GlossyBox - May 2018: Day Dreamer

I'm lucky enough to receive GlossyBox boxes and this months box is the best yet! The theme for the month of May is 'day dreamer' and the packaging definitely reflects that as it's so cute, pastel and whimsical! I love the box design for this months box and the contents are equally as dreamy.

*GlossyBox May 2018 (£10 + £3.25 P&P)

There are six items within the box, three of which are full sized and three of which are sample/travel sized items. One thing I'm finding annoying with beauty boxes and I have done for years is the constant inclusion of tonnes of skincare samples so much so that I end up with a mountain of skincare that I'll never use but the GlossyBox boxes always have a great range of items and this box is no different as it includes makeup, haircare, skincare, foot care and tea!

*Trifle Cosmetics Praline Palette (£15.55 - full sized)

Let's start with the cutest item within the box and it's a beautifully designed eyeshadow palette with a cute hot air balloon design on the palette itself. I've tried a few products from this brand over the years as it's a regular inclusion in subscription boxes but I'm always happy to try new makeup especially when it's this cute!

It's a full sized palette which pays for the box in itself and it contains six metallic, shimmery eyeshadows in a range of colours that don't really match the cute pastel and summery packaging as they are much more autumn and winter shades but they're still very pretty.

The shadows range from vivid purples and bronze shades to gold, grey and a stunning rust coloured shade which instantly makes me wish it was autumn! All of that shades are metallic and shimmery which I'm not a massive fan of and I wish there was at least one matte shade but sadly there isn't. The pigmentation is great, it has a smooth texture and all of the shades are gorgeous but not something I'd really wear so the first item is a bit of a mixed bag for me!

*Maria Nila True Soft Shampoo (£3.98, 100ml)

I have noticed this brand on blogs and social media so I was very excited when I saw a shampoo and conditioner duo within this months box. The brand intrigues me not only because of the gorgeous packaging but also because it's vegan, cruelty free and contains lots of great ingredients. The 'true soft' range contains a gentle formula to soften, moisturise and strengthen the hair which is exactly what my hair needs.

*Maria Nila True Soft Conditioner (£4.99, 100ml) 

The conditioner packaging is equally as gorgeous and as with the shampoo, it smells gorgeous! Both products from Maria Nila are 100ml each so they'd be fantastic sizes to take on a weekend away and that's what I'm going to be doing with them. The conditioner is designed to reduce frizz (yes!) and the loss of colour due to washing and hair styling - it sounds perfect!

*Gel Spa Just For Feet - Luxury Jelly Foot Soak (£4.99, full size 40g)

Next up is a more unusual but very welcome item, especially with the warmer weather we've been having recently in Manchester (which makes a nice change from the constant rain and grey skies). The foot soak comes in numerous sachets that turns the water into a gel! It moisturises and soothes tired feet with the scent of lavender and lemongrass.

To use, you fill a bowl to just cover your feet (don't use too much water as it will affect the results), add in the foot soak powder and watch the water turn into a gel like consistency and let your feet soak. Then use the second step to magically turn the gel back into a liquid!

*Kueshi Facial Makeup Remover (£10.50, full sized - 100g)

The final item is a 'double effect' makeup remover which claims to remove makeup as well as calming the skin. It's a bi-phase style makeup remover so you have to shake it before you use it to distribute the softening oils. It's a great makeup remover and so far it hasn't irritated my skin which is a relief whenever I try new skincare!

There is one extra item included in the May box and it's a sample sachet of the *We Are Tea Earl Grey Supreme Black Tea but you could have received the 'sleep good night' tea instead. This is the first time I've tried early grey tea and I actually loved it!

Use the code: HEATHER15 which will give 15% off one month subscriptions at checkout and is valid until the end of this month 

What do you think of the May Day Dreamer GlossyBox? Have you tried any of these products or brands?

*affiliate link and gifted

I don't have affiliate accounts anymore 

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Infini Roses

You may have noticed that as well as cosy blankets, I typically have a lot of fresh flowers in my posts and social media. When I first started blogging, I didn't use any props as I thought they looked so odd next to products (and some props still do) but I love how fresh flowers, blankets and ribbons look in photos - the only problem with fresh flowers is they only last for a week or so before they're unusable but in comes Infini London to the rescue.

