Claire Richards My Wildest Dreams – Album Review

Quote from the liner notes inside the album.

For those of you who have read my blog for a while now you probably know that I have a huge passion for music. My passion for music is bigger than my passion for makeup. I am one of those people that always has music playing and has done ever since I was a young girl. I could talk about music and what it means to me all day long but to sum it up, music is my favourite thing in the world. Whenever I listen to it, I’m happy – even if I’m listening to sadder songs.

Each person has a genre or two they gravitate towards as well as certain bands and artists that are their favourites and they never tire of. Personally, I’m very much a pop girl! By pop I don’t always mean chart music and top 40 hits, I mean uptempo songs that make you feel happy and have catchy beats but still have reflective lyrics and a message, e.g. ABBA, Spice Girls and coincidentally the band Claire is from, Steps.

Steps are one of the most successful pop acts to come out of the 90s. To date they have had 14 consecutive top 5 singles in The UK (including two #1’s) and have sold over 20 million records worldwide. In 2011 Steps became the first British boy/girl band to have #1 albums in three consecutive decades (90s, 00s, 2010s). After the release of Tears On the Dancefloor in 2017 and touring the album, Claire decided to go full steam ahead with her own solo effort My Wildest Dreams.

My Wildest Dreams was released on February 1st 2019 and debuted at #9 on The UK albums chart. From start to finish the project took around three years between finding songs, writing songs and recording them. It wasn’t until the latter half of 2018 that Claire announced news of her solo album and began releasing her own music. Claire is known for her powerful vocals and has often been called the voice of Steps. Her musical influences include Karen Carpenter, Celine Dion and Whitney Houston and these influences are evident in Claire’s delivery and tone. Certain voices make you feel something and give you goosebumps and Claire’s is one of those. She is part of the reason I want to sing and a line from track two on the album sums it up beautifully, “I wanna live so my heart can learn to sing.”

Without further ado, let’s get into the review!

Hardcore Steps fans won’t be disappointed but if this is not completely like a Steps album. There are your standard uptempo pop songs that follow the pattern of verse, chorus, verse, chorus, middle 8, chorus in the form of On My Own, 7 Billion and Shame On You. These songs all have a great message behind them as well as being highlights that you’ll be singing to in no time!

One guarantee with a voice like Claire’s is that there will be big ballads, it’s a no brainer and she does them so well. Claire especially shines on Ruins and Don’t Leave Me In This Love Alone (written by Diane Warren). My favourite vocal run on the album comes from End Before We Start at the end of the second chorus. (Listen *HERE*).

Singles may not always be a listener’s favourite on an album and that is the case here. Title track, My Wildest Dreams is one of my personal highlights and it sums up the whole experience for Claire. She never expected she would get to make this album but she has been in the music business for over 20 years and has more than earned her stripes. There’s even a line in Brave (another of my favourites) which reflects this, “I’m a fighter, I’m a tiger”. Claire co-wrote Brave with her children in mind and it’s a gorgeous song full of raw emotion.

Albums also usually have tracks which grow on a listener the more they hear them, These Wings and Liar fall into this category for me. These Wings makes me want to sing along and have my diva moment and Liar showcases a beautiful depth to Claire’s voice. I find the lyrics poignant and relatable to a situation I was going through last year.

Overall, this is a beautiful album and one you can tell Claire is proud to call her own and has put her heart and soul into. The songs suit Claire’s muscality and she’s playing to her strengths. She has been true to herself whilst living her dream of recording a solo album. Each song has a story and I will be listening to this album and these stories for years to come. Standout Tracks: On My Own, 7 Billion, Brave, Shame On You, Ruins and My Wildest Dreams.

You can listen to Claire’s music on YouTube and Spotify. My Wildest Dreams is out now if you want to buy a copy!

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This style of post is different to what I usually share but I hope you enjoyed it! Let me know what you think of the review!

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Makeup Revolution Blush Queen Palette Review + Swatches

Back in September, Revolution launched in New Zealand on the Farmers website. Only a couple of days earlier I was eyeing up the Blush Queen palette on the brand’s British website. Blush Queen contains a mix of eight blushes and highlighters all with an underlying pink tone. Usually I don’t like pink on my cheeks as my skin has slight redness and I find pink accentuates it but, spoiler, this palette is really nice!

The product has a baked, marbled effect but it is still smooth, blendable and finely milled. The smallest amount of product is all you need for a subtle, naturally flushed, everyday look but the shades can easily be built up for more oomph. Due to the shimmer in these I find they are a nice cross between a blush and a highlighter, especially if you’re like me and don’t often wear both together. I tend to apply shades from this palette a little higher up than I normally would a blush to make the shimmer look more natural. I am yet to try these as eyeshadows but I imagine they would look pretty and applying them to the eyes and cheeks would really tie a look together when you’re running short on time.

The shades in the palette don’t have official names so I have numbered them from 1-8 and I will give a quick rundown on each shade and mention whether I use it as a blush or a highlighter. The beauty of this palette and makeup in general is that it’s so versatile and what I use as blush or highlighter others may not. No combinations are wrong.

Shade 1 – Highlight: In real life this is more of a light purple-white and is definitely the most neutral shade in the palette.

Shade 2 – Blush: This is very similar to shade 6 except this is more pink and 6 is more peach. Both shades are peachy-pinks and remind me of Orgasm by NARS with less gold.

Shade 3 – Blush: This borders on being blush and highlight and is the lightest pure pink in the palette which tips it into blush territory for me. A very natural looking pink on the cheeks.

Shade 4 – Highlight: This is the iciest looking shade in the palette, not in a bad way, it just has the lightest tone. One of my personal favourites.

Shade 5 – Blush: This is another blush perfect for a more neutral day to day look. This shade is your nude-pink of the bunch.

Shade 6 – Blush: See shade 2.

Shade 7 – Blush: I find this to be the most pigmented shade in the palette. This blush is a bright magenta-pink and won’t be forgiving if you don’t build up colour slowly.

