The Reading List

To be honest, I'm not that much of a reader. When it comes to blogs, websites or even magazines I'm all for a good read, but the lack of pictures and amount of words in a book scares me out of reading them. Due to being a very visual person, quite often books catch my eye & I trick myself into thinking I'll actually get round to reading them if they sit looking pretty on my desk. Needless to say it never works. However in an attempt to start reading more and expand on my book knowledge, grammar & vocabulary, I'm making an effort to get reading something non-internetty.

IT - ALEXA CHUNG
When I was talking about books looking pretty, I was mainly talking about this one. Who wouldn't want a pastel pink book with a nice font (and Meenie's paw prints!) on their desk? Plus, Alexa Chung is one of my all-time favourite style icons so buying this was a no-brainer for me. I did have a flick through and saw that it has quite a few photos/illustrations in, so I guess this will be the first book I attempt to tackle!

THE FAULT IN OUR STARS - JOHN GREEN
I have actually read this before but fell into the trap where you read the words, don't actually take them in & re-read them over and over again. I've also attempted to read it on around 10 different occasions. once I've started reading, I won't stop. when I do eventually put the book down I tend to lack the motivation to pick it back up & continue where I left off. If I manage to finish 'IT', I'll try this again and re-read it (and actually take it in!) before I watch the movie.

AN ABUNDANCE OF KATHERINES - JOHN GREEN
This was one that I picked up along with TFOIS because I'd researched that it'd be an author that I'd like to read. I'm your typical girl when it comes to books; airy-fairy, romantic teen books are what I tend to go for. This book is along the young adult novel genre so I think this would be a good read for me!

Have you read any of these books? What's on your reading list?

Fleur de Force: The Glam Guide

Whilst on a mother-daughter trip this weekend (isn't that how all new things are bought?), I finally tracked down & bought Fleur de Force's Glam Guide. This has been on my wishlist since I saw Charlee's review, plus I knew that the cover would look gorgeous on my dressing table... I'm a sucker for pink & purple pastels!

I have to admit, I only discovered Fleur's blog last year & although I don't follow it religiously, I'm still a fan. I still find it so amazing that bloggers are pretty much changing the media - books, TV interviews & tours? It's crazy to me!

The beauty-addict in me was screaming when I saw the contents of the book, with a few whole chapters based solely on hair, makeup and skincare. There's everything from how to chose a concealer, DIY face masks & even how to look good in a photo because let's face it, not everyone can look like a supermodel every day! 

Another of my favourite sections is the one on fashion. I posted last week about How to Define Your Personal Style which got a pretty amazing response, so I'm guessing that many readers of this blog would love this chapter. My favourite section of this book is the 'how to shop for jeans' section. Before I bought my Topshop Joni Jeans (which I practically live in!), all I wore was leggings. I had no idea how to find jeans that suited me - I wish I had this book 2 years ago!

One of the things I love most about this book is the lifestyle section where Fleur talks about relationships, body image, and my favourite of them all; self-confidence. There's some amazing tips in here - my favourite being to take risks. She explains that pushing yourself can do the world of good & the process being confidence-building, which I definitely agree with. There's a small section on blogging & YouTube where Fleur discusses how to grow an audience & equipment you'll need to start up.

Overall I'm so happy that I bought this book. If you're into beauty, fashion, cute illustrations and lifestyle tips, this would be perfect for you!

What's your favourite beauty book?

lauren conrad beauty

I love Lauren Conrad, and when I got this book for Christmas off my mum and dad I was so excited to read it. After hearing amazing reviews on all of her books and reading her blog daily, I was dying to read it! The cover is a photo of Lauren looking as flawless as ever with her name and the book title.

I think that this book is maybe for beginners who've not had experience with makeup before, but professionals can also buy it too and I'm sure you'll find something you didn't already know! It has little everyday beauty tips, and even has chapters focused on stress, hair care and nails which every so often features frequently asked questions regarding that topic. 

It gives tips on makeup tools and brushes, and shows the before and after photos of using just one product like concealer and mascara. I find face mapping so incredibly interesting and there's even a full page on what your spots and blemishes mean on your face! This has helped me to reduce the amount of breakouts on my face and when I unfortunately do get a huge breakout, I know what to do to not get the same one again!

The book is filled with pretty photos of Lauren and lots of makeup tutorials that will suit everyone. I highly recommend this book if you want to learn a little bit more on the whole 'makeup and beauty' subject, and maybe even just for a fun read flicking through the effortlessly beautiful photos! My favourite section was the 'beauty through the decades' section, where she acted out and noted down about every decade style from the 20's  all the way through to the 70's.