*Infini London Light Pink Roses (£19.99 each)

Infini London make a range of gorgeous rose boxes as well as single roses which are available in a wide range of shades pink, red, orange, white and more unusual shades such as gold, peach, blue, navy, purple, yellow and even black! I opted for the pretty light pink roses as they fit with my photography style and tones perfectly.

Each rose, whether singular roses or within a box, are all treated using an intricate and environmentally friendly process that preserves the roses so that they last so much longer than fresh, untreated roses. The process allows the roses to maintain their freshness for up to one year which is incredible and there is no watering needed!

The roses are the perfect combination of a fresh real rose and an artificial flower so that the real roses look fresh and new but they don't need any maintenance or water. The only measures you have to take is to avoid leaving them in direct sunlight and high humidity. I've been using my roses already for blog photos, you may have seen them on my blog or social media! I cannot recommend them enough!

Have you heard of Infini London? What do you think of roses that last for a year?

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April Reading Wrap-up 2018

March was an amazing reading month and thankfully April was just as good! I managed to read 10 physical books, two audiobooks and three short e-books. I did read a couple of fantastic books this month and my two favourite books from April have to include: Flame In The Mist and A Hero Born, both of which I loved. For 2018 I set myself a goal of reading one longer book each month and I'm categorising books over 500 pages as a 'long' book - my pick for this challenge in April was The Tiger And The Wolf by Adrien Tchaikovsky.

*The Sealwoman's Gift by Sally Magnusson (384 pages) ★★★

April has been a month of worldwide reading for me as I've read books set in Japan, China/Mongolia, Iceland, Algiers, Morocco and the UK with this book being set partly in Iceland and partly within the Ottoman Empire/Algiers with mentions and brief trips to Italy and Denmark too. In terms of geography, I don't think my reading has been this varied for a while!

A historically true event is the basis of this story and it's mentioned within another book I've read this month (Out Of Thin Air) in which a group of Icelandic people were taken as slaves to Agiers. We mainly follow one family's journey, struggles and hardships as they try to fit into a new land and being separated. Asta is the main view point we follow as well as her husband and she copes by telling the stories of her homeland. It was so interesting and heartbreaking to read about their captivity and struggle for freedom and to keep their family together. I loved the writing style as it was set in the past but the writing style is very contemporary and refreshing. It wasn't quite what I'd expected and it was very slow (which I did struggle with at times) but I'd definitely recommend it.

*A Hero Born by Jin Yong (416 pages) ★★★★

Three of my favourite books from April are all set within Asia - two within Japan and A Hero Born which is set within China/Mongolia. A Hero Born is a very popular book in China as it's sold of 300 million copies since it's publication in 1957 but it was only translated into English this year! I adore the cover and I'm so glad that I was sent an arc because it's definitely one of my favourite books of the year!

We follow a tale of epic proportions which spans years and involves revenge, family ties, friendship and lots of kung fu! The story begins with a chance encounter by brothers in arms, Skyfury Guo and Ironheart Yang with Qiu Chuji, the latter is a Taoist and master of kung fu. After an attack, the brothers in arms are both presumed dead and their pregnant wives are forced to flee. Qiu Chuji makes a pledge with the Seven Freaks Of The South (a group of nomadic Robin Hood kung fu masters, almost) to find the pregnant women and train their children in the noble art of kung fu - after which they'll fight to see who is the better fighter/trainers.

I'll be honest and admit that I was a little intimidated, not only because it's so beloved but also because it's set within a culture I know very little about; additionally the characters names and place names are fairly difficult to pronounce too. However, I liked the writing on the whole although I think the translation is definitely a little odd at times but after the initial difficulties, it became such an interesting, entertaining and enjoyable read! I loved the classic feel to it and the characters of the Seven Freaks Of The South along with Guo Jing and the terrifying character of Cyclone Mei! The only issue I had was with the plethora of names for the numerous kung fu moves (it became fairly confusing!) and there was one scene that was utterly ridiculous - Lily Li, one of the pregnant women, was running and fell unconscious after which she was surprised to find that she'd given birth unaided while unconscious...However, despite that I'm so surprised by how much I adored this book and now I cannot wait for the second in the ten book series which will be published next year. Thanks MacLehose Press for an early copy!

