I know this isn't something you would expect to find on a beauty blog, however believe it or not its coming up to winter. With winter comes the cold, the rain, the dark night and means cuddling up in a nice cosy room reading a good book, or at least for me it does. Therefore I thought I would write a really quick post about my favourite 5 books over the past couple of months, and also about a few I cant wait to get my hands on...so lets begin.
Top 5 Must Reads!
Hunting Violet - Alyxandra Harvey
"Violet Willoughby doesn't believe in ghosts, especially since her mother has worked as a fraudulent medium for a decade. Violet has taken part in enough of her mother's tricks to feel more than a little jaded about anyhting supernatural. The ghosts, however, believe in Violet and she's been seeing them everywhere. One ghost in particular needs Violet to use her emerging gift to solve her murder . . . and prevent the ghost's twin sister from suffering the same fate."
This book is just gripping from start to finish, and for me this is ridiculously rare. I have a really bad attention span, therefore if something doesn't grip me from the start...it gets ditched somewhere. Everyone really needs to read this book, its just a really good story thats forever developing and has millions of unexpected twists and turns along the way. Fantastic Book!
1984 - George Orwell
"Winston Smith works for the Ministry of Truth in London, chief city of Airstrip One. Big Brother stares out from every poster, the Thought Police uncover every act of betrayal. When Winston finds love with Julia, he discovers that life does not have to be dull and deadening, and awakens to new possibilities. Despite the police helicopters that hover and circle overhead, Winston and Julia begin to question the Party; they are drawn towards conspiracy. Yet Big Brother will not tolerate dissent - even in the mind. For those with original thoughts they invented Room 101...Nineteen Eighty-Four is George Orwell's terrifying vision of a totalitarian future in which everything and everyone is slave to a tyrannical regime. The novel also coined many new words and phrases which regular appear in popular culture, such as 'Big Brother', 'thoughtcrime', 'doublethink' and 'Newspeak'."
I'll be truthful, I read this in year 11, which was 3 years ago, and it was the first book I had ever read fully. Bad I know, but I found reading difficult, and this book changed all that for me...along with some help from my amazing English teacher who would explain parts of the story to me. Basicly its just a really good book, it opens your eyes to the world, and makes you think about so many different things you take for granted normally. A serious MUST READ!
Hush, Hush Series - Becca Fitzpatrick
"For Nora Gray, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgement. But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her then her closest friends. She can't decided whether she should fall into his arms or fun and hide..."
This is the most beautifully wrote series of books ever. Becca Fitzpatrick has just explained everything in such a clear way it transports you there, you feel everything Nora feels and you get so drawn in it's ridiculously hard to stop reading once you have started. The series include; Hush Hush, Crescendo, Silence and Final (which has just come out, and I'm currently reading)
Daughter of Smoke and Bone - Laini Taylor
"Errand requiring immediate attention. Come. The note was on vellum, pierced by the talons of the almost-crow that delivered it. Karou read the message. 'He never says please', she sighed, but she gathered up her things. When Brimstone called, she always came. In general, Karou has managed to keep her two lives in balance. On the one hand, she's a seventeen-year-old art student in Prague; on the other, errand-girl to a monstrous creature who is the closest thing she has to family. Raised half in our world, half in 'Elsewhere', she has never understood Brimstone's dark work - buying teeth from hunters and murderers - nor how she came into his keeping. She is a secret even to herself, plagued by the sensation that she isn't whole. Now the doors to Elsewhere are closing, and Karou must choose between the safety of her human life and the dangers of a war-ravaged world that may hold the answers she has always sought."
This is going to be the first book of a soon to be trilogy, which may just become the most incredible trilogy ever. I wasn't sure when I read the synopsis of this book, however the ridiculously endless raving reviews swayed my desision and i downloaded it, reading it during my holiday. I spend a week truly entwined into this book, its INCREDIBLE. There isn't anything else I can say about it because until you read it, you will not believe me how amazing this book is...READ IT NOW!
The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern
"The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. The black sign, painted in white letters that hangs upon the gates, reads: 'Opens at Nightfall. Closes at Dawn'. As the sun disappears beyond the horizon, all over the tents small lights begin to flicker, as though the entirety of the circus is covered in particularly bright fireflies. When the tents are all aglow, sparkling against the night sky, the sign appears. Le Cirque des Rêves. The Circus of Dreams. Now the circus is open. Now you may enter."
Truly the most enchanting story I've ever read. Its stunningly wrote and it just flows so amazingly. It keeps you on the edge of your seat and glued to the pages its just that good. Its a true magical, fairy-tale-esk book, for those who have grown up, but not really lost there love and passion for fairy tales.
Now, its also important to note that I absolutely loved the Hunger Games books, however I really don't think anyone in the whole world has not read them, therefore I thought I would keep it off the list.
