmark: I never really use bookmarks but I've been encouraged to use them more so hopefully all this swag will come in handy! Thank you to the author for signing it too!

Plus...

A £20 Waterstones book voucher:  We had our annual prizegiving event in the last week of school and I was delighted when I got an English prize! I love how the school gives us book vouchers as prizes <3 Perfect for a book-loving girl like me :) I'm not too sure what I should spend it on as I still have LOADS of books that need to be read.  Any ideas?

What did you guys get this week? Don't forget to link me up!

Happy reading,
Beverley

TGIF #1

I'm delighted to be taking part in my first ever TGIF, a meme hosted by GReads!  I'm looking forward to answering the questions every week :)

Quotes That Make You Swoon: What are some of the most swoon-worthy quotes you've experienced in a book?

I'm currently reading Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry and I can tell you that it is a very swoon-worthy read ;) Pre-order it now.  So to answer the question, I've included quotes from this book only:

'In a lightning-fast move, he placed both of his hands on the brick wall, caging me with his body.'

'His warm breath caressed my neck, melting my frozen skin.'

'Her nails tickled my chest, driving me insane.  Kissing her became my single reason for breathing.

'Her ring finger slid against mine, causing electricity to move through my bloodstream.  She moved it again.  Only this time the movement was slow, deliberate and the most seductive touch in the whole world.'

Don't forget to link me up to your TGIF answers! 

And remember to enter my 270 Follower Giveaway too :)

Happy reading,

Beverley

Waiting on Wednesday #3

Waiting on Wednesday is a fabulous meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine!  It's a wonderful chance to share the books I'm eagerly anticipating and to find out what my fellow bloggers are looking forward to reading!

BIG GIRLS DON'T CRY...
THEY GET EVEN.

 Lillia has never had any problems dealing with boys who like her. Not until this summer, when one went too far. No way will she let the same thing happen to her little sister.

 Kat is tired of the rumours, the insults, the cruel jokes. It all goes back to one person– her ex-best friend– and she's ready to make her pay.

Four years ago, Mary left Jar Island because of a boy. But she's not the same girl anymore. And she's ready to prove it to him. 

Three very different girls who want the same thing: sweet, sweet revenge. And they won't stop until they each had a taste.

[summary taken from Goodreads]

So so so desperate to get my hands on this!  The revenge theme seems to be getting increasingly popular in YA fiction and I'm absolutely LOVING the US drama, Revenge - anyone else watching it over here in the UK?  I enjoyed reading Jenny Han's The Summer I Turned Pretty and I've heard good things abut Siobhan Vivian's books so I'm curious to see what these two authors have come together to produce!

What are you waiting on today? 


Don't forget to enter my 270 Followers Giveaway (INT) - a chance for you to walk away with a book from your wishlist! :D

Happy reading,
Beverley xxx

REVIEW: Milledgeville Misfit by T.L. Gray

Name: Milledgeville Misfit

Author: T.L. Gray

Publisher: Vabella Publishing

Release date: 31st Jan 2012

Pages: 178

Source: For review from author

Rating: 3 stars

Fourteen-year old Juniper "Junebug" Summerville loses her parents and her ability to talk in a car accident. Against her silent protests, she is sent to live in a remote swampland infamous for its ghosts, federal prison and insane asylum.

 As Junebug struggles with her emotional scars, she begins to heal with help from six other orphans at Dearborn, a once famous Milledgeville Plantation. Just as she begins to enjoy the peace she’s long desired, she finds herself in a fight for her sanity when she stumbles upon a tear in the fabric that separates the possible
from the impossible, and she must choose which to believe.

 Milledgeville Misfit is a young adult novel that deals with grief and healing, and has an ending that leaves the reader with the choice of what to believe.

[summary taken from Goodreads]

Review

'Don't judge a book by its cover.'  I think this definitely applies to Milledgeville Misfit.  Most people would probably overlook it as it's not very eye-catching or intriguing.  The cover is so grey and dull and it really doesn't do the content justice.  

