'Fins' Series~ Tera Lynn Childs

  
Seventeen-year-old Lily, half-mermaid and half-human, has been living on land and attending high school, where she develops a crush on a boy but is afraid to tell him of her true destiny as the ruler of the undersea kingdom of Thalassinia.

Now that Lily and Quince are together, mer bond or not, she’s almost content to give up her place in the royal succession of Thalassinia. But just when she thinks she has everything figured out, Lily’s father sends a certain whirlpool-stirring cousin to stay with her on land. The seafoam on the raging surf comes when a merboy from Lily’s past shows up—He asks Lily for something that clouds her view of the horizon. There’s a future with Quince on land, her loyalty to the kingdom in the sea. Will she find a way to reconcile her love, her duty, and her own dreams?  

When Lily Sanderson decided to remain Crown Princess Waterlily of the mermaid kingdom Thalassinia, she knew she couldn’t just coast along in the current. ButLily’s not sure she has the fins to lead a kingdom.
But Lily has to dive in deep to keep her promise to Tellin, whose kingdom is suffering in the changing ocean climate.They’ll need to create some serious waves to make the mer community aware and get it to join together to make things right. Just when Lily thinks her double life on land and sea can’t get any more complicated, an ancient mer law might separate Lily and Quince after all. It feels as if the pair is up against a solid tsunami wave!


I think that the thing I liked the most about this book series is how much it focuses on the environment and how what we throw away or don't recycle does have an effect on something/one, be it human, animal or plan, which in turn impacts our fragile environment. I know that this sounds heavy, but Childs skilfully manipulated the text to make fun, entertaining books for teens as well as having an underlying purpose which really packs a punch when viewed from the eyes of marine creatures, in this case Mermaids.

Lily Sanderson is a pretty unusual teen in high school, mainly because she is a mermaid and has only been living on land for 3 years. Not only that, but she is also the Princess of her kingdom Thalassinia. All this means that she can be quite naive in some cases but, as Quince says, she is very protective over those she loves. To me, these traits make her a easy character to root for and any opinions she has she will express. I enjoyed her determination to help the oceans and other mer-kingdoms even though she didn't get it right first time, I admired her courage to carry on. However, I did sometimes she over-used the puns and was sometimes so naive I found myself rolling my eyes.

Quince, on the other hand, was my favourite character and I couldn't find a thing to fault him on. He was so cute and sweet throughout and, even though Lily found him annoying, I would love for a guy to pay that much attention to me. He is really deep and really does care although Lily doesn't seem to notice this until the end of book one. He sticks with her throughout and stubbornly refuses for her to do anything which isn't in her best interest, even if this goes against them as a couple.

“Oh, Lily," He says shaking his head. "I know about love. About wanting and dreaming and wishing with every part of your soul. I know enough to recognise the parts that are real and the parts that are only in my fantasy." Ge turns his head slightly to face me,
and I find myself saying,"L-like what?"
"Like when she cries and my heart tears in to little shreds, and all I can think of is making her forget the source of her sadness." His face is blank, emotionless. his words -and the underlying emotion bombarding me through the bond- more than make up for it. "That's real."
my voice is barely a whisper when I ask, "And fantasy?"
"Believing she'll ever feel the same way.”

Overall, although it was a bit fluffy at times, I found these books easy to read and entertaining and (as previously mentioned) I thoroughly enjoyed how it addresses the serious matter of global warming.

“Quince...why didn't you ever tell her? This girl you love. Why didn't you tell her how you feel?"..."Because"- his voice is heavy with a kind of resigned sadness-"She doesn't want to know."

Please comment suggestions on how I can improve my review, what to review next or what you thought. Do you agree? Disagree? Did this inspire you to pick up the book? I want to know xXx

Books I want to Read in the New Year

 Hiya! So, it's nearly Christmas (but of course you already know that *duh*) which means it is also nearly time for a new year and all the things which accompany this; resolutions which will be given up on, new book releases and a fresh start. As you may have guessed from the title, I have compiled a list of all the books I want to read in 2016. Although some have been out for a while, they are all new reads for me and I am really excited to begin them. Look out for some reviews on them in the future xXx

• Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer ~ Rick Riordan
• Firsts ~ Laurie Elizabeth Flynn
• Poppy in the Fields ~ Mary Hooper
• Geek Girl: All That Glitters ~ Holly Smale
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them ~ J.K. Rowling
• FrostFire ~ Zoe Marriott
• Grave Matters ~ Jana Oliver
• Hidden (Firelight) ~ Sophie Jordan
• Terminal (Virals Book 4) ~ Kathy Reichs
• The Hidden Oracle (The Trials of Apollo Book 1)~ Rick Riordan
• Ring of Roses ~ Mary Hooper 
• The Night Raider ~ Marie-Louise Jensen
• Daughters of Time ~ (Multiple authors)
• A Good Débutante's Guide to Ruin ~ Sophie Jordan
   

Beauty Edit ~ Primark Beauty P.S.LOVE: Lips

P.S.LOVE Velvet Matte Lipstick Crayons in (left-right) NUDE and WINE

As affordable as it is good, Primark's beauty range it one I have bought a few things from so far, mostly lipsticks but also the Lift and Curl mascara (one of my favourite, go-to mascaras to date). I have 2 lipsticks and also 2 matte lip crayons from the range and I think that they have beautiful pigmentation as well as staying power. They also have a really good scent, kind of a strawberry/vanilla which, for some reason, reminds me of my childhood. They go on really well and have a great colour pay-off. Every time I go into Primark, I see a different selection of colours and, when I went on Saturday, I saw that they has the lipstick crayons for £2.00 so I picked up two in NUDE and WINE. Both of these I think will be perfect for Christmas parties or just for the Winter season. The only thing that did annoy me, although I think it has now been changed on most products, is that they had no names on them so it was very difficult to find  a colour again which I had seen previously. I'm very impressed that for such cheap product, they are really very good. I would definitely recommend them and I hope to do some other reviews on their products soon.

I hope you enjoyed my review. Please comment suggestions on how I could improve my reviews or which products I should review next xXx

Geek Girl ~ Holly Smale

 Harriet Manners knows a lot of things.

She knows that a cat has 32 muscles in each ear, a "jiffy" lasts 1/100th of a second, and the average person laughs 15 times per day. What she isn't quite so sure about is why nobody at school seems to like her very much. So when she's spotted by a top model agent, Harriet grabs the chance to reinvent herself. Even if it means stealing her Best Friend's dream, incurring the wrath of her arch enemy Alexa, and repeatedly humiliating herself in front of the impossibly handsome supermodel Nick. Even if it means lying to the people she loves.

As Harriet veers from one couture disaster to the next with the help of her overly enthusiastic father and her uber-geeky stalker, Toby, she begins to realise that the world of fashion doesn't seem to like her any more than the real world did.

And as her old life starts to fall apart, the question is: will Harriet be able to transform herself before she ruins everything?

This is one of the funniest books I have read in a while. It is about a geek who gets scouted by an agency to become a model. I really loved Harriet because she was just so relateable. She reminded me so much of me and her reactions to events brought me to tears I was laughing so hard. Harriet is really likeable and her best friend Nat is is sassy, witty and protective of her friends. Not only does this book make you laugh, it also brings out your geeky side and also contains many (useless) facts which I always had to repeat to the person closest to me. If you want an uplifting, funny story with a great set of characters, then this is the book for you! I have already got all of my friends reading it and I hope you guys pick it up as well.

               “Oh." Dad frowns. "Why hasn't Annabel been teaching you how to walk in heels? I thought we had an agreement: I teach you how to be cool and she trains you how to be a girl."
 I stare at him in silence. This explains so much.” 

 “I didn't need to transform after all.
My name is Harriet Manners and I am a geek.
And maybe that's not so bad after all.” 

Please comment suggestions on how I could improve my reviews or which books I should review next xXx

 'Beauty Edit' coming Tuesday 

German Christmas Markets xXx

Once again, sorry I haven't posted for a while, but on Saturday, I went on a short notice trip to Cologne in Germany to visit my family and, because of the season, the plentiful Christmas markets were brimming with foods, decorations and beautiful lighting so I thought I would share some of my pictures with you!

