Book Review #5

Title: Wither

Author: Lauren Destefano

Pages: 368

Genre: Dystopia, romance

Published: 2011

 

Summary:

Trying to create the perfect human race has lead to men dying at age 25 and women die at 20. Girls are being abducted at a young age and sold of into marriages to keep humanity ahead of the disease that is killing them.

 

Rhine is one of the girls being kidnapped and she is sold as well as two other girls to Linden, who is a rich man with a dying wife. She is desperate to escape this place even though he is very nice to her. She then meets the servant Gabriel who she is attracted to  and she is determined to escape in what time she has left to find her brother.

 
Writing:
This book is written from Rhine's point of view so we get to follow her throughout the book. You get the feeling that you get to know her more, know her thoughts and feelings and I actually kind of like these sort of books (but I love any kind of books).

 

SPOILER ALERT!

 

Best Part:

For me the best part of the book was actually two parts. I like the part where Gabriel and Rhine got time to talk to each other and laugh and he would sneak June beans to her and it was just SO SWEET. I love him! He is so nice to her, he hides the candy under her napkin or her spoon and he brought an atlas and showed her the river that had her name and when they KISSED! Oh lord I was squealing inside my head of happiness.

 

The second part was the end of this first book when Rhine was sneaking out of the mansion to meet Gabriel and run away. The head cook had given her hot chocolate and then she meet Gabriel and they ran together to the gates and when it felt like they were doomed another servant, the new one, ran to them with a key card and opened the gates for them telling her that her sister wife Cecily sent him to help her and they both ran away together, hand in hand. That part was wonderful, I could imagine it how it would look like and then they go to the 24/7 movie theater and she fell asleep and he said she was cute like AAH! *fangirl* and then they took a boat and are going far away from the mansion.

 

 

Worst part:

The worst part was, it’s not bad, it was just I felt what Rhine felt, kinda. The first part was when she hadn’t seen Gabriel for days and so she went down to the kitchen to ask them and when they said they hadn’t seen him since he was called down to the basement I panicked just like Rhine, it was AWFUL, for me at least.

 

Second was every time that Linden’s father Vaughn came in the book. He is an AWFUL, AWFUL man! I was so annoyed every time he spoke because Linden was tricked by his father and he doesn’t know it so he is living a “good” life thinking the three girls were in a marriage school preparing for this sort of stuff which isn’t true and oh my goodness will it ever end?

 

 

Rating:

It was a very good book but it wasn’t: “oh my god this is the best ever”. It is entertaining and leaves you wondering what will happen next and the cute moments that are in this book just makes it better.

Book review #4

Title: Fifty Shades of Grey

Author: E L James

Pages: 514

Genre: Adult Fiction, Romance, Erotica

Published: 2012

 

Summary:

WARNING MATURE CONTENT IN THE BOOK!

This book is about Anastasia who is doing an interview of Christian Grey for her best friend who couldn’t do it. Although she didn’t want to she finds this man to be interesting and she is drawn to this beautiful man. Christian feels the same that he wants her but on his conditions. He wants her to sign a contract where he they meet on his terms and it has no feelings involved in the contract. However, Ana feels that she needs more and wonders why he can’t have a relationship and has a need of demand.

 

 

Writing:

The writing somehow, to me, felt a bit…how should I put it, fanfiction-ish. If you’ve read fanfictions or scenarios you know what I mean. It was as if a teenager around 15+ was writing her fanfiction and was being all giggly and didn’t know exactly which words to use or how to phrase certain things, don’t get me wrong, it’s not bad writing, I just feel that it could’ve been more mature since it is an adult fiction. Certain things really got to me and annoyed THE CRAP out of me like: “My inner goddess”. I CAN’T tell you how many times Anastasia said it in the book, it’s okay if she said it three times at the most throughout the book but she said it so many times that it bothered me and it felt like I was watching one of those Gilette commercials where they sing “I’m your Venus, I’m your fire, Your desire” and no, please tell me she does not say it as often in the other two books. Second, “down there”, seriously? It’s an adult fiction! Write the words for the “hoo-haa” instead of down there, I understand that this girl was a virgin and never explored on her own and such but come on. She can’t be that ashamed that she can’t even say the word of her own “vagaygay”.

 

 

SPOILER ALERT!

