100+ Followers!

I am so happy to announce that A Reading Daydreamer has reached 100+ followers!!!!!  I started the blog in January and I never thought that I would be able to achieve a three-digit follower count this soon so thank you all so much for clicking that Follow button!  I LOVE you guys and I wish I could dish out free cupcakes to you all for being so wonderful!

I was planning to do a giveaway once I reached 100, but I never thought it would be this soon.  As I'm in the middle of revision and endless heaps of school work, and with the dreaded exams around the corner, I just don't have the time to organise a giveaway at present but... once summer kicks in and all the exams are over which should be about mid-June, I promise I will have a giveaway for you guys (maybe I will have reached 150 followers by then? *crosses fingers*)!

This also means I won't be blogging that much from now on so I hope you guys will still stick around, I appreciate every one of you!

Have a happy Easter break!

Beverley x

Feature and Follow Friday #4

This is a meme hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. It's where you meet other book bloggers and share the follower love. A question is also asked every week.

To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

1. (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
2. (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers
3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say "hi" in your comments and that they are now following you.
5. If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn't have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed.
6. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI"
7. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers!


Q:  Have you ever bought a book because of a bad review?

A: Nope, since starting the blog, all the books that I have bought have been given really good reviews.  If I don't know what to read next, I turn to other book bloggers and read their opinions and views.  Most of the books that I want are due to FANTASTIC reviews everywhere in the blogosphere so if there's a bad review of something, I won't be tempted to read it.

How about you?

Please follow me by GFC and I promise to check out your blog :)

REVIEW: Torn by Cat Clarke

Name: Torn

Author: Cat Clarke

Publisher: Quercus

Date published: 5th January 2012

Pages: 372

Source: Red House

Rating: 5 stars

Four girls. One dead body. A whole lot of guilt.

Alice King isn’t expecting the holiday of a lifetime when she sets off with her classmates on a trip to the Scottish wilderness, but she’s not exactly prepared for an experience beyond her darkest nightmares…

Alice and her best friend Cass are stuck in a cabin with Polly, the social outcast, and Rae, the moody emo-girl. Then there’s Tara – queen of mean. Powerful, beautiful and cruel, she likes nothing better than putting people down.

Cass decides it’s time to teach Tara a lesson she’ll never forget. And so begins a series of events that will change the lives of these girls forever...

Torn revolves around four girls who must deal with the horror and guilt of another girl’s death.  After an ‘accident’ on a school trip, Tara – a selfish and horrible girl – dies, leaving everyone shocked and confused.  But was it really an accident?  Or is there a hidden secret?  Alice, Cass, Polly and Rae have opposed views on what they should do next: Alice and Rae want to reveal the truth; Cass and Polly think they should keep their mouths shut.  As friendships break and new relationships form, the girls all deal with the situation in their own way, making Torn a very compelling read indeed.

The story opens at Tara’s funeral, setting the mood for the rest of the book.  I enjoyed the places where ‘Ghost Tara’ was incorporated: it helped me realise that despite her horrid personality, her death was unjustifiable and allowed me to feel pity for her.  I liked how the ‘secret’ isn’t revealed straight away and the flashback worked really well, allowing the reader to get to know the characters.  At times in the beginning, I wanted to say ‘Hurry up and tell me what exactly happened!’  Cat Clarke kept me at the edge of my seat as I desperately tried to find out the truth.  Initially, I thought the start was awfully slow-paced but I soon came to realise that it was a very clever way to keep me turning the pages! 

As the book is told from Alice’s point of view, I found it really easy to warm to her. I switched between feeling sorry for her and wanting to shout at her.  I could feel her innocence and her desperation to put things right and I knew that deep down she wasn’t a bad person.  However, when she develops her relationship with Tara’s younger brother Jack, I was incredulous.  I felt like shaking her to her senses.  If Jack discovered what happened, his heart would be shattered.  Ironically, it was Jack who made her see sense. 

As for the other girls, it was hard to get to know them as well.  It was horrible to see the friendship break between Alice and Cass as they seemed very close before everything happened and they could have done with each other’s support.  It was difficult to empathise with Rae, the dark emo-girl, but once the events unfold, it becomes clear that she felt just as guilty as the others, if not worse.  The character who I felt great loathing for was Polly.  Initially, she appears to be a meek, innocent girl who is eager to please but by the end, she grew into a deceiving, manipulative cow.  She had me completely fooled.

Torn is a very compelling read with an interesting plot.  It kept me turning the pages and gripped me from page one.  It is truly a wonderful book full of lies, love and friendships.  It deserves 5 stars, no doubt!  I can’t wait to read more of Cat Clarke’s books!