Shade 8 – Blush: Another one of my favourites. This gorgeous berry-pink is surprisingly not as intimidating as I thought it would be.

Swatches:

Swatched in order from shade 1 – shade 8, left to right.

Overall Thoughts

For the price this palette is great value. $16.50 (NZD) for eight shades works out to $2.06 each. The packaging feels sleek and sturdy and the fact this palette doesn’t have a mirror doesn’t bother me. The quality of the product is up there along with all the other Revolution makeup I’ve tried. I’m a minimalist when it comes to makeup and don’t like to have too much of one thing. This palette slots in nicely with my other two single colour blushes and gives me a little more variety. The blush shades apply the same with fingers and brushes. The colour and pigmentation lasts well throughout the day. If you’re apprehensive about trying certain shades of blush like I was or don’t know whether you’ll like a palette, Revolution is a good brand to try. Their products aren’t expensive and will help you make up your mind without compromising on quality.

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What do you think of these colours? Do you prefer single blushes or palettes?

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What I’ve Been Reading – Winter

I enjoyed this blog series so much and being able to document my reading journey over the past 12 months. I can’t believe how quickly the challenge went! I didn’t achieve my goal of 50 books in one year but I came pretty damn close and I am proud of myself for how well I did. (Scroll down to the bottom of the post to see how close to 50 books I got!)

Let me know your thoughts on this series and if you enjoyed it. I want to do something similar and track what I read in the next year too. I may join and try Goodreads – I know you can set goals and record books you read. Maybe I’ll continue to post the seasonal roundup images on Instagram if you just want a quick glance at what I’ve been reading too.

NB: Items marked with * are ebooks so I wasn’t able to photograph the cover images myself.

#1. The Weekend Wives – Christina Hopkinson

This story follows three women (Emily, Tamsin and Sasha) who all live the weekend wife lifestyle; their husbands work away from home during the week and often the couples only see each other at weekends. The three women are friends so each of their individual stories intertwine and work within the book cohesively. Tamsin is married to a controlling John, Sasha’s husband Ned spends most of his time in LA and a secret from his past threatens to destroy their relationship and Emily feels like Matt is slipping further and further away. Emily suspects Matt is having an affair, he spends all his time on his phone and is very distant. The women need something to do while their husbands are away so Emily and Sasha try to save Tamsin from John and reacquaint her with her first love. The book deals with a few nitty gritty topics and is not a romance novel by any means. I really enjoyed it!

#2. The Little Flower Shop By the Sea – Ali McNamara

This book has been on my to read list for a while. I read Letters From Lighthouse Cottage by this author and loved it so I was looking forward to getting stuck into this book. Poppy Carmichael inherits her grandmother’s flower shop in the town of St Felix. Poppy has been away from St Felix for quite some time and when she comes back she is not only reminded of her past but she meets local florist Jake and their ‘friendship’ isn’t always smooth sailing. Poppy must confront her past and and learn to let the healing powers of St Felix and the flower shop work their magic. This was a really pleasant read!

#3. 4:50 From Paddington* – Agatha Christie

Elspeth McGillicuddy witnesses a murder at Paddington Station but there doesn’t seem to be a victim, a suspect or any other witnesses. The only person who believes Mrs McGillicuddy is her friend Miss Marple. Miss Marple enlists the help of Lucy Eyelesbarrow who takes up a post at Rutherford Hall and a body is soon discovered. No one is sure who the victim is and suspicion falls on the Crackenthorpe family. It’s up to Miss Marple to help Elspeth remember what she saw to solve the case. This was the first Miss Marple mystery I’ve read and I enjoyed it a lot, it really kept me guessing and going back and forth as to who the murderer was.

#4. A Caribbean Mystery* – Agatha Christie

Marple is abroad in this mystery where supposedly nothing ever happens in paradise until Major Palgrave is found dead. Only the day before he is found murdered the Major was telling Miss Marple about a murder that happened a few years ago and tries to show her an incriminating photograph until something, or rather someone in the distance catches his eye. Interrupted, Major Palgrave doesn’t get to finish his story and Miss Marple is determined to solve who he saw that afternoon and piece together why the Major was silenced.

#5. How To Fall In Love – Cecelia Ahern

Cecelia Ahern is one of my favourite authors and I hadn’t read anything from her for quite a while until this book. Christine stops Adam from jumping off Ha’penny Bridge and tries to teach him how to fall back in love with his life in the two weeks leading up to his 35th birthday. Through a series of wild escapades, romantic gestures, and late night outings Christine is determined to change Adam’s mind and if Adam does change his mind will Christine be able to let go of him? This book deals with serious topics (suicide and depression) and credit to the author for handling them with care and in such a beautiful way. I found this book relatable, the characters had recently been through break ups and Christine always wants what’s best for everyone and wants to help.

#6. The Darkest Secret – Alex Marwood

This book is an example of a cleverly written blurb that makes the story sound more intriguing than it is. I finished the book within a week so I didn’t hate it but it wasn’t as gripping as the cover made it seem. The book is set over two weekends 12 years apart, the first weekend in 2004 sees identical twin Coco go missing during a family celebration and the second is the weekend of Coco’s father’s funeral. There are lots of different characters which does keep the reader guessing about what really happened to Coco but the reveal isn’t groundbreaking.

#7. Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine* – Gail Honeyman

I have heard mixed reviews about this book but I knew I wanted to read it anyway! Eleanor Oliphant struggles with social skills and says exactly what she’s thinking. Eleanor’s routine lifestyle begins to change when she meets Raymond (the IT guy from her office) and the two of them help an elderly gentleman when he falls on the sidewalk. Raymond helps Eleanor deal with her emotions, repair her heart and come to terms with her eventful past. The book doesn’t explicitly state the two become a couple but by the way the ending is written I like to think it is implied. In some ways I relate to Eleanor. I’m not always good in social situations and don’t have savoir faire, sometimes things can be awkward. I like the fact Eleanor stays true to who she is and doesn’t change and finds Raymond who accepts that. I don’t dislike the book but I think it is over-hyped. That being said I’ll be interested to watch the film when it’s released.

