My Bookish 2017 Goals

I am someone who is fairly goal driven and I like to give myself tasks for personal improvement every now and then. The new year is a very cliched time to do this, admittedly, but if we can't enjoy a little cliche then what can we enjoy?!

At the beginning of this year I set my self some personal reading goals, which included reading more non-fiction, reading more diversely, and reading more short stories/plays/poetry/non-novels. Some of these goals have been a success (non-fiction books have made up a sizable chunk of this years reading list) and some have been less so (there are only a couple of non-novels on my list... whoops). With that in mind, I thought I would set myself five public goals, to spur on my 2017 reading...

1) Read more non-novels! Yes, this is going straight back on the list as it is something I am desperate to do. I have a short story collection on my TBR shelf already and I've got a play on my kindle ready to go, so I'm hoping to start off the year on the right foot. I also want to read at least one graphic novel this year, as well as more magazines.

2) Read more diversely. Another repeat goal. This was a goal I completed with relative success this year, but I want to improve even further next year. I read significantly fewer books by white men and significantly more by women - mostly because I graduated from university so could choose my own reading list! However, people of colour and LGTBQ authors didn't get as much of a look in as I would have liked, so I'm going to focus on reading more from these groups in the coming 12 months.

3) Re-read! I used to love re-reading books but I haven't in so long. This year I have re-read two books (Paper Towns and We Were Liars) and I really enjoyed the experience. I want to re-read Pride and Prejudice, the Harry Potter Series, and NW next year (at the very least).

4) Review more books. I hinted at a video project in my last book review and I'm going to hint again here! I'll reveal more in the new year, but I'll say that it will be mostly going down on Instagram... I really enjoy recording what I read and reviews are the perfect way to do that.

5) Read more! This year, as the time of writing, I have read 32 books, with a further seven (7!!) that I am part way through. I'm going to aim for a solid 40 next year - fingers crossed I can make it. I used to read a book a week, so it really shouldn't be that difficult but we shall see.

What are your bookish goals for 2017?

16 of 2016 - Favourite Books, Cruelty Free Beauty, and Other!

The end of the year is finally upon us (well, almost) and this little blog post has become somewhat of a tradition. I'll admit, it was a little harder picking out favourites this year than it has been in the past. 2016 hasn't been kind to anyone - personally, politically, and emotionally this year has been fraught with turbulence - however there is certainly some good in all that bad. As usual, I'm splitting this list (much like this blog) into books, beauty, and other. So, here goes...

Books

1. Modern Romance: An Investigation by Aziz Ansari - I read this book in the first half of the year and it has stuck with me ever since. Witty and lighthearted, this book explores heterosexual romance and the way finding 'one true love' has changed in the past century or so. I'd really recommend this book to anyone interested in the way humans form relationships, as well as anyone who is looking for an 'easy in' to non-fiction writing.

2. The Martian by Andy Weir - This is somewhat of a cheat entry because I'm including the film as well as the book. The Martian was one of my biggest surprises - I watched the film because people had said it was good, expecting to enjoy it but not love it. Instead, I laughed my way through the whole experience and went about recommending it to everyone I could! The book was a similar experience and the two are perfectly interlinked in my memory.

3. Only Ever Yours by Louise O'Neill - I'd been wanting to read Louise O'Neill for a while so I was very happy when my sister gave it to me for my birthday. This is by no means an easy read: set in a dystopian world where girls are 'made' rather than born, there are schools for girls to train them to become perfect wives, concubines, or celebate teachers. This story follows one girl (and one year group) as they battle with body issues, social shaming, and boys - it's a scary look into the way that we view relationships and what constitutes the 'perfect woman'.

4. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee - This was another surprise for me, as I expected this to be fusty old classic that I was forcing myself to read 'because I should' rather than because I'd enjoy it. I fell head over heels in love with this book and these characters. Scout, Jem, and Atticus are all perfect characters - all of them flawed but all of them trying to do right by themselves. The story is told from Scouts perspective as she grows up to learn what a good man her father, Atticus, is, as well as the unjustness of the world around her.

5. Sweet Home by Carys Bray - I was trying to read more short story collections this year and, though this was the only one I got around to, Sweet Home has made me want to continue in that endeavour. The stories in this collection centre around family and relationships and they are all touching and heartbreaking in their own little way. I am excited to read more work by Carys in 2017, as well as more short stories!

6. The Tidal Zone by Sarah Moss - This was the stand out book of the year for me. Told from the perspective of a father whose daughter stops breathing, this book examines what it means for life to go on. I really want to re-read this book now, as I read in at a stage in the year when I felt fairly invincible (not only pre-Brexit and pre-Trump but also prior to an event which has changed the way I view mortality forever) and I think my reaction would be markedly different. I think I would appreciate this book more on a re-read and, if possible, love it a little more too.

Beauty

7. Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks - These have been the standout products of 2016 for me and they practically haven't left my face since I bought them at the start of September. You can read my review here.

