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!

Cruelty Free Autumn Make-up Look (2 ways)

I love both of these make-up looks - one lends itself to evening, the other to everyday. I've worn them both loads over the past month or so, and it's really easy to turn the everyday look into the evening one as they use almost all of the same products.

All the products I've used are cruelty free, with the exception of Collection products. Collection have an unclear cruelty free policy, and, whilst I consider them to be a cruelty free brand unless they are proven of animal testing, I know some people are dubious about their cruelty free stance so choose to avoid them.

Look 1 - English Rose - Everyday

I love how simple and plain this make-up look is. It's all about highlighting the cheeks, lips and lashes. The very lovely lady who served me in Topshop actually wrote down what lipstick I was wearing when I was shopping in this make-up!

This is the elf. Lip Gloss Stick in Sangria Starters.

This blush is brighter than I normally wear, but it's perfect for this rose look.
It's elf Cream Blush in Seductress.
I apply it with a brush as I find it gives a subtler wash of colour.

I use two mascara's for this look. I apply Better Than Sex on my top lashes, then cover with a coat of the elf Waterproof mascara. I use the elf mascara on my bottom lashes too.

This combination creates a really natural finish. I apply the B. Moisture Gel first, then I massage in Lush Colour Supplement whilst the moisturiser is soaking in.

I use the fourth colour in (Chocolate Mink) all over my lids. This is the Collection Nude palette.

Look 2 - Vamp - Evening

 This look is a lot more intense than the everyday look, but uses most of the same products. The focus of this look is the vampy lips and dark eyes. I emphasise my brows more in this look too.

I paired up these two lip-liners in order to create the vampy lip.
Bottom: elf Long Wear Lip Liner in Bitter.
Top: Barry M Lip Liner in 11 (Wine).

This is with Bitter just on it's own. It was brighter than I expected it to be, but with the lipstick on it looks lovely.
It also works really well with Sangria Starters over it.

I then shade in the corners and run faintly around the edges with Wine.

I top the whole lip with M&S Matte Mulberry. The moisturising element of this lipstick blends the lip balms together.

Using the same Collection palette I take the shade darker (Brown Sugar - second from right).

I use the darkest contour shade in the Barry M Chisel Cheeks palette to deepen the crease of my eye - taking the colour up onto my brow bone and far towards my nose.

I also lined my eyes with this elf Liquid Liner. However it also works well without the extra line!

These are all the products I used - with the exception of the eyeliner and the blusher.
 I used the same cream blush as before.

Let me know if you try either of those looks by leaving a comment below, tweeting me @VickiMaitland or tagging me on Instagram!

Autumn Lush Haul

This blog post is coming earlier in my plan than expected, again mostly due to awful November lighting meaning I couldn't get decent photos that reflected the colour of my make-up looks - here's hoping for a brighter next weekend! 

I was determined, after a month of bookish posts, that this week would be something different - so here's my Autumn Lush Haul.

I visited London at the start of October, and I had to visit Lush Oxford Street! I picked up a couple of things that are exclusive to the Oxford Street store - although I believe the entire range is available online.

Vegan.

1) T for Toes. I hate not wearing socks with shoes, or wearing just nylon tights and shoes, so I picked up some of this foot powder to keep my feet feeling fresh all day. I think it works relatively well, but it is a bit messy!

Vegan.

2) Light Pink Colour Supplement. I was surprised this colour was the one that best matched my skin tone as I have fairly yellow/orange undertones. This colour complements my skin tone really well, though, and it's a nice, light, alternative to foundation. You're supposed to mix this with moisturiser before applying it, but I actually prefer wearing it overtop of my moisturiser (not allowing the moisturiser to skin in too much before applying the product). The effectiveness of this product really relies on the moisturiser you use, but I've found it settles in to my skin perfectly.

Vegan.

3) Flowering Tea Bath Dunk. I wanted to get this tea-bag bubble bar ever since I heard about it. I haven't tried it out yet, but it had a very strong floral smell (there are dried flowers inside the 'bag') and a silver lustre on the outside. I'm hoping to get three or so uses out of it - I just need to make time for the bath!

I also picked up a couple of other things throughout the month.

Vegan.