#8. The Summer of Serendipity – Ali McNamara

This is the third book I have read by Ali McNamara and it is my least favourite so far.  Serendipity ‘Ren’ Parker is a property seeker and finds herself on the west coast of Ireland hunting for a home for a client. She finds the perfect house but no one knows who owns it. It’s up to Ren to track down the owner and uncover the legend surrounding the property. In the middle of all of this Ren finds herself distracted by Finn, the manager of the local hotel. I still enjoyed the book but there wasn’t much in the way of plot and I wish there had been more about Ren and Finn’s relationship.

#9. Let Me Lie – Clare Mackintosh

Anna Johnson’s parents supposedly committed suicide seven months apart but on the anniversary of her mother’s death Anna gets a card in the mail which makes her start to question if her parents were murdered and if someone is trying to taunt her. Anna involves Murray McKenzie who is a former police officer and together they figure out what really went on. There are unexpected twists and the ending isn’t what I imagined at all. Someone I follow on Twitter loved a book by this author (not sure if it was this exact one) but when I saw this at work I didn’t hesitate to pick it up. This was much more enjoyable than the previous thriller I read, The Darkest Secret by Alex Marwood.

#10. Still Me – Jojo Moyes

I have been waiting to read this since it was released! Still Me follows Louisa Clark’s adventures in New York. Louisa lands herself a job working for Leonard Gopnik and his wife and also has to deal with her long distance relationship with paramedic Sam who is back in The UK. Sam comes to New York to visit Louisa but it doesn’t all quite go to plan and Louisa starts questioning who she really is and what she wants; job wise and relationship wise. During this time Louisa befriends Mrs De Witt who lives in the same building as the Gopniks and she begins to realise what it is she wants. This story has a sweet ending which leaves the possibility open for a fourth book but there seems to be a little bit of Louisa charm missing. It’s my least favourite book out of the three but I’m still a big fan of the series.

#11. A Different Kind of Evil – Andrew Wilson

I read Andrew Wilson’s previous Agatha Christie mystery earlier in the year and loved it. I haven’t read many mysteries this season compared to others and it was good to get stuck into another one. Wilson uses Agatha Christie as a character and creates stories based on factual elements of her life. The story begins with Agatha traveling to the Canary Islands to investigate the death of an agent of the British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS). Whilst onboard the cruise ship she witnesses a woman fling herself over the side of the ship. Throughout her stay at The Grand Hotel she learns the young woman’s suicide is related to the murder of the SIS agent and it’s up to her to uncover the truth. This book was such a pleasure to read and I’m so happy there’s going to be a third book.

#12. Let’s Meet On Platform 8 – Carole Matthews

Teri is on the hunt for Mr Right. She’s been through Mr Lazy, Mr Greedy and Mr Completely Selfish to name a few and whilst waiting for a train one evening she is literally knocked off her feet by Jamie Duncan. Quickly their relationship begins to blossom but the only question is, is Mr Right Mr Available? I feel like I have to spoil this book to share what I thought of it. Jamie is married with children and initially Jamie and Teri’s relationship is friendly and they catch the train together but it does develop and Jamie and Teri end up sleeping together after much deliberation from Jamie. Pamela finds out about Jamie and Teri and Jamie and Pamela end up staying together – Jamie breaks things off with Teri. As a reader I felt this story was written in a gentle, respectful way. Jamie wasn’t using Teri and Teri truly did care for Jamie, there’s a part of me that almost wanted them to stay together.

#13. Some Kind of Wonderful* – Giovanna Fletcher

Lizzy and Ian have been a couple since university and after being together for decade and a trip to Dubai on the horizon everyone thinks a proposal is imminent. Instead of the proposal Lizzy hopes for Ian reveals he doesn’t want them to be together anymore. Lizzy is heartbroken but she soon realises this is her chance to seize opportunities and figure out who she really is apart from Ian with the help of friends, family and a potential new man. This was an easy book to read with a lighthearted story about finding yourself after a breakup.

Unfinished:

(Any unfinished books will not be included in the total yearly count).

#1. The Loveliest Chocolate Shop In Paris – Jenny Colgan

This book sounds like a girl’s dream, romance, Paris and chocolate but I couldn’t get into it at all. The book is told in two parts. The modern day story follows Anna to Paris where she gets a job with a master chocolatier after an accident which lands her in hospital back in England. Whilst in hospital she reconnects with her former French teacher Claire whose backstory forms the other part of the book. Claire’s story takes place in 1972 when she is an au pair in Paris. Claire and Thierry (the master chocolatier) were a couple and that’s how she gets Anna the job. Anna also possibly finds love with Thierry’s son but I didn’t read on to see if that was the case. Not the girly, chick lit story I was hoping for.

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Books finished in winter = 13.

Total number of books read = 45.

Other posts in the series:

• New Series: What I’ve Been Reading
• What I’ve Been Reading – Spring
• What I’ve Been Reading – Summer
• What I’ve Been Reading – Autumn

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Have you read any of the books mentioned in this post?

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L’Oreal Lash Paradise: An Honest Review

Ever since the launch of this mascara by L’Oreal I knew I wanted to try it! Every beauty review I read mentioned how good it was and even now I still haven’t heard any negatives about it. The mascara is called Lash Paradise in America and has a light pink metallic tube. In The UK, The EU and New Zealand it goes under the name Paradise Extatic and has a rose gold tube.

I purchased my tube of mascara in March off of a website and it cost $19.95, which for a drugstore mascara in New Zealand is very reasonable. In store it costs $25.00 which is still not bad but I’m all about saving money where I can. The website I purchased from actually has the pink tube which I like as pink is my favourite colour. The mascara comes in five different shades that I know of: Blackest Black washable, Black washable, Blackest Brown washable, Blackest Black waterproof and Black waterproof. I purchased Blackest Black washable, I adore super dark lashes and I don’t like waterproof formulas as they are hard to remove. I don’t know if this is true but I’ve heard washable formulas also hold a curl better – can anyone confirm or deny?