8. Real Techniques Beauty Blender - This little orange sponge has changed the way I apply cream make-up. I hardly ever wear foundation but, when I used to hate how awkward it was to apply with a brush or with my fingers. Now I feel so much more confident when wearing it. I also wear concealer under my eyes every day and applying with this has made my concealer last longer and look better.

9. Arbonne FC5 Oil Absorbing Day Lotion - I only got this towards the end of the year but it has definitely been my favourite daily-use skincare product! I had been having a real struggle finding cruelty free moisturisers that weren't too heavy or didn't break me out whilst still providing my skin with moisture and this one ticked all my boxes. It is a little bit pricier than my usual (£30 rather than between £3 and £10) but it has been worth it for me.

10. The Balm Mary Lou-Manizer - I have used this product every single day since I bought it and I'm only just starting to hit pan. I love it!

11. Curly Locks by Phil Smith Be Gorgeous - This is a cheat because this is a range rather than an individual product. I had been looking for new cruelty free shampoos and conditioners in the supermarket because my usual choices were all from city shops (I don't live far from my local city but it would always mean a trip out to get products rather than just adding them to my (mum's) weekly shop). The Phil Smith Be Gorgeous range is exclusive to Sainsbury's, cruelty free, and appears to have ticked all my boxes! I especially like the Curly Locks Spray, which I use before diffusing my hair... speaking of which...

12. BaByliss Pro Speed 2100W - I never thought I'd see the day that a hair dryer made it into my daily hair routine and yet here we are! Use this hair dryer with its diffuser attachment every single day and it gives my hair the volume I've been desperately craving without giving me frizz - yay!

Other

13. Travel - I have been lucky enough to go on four fantastic holidays this year and I really have caught the travelling bug. I kicked off the year with a once in a lifetime tour around South Africa - I still want to write a mini travel guide for this trip as there were some huge highlights that I don't think anyone should miss out on when visiting this stunning country. My next trip was a four day city break to Munich! One of my best friends was living there for a few months studying, so I paid her a visit and explored the city at the same time. I'd really recommend visiting the city in summer as the weather was divine and perfect for laying out in a beer garden! The third trip was a family holiday to New York City for my Dad's 50th. This was such a whirlwind trip and we really hit all the highlights - you read my attraction highlights here and my food highlights here. My final trip was a quick getaway to Portugal with a couple of my best friends, more to get some sun than to explore the culture (although we ate some great food).

14. Watsky - I don't think this will be a surprise to anyone that Watsky is on my list of 2016 favourites! His music has meant a lot to me during a few pivotal moments in my life and, once again, when things hit their lowest Watsky was there to lift me up again. I wish I had been able to stick around after his show to shake his hand (unfortunately we had a train to catch) but, judging by his past it won't be too long before he is back!

15. Plants - Whilst I was at university I really began to appreciate the importance of greenery. I had moved from the countryside to the city and I was missing the foliage both inside and outside. Since moving back home I have purchased and been gifted a number of plants and I love them all very dearly! I probably don't look after them as I should but their little green presence in my room does wonders for me - especially in the colder and darker months.

16. Nutri-Bullet - I got my Nutri-Bullet for Christmas last year and I think it is probably my most used Christmas present ever. I have used it every single weekday (well, almost) for the entire year and I can't imagine life without it!


What are your 16 of 2016?

#reviewsdaytuesday The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

I was lucky enough to be sent this book for review by the lovely people at Ebury (thank you) a couple of months ago. I actually finished it and filmed a short video about it  (I'm working on a video book review project which will be launching in the new year) a month or so ago, but I've finally gotten around to writing up my thoughts!

The book arrived in this beautiful wrapping paper!

The Bear and the Nightingale is set in middle-ages Russia, in a remote Northern Town. The story follows a young girl, Vasya, from birth to early womanhood (approximately 13-15) in time when the the community she knows and the home she grew up in is changing wildly.

Early in the story we see Vasya's mother die during childbirth, her older siblings move out and become married off, and her father take on a new (much younger) wife at the bequest of the Russian royal family. The new wife is deeply religious and is greatly troubled by the spirit world. Vasya is deeply connected to the spirit world and is born with an ability to see and communicate with the demons who care for and protect the house and community. An ardent priest also moves to the village at the same time and the villagers begin to listen to his teachings. The priest teaches the people to fear the demons, to fear the magical elements of the world that they don't fully understand, and in turn those elements begin to fear and resent the people.

This book is very much about the battle between old and new, as well as the battle between fear and trust. The fear in the book is caused by a lack of understanding (and an unwillingness to learn) - anyone who is not on the side of 'good' is immediately on the side of 'evil' and anyone who challenges this binary way of thinking is rejected from the community. The voices that speak the loudest in the book - which are not necessarily the voices who know the most - are treated as the voices of authority.