Books I can't wait to get my hands on...
Entwined - Heather Dixon
"Azalea is trapped. Just when she should feel that everything is before her...beautiful gowns, dashing suitors, balls filled with dancing...it’s taken away. All of it. The Keeper understands. He’s trapped, too, held for centuries within the walls of the palace. And so he extends an invitation. Every night, Azalea and her eleven sisters may step through the enchanted passage in their room to dance in his silver forest. But there is a cost. The Keeper likes to keep things. Azalea may not realize how tangled she is in his web until it is too late."
Envy - Gregg Olsen
"Crime lives - and dies - in the deceptively picture-perfect town of Port Gamble (aka Empty Coffin), Washington. Evil lurks and strange things happen, so 15-year-olds Hayley and Taylor Ryan secretly use their wits and their telepathic 'twin-sense' to uncover the truth about the town's victims and culprits. Envy, the series debut, involves the mysterious death of the twins' old friend, Katelyn. Was it murder? Suicide? An accident? Hayley and Taylor are determined to find out and as they investigate, they stumble upon a dark truth that is far more disturbing than they ever could have imagined. Based on a shocking cyber-bullying true story, Envy will take you to the edge and push you right over."
Days of Blood and Starlight (Kindle) - Laini Taylor (sequel to Daughter of Smoke and Bone)
"Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a new way of living - one without massacres and torn throats and bonfires of the fallen, without revenants or bastard armies or children ripped from their mothers' arms to take their turn in the killing and dying. Once, the lovers lay entwined in the moon's secret temple and dreamed of a world that was a like a jewel-box without a jewel - a paradise waiting for them to find it and fill it with their happiness. This was not that world."
Hallow Pike (Kindle) - James Dawson
I saw this in WHSmiths not long ago, after reading the back cover I was determined to find a Kindle version and buy it straight away. Here's the synopsis; "Something wicked this way comes...She thought she'd be safe in the country, but you can't escape your own nightmares, as Lis London dreams repeatedly that someone is trying to kill her. Lis thinks she's being paranoid - after all who would want to murder her? She doesn't believe in the local legends of witchcraft. She doesn't believe that anything bad will really happen to her. You never do, do you? Not until you're alone in the woods, after dark - and a twig snaps... Hallow Pike - where witchcraft never sleeps."
The Tooth Fairy (Kindle) - Graham Joyce
Firstly, when I know the title sounds pretty rubbish and child like, however from what the reviews are saying its totally mis-leading. Heres the synopsis; "Seven-year-old Same Southall loses a tooth, and that night he's visited by a sinister, rank, foul-mouthed, mercurial Tooth Fairy, a demonic being that apparently only he can see, be whose malignant influence spills over onto his family and friends. The Tooth Fairy stays with Sam throughout throughout his growing years, teaching him to make mischief at school, influencing his actions. One day she insists that Sam have his friend Terry sleep over. That same night, Terry's father shoots his wife, his other children, and himself..."
Im waiting for Entwined and Envy to be released in Kindle versions, however if they don't hurry up I may have to give in and buy the book forms.
What's your favourite book/s?
Hunting Violet - Alyxandra Harvey
"Winston Smith works for the Ministry of Truth in London, chief city of Airstrip One. Big Brother stares out from every poster, the Thought Police uncover every act of betrayal. When Winston finds love with Julia, he discovers that life does not have to be dull and deadening, and awakens to new possibilities. Despite the police helicopters that hover and circle overhead, Winston and Julia begin to question the Party; they are drawn towards conspiracy. Yet Big Brother will not tolerate dissent - even in the mind. For those with original thoughts they invented Room 101...Nineteen Eighty-Four is George Orwell's terrifying vision of a totalitarian future in which everything and everyone is slave to a tyrannical regime. The novel also coined many new words and phrases which regular appear in popular culture, such as 'Big Brother', 'thoughtcrime', 'doublethink' and 'Newspeak'."
Hush, Hush Series - Becca Fitzpatrick
"Errand requiring immediate attention. Come. The note was on vellum, pierced by the talons of the almost-crow that delivered it. Karou read the message. 'He never says please', she sighed, but she gathered up her things. When Brimstone called, she always came. In general, Karou has managed to keep her two lives in balance. On the one hand, she's a seventeen-year-old art student in Prague; on the other, errand-girl to a monstrous creature who is the closest thing she has to family. Raised half in our world, half in 'Elsewhere', she has never understood Brimstone's dark work - buying teeth from hunters and murderers - nor how she came into his keeping. She is a secret even to herself, plagued by the sensation that she isn't whole. Now the doors to Elsewhere are closing, and Karou must choose between the safety of her human life and the dangers of a war-ravaged world that may hold the answers she has always sought."
