Book Review: I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson

I have been reading furiously over the weekend in order to get this review out, but I have to say it was a pleasure not a pain! I haven't been into reading of late (books as opposed to mags, blogs etc) but this one gripped me and now I feel like I really want to crack on with some more in my to- read pile.
I was very interested in reading this when I read it would be the first #sassybooks title (the blogger book club created by Hayley and Charlotte) as although I'm not usually into YA fiction, it was about twins, and being one myself, it really piqued my interest. One of the first things that struck me was how descriptive and emotional Nelson's writing is. It really is beautiful. Though I have to admit sometimes it was so abstract it was hard to get my head around! Art plays a major part of the story and the way she paints a picture with words really reflects this. Incidentally the art theme was also endearing to me as our parents met in art college. I wish I could say I'm as talented as they are but sadly I don't have the same flair!
I'll Give You The Sun revolves around twins Noah and Jude who were once 'more one than two' but through a series of events have ended up fragmented and so far away from each other, though they live in the same house. As I was getting into it, I wondered what it would be like to have a twin brother rather than a sister and if we would be as close as we are. Who knows! What I do know is that I could appreciate the special bond that twins have, as corny as it sounds. I was particularly taken with the part where Jude describes the first time they were apart in life. Not sure of a page number but location 3213 of 5276 on my Kindle if that helps. It really resonated with me.
 I liked that the story alternated between Jude and Noah, at different ages. I always find that books with alternating narrators are better at keeping my attention. It was good to see things from their point of view and to see how their pieces of the story fit together as the story progresses. Also, what I loved was how well developed the characters were. Nelson really brings them to life and you can imagine perfectly what they look they and how they act. The whole spectrum of emotions ( and probably more!) are covered from pure elation to crushing lows and everything in between. It's introspection brilliantly done. However I do wonder if anyone really thinks like that on a day to day basis- it would be very exhausting. Though I don't doubt that we all have our moments.
Normally with YA I find the characters to be quite immature. I'm 26 shortly and though I don't feel my age ( I've definitely not had a hard paper round)  I still find that I can't relate to a lot of the storylines, or have empathy towards the characters. However with this I didn't find that to be the case. Even the parts told by a 13 year old Noah struck a cord. I'm not sure how many teenagers are that philosophical, they surely exist of course, but in any case it's all the better for it.
 As emotionally descriptive as it is, it's still what I would class as 'easy' to read, without being fluffy and superficial. These are the types of books I enjoy best so I'm very glad I chose to read this as ordinary I don't think I would be drawn to it as, like I mentioned earlier, YA is not a genre I tend to go for. So thank you to Hayley and Charlotte for bringing it to my attention!
Definitely one I can recommend.

Make Up Gallery Long Lasting Foundation- Initial Thoughts

Today I tried out one of my latest purchases from the Make Up Gallery line at Poundland. I'm not a make up snob any means but I did wonder how well a pound shop foundation would perform. After wearing it today I can say that for the price it's really not bad. I got the palest shade available 'Ivory' and it's still a little dark on me. It's wearable but I think it will be a better match once I've got more of a tan. Coverage was pretty low but I think it could be built up. It still worked well at evening out my skin but it sadly didn't cover a big spot up very well! It applied well with a beauty blender- the formula doesn't feel cheap. It claims to leave a matte finish but I felt it was a bit more shiny than my regular Rimmel Lasting Finish Nude. I definitely needed to use powder afterwards, but I do have quite oily skin. It's now been about 5 hours since I first put it on and I could do with a blotting paper!It lasted pretty well though considering my skin type.
All in all, not a bad budget buy. Hopefully I'll be able to get a proper picture of me wearing it soon.

Make Up Gallery Feeling Blush Blusher

Today I thought I'd do a review on my Make Up Gallery blusher in the shade Candyfloss. This was one of the first items I bought when I found out that Poundland were launching their own make up range. After using it for a good while now I can definitely say it was well worth a pound.
Candyfloss is a peachy pink shade that I think works well for Spring/Summer especially. I've been enjoying wearing this alongside a bit of my Bodyshop honey bronzer- they seem to compliment one another. I usually stick to pink blushes so it makes a nice change to wear a shade that leans more on the peach side.
It's a bit powdery but the pigmentation is really good. In fact it can be quite easy to go overboard! I don't really need any more blushers but for a quid I'm tempted to try another one!