*Out of Thin Air: The Peculiar Story of Iceland's Most Infamous Criminal Cases by Anthony Adeane (304 pages) ★★★

My non-fiction read for the month of April was this fascinating true account of two disappearances and subsequent deaths of two men in Iceland back in 1974. Iceland has an incredible low crime rate so anything like this will naturally leave a mark on the nations memories and history. The book not only follows the investigations and lives of the missing individuals and people surrounding the case but also the folklore, history and culture concerning the beautiful country of Iceland which I found very interesting as I know very little about Iceland in general. One topic that this non-fiction read mentions is the kidnapping of Icelandic people by Danish/North African pirates in the 1600's which is a coincidence as this event is the basis of the events of The Sealwoman's Gift by Sally Magnusson.

I adore the cover, it's a fairly quick read and it's incredible interesting due to all of the rumours, conjecture and secrets around the disappearances, deaths and botched investigation. The plethora of characters and the timeline jumping around a bit did make for a slightly confusing read at times but I'd still recommend this book as it's ideal for those who like true crime, mysterious non-fictions reads and who want to learn a little about Icelandic history and politics; however I can see why it wouldn't quite be for everyone.

*Under The Knife by Arnold Van De Laar (368 pages) ★★★

Another non-fiction read for the month is a new release from a Danish surgeon all about the history of surgery, focusing on 28 specific operations that changed the field. That premise alone is intriguing but if it is just focused on the medical side of the operations then I would have found it a little too much and potentially boring; however, for each operation, process or tool we look at the history of the procedure, the method of the operation and various famous or infamous people in history who have had that specific operation. Just some of the famous individuals featured within the book include: Queen Victoria, JFK, Houdini and various popes!

I liked the writing and the layout of the book as it split the operations up into short chapters which allowed me to read it fairly quickly and easily. I definitely enjoyed the history side of the book more than the medical side but together they made for an interesting non-fiction read for those who love medical history, historical figures and the evolution of various surgical operations. History in general as well as medical history as intrigued me since secondary school so I found this book very interesting. However, it won't be for everyone as it's fairly detailed and specific when it comes to the method of the operations so if you are squeamish then proceed with a little caution.

*What Lies Within by Annabelle Thorpe (352 pages) ★★★

As with a few of the other books in this post, this read already has a full review posted on my blog so I won't go too much into it here but in the novel we follow three friends, Freya, Paul and Hamad as they are reunited in Morocco. What follows is a very tangled web of lies, secrets, betrayal and death in the very beautiful, colourful country of Morocco. I liked the writing, it was a very quick read and I think it would make the perfect summer holiday read - I'd definitely recommend this book if you like mystery thrillers.

*Carnivore by Jonathon Lyon (432 pages) ★★★

I was instantly intrigued by this novel because of the striking cover and the premise sounded interesting and very vague so I didn't really know what I was getting into - the only thing I knew was that it was related in some way to the authors experience of chronic pain. I partly read the arc I was kindly sent and I also listen to it partly on BookBeat. We follow Leander who seems to be suffering with chronic pain and synesthesia, among other issues as he leaves a trail of drug use and manipulation in his wake.

This novel is described as 'the most controversial debut literary thriller of 2017' and I think that's a great way to describe it as it's definitely a polarising book. I found it to be an interesting read overall but it's incredibly graphic, disturbing and extreme at times with potentially triggering topics of chronic pain, illness, manipulative relationships, abuse/rape and drug use. I have very mixed feelings about this book but ultimately I think I would recommend it.

*Japonisme by Erin Niimi Longhurst (277 pages) ★★★★

Surprise book mail is always very welcome, especially when it's from Harper Collins! I was very kindly sent this gorgeous hardback copy of a non-fiction read all about the Japanese culture, recipes and how to implement the Japanese lifestyle to lead a happier, healthier life. It's beautifully illustrated by Ryo Takemasa.

This read is very similar in it's style, concept and layout to the books about hygge that I've read such as The Little Book Of Hygge which I loved so I knew I'd like this book! It's pretty much a combination of a cook book, gardening guide, non-fiction read on the Japanese culture and self help book. It contains everything from mindfulness, gardening and flower arranging to calligraphy, how to assemble a bento box and make sushi and chopstick etiquette. I think it's a wonderful little book that's perfect to dip in and out of - I cannot recommend it enough!