4) Rehab Shampoo. I sent my parents into Lush to pick up the Jumping Juniper shampoo bar (it's my favourite) but they were all out. A very lovely lady who works there gave them three sample pots of Rehab because it has similar properties to Jumping Juniper. I had always been skeptical of buying Lush liquid shampoo because spending over £10 on 250ml of product seems a little bonkers to me. However, after these three tiny (and I mean tiny) tubs lasted me three weeks, with excellent results, I thought I'd take the plunge. The smell of this product is beautiful - rosemary and mint are two of my favourite scents and they are mixed beautifully in this product. I LOVE IT.

Vegan.

5) Coal Face. This is a facial soap. I've been wanting to try it for a while now, and finally picked it up this month. I'm still undecided about it at the moment, and I definitely prefer my coconut oil cleanser for the evenings (I've actually changed brands and am currently adoring the Vita Coco oil). However I'm going to start subbing this in for my morning shower, so I'll keep you posted!

Vegan.

6) T'eo Deodorant. I'm actually going to do a cruelty free comparisons soon with this deodorant featured, so I won't go into too much detail. I will say that I love the smell of this product, it keeps me smelling clean all day, although it is a bit scratchy on freshly shaved pits.

Have you tried any of these products? What do you think of them?

Let's Write #NaNoWriMo2015

As Father John Misty once sung 'I'm writing a novel, because it's never been done before!'

How I would spend all of my time if I could #amwriting #tbt

A photo posted by Vicki Maitland (@vickimaitland) on Mar 19, 2015 at 12:55am PDT

It's November, which means it is National Novel Writing Month - the one month of the year where everyone puts down their social life and picks up their fingers to their keyboards and writes.

NaNoWriMo (or NaNo, as I call it) is a wonderful time of the year. I love writing - I studied creative writing for three years at university - but I never seem to find the time to actually sit down and do it. Having hardly written a word since handing in my last assignment the better part of half a year ago, my fingers are itching to get going again! I've got a notebook slowly filling up with half formed ideas, so I thought NaNo the perfect excuse to put pen to paper (or rather, fingers to keys).

Over my time at univeristy I discovered that I wrote fairly naturally to the short story form - trying to create anything of great length (for me, over 10,000 words) ended up feeling forced and wishy-washy. So, rather than writing a novel, this month I'm going to write a series of unconnected short stories.

'But how will you manage to write 1,667 words a day when you can barely put out your weekly post on time?!?' I hear you cry.

Well, dear reader, never fear. I have a whole month worth of blog idea's stacked in my head, so you'll still be getting your weekly fill. Next week will be my Autumn Make-Up look (two ways), the week after will be my turn at The Beloved Books tag (which Katie tagged me in last week), and the week after that will be a Lush haul and mini-review.

Till then, you can follow my writing progress on nanowrimo.org - my username is CurlyWurly and I'd love to be your buddy if you're taking part. I'm not too worried about hitting all the targets, but if I can write each day I'll be very happy with myself.

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!

#reviewsdaytuesday: Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Today is an exciting day (for me, at least). Writing my post about reading slumps really kicked me into gear, and I've finished the first book of my Booktober challenge!

Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie checks off two of my Booktober goals: A book written by a non-white author, and a book written by a woman.

And what a book.

When I read Americanah earlier in the year I loved it, so I picked up Half of a Yellow Sun with much excitement. It didn't disappoint.

Being entirely ignorant of much of African history, let alone Nigerian, I found this book fascinating. Set in 1960's Nigeria, it moves through the decade, covering the build-up, the climax, and the end of the civil war. It focuses on the life of one family, jumping between three key characters with each chapter. The changing perspectives, whilst initially jarring, flowed together seamlessly and provided a wonderful 360 look on events.

The movement through time worked wonderfully. The story is in four parts, the early and late 1960's split evenly between them. I really appreciated the even split as it gave just as much gravitas to the events before the war as the events within the war - this made the story very personal, even relatable. Adichie held back just the right amount of information when she made her moves. Nothing felt unfinished, and the moments in part two when Ugwu is talking about an unknown event gave enough information that I didn't feel left out, whilst not giving away so much as to remove the delicate tension.

This novel is a novel about tension, in many ways. The tension between lovers, families, races, and the self. All these strings are held taut, if one were to be loosened the others would slacken too. Adichie has full control over them, and pulls them this way and that, to weave a beautiful creation.