Although it is set many years ago, the themes of this book actually speaks to the things we're seeing in society right now and I couldn't help but notice the many mirrors it was holding up to the world today. It's really obvious that book has been heavily influenced by Russian fairy tales so I think it is fitting that it transforms into a fable-like text. It warns of the dangers of fear, it warns of the dangers of listening to the voice that speaks the loudest, it warns of the dangers of scaremongering.

I enjoyed reading this book - it didn't necessarily grip me but it was a pleasant reading experience - but the further away I have come from reading it the more I have enjoyed it. I'm glad I waited before writing a review, because I needed the distance to realise exactly what the book was doing. It is much more than a 'coming of age' story and I'd recommend giving it a read. Also, not least because this book is set in northern Russia, it is the perfect 'curl up by the fire' kind of read, too!

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden is published on the 27th January 2017 by Ebury Press.

Non-Fiction November TBR

As many of you will know already, November in the book blogging community is known as Non-Fiction November. The main premise of this month is to read more non-fiction that you would do usually. There aren't any reading goals, the only aim is to read more non-fiction than you would do normally. I've been trying to ready more non-fiction this year and I've really been enjoying it, so this month felt like the perfect reading challenge for me this year.

There are three books that I'd like to get to this month.

The first of these is Shame and Wonder by David Searcey. These are a series of short essays, stories, and musings on humanity and the human experience. I'm already half way through and really enjoying it so far.

The second of these is a book that I started earlier in the year and never really got into: The Four Dimensional Human by Laurence Scott. This is a book about humanity in the new digital age and I think it could be really interesting, but I need to give myself time to get into it.

The final book that I want to get to this month is How To Thrive In The Digital Age, which is part of Pan Macmillian's School of Life series. I've already read How To Stay Sane in the same series and I thought it was really good, so I'm looking forward to reading this one too.


Bonus book:

I if I manage to get through those three, I also have this back-up book, which I definitely want to read by the end of the year. What We See When We Read by Peter Mendelsund is a very visual books and flicking through it, it reminds me a lot of The Age of Earthquakes, which I loved, so I'm looking forward to reading this.

What non-fiction books are you reading this November?

#reviewsdaytuesday: Bloom by Estee Lalonde

Estee is one of my favourite YouTubers but, I have to admit, when she said she was writing a book I was somewhat skeptical. I pre-ordered it none-the-less and, as soon as I had it in my hands, I knew I had made the right decision.

This book is a work of art.

Firstly the cover is not only gorgeous but it also has a great texture. The main picture kind of feels spongey and the header is made from a woven textured material. I love it. Inside, each of the chapters of the book have different coloured pages, transitioning through various pastel shades. It is very soothing.

This is a very quick read - I think you could probably read it in one dedicated couple-hour sitting. However, I don't necessarily think the book should be consumed like that. Whilst I do think you should read it in order, I think it works perfectly as a coffee break book and you could read each section in twenty or so minutes whilst enjoying a cup of tea.

The book is packed full with stunning colour photographs from throughout Estee's life. Estee is completely beautiful, but I liked that she didn't only choose obviously staged photos for the book. There are some really raw and natural moments in there - as well as a few goofy shots. One of the biggest things I admire about Estee is how comfortably glamorous and graceful she is, too, and the book is full of pictures of her looking totally effortlessly flawless no matter what clothes she is wearing.

This really is a book with a heart. It has obviously come from a special place within Estee and I think it is clear to see that she poured herself into the text. It's really a series of mini (and I mean mini) essays on life, love, and style. These are all strung together with the theme of personal growth and self discovery - I know already that I'll be revisiting passages to give me a little pick-me-up on a hard day.

I honestly think this book is best described a beacon of light. Although Estee doesn't shy away from the hard and upsetting times in her life, she also makes an effort to show how those don't define her. This was an excellent book and I'd really recommend it!

Currently Reading - October 2016

My currently reading pile is pretty mammoth at the moment - probably the biggest it has ever been. I just can't seem to settle with a book, which is saying something for me, and I'm a hundred or so pages through five or six books. I really do want to continue with them, though, especially the two that I'm super close to finishing, and I'm making it my goal this month to half my currently reading pile. I also have a small pile of Darling magazines that I've half read, as well as the Rookie Yearbook 4, so I'd like to finish flicking through a couple of those by the end of the month too. I'm going to list this in reverse order, from the book I picked up most recently to the oldest book on my pile.

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden - I responded to a call for bloggers from Ebury Press to get a proof of this book. Set in Russia, it combines mystery and magic with a coming of age story (as far as I can tell) and I'm about 50 pages in so far. I'm enjoying it and I wouldn't be at all surprised if this was the first book I finished this month.

Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff - I hauled this book not so long ago and I'm about 100 pages into this and mostly enjoying it. The way it is written it really interesting - it really fluidly moves through time, which can be a little disorientating, and I do keep having to remind myself who is who. It's about Mathilde and Lotto - a young couple with a relationship riddled with secrets and history.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - I'm 130 pages through this, just beginning Act Two, Scene 11. So far I have very mixed feelings and to be honest I just need to sit down and finish this! I'm intrigued to know where the story is going and, although I'm not a huge fan of the quality of the dialogue, I do find myself getting swept up in the story each time I sit with it.