Thanks to Charlotte at Red House for sending me a copy of this fantastic book!

Happy reading and daydreaming,

Beverley x

Alfie the Sniffer Pup #1

I'm super excited for the first Alfie the Sniffer Pup!  This is where I get to gush about the wonderful new book releases in the coming month that Alfie, my dog, has kindly 'sniffed' out for me!  Anything book related will also be featured!

If you would like to find out more about this original feature, click HERE!

So here are the April releases that I am most excited about [summaries taken from Goodreads]:

Ascend by Amanda Hocking (Book Three in the Trylle Trilogy)

The final book in the Trylle Trilogy.. 
With a war looming on the horizon, Wendy's fate seems sealed.But everything she sacrificed might be in vain if she can't save the ones she loves. Her whole life has been leading up to this, and it's all coming to an end.

Amanda Hocking's books have been described as 'phenomenal' and I cannot wait to get my hands on her books.  Ever since I heard about them, I have wanted to read them so hopefully once Ascend is released I can go out and get the whole trilogy!

The List by Siobhan Vivian

An intense look at the rules of high school attraction -- and the price that's paid for them.

It happens every year. A list is posted, and one girl from each grade is chosen as the prettiest, and another is chosen as the ugliest. Nobody knows who makes the list. It almost doesn't matter. The damage is done the minute it goes up.

This is the story of eight girls, freshman to senior, "pretty" and "ugly." And it's also the story of how we see ourselves, and how other people see us, and the tangled connection of the two.

I LOVE the sounds of this book, it seems like a really thought-provoking read so I will definitely look out for it on my next visit to Waterstones!

The Fame Game by Lauren Conrad

In Hollywood, fame can be found on every corner and behind any door. You just have to know where to look for it. Nineteen-year-old Madison Parker made a name for herself as best frenemy of nice-girl-next-door Jane Roberts on the hot reality show L.A. Candy. Now Madison's ready for her turn in the spotlight and she'll stop at nothing to get it. Sure, she's the star of a new show, but with backstabbing friends and suspicious family members trying to bring her down, Madison has her work cut out for her. Plus, there's a new nice girl in "reality" town—aspiring actress Carmen Price, the daughter of Hollywood royalty—and she's a lot more experienced at playing the fame game... When the camera's start rolling, whose star will shine brighter? 

Being a fan of 90210 and Gossip Girl, this delicious read seems perfect for me!  I recently read the first book in Joanna Philbin's Celebriteens series, so I think Lauren Conrad's new book will be a great step-up!

Destined by Aprilynne Pike

Laurel now knows the truth: Yuki is a rare Winter faerie, the most powerful—and deadly—of all, and she is working with Klea to conquer and destroy Avalon. With Tamani, David, and Chelsea by her side, Laurel prepares for a fight she never thought she would have to face. 

Filled with heart-pounding action, sweeping romance, and higher stakes at every turn, Destined is the series conclusion that readers have been clamoring for—with a twist that will leave them breathless. 

I can't believe this series is ending!  I really enjoyed reading Wings and Spells and I didn't realise Wild (book three) had been released until I found out that Destined (the fourth book) is being released later this month!  I think I have some catching up to do...

Coverlicious:

NEVER LET ME GO meets HIS DARK MATERIALS in a beautiful, haunting YA debut, the first book in The Hybrid Trilogy.

Eva and Addie live in a world where everyone is born with two souls, but where only the dominant one is allowed to survive childhood. Fifteen years old, and closer even than twins, the girls are keeping Eva, the ‘second soul’, a secret. They know that it’s forbidden to be hybrid, but how could they ever be apart?

When a dramatic event reveals what really happens to hybrids if they are discovered, Eva and Addie face a dangerous fight for survival, neither wanting to be the one left behind… 


Here is the book cover of What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang.  Isn't it just gorgeous?  I love how it's so soft and ethereal and it really makes me want to find out more and read the book.  I fell in love with it even more when I read the synopsis!  It is released in late September so we have a long wait until then so hopefully the content will live up to its beautiful cover! 




So that's it from me and Alfie!  Are there any other books which are released this month that you're excited about?  Do you like the cover of What's Left of Me?  Please let me know in the comments!  Alfie the Sniffer Pup is a new feature so any suggestions/comments etc. will be greatly appreciated :)


And to coincide with the first post of this new feature, it is Alfie's 2nd birthday today so excuse me while I take the day off to go for a long walk and spoil him with belly rubs and treats!  

Hope you are all having a bookish Easter break!