A distinctive comparison has been made between L’Oreal’s Lash Paradise and Too Faced’s Better Than Sex. I haven’t tried the Too Faced mascara so I can’t comment but the wands are the same shape and they both have pink, metallic tubes. I’m happy with how Lash Paradise performs so I’m not rushing to try Better Than Sex. Lash Paradise is also half the price.

This mascara has my favourite type of wand, it has proper bristles, not a rubber wand with plastic bristles. The wand is an hourglass shape and is a nice size, it’s not fat and chunky so mascara doesn’t get all around the eyes. The wand is lightweight as well as being easy to hold and manoeuvre.

The formula is great too! I am firmly in the camp that prefers drier mascaras to wet mascaras but even when I first opened this tube and the formula was wet it was fine. I did notice after using the mascara for a couple of weeks the formula changed and it wasn’t as good but when the formula started drying out it went back to applying well again. The not so good period was short lived and hasn’t put me off the product at all.

Two coats is optimum for me – lashes look long and fluttery without clumping and sticking together. The washable formula is a breeze to remove, I simply use a face cloth and it wipes away. The formula doesn’t flake, smudge or wear off throughout the day.

One thing I will say is that the pink metallic coating on the tube does peel away. I’m not sure if the same applies to the rose gold tube, that seems to have a frosted metal finish rather than metallic coating so I wouldn’t assume it does.

I have been using the mascara for four months now and it still performs as well as it did when I first wore it. I’m not someone who keeps mascara for three months then throws them away. As long as the formula isn’t dried up and doesn’t irritate my eyes I will use it. I tend to change mascaras roughly every six months.

Overall I love this mascara! This is on track to knock my favourite Rimmel mascara off the top spot. I definitely see myself repurchasing this which I don’t say for many mascaras and once I’ve been through a couple of tubes I will know if it’s worthy of holy grail status and whether I’ve found a replacement for my Rimmel. I’d like to try Paradise Extatic to see if there are any differences between the two apart from their name – you wouldn’t think so but you never know.

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Have you tried this L’Oreal mascara?

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Shaaanxo The Remix Palette

Shannon Harris more commonly known as Shaaanxo is one of New Zealand’s biggest YouTube stars. Shannon also has her own makeup line called xoBeauty and in June I placed an order. I had been eyeing up The Remix Palette as I wanted to incorporate more colour into my eyeshadow looks. Shannon and BH Cosmetics teamed up to bring together nine earth toned mattes and shimmers as well as nine new neutrals and pops of colour.

I don’t own many eyeshadow palettes and the reason is all the different shades confuse me and I don’t have time for 10 different neutral palettes. If there’s an eyeshadow palette I like and use regularly I don’t feel the need to own dozens of palettes. Many eye looks go with my lip colours so I’d rather stick to tried and tested combinations and switch up my lip colour every day.

I have been using this palette almost non-stop for a month now and my first impressions haven’t changed. The texture of the shadows and the pigmentation on the eyes is lovely. The palette didn’t swatch well (I’m putting that down to the palette being new at the time) but the shadows apply well with brushes and fingers on the eyes. Personally, I feel this palette has it all, a mix of mattes and shimmers, neutrals and colour. The shadows blend like a dream, they last throughout the day without creasing and I don’t experience fallout. The double sided palette is good for someone like me who doesn’t like to feel overwhelmed and both sides work in conjunction with each other. This palette suits a range of people from beginners through to avid makeup collectors.

In short, I love this palette and I see this quickly becoming one of my favourites! I was lucky enough to received a palette signed by Shannon in my order which is even more special. The palette is currently SOLD OUT on xoBeauty. I am not sure if it will be restocked.

About the palette:

• Vegan
• Cruelty free
• Gluten free
• Dermatologist tested
• 18 colours – nine on each side
• Mirror on each side

Shades:

‘The Original’:

Row 1

Clarity – matte ivory

Holy Grail – champagne shimmer

Glow Baby – rose gold shimmer

Row 2

Buttercup – warm, matte yellow

Beach Babe – bronze shimmer

Terracotta – matte red-brown

Row 3

Toasted – taupe shimmer

Avocado – duochrome shimmer with flecks of blue-green and brown

Silhouette – charcoal matte

‘The Remix’:

Row 1

Island Glow – light golden shimmer

Need U – medium brown perfect for the crease

Dark Horse – cool toned matte brown

Row 2

Dream Girl – duochrome peach-pink

Stalker – matte maroon

Vampette – matte purple-brown

Row 3

Bestie – matte muted pink

Lover – matte lilac

Baby Girl – matte hot pink

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Eye Looks

Look 1: Moody Grunge

I applied Clarity as a base shade before running Terracotta through the crease. Using a flat eyeshadow brush (also from xoBeauty) I patted the darker duochrome shade, Avocado, all over the lid.

Look 2: Love Is Pink

Again using Clarity as a base shade, I then ran Baby Girl through the socket and crease and buffed out any harsh edges. Using my ring finger I patted Glow Baby over the lid.

Look 3: Ruby Sparkle

Clarity was applied first as a base. Stalker was blended through the crease and the first layer of Holy Grail was patted onto the eyelids. I added a smidge of Glow Baby over the top before going in with a second layer of Holy Grail to brighten things up. Vampette was the final step to deepen the crease and take away some of the redness of Stalker.

Look 4: Gilded

Surprise, Clarity is the base shade once again! Buttercup was blended into the crease before a light application of Island Glow was smattered over the lid.

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As you can gather I’m usually a three or four shadow girl – I don’t like complicated looks that take 20 minutes to blend out. I have experimented with all of the shadows in this palette but I picked my favourite looks to show you. Ironically they all feature a base shade, a matte crease shade and shimmer on the main part of the eyelid. The four looks were applied without primer, I wanted to test the longevity of the shadows on their own. Let me know your favourite look from the ones I created!