The main markets I visited were the one outside the ' Kölner Dom' (Cologne Cathedral) as well as the one in Neumarkt. However my mum and I did also visit a few others. I would really recommend you visit a German Christmas market at some point in your life. There are so many sights and smells which are so similar and yet so different to our markets and they look so beautiful, especially in the evening when the lights are on. In my opinion, the best lighting was in Neumarkt because the trees were strewn with these star shaped lanterns so they hung above you in the near darkness of the sky. It gave the place a really magical feeling. At the Dom (pictures left) there was a huge, and I mean huge, net of lights over the inner most stalls around the Christmas tree so when you look up, the sky appears to filled with stars. The tree itself was also covered in lights. Mulled wine and eggnog was also a common appearance in every market.

Please comment leaving suggestions on how to improve my reviews/posts xXx
Next post coming tomorrow

I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You ~ Ally Carter

I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You(Gallagher Girls Book 1) ~ Ally Carter

(Whoaa, such a long title)

 Cammie Morgan is a student at the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women, a fairly typical all-girls school-that is, if every school taught advanced martial arts in PE and the latest in chemical warfare in science, and students received extra credit for breaking CIA codes in computer class. The Gallagher Academy might claim to be a school for geniuses but it's really a school for spies. Even though Cammie is fluent in fourteen languages and capable of killing a man in seven different ways, she has no idea what to do when she meets an ordinary boy who thinks she's an ordinary girl. Sure, she can tap his phone, hack into his computer, or track him through town with the skill of a real "pavement artist"-but can she manoeuvre a relationship with someone who can never know the truth about her?  

First of all, as I was finding a picture of this book cover (I have the book on kindle, not as a hard copy so it was necessary) I noticed the most amazing thing which I had never seen before. The girl on the cover - I think that is supposed to be Cammie- is holding some  uncooked spaghetti. Those of you who have already read this will know the significance of this. 

"Cammie Morgan is fluent in fourteen languages and capable of killing a man in seven different ways (three of which involve a piece of uncooked spaghetti)."

Let's just say, that is as clear a hint as any that this is going to be a really good book. And it was.

 Cameron Morgan is an extraordinary girl who attends a school for spies, and although this book isn't very deep (but that was fine with me, I wasn't looking for an ethics lesson) it is filled to the brim with humour, great inner and outer dialogue and a super cute romance. Cammie is a witty and intelligent yet clueless when it comes to love. I really enjoyed the supporting characters, especially Bex, Liz and Macey, who are all relevant and well written. I thought that Josh was a bit of a fluffy character and I didn't really think he suited Cammie, but I did really enjoy the bad decisions and funny antics which accompany their romance, not least because Cammie and her friends have a whole hoard of gadgets and skills to help them.

 I would recommend this book to young teen but I also think it is just a fun, easy read for anyone. This series all have really good titles: 

I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You   

Cross My Heart And Hope To Spy 

Don't Judge A Girl By Her Cover 

Only The Good Spy Young 

Out Of Sight, Out Of Time 

United We Spy

And I think they are really worth the read.

Please comment suggesting which books/ beauty products I should review next xXx And, starting on Tuesday, all my posts should be going back to normal because my mocks will have finished Tuesday (Beauty Edit), Thursday (Book) and Saturday (Book). xXx

Runaway ~ Marie-Louise Jensen

"Charlotte's life has been torn apart. She must flee the city, leaving behind everything she knows.
With no family left, Charlotte seeks solace in the horses around her. She understands them, and they understand her. None so much as Belle, a horse so beautiful and kind Charlotte almost forgets the disturbing events that forced her into hiding.
But once you stop running from the past, it can quickly catch up with you . . . how long will Charlotte be safe from a stranger who has sworn to find her - wherever she tries to hide . . ."

 Yes, I know, another historical fiction. I just love to read them because I find the history in them so interesting and it make the plot so much more exciting. *sigh* I think I must have been born in the wrong century... Only a few pages into this book, I realised it would be another good one. Having already read a few of Miss Jensen's books, the bar was set high for this one but it has well and truly met and over-reached my expectations. 
        Charlotte is a really likeable character and she is also determined and very brave; she does things that other girls at the time wouldn't dream of doing.  I was defiantly swooning over Mr. John Lawrence, who swiftly became my favourite character, and I adored the sweet romance between them. I particularly enjoyed when he found out that Charlotte wasn't a boy because his reaction to the discovery was hilarious (well to me it was). 