Beautiful is the only way to describe this novel. The language is exquisite yet realistic and not once did I doubt that it was the characters who were speaking. In other hands much of this book could sound overdone and false - beauty for beauty's sake. Yet this novel demands beauty to shield from the horror. The novel, being about war, has triggers for rape, violence and gore. Yet the beauty makes them simultaneously more bearable and more horrific in its contrast.

I loved this book, and can't wait to read more from Adichie. Have you read it? Share your thoughts on twitter or in the comments below.

Booktober: Reading Slumps

It's somewhat apt that this post is going up late (if you follow my instagram or twitter then you'll know that I've been all over the country this week) considering its about a lack of motivation. 

I started Booktober because I was in a reading slump and I wanted to get out of it. The problem is, I started it thinking that the need to write a blog post about books every week would be enough to motivate me, rather than considering the actual reason behind my lack of desire to read. Blogging, it turns out, is not motivation enough, and I've been able to get by on reviews of books I've already read.

After a week of not reading, and not stressing out about not reading because I've been far too busy to think of anything other than the job in hand, I think I've finally cracked it. It all comes down to time (as usual) and how I like to read.

I'm not a picky reader. I don't enjoy sitting down, reading 10 pages, then standing up again. I don't like going for a couple of days without reading a book I'm enjoying. I don't really know how people can read like that, reading a book over the course of a month or more, bit by bit.

I'm an indulgent reader. I like to have time set aside to read, at least half an hour at a go. If I'm enjoying a book I like to run with it, read it in gulps rather than sips. 

The problem is this: with a full time job, a part time job, and a job hunt all going on I feel guilty each time I pick up a book because I know I'm going to 'waste' half an hour reading. Instead I play on my phone, or watch a YouTube video, or read a blog post. I'm still wasting that half hour, but because I'm doing bitty things it feels less like half an hour wasted.

This is always the problem I have when I'm in a reading slump. I don't view reading as procrastination, so I don't do it!

So, two weeks into October with less than one book read (although two started), I'm kicking it up a notch. I know as soon as I get into a book I'll be fine, so it's just a matter of picking up a book rather than my phone. Starting tomorrow, I'm going to have a 'read whenever' attitude. If I have ten minutes spare I'll read a chapter. On my lunch break at work I'll leave my phone in my bag.

I want to read at least 4 of the books I set out to by the end of the month. I've almost finished one and I'm halfway through another, so by mid week I should be back on track.

Wish me luck, and let me know if you have any tips to get out of a reading slump!

#reviewsdaytuesday: The Age of Earthquakes: A Guide to the Extreme Present by Douglas Coupland, Shumon Basar and Hans Ulrich Obrist

The first official #reviewsdaytuesday of BookTober! Welcome!

I thought it only fitting that the first review of the month (leaving last weeks teaser aside) be from the most unique book I've read this year. 

The Age of Earthquakes is one of the most interactive books I've read this year. It is sat on the boarder between fiction and non-fiction (I'd probably describe it as creative non-fiction), and between graphic novel and illustrated essay. The fluidity of the text reflects the feeling of reading it. It bends the mind and submerges the body into the present day truths about climate change, the financial world, and social media. In fact, it's hard to think of a contemporary topic the book doesn't cover.

Mostly visual with sparse words scattered across the pages, sometimes densely packed in a way that jars the eyes, this book is a quick read. However this doesn't mean it's an easy read. It takes time to work through the pages, your mind rests on ideas and floats through them till you can find your own understanding. On mulitple occassions I closed the book, closed my eyes, and just thought about what I had just read. Whether it's deconstructing the 2008 financial crash or asking deep philosophical questions about the nature of the self, this book works hard to find an access point into the mind (and often suceeds).

It is a book that bears re-reading.

As you can tell, I love this book and highly reccommend it. Thanks so much to @leenanorms for gushing about it on her YouTube channel. Without her I would never have found this little nugget of wonder.

Have you read this book? I'd love to hear your thoughts, either in the comments below or on twitter. You can find me @VickiMaitland pretty much everywhere.

#reviewsdaytuesday: The Shock of the Fall by Nathan Filer

October hasn't even started yet but BookTober is up and running with full force! To kick the month of I thought I'd start with a review of one of the best books I've read this year.