 

Best part:

I do like this book I really do, if you take away all the sex scenes, which would be like 90% of the book, it would be quite a good love story. Though, being the typical giggly girl who can’t take sex scenes seriously in books, I thought they were the best parts because I laughed so much, not out loud but quiet to myself. No, I am not that person that gets turned on by reading dirty stuff in books but those scenes are funny. I don’t mean funny as in haha he whipped her clitoris or haha she’s never done this and is nervous, it’s more when I read the description and I picture it in my head I just laugh, I can’t explain it better, if you’re like my you understand.

 

Worst:

I don’t have a specific scene for this part but what I don’t like is some minor things about Anastasia. She can really get on my nerves at some points throughout the books because the things that she feels, or think and such just annoy me to the marrow of my bone because she has feelings for Mr. Grey there is no doubt yet there are moments where she doesn’t like the idea of just having sex without any feelings involved from his side and yet she endures it to be with him because otherwise she goes mad and has these sex dreams about him and then again feels that there should be more and tries to learn more about him. Yet in the end she decided to leave him, it was her decision from the start to sign the contract and now it’s not right yet I’ve spoiled for myself and now what happens in the second book, hehe but still. She can be a bit annoying. Now I’m not saying Mr. Grey is flawless, oh no he is not, but at least he has his reasons for being dominant and having those control needs. I just think Anastasia is a bit confused.

 

 

Rating:

This book was good but not amazing and since Anastasia got on my nerves a bit too much I thought it wasn't as enjoyable as it could've been. If you're underaged DO NOT read these books!

 

Book Review #3

 

Title: Divergent

Author: Veronica Roth

Pages: 487

Genre: Dystopian, romance

Published: 2012

 

Summary:

At the age of 16 boys and girls are gathered to the Choosing Ceremony where they are going to choose which faction they will be. They take aptitude tests to see where they belong; dauntless, candor, abnegation, amity and erudite. Once they choose they cannot go back and worst case scenarios you might end up factionless. Beatrice’s test results were inconclusive and she doesn’t know which faction to choose; stay in abnegation or take a different path.

 

 

Writing:

The story is from Tris’ point of view. We follow her throughout the book and the way it is written makes it a lot more interesting. It’s like you’re following her, as if there were cameras around that followed her and she’s talking to you telling about how she feels and what she sees. I like this kind of writing because you somehow feel closer to the character this way.

 

 

Best part:

For me, I loved their “training” when they first arrived as Dauntless. They had to train and make sure they got good scores and those who were at the bottom would be “kicked out” and become factionless and this part was filled with action and drama and it was just exciting to read all about it. You got to know the rest of the people who were there and what it’s like to live there and it was just interesting to read it.

 

 

Worst part:

Honestly, there wasn’t anything in particular that bothered me or was “bad” to read about, nothing made me feel that I couldn’t continue reading the book so I don’t have much to say on this part, he he ^^;;

 

 

Rating:

 

This book is freakin AMAZING! Read it and do it NOW. It is filled with action, drama and a bit of romance and it’s not boring at all and you will be hooked!

Book Review #2

Title: Maze Runner

Author: James Dashner

Pages: 374

Genre: Dystopian

Published: 2009

 

Summary:

Every month a new boy is delivered in a lift. This time it was Thomas, he has no memory at all, no recollection of his home, parents or how he got here. When he is out of the lift he is welcomed to the Glade which is surrounded by a maze and the boys know just as much as him; every morning stone doors open up and every night the doors close. There are kids of different ages and none of them have any memories of their past.

 

The next day, something happens, a girl has arrived in the lift, this has never happened before and then there’s a message she delivers. The gladers are now convinced that if they can solve the maze, they might find their way home but it’s very difficult and more things are starting to happen. Thomas feels somehow that he knows her; that he might have some answers, if only he could know how to work out his own mind.

 

 

Writing:

The writing is very good, the details make it easier to picture it all so you can be in that world and it’s written in a narrative way so it’s not from a characters point of view but it is following Thomas, so you get to know him more and how he feels. It is written in a way that makes it easy to get into the book just after the first few pages and you will be captivated.

 

 

SPOILER ALERT!