"This explains many things which were puzzling me: your need for privacy, your difference to the other boys, your tendency to blush and to cry... my... my strange attraction to you which I couldn't explain to myself."

I read this book in a night and couldn't put it down because I just kept wanting to know what happens next.     
    Runaway is gripping, faced-pace and funny and I would recommend it to any who like historical fictions or who just want a really good read.

P.S. I did some digging about the setting of this book (coming from Gloucestershire myself) and came across this, written by the author, explaining her choices and ideas:
http://the-history-girls.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/settings.html




I also found this a really good website:


http://marie-louisejensen.co.uk/wordpress/?page_id=200


Go and take a look...
As always, please leave comments suggesting how I could improve my reviews or which books I should review next xXx

Christmas Present Ideas xXx

Is anyone else REALLY excited for Christmas already? I'm thinking of putting up my little tree for my room but I should probably leave that until 1st December. I had a think about it, an I came up with a few ideas for Christmas presents which I think would be perfect for Secret Santa or just as a general present. I hope you enjoy my suggestions and that they give you some inspiration as to what to get.

Firstly, I've had my eye on this for a while and have asked my brothers to get it for me:
                      

The Tanya Burr 'Deck the Halls' beauty calender. I think it just looks really pretty and inside has an assortment of 12 full-sized and miniature products from Tanya's range, two of which I think are limited edition...

It is really affordable (only £15 at Superdrug, down from £25) and it will give the receiver the joy of unveiling a new product either every other day until Christmas, 12 days before, all at once or whenever they choose to open a door.

Any book, in my opinion, is going to be a good idea for a present. This is the book from one of my favourite beauty Youtubers, Fleur de Force' and ,although I haven't read it yet, I think it would be perfect.
 And, at only £8 on Amazon, it is definitely budget friendly.





I got this book myself one Christmas from my nan. It is a book I have read many times and I think it would really appeal to any teens or young adults who enjoy reading historical fictions. It is by on of my favourite authors and is about a 15 year old Norwegian girl, Thora, in Viking times who finds herself travelling to the new land, Iceland, with a companion...

"Stolen from her family by Vikings, Thora's future looks bleak. Yet Thora has visions, and in one she foresees a daring escape with a new companion. The journey is dangerous, and a fateful encounter will change the course of their lives. Soon Thora will know hardship and bitterness of forbidden love. And all the while she and her companion fear their crimes may catch up with them..."

Who doesn't love a bit of Soap and Glory? The Relax Station not only contains a few of their most famous products, Hand Food, The Righteous Butter,  Clean On Me... but also a pair of comfy cotton socks to warm your feet on a chilly wintry night. And they are pink. 





 And Finally,
A home made Hot Chocolate Kit, Some Vintage Vanilla Fudge or a Cupcake Kit...
I think any of these would be perfect if you want to give something easy, heartfelt and cheap or you just love to cook.

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/snow-globe-hot-chocolate

 

 

 

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/992645/triple-chocolate-cupcake-kit

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3148690/vintage-vanilla-fudge

 I hoped you liked my ideas and that the give you inspiration for Christmas
Please comment suggestions on how I can improve my posts or which books/ beauty products I should review next xXx 

Next post coming Saturday 

Forsaken: The Demon Trappers ~ Jana Oliver

"Riley has always wanted to be a Demon Trapper like her father, and she's already following in his footsteps as one of the best. But it's tough being the only girl in an all-guy world, especially when three of those guys start making her life more complicated: Simon, the angelic apprentice who has heaven on his side; Beck, the tough trapper who thinks he's God's gift, and Ori, the strikingly sexy stranger who keeps turning up to save her ass.
One thing’s for sure – if she doesn’t keep her wits about her there’ll be hell to pay . . ."

Forsaken is the first book in Jana Oliver's 'Demon Trappers' series, and I'm going to be honest, I only picked it up because the author shares the same name as me. However, a quick read of the synopsis and I was really intrigued about who Riley Blackthorne was and what her story would be.
         Riley is a tough girl in an all-man, demon-trapping world and she is fighting to follow in the footsteps of her father. But she faces opposition from not only Hell's demons, but the other trappers on the Guild who are against a woman joining their ranks. I think that Riley is a well-written, witty character. Her tragic background makes you want her to fight through all her troubles and you can see how much more powerful she has become because of what she has been though. I also love her frequent sarcastic comments.
      Beck is the good-looking guy, who was trapping partner to Riley's dad, but also happens to be completely infuriating in his stubbornness. However, throughout the series, you begin to see the other sides to him which make him a deeper character than your first impression. Beck was probably my favourite character out of all of them because of his flaws and his history.