The Shock of the Fall is told from the perspective of a nineteen year old, Matt, whose brother died ten years ago. It is written fragmentally, past and present co-existing as he writes sporadically in therapy sessions, on a typewriter in his flat, in a high security mental health facility. In this way we are tunnel visioned into Matt's life. We are completely restricted in his emotions (which are many and varied), in his memory (which is visited regularly) and his mental state (which he is aware is poor).

The structure of the novel often reflects the fluctuations in Matt's mental health - even by the end of the story I wasn't entirely sure where (in linear terms) we were. This works in the novel's failure, and for me helped me feel immersed in Matt's confused world.

The voice of the novel is simultaneously child-like and poetic. There is a beautiful simplicity about the prose, and were it not for the references to drink and drugs I would often forget I was reading from the point of view of a young adult. Matt is very childlike in a number of ways, and very old before his time in others. Racked with guilt about his brother's death, he is stuck aged nine, yet his complex thoughts about life and death reveal an un-tapped intellectual ability beyond his years. Often funny, deeply sarcastic, Matt is a likable character despite his many flaws (the way he treats those who care about him, for example).

I really enjoyed this book. It serves as a good discussion of mental health, grief, and the social care system. It is also excellent as a piece of literature, and the writing is perfectly balanced - providing stability in an otherwise unstable novel.

Introducing BookTober

Today's post was originally going to be my two current favourite Autumn make-up looks, but I'm currently on holiday and have found I've left some of my makeup at home! So I'm doing a swap around and that post will come next week, so I can introduce BookTober a week early!

I'm planning on reading a lot over the next few weeks, as I really need to kick me TBR pile. To help that, I've set myself some reading goals for the month. I've deliberately created them with certain books in mind, but I've allowed myself some overlap in case I find myself struggling for time.

1) A book written by a non-white author.
2) A book written by a woman.
3) A Man Booker book (past or present).
4) A play.
5) A book that's been on my TBR for over a year.
6) A non-fiction book.
7) A book I've been gifted.
8) The first in a series.

I'm also planning on reading a poem a day, with the view of maybe completing a small collection of poetry.

What does all of this mean for you? Well, over the next month I'm going to come good on all of my promised book reviews plus some extra, so there will be at least one book-review-style post a week. I also want to post at least one bookish discussion post, so you can look out for that! I've already said I'm going to post my Autumn make-up look next week, but I've also got an Autumn wardrobe edit lined up. This means that there's likely to be two posts a week! (I know, I'm as tentative as you are!)

I'm really looking forward to BookTober! Let me know if you decide to join me on my bookish quest! You can use the goals I've created, or create your own. The real goal is to kick my TBR pile down a few pegs!

Cruelty Free Comparisons: Mascara

As you might have seen, last month I started off a new series 'Cruelty Free Comparisons', in which I review two beauty products, one high(ish) end, one budget(ish) and see if either of them are worth the money. If you missed it, here's The Conditioner Edition.

I don't have the budget to consistently buy high-end products to review each month, but I did splash out on a mascara for graduation, so... welcome to The Mascara Edition.

Budget:

M&S All-In-One Limited Collection Mascara (£5)

High End:

Too-Faced Better Than Sex Mascara (£19)

First things first, the packaging. The M&S mascara has very simple, plain packaging which I actually quite like the appearance of, although as you can see time betrays how cheap it is. Too-Faced's mascara is much weightier, not because the product is any bigger but because the packaging is more expensive. I also really like the shutting system on the Too-Faced mascara. It clicks shut in such a way that it feels like you don't need to keep screwing round the lid to tighten it. The M&S (and most other drug-store mascara's) product just has a normal screw top, and the product definitely dried out quicker.

The brush. Probably one of the most important element to a mascara, second only to the formulation. Both products have a bristled brush, but you can see from the images that the Too-Faced brush is much longer and thicker (as well as having their iconic hourglass shape). The main problem for me with the hourglass brush is that a lot of product collects on the tip, so the finest lashes in the inner corner can sometimes end up looking clumpy. Other than that, the length of the brush really lets me get a good coat of product on. That being said, although the M&S brush is much smaller, the delicate corner application is much better. However, I do have to go in for a lot more coats with the smaller bristles (although that could just be because the product is a few months old, and I remember it applying quicker earlier). 