Posh by Laura Wade - I've seen The Riot Club and, to be honest, the only thing that is putting me off finishing this is how angry I get each time I read it. I know I'm in the closing pages but I just can't bring myself to read it! This is a play based on a fictional club at an 'Oxbridge' university, but it plays off some of the truths we know about The Bullingdon Club - a prestigious society that was home to most of the Tory party back in their university days.

The Four-Dimensional Human by Laurence Scott - I started reading this on my journey home from Munich earlier in the summer, which, to be honest, was probably bad timing on my part. This book needs significantly more concentration than I'm able to give it, which is why I'm still only 68 pages through. Truth be told, I should probably remove my bookmark and start again - I would like to have finished this book by the end of the year but I'm dubious about being able to tackle it this month. This is a non-fiction book which looks at the way we interact with technology.

John Dies At The End by David Wong - As far as I can remember I am literally pages away from the end of this. I was reading it on holiday in South Africa but I never managed to finish it. I need to re-charge my kindle and knuckle down with this one - I'd probably finish it in a matter of minutes. This is a very odd book to describe... it is about a drug called 'soy sauce' which enables the person who takes it to see demons. It's very surreal and fairly amusing, although I did remember thinking that it was about to finish only to see that I had over 50% of the book left to go!

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo - This book was on everybody's lips at the start of the year and I actually started reading this book in January. However, I stopped 130 pages in when I realised that I didn't have time to tidy my room and I didn't want to forget all Marie's tips. Suffice to say, I never picked up the book again. This is one of the ones I really want to have finished this month, especially since I've remembered the basic gist of her theory a whole 10 months on anyway!

So there you have it, my rather too long currently reading list! Are there any books you're struggling to get through? Have you got any tips for someone in the depths of a reading slump like I am? You can let me know on Twitter @VickiMaitland

Accidental Book Haul - Summer 2016

Way back in May I got a load of books as a result of an internship I did with Cornerstone. At that point I promised myself that I wouldn't buy anymore books until I had read at least half of the ones I got given. So far I have read five out of the twenty books I was given. So not quite half by anyone's standards and yet, here we are!

I did buy Animal by Sara Pascoe earlier in the summer, but since I have already posted my review of that book I won't be talking about it here.

The Burried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro

Set just after the reign of King Arthur, this story follows Axl and Beatrice - two elderly Britons on a quest to find their sun. All is not quite as it seems, however, and across the land people are slowly loosing their most valuable memories. They meet Wistan, a knight on a mission to slay a dragon, and Edwin, a young boy who was recused from ogres, as we as a whole host of other unusual characters on their journey.

I'm already 3/4 of the way through this book and really enjoying it for the most part!

Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff

Like The Burried Giant this is also a story of marital love and the secrets held in relationships. The blurb reveals very little but it looks like it'll be a fascinating read.

The Tidal Zone by Sarah Moss

Staying in the same themes as the previous two, this is a story of family love and relationships. Adam, a stay at home dad, is called urgently to school when his daughter stops breathing and her heart stops beating. His daughter is fine but the family has to cope with the mystery of her illness.

Jen Campbell has raved about this and I can't wait to read it!

Have you read any of these? What did you think of them?

The Intimidating TBR Tag

I'm usually pretty good at keeping my TBR low and I hardly ever DNF books, but after my week at Cornerstone I've been left with a pretty hefty TBR pile so I thought it was high time to take on the intimidating TBR tag.

1) A book that I haven't read: 

As you can see I've actually started this book and I really enjoyed what I have read so far. I just need to actually follow its advice before I progress any further!

2) A book I haven't had the time to read:

I love Darling magazine but I tend to preference books over magazines when I grab something to read! I really need to make the time to have a proper flick through this to fully absorb its beauty!

3) A book I haven't finished because it's part of a series: 

I really enjoyed The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, I battled through The Girl Who Played With Fire but, 150 pages in to this book, I was so done with Lisbeth. It felt like she changed everything about her that was great and I wasn't down with that - although it has been over five years since I put this down so I could be remembering incorrectly! I don't think I'll be picking it back up anytime soon...

4) A book I haven't read because it's brand new:

This was one of the many books I got from my time at Cornerstone and I can't wait to sink my teeth into it!

5) A book I haven't read because I don't like other things written by the author:

If you've read this blog for a while you'll know that The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan is one of my all time favourites but, as I don't tend to buy books by authors I don't like I really struggled with this category. However, this book is based on a character from Will Grayson, Will Grayson who I actively disliked, so I'm taking my time in picking this one up. My sister has read it and really enjoyed it, though.

6) A book I haven't been in the mood for: 

One of my reading goals was to read more classics and another was to read more books by women of colour. This book ticks both categories but I simply haven't been in the mood for it!