Happy reading and daydreaming,

REVIEW: Falling Fast by Sophie McKenzie

Name:  Falling Fast

Author:  Sophie McKenzie

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Date published: 1st March 2012

Pages: 247

Source: Gifted

Rating: 4 stars

When River auditions for a part in an inter-school performance of Romeo and Juliet, she finds herself falling for Flynn, the boy playing Romeo. 

River believes in romantic love, and she can’t wait to experience it.  But does Flynn see things the same way?

The path of true love never did run smooth…

  Being a fan of Sophie McKenzie, I was eager to read the first book in her new series.  She writes wonderful books under any genre and I loved her Luke and Eve series so I had high expectations for Falling Fast. 

  The storyline was pretty simple and predictable but I loved the backdrop of the Romeo and Juliet play because it established the love theme of the book.  However I was worried that this would mean the book would be all lovey-dovey and cringey.  As the book went on, thankfully I didn’t need to worry. 

  Falling Fast is narrated by River, a sixteen-year-old girl who is desperate to find a boy who she really loves and loves her in return.  When she auditions for a part in a play at the boy’s school, she falls for Flynn, who plays Romeo.  Desperate to play Juliet, she is distraught when her best friend Emmi gets the role instead.  As she gets to know Flynn, she tries in vain to get through to him but he keeps shutting her out.  Is he the perfect Romeo for her after all?

  I must admit that I didn’t really like River.  She wasn’t an easy character I could warm to, mainly because of her irritating personality.  I was quite incredulous when she obsessed over how she wanted to find ‘true’ love.  Her initial naivety made me curious about her and I really wanted to warm to her but then her innocence turned to a whiny, immature personality that sort of got on my nerves.  She let Flynn walk all over her and every time she confronted him, she ended up in tears, apologising and begging him.  Fortunately by the end, she was braver and stronger which makes me want to read the next book in the series when it does come out to see if she has changed for good.

  Flynn.  What can I say about him?  I thought he would be a sweet character but he turned out to be the opposite.  But I liked his mysteriousness and secretive personality which added an interesting element to the book.  He didn’t open up much to River and was always angry and moody, so I was REALLY frustrated with him.  Once I found out more about him and the frugal life he led, I pitied him and forgave him for his horrid temper.  In ways, he made River more mature and showed her the harsh reality of the world outside of her sheltered life so he wasn’t all that bad.  By the end, like River, he seemed to change in personality and his anger melted away.  This makes me want to read on in the series as well because if they both have new personalities, the book will be much better!

  I’m afraid it didn’t live up to the Luke and Eve series for me but you should still give it a go!  As I’ve already pointed out above (several times!) I am eager to read the next book as the characters get quite interesting by the end of this one…  I think that the idea behind the book was great but it was just presented in too much of a fluffy, light-headed way if that makes sense.  However, I did enjoy it and didn’t give up on it so my only dislikes about it were the characters’ personalities. 

  Overall Falling Fast is a fun, light read and a good start to Sophie McKenzie’s new series.

Book Blogger Month Wrap-Up

  So that's it, today is the last day of March and Book Blogger Month here at A Reading Daydreamer.  I would just like to take this chance to thank all the bloggers who took time to answer my interview questions and write wonderful guest posts.  It was a privilege to have you guys on the blog and I like to think that I have made some new blogging friends.  You all run the most amazing blogs so I hope you all keep blogging for years to come!  In no particular order, thank you to these wonderful people:

[clicking on the blogger's name will take you to their interview/guest post]

Luisa Plaja (author and blogger at Chicklish)
Ria (The Beaucoup Review)
Caitlin (The Cait Files)
Beth (Page-Turner)
Cliona (Bookster Reviews)
Jana (The Book Goddess)
Zoe (Bookhi)
Raimy (Readaraptor)
Rachel (Booktastic Reviews)
Megan (The Book Addicted Girl)
Jean (The Magic Bean Review)

I had so much fun reading all of your guest posts and interviews!  Hopefully I can have another bash at Book Blogger Month next year (although I will definitely need to improve my organisational skills!)

Happy reading and blogging,
Beverley x

Feature and Follow Friday #3

This is a meme hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. It's where you meet other book bloggers and share the follower love. A question is also asked every week.


To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

1. (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
2. (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers
3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say "hi" in your comments and that they are now following you.
5. If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn't have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed.
6. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI"
7. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers!

Q: Do you read one book at a time or do you switch back and forth between two or more?

A: No, I generally don't read more than one book at a time as it's so much easier for me to get through one book before starting another.  If I read more than one I tend to get the plots and characters mixed up and I would have to go back to the start, wasting valuable time which I could be spending on another. 

What about you?  Feel free to leave comments and I would really appreciate it if you follow me by GFC :)