“Here I am with a seriously hunky guy and I'm covered in demon pee. Why does the universe hate me?” 

I love the storyline of the entire Riley Blackthorne series and was hooked from beginning to end. It is fast-paced and has really good dialogue and world building which really do add to the story and make it so much more realistic. The demons are seriously scary and I hope never to meet on in a dark alley, or anywhere really. Especially those higher grade demons, although the kleptofiends are adorable.
         I liked how the books had dual narration, one side being Riley, the other being Beck because you could see the differences between the characters and how other people see them as well as being able to really get under their skin to see their true thoughts and feelings, not just what the main protagonist can read from their face. I found that this really made the story come to life for me as well as the memorable secondary characters such as Masters Harper and Steward, the klepto fiend/ housemate, Peter, Simi, Justine and even Brandy. Overall, Forsaken was a really good read, and much improved by the following books, which is uncommon for most series *cough* Hunger Games *cough*. I really recommend you read these books and I promise you won't regret it. I mean, who doesn't want cute guys, ass-kicking and demons? Did I mention the cute guys?

“What did ya learn from this dumbass stunt?”
Here's where she was supposed to apologize, promise to be a good little girl and never do anything like this again.
Screw that.
Riley locked eyes with him. “I learned that the Holy Water better be fresh, that I need practice throwing the spheres, and that someone has to watch my back so asshats don't steal my demons.”  
    
As always, please leave comments suggesting how I could improve my reviews or which books I should review next. xXx
P.S. I'm really, really sorry about the lack of reviews this week. I had so much revision to do for mocks which still aren't over. I hope this review makes up for it and I will definitely post a Beauty Edit on Tuesday. xXx

The Other Countess ~ Eve Edwards

England, 1582

Ellie - Lady Eleanor Rodriguez of San Jaime- is in possession of a gold-seeking father, a worthless title and a feisty spirit that captivates the elite of the Queen's court, and none other than the handsome new Earl of Dorset...

William Lacey has inherited his father's title and his financial ruin. Now the earl must seek a wealthy heiress and restore his family's fortune.

Will's head has been turned by the gorgeous Ellie, yet their union can never be. Will is destined to marry a lady worthy of his status, so the only question is - which one...?

One of my favourite books of all time, The Other Countess has it all for me;  a historical fiction set during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1, check, feisty protagonist, check, dashingly handsome love interest, check, a gripping storyline, check, and a love story which can give you butterflies, check.
       Ellie is a character whose personality and background makes you root for her from the very beginning. I like her feisty personality and the fact that "kneeing one lord in the groin and kicking another in the shin" doesn't bother her too much when they deserve it.
        One of my favourite things about Will was that you really see him grow as the book continues, from a boy who, in the beginning, is scornful of Ellie and her father to a man who later ,against his pride, apologises to her once he realised that his actions and words were spiteful. 

I could write so much more about how much I love this book and this author but I would be in danger of going too fan-girly, so I'll just leave it at this...
     This book has an unput-downable plot and amazingly written characters. I was hooked and couldn't stop thinking about it even after I'd finished it. I would really, really recommend you read it. I just love it sooo much. And one of the best parts about it, it is a series so you get to find out more about the other Lacey brothers xXx

As always, please leave comments suggesting how I could improve my reviews or which books I should review next. 'Beauty Edit' coming Tuesday xXx

Just letting you know, I finished Mortal Remains by Kathy Reichs, and although I am mainly sticking to my first review, I have to say I was hooked by the end and I did really enjoy it. I will pick up another of her books and hopefully be reviewing them soon.