Have you been impressed with anything from Make Up Gallery? 

Sorting Myself Out!

There are so many things I need to do lately that I thought I'd do a post to sort of spur me on and to organise in my head what I need to do!

One of the perks of working in a school is that I have a considerable amount of time off (this just about makes up for the rubbish pay) and whilst I'm facing a long 7 weeks left of term, I know that I'll have plenty of time off in the summer. We're not going away this year either so that's more time to sort my shit out!

• Job hunt. I am seriously considering looking for another job as thinking towards the future, in particular, our wedding (one day!) I need a job with more hours/better pay. I've found work to be more frustrating and challenging this year and it has left me questioning whether I want to branch out and try something different. Trouble is I've only ever worked in schools/nurseries so my experience outside this area is extremely limited! I don't even know what I want so that doesn't help either. We shall see. I think I'll also have a better idea of what I want to do at the end of term, when our roles for the following school year are given. 

• Saving. I desperately need to start saving seriously. As I've said I want to start thinking realistically about wedding planning. Cut backs will definitely need to be made! I need to stop internet shopping and impulse buying, in addition to meal planning properly so that we are not in the supermarket nearly every day. I'm also planning on doing some car boots in the holidays and selling some items on ebay. I have enough junk in the flat and at home to get me started! 

• Sorting & tidying. As much as I'm dreading it, the flat really does need a good sort out! The spare/junk room is really starting to stress me out- trying to get at anything in there is a challenge! I also am in desperate need of storage. Ikea trip I think! My cupboards and drawers are overflowing and I'm tired of items not having a place. I'll try not to take up too much at once as it's so easy to become overwhelmed, especially when you get to that horrible stage of the place looking worse than when you started! 

• The shit tip that is my car. My car. Urgh. It's served me well over the 9 years that I've had it, but it's starting to show its age now. I need to clean my boot out properly once and for all (contents may include a bag of poster paint, mouldy trainers and an old tv amongst all the other miscellaneous crap) and finally get my heating sorted. It constantly blows out hot air even when nothings turned on. Not pleasant at all, especially now it's getting hotter! In an ideal world I would get another, but at the moment it's not financially possible. 

• Me time. I'm planning on getting my hair coloured again during the break. I'm thinking of going back to blonde as it's nearly all grown out now, and it'll help make me feel more summery. I also want to get back into reading ( I feel I say this a lot) and get through all the books that I have stacked up. I want to get away from relying on my laptop/phone for entertainment so I've bought a pack of origami paper so I can have a go at making some more designs. I really enjoying making my lotus and what with all the youtube tutorials about it's not too hard. Well less difficult than trying to follow diagrams!

I hope you haven't found this post too boring- I just really needed to get down my plans!

Lets Go Bargain Hunting!

I do love a bargainous haul so today I thought I'd show you what I have bought lately.

In Poundworld I got two bottles of Aussie Luscious Long conditioner. One for me and one for my dad- he's been complaining that his hair feels dry lately! For a quid I'd definitely recommend you check your local for some! I also bought the L'Oreal Derma Genesis Pore Minimising Serum as I've had my eye on it on the cheapy beauty sites for a a while. Looking forward to trying it out.
I was really excited to see some packs of Elegant Touch nails. I got a gold glitter set and a pink one, both in the 'short' style. They come with adhesive tabs which I haven't tried yet, but they have to be better than that stinky glue. I keep buying false nails but I confess I still haven't tried any of them! I will do though, promise!

In The Works I bought this baking book set for a quid. There's Gorgeous Cakes, Chocolate Treats and Cupcakes & Mini Bakes. I'll be putting this away for a present, though I'm so tempted to open it!

In Home Bargains I bought this cute Hello Kitty mug for 79p. I love all the cakes and bunting on it- so sweet! I already have too many mugs but I couldn't resist. 

