I love both books and dollar stores, so this blog post doesn't exactly seem out of my realm despite it being my first ever dollar store haul. If you didn't know already, almost ever dollar store has a small book sale section, each novel being.. you guessed it.. a dollar! Much like thrifting it can be a little treasure hunt to find anything halfway decent or something that isn't the twelfth book in some series you've likely never heard of (anyone else remember a time when the Twilight books were so popular that almost every YA section of a bookstore or supermarket seemed to be House of Night books or some iffy Supernatural themed love story? Good times.). But at the end of the day, a book for a dollar is a fantastic deal and it is totally worth sifting through the messy piles to find something. 

Here are my recent discoveries. 

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock

by Matthew Quick

This is one that was already on my radar prior to buying. This is about a 17-year-old boy who plans to shoot his best friend and then commit suicide, on his birthday. Not the lightest of topics, but something that falls into my niche of genre, I suppose you could say. 

I enjoy books that look into any form of mental health and given the many positive reviews I've read discussing Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock, I don't doubt that this story was written with the care that it needed to be. It's a scary world nowadays and though you may not want to bring that fearfulness into your bedtime reading, I think you can gain a lot from reading about difficult topics in written form and not just from a news source.

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Not If I See You First

by Eric Lindstrom

Let's be real here, I mostly picked this book up because the fun colours on the cover caught my eye, which is ironic given that this is about a blind girl. Parker Grant doesn't want to be treated any differently just because she lives with her eyes closed, and her list of rules on how to act around her will make sure of that. But her father's passing and her ex-boyfriend reappearing, her life and rules take a little stumble. But is it in the right direction? 

The thing that interested me most about this YA contemporary is the way that the burb makes it seem as though this book isn't actually focusing on Parker's blindness, but rather her life that she built around the disability. Though books bringing awareness to things that we might not know a lot about are important (see: above), I do think it is also necessary to normalise things that some people live with. 

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You Deserve A Drink: Boozy Misadventures and Tales of Debauchery

by Mamrie Hart

Who doesn't love Mamrie Hart? If you watch Youtube then you'll already know of this drinking, smart-mouthed, redheaded lady, and you're likely to already adore her. But just at the off chance that you've been living under a rock, this book is written by a comedian who started her career on Youtube. In this semi autobiographical book, she tells us tales of her youth with a fair few recipes along the way to insure that you have a grand old time. This is probably one you'll already know whether you're interested in, but alas, I strongly recommend it either way.

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Local Girls

by Caroline Zancan

I'm torn as to whether this one interests me, it seems like a cross between Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars, and some other girl centred show that makes you question whether the characters are written well or if it's a horrible representation of young women.

Revolved around nineteen-year-old girls - Maggie, Lindsey, and Nina, three best friends who have been brought up together and see one another more like sisters. When a chance encounter at their favourite bar puts them into contact with the movie star, Sam Decker, and their old friend Lila, things get weird and changes everything. That is basically all I'm getting from the synopsis. I can't  tell whether this is contemporary, drama, or a thriller/mystery (think We Were Liars by E. Lockhart). Have you heard anything about this one? Let me know!

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Two Across

by Jeff Bartsch 

During a national spelling bee, award teenager Stanely Owens meets his match in brainy Vera Baxter when they tie for first place, and the rest is history... Okay, it isn't. I just felt like that's how it was going. In actual fact, trying to get away from their mothers expectations, the two youngsters decide to get married for the cash gifts (logical), hoping it will enable them to start their lives the way they want. But in enlisting Vera to marry him, Stanely neglects one variable: she's secretly in love with him.

Though this rom-com sounding book seems interesting, I am a little dubious as to whether it's a good plot idea or not. What if their families just gave them toasters? The plan is flawed! Alas, I'm expecting a semi fun read with some hopeful ending about love. Watch this space.

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Radiance of Tomorrow

by Ishmael Beah

One of the more popular books in this haul, Radiance of Tomorrow is the debut novel of Ishmael Beath. The American dream was born of Europeans immigrating to a new home, one free from oppression and ripe with opportunity. The characters in this touching tale also dream of a home—though for them the dream means reclaiming Imperi, Sierra Leone, the tiny village that sustained them for generations, now in the grip of inexorable change. And therein lies the conflict that will make you care about what happens them.

I'll admit that my husband actually picked this book up, but the story does interest me. I think it'd be one that stays with you long after you turn the final page.

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So there we have it, these are my recent dollar store finds: book edition. Do any of the books appeal to you? Have you read any of them? Let me know down below! 

*Side-note: This post is in no way sponsored. I wish it was! I merely adore this brand and wanted to share my recent discovery on here. Who doesn't love new underwear?

Much like bras, it can be really difficult to find the perfect underwear. With a multitude of styles on the market and so many brands offering their own take on what's both sexy and comfortable, it's a world that can often lead you astray and leave you quite overwhelmed. 

When shopping for underwear my main requirements are:

Fit: I want something that flatters but doesn't feel like I'm in some bondage getup.

Price: No one wants to spend almost £50 on 10 pairs of what can essentially be a piece of string.

Material: Softness and breath-ability is key.

How I Feel: Much like a good bra, a pair of panties can completely change how you feel in certain styles of clothing. Confidence starts with you.

Style: As comfortable as the four pack of basic cotton underwear is, sometimes you just want something a little extra for yourself. We all love something pretty, so why do we keep our favourite sets for special occasions? It's time to feel special every morning.

In a recent act of self love, I decided to invest more into my underwear collection. It wasn't that I fell out of love with my usual 3 for £7 from F&F (aka: Tesco), but I wanted to put something on everyday that made me feel good and I think a new set of underwear can do that. Hell, just wearing something that matches can do that. But whenever I searched online for some suggestions, I usually ended up on some overpriced website that felt forced or too limited in choice. Then La Senza came along. 

There used to be a La Senza store in my hometown, so I was already familiar with the brand and that prompted me to seek out whether they had an online store. Low and behold, they did! I went instantly to their sale section and bought a few pairs of bloomers (do people still call panties bloomers? Google says yes.) that I thought would work for my needs, and gave them a shot. I was instantly in love. Within a few weeks, I had put in a bigger order and now a good portion of my underwear drawer is filled with pairs of briefs that I feel good in and look forward to wearing each day.

I never thought I'd find a brand that I'd wholeheartedly love, let alone a brand that could offer me a selection of styles in multiple colours that also allows me to order online without any sizing issues. My favourite style is the Ultra Soft Boyshort Panty as most have a gathered fabric detail on the bottom which is super flattering and the material is heavenly - win, win. If you like to wear something a little more risque then La Senza still has your back with a large variety of more "fancy" underwear sets in the After Hours section. I have yet to try their bras, but will most definitely consider it in future. 

The site usually has some sort of deal going and free delivery, so be sure to give it a snoop. Treat yo self.

The point of this post is to obviously share this brand with you, but to also suggest that you do something that classifies as self love this week. You don't need to wait for someone to buy you something lacy, and you most definitely don't have to wait to buy such things because you're the only one that will see it. Confidence is hard enough for most of us, so why not help yourself a little along the way? Feel sexy for yourself.

Do you have a favourite underwear brand? Let me know down below!