Beauty Edit ~ Maybelline Color Tattoo 24Hr

Maybelline 24Hr Color Eye Tattoo in 35- On and on Bronze. 65- Pink Gold and 05- Eternal Gold

 The Maybelline Color Tattoos are Gel-Cream eyeshadows with and excellent pigmentation and colour pay-off. They look so pretty on and can be worn on their own (swiped over the lid), as a base or as a pop of colour or accent on the lid which makes them a really useful, versatile product. I have found them to crease slightly as the day goes on but this is quickly remedied by swiping over the colour again with your finger or a brush or, alternatively, by dusting a powder eyeshadow of the same or similar colour over the top to set it into place. I love these products, I've found them really useful and easy to use and I will definitely buy more and repurchase my existing collection. The next colour on my wish list is 70- Metallic Pomegranate which I think will make the perfect autumn eye look when pared with a gold shimmer accenting the inner corner and under the eye.

As always, please leave comments suggesting how I can improve my reviews or which products I should try next
Next book post coming Saturday xXx

Fallen Grace ~ Mary Hooper

Grace Parkes has just had to do a terrible thing. Having given birth to an illegitimate child, she has travelled to the famed Brookwood Cemetery to place her small infant's body in a rich lady's coffin. Distraught and weeping, Grace meets two people at the cemetery: Mrs Emmeline Unwin and Mr James Solent. These two characters will have a profound affect upon Grace's life. But Grace doesn't know that yet. For now, she has to suppress her grief and get on with the business of living: scraping together enough pennies selling watercress for rent and food; looking after her older sister, who is incapable of caring for herself; thwarting the manipulative and conscience-free Unwin family. Grace races to unravel the fraud about to be perpetrated against her and her sister.

Love, love, LOVE this book since the first time I read it. It only took me a few hours to finish, I was so wrapped up in the plot. I had read may books by Mary Hooper before; At the House of the Magician, At the Sign of the Sugared Plum, Velvet and many more and, as with the others, this didn't disappoint. Hooper has expertly woven in the facts with fiction to create an absolutely wonderful book which had me hooked right to the end.  I liked the character of Grace, how grounded and practical and strong she was, and as a girl of only 15 (I think) she is wise beyond her years as well as being determined yet vulnerable. These characteristics make you root for her from the start and you really want to see her get all that she deserves and more. I highly recommend this book and I hope you love it as much as I did.

As always, please leave comments suggesting how I could improve my reviews or which books I should read next xXx

Just letting you know, I will try, but might not be able to post until next Thursday because I am going away over the holidays and won't have access to a computer. So if not before, see you again Thursday for either a Beauty Edit or a book review xXx

Beauty Edit ~ Rimmel London Oh My Gloss!

Rimmel London Oh My Gloss! in 530 GO GLOSS OR GO HOME

 This is among my top three lip products so far this yeah which I have bought, which admittedly is only about 5 or 6, but it is the only lip gloss. I really, really love the colour of this. I feel that coral is just such a natural and wearable colour and that it makes your lips look really healthy. This isn't one of those really horribly sticky lip glosses either which is great because with longhair, one of the biggest annoyances is getting it stuck in your hair... This product has a lovely shimmer running through it which works to make your lips look fuller as well as complimenting the colour and I must say that one of my favourite things about this product is the want; a flat, tapered paddle shape which makes application really easy and quick. All in all, I just really, really like this and I will go and buy more at some point. Hopefully for Christmas, for which, by the way, I'm really excited about and I am planning two interchangeable looks for the autumny/wintery/christmasy time which I am looking forward to showing you.
It has also got the most gorgeous smell which just makes this product that much better. I really rate this product highly and recommend you try it if you haven't already xx

As always, please leave comments suggesting how I can improve my reviews or which products I should try next
Next book post coming Thursday xXx

The Prison of Oblivion ~ Izi Vsileva

My mum saw this book come up on a free eBooks site and thought I would like it so she sent me the link. I have to be honest, at first glance, I wasn't convinced. Even after reading the first few chapters I wasn't sure. I was confused, I didn't understand the plot and it annoyed me how many grammatical mistakes there were (although that may have come from its translation into ebook). It just didn't seem worth continuing, but I just hate to stop books part way through, so I carried on. And now, I have to say I' glad I didn't stop.Having not yet finished the book, I can't give a full opinion on it but Vasileva has written a strong protaganist, and once I had gotten part the murky start, I feel the plot has developed into a good novel.

I'm not yet sure whether I would recommend this book, but I will keep reading and keep you posted...