 

 

Best part:

The best part was when they started to figure out the maze and decided to run out into the maze and find the exit, not only that but the doors had stopped closing and so much had happened so they then decided that they all would go out into the maze and fight for their lives and their freedom. It was so exciting! So much action was filled throughout that scene and so many emotions I just couldn’t put down the book for a second and when they actually found the spot where they had to jump and when they made it more stuff started to happen and there was action all the time and so many emotions.

 

 

Worst part:

The part that made me panic was when they were going to through Gally out into the maze. The way it was described in the book, plus the song I had on repeat, which was dramatic, made it all ten times worse. To have a “noose” around your neck at the end of a long pipe and be out in the maze while the others are holding that pipe so you can’t run away is just awful, and then doors were closing and he was begging for his life, I seriously felt like I was in that book and saw it all and the panic that grew inside me, I had to take a moment before I continued to read. It was just awful, I know they followed “their rules” and such but oh my God, this was definitely the scariest part of the book.

 

 

 

Rating:

 

This book was amazing! It was thrilling, exciting, kept you on the edge and just good. It had actions and he didn’t drag on and write unnecessary things, the descriptions of the scenes were enough to make you picture it in your head and there weren’t too many dialogues that were about things to just fill in the pages, instead they had meaning to them and overall this is a must-read.

Music review #1

로이킴 (Roy Kim) - Love  Love  Love

I have always been a big fan of ballads and similar - or more like songs with a ballad-ish feeling. I discovered Roy Kim by accident when I searched for different Korean songs to cover (oh yeah, I more than frequently sing covers) and when I heard this song I remembered that I had actually listened to his other song, Bom Bom Bom, but of course that was something that I had forgotten.

This song has a really sweet sound and Roy's soothing and rich voice makes the song even more sweet. The choruses are addicting and the verses build up the song's story really well (unless you have missed the point of the song, it is indeed a love song♥). In my opinion, the song starts out a bit hesitating and without confidence - like a boy in love and hiding from his crush. As the song moves on, the boy goes from showing small, subtle signs of affection to showing it openly and maybe know that the feeling is mutual. The ending choruses sound so more forward and happy compared to the other ones. The last "love love love"'s make the song end smooth and make it sound like a conclusion of a happy love story.
It is in short a simple and clean pop-ballad that delivers the meaning of the song really well.

The music video is incredibly cute too and not to mention that he is handsome~ I like the fact that they use lives with audience instead of a drama music video or a simple one-man video. It makes everything even more lovely.

Rating: 
For a pop-ballad, this is really clean and hits the mark perfectly. The voice and video matches really well with the theme of the song  - even if a drama music video would have worked well too. Seeing artists interact with their fans always make things more down to earth.

Skin care review #2

I've been searching for a long time after a good handlotion for my ever so dry hands and I finally found one that works awesomely. The brand is I love... with the and I've had my eyes on it for a while since I thought that the products smelled heavenly, so when I went to Åhléns and decided to try this one out.
Result? I was shot down on the ground. It smells heavenly - just as expected, it doesn't leave your hands all greasy and makes your hands feel smooth within a short time. I can even use my phone properly after using this without leaving big marks on the screen! A big plus is that you don't even need to use much to cover all of your hands and still have a good result - too much and it will be greasy though (trust me, I tried and had to apply it on my lower arms and my boyfriend's hands too). Around 1 cm or less is more than okay (I have pretty small hands though). The softness is also there even after washing your hands.

Rating: 
It is a bit pricey, but I think that it's worth it. You don't need to use much for each time you apply it (which makes it last longer) and the scent as well as the result is totally worth the price. Size-wise it's really handy to put it into your bag or similar to have it with you everywhere you go! Definitely one of my favorites.

Price: Around 69:- / $11

Skin care review #1

Lately I've been pretty much obsessed with Yves Rocher stuff. I think that every time me and Ellie walks around in the mall with the store, we go in there and check stuff. 70-80% of those times we end up buying something ( ' ヮ')ノ
Some weeks ago (I think), we stumbled over this Pink Grapefruit Vitamin Face Mist (wohoo facial mist, you just can't live without it. It's awesome) and I thought it would be time to review it.

First off, you do feel refreshed! It's not just addictive to spray yourself (or a friend) but you actually feel refreshed! Thumbs up for that! (づ￣ ^￣)づ  
The size of the bottle is pretty handy too, since my other facial mist is kinda big and not so handbag-friendly.
I have to say that the best thing about this mist is the scent! Oh how I love the scent of pink grapefruit ♥ It also lingers on your skin for quite a while. Price-wise you get great quality for a decent price.

