Showing posts with label Guest Post. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Guest Post. Show all posts
9/27/2017
Top Five Books of 2017 x Sofilly
When I talked about doing a guest post swap with Sophie I knew straight away I was going to talk about books. While Sophie and I have a fair bit in common, including our names, the main thing we discuss is books. The thing is though, we have very different tastes in books. I wish I could read all the fancy memoirs and non-fiction type books she does, but I just can't. Not that I'm saying she doesn't read other fiction books, you're her followers you know she does!
Anyway, on with the show!
A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J Maas
I feel like I'm forever going on about these books, but as you're not my audience (some of you may be though hi) I'm going to talk about it again. Mainly because they're great books, but also because Sophie couldn't get into them so maybe this will convince her to try again!
It's your regular fantasy/supernatural type story, however, it's unlike any I've read before. Nowadays there's a lot of wizards, vampires, and demon type stories, but I haven't found one like this. If I say it's about faeries you'll probably mark this as a no already, but these aren't the twirly pixie type faeries in kids books, these are High Fae. Basically, the second and third books of the series are much better than the first so if you can make it to those you'll love it. If you need a more in-depth review, I have one here.
Yes Please by Amy Poehler
Sophie's probably going to kill me for this, as I know Amy is one of her faves, but I've only a few months ago finished reading Yes Please. *Hey it's Sophie aka ME jumping in here. Sophie, you are off the hook. I have tried to push this book onto a few people now and haven't succeeded so the fact you read it pleases me immensely.* I knew everyone who had read it in the past loved it, but the thing that was putting me off was the fact I haven't really seen much of Amy's work. I've barely watched any SNL episodes or clips, and I've never seen an episode of Parks and Rec (I know I need to change this), so I just didn't think I'd enjoy it.
I've read Tina Fey's book Bossypants in the past which I thought was similar, but I had seen more of Tina's work. I won't say I loved Yes Please enough for five stars but I will say that because of how Amy talks/writes it's easy to get enthralled in the stories even if you don't fully understand the context of that one episode of Parks and Rec the story came from. (Also cough it was better than Bossypants)
Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan
Again, another series I feel like I've been harping on about a lot recently but it's another series that has been around for a while that I knew I'd love. I just didn't get around to it until last month, where I read all five books. Gods, Demigods, and Beasts all based in New York; what’s not to love?
While there’s so much action going on throughout these books, I wouldn’t call them action books. I hate action, but I loved this. There were only a few pages of fluff throughout the entire series and placed strategically to give you that small breather before the next big ‘actiony’ part. Trust me, okay? Read them.
But Then I Came Back by Estelle Laure
This is a sequel to the book ‘This Raging Light’ although it took me until I was about three-quarters of the way through to realise this. I knew they were by the same author, but it took until that moment for me to go ‘oh that flashback sounds familiar what’. While the sequel wasn’t as good as the first, as most sequels aren’t, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I took it away with me to Rarotonga and basically demolished it in a day crashed out in the shade by the beach.
While it leads on from This Raging Light, the protagonist is different, the best friend of This Raging Light is our new storyteller and introduces us to a rather different way of viewing the people of these books. You can see why I didn’t realise it was the same people, especially as I read This Raging Light earlier last year. If you haven’t read either, do it now.
Now I promised Sophie my top five books but seen as I’ve included two series that technically total us out at ten books I think we can deal. Especially as I haven’t actually read anything else that I’ve enjoyed as much as these, I don’t want to recommend books for the hell of it!
5/26/2017
So Sad Today: A Review by Grace Georgia
Happy Friday. Today we have a guest post from one of the most amazing young bloggers around at the moment. Her name is Grace Georgia and she's a total girl-boss in the making. She's written a book review for us all today and when you're done, you need to go check out her work because it's fantastic. Anyway, I'll let Grace's words do the talking from here on in...
I gravitate strongly towards modern literature and nonfiction; as a child I never read Percy Jackson and I have no real interest in any mystical fiction, or general fiction-unless we're talking Louise Pentland's. new novel because I am sure to give that a go. The reason I love non-fiction so much is that my true heart is found in writing. I love telling people's stories. I love the writing of literature, the bringing together of an article-and so non-fiction and modern literature like personal essays, they give me that feeling of story telling. I myself am not telling the story, but when I open the pages of Jordan Bone's memoir I am privy to her personal journey and that makes me feel more connected on another level than writing does, with the journalist I am.
Non-memoirs don't win out when it comes to popularity on Goodreads. People love fiction-in part this is probably because men and women read to escape the world for a bit, as you can in fiction. Rather than just read about the world and its people like you do with non-fiction. As a journalist and writer I love reading about the world and its people as an extension of the storytelling I am tethered with.
My most favourite nonfiction book, that probably falls under the modern lit category is a series of personal essays by Melissa Broder called So Sad Today. Melissa's essays are definitely not designed for the 'every reader'. I would describe them as beautifully uncomfortable, gracefully disgusting I suppose. Basically when and if you read these essays get ready to abandon social niceties and 'acceptable subject matter'-but I promise you if you do make yourself vulnerable and read this book-you will only gain. Melissa's ability to say what 99.9% of people are afraid of saying, her fearless raw nature will give you a new perspective on everything. It might even ruin you in that beautiful way that all consuming and worthy literature does.
