My Top 5 'Sunlounger' Reads | Summer Books

It's a bit of a different post from me this eve'. Although it's no secret that I'm partial to a lipstick and a blush or two, you might also be interested to know that I'm rather fond of dipping in to a good book.  I used to be quite the little bookworm back in the day, and although I don't get chance to read as much as I used to, I always manage to find some quiet time now and again to really immerse myself in the pages of a story plot. I'll let you into a little secret here and tell you that I'm usually a fan of thrillers and crime genres (they fascinate me...as does crime-watch, CSI and all those prison documentaries on TV...) - not at all girly in the slightest but if I'm going to read a book, I prefer the ones that have you gripped from start to finish.  However, when I'm jetting away abroad, I must admit I prefer something a little more lighthearted and summery to read whilst I'm relaxing on my sun lounger.  I thought I'd give you the run-down on a few of my favourites - I know I always like to look through reviews of summer-themed books before I go away on holiday as I'm quite picky about plots and where they're actually set (I'm so fussy!?) If any of you are flying away to sunnier climes this summer, I thought it might give you some inspiration for some pool-side reading.  

Before I crack off, I shall tell you that the two books I have here are very well thumbed through. They have to be my most favourite beach reads ever ever everrrr and it's extremely rare that I read a book twice - let alone multiple times - so it just goes to show how much I really do love them. Sadly, I succumbed to the dark-side of life when the Amazon Kindle was released (let's take a moment to appreciate how ancient mine is...bless it's cotton socks... the old fossil is still going strong!) so I'm afraid I don't have a lot of physical copies - but I thought I'd give you an insight as to what's on there as well.  So sit down, grab a cuppa if you must and have a nosey at what's tip-top of my little summer library...

Out of the Blue | Belinda Jones | Link

This has to be my most favourite beach read.  It's set in Crete (which also happens to be where I'm jetting away to this summer so it's even more appropriate) and it's got everything in there a girl could possibly want from a sunlounger read - sun, sea, dare i say - a bit of sex - (oo-er missus - just don't expect your 50 Shades of Grey talk though - there's none of that funny business in there)  and it's topped off with Belinda Jones' fabulous humour and witty way of writing.   It's the typical storyline really - girl gets fed up of daily life...jets away somewhere sunny and carefree... falls in love with some exotic studmuffin and the rest is history.  Of course, there's a few twists and turns in there and it does keep you reading to find out how things pan out - but for me, it's the way the author writes that keeps me reading. What's great about Belinda Jones' books is that she writes about places she's actually travelled - and you definitely get a sense of realism when you read her stories.  This is my favourite of the bunch but she's also has books set in LA, Italy, Tahiti and Las Vegas to name a few - all perfect books if you want to escape somewhere else for a little while. If you've ever had a cheeky little holiday romance then you'll probably enjoy this one even more - you'll really sympathise with the main character and I think this is why I loved it so much as it wasn't overly unrealistic or 'sickly' for the sake of a bit of hearts and roses - it was very real and believable.  I won't divulge too much of the plot as I don't half ramble on and I also don't want to ruin it, but I've provided links to these books anyway if you fancy having a more in-depth look at them.

Mike Gayle | Wish You Were Here | Link

I picked this up on a whim about 5 years ago on a drive to Tesco to pick up some last minute suncream (crikey...time flies). I'm so glad I took a chance on a new author and it ended up being one of the best holiday books I've ever read (you can tell I was sold on the front cover alone though can't you!? Someone was caught up in the sunshine state of mind!) It's definitely a more quirky read and it's not your typical 'holiday romance' book whatsoever so don't let the predictable title and slightly cheesy cover image fool you - it's filled with witty banter and typical 'laddish' humour but that's exactly why I loved it.  It's not often a book actually makes me 'LOL' but I found myself genuinely giggling and rolling my eyes at this one.  It's basically about a group of blokes at the wrong end of the 18-30 scale who book a last minute trip to Malia (again, set in Crete!) after one member of the group gets ditched by his long-term girlfriend.  They've been a tight-knit group since their school days and they begin to realise they just aren't cut-out for the clubbing scene anymore - it's really quite hilarious in parts. It's definitely got a little bit of romance in there too so don't let the slight 'man-ish' hint put you off - it's actually quite refreshing to read a story like this from a male perspective and I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish. If you want a beach read without the sickly 'boy meets girl' thing - this one will be a winner. Similarly,  if you loved The Inbetweeners - I guarantee you'll like this one. 

Paige Toon | Various

I thought I'd group Paige Toon's books together as there's a few written by her that I've really enjoyed.  My favourite has to be 'Lucy in the Sky'. She receives a text message right before her 24-hour flight sets off to Australia from a woman claiming to have slept with her fiance, admitting she's been seeing him behind her back.  Straight from the beginning you really do sympathise with the emotional turmoil she's put through when she can't do anything about it whilst she's in the air or find out the truth whilst she's so far away from home. It definitely made me feel frustrated in parts and it's not your typical holiday romance book at all but it certainly makes for a gripping read and you end up trying to figure out the truth alongside her.  Another good one is 'The Longest Holiday' - again, like 'Out of the Blue' by Belinda Jones, it's your typical holiday romance sort of story but this one is set in the Florida Keys. It's somewhat predictable in parts but it's one that I really found myself reading intently and it's great for a quick, easy read. My third favourite has to be 'Pictures of Lily', set in Sydney, Australia.  It's not really a summer book as such - it's more of a 'one that got away' story and you follow her emotional journey of being torn between the man she loves now who has recently proposed and her childhood sweetheart who she's never quite forgotten about. It's probably the most gripping of the 3 if you fancy dipping into something slightly different from the typical beach read.