From 99p Store I bought a shimmery dark green OPI shatter polish. I know the trend is over but it's still a pretty colour! The purple polish and eyeliner from Manhattan came together in a pack. The khol eyeliner is in the shade Plummy and the polish is called Ping Pong Plum. A great little set come Autumn/Winter! The teeny Maybelline Colorshow blusher is from Poundland. It doesn't have a shade name but it's a candy pink which merges into a light peach. This would be good for taking away I think. 

Also from 99p Stores is a Witch tinted moisturiser in the shade Light and a Andrea Fullerton nail polish duo. I also got a blue one and one that came with loose pink glitter instead of polish. I'm not sure if the tinted moisturiser is a good match for my skin as of yet, but I shall let you know. 

So there you have it! Have you found any good deals lately?

W7 In The City Palette

I bought this palette last month but I hadn't tried it out properly until this morning, when I thought it was about time I gave it a go! I used a primer and started by evening out my eyelids with the 2nd shade 'Troy'- this matches my skin tone perfectly. I then went over the lid with the 3rd shade 'Brass'. Next I used the following shades 'Touch' and 'Autumn' in the crease, followed by a touch of 'Andrea' (most peculiar name choice). All the shades are matte and blended in well with no fall out. With the help of a bit of primer the pigmentation was good, especially considering the price. I got mine at Xtras for £3.99 with the code 'WELCOME20'. It's a really compact little palette and I think it would be great for travelling with. It's a tin (albeit not the strongest) so I think it would fare well in a bag or suitcase.
I would definitely recommend this if you are into your matte nude shades! And if your budget doesn't quite stretch to Urban Decay like myself!

Apologies for the slicked back hair! Needs a wash!

I think W7 are really upping their game lately and I'm liking a lot of their products! 

Drinks & Ducks

Hello! Happy Thursday!

So last Saturday I went out to Chester for drinks with my best friend. I don't see her nearly enough and it had been absolutely ages since I'd had a night out. My 63 year old dad goes out more than me!
I booked me and Stu (he came too) into a guesthouse so that one of us didn't have to drive. It also meant we could stay out as long as we wanted. My dad lives just outside Chester and I would have just stayed there if I had been by myself. It would have definitely saved a lot of money. Even Travelodge's are expensive without booking way in advance. Luckily I found a decent looking guesthouse with good reviews a few days before. It was still £75 for just one night but it did include breakfast and it was the cheapest I could find without going to somewhere grotty! Luckily it was a comfortable, pleasant place and I would recommend it if you're ever in the area.
We arrived at the Kings Guest House in Handbridge at about 3.30 on Saturday as Stu had been working until 1. The location was pretty good as we were close enough to the city to walk into the centre but far enough away from the noise and general hustle and bustle. We had a room near the top of the building and I loved looking out and seeing the back of the houses, as odd as it sounds. I think it's because I grew up in Chester and it's a street I walked along or went through on the bus a lot, so it was novel to have a different perspective!

Looking very dozy. I'm not used to staying up past 10!

Anyways, we dumped our stuff then had a wander around town followed by tea at Harvester. Time seemed to have gotten away from us so it was about 8.30 when we finally met with my friend. That and my hair wasn't playing ball, even with straighteners!
First we went to The Church as I hasn't been there before. It was packed but my friend reckoned it was actually quite quiet!  I had never seen so many hen parties! Most amusing watching one group dance with an inflatable penis though, I have to say. I also had a Cosmo after craving a cocktail for so long- it was really nice,but as always expensive! Later on we headed to Pitcher and Piano as all the noise was stressing Stu out. I have to agree, I do prefer places were you talk easily. Here it was nice to just have a sit down and chat without shouting! It was also much less busy, though we did get ID'd going in. I do wonder when I'll finally look my age! 26 in August and still look like a teen.

I had a really good night though I wish I had gotten ready sooner so we could have gone to more places.It was good to just have a night away and breakfast in the morning was lovely and really hit the spot and sorted my headache out- I'm such a lightweight!

Not really related but on Monday me and Stu went for a walk around the mere and saw the cutest ducklings. They were so sweet though mummy duck did get angry and quack at me at one point!
I've also been having a go at origami. I've figured I need a non technical hobby! My first attempt at a lotus blossom wasn't too bad I thought, considering I made it from some spare gift wrap (we'll ignore the fact I used the wrong side!).

Been up to anything good lately?