Better Than Sex on the left, No mascara on the right.
I curled my lashes before applying mascara but after taking the before image.

No mascara on the left, All-in-One on the right.
I curled my lashes before applying mascara but after taking the before image.

Better Than Sex left, All-in-One right.
If you ignore the lighting difference, you can see how much more clumping there is on the right picture than the left.
My eyelashes look much more even and separated in the left hand image, and the curl holds much better.

The formula. Both of these mascaras have the tendency to clump as they both have very thick formulas. This being said, now the M&S mascara has dried out, I actually prefer the application. The Too-Faced mascara applies like a wet version of the dried M&S one (if that makes sense?). In other words, it is much less clumpy and much more even from the off. I can also get muliple layers from the Too Faced product. In the pictures, I've only applied a couple of layers of each product, but if I needed to I could easily continue layering to create a much bolder look with Better than Sex. The M&S product dries very quickly on the lashes, making it very difficult to layer effectively without just creating more clumps. However, the M&S mascara is a lot longer lasting than the Too-Faced product. This was something I really did not expect and it's the main aspect that has really let down the Too-Faced product for me. With the M&S mascara very rarely did I get dark smudges under my eyes after a few hours wear - something I definitely experience with Better Than Sex. It's worth noting that neither products claim to be waterproof, and neither of them are very durable in heavy rain. 

The claims. M&S claims to have produced an 'All-In-One' mascara. For the most part, I think they're bang on, especially for the price tag. It doesn't necessarily curl my lashes, but it definitely gives me volume and length. Too-Faced claims to have produced mascara that is 'Better Than Sex'. I wouldn't necessarily agree, but it is a bloody good mascara!

In conclusion: Better Than Sex wins, but (unless elf open up their uk store soon - their budget products can't be beaten for quality for money) I'd re-purchase All-in-One if I was short on cash. If I had the money, though, Too-Faced would have converted me, and I'd love to try out some of their other products!

Cruelty Free Everyday Skincare Routine August 2015

It feels like it's been donkey's years since I've written skin care routine post, so I thought it was only right to post an update! I'm actually not 100% happy with my routine at the moment, and I'm looking to switch it up, so any suggestions for fabulous, affordable, cruelty free products would be much appreciated.

Morning: I have a full time job, so I'm up at 7am every morning. Not wanting to lose out on anymore sleep, I try to combine as many steps as possible. So, whilst my conditioner is soaking in, I use Superdrug's Tea Tree Exfoliating Cream Wash. If you've read this blog for a while you'll know I love peppermint scents, and this product contains peppermint oil. It's perfect for first thing as it really wakes me up and I love the exfoliation as I feel like it scrubs away the night's grime.

I always moisturise, and at the moment I'm using Superdrug's B. Ready Day Cream. I have mixed feelings about this day cream, as it's a little heavy for my skin, particularly at this time of year. If you know a lightweight cruelty free moisturiser leave a comment below or tweet me @VickiMaitland!

Evening: A few months ago I began using Coconut Oil as a make-up remover and cleanser. It also doubles up as a moisturiser, and I try to let it really soak into my skin by placing a hot cloth over my face for a few moments before wiping it away.

It's the best make-up remover I've ever used as it's super delicate and always manages to pull off all my eye make-up.

Because coconut oil is sometimes accused of clogging pores, I finish off by wiping over my face with Superdrug's Tea Tree Cleanser and Toner on a cotton pad. I really like this product, and it's amazing how much gunk and excess oil comes off my face! Because it's a two-in-one product, it gives me a double cleanse too.

I moisturise before bed too. I recently ran out of my Superdrug B. Nourished Night Serum and I need to pick a new one up. I find it doesn't last me very long, however, so if you've got a recommendation for a great night serum let me know! 

I'm definitely going to re-purchase the two Tea Tree products, but if you have any suggestions for me to switch out my coconut oil (either for a better quality oil or an oil based cleanser) and my moisturiser (I'm still looking for a cruelty free lightweight moisturiser which matches up to my old favourite: Olay Daily Fluid).

