Beauty & The Books

Hi guys, I officially have my own domain! So I will no longer be using this site. Follow this link for my new website:  http://beauty-and-the-books.com/

Let me start off by saying that this was one of the most inspiring events I have ever attended! This event left me super excited to get on with my degree and start my career in publishing - it also helped me in figuring out how I am going to get there. I'll describe my whole experience from the initial application to the night, so you have an understanding of the process! The Application I can't actually remember how I saw this opportunity, it was either an email I was sent, their socials or their website. Once I had reached the application page it only took me a few minutes to complete it. The application was very easy to navigate and full of information. The News A week before the event I was sent an email to confirm my place at the Showcase. So, I would recommend that you ensure that you have the day/evening off once you have applied because you do not get a lot of notice. Also, I was mean to receive a 'further information' email a few da...

It has been a while since I have posted anything beauty/skincare related so, I have decided to update you on my skincare routine! (You can thank a comment from a follower for this) Just a little information on my skin: I have an oily t-zone and pretty normal skin otherwise I use the same skincare routine for day and night (sometimes using an extra hydrating moisture mask or cream at night) And I have been using these products for 4 months minimum. Here is a little review of all the products shown in the photograph. (read till the end for a little tutorial) TZone Clear Pore Facial Wash: Claims from Amazon.co.uk T-Zone Daily Cleansing, Effective Skincare, Naturally Anti-bacterial. Removes the Grease, Oil and Bacteria that can cause spots. Helps to prevent the build-up of dead skin cells. Leaves great looking shine-free skin. Guards against over dry skin. Gentle wash that I feel really cleans my face and removes all the dirt. Slightly drying but nothing uncomfortable...

Image sourced from Google Images For those of you that may not know who Keilidh Cashell is she is an AMAZINGLY TALENTED Irish makeup artist, emphasis on the artist. She has also recently, well in November 2018, released a collection with SoSu by Suzanne Jackson (an Irish brand), a collection that consists of eyelashes, brush set and eyeshadow palette. Annnnd if you do not have access to Instagram, or the internet in general, I will forgive you for being unaware of all this information. Image sourced from Google Images Anyway, let's get into the review! I only purchased the palette and the brushes, but they have a bundle that is available to buy, which includes all the products. I think when I was purchasing my products, the bundle only worked out £14 more expensive for 3 pairs of lashes.  The Palette From the website : “ I am beyond excited to have finally created my perfect eyeshadow palette! I continuously struggle to find that one palett...

Roar - Cecelia Ahern First of all, can we just acknowledge the fact that this was the first bookish PR I have ever been sent! (Don't worry that won't affect the review) I feel like I've made it, all achievements accomplished! Anyway, let's carry on with the review! I have only read two other Ahern books and I loved them both, but this one was very different. Synopsis: "Have you ever imagined a different life? Have you ever stood at a crossroads, undecided? Have you ever had a moment when you wanted to roar? From much-loved, international bestseller Cecelia Ahern come stories for all of us: the women who befriend us, the women who encourage us, the women who make us brave. From The Woman Who Slowly Disappeared to The Woman Who Returned and Exchanged her Husband, discover thirty touching, often hilarious, stories and meet thirty very different women. Each discovers her strength; each realizes she holds the power to make a change. Wi...

Vox - Christina Dalcher When I first saw this I instantly thought of The Hunger Games and the Voxes who have had their tongues cut out as punishment. Anyone else? This was one of my dissertation texts and it fit in with the theme of power and gender so well! So, excuse the slight academic tone to the review, because I have studied this novel inside out. "But, first the synopsis:  "Silence can be deafening. Jean McClellan spends her time in almost complete silence, limited to just one hundred words a day. Any more, and a thousand volts of electricity will course through her veins. Now the new government is in power, everything has changed. But only if you're a woman. Almost overnight, bank accounts are frozen, passports are taken away and seventy million women lose their jobs. Even more terrifyingly, young girls are no longer taught to read or write. For herself, her daughter, and for every woman silenced, Jean will reclaim her voice....

Station Eleven - Emily St. John Mandle  This is a text that was on my set reading for my Literature and Theory module and I just fell utterly in love with thsi novel! Before we get into the review here is a little synopsis from Book Depositary: Buy the book HERE! " What was lost in the collapse: almost everything, almost everyone, but there is still such beauty. One snowy night in Toronto famous actor Arthur Leander dies on stage whilst performing the role of a lifetime. That same evening a deadly virus touches down in North America.  The world will never be the same again.  Twenty years later Kirsten, an actress in the Travelling Symphony, performs Shakespeare in the settlements that have grown up since the collapse.  But then her newly hopeful world is threatened.  If civilization was lost, what would you preserve? And how far would you go to protect it? " Okay so now you are as hooked into the story as much as I was, I will te...

As you can probably tell this review is about 3 novels from the dystopian genre that will greatly impact your life. You guys may not know this (unless you follow my instagram) but I am currently in the process of writing and researching my final year dissertation. AKA my stress levels have never been this high before. My topic for this dissertation is the concept of power in association with gender and how that is represented in the dystopia. So that leads me to these 3 amazing novels! The Handmaid's Tale , by Margaret Atwood (a classic of this genre, and would be an insult to literature if I did not include this) The Power , by Naomi Alderman  Vox , by Christina Dalcher (the little newbie of the bunch) Before I get into each review I'll give you a little synopsis courtesy of Book Depositary. The Handmaid's Tale , by Margaret Atwood "Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She has only one function: to breed. If she deviates, she will, li...

