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

Just A Few Inches by Tara St. Pierre || Review

I received a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, from the author, with thanks to Tara St. Pierre!

Title: Just a Few Inches
Series: N/A, Stand alone
Author: Tara St. Pierre
Publication Date: May 31st 2015
Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
Pages: 306

Ever wanted to lose a few inches?

Maybe your hips are too big to fit into that beautiful pair of jeans? Maybe that perfect prom dress doesn’t fit? For Carrie, all she wanted was to drop a few inches in order to fit into a red, electric prom dress to wow her date. When she gets her hands on some diet pills, she thinks her prayers have been answered when she wakes up with the weight just dropping off. But one thing she didn’t account for, inches coming off her height too.

When Carrie starts shrinking, she not only loses weight but she starts to become shorter and shorter until her story gets told nationwide and she has to get to the root of the problem, did the pills cause this to happen to her? Will she ever find love when she’s down to the size of a toddler? Can she ever have a normal life? Will she shrink and disappear completely? 

When the author contacted me about reading this book, I didn’t really know what to think, it sounded really unique and interesting and my initial thoughts were correct! I’ve never read a story that’s quite like this one. This book mixes Fantasy with Contemporary in a way that is so coherent and well thought out that you don’t even think about the fact that these genres don’t usually mix.

Carrie is a great character, she is relatable and she takes this whole situation in her stride, reacting to it the way that she should, with worry, but not letting it stop her from finding a cure or living her life. I like how she continued going to school, I like how she continued being a normal teenager despite the fact she was 2 foot nothing and still going to school. She continuously motivated and encouraged people through her blog and I think that was a pretty nice touch. 

I got so angry reading this book at her sister. Her sister was so selfish and ignorant, and I understand she was a young teenager who soon learned the error of her ways, it was a really odd feeling to have as I was enjoying the book so much and hadn't felt angry at anyone yet! (*Spoiler* Her sister locks her in a cupboard so she can have a house party and one of her friend's almost assault Carrie.)

The fact that the author has been playing with this idea for years really interested me, and I'm glad that she finally shared it with us all!

This is a brilliant book, and I highly recommend it, 

QOTD: If you were to shrink, how would you deal with it? 

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

Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare || Review

Title: Lady Midnight
Series: The Dark Artifices #1
Author: Cassandra Clare
Publication Date: 8th March 2016
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Pages: 720

In City of Heavenly Fire, we met Emma. We met Emma as her parent's were killed, but now, five years later, she is no longer a mourning child. She's now a young adult, hell bent on finding the truth. 

Did Sebastian Morgenstern kill her family?

Or is something else at play here? 

Working with her parabatai, Julian, they unravel a demonic plot that thickens the more they begin to explore it. It becomes more complex than they imagined, and they have to trust each other to face the undercurrents of evil running through Los Angeles. 

To complicate matters, they also have to tackles their personal feelings for each other, and their personal issues. When Julian's brother Mark, who was captured five years ago by the fae, is returned as a bargain, it adds more pressure to find out who is killing downworlders and how Emma's parents are linked to this whole thing. But Mark doesn't recognise his family, they've all aged and he hasn't, can he learn to trust them enough to help? 

I won't lie, I was conflicted at first. 

I loved the Shadowhunter Chronicles, I loved TMI and TID and the Bane Chronicles. So of course, I was excited for this. But it didn't grasp me immediately, and I began to fret a little bit. The other books I loved within a chapter or two, but I didn't really know how to react with this one. 

I love the Carstairs family, especially Jem, so I think I expected myself to like Emma more than she was supposed to be liked, I didn't see her as a favourite straight away, unlike the way I responded to Tessa. She seemed a bit too annoying and she didn't have the bad ass attitude that I want from my Shadowhunters. 

However, my thoughts on her quickly changed when we got to know Julian. 

Hell, I'd pine over Julian too. 

He was quickly added to my book boyfriend list and he was a pretty close second with Will Herondale. He was just so caring when it came to his family and it made me so happy to watch him grow throughout this book. Especially in regard to Mark. 

This next section will be all bold because it's very important: 

I LOVE HOW CASSANDRA CLARE NEVER MAKES LGBT RELATIONSHIPS SEEM ANYTHING BUT NORMAL. 

She makes them such an integral part of the Shadowhunter world that nobody even seems to flinch at them! Multi-species, same gender, different genders, you name it. Labels mean nothing in this book and it's just a really nice touch. 

QOTD: If you were a Shadow Hunter, what would be your weapon of choice?

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

The Liebster Award || Tag

I got tagged by the amazing Bookish Beauty who has an incredible blog that combines books and beauty (what more could you want?!) This tag is basically a way for bloggers to share more about themselves, and about their favourite blogs!

The rules are; answer the questions given to you, make up some more and tag 11 bloggers to answer them!

(I'm also very late at replying to this.)

1) What's your favourite book? 

This question for me, is like picking a favourite child. It's so hard. My top books have to be: Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie, A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven and Blackheath by Gabriella Lepore. 

2) What beauty product gives you the most joy?

