Judging Books By Their Covers

Yes, I know. 'Dont judge a book by it's cover' amd all that. But some covers are just so gorgeous that it would be rude not to talk about them. Let's have a look, shall we?  Here are the top 5 authors on my prettiest books list:

5. Sarah Moore Fitzgerald

'The Apple Tart of Hope' not only is a wonderful book but has a beautiful cover. It is the only one I have seen for this books and I would say it's a great choice. It does depict the plot well but also leaves the story inside the pages, which for me is important. 

4. Sarah Dessen 

There is a more recent set of covers for all of Dessen's books which also look great, but as you will notice throughout this list I'm really not one for photographs on the front of books. I like to be given room to imagine the story myself, and I feel like sometimes a photograph forces you into a certain way of thinking about it. This is my favourite set of covers as they look so good together but each tell their own story. 

3. Sally Nicholls 

Again, Nicholls' novels started out with photographs on the covers, but these versions are definitely my favourite. I am really into typography, and you can see that the lettering is a very important part of these covers, as it is on all of my favourites. 'Ways to Live Forever' is definitely among my favourite covers of all time, it is just stunning. 

2. John Green

This will not come as a surprise to you, everybody and their gran loves John Green's covers. This is my favourite set, as it looks like a real collection and the bold, block colours make you want to pick them up.

Another favourite John Green cover is this edition of 'Will Grayson, Will Grayson'

1. Rainbow Rowell 

There is no doubt that Rainbow Rowell's books are fronted by my favourite book covers ever. All of the colour schemes and simple drawings are exactly what I would've chosen, and they really are perfect!

Do you have a favourite book cover?

Love, Niamh x

Monthly Favourites | May

May has not been the most exciting month in terms of purchases, but I thought I would share with you a few of the things I have been loving this month. 

Topshop Joni Jeans 

I will admit I used to be a 100% black leggings girl, I never understood why people would choose to wear something that I perceived as uncomfortable. But a few weeks ago, I actually found a pair of jeans that I like, and I've hardly worn leggings since! I picked out the light wash Joni Jeans with rips in the knees. They are so stretchy and comfortable and have really changed my mind about jeans. 

MAC Indianwood Paint Pot 

My mum picked this up for me at the airport on the way back from her recent trip away. It's a beautiful bronze cream shadow by MAC, which really does stay put all day. I am yet to experience any creasing or slipping with Indianwood, which are the main issues I've had in the past. I really recommend this for people with green eyes, as I have found that the slight orange tone really helps intensifying the green of my eyes. I like to use this with my Naked palette using 'Sin' in the inner corners and 'Buck' in the crease.

Rimmel Eastend Snob Lip Liner 

This liner is definitely my favourite discovery of the month, if not the year so far. 'Eastend Snob' is a perfect match for my natural lip color, which I've never been able to find before. Since this looks so natural, it is easy to slightly over line your lips for a fuller effect. This liner is known in the blogging community as the easiest way to Kylie Jenner lips, and I would agree. I also love the packaging, you really get your money's worth as you do not have to waste any product by sharpening. I like to glen this into my lips, topped with lip balm. At £3.99, this lip liner is an absolute steal. 

Eastend Snob and Indianwood swatched. 

Kure Bazaar Or Rose Nail Lacquer 

It is no secret that I love Rose gold, but until now I have never found a polish of that colour which I've loved. I picked this up in Anthropologie for £9 in the sale. For a metallic polish, this is definitely a more subtle and mature option. I currently have this painted on my toenails and it looks beautiful against my white sandals, I can tell this will be a great one for summer. I do not have a photo of this on my fingernails, so here is a swatch from Fleur De Force:

And here I have it dotted on top of Barry M's Rose Hip, a combination which I would recommend:

Let me know in the comments if you have tried any of these or if you are planning to!

Love, Niamh x

Lush Ultrabland Cleanser | Review

Lush's 'Ultrabland' cleanser is a gentle cream which melts away makeup and leaves your face clean and soft. I must admit that the scent is not the most pleasant, but I am willing to deal with that for the amazing results my skin receives from this product.

It is a relatively solid balm-like cleanser which melts right into your skin. On your face, this has a similar feel to Coconut Oil and also dissolves makeup in the same way. 

As you can see here, the list of ingredients looks extremely different to many of the skincare products you can find on the high street that are filled with chemicals. This is one of the most gentle products I have used and my skin definitely appreciates it. 

It took a bit of getting used to as I am used to washing my face at the sink using water, and this method felt a little bit strange to begin with. You simply massage 'Ultrabland' into your face and then wipe it off with a flannel or cotton wool pads dampened with water. This cleanser gives you none of the tightness you usually feel on your face after cleansing. Although I still follow up with my Soap and Glory moisturiser, it makes my face feel hydrated by itself. The founders of Lush named this their 'Number One Desert Island Product' and I can see why. After two weeks of use any breakouts have cleared up, and my face feels a lot softer. 

I purchased the 100g pot for around £12. This is great value, as you can see after two weeks of use, I have barely made a dent. I would advise not to use too much of this at once, as if it is not removed properly it can leave a slight oily residue. 

'Ultrabland' is a fantastic cleanser which I will definitely continue to use. If it makes my skin happy, it makes me happy! 

Love, Niamh x

Dash and Lily's Book of Dares | Review

Set in New York during the holiday season, Dash and Lily's Book of Dares was a charming tale which I think greatly illustrated the idea of falling in love with someone's personality. The curious notebook which was continuously passed between our two protagonists held their whole relationship between the pages.

The description from Amazon:

I’ve left some clues for you. If you want them, turn the page. If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.

At the urge of her lucky-in-love brother, sixteen-year-old Lily has left a red notebook full of dares on her favourite bookshop shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept. Curious, snarky Dash isn’t one to back down from a challenge – and the Book of Dares is the perfect distraction he’s been looking for.

As they send each other on a scavenger hunt across Manhattan, they’re falling for each other on paper. But finding out if their real selves share their on-page chemistry could be their biggest dare yet….

It is no secret that I am obsessed with John Green. After devouring Will Grayson, Will Grayson, I decided that the next logical step would be to check out some more of David Levithan's books.  Cowritten with Rachel Cohn, Dash and Lily's Book of Dares was my first selection.

The opening of the novel showed Dash discovering the little red notebook hidden on a shelf in his favourite book store. This immediately drew me in, as an unusual plot always does.  Although I would call this a light read, it was definitely captivating to watch the relationship grow and to feel their bond developing through only written word.

Lily really is a heartwarming character. She made me smile with her acts of kindness, and I definitely found myself rooting for her happy ending. I do feel that Lily is definitely more relatable than the male lead; Dash. Through no fault of the author, as I thought Dash's chapters were written beautifully, I personally warmed more to Lily.  In other reviews I've read, readers do seem to have mixed opinions about Dash. I have seen the word 'pretentious' frequently used to describe him.  While I do not agree with this, I do think to some degree that in an attempt for a quirky character, Dash has appeared a little cold and harder to relate to than the sweet Lily.

I think that a really important factor of this book is that the relationship is formed before Dash and Lily meet.  They love communicating through the notebook and sharing stories with each other, and are not caught up with what the other person looks like. By the time they finally meet, they have formed a bond so strong that although they are intrigued find out who they have been talking to, they know it will change nothing. 

Overall I really enjoyed reading this novel. Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist is another book written by the same authors, and is definitely next on my list!

Love, Niamh x