Now on to the book itself.   The opening was very enticing, where the main character Juniper invites the reader to listen to her story.  It was fairly promising and I hoped that the book would continue to captivate me in this way.  However, I'm afraid I guessed the twist early on and felt it was pretty obvious - I'm wondering if the author made it easy to guess on purpose.  This took away the suspense and I didn't find myself sitting at the edge of my seat.  It was quite slow-paced as well and I was beginning to wonder if anything 'big' was going to happen.  Thankfully I didn't give up on it and it picks up the pace in the last third of the book where it gets more exciting and thrilling.  I would have preferred it if there were more twists and action toward the beginning and middle of the book to keep me interested.

The premise isn't entirely unique but the way the author dealt with it made it much more fascinating.  The last two chapters were kind of out of the blue and quite ridiculously unbelievable, but this added to the lingering mystery element of the book.I'm still a little surprised by the ending, which is truly thought-provoking and like no other.  

Maybe because I figured out the mystery so soon, I didn't really warm to Juniper or the other 'orphans' straight away.  I pitied Juniper because no one deserves to suffer what she had to go through and I understood her frustration but I didn't feel that urge to reach over and give her a hug.  She just didn't feel 'real' enough but she grew on me towards the end.  I did like the other orphans, especially blue-eyed Daniel who was always so protective of Juniper.  He was the love interest and the author touched lightly on romance but it doesn't feature heavily in the book.  I adored little Abby too and her innocent playfulness and I liked pink-haired Alex's quirkiness and love for animals.  There isn't a large cast of characters, making it easy to get to know each of them.

The last third of the book had me hooked unlike the preceding chapters.  Despite knowing the 'truth', it still hit me hard in the face when the author revealed it and I loved the sense of urgency, which I was so hungry for since the start.  It was thrilling and captivating and I just wish this had been more consistent.

Milledgeville Misfit is a worth-while read full of mystery and guessing.  As much as it is a thriller, it also deals with family, loss and love.  I particularly enjoyed these aspects of the book: watching Juniper flourish from a vulnerable teen into a successful young adult as she continued her journey to find where she belonged.  Despite several flaws, T.L. Gray effectively intertwines these themes to create an intriguing, psychological novel with a hard-hitting ending.

3 teacups for Milledgeville Misfit

Thank you to T.L. Gray and her publisher for the review copy.

REVIEW: Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer

Name: Between the Lines

Author(s): Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Release date: 5th July 2012

Pages: 384

Source: For Chicklish review

Rating: 4 stars

Delilah is a bit of a loner who prefers spending her time in the school library with her head in a book—one book in particular. Between the Lines may be a fairy tale, but it feels real. Prince Oliver is brave, adventurous, and loving. He really speaks to Delilah. And then one day Oliver actually speaks to her. Turns out, Oliver is more than a one-dimensional storybook prince. He’s a restless teen who feels trapped by his literary existence and hates that his entire life is predetermined. He’s sure there’s more for him out there in the real world, and Delilah might just be his key to freedom. Delilah and Oliver work together to attempt to get Oliver out of his book, a challenging task that forces them to examine their perceptions of fate, the world, and their places in it. And as their attraction to each other grows along the way, a romance blossoms that is anything but a fairy tale.

[summary taken from Goodreads]

Having read a few of Jodi Picoult's books, I had understandably high expectations for Between the Lines.  I must admit that I was struck instantly at the beginning by the fact that this is like no other Picoult novel and I was a little disappointed that it fell just an inch short from my expectations.  I had to try not to compare it to her other books as it is totally different from them.  Despite a little disappointment to start with, Between the Lines proved that it is just as good as any other novel by Jodi Picoult as I read on.

What I love about this is that Jodi Picoult co-wrote this with her daughter - it must be a beautiful thing to share in a relationship.  Not many people can say they have written a book with their mother!  I can't believe the whole idea behind the book was thought up by Samantha - boy, does that girl have a great imagination!  The premise is absolutely beautiful and the fairy-tale feel wraps you in magic and believing in the impossible.  There is a very thin line between fantasy and ridiculously unbelievable and this book is in danger of crossing that line but as I read the book, it was as if I was trapped in my own bubble of magic and make-believe.  It wasn't until I put down the book and reflected what I had read that I thought, 'A character in a book talking to you? Really?!'  However, that's why Between the Lines is so amazing: it may seem far-fetched and entirely impossible to do some of the things Delilah does in the book but Jodi and Samantha have the ability to make you forget common sense and to believe every word on the page.  