August Haul and Wrap Up

This past month has been a pretty big one for book buying (and reading). Not only was it the booktubeathon, but I also got a couple of books as graduation gifts. So let's get started!

The Haul

The first books I got this month were gifts from my sister for graduation. 

Wonder by R J Palacio - I've heard some great things about this book, so I'll feed back once I've read it!

A Man Called Ove by Fredrick Backman - I've never heard of this book, so I'm excited to pick it up and see what's in store!

Armed with my gift card, I made a little trip into Waterstones and picked up a few books that I've been meaning to for the longest time.

How To Be Both by Ali Smith - I loved There But For The when I read it during my second year of uni and I've been desperate to get my hands on How To Be Both ever since it was nominated for the Man Booker Prize in 2014. 

The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan - I heard so many good things about this book (which won the Man Booker 2014) so I had to pick it up.

Bad Feminist, Essays by Roxane Gay - This is another book that I've heard a million and one amazing things about. At the time of writing this, I'm about 8 essays in and so far I'm pretty impressed.

The Age of Earthquakes: a guide to the extreme present by Shumon Basar, Douglas Coupland, and Hans Ulrich Obrist - Bought on recommendation from Leena, couldn't put it down, review to follow.

My dad also made a Book People order this month and needed some help to get it up to the £25 free shipping limit. I was more than happy to lend a hand.

Maya Angelou Collection (including: I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, And Still I Rise, and Gather Together In His Name) - I've always wanted to read some Angelou, so I'm really looking forward to these.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adchie Collection (including: Purple Hibiscus and Half of a Yellow Sun) - I loved Americanah, so when I saw Adichie's back catalogue I had to buy it.

The Bone Season  by Samantha Shannon - When I saw this hardback was only £2.50 I had to pick it up, especially after Reagan  (whose name I am definitely misspelling, sorry!) gushed about it on her channel.

The Wrap-Up

The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton - I liked this book but didn't love it, so there probably won't be an indepth review coming. It's about a young girl in Holland who gets married to a much older man. Upon moving in with him and his family she feels out of place, and it soon becomes apparent that the house is full of secrets. The miniaturist who populates the cabinet given to her as a wedding present appears to have an inside knowledge into these secrets. The suspense in the novel didn't really capture me, but I enjoyed it anyway.

The Shock of the Fall by Nathan Filer - I adored this book, and there will definitely be a review on the way soon! To wet your palette, it's told from the point of view of a boy whose brother died when he was a young child. The circumstances of the brother's death are revealed as the story unwinds. It is stunning.

I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson - I loved this book too, and have already reviewed it here!

The Age of Earthquakes by Basar, Coupland and Obrist - Mostly pictorial, this book is an examination of modern society. It is expertly put together and I want to review it here soon.

How To Be Both by Ali Smith - Depending on which edition of the book you get depends which way round you read the two interchangeable stories, but I'm really happy with the way round I read it. This is another book I really want to review properly, so I won't say anymore.

Bad Feminist, Essays by Roxane Gay - As I've said, I'm part way through this book and really enjoying it. I've been trying to read one of the ten page (or so) essays each night before bed, but sometimes they get me thinking a little too much!

Wonder by R J Palacio -

Have you read any of these books? What did you think? And which book from my haul should I pick up to read next? Let me know by leaving a comment below or tweeting me @VickiMaitland, and remember to look out for my September TBR on Instagram!

Bunny Friendly Beauty Tag

I know a lot of us cruelty free beauty bloggers like to talk about our decision to go cruelty free, so I thought I'd create this tag to have all the cruelty free info in one place. Yay! (I'll put a the list of questions at the bottom so it's easy to copy and paste because who's got time to go through each question individually copying and pasting?) Use the #bfb tag to share your responses!

1) How long have you been on your cruelty free journey?

I made the decision to go cruelty free around this time last year, but it was around October that I started making a concerted effort to change my purchasing habits. Christmas was the big break through for me, when I received Lush products and began to change my skin and hair care as well as just my make-up.

2) What made you decide to go cruelty free?

Watching videos from Lex, Sanne, Marion, Rosianna, and Margaret. These ladies speak so eloquently about going cruelty free, and watching their content has made the whole process a lot easier.

3) What has been the hardest product to find a cruelty free dupe for?