*Flame In The Mist by Rene Adhiere (416 pages) ★★★★

In March I read one of my favourite YA books of the past year or so which was Children Of Blood And Bone and within April I read another YA fantasy that is very high up on my list of my all time favourite YA reads! As with Children Of Blood And Bone, this book focuses on a culture that I'm not very familiar with and I cannot recommend both books enough!

We follow Mariko, who is the daughter of a powerful and prominent samurai as she is being taken to the palace of the emperor to meet her betrothed, the illegitimate son of the emperor when her convoy is attacked. Her attackers are supposedly part of the infamous, brutal Black Clan so Mariko is forced to find out a way to infiltrate the Black Clan, what follows is a very Mulan themed adventure with magic, fight scenes and obviously, romance - because it wouldn't be a YA book without romance.

The writing was quick and easy, I loved the setting, culture and fight scenes and I also adored the magic but it wasn't explored as much as I hoped it would be - I think it might be more prominent in the next book *fingers crossed*. The Japanese culture and setting made it a very unique read for me, I liked the strong Mulan vibes I was getting from this book and I ultimately liked the romance. The group of Robin Hood type killers and thieves also appeals to me. It's one of my favourite YA books of the past year or so and I cannot recommend it enough. I now need the second book but it isn't released until June this year!

*Turn A Blind Eye by Vicky Newman (384 pages) ★★★

I've already posted a full review on my blog which you can read if you want but I'll explain it briefly here: we follow detective inspector Maya Rahman after the death of her brother as she is set to investigate the murder of the headmistress of her former school. The characters were interesting and the diversity and issues explored is very refreshing and needed within such a white male centric genre. The mystery of the deaths was compelling and I wanted to find out how the book would conclude. However, I found it to be too slow paced for me personally and the dialogue was a little too much at times and bogged down the story. Additionally, the motives of the killer seemed a little weak and flimsy which did pull me out of the story a little. With that being said, I'd still definitely recommend it but be aware of the potentially triggering topics of suicide, arranged marriage, religion, racism, sexism and murder/illness.

*The Tiger And The Wolf by Adrien Tchaikovsky (608 pages) ★★★

My genres this month have mainly consisted of thrillers and fantasy, both of which are my favourite genres so I wanted to carry on and read an adult fantasy novel. I was very kindly sent the entire trilogy from the lovely people over at Pan Macmillan/Tor so thank you! I will review the books in my monthly wrap-ups but I'll also have a full post reviewing the trilogy as a whole when I've finished all three books.

This is the first book in the adventure/high fantasy series and we follow Maniye who is part of the wolf clan but she is viewed as an outcast because her mother was the queen of the tiger clan which means that Maniye can transform into both a wolf and a tiger. She escapes, helps a prisoner of the wolf clan escape too (who is a priest of the snake) and now a killer is sent to find her.

For the first 30% or so, I found it a little confusing and there was so much information to understand that it felt very bogged down, intimidating and daunting but thankfully the rest of the book was fast paced, intriguing and compelling. I loved the characters of Maniye, Hesprec, Loud Thunder and Broken Axe, they made for very unique characters. It had a feel of being native american or South American inspired. I liked the writing but it definitely took me a while to get into and the vast amount of information about the various gods, numerous tribes, tribal stories/memories and backstory was very info-dumpy (not a word, I know) and bogged down at times. Additionally I found the character of Asmander and his journey far less interesting than Maniye's story. Despite some of the negatives, the more I read, the more I become invested and interested in the story!

*Quidditch Through The Ages by J.K Rowling (129 pages) ★★★

I have been wanting to read these short Harry Potter themed e-books for a while so when I had a free trial of Kindle Unlimited, I was able to read the Quidditch Through The Ages e-book for free. It's a short e-book created by J.K Rowling for charity. The book is a short annotated history of the game of quidditch including the origins of the game, it's best players, the moves and it's top teams. It made for a very quick, easy and entertaining read, perfect for Harry Potter fans.

