A Very Late Update!

Hi guys!  It's me: Beverley... I hope you haven't forgotten me but I wouldn't blame you if you have, considering my rather lengthy, unannounced absence from blogging!  It goes without saying that I have missed you all terribly and it made me so sad that I couldn't join in with everything.  I truly feel like something is missing when I'm not blogging and there's nothing I'd like to do more than fully return immediately.  I would love to title this post: I'm Back!  However, I don't want to go breaking promises...

The main reasons I've been MIA these past few months are all school/university related.  I spent most of summer doing work experience to hopefully boost my veterinary medicine application and upon returning to school last month, I've been busy with study and preparing my university application (the deadline is fast approaching!) 

It doesn't look as if I'll be any less busy in the coming months, with prep for interviews and studying for tests etc.  But I am hoping to blog occasionally.  Now this might be once or twice a week or once a month.  I hope to get a handle on things and catch up on the reviews that still need to be written so please bear with me!

Before I go, I just want to thank you all for your support over the past year and half: I couldn't do this without you!

Beverley xxx 

REVIEW: The Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines

Name: The Vincent Boys (The Vincent Boys #1)

Author: Abbi Glines

Publisher: Hot Key Books

Date published: 3rd January 2013

Pages: 257, Paperback 

Source: For review (from publisher)

Rating: 2.5 teacups

Beau Vincent is rude, bad, and dangerous to know. So, why can’t good girl Ashton Gray keep away from him? She already has the perfect boyfriend – her town’s local Prince Charming, Sawyer Vincent. But Sawyer is away for the summer, and in the meantime Ashton is bored, and the head between her and Beau is undeniable – as well as irresistible. Ashton is about to unleash her bad girl – but what will she do when Sawyer comes home? And how will Sawyer react when he returns to find his girlfriend in the arms of his best friend – and cousin?

[summary taken from Goodreads]

My Review

The Vincent Boys proved to be a fitting summer read - a light, mindless break from the world.  But that was all it was.  It was a little disappointing yet strangely addictive...

Firstly, look at that cover.  I was sent the Australian version and I much prefer it to the UK and US ones.  It's promises drama and sunshine and hot boys and instantly catches the eye.

Unfortunately, everything just felt too cliche for me.  The whole good girl falls for the bad boy against everyone's approval.  I don't mind the idea but I prefer it when authors put their own twist on it.  Despite this, the major problem I had with The Vincent Boys was Ashton's betrayal of her boyfriend when he was away.  I just hated the fact that Ashton was cheating on Sawyer with his cousin.  His cousin.

Which leads me on to this 'bad' boy who was supposed to make me gasp and swoon and buckle at the knees.  I'm sad to say that was not the response Beau drew from me.  There was nothing about him that attracted me to him.  He was always complaining about how Ash should be his, how they were meant to be.  But all I could see was possessiveness and a purely sexual attraction.  I was constantly told how sexy she was, how important she was, how he loved her... but was never shown.  Or maybe the sex scenes were supposed to be an indicator of their 'love' for each other... I'm not so sure it's great for true love to be portrayed in that way to us teens.

On top of this, I just had no empathy for Ashton.  I found her unlikable and annoying and there were moments where I wanted to slap her in the face.  I understood that she wanted to live on the edge for once and embrace her wild side but the way she moaned about having to pretend with Sawyer irked me.  Cheating on him wasn't going to solve things!  And afterwards, the way she was all, 'I don't want to hurt them... I don't want to put a wedge between them' made me want to pull my hair out.  I also felt so sorry for Sawyer and I fell for him instead of Beau.

Thinking about it now, I think my problem with it must have been that it was purely centred around a love triangle.  And for me, love triangles either work or they don't.  It didn't in this case, if you haven't already figured it out.  Even so, I found myself eager to find out what was going to happen and I am curious to read the next book, The Vincent Brothers.

Overall The Vincent Boys is a steamy read for the summer, ideal for lazy days by the beach when you just want light entertainment to pass the time.

