Eat Sweat Play || Review

Thank you to the publisher, Pan MacMillan, for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review. 

Title: Eat Sweat Play
Series: N/A, Stand-alone 
Author: Anna Kessel
Publisher: Pan MacMillan
Publication Date: 16th June 2016
Pages: 257
My Rating: 4.5 stars 

You're probably thinking, Connie, why are you reading a book about sport? The girl who defiantly stood against PE teachers for 7 years, the girl who played many games of hockey in their school uniform as a punishment for "forgetting their kit," the girl who hated having classes on the top floor sciences rooms because it meant walking up 4 flights of stairs from the sixth form centre? 

I know, crazy right. But what might shock you more is the fact I actually enjoy sports, I'm just not very good at them. I've probably played at least every sport at least once in an attempt to excel at it, few were successful, and this book called to me as a lot of the times playing sports, I was the only girl. When I did Judo, I was the only girl for many years until a few more joined just as I was leaving, when I played football on Wednesdays after primary school, I was the only girl. So when I got emailed about reading this book, I was immediately interested. 

Anna Kessel is a sports writer for the Guardian and the Observer and is the chair/so-founder of Women in Football, which is where I'd heard of her name before. In this book she talks freely about the taboos of women in sport including Periods and Pregnancy and how women shouldn't be treated any different than men due to our physicality and how we should take control of the opportunities that sport provides. 

I thought that this book was incredibly well written. Kessel uses humour to keep the reader interests as she discusses many different issues and positives about the sports world. One of my favourite chapters in the book was about how having a background in sport can make you more confident and successful in the workplace. She didn't put women down in anyway, she actually lifted them up in every instance she could, and that's something that I'm always behind. I loved how she spoke about children, and how they need to be encouraged to participate in whatever they please (at least sports related) and how their gender shouldn't be a hinderance. 

We need to teach them [kids] that their bodies are their own, not merely vessels for saucy snapchat pics, but useful, strong, powerful aids to being a successful woman in the modern world. 

Another part of this book that I truly loved from the onset was that this book wasn't written by somebody who had played sport their entire lives, in fact, Anna even opens the book stating, "I don't play sport, I bunked PE my whole school life, and if a ball comes anywhere near my face I blink." That instantly sets a warm and humorous tone and you don't feel excluded if you aren't particularly sporty, there is also no terminology that you can't understand and there's no focus on one specific sport, it doesn't exclude anyone or anything. 

Just another note on why I enjoyed this book so much: so much Serena William love! How somebody can't support that, I don't know. 

QOTD: Do you play any sports? If so, which ones?

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

Greek Adventures || Travel

*This isn't a book related post*

It's always been one of my biggest desires to travel, I'm so in awe of the world around me and as a Geographer, how could I not want to travel? This summer, I finally began my wish to start seeing some of the beautiful world around me and I went to the lovely island of Rhodes in Greece.

• Rhodes is located close to Turkey 
• The Greek God Poseidon was said to have been raised on the island to save him from being eaten by his titan father 

Here is some of the stuff I got to do on this lovely island!

1) Off road driving and safari: 

This part of the trip was so fun! We got to drive through olive fields, drive up mountains to see some amazing views *see beside* and I got to spend an amazing day with my friends exploring the hidden sections of this island. The highlight was going to a fountain of youth that was outside one of the oldest chapels on the island that was considered to be magic due to the nearby olive trees that were over 1000 years old! And of course, it ended with a water fight! The shapes on the horizon is Turkey! That's cool right? 

2) Go on a ferris wheel at sunset: 

I know this sounds like a simple one, but I've never been on a ferris wheel before and getting to see the sunset from above was pretty awesome! That's something off my never ending bucketlist! 

3) Go to one of the most visited and most pictured places in Greece, Lindos: 

Lindos is one of those picturesque villages in Greece, it has old white buildings, beautiful bays, an acropolis, old chapels, weddings, merchants, everything you could want from a trip to Greece. I wanted to spend my whole day in this beautiful place, unfortunately for me, we only got 3 hours! But it was a beautiful 3 hours!

4) Go to an acropolis: 

An acropolis is essentially a citadel of ancient Greece, and the one I got to go to was the Rhodes Town Acropolis. This place was awesome! There was the Temple of Apollo, the God of music and archery, an old sports stadium, and we were told that they were currently looking for an old amphitheatre that was lost! There was loads to look at, and with the sea view, I could've again spent ages looking around every little thing, there were even goats wandering around the grounds. 

I got to do some other awesome stuff, I saw the Old Rhodes Town where the Knights of Rhodes used to live, I went to some pretty awesome parties, saw where two types of water met and didn't mix and all that cool stuff! 

But yeah! 

QOTD: Where would you like to visit? 

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

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

Tumblr: suchamagicalconcept.tumblr.com

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

Email: conniedalton@hotmail.com

The Hiatus has ended! || Information

Hello!

I know, guess what? 

I'm BACK! The past two months have been insanely busy with finishing my first year of university while balancing work and family but we are finally back to regular posting with the first post coming tomorrow! 

I'm so sorry it's been so long, but sure, we are back and ready to read!

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

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