7) A book I haven't read because it is so big:

This actually isn't the biggest book on my list but it is one that I anticipate will be time consuming and its part of a series, so committing to this book is actually committing to three books!

8) A cover buy that I've yet to read:

I am normally good at reading my cover buys but this has been a big exception! It was second hand, however, so I don't feel so bad about leaving it unloved.

9) The most intimidating book on my TBR:

This book. I am halfway through it and have been for the last two years. I really need to start it over again because I've forgotten most of the plot but it's actually more like reading two stories at once and ahh! It is an intense reading experience, with lots of pull out bits and bobs and notes in the margins - maybe this will be the year I finally finish it!

Look at that stack! Wish me luck - what does your intimidating TBR pile look like?

Book Haul #1

I'm going to start this post with an apology - sorry I've been AWOL for the past month. April and May felt like the beginning of the year, with lots of exciting opportunities and new things in my life. The culmination of these new exciting things was two weeks of work experience in Penguin Random House. At the end of the two weeks one of the assistants walked me round the office and let me pick up any books I wanted. As it turned out I only picked two books myself - the rest were recommendations from the office! There's nothing I love more than being given a book by someone whose eyes light up when they talk about it, so I can't wait to get my teeth stuck this huge pile of books!

I won't go through each of these, we'd be here all day, but here are five that I'm most looking forward to:

1) The House at the Edge of Night by Catherine Banner - I've started reading this already and it's stunning. Set on a small island off the coast of Italy, this tells the story of Amedeo, a man without family who finds home on the island. The story follows through the generations that follow and I'm completely besotted with the story so far.

2) Sweet Home by Carys Bray - this is a collection if short stories. I've been wanting to read more short story collections and I've heard wonderful things about Carys.

3) A Book for Her by Bridget Christie - Bridget Christie is hilarious so I'm really looking forward to this!

4) The Four Dimensional Human by Laurence Scott - I've been trying to read more non-fiction and this book looks like it is going to be a fascinating examination of the space humans inhabit.

5) Shame and Wonder by David Searcy - another non-fiction to add to my growing collection, this collection of essays has a beautiful cover.

Are there any books in this (massive) haul that you're interested in reading? Let me know by leaving a comment below or tweeting me @VickiMaitland

#reviewsdaytuesday: Einstein's Dreams by Alan Lightman

I picked up this book for free and it's been sitting on my shelves for a number of years. I'd actually already moved it to a pile to throw away when I heard Jen Campbell mention it in a video of hers. I trust Jen's judgement on books, so I moved it back into my to be read pile and finally got round to reading it in February.

Told in a series of time-bending vignettes, this is the story of Einstein figuring out his theory of relatively. Alan Lightman is a physicist, so it was interesting reading such a literary book from someone with a clear science background. The stories in this book are quaint. They all take place in a small German town and each have their own, very unique, sense of time. Sometimes time moves backwards, sometimes it speeds forwards, sometimes it doesn't move at all, and sometimes it is different for different people and places.

I've never read anything quite like this book. It's a really short read, only 179 pages, but it felt like a book that needed to be indulged in. I really enjoyed it and am very glad I didn't give it away before reading it! Poignant and surreal, I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in time or how we live/experience our lives.

January Wrap-Up

We haven't had one of these for a while, have we?

This year I want to make monthly wrap-ups more of a feature on this blog. I really enjoy watching favourites, wrap-ups, and monthly review videos on YouTube, so I thought I'd have a crack at it on this blog too. My wrap-up's used to be purely book based and, whilst I'm still going to use this space to talk about the books I've loved, I'm going to start integrating other aspects, they might very well change each month, to remind me of where I was at throughout the year.

Books

I'm trying to do the 50 books challenge again this year - after my very unsuccessful attempt last year. I've deleted Goodreads because I never really used it properly, so instead I'm tracking my books in my bullet journal (there will be a post about my journal at some point in the near(ish) future once I'm settled into it).

I've read four books (almost) this month - two fiction and two non-fiction.

Thanks to my sister for being the disembodied arm holding these books.

1) 1984 - George Orwell. This is a book that's been on my 'to read' pile for donkey's years now, and I actually bought it for my Dad for his birthday a couple of years ago. For those who don't know, this is basically the original dystopian. I really enjoyed this book - its a really easy read for a modern classic, and if you enjoyed things like 'The Hunger Games' and 'The Maze Runner' this is a good leap into the adult fiction version of dystopian novels.

I love the cover of this book; there are so many great 1984 covers out there!

2) Bad Feminist, Essays - Roxane Gay. I started reading this book way back in the middle of 2015, but at one point or another I put it down and never picked it back up again. I have somewhat mixed feelings about this collection of essays, but it was certainly an interesting perspective. Gay is a black American woman who has been sexually assaulted in her past, so her view of the world (and the way the world views her) is completely different from my own. In places I felt like the essays could have done with another edit just to tighten them up a bit, and some of them I felt could have been cut altogether as they repeated points already mentioned, but on the whole I enjoyed reading this book.