2.5 Teacups for The Vincent Boys!

*Thank you to Hot Key Books for the review copy and apologies for the late review*

REVIEW: Easy by Tammara Webber

Name: Easy

Author: Tammara Webber

Publisher: Penguin

Date published: 13rd Janurary 2013

Pages: 322, Paperback 

Source: For review (from publisher)

Rating: 4.5 teacups

I took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly before turning around. It was Lucas who stood there. His gaze was penetrating, not wavering for a moment, and my pulse hammered under his silent scrutiny. I couldn't remember the last time I'd been so full of pure, unqualified desire.
Lucas is the stranger who saved Jacqueline from an attack by a fellow student - she'd never noticed him before then, and now he's everywhere. But can Jacqueline trust him - or will the secrets he's hiding come between them?

[summary taken from Goodreads]

My Review

Easy was my first foray into the genre of NA and it made such an impression on me that it definitely won't be my last.  I wasn't entirely sure what to expect but I had heard nothing but praise for it so I wasn't too worried.

What I loved most about Easy was the characters.  Each of them had their own flaws, their own problems, their own secrets.  And that made them all the more raw, real, human.  I rooted for Jacqueline from the start and it was a pleasure to watch her flourish into a strong young woman who knows where she wants to go and how she's going to get there.  And Lucas played a key role in shaping her development and I fell for him instantly.  He was totally sweet and so gentle with Jacqueline.  I thought he'd turn out to be a bad boy but underneath the exterior, he was a true gentleman and always had the best intentions at heart.  Also, the emails exchanged with Landon were terribly swoon-worthy - he was such a charmer!

It seems natural for me to move on and talk about the romance.  I initially had worries that Easy would all be about love and making out and having sex (that was my impression of NA).  But I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was not.  It was much more than that and it gave the book a lot more substance.  Yes, there were some pretty hot scenes, but the way they truly cared for each other was evident.  Also, as a reader who can't decide whether I like love triangles or not, it was pleasing to see that there wasn't much of one after all (although I did figure things out pretty early one!).

Finally, Tammara Webber doesn't shy from darker, grittier themes and I applaud her for addressing them full on with a touch of sensitivity.  Subjects like rape and harassment are rarely incorporated but Webber did this with style and spread the message that you shouldn't keep quiet and hide away, instead you need to face the truth and take a stand for yourself.

Easy was a wonderful read and I would recommend it to anyone who hasn't discovered the world of NA yet or is already a big fan of the genre.  It combines serious issues with characters you can't help but invest in and a romance that is very swoon-worthy indeed.

4.5 Teacups for Easy by Tammara Webber!

*Thanks to Penguin for the review copy and apologies for the late review!*

REVIEW: Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black

Name: Dance of Shadows

Author: Yelena Black

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Date published: 14th February 2013

Pages: 389, Paperback ARC

Source: For review (from publisher)

Rating: 3 teacups

Vanessa doesn’t believe that her sister is a runaway. She wouldn’t leave her family behind without saying a word. The only way Vanessa can discover the truth behind her mysterious disappearance is to follow in Margaret’s footsteps, but to do so she risks her sanity and maybe even her life . . .
Vanessa Adler is one of the talented few to get a place at the acclaimed New York Ballet Academy. Between backbreaking rehearsals for the school’s production of The Firebird she desperately tries to find out what happened to her sister before she vanished. There are rumors that the pressure of performing the lead role, the same role Vanessa is now rehearsing for, drove her mad. Other girls have gone missing too. Can the role be cursed? Vanessa’s new relationship with leading-man Zep only seems to complicate things further. What is he hiding from her and can she really trust him?

[summary taken from Goodreads]

My Review 

Dance of Shadows has left me in a rather conflicted mood.  Stunning cover art aside, the book was not without flaws and unfortunately fell short of my expectations.

I was instantly drawn by the concept of ballet and mystery combined in a world of supernatural.  The dance aspects of the book were simply stunning: each step described in intricate detail.  I was completely engrossed as Vanessa - the protagonist - pirouetted and releved across the pages.  Unfortunately, the supernatural elements did not appear until later on.