Easily the Galaxy Chic eyeshadow palette from Bh Cosmetics. It's not something I'd use everyday, but it's just so beautiful to look at. It makes me so genuinely happy.  

3) Favourite book series? 

Again, this is a hard one. 

I'm going to have to say Harry Potter, and I know that is usually everyone's answer, but there's a reason for that, I grew up with Harry, I'm very attached to that world. 

4) Holy grail makeup item? 

The Bourjois 1-2-3 foundation. I have never used a foundation that makes my skin feel so soft, it doesn't make me shiny, it's a good coverage. Ultimately, I kind of feel like I can't live without this foundation sometimes, even though I do use Rimmel Lasting Finish at times. It tends to leave my skin a bit dewey though if I'm having a bad skin day. 

Another would have the be the Collection Pressed Powder. People have said it's too chalky for them, but for me it works beautifully.

5) What was the last book you just could not finish? 

In the past two years, I have never not finished a book. Which I'm really proud of. However, a book that I did give up on and then restarted it was Dracula by Bram Stoker. It's such a bad book! I hated basically all of it except the first 20% maybe. 

6) What is the most recent beauty product you bought that disappointed you? 

All of my recent beauty purchases have actually be really good so far! I'm a fan of lower end beauty products though, so there have been many over the years. I'm going to say the Deluxe Lipsticks from Collection. I tried three shades of these lipsticks and none of them seemed to stay, I don't even own them any more for a photo, but they were just more gloss sticks than lipsticks and they had quite poor pigmentation. 

7) What book do I think everybody should read? 

Either How to Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee or Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

8) Best Beauty Discovery of this year? 

I discovered this product towards the end of last year, much to my sadness because I would have looked so on fleek if I had discovered it before hand, but the Collection Felt Tip Liner. I'm an eyeliner girl. It's my favourite part of my makeup, my issue is my hands are too shaky to do detailed and precise wings with normal liquid eyeliners, but this one dries well, lasts long and also has a long nib so it's more like using a pen. 

For £3 (I think) it's an absolute lifesaver! I go through so much eyeliner!

9) What's your favourite reading genre? 

YA Contemporary will always be my guilty pleasure. I'm almost embarrassed to admit how much I enjoy them! I also have a soft spot for Teen Horror!

10) What's the best lipstick you own, shade and brand? 

I love purple lipsticks. 

My three favourites would have to be Wild Berry by MUA, Keeps the World Spinning by Makeup Revolution and Keep Lying For You by Makeup Revolution. 

11) Most anticipated read in 2016?

Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare!!!! Hands down, no competition! (And I've already read it so :( 

My 11 Questions are;

1. How many physical books do you own? 
2. Where is your favourite place to read? 
3. If you could meet any character from a book and befriend them, who would it be and why?
4. If you were in the Hunger Games, what district do you think you'd come from? (Assuming you've read/seen the Hunger Games.)
5. Do you have any nick-nacks on your bookshelves? If so, what? 
6. Worst book you've ever read?
7. Best book you've ever read?
8. Most anticipated releases of this year?
9. If you could visit any fictional world, what one would you go too? 
10. What is your favourite film adaption? 
11. Where do you buy most of your books?

Because I have quite a small, but lovely following, I'd love to see what you'd all answer to these questions! Tag me and let me see your answers!

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

Series Review: The Bonners Fairy Series

I received digital copies of this series in exchange for honest reviews, with thanks to the author, Elizabeth Patterson. 

The Bonner Fairy series follows twins, Haley and Henry, as they move to the town of Bonners Ferry and get more than they bargained for when they discover that the town has a rich history of magic. Through five adventures, we see the twins develop and grow in different ways, through magic, through love and through experience. 

Book One; Bonners Fairy 

 This book tells us about the history of the town that our two main characters are moving too, and how this town came to be, the tragedy that brought about the story behind those cries coming from the woods...When the town first founded, the founder's wife and children died, and he disappeared looking for them. Many think that the ghost of the founder, Zeb, is looking revenge for what happened to him and his family. 

Now, Haley and Henry have moved into Zeb's old house, and they have an itch for adventure. They soon discover that the wails are closer than they think, but so is the world of fairy's and this story is a lot more complex than they originally thought as they travel to the fairy world to reunite Zeb and his family, even though they got separated two centuries ago. 

I will be the first to admit that my knowledge of fae books is pretty limited. I haven't really got a lot of knowledge when it comes to them, but I do enjoy them a lot. I thought that the story of this book was so interesting, it was unique and the writing style was pretty much straight to the point. It was a good introductory book to this five part series. 

My overall rating of book one is four stars. 

Book Two; A New Kind of Battle

This book gets started a while after book one. Henry and Haley have been away from Roan for quite a while, but when Sersha gets hurt, they have to return to help Prince Valian who was also pretty hurt. Haley, who is completely in love with the prince, jumps at this opportunity but his nurse seems to be in the way quite a bit so she's all "He doesn't love me" Then he calls her bluff by proposing and even though it should be all happy it's not because the fae world is chaotic and they must all band together to face the issues being faced in the community. 