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I hope you enjoyed this review, I don’t often review products in depth on the blog but I loved writing this post and sharing my new favourite palette with you!

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What I’ve Been Reading – Autumn

I am three quarters of the way through my challenge to read 50 books by the beginning of September 2018. At the end of my previous update I was feeling a little disheartened because I should have been halfway through my target of 50 books and I wasn’t. I have picked things up and have made significant progress the past three months and I may be back on track to meet the target!

NB: Items marked with * are ebooks so I wasn’t able to photograph the cover images myself.

#1. Girl Online – Zoe Sugg

I do subscribe to Zoe on YouTube and was curious to see what her books are like. I commend Zoe for knowing her audience and what would be an appropriate book. The topics in this story are very relatable, even to me at age 23 despite the book being a little thin on plot. The social media aspects are relevant and the book confronts trolling and online hate. I don’t feel the need to read the other two books in the series. I don’t feel I’m missing out by not reading them.

#2. Taken At the Flood – Agatha Christie

This was the least action packed Poirot mystery of the ones I have read so far but the last 40 pages were really exciting and the ending surprised me. The way Agatha Christie writes is simple but she creates twists and turns that the reader doesn’t often expect until you think back over everything and realise it all makes sense. I love reading these mysteries and I’m looking forward to my next one!

#3. A Whole Lot of History – Kimberley Walsh

I haven’t read a musical biography in the longest time and this book reminded me why I love them so much. Not only do you learn about the people behind the songs and their personal stories you are told anecdotes about the songs themselves and given a small insight into the music industry. This book showed how lovely Kimberley is and I learnt more about different aspects of her personality. She was frank and honest but never in a nasty, judgemental way.

#4. The F Word – Lily Pebbles

First of all I want to defend Lily and stick up for her. Some of the reviews on GoodReads state that this book is like a diary and isn’t well written. The cover does say “A personal exploration of modern female friendship” so of course Lily is going to talk about herself and her friendships. I like that she gives examples of things that have gone well and haven’t gone so well in friendships. I did get a sense of Lily reading this book, it feels like you’re having a catch up with her and everything comes across naturally. One of my favourite parts was trying to identify which friend type I am, for example,  the older sister friend, the realist or the work wife, to name a few. The main lesson I took away from this book is to look carefully at myself as a friend and analyse how I can be a better friend.

#5. The Mysterious Affair At Styles* – Agatha Christie

This is the very first novel in which Hercule Poirot is introduced. Out of the Agatha Christie books I’ve read this is one of my favourites. The story is gripping, simple and classic. Death by poisioning, check. Whole host of suspects staying in a fancy manor house, check. Adulterous affairs, check. I finished it in two days. I like how the story is told from Hastings’ viewpoint, it really sets up the relationship between him and Poirot for future novels.

#6. A Talent For Murder – Andrew Wilson

It wasn’t until I picked up this book that I notice I don’t read as many books written by male authors as female. There’s no reason behind that and I really enjoyed this book. The plot centres around the real-life disappearance of Agatha Christie in December 1926. The author comes up with a fictional scenario as to what happened (the sentence on the cover gives you a good idea) as the mystery has never been solved. A good read and I am looking forward to the follow up called ‘A Different Kind of Evil.’

#7. Murder On the Orient Express* – Agatha Christie

This is without a doubt one of Agatha’s most famous stories and a few movies and TV specials have been made based on this story. I have seen the 2017 film, the 2010 Poirot episode and now read the book so I know the story well. I found the book the most enjoyable and the least confusing, if you know the ending you might understand why but I won’t spoil it if you don’t.  I’ve got yet more Poirot mysteries lined up to read – I really love them!

#8. Peril At End House* – Agatha Christie

This is one of Agatha Christie’s earlier Poirot novels, #8 in the series. This mystery is also told from Hastings’ point of view. I found this particular Poirot story very clever in the way it played out. I realised what was happening at the end and it really reinforces how talented Agatha Christie is with deception. I have been reading most of the Poirot stories in this seasonal update as ebooks and it’s really convenient, I have the books on my phone and my iPad so I can read wherever I am.

#9. Finding Your Path – A Guide To Life & Happiness After School – Amba Brown

I am thankful this book was only 100 pages. I didn’t find it useful and even though I’m not a recent school leaver I thought I could get something from it. I did like the graphic illustrations and the quotes!

#10. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd* – Agatha Christie

This is one of Agatha Christie’s most popular novels which I think is because of the ending and how Poirot solves the case. In 2013, The British Crime Writers’ Association voted it the best crime novel ever. I have seen the television adaptation of this novel which I recall I found more exciting than the novel. This isn’t one of my favourite Agatha Christie books if I’m being honest. I’m not sure if knowing the ending before reading skewed my perception of the story. I had seen Murder On the Orient Express before reading it and I enjoyed reading that as much as watching it. Despite that, the ending of Roger Ackroyd  is really clever even if you know the story.

#11. And Then There Were None* – Agatha Christie

This is Agatha Christie’s bestselling novel and one of the world’s bestselling mysteries and books of all time. I remember the television adaption of this story and it is written so well and keeps the reader guessing right until the very end. The story is not predictable and there is even an epilogue which explains how all the murders were done. If you like mystery stories and haven’t read this one, I highly recommend it.

#12. Doing It! Let’s Talk About Sex – Hannah Witton

I don’t remember how I stumbled across Hannah on YouTube but I have watched a small number of her videos and have always found her content to be helpful and informative. When I saw Angela (The Life of Angela) talk about this book on her blog I knew I wanted to read it too. I don’t know what I was expecting but I thought there would be more of Hannah’s personal stories. Yes, she probably shares those on YouTube but if you aren’t aware she makes videos you won’t get that information. Not a bad read but not groundbreaking.