3) Purple Hibiscus - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. I have now officially finished reading all the novels Adichie has published, so you could say that I'm a bit of a fan. Set in Nigeria, this novel is a coming of age about a young girl living in a very strictly Catholic family. Sometimes painful to read, Adichie's writing is vivid and beautiful, and I feel like I'm learning a lot more about Nigerian history and culture from reading her books.

I had to hold this book at an odd angle because the cover reflected the entire window!

4) Inside Team Sky - David Walsh. I'm actually just over 3/4 of the way through this book at the time of writing, but by the time you read this post I should have finished. Following Team Sky cycling team during their 2013 Tour de France, Walsh is the journalist who uncovered Armstrong and is trying to confirm his beliefs that Sky are a clean team. As you know, I'm a big cycling fan, but even for me some of the names go over my head! If you are interested in cycling, though, its a fascinating insight into how the teams operate.

Beauty

This was the month of Dirty perfume. I picked it up from Lush Oxford Street when I was there over New Years, and I've literally worn it everyday since. It's a really fresh and herbal scent - a minty rosemary, if that makes any sense. I love how clean it smells, and I can see myself continuing to wear it non-stop for the foreseeable future. I might even invest in the smaller size to use on the go!

A photo posted by Vicki Maitland (@vickimaitland) on Feb 1, 2016 at 12:54pm PST

Music

One of my friends Maddie hosts a podcast called 'The Late Night Tea Party', and I've been discovering some excellent music thanks to her, as well as reminding myself of artists I used to listen to whilst studying last year.


Life

This was the month of booking. I booked my first hair cut in a proper salon (and loved the results). I also booked my holiday to South Africa, including all the internal flights and 90% of the accommodation. To say I'm excited is an understatement.

This was also the month that I moved into the marketing office at work. I'm a copy writer for the UK's largest fishing tackle company, and whilst it's certainly not thrilling it's excellent experience.

Finally, this was the month that I stuck to my New Years Resolutions. I've been doing well at running a couple of times a week and keeping my bed made, which is a shamefully big thing for 21 year old me to admit to!

So, as always, stay sunny

xx

Best Of: 15 of 2015

I'm back! Sorry for the hiatus - it was planned but it wasn't executed quite how I had intended. I'll explain all next week, but I thought I'd put this post up before the year grew too old.

Here's my top 15 of 2015.

Beauty

TopShop Smokey Eye Palette - Golden Aurora
Lush R&B Hair Moisturiser
Barry M LipLiner - 9 Russet
Too Faced Mascara - Better Than Sex
Collection Eyebrow Kit

I got the TopShop Pallette for Christmas 2014 and I've worn it every season since. The mix of colours means its pretty versatile, even if the dark colours are too dark for an all-over lid look. Looks I've used it in can be seen here and here.

R&B was something I'd picked up in April, and one small pot lasted me till Christmas. I've already got a new pot. It is the best thing for dry hair, in my opinion, even if the smell is a little funny.

Barry M products have really impressed me all year, but none more than their lip liners. This one, Russet, is my particular favourite as it's really adaptable under different colours of lipstick.

I had a mixed reaction to the Better Than Sex mascara at first, but now I can't imagine my make-up look complete without it.

Collection are the only brand in this list with a somewhat dubious cruelty free policy. Both this eyebrow kit and their concealer have stayed in my make-up kit all year, however, so at least one of them deserved a place in my favourites.


Books

How To Be Both - Ali Smith
Americanah - Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche
The Book Theif - Markus Zusak
The Direputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks - E. Lockhart
The Age of Earthquakes - Coupland, Basar, Obrist

I loved Smith's There But For The, and I picked up How To Be Both when it was on offer in Waterstones. It's a very intelligent book, as all of Smith's are, and I'd really recommend it.

Americanah was a bit of a revelation for me, as I'd never read anything with African leads outside of school, and certainly nothing by an African author. This had been something I was looking to change, and I made good moves to change it in 2015. Looking forward I want to continue to diversify my reading.

I got The Book Thief Christmas 2014. When I read it I sobbed and sobbed. No book since has had that visceral reaction in me, so it had to go in my favourites.

The Disreputable History is a book I own on Kindle, but it's one that I've recommended over and over again ever since I read it. I read it on busses, trains, and a plane as I made my way to Lyon and it captivated me throughout.

I've lent The Age of Earthquakes to Katie, so I don't have a picture, but you can read my review here. This book was one of the first truly non-fiction books I read last year, and to read more non-fiction is one of my reading goals for 2016.


Other

Filler Podcast - Harry Hitchens and Matt Shore
No Such Thing As A Fish - QI Elves
Necklace
How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful - Florence and the Machine
Darling Magazine

Filler is a creative industries podcast hosted by Harry Hitchens and Matt Shore. It's so intelligent and inspirational, and as a young creative myself I love listening to how my sucessful peers got to where they are today.

No Such Thing As A Fish is a podcast by the QI elves. Four of the QI researchers meet to share their favourite facts from the last week, and not only is it interesting but it frequently has me giggling my socks off.