Sersha for me, was the shining star in this book, she showed so much character development and she really blossomed into a likable character. My main issue with this book was the proposal. I'm all for romance. Give me a cheesy romantic contemporary and I'm the happiest person in the world. However, I don't like when it's a character's main focus. And it became Haley's main focus which made her grate a little. 

My overall rating of book two is four stars. 

Book Three; Mischief and Mayhem

As much as I liked the first two book, this one is when we started to get answers, a lot of situations were left unanswered in the last two books and we finally get the sense of things coming together with this one. These answers helped me feel a lot more connected to the world of this book and I really enjoyed the characters a lot more in this one. 

With evil on the rampage, the twins again must help defend Roan. But I think that Henry may be my favourite twin, just because he was the one that we get to see the least. He wasn't really focused on in Book Two because of Haley and Valian, and I'm glad we got to know him more in this book. 

There was a lot more action in this book which I enjoyed a lot, it was so fast paced and it really helped to hold my attention. 

My overall rating of book three is four stars. 

Book Four; Sailing Toward Destiny

This one takes place partly on a ship, and I love ships, I love books based on boats, I love books at sea. I just love boats. So this one really captivated me as a sailor at heart. We follow the twins and the fairy crew as they head towards Medusa's Head in an attempt to find out what's happening in the world around them, and also finding out more about themselves. The twins are definitely older souls than their physical age of 17. 

But the whole age thing with Haley being engaged still bothers me slightly, I just struggle with the fact she's 17 and she's getting married to a supernatural being...I don't know, when I was 17, I was far too immature for all that. I still am if I'm honest. 

My overall rating of Book Four is four stars. 

Book Five; Secrets and Spies

I loved this book, it was definitely the best one for me. 

We see a lot of growth from Haley in this book, her and Valian get married, which I'm still not a fan of because of her age, but it led to them not being as lovey-dovey all the time, in a sickening way. It didn't take a higher priority than the storyline. 

The action in this book was ready-set-go. It was so fast paced that I was loving it immediately. The fairies and the twins were faced with an evil entity who wanted to essentially kill all the fae, and they had to deal with this as a team to protect their world. 

Another relationship posed as the only issue in this book...Henry and Sersha...I mean, come on. Introduce me to someone new. Not his sister in law. 

My overall rating of Book Five is four and a half stars. 

I would definitely recommend this series to younger teen readers, it's a really great gateway to fae books, and as someone pretty new to fae books, I really enjoyed this series!

QOTD: What fae books would you recommend? 

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

Beauty || My top 5 everyday eyeshadow palettes

WOW WOW WOW. 

What?

Connie, this is a book blog, I hear you say. 

Well, I'm using my and. This may be the beginning of this blog being a book and beauty blog, but mainly books, because books are beauties too. 

Anyway, I thought I'd start with my guilty obsession...Eyeshadow palettes. I love them. I think there's nothing better than a beautiful eyeshadow palette (unless it's a new book) and I thought I'd begin with the ones that I'd use most often! 

*These are in no particular order and excuse my awful photos*

1) The 35N Morphe Palette

I love matte shades and this one is just filled with gorgeous matte, highly pigmented eyeshadows that are good for everyday use and even for special occasions! Any occassions! Wear what you want! I don't know. I just know that I saw this and I wanted this. 

How much?: £15.95 ($22.57 usd)

Where from?: Beauty Bay (Here; x)

2) Undressed by MUA Cosmetics 

I'm a massive fan of MUA, how could you not be? The products are affordable, good quality and this palette is my immediate go to. The shimmers stay put for hours and for £4, you cannot go wrong! I actually got this in a glossybox a few months back and it came at a perfect time, as my Hall of Fame MUA palette hit pan, this one came in with all horns blazing and became my new favourite. 

How much?: £4 ($5.66 usd)

Where from?: MUA Cosmetics (Here; x)

3) In the Nude by W7 Cosmetics

The reason that I was interested in this palette was because this brand is known for being really good for dupes of more luxury brands, and although In the Buff by W7 is known as being the Naked 2 dupe, this one appealed to me a bit more. It's more Naked 3. 

How much?: £4.99 ($7.06 usd)

Where from?: W7/Amazon (Here; x)

4) Mermaids Forever by Makeup Revolution

This is really my main colourful palette, excuse how dirty it is, shows how much it's loved, but this palette is full of shimmering, pigmented colours that are all named after mermaid related things. How could you not love this! 32 shades for £8!! Are you kidding me!! Sign me right up!

How much?: £8 (£11.32 usd)

Where from?: Makeup Revolution (Here; x)

5) Flawless Matte by Makeup Revolution

Last but certainly not least, the Flawless Matte palette by Makeup Revolution. 

I think I died of happiness when I first saw this palette. God definitely sent a blessing when he guided me to this. 32 matte shades that don't break the bank. Amen. 

How much?: £8 ($11.32 usd)

Where from?: Makeup Revolution (Here; x)

So this was just me rambling a bit about my favourite eyeshadow palettes!

QOTD: What eyeshadow palettes do you love? 

Send me a message anywhere, anywhen you want! Details in the contact tab!