In The Daydreams, 13 years after a disastrous live season finale - and the varying fallout experiences of those involved - the 4 main stars are back for a reunion special each with their own reasons and hopes for redemption. What could possibly go wrong? 😏

It’s been a while since I’ve fan-girled over a TV show but I so distinctly remember religiously following my favorites when I was younger (I’m looking at you Dawson’s Creek 😍). The Daydreams - a WB-esque show following 4 singing, dancing teenagers - definitely fits the vibes of something I would have planned my weekday nights around.

Beyond the main storyline of what happened to blow up the live special and the staging of the reunion, I liked the dual timeline and appreciated how the past was revealed in character soliloquies. I also love when books include interspersed articles and social media feeds. I went back and forth between which character I disliked most and who I was rooting for - which felt very authentic to my teenage experience. By the end I didn’t really love any of the characters, but I was caught up in all the behind the scenes drama. 🎬 An engaging take on the early 2000s vibes and a fun summer read for sure.

I switched between audio and print and enjoyed both versions. A fun fact is that the author is one of the narrators. I think she and the other narrators did an excellent job capturing the tone and emotions of all the characters.

The story was told from a single point of view (Kat's) with media excerpts between chapters to give some context. I
enjoyed the format, and the slow mystery of why the show imploded the way it did. I also enjoyed seeing the characters interact after being apart for so long and getting the flashbacks to how they were together when filming the show. The context of the reunion of the hit TV show was a nice backdrop to explore the relationships between the characters. I was definitely invested in the characters decisions.

Thanks to the publisher for sharing a copy with me. All opinions are my own.

Back in 2004, The Daydreams had it all: four teenagers acting and singing their hearts out, amazing ratings, and a will-they-or-won’t-they romance. Until the live season two finale, it all imploded. Now, the four stars are reuniting for a reunion special - lawyer Kat, housewife/influencer Liana, Hollywood star Noah, and cautionary tale Summer. The stars all have private reasons to come back: forgiveness, revenge, a second chance with a first love.

This is my third Laura Hankin novel, and she is a must read for me. Her books are so different from each other, but they are all well written. I feel like I’ve read a lot of books this year that are set in Hollywood, and The Daydreams shows a darker side of teenagers working in Hollywood. I really enjoyed it!

An entertaining gossip-style read about a group of childhood actors who attempt a reunion after a spectacular falling out of their hit tv show and discover that this may be their last chance to learn the truth of what happened that night.

An intriguing and entertaining journey into the dark underbelly of the Hollywood industry for teenagers, this novel brilliantly captures the rise and fall of the stars of a beloved teen show. Set against the backdrop of a highly anticipated reunion special, the story delves into the lives of four former cast members, each shaped by the scandalous implosion that shattered their innocent facade. Through their individual paths of redemption, revenge, and reconciliation, the book masterfully illustrates the disposable nature of fame in the entertainment world. With a keen eye on the par-asocial relationships among fans, the novel exposes the power and pitfalls of fandom obsession. A riveting read that skillfully blends drama, nostalgia, and introspection, leaving readers both entertained and enlightened about the inner workings of the Hollywood machine.

🎸The Daydreamers 🎸

⁉️: What was your favorite show growing up?

What it’s about?

A deliciously entertaining novel about the stars of a popular teen show from the early 2000s—and the reunion special, thirteen years after their scandalous flameout, that will either be their last chance at redemption, or destroy them all for good.

My thoughts 💭:

Do you enjoy reality shows? Or reunions of your favorite shows? I used to be obsessed with shows like Three’s Company which was a popular show about a man called John Ritter who pretends to be gay so that he can live with two women. I remember when Lucille Ball hosted their reunion in the 1980s.

The Daydreams had it all in 2004: innocent teenagers who were acting and singing their hearts out, as romance steamed up between then. Then, things changed during the live season two finale, leaving everyone confused. The four stars of the show dispersed and started their own lives. Kat is now a lawyer in Washington, DC. Liana is the bored wife of a famous athlete. Noah, the show’s golden boy, emerged unscathed and is poised to become a household name. And Summer, the object of Noah’s fictional (and maybe real-life) affections, is the cautionary tale.

As the fans demand a reunion special, each of them has reservations, and the drama comes returning back to them: forgiveness, revenge, a second chance with a first love. Will this reunion be a chance to make things right? Or will it be the biggest mess the world has ever seen? No matter what, the ratings will be wild.

This was a fun and refreshing read, and spoke to me about how the show biz industry works, and how actors become involved with people they meet as childhood friends continue to impact their lives. Celebrity children, nevertheless, have a lot on their plate and something that they carry on with their own lives. I absolutely loved this one and would recommend it!

Thank you @berkleypub, @letstalkbookspromo, and @laurahankin for the gifted e-arc of the novel!