This necklace was a gift from my parents for my 21st. It's diamond cut gold - a cut that was popular in the 70's but less so now. I wanted it because my Mum has a similar one, that she got for her 21st too, and I like that it's a tradition to be passed down.

How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful as an album is beautiful, and the title track is my favourite from the whole. Florence always creates poetry rather than lyrics, and I love how she just goes for a note. The album contains so much emotion, it's stunning.

Darling was something I became aware of to the end of last year, but because of the price of shipping I was really wary of ordering it. I'm so glad I took the plunge, and strongly recommend it to anyone looking to read a magazine that truly celebrates the art of being a woman. None of their images are doctored in any way, and the magazine is divinely edited.

It was really lovely to reflect over some of the things I loved over the year. I could add in so much more, including all of the National Theatre Live cinematic productions I've seen, all of the plays and musicals I've gone to, and plenty of other artists (including Lorde, Haim and Paolo Nutini).

What were some of your favourite things from the last year? I'm still on Twitter and Instagram - @VickiMaitland everywhere. I'm no longer doing Goodreads as I found it a pretty ineffectual way of tracking my reading personally, but you can follow what I'm reading by following me on my other social media, as I tend to write about the stuff I'm loving.

Next week I'll go into more depth about my haitus, but for now, stay sunny.

x

Blogmas 18: Five Cruelty Free Gifts Under £10

This is the last weekend of shopping before Christmas, so here are my cruelty free gift ideas to get someone a last minute bit of love - whether its their whole gift or a little extra stocking filler.

1) Booja-Booja Chocolate - £6.49

Booja-Booja are THE free from indulgence brand in my opinion, and most (all?) of their chocolates are vegan. NOt only this, but they taste DELICIOUS - an ex-boyfriends-mum worked in a health food shop and bought me a box of Stem Ginger Truffles a couple of Christmases ago. Heavenly!


2) Dr Organic Rose Otto Night Cream - £9.79

I reviewed this indulgence brand a couple of days ago, and I think this would be a lovely little gift, especially for a Mum or Grandma.

3) Lush Golden Wonder Bath Bomb - £3.95

I haven't used this but I have a friend who has and she loved it! Lush bath bombs are pricey, but as a gift they're a wonderful treat.

4) Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer - £9.99

This book isn't for the faint hearted, and I haven't read it yet but I'm told it can turn anyone vegan! I think this would be perfect for someone who feels strongly about animal rights, although I think it's probably pretty harrowing...

5) Barry M Nail Polish - £2.99 - £4.99

Last but not least, trusty Barry M. You could easily buy a couple (or three) polishes for under £10. They have a huge variety, too, and their formulas seem to improve year on year!

Blogmas 8: #reviewsdaytuesday The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

**EDIT: This post was meant to go up yesterday, but, because I forgot to press 'publish', it didn't. There will be a bonus post some point this month to complete the 24 days of Blogmas!**


I had heard so much hype about Samantha Shannon's The Bone Season, so when I saw it at £2.50 on TheBookPeople I had to pick it up.

My #reviewsdaytuesday is up on the blog after some (ahem) technical trouble! // link in bio // #bookstagram #books #bookporn #bookphotography #bookworm #instabook

A photo posted by Vicki Maitland (@vickimaitland) on Dec 9, 2015 at 10:07am PST

Set in the future (2059, to be precise), Shannon imagines an alternative world - a world where people can commune with a spirit world, and those people who can are peresucted and sent to mysterious prisons. The story follows Paige Mahoney - a teenage girl who is part of a clairvoyant underworld in London. However, not long into the story she is captured by the government Scion and taken to a prison compound. There she discovers that things are not all that they seem, and that a mysterious alien race is controlling her government in order to protect them from something much, much, worse.

The story starts off in a very 'telling' way. Paige explains, loosely, to us about the government, the clairvoyants, and her place in it. I'm often skeptical about stories that start this way - Paige has no need to recall the past, so why does she except for the benefit of the reader? I would much rather a story that threw you into the deep end, where the world in unveiled through the plot and dialogue of the story rather than through an opening monologue. However, if a story does choose to 'tell' me the world rather than 'show' me it, I expect to fully understand it. Shannon hits a halfway house, she tells me a bit about the world but not enough for me to feel confident in it. She shows me a bit about the world, but not enough that I understand it before Paige is swept away from it.

Once Paige is in an unfamiliar environment, her and the reader are put on much more equal footing and we both begin to discover the world together.The story becomes much more powerful, as Paige is discovering herself in this new place, and reconstructing her idea's about the outside world. It would almost have been worth beginning the story with the sorting of the characters in the 'prison world' (a group of prisoners are split up between different wardens) and flashing back to how she ended up there, in my opinion.

I didn't find many of the relationships convincing - except the relationship between Paige and Nick (the Scandinavian doctor who helps her discover her clairvoyant ability). The relationship between Paige and her Warden was very confusing and conflicted but in a very obvious, over dramatic way way ('I hate him but I'm also attracted to him, oh what to do?!').