*Inferior by Angela Saini via BookBeat ★★★ (3.5)

My second audiobook of the month is a non-fiction audiobook related to feminism, the persecution and subjugation of women, gender roles and sexual behaviour of animals as well as everything from various scientific experiments, societies views of women and female genital mutilation. It made for a interesting audiobook with a fair amount of the information that I already knew but various studies I'd never heard of. I read it partly as a Netgalley arc but mostly as a BookBeat audiobook - I'd definitely recommend the audiobook! I think it would make an essential read for women and especially men!

*Guns by Stephen King (25 pages - ebook) ★★★

Another very quick read that I read for free with a Kindle Unlimited trial is an essay written by Stephen King (the Stephen King) about his views on school shootings, guns and gun control. It definitely made for an interesting and heart breaking read in which I do agree with a fair amount of King's opinions. He also addresses the influence of his first book on a few aborted school shootings too which I didn't know about. I'd definitely recommend this very topical and controversial short read.

*Marie Curie - The Radium Fairy by Chantal Montellier (50 pages) ★★★

I was sent this short graphic novel/comic book via Netgalley. It illustrates the life and work of Marie Curie, one of the most famous female scientists, including her early life, her relationships (particularly with her accomplished husband), her own accomplishments and her impact. I liked the illustration style, it's a quick and easy but enjoyable graphic novel about such an incredible woman! As well as being a great mini graphic novel, it also contained lots of photographs of Marie, her family  and colleagues which I hadn't seen before. It did contain so much information that I already knew from college and documentaries but I'd still recommend it.

*The Gamers' Survival Guide by Matt Martin (64 pages) ★★★

Last but not least is a very short hardback book I received in the April My Geek Box - you can read my review on All Subscription Boxes. It's a short, fun and quirky book that actually had some surprisingly great advice for gamers but the rest is just a bit ridiculous. I think it would make a fun little gift for gamers.

Have you read any of these books? What have you been reading? 

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March + April Food Favourites

I haven't published a favourites post for a couple of months, my previous favourites post was published back in February which seems like forever ago so I thought I'd write about some of my current favourite snack items that I was very kindly sent from Ombar, NutreeLife and Squbes.

*Ombar Chocolate Bars (£1.99 each, 35g) 

I'll be honest and say that I'm not a massive chocolate fan *don't get the pitchforks out just yet* but I do love vegan chocolate as it tends to be far less sickly sweet and rich compared to chocolate that includes dairy. I was very kindly sent a few of the mini bars and buttons from Ombar, the buttons didn't even make it long enough to be photographed before it was mysteriously empty...

I adore the packaging of their products, they are all organic and vegan and they are available in a wide range of very unique flavours such as lemon and green tea (which sounds amazing), coconut, raspberry and coconut and blueberry and açai. The bars are gluten free, free from refined sugar and contain great natural ingredients.

I have the following flavours, 72% cacao, goji berry, coconut 60% and raspberry and coconut, the latter is definitely my favourite of the flavours I've tried. It's part of the 'ombar centre' range so the chocolate bar has a delicious creamy centre subtly flavoured with raspberry and coconut. I almost ate the whole 35g bar at once as it's just so moreish but I perforated an amazing feat of human strength and resisted eating it all. I cannot recommend these delicious vegan chocolate bars enough!

*Squbes Snackable Savoury Seed Cubes (£2.50, 100g or 90p 30g)

Next up is a very unusual snack but they're so delicious and healthy! Squbes are small crunchy seed cubes with various flavours, seeds and spices. I have the 'spiced sesame and almonds' flavour as well as the 'sea salt and black pepper' flavour, both of which are very delicious!

They are a good source of protein which is definitely something that as a vegetarian/vegan I need to keep in mind. Additionally, it's high in fibre and they don't contain any refined sugar. The spiced sesame and almond flavour is very savoury, nutty and only slightly spiced, it's the flavour combination I prefer of the two. I was kindly sent some of the larger 100g pouches and the 30g options, the latter is perfect for keeping in your handbag or car for healthy on the go snacking! It's another snack that I'd definitely recommend especially as they're very inexpensive.

*Hawkers Popped Snack 

I'm definitely a fan of more savoury snacks than sweet snacks and one of my recent favourites has to be these Hawkers popped chips which are made from soya and potato! They are 94 calories per packet and they are gluten free, palm oil free and low in saturated fat. Additionally, they're high in fibre and a source of protein.