And so there we have it - my Top 5 Summer reads. I'm definitely one of these people who latches on to an author - if I read and like one book by them, I'll often go through the whole bunch and pick a few favourites. Paige Toon and Belinda Jones have to be my 'go-to' for girly, lighthearted reads because I simply love the way they write.  If you're after a new book to take away with you in your suitcase (or even if you're having a stay-cation and need a dose of summer in your life) it's well worth looking into these ones or downloading a sample onto your Kindle (if you have one).  If you end up reading one of these on your summer holiday - do let me know! I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Have you read any of these books? What's your favourite ever beach read?

Holiday Haul & Ramblings

I'm back! For those of you who don't know, I jetted off to the sunny island of Crete in Greece last Tuesday for a big fat dose of relaxation and a bit of an unwind.  It was very much needed to say the least and I could have done with an extra week in the sunshine - although saying that, stepping off the plane in the UK was a bit of a surprise. I'm usually greeted by drizzle and a dash across the runway in the rain, but this time the plane doors opened and I found that the weather has most certainly followed me here! I have spent today blogging in the back garden in my bikini, ice cold coke in hand and topping up my tan.  If that doesn't kick my holiday blues in the face, I don't know what will (although I'm sure a little nosey through the late deals section for August won't go amiss either...) 

Anyway, before I ramble on, I thought I'd show you what I picked up when on holiday.  I don't tend to buy much when abroad - the craziest I ever went was when I found myself in Sephora (i need to make the point of going abroad to a 'Sephora-blessed' country again!) and the time when I bought a tonne of Mickey Mouse merchandise from Disneyland Florida (it's got to be done though?...) but aside from this, I don't really go bonkers in duty-free or with the souvenir shopping. I tend to treat myself to a perfume or a lipstick in the airport before I jet off, but I don't go mad once I'm out there... That over sized sombrero might seem like a hilarious idea at the time, but the reality hits you when you're home that it's going to have to be squished under your bed along with that plastic donkey figurine and Cypriot ceramic camel to gather dust for all eternity (this a true story by the way, I genuinely have a giant sombrero under my bed that I bought on a bit of a holiday-high...along with the donkey and the camel...I've since learnt from my impulse holiday purchasing!)

When I got to the airport in Crete, I wasn't expecting much more than a selection of knock-yer-socks-off Ouzo and a few 'Memories from Greece' chocolates - but to my surprise, they had a large shop with an array of brands including Chanel, Estee Lauder and countless perfumes - then I spied the Victoria's Secret stand! There was a large selection of bath and body products, along with a small section full of their beauty products.  Sadly, I didn't have much time to fully immerse myself in the goodies on offer, but I did manage to pick out a body spritz and a lip butter.  I spent a good while spraying all the different scents (there was so many I ran out of room on the majority of my limbs so took to spraying them in the air - it's safe to say you could smell me walking over the runway once I'd finished...) I picked out 'Sensual Blush' which smells really fresh and light - hints of floral but not too overpowering. I also picked up one of their lip butters - I'm a big fan of sheer lipsticks and buttery lip products so of course, I had to have one! I picked out the shade 'Dare to Bare', which is a lovely light warm pink shade with hints of coral.  I really wanted to pick up one of their mascara sets they had, but I didn't have time to fully choose one as my flight was called pretty sharpishly. Never mind!

When we were in Crete, we took a trip to one of the nearby towns.  There wasn't much there aside from a few bars and tavernas and typical shopping bazaars and little market stalls, but this floral phone case caught my eye.  Of course, I know the chances of it being the real deal are very slim (I might be a bit daft but I'm not stupid when it comes to these things!), but anyone who knows me knows that I'm partial to a bit of Cath Kidston now and again - I love her phone cases because I often do my nails in her 'signature' patterns and I like being all matchy-matchy (you can have a gander at my designs here if you fancy a nail art post!). For a market-stall find its pretty good quality and fits my phone like a glove - cannot grumble for under 10 euros!

Before I flew out I also picked up a massive bottle of Lancaster aftersun.  It's become a bit of a ritual now that I treat myself to a bottle every time I go away as I swear by it!  It's expensive (this bottle cost me £21.50!) but if you're a fan of having a tan then Lancaster's after sun will be right up your street. It contains no self-tan but contains ingredients that help stimulate melanin production and darken and deepen your colour, at the same time as helping it last even longer.  It smells amazing and sinks in so quickly - if you fancy a bit of luxury in your tanning regime I really recommend you try it - you can also use it on your face and as it's so light it doesn't feel greasy. I love it! (you can read an ancient review of it here..)  And of course, a holiday haul isn't complete without a sweetie or two! I slung a pack of Jelly Belly's Ice Cream Parlour mix into my basket on the way home along with the Cocktail Mix (not pictured) I love their ice cream mix and I'm a bit of an addict when it comes to flavoured beans... Such a big kid at heart!

So there we have it - a little holiday haul to welcome myself back to the world of blogging after a week away.  I had a good ole think whilst lazing around on my sunbed and I have so much planned for my blog - I've jotted down ideas for a new layout which is very much overdue.  I've also got a long list of blog posts I want to type up. I was overjoyed to realise I'd been selected for the Cosmopolitan Blog Awards Shortlist the day before I went away, so it's given me a bit of a kick up the bum! Not that I was letting my blogging slip or anything, but I want it to change slightly over the summer and I want to experiment with a bit of a new look and a spruce up when it comes to my blog navigation.  Watch this space..   If you still haven't voted and enjoy my blog - you can vote for me in the 'Established Beauty Blog' category here.

Have any of you been airport shopping recently?