The book opens with a diagram of the different types of clairvoyancy and a map of the penal colony that Paige gets sent to. For me, both of these things felt totally unnecessary. The different types of clairvoyants list would have been useful if different types of clairvoyants were actually featured prominently in the story, or if the list actually explained how those different clairvoyants operated. The map had very little detail on it, and it wasn't as if I was constantly trying to locate her - I just accepted where she was at any given time and didn't need to know it in relation to other things.

In short, this was a debut novel that felt like a debut novel. I can't tell if it was under-edited or just poorly edited - the plot itself should be so interesting but it never gripped me. I was desperate to see more of her life outside the colony - whether in flashbacks or as a prelude to the story which would colour the world more richly.

I don't really like posting negative reviews (she writes two days after the disappointing hair product post), but this book underwhelmed me after all the hype.

Have you read The Bone Season? What did you think of it?

Beloved Books Tag

My darling wifey, KatieKinsDuncan, tagged me in this at the end of October so it's about time I got to it! As far as I can tell the premise of this tag is just your five favourite books, so, in no particular order, here goes!


Paper Towns by John Green

This was the first John Green book I fell in love with. I've watched John and Hank since 2007 (I just caught the end of 2.0) and I was a huge part of the hype that led up to the release of Paper Towns. I can still remember watching a video of Kristina, Kayley and Lauren (I think? And maybe Hayley too?) meeting John and getting blacked out copies of Paper Towns from where edits had been made since the first proof run. I pre-ordered this book and was SO HAPPY to receive happy Margo. I still haven't seen the film as I'm scared it will spoil the beauty of this book.

The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan

I cannot express how beautiful this little book it. It's super quick to read but urgh it's so poignant and just stunningly crafted. I've read it a number of times and always found something new in it. It was the inspiration for my dissertation and I love it!

NW by Zadie Smith

I read this book during the summer of first year of Uni. It was a time in my life where I'd hit a reading slump and felt directionless. It was also the first truly 'adult' book I'd picked up of my own accord. I was blown away by Smith's playful use of language - this book reads how London feels to me - and I thank it so much for getting me back into loving literature and words.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

This book was so hyped in early 2014 and it did not disappoint. Another superb construction of literature, and a book I'll definitely return to (although I haven't yet!). I loved it!

Excuse the lack of photo, I own this book on Kindle and it was out of battery when I was taking these pictures!

Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone by J K Rowling

This book. This book! This is such a well thumbed edition, and I would love to know how many times my mum, my sister, and me have read this book. It's one I'll definitely be smuggling out of the house when I move out!

There you have it! It's by no means an exhaustive list but I tried to stay true to myself when I thought about books that had really snuck their way into my heart!

Let me know your beloved books! Tweet me, comment below, or tag me in an Instagram picture! I'm @VickiMaitland everywhere!

Cozy Book Tag

It feels like donkeys years since I last did a tag, and this one is Autumn themed, so let's get cracking! The first two pictures are from GoodReads, again because of bad lighting when I get home from work!

1) Crunchy Leaves - a book with orange and red hues.

I literally picked up the first orange and red book I saw, which happened to be Emergency Kit: Poems for Strange Times. This was a book I assigned at university but I never read as much of it as I should have - hopefully that will change soon!

2) Cozy Sweater - a book that makes you warm and fuzzy.

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman is an adorable, if slightly sad, story about pensioner Ove. This was one of my Booktober books, and I adored it! Full review to follow.

3) Autumn Storm - the genre you read on a rainy day.

Dystopia or classic literature, when the weather is grey these genres seems to match the mood perfectly. I'm currently racing through The Maze Runner series, perfect rainy autumn reading, but I've been known to pick up Austen to bide my time during a dull patch.

4) Cool and Crisp Air - a character you'd like to switch places with.

This is really hard, especially as a lot of my favourite characters find themselves in situations I'd never want to be in! Sam from Perks of Being A Wallflower is effortlessly cool, though, and I'd love to stand in her shoes for a while. Frankie, from The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks is another strong female character I'd love to be for a day or two!

5) Coats, Scarves and Mittens - a book with a cover you want to hide.

The Shock of the Fall by Nathan Filer. You'll know if you read my review that I loved this book, but the cover just doesn't do it justice. It's not an ugly cover at all, but it's far too innocent for the content of the book. If I could change it to something darker and grittier I would.

6) Hot Apple Cider - a book that's been under-hyped.

I'd never heard of I'll Give You The Sun before I read it, and I completely loved it! It really surprised me considering how good it was that I hadn't heard of it before.

7) Pumpkin Spice - favourite comfort book. (The original question says comfort food, but since it's a book tag I've made it bookish!)

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. I think this one is pretty obvious, but the first sentence of this book alone can make me feel settled and calm.

What are your answers? Do the tag and let me know on twitter or leave a comment below!