I've only tried the cheese and onion flavour and smokey barbecue options so far but they're both delicious and very moreish! The cheese and onion option had a flavour of the Sainburys vegan cheese (which thankfully I like) so I think it could be a little hit or miss but the smokey barbecue flavour is so yummy and I'd definitely pick up a packet when I see them.

*NutreeLife Protein Snack Bites (£16.99, 396g)

Lastly but not least is another healthy vegan snack and this one is packed full of vegan protein and fibre which is something that everyone should be being mindful of but especially those with a vegetarian or vegan diet as I do.

NutreeLife have a wide range of vegan protein snacks, bars and products all of which are 100% plant based! These bars contains over 5g of protein per serving, they are high in fibre and they only contain natural ingredients. The bars I have (chocolate/chocolate and vanilla) are also free from gluten, wheat and soya.

The products are vegetarian society approved and I'm so glad that each individual bar (22g each) is individually wrapped which means that they stay fresh and are great for travelling/on the go healthy snacking. The chocolate protein flapjack squares are the bars I like the most out of the two flavours I've tried as they are definitely chocolatey (almost a hot chocolate and chocolate biscuit flavour) but the chocolate and vanilla snack bites are great too! They do have a dry, crumbly texture which I wasn't expecting and I think it could put some people off but I like them.

They have a wide range of flavours of their snack bites and bars such as their strawberry protein cubes (which I definitely have my eye on) as well as their lemon and chia protein cubes. They also made a range of burger mixes, all of which sound great!

Have you tried any of these snacks? Have you tried any vegan protein bars or vegan chocolate?

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Early Father's Day Gift Guide 2018

If you know me, then you'll know that I love to be very organised and I love to plan so whenever there is something coming up that I need to buy for, I'll have the gifts months in advance! The next big gift buying occasions coming up for me include a wedding and Father's Day, the latter is on the 17th June in the UK. So todays post is an early gift guide featuring gifts that I think would make great presents for birthdays or Father's Day!

*Personalised Family Timeline Light Box (£39.99)

I love all of the gifts in today's post but I think one of my favourites has to be this stunning and very unique light box! It features a personalised timeline of various events of your choosing presented in a linear timeline with dates and a description of the marked occasions, for example, a wedding, birthday, holiday, milestone, promotion or birth.

I was very kindly sent mine from the wonderful people over at Find Me A Gift and I chose the Royal colour option which is a combination of beige, grey, blue and green tones but there are various others to choose from - I was torn between Royal and Metallic, both of which are gorgeous. I chose this option as the colours match so well with our living room with a hint of colour in the form of the blue and green.

The timeline light box has the appearance of a photo frame, albeit a very thick one but when you plug it in via the usb cable provided, it lights up! The illumination is fairly subtle but it makes all of the text and dates stand out and it makes it much more of a unique homeware item and gift. I haven't really seen anything like this before, especially with the level of personalisation it has. I chose to add the dates for my parents wedding, mine and my sisters birthdays, our first cruise, graduation dates and my dads upcoming retirement which I think he'll love!

When it comes to buying any gift for my dad, I'm always stuck for what to get that isn't aftershave, toiletries or food as he is definitely a little picky especially when it comes to clothing and shoes but thankfully the lovely people at Dobell have the answer with a range of fantastic formal wear, shoes and accessories to choose from as well as suits, wedding attire, tuxedos and gifts.

*Dobel Black Leather Oxford Shoes (£49.99)

One item that I know my dad won't be too picky with is shoes (thankfully) and Dobell have a great range of mens shoes, particularly formal shoes. I opted for the black leather Oxford shoes for my dad as they're similar to a couple of pairs he owns for formal occasions and I know he'll like them! There are a few designs similar to these on their website in addition to a wide range of colourful dress shoes loafers, brogues and casual options.

I picked the UK size 7 which isn't currently available on their site as I'm writing this post (1/05/2018) but hopefully they'll be back in stock soon. My dad was very pleased with them (which is impressive considering how annoyingly picky he can be about clothing, accessories and shoes) and the size 7 fits really well. They'd be great for work or any more formal occasion - I think he'd take them on holiday as cruises usually have at least one formal night on the ship where everyone gets dressed up! I'd definitely recommend checking out the Dobell site if you're looking for a gift option or formalwear for the men in your life!

