The Lost Coast by Amy Rose Capetta || Review

"Sometimes lost is where you need to be for a while."

This book was kindly sent to me for review, via Netgalley, by Candlewick Press. Many thanks to both!

Name: The Lost Coast

Author: Amy Rose Capetta

Rating: 5 Stars 

Pages: 352

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Published: May 14th 2019

The Lost Coast follows the journey of six LGBTQIA+ witches navigating through Tempest, California, they are searching. Searching for themselves, for their friend, for the one they love. They Grays have lost one of their own, Imogen, although there physically has lost herself. Her personality, her spark, her magic, just gone, and The Grays need the help of Michigan newcomer, Danny, who while she was looking for something new, the Grays were looking for her. 

However, Danny doesn't know where to help because she believes her only power is kissing girls and making small town people uncomfortable. 

They must come together to figure out what happened to Imogen, piece together the bits of the story that don't make sense, they have to solve why they keep finding bodies, and how the story of a ghost from the previous century connects. This is a story of finding friendship in unexpected people, love in unexpected places and best of all, MAGIC. 

I didn't know what to expect from this book, and I know I say that a lot, but I genuinely didn't. I find some stories containing LGBTQIA+ characters can usually fall into being a cliche, where their identification label is their sole character trait, but this book wasn't that at all. This book explored sexuality and gender identities in such a nice way, where the characters were more than just who they decided they wanted to kiss or what they were attracted too. It was integrated as an important part of these characters and their journeys but I liked that the author didn't use it as the only thing about these characters, for example, Leila is fiesty, she has heartache and she's real, Rush is quiet and intelligent, musically literate and has sythesthia (another thing I'd never really seen a YA author tackle.) 

My favourite character was Danny. Danny was super interesting, and she was a lot more complex than I first thought. I felt like she was so kind, sure she was looking for a new life and she was looking for new friends, but what The Grays were asking her to do was a lot, and she did it. She knew that Rush and Imogen were a thing, and despite falling for Rush, she was still determined to help them out in finding Imogen. 

The writing style of this book drew me in straight away. I love trees. I love being in the forest, I love being surrounded by trees, so straight off the bat, the ethereal description of being surrounded by Redwood trees made me really happy. It really made for a magical setting and it set up how beautiful the region of the Lost Coast must be. I think Amy Rose Capetta has a really beautiful writing style, it flows really well and the layout of the book and the alternating points of view didn't affect the flow of the story in the slightest. I think the story had enough twists and turns to keep the reader fully immersed and I read this book in one sitting. 

Overall Rating: 5 Stars. I think this story fills a gap that is missing in YA Witch Lit, it covers a ground that I feel some authors are afraid to cover/haven't covered in a good way and if it sounds like a book you'd be interested in, I would recommend you pick it up! 

As always hit me up on my socials: 

Instagram: @conniedalt

Twitter: @connie_dalt

Email: conniedalton@hotmail.com

Goodreads: https://goodreads.com/sunstormsandthunderclouds

The Square Root of Summer || Review

I received a free physical copy of this book from the publisher, Macmillan's Children's Books, in exchange for an honest review! 

Title: The Square Root of Summer
Series: N/A, Stand alone 
Author: Harriet Reuter Hapgood
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Fantasy 
Pages: 336 
Publisher: Macmillan's Children's Books 
Publication Date: May 3rd 2016
My Rating: 5 stars 

Last year, Gottie's reality fell apart. She lost her beloved grandfather, Grey, and she lost her first love, Jason. But now, as she fells stronger, she begins to notice the threads at the edge of her sleepy seaside town life unravelling. 

Strange things begin happening. 

She keeps having "episodes" where she experiences the past as if it's the present. But she doesn't believe this is caused by a psychosomatic problem, and she uses her knowledge of maths and science to get the bottom of these "wormholes." These episodes get stronger when her childhood best friend Thomas returns from Canada, and Gottie realises that they may have something to do with their last meeting and the time capsule in the garden...

This book was something unique, that's for sure!

I've had a real kick for contemporary over the past while, and this book really epitomised two of my great literary loves. Fantasy. Contemporary. I loved it. I thought that the author really thought out this book. The plot was incredibly structured, the characters were well rounded and likable, Gottie especially. I immediately knew I'd love her, with such a unique name, how could I not? 

The love story in this book didn't even phase me, it was inputted to the plot so well that it felt organic and non-forced. The use of Thomas and his return was so pivotal and interesting that it made my heart really happy! 