Rating: 
It is a bit pricey for the size of the bottle and the bottle is small yet handy. Though quality-wise this one easily beats The Body Shop's and Emma S' face mists.

Price: 39:- / $4.95
Buy it here: yves-rocher.com (in your respective country), Swedish yves-rocher site and your closest physical store.

Makeup review #1

From left to right:

Nr.15 - Party On

Nr. 17 - Alluring Pink

Nr.18 - Get Colour

Swatches of the lipglosses

 

 

 

I recently bought these three lipglosses from the brand Pierre René. These are called Chic Gloss. They have a variety of colours, everything from bright reds and pinks to more neutral and clear ones, so you will find one that suits you the best. The packaging is nicem it's clean and doesn't look cheap and it feels good. The applicator is a bit big but you can always apply it on the lips then use a brush to make it more precise.

 

Two of these have shimmer in them but it's not that chunky glitter that some lipglosses have that is uncomfortable, these are just shimmery and very nice. The formula is at first very sticky, it almost feels as if your lips are going to stick together but it doesn't stay that way for long, if you don't like sticky glosses then this may not be for you, though I don't mind it. As it wears off you're left with a pretty stain on your lips and it wears for quite a while and if you want you can reapply it if you don't want the stain and just want the full on gloss.

 

Price: 40kr (in store it's 3 for 100kr) which is about $6 for one and three for $15

 

The lipglosses are really good but if you don't really like the sticky feeling then you might want to stay away from these.





Book Review #1

Title: Splintered

Author: A.G Howard

Pages: 371

Genre: Fantasy, paranormal

Published: 2013

Summary:

Alyssa is a descendant of Alice Lidell who is known as Alice in Wonderland. Alyssa’s mother is being treated for insanity at an asylum. Alyssa starts hearing flowers whispering to her in their garden and she gets teased at school for being descendant of a crazy person like Alice and when the voices get stronger she feels that something has to be done. To find the answer to all of this she looks for clues that will lead her to Wonderland where she has to know who she can trust: Jeb, her best friend whom she’s had a crush on for so long or the mysterious Morpheus who is her guide through wonderland, but who might have his own motives. She finds a book in a chair that they have in their living room and starts following the clues and realizes that the rabbit hole is in England. What she doesn’t know is that Wonderland is darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll wrote. There, she must pass tests to prove that she is a Lidell and fix the mistakes so that she can save her family.

Writing:

The story is set from Alyssa’s point of view in the book and you get to follow her. The way the author wrote made it seem as if you actually were there in Wonderland with her, following her throughout her adventures. It was as if Alyssa herself was talking to you.

The writing in itself was really good. The fact that the color of the text was purple made it more “enchanting” in a way, it wasn’t your typical black that sometimes can be a bit too harsh. It was lyrical and mesmerizing in its own way, nothing was described overly thorough that can sometimes annoy the reader and the characters seemed so real when reading that you almost thought they were right beside you.

All in all, this book was wonderful, mad, disturbing and magical. If you’ve read Alice in Wonderland, or even if you haven’t, this is a good read to get you into the mood.

SPOILER ALERT!

Best part:

The best part was the twist in the story. At first Morpheus seems like this good guide that you could trust and then he’s suddenly a bad guy whose intentions were just for his own sake to help himself yet later on he’s saving Alyssa from the horrible beast. Jeb was this best friend who followed her and was set on being there for her and saving her yet she somehow felt tricked when it came to his feelings for her when she hears it all from Morpheus and she doesn’t know who to trust anymore. Oh the triangle! I’m not saying love triangle but oh how many feelings there are involved! It’s everything from love to seduction, lies, betrayal and confusion.

Worst:

I can’t say I have a “worst” part of the book because it was all exciting and I was really into the book from the first pages, but I did get a bit annoyed but that’s because these types of things annoy me no matter what, if it’s a movie, anime, book or real life. The fact that Jeb was so over protective making Alyssa seem like a weak fragile girl even though she wasn’t, she just didn’t get to show it because he was overly suspicious, which I could understand but trying to protect her non stop was just plain annoying even though I like him.

Rating:

This book is so entertaining and I think anyone can enjoy it whether you like or even read Alice in Wonderland.