I love to buy homeware, either for myself or for others but that usually consists of candles; however for a more unique homeware gift, Ginger Snap have the perfect solution. I've been lucky enough to work with them on a previous gift guide (Valentines Day Gift Guide) featuring their cute letterboards but they also make a range of gorgeous lamps!

*Mini Star Lamp from Ginger Snap (£22)

I was very kindly sent two, one of which will be featured in my upcoming wedding gift guide which should be live in the next two weeks so stay tuned but the lamp in today's post is this gorgeous star design! The star light is white and the base is rose gold (the cable is also rose gold) so it's a very blogger item so naturally I love it.

The lamp is a great size and it can be either plugged into the mains or computer via a usb cable or you can use four AAA batteries but I found the latter to be a little temperamental (maybe my batteries weren't as new as I though they were) as the lamp flicked slightly. I love the star design, it looks so cute on my bookshelves and the light is actually fairly bright so it's not just a cute decorative object. There are various options to choose from including a heart, cactus and flamingo design all of which come nicely presented! I cannot recommend the star lamp enough - stay tuned for my upcoming wedding gift guide for the second lamp from Ginger Snap.

The final item in my gift guide is a little more of a safe option rather than some of the more unusual gifts I've mentioned so far; however, the book is far from boring! I've worked with DK Publishing a few times over the past couple of years and I genuinely love their books especially the history and cookbooks!

*The Science Of Cooking by Dr Stuart Farrimond from DK Publishing (£20)

My dad's side of the family all love to cook and I'm no exception (although mine is more vegan rather than traditional English food) so a book I think everyone will love is The Science Of Cooking by Dr Stuart Farrimond! It's a beautifully designed and illustrated hardback book all about ingredients, cooking methods, the science behind cooking processes and even more. I've been flicking through it constantly since it arrived and it's definitely interesting and intriguing with so much information I'd never even considered before. It also answers lots of common cooking questions and myths which I think my dad would love to read about. If you're looking for a book for a foodie friend (or just a great coffee table book), then look no further!

What do you think of my early Father's Day gift guide? 

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Spring + Summer Audiobook TBR

I've been loving using the BookBeat audiobook subscription service for the past year and I cannot wait to continue listening to some amazing audiobooks! Audiobooks are a great way to boost the number of books I read, they help me reach my reading goals and the format means that I can listen to audiobooks when I can't read a physical book. 

As with physical books, I love to create TBR lists to keep track of the books and audiobooks I'm planning on reading/listening to. Keeping track is important to me as I need to be organised and I am lucky enough to be sent a fair amount of books by publishers so I need to know when I have to read them by. 

Usually I create monthly TBR lists but today I'm sharing the audiobooks I'm going to be listening to over the spring and summer months - some of which I've already listened to as I couldn't wait. As with my reading taste, I also have a very varied audiobook list with classics, fantasy, childrens, YA, crime and non-fiction books. 

The audiobooks I've already listened to include Inferior by Angela Saini which I cannot recommend enough especially as it concerns a very important topic - womens rights, equality and persecution of women. I'd recommend it to everyone, especially men! You will be able to read my full April reading wrap-up tomorrow. 

The second I've already listen to is Carnivore by Jonathan Lyon which is one of the most unique, disturbing and controversial books I've ever read/listened to. I would recommend it but it makes for very uncomfortable, graphic listening at times (well most of the time). It does concern potentially triggering topics of drug use, abuse, rape, crime and mental illness/chronic illness. 

Some of the other audiobooks I'm looking forward to listening to over the next few months include a few classics such as Notes From The Underground by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Rebecca by Daphne de Maurier, Love and Friendship by Jane Austen and a couple of childrens classics including the adorable Paddington by Michael Bond. 

The majority of the audiobooks on my latest TBR include fantasy and YA fantasy, my favourite genres! I'm currently listening to the fantasy book, The Count Of Broken Knives which is a little confusing so far but I'm looking forward to listening to it again.

If you wanted to subscribe to BookBeat then it's £14.90 per month and there isn't a limit on how many audiobooks you can listen to but you can get a ONE MONTH free trial using this link (it's not an affiliate link) rather than the normal two week free trial.

Do you listen to audiobooks? Have you read any of these books? 

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