I really warmed to Delilah and I think that most readers will love her too as she is so easy to relate to.  We all sometimes read a book and wished we knew someone in real life like a certain character!  She seemed quite naive and vulnerable which made me desperate that she got her happy ending and my heart melted every time she and Oliver were together.  Oliver doesn't judge her or bully her like everyone at her school and I adored that the handsome prince fell in love with a quiet, book-loving girl and not a stuck-up, vain, 'princess'.  There were some parts in the book which felt quite ridiculous but the blossoming romance between Delilah and Oliver was enough to knock me on the head and tell myself to stop being so sceptical!

The writing style cannot be faulted at all: Jodi and Samantha enticed and captivated me, leaving me hungry for more. I adored the intricate illustrations that came before each fairytale chapter (the book is split into the chapters from the actual fairytale, and Delilah and Oliver's POVs).  The silhouette drawings also add a light quirkiness to the overall book, making Between the Lines a very special book indeed.

However, the ending was a little too rushed for my liking, where there was a final attempt to rescue Oliver from the book.  There were just some details that I didn't understand and it was a little out of this world but I was pulled in again by the magical happily ever after so I quickly forgot my doubts and confusion.

Between the Lines is a pretty magical book full of hope, dreams and trying to overcome the impossible.  Despite some slips of confusion, it is a thoroughly enjoyable read that will pull you into a world where humans are only a paper-thin distance away from gorgeous princes (with British accents!) in fairytales.

4 teacups for Between the Lines!

***Thank you to Luisa for providing me with a review copy!***

I'm desperate to get my hands on a final copy because apparently the illustrations are in colour and while they are still beautiful in black-and-white (as they are in my review copy), I'm eager to see the 'finished product'!

Alfie the Sniffer Pup (July '12 Edition)

Alfie the Sniffer Pup is a monthly feature here on A Reading Daydreamer where I spotlight exciting upcoming releases and book-ish news which my pup, Alfie has kindly 'sniffed' out for me!  

For those who may have noticed, I was too busy to write an Alfie the Sniffer Pup for June so I hope you enjoy this July edition.  Please note that the books mentioned are released this month in the UK, although I do believe that some have the same release dates as in the US.

I've decided to re-format how I write these posts so instead of including the summaries of each book, you have to click on the cover and it will link you to its Goodreads page.  This allows me to feature more books while still keeping the post short.  Enjoy!

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Team Human by Justine Larbalestier and Sarah Rees Brennan

Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer
So Close to You (So Close to You #1) by Rachel Carter
Whisper by Chrissie Keighery

Something Strange and Deadly (Something Strange and Deadly #1) by Susan Dennard

Deadly Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock

The Thing about the Truth by Lauren Barnholdt

Dark Companion by Marta Acosta

Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols

                                                               

                                                             Choke by Diana Lopez

Don't You Wish by Roxanne St. Claire
Perfect Escape by Jennifer Brown

Circle of Silence (WiHi #2) by Carol M. Tanzman
A Witch in Love (Winter Trilogy #2) by Ruth Warburton

There are so many A-MAZING books coming out this month, adding to my excitement of summer!  I'm currently reading Between the Lines, it hasn't lived up to my high expectations but I am still really enjoying it. I am desperate to get my hands on Tiger Lily (I ADORE the title!) due to the glowing reviews on it and same with Such a Rush, which has also been given a lot of praise.  I've fallen in love with the cover for Whisper - it's so pretty and has a sense of fragility to it - and the one for Dark Companion is also gorgeous too!  There are few contemporaries coming out as well which look promising: Don't You Wish and The Thing About the Truth, and Perfect Escape is meant to be a deep, meaningful read.

What titles are you anticipating this month?  Let me know and don't forget to enter my 270 Follower Giveaway - you could be walking away with one book from your wishlist!

Happy reading,

Beverley xxx