This is just a personal little side note, but I love when books incorporate science, especially women and science. This is such a little thing but it really makes my heart happy!! 

This book is the perfect way to start summer off, why not make yourself some memories with a time capsule and some cinnamon buns! 

QOTD: If you were to make a time capsule, what would you put into it? 

My final rating is 5 stars!

My Links: 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/20748319-connie

Twitter: @conniedalt

Instagram: @conniedalt

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Email: conniedalton@hotmail.com

You Know Me Well by Nina LaCour and David Levithan || Review

Title: You Know Me Well
Series: N/A, Stand-Alone
Author(s): Nina LaCour and David Levithan
Publisher: MacMillan Children's Books (Pan MacMillan)
Publication Date: June 2nd 2016
Pages: 256



I was sent a physical copy of this book, in exchange for a honest review, with thanks to the publisher, MacMillan Children's Books. 

Who knows you the best?

Your siblings?

Your parents?

Your best friends?

Does anybody really know us? 

On a wild night in the city with his best friend who he just so happens to be in love with, Mark runs into Kate who has just ran away from the opportunity to meet the girl she's admired from afar. They've sat beside each other everyday for a year in school, but they've never spoken to each other. 

These two teenagers have no idea how much they will grow to know each other in such a little time, and they realise that they know each other more than anyone else in their lives. More than their best friends, more than their family. 

This book follows these two characters as they face problems and challenges and we see this unlikely friendship blossom.

This was a really quick, fast paced contemporary. It was the type of contemporary that makes your heart warm and you really hope for the best for these characters. Sometimes, books with alternating views can be pretty hit or miss, but this book had a really great flow and it showed a great collaboration between Nina LaCour and David Levithan. 

This book, although it had it's hard hitting moments, was pretty lighthearted throughout. It had love, friendship and pride as the main themes. This night in the city acts as the catalyst for their friendship and it allows Mark to have the support of Kate when the best friend that he is love with, Ryan, meets a guy that he loves. Mark has to confront Ryan about these feelings between them and he has to decide if he's okay with just a platonic relationship, or if he needs more. 

Kate also uses Mark's support when she has to deal with college pressures, friend pressures and the chance to meet the girl she's loved from afar. Is she ready to deal with all of these things? 

My only issue with this book would be Kate's annoying best friend Lehna, let's just say I have no patience at times, and the body has 7 trillion nerves and she was getting on every single one.

I suppose this book could be deemed as coming of age as the characters have to learn to trust themselves, each other and their hearts and heads. This is a heart warming and poignant book that makes you follow each moment with expectancy and the best of wishes. 

This book is being released in June, and I deem it as a must-read for Summer 2016!

My final rating is 4 stars!

QOTD: Who knows you well? 

My Links: 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/20748319-connie

Twitter: @conniedalt

Instagram: @conniedalt

Tumblr: suchamagicalconcept.tumblr.com

Bloglovin': https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/drowning-in-books-14512651

Email: conniedalton@hotmail.com

New World: Ashes || Blog Tour & Review

Hello! Welcome to the very first blog tour on Drowning in Book! 

You may remember a few months ago, I reviewed New World Rising (Click HERE for the review) and I adored it! So when the author, the amazing and lovely Jennifer Wilson posted looking for bloggers for the book tour, I immediately asked to take part! (Her links will be below) 

First thing's first: The Cover. 

Let me have a minute. Because this cover is stunning! This cover, and the cover for the first book look so beautiful together. Check out the @oftomes instagram page for pictures of them together!

Kim-G at DauntlessHunter has such an unbelievable talent for cover design, and she definitely has delivered on this series so far!

After the action of the last book, Phoenix has sacrificed herself to save her loved ones. But in doing so, she may have taken another unexpected turn in her turbulent life. 

Having no memories before the age of 11, she has forgotten her past. 

But her past hasn't forgotten her. 

War is coming, and Phoenix must choose where she stands, and how pivotal her role in this war will be. She has to keep her guard up while facing trials from her past and present, her tyrannical grandfather and a not so friendly blast from the past. 

In this book we get to see inside this utopian Sanctuary that Phoenix's family fled from and we get to see our characters, new and old, grow and develop. 

This book blew me away. 

I'm still in shock after reading it and is it bad that I'm already excited for the third and final installment in this trilogy? 