#13. Afternoon Tea At the Sunflower Cafe – Milly Johnson

I started reading this book, I got a third of the way through and I put it down and came back to it. I did try to implement my 100 page rule; if I don’t like a book, move on to the next one but the fact I got to page 210 urged me to pick it back up and keep going. When I did pick up the book again I hadn’t forgotten the story and it was refreshing to read something lighthearted after a number of mysteries and a few non-fiction offerings. I’m glad I went back to this book, the story was slow to start but I was satisfied with the ending and I may look into other books from this author.

#14. Letters From Lighthouse Cottage – Ali McNamara

I love the cover of this book so much and the story was just as good! The story takes place over the course of 30 years and is split into parts. Grace (the main character) helped her parents with their antiques business and found a typewriter one day which she keeps. The typewriter adds a whimsical element to the story as it writes her letters and gives her advice throughout stages of her life. Grace goes off to university, travels and gets married but begins to realise that home is where the heart is.

#15. Break-ups & Breakthroughs – Lisa Messenger

This book only took me a day to read and the imagery inside is beautiful, the pages are full of cute designs and inspirational quotes. Lisa shares 50 tips to help people going through a breakup and I found myself identifying with some of the things she was saying and one of the biggest lessons I took from this book is that it’s ok to be sad for a while. You will start to feel better in time and feel like finding love again.

#16. Appointment With Death – Agatha Christie

This mystery started off a little slow but in true Agatha Christie form kept me guessing all the way through. I didn’t have any idea who the murderer was until that person was revealed by Poirot. Not one of my favourite Poirot mysteries but still not a bad read.

Unfinished:

There were no unfinished books this season. Each one I started I finished!

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Books finished in autumn = 16.

Total number of books read = 32.

Other posts in the series:

• New Series: What I’ve Been Reading
• What I’ve Been Reading – Spring
• What I’ve Been Reading – Summer

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Have you read any of the books mentioned in this post?

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Rimmel Match Perfection 2 Years On

One of my most popular blog posts is Rimmel Match Perfection Old vs. New. When Rimmel changed the formula and packaging of their Match Perfection foundation I did a comparison post comparing both products. When I first purchased the new formula I noticed a few differences. I have had plenty of opportunities to wear this foundation since that post and I wanted to compare my thoughts from two years ago to how I feel about the foundation now.

I am currently on my third bottle of Match Perfection. I have used up one bottle of the old formula and one bottle of the new formula. I purchased my second bottle of the new formula in April 2017.

coverage and consistency

Out of the three bottles I’ve tried the consistency has been different in all of them. The old formula was the thinnest and the easiest to blend. My first bottle of the new formula was still easy to blend but slightly thicker. My current bottle has a really thick formula and it doesn’t pump evenly or blend as nicely as the previous two. I’m not sure whether the formula has changed again or if I just got a bad bottle.

Despite the thick formula this is still a good light-medium coverage everyday foundation and I will use up this bottle. I have discovered one layer is better to work with than two. This isn’t layering as well as previous bottles so I simply apply a little more concealer to hide any redness the foundation doesn’t cover.

You can see the thickness of the foundation from this small pump.

shade

When Rimmel changed the formula they also discontinued my shade. I previously used 081 Fair Ivory and following the re-formulation had to buy the lightest shade, 010 Light Porcelain. I feel Fair Ivory was a better match for me than Light Porcelain. (Maybe I should have gone one shade darker than Fair Ivory and tried that instead – it just would have meant applying less product to avoid looking orange). Light Porcelain has more of a pink undertone compared to Fair Ivory. I have both cool and warm undertones and have come to realise neutral undertones suit me best.

Unblended arm swatch.

Dewiness

In the post from two years ago I said the old formula could sometimes look too dewy but at that stage I didn’t have a setting powder. In hindsight, some of that dewiness is missing from the new formula. The old foundation gave natural, healthy looking skin without having to apply highlighter.

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Despite this foundation no longer being my favourite it still has things going for it. The packaging is sturdy and the glass bottle allows you to see how much product is left. There is minimal wastage as the pump reaches all the way to the bottom of the bottle. This foundation contains SPF 20 so it helps protect from the sun. The shades cater to those with pale skin and those with deeper skin tones, there’s at least 12 different shades.

I’m not sure whether I will repurchase this foundation when I finish my current bottle. I may come back to it in future but for now I’ve got other bases that perform better.

Have you tried this foundation?

Is there a foundation you’ve fallen out of love with?

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What I’ve Been Reading – Summer

It is time for the second seasonal round up and it means I am halfway through my challenge of trying to read 50 books in 12 months. I started the challenge in September 2017.

At the start of summer I was zooming along, meeting my aim of one book a week. I picked up a few duds along the way and tried to persist with them but they slowed me down. Ideally I would have read 25 books by now but that is not the case. All hits and misses are outlined below.

#1. About Last Night – Catherine Alliott

I had been looking forward to reading this book for a while and sadly I was underwhelmed. I didn’t find it funny or irresistible as the cover suggests. This book took me longer than some of the previous ones I’ve read in this challenge as it wasn’t keeping me interested. The story is kind of dull and there’s not a lot going on. Molly has swapped London for rural Herefordshire and when a relative of her late husband’s leaves a London townhouse in her possession she has to decide whether she will go back to her London lifestyle or make a go of her country life. Along the way the reader meets three potential suitors for Molly and one of the things that kept me reading was to see which one she chooses. The story is long winded but if you’re a fan of this author you’ll probably like it.

#2. After the Funeral – Agatha Christie

I read my first Agatha Christie mystery in the Spring roundup and instantly knew I wanted to read more. As someone who watched the stories on TV before reading them I didn’t realise how quick and easy the books are to read. The stories are well thought out and explained and all loose ends are tied up. I briefly remember this episode of Poirot and was almost certain I knew who the culprit was – I was correct.