Which brings me nicely on to the pacing of the mystery.  It was dragged out far too much, to the point that the tediousness of it made me ask myself if I wanted to carry on, and it doesn't really pick up until the last third of the book.  I found this rather frustrating as I was led to believe by its marketing that it was 'deliciously dark' but there were only supernatural hints here and there before that mind-blowing finale.

Before I tell you my thoughts on the ending, I must mention the characters.  I didn't instantly like Vanessa.  There's nothing about her that makes you really connect with her.  She was a little... flat.  And also quite stupid.  There were moments where I wanted to shake her in disbelief and shout at her how obvious some things were.  And that love triangle... Some I can handle but this one didn't convince me.  Zep was too cliched in a dark and mysterious way and Justin wasn't stretched to his full potential.

Now, on to the breath-taking finale.  It almost made up for the previous flaws.  Almost.  It was eerily atmospheric and enticingly evocative.  Yelena Black has a talent for conjuring the most stunning of images within a reader's mind and I was fascinated and gripped by the unfolding events.  If the whole book had been at this standard, I would be giving it 5 stars.

Dance of Shadows turned out to be an interesting book but unfortunately did not live up to the high expectations I had for it.  I only came to the realisation at the end that it is the first in a trilogy so despite being curious as to what happens next, I'm not sure if I can go through another instalment which only ticks all the boxes at the very end.  If you plan on picking up Dance of Shadows, I would advise that you don't expect it to be fully supernatural.

3 Teacups for Dance of Shadows

*Thanks to Bloomsbury for providing me with an ARC*

Sticky Note: I'm going to be away for a week (it was a very last minute thing!) so apart from this review, the blog is going to be pretty inactive!  Apologies about this but I hope you guys are having a lovely summer :)  Also, I think I'll have WiFi so you will probably find me on Twitter if you miss me too much :P

REVIEW: Ferryman by Claire McFall

Name: Ferryman

Author: Claire McFall

Publisher: Templar

Date published: April 2013

Pages: 336, Paperback

Source: For review (from publisher)

Rating: 3 teacups

When Dylan emerges from the wreckage of a train crash onto a bleak Scottish hillside, she meets a strange boy who seems to be waiting for her. But Tristan is no ordinary teenage boy, and the journey across the desolate, wraith infested wasteland is no ordinary journey.
Life, death, love-which will Dylan choose?

[summary taken from Goodreads]

My Review

A love story like no other.  Indeed.  The tale that Claire McFall has crafted is truly original, unique and at times, breathtaking.  The premise is fresh and wildly imaginative and I was immersed in the haunting world of McFall's vision of the 'afterlife.'  Ferryman stands out as a one-of-a-kind read but unfortunately, despite its potential, I did not fall for it as much as I anticipated.

While the premise is absolutely wonderful, I felt that the storyline was somewhat lacking.  The concept of Tristan being Dylan's 'ferryman' who guides her to the other side following her death is striking but I found that their journey failed to grab my attention.  I expected something breathlessly mind-blowing but it didn't deliver and I would read on hoping that something big would hit me.  The climax, I suppose, is reached near the end but by this time, I wasn't concerned for the outcome.

What usually makes up for a storyline that doesn't grip me is the cast of characters.  However, I didn't connect with Dylan at all and felt largely indifferent towards Tristan, the love interest, who are the main characters.  I wasn't convinced by their 'love' and I didn't understand how it could be as strong as they seem to claim it to be.  I didn't root for them as a couple and there was no emotional investment in them either.

Despite all this, Claire McFall showed that she has huge potential with her enticing way with words.  My only fault about her writing is that there were often large chunks of description that caused my impatient self to skim read and skip passages.  Other than that her prose has a hauntingly mesmerising tone to it.

Ferryman did fall short of my expectations but I appreciate that others may enjoy it more than me.  As a debut novel, it highlights the creativity and out-of-this-world imagination of Claire McFall and I am eager to see what she will offer us next.