As always, please leave comments suggesting how I can improve my reviews or which books I should review next. Don't forget, 'Beauty Edit' coming Tuesday xXx

Mortal Remains ~ Kathy Reichs

I picked up this book when I was in the library the other day. I knew the author because I absolutely love her Virals series so I thought this would be a good read. My nan has also read many of her books and found them to be really good so I was really looking forward to reading this. However, I was only a few chapters in when I began to get bored. I know it may appeal to some people, but I found that there was just too much said about historical events which I didn't find added to the story. I also became really confused about Temperance Brennan herself; is she in a relationship, is she not, does she fancy her co-worker and who on Earth is Birdie?? A dog, human, pet? On the other hand, I enjoyed that Reichs gave details about her work in forensic anthropology so you do learn a lot whilst you read.
I haven't finished the book yet and I'm not too sure I want to, so I haven't entirely decided what my opinion on it is, but I will let you know if and when I finish the book. I tried so had to try and like this book and I will give it another go, but I just don't know. I do want to try some of her other books though...

As always, please leave comment suggesting how I could improve my reviews or which books to review next. Next book review coming Saturday. Don't miss it xXx

Beauty Edit ~ My Bourjois collection so far...

One of my absolute favourite drugstore brands has got to be Bourjois just because it is so typically French. I love how pretty the packaging is and the variety of products on sale. I have started a small collection which I hope will continue to grow and blossom into something amazing. So far, I have something for the eyes, cheeks and lips and next on my wish list are the Rouge Velvet lipsticks, the chocolate bronzer and one of their liquid blushes as well as a mascara or eyeshadow. So let's begin with the blushers...

Left-Right ~ Little Round Pot Blush in 34 ROE D'OR, Cream Blush in 02 HEALTHY GLOW

 My very first blush was one of the Little Round Pot blushers in the colour Rode d'or (Golden Rose) which I chose for its perfect pink shade with a hint of golden shimmer marbled through out and I have to say I am very happy with it. Although I have found it to be slightly hard to pick up, depending on the brush I use,it is fabulously pigmented and really buildable so you can get the perfect flush.

 The Cream Blush is the absolute perfect colour and delivers a lovely healthy glow to your cheeks, just as it says on the tin. With this one, I tend to just swirl my finger through it and then sweep that across my cheeks, making sure it is well blended so I'm left with no harsh lines. If I want to make doubly sure, I will then brush over that with a blush brush once it has converted to powder form. Which, by the way, I have found really useful because as a cream blush, it is very easy to apply and blend but when it turns into a powder, it also mattifys as well as adding colour, so it doesn't slide off you face. I highly rate both of these blushes and I will definitely be buying more :)

Now, moving on to lips, the bourjios Color Boost Glossy Finish Lipsticks claim a lot. They say they will:

• Give comfort and hydration for 10 hours
• They are waerproof
• Have SPF 15
• Give a bare lip sensation   

But, I have to agree, they do exactly as they claim! They have a good colour pay off and are really creamy and hydrating so I don't feel like I need to wear a lip balm underneath. There isn't really much more I can say about them other that I love them and will definitely purchase more.i decided to buy these when Zoella mentioned them in one of her make up haul videos and I honestly don't regret it.

Left-right ~ Colour Boost Lipsticks in 04 PEACH ON THE BEACH and 03 ORANGE PUNCH

ColorBand Eyeshadow and Liner Crayon in 04 ROSE FAUVISTE

Finally, the last product, eyes. This is the Bourjois ColorBand Eyeshadow and Liner Crayon. This is a holy grail product if you are a fan of swiping over the eyelid, blending and go eye look like I am. It is good if you are in a hurry and still want a colour on your lids, or can be used in the inner corner or to accentuate on the lid. It had a long lasting (24 hour) colour, it's waterproof and it is also smudge proof. My only query with it is how am I supposed to sharpen it?? I haven't got a pencil sharpener that big and it certainly isn't a twist up like the lipsticks.