#3. The Monogram Murders – Sophie Hannah

I have been on a real Agatha Christie murder mystery kick lately and I discovered Sophie Hannah has written two ‘new’ Hercule Poirot mysteries (I’m hoping for more). The character of Hercule Poirot is captured beautifully and Sophie Hannah does a brilliant job with him. Poirot has a new sidekick, Edward Catchpool who works at Scotland Yard, and the books are told from his point of view. This mystery was exciting, gripping and had plenty of twists and turns. Sophie Hannah’s books are longer than Agatha Christie’s but the story doesn’t feel drawn out. If you’re a Poirot fan, you’ll love them!

#4. The Anxiety Toolkit – Alice Boyes

This book was a quick, easy read but personally I didn’t find it called out to my anxiety. The quizzes at the start of each chapter were useful as it gave you an idea how much each chapter would relate to you and what you might like to take away from that section. I thought the book would include more tips on how to cope with different types of anxiety but it seemed to generalise rather than give specific examples. It didn’t teach me anything about anxiety, for example how many people suffer from it or the common types.

#5. Closed Casket – Sophie Hannah

This is the second ‘new’ Hercule Poirot novel. The story is typical Poirot, the mystery takes place at a grand, upper class house and there is a whole host of suspects. The story is simple and revolves around figuring out whodunnit. Catchpool returns as Poirot’s sidekick and together they find the culprit. I really, really hope Sophie Hannah writes more Poirot mysteries!

#6. How To Find Love In a Bookshop – Veronica Henry

This book was an easy, enjoyable read. The story centres around Emilia who takes over Nightingale Books after her father passes away. Emilia battles trying to keep the shop open with her personal life and we meet some of the bookshop’s customers along the way and learn the books they all cherish. The story felt very real and believable and I will look into other books by Veronica Henry as a result.

#7. Billy & Me – Giovanna Fletcher

I read this book in four days. I thoroughly enjoyed it, especially the way the delicate moments and emotional conversations are written. Sophie May is the lead character who works in the local tea shop, lives with her mum and doesn’t have a lot of friends. When actor Billy Buskin comes to town and sweeps Sophie off her feet, her quiet life starts to turn around. Sophie has to cope with media scrutiny, actor life with Billy as well as her own insecurities. Part of the reason I liked this story so much is because I can relate to some of Sophie’s insecurities. As a reader you’re rooting for Sophie and you want her to be happy. I won’t spoil the book for you but the ending doesn’t disappoint.

Unfinished:

(Any unfinished books will not be included in the total yearly count).

#1. A Is For Arsenic – Kathryn Harkup

I have been enjoying Agatha Christie’s books lately and I thought this non-fiction offering would be just as interesting. Agatha Christie was famous for using various poisons in her stories and this book talks about how they work and references the Agatha Christie stories the poisons are used in. When I borrowed the book I didn’t realise it would be so science based. I find the asterisks and all the footnotes hard to follow, there are multiple on each page. I got 50 pages in before deciding not to continue. Life’s too short to read books that don’t interest you. If you like science you would find this interesting but I’m more into creative stories.

#2. Highland Fling – Katie Fforde

Katie Fforde is an author whose name I’ve seen pop up a lot but I’d never actually read any of her work. I briefly browsed through a list of her books and what they are about and settled on Highland Fling. The story sounds right up my street but this book doesn’t have any action and I almost felt like as I was reading it I didn’t know what was happening. I made it two thirds of the way through before realising I’ve been reading this book for almost a month, (usually I can finish a book in a week) and I’m not enjoying it so I should move onto something else. How long it takes me to read a book is a sign of whether I like it or not.

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Books finished in summer = 7.

Total number of books read = 16.

Other posts in the series:

• New Series: What I’ve Been Reading
• What I’ve Been Reading – Spring

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Have you read any of the books mentioned in this post?

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What I’ve Been Reading – Spring

At the beginning of September I announced a new blog series, What I’ve Been Reading. At the end of each season I will be rounding up the books I have read during that three month period and discussing them. My goal is to read 50 books throughout the duration of the year, which roughly equates to one a week.

Here’s the first roundup:

#1: The Singles Game – Lauren Weisberger

Anyone for tennis? First off, I’m a huge fan of the cover of this book. It’s girly and the camera doesn’t pick it up but the gold bits are reflective. Lauren Weisberger, New York Times bestselling author (The Devil Wears Prada, Revenge Wears Prada) gives us a dishy tell-all about a tennis prodigy who changes coaches and begins making headlines on and off the court. Charlie fires her coach following a devastating loss and injury and becomes Todd Feltner’s first ever female player. He has strict rules and a game plan to turn Charlie into a ruthless competitor. Charlie travels the globe, plays charity matches, models in photo shoots and walks the red carpet, all with sexy Spaniard, Marco Vallejo at her side. Can the illusion last or will Charlie turn her back on Todd and her new lifestyle? The detail and knowledge about the tennis tournaments is well written but the plot didn’t seem realistic. The ending wasn’t predictable though and it was nice to stay hooked until the end. Not a bad read but nothing particularly memorable.

#2: A Walk In the Park – Jill Mansell

Lara Carson returns to Bath after eighteen years. Her best friend Evie is getting married and Lara’s ex-boyfriend, Flynn, turns up at the wedding which doesn’t end up going ahead. It’s not long before Flynn discovers the reason Lara left all those years ago, she was pregnant with his child. Lara has to juggle sharing her daughter with Flynn, looking after Evie and coming to terms with her feelings for Flynn – could there be a spark after all that time? The storyline is well written but I wasn’t a big fan of the ending. It was predictable and left me wanting more, it didn’t feel complete. I did enjoy the book overall and I will consider other books by Jill Mansell.

#3: What I Did On My Holidays – Chrissie Manby

I absolutely loved this book! It was laugh out loud funny and a really easy book to read. The plot wasn’t one I’d read before and the storyline was succinct but still well developed. The book follows Sophie Sturgeon and her upcoming trip to Majorca. The night before she’s set to leave, her boyfriend and meant to be holiday companion, Callum, dumps her. Sophie decides to hide in her London flat with her sister and recreate the ultimate fake break. The results are hilarious and prove things don’t always go as planned, much like real life. Sophie is a lovable character who wants the best for everyone and a character who by the end of the book is not afraid to act in her best interests.

