It’s Monday What Are You Reading? . . . Etc!

Another Monday has crept up on us however this Monday is known to most as a beloved Bank Holiday or lets just say an extra day off work. Not for myself however! Back to work I go without complaint however (well only a little!) as I have had a lovely relaxing weekend off work which is rare. Hitting the gym a couple of times this week has definitely made me feel slightly better even though I should have gone yesterday with or without company! With the motivation set as ‘going to a hot country (and wearing as little clothes as respectable!) things really do need to start taking shape. Not being a fan of diets I am going for the everything in moderation way of life – this may prove difficult!

Less of this . . .

Lanson UK

More of this . . .

Evian 1Litre

I know, I know – it is no fun but hey! No pain, no gain! Not exactly that the reduction in such treats is painful (only slightly) but i’m sure it will help!

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BOOKS

Currently Reading

Mr Penumbras 24 hour bookstore

There have been some not so great reviews for this book however I am in loving it so far. There is something about the mystery of the book and without that predictability the excitement grows. This book has me reminiscing about The End of Mr Y by Scarlett Thomas. Review will be written once finished!

Read

Sophie Kinsella Wedding Night

This book was received with this exact cover in a Hardback edition. When the sleeve was removed I found a white hardback book which I think really fit the whole wedding title. As always with Kinsella from start to finish I loved this book . Even though slightly predictable it was that good kind. Review will be up soon.

On The Back Burner . . .

The Lost are of keeping secrets by Eva Rice

This book is on my nightstand at the moment – I will be the first to admit that my reading of this book was flippant from the start and at best sporadic and not much has changed. I am sure that over the next couple of weeks I will dip in and out of this book however I cannot see me sticking with it over time. Hopefully I will get to the end. This is part of the book list on The Vintage Book Group’s reading list – check it out and if you like what you see join in.

the mystery of mercy close by marian keyes

This book has been relegated to the bathroom – on the toilet or in the bath and this book is what surfaces. Not that I spend that long on the toilet but it is a good refresher read. The end will come eventually!

To Read ASAP

a-game-of-thrones

Caught up in the hype I picked this up and cannot wait to read it.

beautifulcreaturesbk

Ashamedly I will admit I bought this partly because I wanted to read the book before I saw the film and that is still a strong possibility however the driving force behind the first book purchase made in a long while is the beauty of the cover. Now the digital images doesn’t quite get the beauty across so pop to the shops and see for yourself!

Moving on . . .

HAIR

Curly Comeback

My curls are slowly making a comeback and the front of my hair is starting to actually curl which puts a big smile on my face. There is still a long way to go but progress has been made. My hair is softer than ever and conditioning regularly really does make a difference. All I need now is the confidence to rock out with my bushy head!

For now I will leave you with this tune! Hair related of course!

 

It’s Monday What Are You Reading? Etc . . .

its monday already

Last week although I was on annual leave from work was quite busy and seemed to just fly by. At the moment time seems to just be passing at light speed. There are some days that I will not be complaining about this, however when I am on annual leave it would be nice if things moved a little slower. The week just gone has seen a couple of books pass through my letterbox, not as many pages as I would have liked read and the pile on my night stand getting substantially larger.

So on we go . . .

Books

New Books Monday 22:04:13

1. Mr Penumbra’s 24 Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

2. The GI Bride by Iris Jones Simantel

3. Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella

4. A Cottage by the Sea by Carole Matthews

5. The Heart Broke In by James Meek

6. Things That Are by Amy Leach

7. Beatrice and Virgil by Yann Martel

Books 1, 2, 3 and 6 came through this week and the others have been on my pile for about two weeks now. Beatrice and Virgil was recommended to me by a colleague and if I am honest I cannot wait to read it as it sounds like such a delightful story. On Saturday I received a package that was clearly something other than a letter however when I opened it I found this -

Mr Penumbra wrapped up

When I originally saw this wrapping I actually screamed a little and did a little dance of pure excitement. It has finally arrived – much to my disappointment however I have yet to finish two more books before I dig into this one . My question now is do I push the other books to the side or crack on and get through them – what a quandary!

My excitement was shared slightly with the arrival of Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella. My little dance for this book in particular is purely because I love to read anything by Kinsella and have done from a younger age.

Hair

Keratin Plus Hair Treatment

This lovely little bottle (250ml) kept the frizz away whilst I went out to play. My hair was washed and conditioned and then whilst damp this product was applied. After application my hair was blow dried and straightened and this as promised kept the frizz away from my ends and baby hairs at the front of my head. Overall I have to say I was very impressed by this as it has been a mean feat to find something that really combats my frizz. The only downside would be the feel of my hair after straightening, on the looks side of things it was sleek and straight however when touched it felt chalky and just a bit meh!

GHD Heat Spray

Whilst preparing for a night out with a couple of girlies I managed to borrow this from my friends stash of hair goodies. It managed to create a sleek shiny look and felt smooth to touch which was amazing. Teamed with the Keratin 3 Day Smooth it worked incredibly well to combat my frizz and keep my hair shiny and light. Needless to say I will be buying this (surprisingly small) bottle of goodness very soon.

Face

Origins Checks & Balances Frothy Face Wash £17.00

This face wash has literally gone everywhere with me this week – from friends houses to mine and various bathrooms. It gets rid of most make up without leaving residue on your face and leaves your face actually feeling squeaky clean. Worth the small price of £17.00 as a little really does go a long way and works up into quite a lather. The scent is fresh and light and a delight to have on the face – worth a try.

Clothes

Label Lab Smudge Print Swing Top £36.00

Label Lab – Smudge Print Swing Top – £36.00 (Was £45.00)

Label Lab are celebrating their 3rd Birthday and as a treat to their customers offering 20% off and a free goody bag to those that purchase something from the brand. This lovely top is perfect for a warm night out with a vest for an undershirt (very see through!) and a pair of jeans as follows.

A Wear Light Wash Boyfriend Roll Up Jean

A Wear – Light Wash Boyfriend Roll Up Jeans – £35.00

This label is new to House of Fraser however has been around in Ireland for a number of years. Previously known as Gay Wear (according to the sales assistant!) this affordable line of clothing is one to be watched. There were a couple of things that took my fancy and it was nice to see clothes that were available in not only a size 6-10. The jeans are comfortable, can be worn with a number of different things and look hot with heels!

KG Kurt Geiger Admire £79

KG for Kurt Geiger – Admire – £79 (Was £130)

Not quite Louboutin but comfortable, affordable and worth a little splurge. Classically nude and able to wear with almost any outfit these lovelies made their debut on Friday night teamed with the outfit above. I have to be honest and say that if you plan on wearing them all night and dancing wear them once or twice before to let your feet acclimatize and then you won’t end up bare foot on the street praising street patrons for giving out free flip-flops! (It happened!) Since then I have managed to wear them to the shops and around and can say they are well and truly broken in.

So what have you been up to over the past week? Anything fun?
The sun is out in the UK now however we are still getting short spells of cold!

Before I go I would like to say that this weekend I celebrated with my lovely god-daughter, her parents and a lovely group of people as it was her 2nd Birthday she is growing to be such a lovely young lady and I love her more every minute. Happy Birthday Lila :D

Happy 2nd Birthday Lila

Happy Monday Guys :D