As always, pleace comment suggestion on how I can improve my revies and also on which products/books I should review next xXx

Next book post on Thursday. Don't miss it xXx

My Top Ten Favourite Books

As you may be aware, I read. A lot. I always feel relaxed when I get into a good book. And a book, any book, can transport you to another place, another time or another like, and all you need to do is turn the page in front of you. So I am going to make a list for you (I love a good list) of all my favourites which I would recommend you read xXx

(Not in any order)

1. The Other Countess ~ Eve Edwards (series)
2. Halo ~ Alexandra Adornetto
3. Runaway ~ Marie-Louise Jenson
4. Dusk ~ Mary Hooper
5. At the House of the Magician ~ Mary Hooper (series)
6. Changeling ~ Phillipa Gregory (series)
7. The Demon Trappers ~ Jana Oliver (series)
8. Harry Potter ~ J.K Rowling (series)
9. Geek Girl ~ Holly Smale (series)
10. Cinder and Ella ~ Kelly Oram

And just as an added extra, because you are all my faves...  The Virals ~ Kathy Reichs (series)

As always, please comment suggestions on how I could improve my post or which books/ products I should review next.

'Beauty Edit' coming Tuesday xXx

Poppy ~ Mary Hooper

Poppy is young, beautiful and clever - and working as a parlourmaid in the de Vere family's country house. Society, it seems, has already carved out her destiny.
But Poppy's life is about to be thrown dramatically off course. The first reason is love - with someone forbidden, who could never, ever marry a girl like her. The second reason is war.
As the lists of the dead and wounded grow longer, Poppy must do whatever she can to help the injured soldiers, knowing all the while that her own soldier may never return home . . .

Having previously read many of Mary Hooper's books (I will be reviewing more soon) I bought this one as soon as I saw it and I knew it would be good. It is set during the First World War in England which I loved as I am currently learning about this time period in my GCSE History. It is also one of my favourite time periods to read about. 'Poppy' gives insight into the life of a parlourmaid turned VAD in the middle of the war and she is a very relatable and likeable protagonist. There is so much historical detail in this book, you really feel immersed in the time. I loved Hooper's portrayal of the 'Tommies' and I just found this to be an utterly enjoyable read. Have already recommended it to friends.

As always, please leave comments suggesting how I could improve my reviews and suggesting which books to review next xXx

Next post on Saturday, don't miss it xXx

Beauty Edit ~ Maybelline Dream BB Creams

 I think that everyone I know has, or has used one ,if not both, of the Maybelline Dream BB Creams and, like me, has really enjoyed them!

 The Dream Fresh BB Cream, says that it gives an instant fresh-faced glow without looking all made up, and that their formula enhances skin with 8 benefits in 1:

• Creates a natural glow
• Compliments skin tone
• SPF30 UV protection
• Hydrates all day
• Blurs Imperfections
• Oil free, non-greasy
• Looks visibly smooth
• Feels Fresh

And to most of these, I have to say it lives up to expectations. I love that it is a face product which gives SPF protection because I'm one of those people who can't stand the feel of sun cream on my skin, especially on my face. This product gives me protection without that added layer of yuck. I have also found the Dream Fresh BB Cream to be really good at blurring imperfections unless they are red or bigger than usual, for which I would recommend a concealer instead of a BB cream. However, I have combination/ oily skin so I've found that even though it is non-greasy, it still leaves me shiny faced. I understand that by leaving a natural glow, the finish is more likely to be dewy rather than matt, but I have found it to become slightly oily within an hour of application.
This product comes in 3 different colours; light, medium or dark.

The Dream Pure BB Cream boasts most of the same benefits as the Dream Fresh:

• Conceals imperfections
• Helps protect against the appearance of blemishes
• Oil-free, non-greasy
• Minimises the appearance of pores
• Clarifies skins look
• Conceals redness
• Hydrates and smoothes
• Compliments skin tone

I have found this product to be really good at concealing almost anything on my face with the added benefit of the 2% salicylic acid it contains fighting the spots. It is also designed for oily skin so is much more mattifying. As well as this, I also enjoy that it fights any redness on my skin, I get a lot of that, and that it clarifies my skin whilst I wear it. I think it is more of a concealing BB Cream than the Dream Fresh and has the consistency of a foundation so is slightly heavier, but still as though you're wearing nothing at all. However, this BB Cream only comes in the shades light and medium and also only contains an SPF of 15 so gives less protection against UV.
             All in all, I rate both of these products very highly and have recommended them to others, and I will continue to do so.

As always, please leave comments suggesting how I can improve my reviews or which products I should review next xXx
    Next post coming Thursday, don't miss it! x