But back to this one:

Phoenix is such an amazing heroine. Usually female leads annoy me a little in books as the authors can make them whiny or dependent on a love interest, but Jennifer Wilson has presented her in such a bad ass yet relatable way and it makes you really want the best for this character. 

I loved that we got to see something from her past for the first time as she did, she knew what we knew and I loved as we saw little bits about her parents or her family being slowly uncovered. I never saw her Grandfather being in the sanctuary, and I never even thought this would book would have been as action packed and adrenaline fuelled as the first one. 

The second books in series often lag, and this book did not in the slightest. The writing, the pace, the characters. There were no disappointments with this book and this book sits at the top of my Dystopian favourites! 

Release Date || JUNE 7TH 2016

Competition: If you pre-order this book on kindle and send proof of purchase to oftomes@oftomes.com you'll be entered to win some book swag and a bookish mug! Link to preorder is here: x

Jennifer Kay Wilson's Links: 

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jkwbooks/?fref=ts
• Instagram: @jkwilson29
• New World Website: thenewworldseries.com
• Twitter: @J_KayWilson

My Links: 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/20748319-connie

Twitter: @conniedalt

Instagram: @conniedalt

Tumblr: suchamagicalconcept.tumblr.com

Bloglovin': https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/drowning-in-books-14512651

Email: conniedalton@hotmail.com

Cover Reveal: Gabriel and the Swallows

Those that follow Oftomes on any social media account will know that today, they released the cover for the upcoming book, Gabriel and the Swallows. And by God, it was worth the wait. 

Designed by KimG-designs. 

Here's an overview of the book taken from Goodreads:

A lonely farm boy.
A girl with swallow’s wings.
An ancient city buried in a volcano.
A mystery old as blood and bone.

There is more to Gabriel than the life he’s ashamed of – the son of peasant winemakers, bullied relentlessly on account of his disabled mother. For Gabriel has a secret: the elaborate dream world he descends into at night – a grandiose, vivid existence – is becoming more real than his waking life.

Everything changes for Gabriel when he rescues a wounded creature – a miraculous girl with swallow’s wings – from the voracious pursuit of Alfio Gallo, a dangerous old enemy. Aided by the beautiful and mysterious Orlando Khan, Gabriel is conflicted by unanswered questions: who is the Dark One that dwells in the medieval tunnels beneath their city? Is he just a figment of Gabriel’s powerful imagination? And is the foundling really who she says she is?

Wrestling with manhood whilst beckoned by ancient rites and foreign lands, Gabriel is about to make a deadly decision that changes the course of life as he knows it…as long as he can decide which reality he’s in.

Tell me what you think of the cover! This book is definitely one of my anticipated reads of this year, it's released on March 11th 2016!

Links: 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/20748319-connie

Twitter: @conniedalt

Instagram: @conniedalt

Tumblr: suchamagicalconcept.tumblr.com

Bloglovin': https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/drowning-in-books-14512651

Email: conniedalton@hotmail.com

New Year, New Me? Probably Not, but also Book Anticipation.

People that know me know that I am not an advocate for change. 

I don't like change, but this is going to be the year that I embrace all things new, improved and maybe old too. 

This is the post where I talk about 2016;

• Expect to see me a lot more in 2016, I'm currently organising a timetable and putting posts in schedule, so expect to see me from two to three times a week.
• I will also be talking about some non bookish related things on this blog e.g. Makeup, Music, stuff like that!
• I will also be trying to actually review a lot more books this year, so expect more ARCs and other reviews!

I also joined the Oftomes street team, if you don't know what Oftomes is, it is a micro-publishing company set up by youtuber, Benjaminoftomes. 

And tomorrow, they're re-releasing Rising by Jennifer Wilson with a new cover! 

    Photo cred to @oftomes instagram

The story follows Phoenix, who witnessed her parents murder at a young age. She has spent her life since then obeying her mother's last words -Stay Strong and Survive. But to survive outside of the Sanctuary is close to impossible, a harsh city ruled by the motto, "Join or Die." 

Who can she trust?

I am personally very excited for this re-release and I'm pumped to get into this dystopian series! 

As always, talk to me below, and let me know your New Year's Resolutions! 

Links: 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/20748319-connie

Twitter: @conniedalt

Instagram: @conniedalt

Tumblr: suchamagicalconcept.tumblr.com

Bloglovin': https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/drowning-in-books-14512651

Email: conniedalton@hotmail.com