My hair mousse. I still haven't found a good replacement and I'm still using my Shockwaves one.

4) What's the best cruelty free dupe you've found?

The B. Stunning Vibrant Eye Shimmer's were great, colour packed dupes for my Estee Lauder eye shadow pallet.

5) What product or brand do you wish was cruelty free?

I'm going to cheat a little and say L'Oreal,because they own so many other companies.

6) What's your holy grail cruelty free brand?

As much as I love Lush, Superdrug's own brand has a huge range of skincare and make-up and hair products - all of which are available on a low budget.

7) Name one cruelty free brand others might not have heard of?

UR Cheeky, which is owned by Cowshead, do some great cruelty free products. I love their make-up fixing spray.

8) Are you a vegan? If so, for how long and have you had any struggles? If not, why not?

I'm currently neither vegetarian or vegan, although I was vegetarian at university. Whilst living at home, I can't ask my parents to buy in alternative products, and since I'm saving money to move out etc I can't afford to buy my own each week. Once I move out and run my own diet I'm definitely going to become vegetarian, and I'll cut out as many dairy products as I can.

9) What's your favourite local vegan friendly venue?

I live near Norwich, and there are loads of independent bars and restaurants. Both Frank's Bar and The Bicycle Shop always have loads of vegetarian and vegan options.

10) You have 30 seconds to convert someone to a cruelty free lifestyle - what would you say to them?

Why should an animal suffer for you to primp and preen yourself? Is eyeliner more important than the life of a rabbit? Cute lipstick more important than a mouse? The life of another living thing is not more important than your beauty regime.

I'm tagging the lovely Gemima and Sarah to take part - I'd love to hear your cruelty free stories ladies!

1) How long have you been on your cruelty free journey?
2) What made you decide to go cruelty free?
3) What has been the hardest product to find a cruelty free dupe for?
4) What's the best cruelty free dupe you've found?
5) What product or brand do you wish was cruelty free?
6) What's your holy grail cruelty free brand?
7) Name one cruelty free brand might not have heard of?
8) Are you a vegan? If so, for how long and have you had any struggles? If not, why not?
9) What's your favourite local vegan friendly venue?
10) You have 30 seconds to convert someone to a cruelty free lifestyle - what would you say to them?

Rules of the Road (Bike)

If you're reading this post then it's official. I have survived the 42 miles of the Tour de Broads! Now that I've taken part in not one but two sportives, I think this gives me enough authority to talk about it - right?

Mum and I dead chuffed post ride #tourdebroads #cyclinglife #itsnotarace

A photo posted by Vicki Maitland (@vickimaitland) on Aug 23, 2015 at 8:30am PDT

Pre-Sportive Prep.

1) Get the miles in. No matter how long you've been cycling for it's always a good idea to test out the distance before you ride. You don't necessarily have to do the whole whack (before the Tour de Broads the furthest I'd ridden was 33 miles), but the more miles you can get in your legs the better prepared you'll be.

2) Practice the simple things - signalling, getting your feet in and out of your pedals (particularly if you have cleats), cornering, drinking/eating on the go. The last one is particularly important - most sportives will have a drinking stop (depending on the length of the ride) but it's a good idea to keep energy and fluids up whilst you ride.

3) Ship shape! Make sure you check over your bike and gear the day before you ride. You wouldn't want to come unstuck by a flat tyre, rusty chain or dodgy cycle shorts five miles into your ride.

On The Day.

1) Arrive early. I think this goes for everything, but depending on how big the event is you need to allow time to unhook your bike from your bike rack, or re-attach that wheel if you've got something a little fancy.

2) Keep hydrated. Electrolyte drinks will give you a sugar kick as well as hydrating you. Apparently you're meant to drink 500ml for every hour in the saddle (depending on your pace and how much you sweat).

3) Know your pace. Don't get caught up in the excitement of the day and set of too fast. You'll pay for it later! On one of my training rides I set off at 15 mph, only to struggle in agony barely grinding 10 mph for the final few miles. Remember, it isn't a race!!