3 Teacups for Ferryman!

*Thanks to Templar Publishing for the review copy!*

Beverley xx

Showcase Sunday #20

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 for the past week and to also gush over the wonderful books to other bloggers have added to their bookshelves!

Firstly, I'M BACK!!! I had a fabulous week on my school trip and it gave me some time to think about things.  Thank you for all your wonderfully supportive comments on my last post.  I've decided to take things in my own stride and work blogging around my life.  I also received a few emails about interest in co-blogging with me.  I haven't confirmed whether co-blogging is a route I will go down again but I will definitely have a call-out at an appropriate time.

Anyway... Wow... this is my first Showcase Sunday in AGES!!!!  Considering how long I've been away, I haven't received a lot of books as I've tried to cut back on what I accept/request. TOO MANY BOOKS TO READ O.O

For Review:

Coco Caramel by Cathy Cassidy: A delightfully sweet read!  I really enjoyed this one, check out my review HERE (it's feeling a little lonely :P) 

Forget You by Jennifer Echols:  I requested this one a while ago.  Jennifer Echols is big in the US and I can't wait to discover her awesomeness for myself!

You Don't Know Me by Sophia Bennett: A-MAZING. Loved this. SO. MUCH. Look out for my review which wil be coming to your screens shortly.  It also came with a cute little iPod sock - my iPod is now very cosy! 

The Drowning by Rachel Ward: A surprise from Chicken House! This one seems really chilling and I can't wait to devour it!

Thanks go to Penguin, Chicken House and Simon&Schuster!

Won: 

Undone by Cat Clarke: There is a reason why Cat Clarke is one of the best UKYA authors around. Undone was so shocking and beautiful and I absolutely adored it. Thanks to Lanna at Bloggers Heart Books!

Drummer Girl by Bridget Tyler:  Another book about a talent contest! Thanks to Nayu at Nayu's Reading Corner.

Bought:

Bad Science by Ben Goldacre: I'm planning to read some scientific books over the summer and this one was recommended to me.  I'm only 50 pages in and it's already a real eye-opener!  Thanks to my mum for the copy!

E-books

For review:

Addicted to You by Krista and Becca Ritchie: The synopsis of this book really caught my attention and I wanted to support a fellow blogger who wrote this with her sister.  Thanks to Krista for my review copy!

So, that's all the books I got. I'm looking forward to reading them over summer!

Feel free to link me up to your hauls!

Beverley xxx

The Post in Which I Ponder Over ARD's Future

Apologies for the rather grave title of this post but I thought I'd let you, my wonderful readers, get a quick run-down of what is going to happen with this little blog.

Firstly, I have some sad news to announce.  Jen has left A Reading Daydreamer to pursue a solo venture in blogging.  During my hiatus, she rediscovered her love for blogging alone and she has made the decision to start her own.  I am only sad that we didn't make it to the one-year mark but time called for a change.  I could not have asked for a better co-blogger and she will be sorely missed but I wish her luck in running her own blog - I'm sure it will be utterly fantastic!

With this sudden change, it has left me to think about the future, hence this post.  I initially thought summer would mean more time but I have weeks of work experience to do and I'll be preparing uni applications so I've decided I'm going to take it easy, maybe even just stop blogging (although I hope it doesn't come to this).  I hope you'll stick around but I can't promise to be a wonderful blogger with new posts for you to read every few days.

The departure of Jen also opens up a co-blogging space.  I'm still yet to decide whether I want to commit to taking on another co-blogger.  I'm just going to see how it goes but I'll be keeping an open mind so if anyone has any interest please feel free to shoot me an email introducing yourself, I'd be delighted to hear from you.

Finally, I'm going to be away for a school trip next week which explains why the blog will be quiet and you won't be finding me on Twitter but don't worry, I haven't disappeared forever!

Before I go, thank you so much for all your support over the past year and a half.  I seriously adore the book blogging community and I have enjoyed every single minute of being part of it.

Beverley xxx