During work one day I was walking past the Chanel counter and spotted a pink lipstick, it was somewhere iridescent and was a beautiful colour. After researching it and seeing what people had said about it, I wasn't very sure that it was worth the money. Later that week during a wander round the Leeds White Rose Centre with my boyfriend, I decided to have a look on the Dior counter in Debenhams, (Dior is definitely one of my guilty pleasures), and thats when I saw pretty much the same colour lipstick, however this time by Dior, who I already know does the most amazing lipsticks ever. Before I even picked it up my boyfriend pointed it out, and said how pretty it was...this is a very good sign as he has strangely good eye when it comes to make up and what colours may suit me. I had the beauty consultant put it on for me and it looked incredible, I had to buy it as soon as I saw it on, and lets just say its my new favourite lipstick.
The colour is just stunning, a beautiful fuchsia, with blue undertones, something which definitely makes a difference from the dull and dreary autumn weather we are experiencing at the moment. It's actually really quite moisturising on the lips, and the colour does not bleed nor does it dull throughout the day, it stays pretty and pink all throughout the day. It does have a tendency of staining the lips after wearing it, however I like that, as it means I can just add a shiny lip balm and it looks as if I have made an effort. It retails for £25, which I know is somewhat expensive, however for the stunning quality of the lipstick its definitely worth the price.
If theses one thing I love other then pink lipgloss/stick, its amazing eye shadows. I can definitely say out of all the brands, Urban Decay have the best selection of eyeshadows on the market. The new formula is amazing, the pigmentation is incredible, they last for hours without creasing or fading, even longer if you use one of their award winning eyeshadow primers underneath, and the overall colour range is phenomenal. Every beauty blogger will have raved on about the naked palette's as there beauty staples in pretty much everyones make-up bag, however now they have created new "build your own palette". This provides everyones with a way of making their own amazing, unique palette using their favourite shades, however i should state only the new packaged eyeshadows fit this palette, as the old versions don't separate from their original cases.
I did see this palette when it first came out, however it was 6-pan and it was too big for me to take around with me when i went away for the night, weekend or holiday, as it was just too bulky alongside my naked palette (which goes everywhere with me). Therefore imagine my excitement when I saw a 4-pan version displayed in Debenhams...lets just say excited doesn't even cut it
The other three shades I've put into my palette are; (from left to right) SWF, shattered and flash. There three really stunning shades which look great worn alone or put together, at the moment my favourite combination is "rock" and "shattered" which its just a stunning duo-toned colour, it blends beautifully with "rock" creating the most fantastic eye-catching effect.
"This fruity, fizzy party piece is a movable feast of delights. Contains everything you need for a celebration in your own bathtub. Drop a Party Popper cone in your bath and watch it spin into action, as it goes on a spree across your bath spreading colours, fragrance, popping candy and soap confetti. Softening your bathwater, fragrancing your skin and washing you clean." This sounds AMAZING, mainly the popping candy and soap confetti, but also looking at it my bath water is going to be a very special colour indeed. This is something that not usually gets fetch out at Christmas by Lush, but I like how different it is in comparison to the others, its fun and exciting. Cant wait to try this one, its definitely the next one I'm trying! These are £2.95, if it does as it says on the description, I will definitely be stocking up on it before it disappears of the shelves.
"A bath of pure white apple temptation on the outside – a secret colourful heart on the inside. This year we decided So White needed more fun in her life, so we’ve made an interactive bath that brings a splash of bright colour to December bath times. Run yourself the perfect temperature bath, then just before you get in throw this pure white snowball ballistic at the side of the bath. As the outer white shell shatters it will scatter a dash of pink fizzing bubble mix into your water." This sounded fab when I read it, the idea of it exploding with pink when it went in the water and loads of bubbles got my hopes up. However unfortunately it wasn't anything like i expected, when they say a dash of pink, they really do mean a very small slight dash of pink, and the bubbles literally mixed in with the water and disappeared. This was the most expensive of the 3 and at £3.20 each, there are really others which are much, much better.
"Our winter temptress shower hair and body gel that’s bursting with fruit fragrance and has a sparkle of ice through it. Now we must confess, it’s a mystery to us why this one particular product should become our No1 Christmas bestseller. It’s not your classic hippy dippy Lush herbal offering. Instead it is an intensely sweet, fruity pink shower gel loved by people everywhere." This is the best selling product within the Christmas Collection, it gets released every year and it flies of the shelves as soon as it comes in store. Last year I heard from everyone about how amazing it was, however I never really thought I would like how sweet it sounded, this year I thought I would see what all the fuss was about and OMG its amazing. I now see why everyone loves it so much. It can be used in the shower, bath, as a shampoo and also in the washing machine with bedding to make it smell incredible. I only bought a small 100ml bottle which was only £3.50, however I'm really considering buying a few bottles of the 500ml so that I can stock up on it before it leaves again after Christmas.