Dad and Chris looking happy pre-race #tourdebroads #hesaclassymamil #cyclinglife #itsnotarace

A photo posted by Vicki Maitland (@vickimaitland) on Aug 23, 2015 at 8:22am PDT

4) Be considerate. One thing I've noticed confident riders with low handle bars do is drop their hand off the bar if they are coming up to a potential hazard in the road. This no only lets the rider behind them know they are about to change course slightly, but also gives them advanced warning of the pot hole/ man hole cover/ road kill a couple of meters up the road. Shouting 'clear!' at junctions as you cross to let the riders behind you know the way is safe, and shouting 'on your right' before you pass a rider are also things that help everyone stay safe on the road.

5) Obey the highway code. Even though there may be a lot of you on the road, unless you're in a really big event chances are you'll still be sharing it with cars. This means you'll need to signal clearly and promptly, and have an awareness of vehicles which might be a little intimidated trying to pass a large number of cyclists.

6) Take advantage of better riders. If you're struggling, try to follow the back wheel of a fellow cyclist. Not only do they act as a carrot for you to stick to, but you'll be doing less than half the work as they act as your wind break.

7) Have fun. Sportives are really friendly environments full of like minded individuals. You might get a few competitive teams, but for the most part you're among small groups of friends who want a fun day out. Most people will be up for a chat as you cycle along - unless they're going uphill!

That's all! Next week you should see a combination of August Book Haul/Wrap-up/September TBR, so stayed tuned!

Cruelty Free Comparisons: Conditioner

This is the start of a brand new series on the blog in which I compare budget cruelty free products with their pricier equivalents to see if they really are worth the price tag. Since hair care was one of the things I struggled most with when converting to a cruelty free beauty collection, I thought I'd compare some of the different conditioners I've tried out.

They are as follows:

The Budget Products

Co-Op's Coconut and Honey Fragranced Conditioner

Sainsbury's Coconut Conditioner

Both of these products retail around £1 per bottle (300ml and 500ml respectively).

The Pricey Products

Dr Organic Virgin Coconut Oil Conditioner

Avalon Organics Strengthening Peppermint Conditioner

Both of these products retail at £5.99 per 275ml bottle.


As you can see, there is a huge difference between the price and the quantity (particularly in the case of Sainsbury's product where you get almost double for a sixth of the price). However, although both of the budget conditioners did the job, and after using them my hair felt soft, I had use a lot more product to get the end result.

Both of the budget conditioners felt very watered down. They were a lot more fluid than I am used to in what is ostensibly a cream product. I had to use a full palm full to massage through the lower half of my hair in order to feel like any of the product had soaked in. On the other hand, I barely have to use any of the higher end products before my hair felt moisturised (particularly in the case of the Dr Organic product, although admittedly it is more suited to moisturising than the Avalon). The budget conditions lasted be around two weeks each - the high end products nearer a month (despite being almost half the size).

Another thing that really swung me in favour of splashing out was the smell of the products. I hate a fake coconut smell. It reminds me of getting into a too-hot car as a child and feeling instantly travel sick. Not something you want first thing in the morning! That being said, the smell doesn't really linger, so it's only really an issue in the shower.

The smell of the higher end products is divine - particularly the peppermint shampoo (you know I'm a sucker for a minty smell!). The Dr Organic conditioner smelled very similar to a bounty bar, and the Avalon conditioner really reminds of me of Lush's Root's hair mask. Neither of these smells linger much either, but it's a lot more pleasant in the shower!

Another big thing is that both the high end products actually list the ingredients mentioned on the front of the bottle. As far as I can tell, neither of the budget products actually contain coconut or honey! Peppermint oil and coconut oil are both listed ingredients on their respective higher end bottles.

Finally, the effect on my hair. For me, the Dr Organic product wins hands down. My hair felt soft and shiny after using this product. The Avalon conditioner is good, and if it were on offer I'd probably buy it over paying full price for Dr Organic - otherwise I think I'm sold! The two budget conditioners were much of a muchness. They work well in the short term, but I wouldn't want to use them for months on end if I could avoid it!

There you have it! Pricey Products win out this time!

My next Cruelty Free Comparison will be pitting two mascara's against each other - M&S All-In-One Mascara vs Too Faced Better Than Sex - so you can look forward to that in September!

Have you tried any of the products mentioned in today's post? What did you think of them? Tweet me @VickiMaitland or leave a comment below! Want to show off your favourite cruelty free conditioner? Tag me in your Instagram pics!