Red Queen, Glass Sword, King's Cage, War Storm - Victoria Aveyard Genre: Young Adult/Dystopia/Action Pages: n/a Rating: 5/5 Format: Changing POVs ----- First of I need to state that this series fed my YA soul and I did not know I needed this till after I found it! I'll give a short summary of the series and then get into the review, CAUTION read only the first summery to avoid spoilers if you have not read the series!! I did warn you. RED QUEEN: This is a world divided by blood – red or silver. The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change. That is, until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power. Fearful of Ma...

I recently treated myself to some new books! If you want to check out the books I chose then just watch the video below!! Use my Book Depositary link to buy any of the books mentioned: http://www.bookdepository.com/?a_aid=beautyandthebooks

The Power - Naomi Alderman Genre: Dystopia Pages: 400 Format: Interchanging POVs Rating: 5/5 ----- This is one hell of a book! After seeing it in Waterstones for a while I picked it up and I am glad that I did! This novel is refreshing and has an unusual take on dystopia by envisioning a world with a matriarchy rather than a patriarchy. Synopsis: What if the power to hurt were in women's hands? Suddenly - tomorrow or the day after - teenage girls find that with a flick of their fingers, they can inflict agonizing pain and even death. With this single twist, the four lives at the heart of Naomi Alderman's extraordinary, visceral novel are utterly transformed.  The story is set in a way that is a 7 Year countdown to the penultimate event that changes the power balance. Alderman also includes little facts and artefact to help elevate the narrative, as well as this they build the suspense and legitimise the concept a little more.  This is a totally a refreshing...

Caraval - Stephanie Garber Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy Pages: 416 Format: Standard Fiction, singular POV Rating: 5/5 ----- First off, I saw this book all over my bookstagram and just knew I had to get it without even knowing anything about it. So that is what I did, and I am glad I did because I love this book so much! Here's a little synopsis and then I'll continue with the review: From  Waterstones.com Before you enter the world of Caraval, you must remember that it’s all a game... Welcome to Caraval, where nothing is quite what it seems. Scarlett has never left the tiny isle of Trisda, pining from afar for the wonder of Caraval, a once-a-year, week-long performance where the audience participates in the show. Caraval is magic, mystery adventure and for Scarlett and her beloved sister Tella it represents freedom and an escape from their ruthless, abusive father. When Scarlett discovers her father has arranged a marriage for her she beli...

You have probably started to see this palette all over instagram now that NikkiTutorials has raved about the accompanying base. The palette in question is the Plouise Palette ! AKA a warm tone lover's dream!! *insert drool emoji* This palette consists of 12 shades all together, 10 matte and 2 shimmers, and they are all just as equally pigmented as the one before. The shimmers are quite subtle and do not have the foiled effect that I was expecting, like the Morphe ones or the MakeupGeek ones. I quite like the subtle nature of them as its a perfect accompaniment to the bold and bright mattes. The matte shades are STUNNING! They are all so pigmented and blend lovely. They do vary in texture, but that does not affect the pigment or blend; the darker and more red toned shades (queen, martini, contour) are quite hard and not as creamy as the lighter colours, like sunkissed, plouise, trippin and charm. I also ordered the base (I got the shade Rumour, there are now a n...

Restore Me - Tahereh Mafi Genre: YA Science Fiction Pages: 448 Format: Alternating POVs Rating: 5/5 ----- I absolutely LOVE the world that Mafi created, I respect her writing so much! I had seen this released all over the internet but could not find anywhere to buy it in the UK at all, until... I spotted it in my local Waterstones and just ran to and brought it in a flash! Its been a while since I finished the original trilogy so I did have to give myself a little refresher on how the last novel ended. But let me refresh your mind as to what this one is about: Juliette and Warner's story continues in the electrifying fourth installment of Tahereh Mafi's New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series. Juliette Ferrars thought she'd won. She took over Sector 45, was named the new Supreme Commander of North America, and now has Warner by her side. But when tragedy strikes, she must confront the darkness that dwells both around and inside her. Who will she ...

I did my first ever vlog! Really proud of how it turned out and can't wait to do more in the future! Check it out here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLLN-AHEe48

The Girl With All The Gifts - M.R. Carey Genre: Thriler Pages: 512 Format: Standard narrative with changing POVs Rating: 4/5 This book was a part of my WorldOfBooks haul that I did a while back and I have only just got around to reading and finishing it. I am so glad that I brought this, it was an incredible read through and through. But before we get into all of that here is a little synopsis: NOT EVERY GIFT IS A BLESSING Every morning, Melanie waits in her cell to be collected for class. When they come for her, Sergeant Parks keeps his gun pointing at her while two of his people strap her into the wheelchair. She thinks they don't like her. She jokes that she won't bite. But they don't laugh. Melanie is a very special girl. *Side note I have just found out that this is an actual film as well.. like whaaaa* Anyway lets get into it. I did not know what to expect with this novel but I was definitely not disappointed. The story begins from the point ...