#4: It Started With Paris – Cathy Kelly

This is one of my favourite books on the list! The cover is really cute and you can tell straight away there’s going to be romance running through it. At the beginning you’re introduced to a lot of characters but as the story goes on it makes sense and you see how they tie in together. The book begins with a young man proposing to his girlfriend at the top of the Eiffel Tower. Things don’t only begin to change for the happy couple, but for their friends and family back in Ireland too. The tales of all characters are weaved in together and it gave me a sense of a small town where everyone knows everybody else, in a good way. The core love theme is really sweet and while it’s not always smooth sailing it’s a very real part of life. The ending wasn’t predictable and left me feeling happy. Matters were resolved and I wasn’t left with any questions. I highly recommend this book – it is lengthy but certainly wasn’t boring, there was always something happening to hold my attention.

#5: The Beginner’s Photography Guide – Chris Gatcum

The first non-fiction offering! As you may know I purchased a Canon 700D DSLR camera in July and I try to get my camera out as much as possible. I know the basics and do use manual mode but I thought this book would have some great tips and tricks. I flicked through it in one afternoon and in all honesty didn’t find it that useful. There were sections that only apply if you have multiple lenses and camera accessories and equipment and I thought if you are a true beginner, chances are you’re not going to have those. The book was an easy read and I did learn a few things but it’s not essential if you’re a DSLR user.

#6: Dead Man’s Folly – Agatha Christie

I have watched many an episode of Poirot in my time but this is the first of Agatha Christie’s stories I have read. David Suchet does such a magnificent job playing Hercule Poirot, he plays the part beautifully and he was what I could picture as I read the book. I enjoy mystery stories and I really liked this one because it was short and didn’t get confusing. I can see why a lot of people are fans of Agatha Christie. I would love to read more of her Poirot mysteries, they’re easy to read and it’s nice to throw mystery in amongst what I normally read.

#7: Poirot and Me – David Suchet

This book was so sweet. I read it immediately after Dead Man’s Folly and it tells of such a happy, momentous period of David Suchet’s life. He played Poirot on screen for 25 years and got to fulfill his dream of bringing all 70 stories to television. The book focuses on Suchet’s Poirot years but he also talks of other acting opportunities, funny moments and small snippets of his family life. Throughout the book you can feel the joy he felt playing Poirot and on many occasions describes Poirot as his friend. If you are a fan of David Suchet or Poirot you won’t regret reading this!

#8: Beautiful Messy Love – Tess Woods

I didn’t enjoy this book. The story is broken down into chapters each featuring one of four main characters. The connection between the characters, essentially two couples is established early on. I did like reading the viewpoints/perspectives of each character and that there wasn’t repetitive content and the same story told four times. I didn’t find the humour funny and I found some of the ‘nitty gritty’ immature. The sexual moments were very blatant, I’m no prude but there was nothing left to the imagination. The title gives off this sweet, love story vibe and the plot doesn’t represent that. My least favourite of the finished fiction books.

#9: The Love of a Lifetime – Melissa Hill

I saw this book in a store earlier in 2017 and knew instantly I wanted to read it. It is a classic love story and follows main character Beth and her passion for Hollywood movies. Beth and her boyfriend Danny have been together for seven years but has their initial romance settled into something more predictable? Following an anonymous coffee delivery at work Beth is led on a treasure hunt using clues from rom-com movies. The big question is, is it Danny or new work colleague Ryan? The book did keep me guessing all the way through although I did have an inkling who the mysterious man turned out to be, the ending was not what I expected. The ending plays an important role to a key part of the story and is very clever. Loved this book!

Unfinished:

#1. Better Together – Sheila O’Flanagan

This book will not be included in the count for Spring as I didn’t finish it. I started reading the book but straight away I couldn’t get into it. I did feel sympathy for the main character, Sheridan, unlike a few reviews I read on Good Reads and didn’t find her annoying as some readers did. I got about 200 pages into the book (large print edition) before giving up and deciding not to carry on reading it. The storyline was slow, nothing seemed to happen and the sports journalism element of the story wasn’t appealing to me. I don’t know if the book would have had more romance if I had continued reading but I wanted romance to be prominent from the start. This is one of the first books in a long time I haven’t finished and stopped reading part way through because it didn’t pique my interest. I would be interested to hear whether any of you have read this book and what your thoughts are.

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Total number of books read = 9.

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I got off to a slow start but was making better progress by the end of September. I am in a routine with my job now and try to make time for reading everyday. At this stage it’s too early to tell if I’ll reach my goal of 50 books but it’ll be fun trying!

Have you read any of the books mentioned in this post? Do you want to?

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New Series: What I’ve Been Reading

To coincide with starting a job at the city library I wanted to start a new blog series. This new series will be a list of the books I’ve been reading and the books I’ve finished. I have always loved reading and have visited libraries since I was a kid.

There will be a seasonal round up every three months starting with September 2017 – November 2017 i.e. New Zealand springtime. The next will be December 2017 – February 2018 then March 2018 – May 2018  and June 2018 – August 2018. I am encouraging myself to read more now that I will have time to do so and I am committing to these posts for the next year. I’m aiming to read 50 books in that time which is roughly a book a week – let’s see if I meet the target!

Each post will feature a list of books read, the author’s name, any other important information and a short synopsis. I will also include whether I liked the book or not.

Books will only be included in the list if they are finished within the same seasonal three month period. For example, I start a book in August 2017 but don’t finish it until September 2017, therefore it is allowed to be included in the Spring list.

I will happily take book recommendations! I have got a handful of books to get me started and already have others on my ‘To Read’ list.

I hope you’re looking forward to this series as much as I am!

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