#LauraHankin #TheDaydreamers #LetsTalkBooksPromo #BerkleyWritesStrongWomen #BerkleyBuddyReads

In the early 2000s, four teens rocketed to fame in a popular musical TV drama. But by the beginning of season two, the pressures of celebrity life and messy personal relationships put a strain on the show, and the live series finale went off the rails. Fans still want answers and push the four former stars to film a reunion special. The actors have all moved on in different ways, but when they’re brought back together, can they rediscover the magic they once had while also keeping their explosive drama from resurfacing?

If you ever bought into the Glee or High School Musical hype, this is a must-read! I absolutely love this drama-filled ride through the culture of early 2000s teen fame and its lasting impacts. Telling the story through Kat's eyes added so many layers to each character, and the ending was perfection. Don't sleep on Laura Hankin, y'all!

I think fans of Daisy Jones and the Six would like this, but it wasn't really for me. For one thing, the author kept using the word "crazy" to describe Summer and it really took me out of the book while reading. I think I'll still get this book for our library, because I think some students who like music and the music industry may like this one.

The premise of this one sounded so promising, but unfortunately this one didn’t work for me. Overall, for a book about teen drama, this book was lacking in drama and I found it overall boring. It’s a pleasant enough read, and I thought for sure the second half would pick up with reveals, but it was all so…heartfelt? I thought it was setting itself up for something juicy and unhinged, but what we got was maturity and politeness. I was craving the former, unfortunately.

What drew me to this title immediately was the premise, which definitely didn't disappoint. As someone who grew up loving Disney Channel shows and the stars that were on them, this was right up my alley. While I found it was a little slow for me to get into this story, I was pleasantly surprised by some of the major twists that come into play about halfway through.

All in all, this was a fun and entertaining read!

I was so excited for a book about child stars and this was perfectly fine! Not outrageously thought-provoking, but an easy contemporary read.

When I think of a “messy reunion” from a TV show..this is not what I was expecting. I was expecting some Bravo type sh*t and this was not it. It was more of a redemption/revenge type reunion for the characters. Which is fine… if it wasn’t so boring. The plot and the characters were very dull and quite honestly annoying. I had high hopes for this because I’ve never really read a book with this type of plot. Another ones bites the dust.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.

A fun, nostalgic, yet biting commentary on young fame & its after effects. Enjoyed it! I have it 4 stars.

This was another one where once I started reading it, I didn’t want to stop! The premise itself was pretty irresistible — the cast of a Disney Channel-esque teen series reunites after 13 years to refilm their live finale after the disaster that went down the first time around, and some of them have fared better in their careers than others. (Plus, it could be argued, a HEA for most of the characters which isn’t always the case with a story like this one.) This was my first Laura Hankin read and it won’t be my last.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book gave me everything I wanted and I am so happy I got to read it. I absolutely need to own this and have it on my shelf. Will reccomend to everyone. This had The OC/Daisy Jones and the Six vibes and I couldn't get enough. Well written, time shift plot, and great characters made this book worthy of four stars.

Back in 2004 the Daydreams had it all- fame, money, etc. Fast forward and the four of them have four very different lives. It was interesting to learn about characters and see what led them to ended up how they were. It was a bit nostalgic with the reference to music, tv shows, etc from the early 2000s. Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC.

Genre: Contemporary

Format: Audio/E-book

4🌟 - I liked it!

Thank you @prhaudio for the complimentary audio and to @berkleypub for the #gifted copy!

The Daydreams is giving early 2000s nostalgia and juicy drama that you will eat up!! Anyone who loves High School Musical meets Dawson’s Creek will instantly be transported!

Character-driven, soapy, with social commentary, and focused on fictional famous people made this one truly a page-turner that I devoured in just a few sittings. Disney/Nickelodeon kids this one is for you 🫶.

A dizzying exploration of fame and feminism and love and loss under the kleig lights of the 90s. All of these things are right up my alley, and I totally enjoyed this one. Recommended.

I'd like to thank the publisher, NetGalley and the author for allowing me a chance at reading this book.

I guess I was expecting something like Daisy Jones and the Six... instead I got something that was akin to a Disney Channel flop.

Maybe if the author based the story off someone / something that happened. Instead, we get some strange shallow story about a girl who is called back to the spotlight to do a reunion special on a show she was in during her teen years.

This could have should have been so much better, and I was shocked that this was this author's third book. It's so badly written and the characters lack any sort of depth. The one narrating it all is very 'this is what we did, this is what we didn't do, oh this is what I saw'. First person narratives CAN work if the author who is writing them does better than this.

Honestly, Pass. Hard pass on this book.

The Daydreams is the perfect beach read for anyone who's fascinated by 2000s pop culture, celebrity gossip, and teen drama. However, for me personally, I had high hopes for this book that just weren't met. It took a long time for me to get into the book, and once the action started, I just didn't find it interesting enough to continue. While I did like the commentary on the purity culture that child stars face, I didn't think this was a strong enough story.