For the non-fiction lovers and fiction buffs amongst us, you'll love this book. It gives you a fascinating insight into the life of another human, and this insight might almost appear fictional because it could be so far from the life that you know, so in that sense it becomes a narrative which still has all the appeal of a non-fiction text.
I did say 'you'll love this book' but the truth is I probably shouldn't make such a definitive statement. It is one of those texts you either hate or love. It is something you'll either connect with or fall out with but either way it is worth a try. If you're in the right headspace it is a text that could change your perspective on all things from relationships to technology, pop culture to food and eating habits.
This text will make you rethink how you think about everything and then it will make you fall in love with the parts you don't talk about. It to me is the definition of a fabulous text for all these reasons. I''ll be picking up Louise's novel for sure but my great love of lit will always be non-fiction and Melissa Broder's 'So Sad Today'.
-Grace is a freelance writer and the founder of gracegeorgia.co.nz. Follow her journey on Facebook and Instagram too.
1/15/2016
Books in Review x Oh Flower Child
Happy Friday, TGIF and vice versa. It's been one of those weeks that's just dragged on a little bit. Although Monday was awesome, especially going to watch Sisters and having time with kittens, friends and makeup. Anyway, today we have some reviews for y'all from Emma. I'll let Emma introduce herself now and you can get acquainted with her reviews. Enjoy!
I'm Emma, a 19 year old student from New Zealand. I'm a book worm, a lover of thrift shopping and a complete Richard Ayoade fangirl. I run the blog Oh Flower Child and write mostly about beauty, books, and fashion, with some lifestyle posts thrown into the mix.
Now on with the reviews..
The Invasion of the Tearling* by Erika Johansen: The Invasion of the Tearling is the second book of the Tearling series - the previous one being The Queen of the Tearling. This primarily starts off as a fantasy series, but The Invasion of the Tearling brings in science dystopian elements. Kelsea is challenged to face The Red Queen and defeat The Mort Army, while trying to figure out what has happened in the past with the Royal family, and equipping herself to deal with strong magic from a necklace around her neck.
I found this book to be much more gripping than the first. The first book was setting up everything, whereas much more happened in the second, and everything you wanted answered from the first, was. By the start of the second book, my head was wrapped around the world and the characters, and in turn this book was much more enjoyable. The protagonist, Kelsea, has changed quite dramatically from the first book, and I saw lots of character development. I felt that Kelsea is starting to see who she really is and who she should be deep down, for her kingdom. The dystopian elements mixed with the medieval fantasy world is really unique - I just felt myself really enjoying finding out what would happen and how those two worlds could somehow be connected. On a side note the first book is being turned into a movie staring a very famous actress - I feel like this is definitely a series to start reading now.
The Bone Season* by Samantha Shannon: The Bone Season is book number one of a fantasy series based around the idea of certain citizens in society being 'unnatural', or what they call 'clairvoyance' - rejected by the Scion London officials and therefore by every 'natural' citizen. Paige Mahoney is a dreamwalker - one of many clairvoyance powers that an unnatural can have. She essentially breaks into people's minds and with her ability, works alongside others for a man named Jaxon Hall at the Seven Dials in London. But outside of the controlled world of Scion, another powerful society awaits, of which entails something called 'The Bone Season'.
When I first began reading, there was definitely information overload. It was hard to keep up with all of the names and the terms for everything in the world. I have to say, it starts off slow. It gets better gradually, but it does take time to wrap your head around everything. The second half of the book is much better in my opinion, and I could not stop reading. There was lots of action-packed moments near the end of the book, where as the first half was quite mediocre. The start was slightly hard to get into, but things got very intense soon enough. I think this was an innovative world - very imaginative and detailed. If you like fantasy, I'd say definitely keep this one on your radar.
-Have you read either of these books? What did you think of them?
*Review copy
6/03/2015
Makeup Essentials x That's Just Fabulous
Hi Nana Wintour readers! I'm excited to be guest posting and taking over Sophie's blog today. I've decided to share my must-have products. Those products that I reach for pretty much every morning and would feel a bit lost without.
First up for the base...
Chanel CC Cream: At the moment I'm into bases that are just enough to even out my skin tone and give me a bit of glow. I'm a fan of all over glow so I usually steer clear of matte formulas. I find this tends to work best with my dry skin type.
Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer: My go-to concealer for everything. I find this tends to be the best at covering my dark circles (aka the bane of my existence).
YSL Touche Eclat: Definitely my most used highlighter. I use it in the corner of my eyes, my brow bone, cupids bow and down my nose. It's also the product of choice for me to throw into my handbag. Since it works as a concealer and a highlighter it's perfect for touchups.
Eyes...
Maybelline Full N' Soft Mascara: My holy grail mascara for sure. This stuff doesn't budge, holds a curl like no other and gives me fluttery lashes. Even though I own and try out many mascaras, this is the one I always come back to.
L'Oreal Brow Stylist Plumper (Translucent): I had a bit of a toss up between this product and my Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz. In the end this guy won-all due to its ease. On mornings I'm running behind or for quick afternoon touchups this is the perfect product. It keeps my brows polished and is pretty foolproof.
Finishing Touches...
NARS Dual Intensity Blush 'Fervor':This blush has dominated my makeup bag for the past few months. It seems to be my perfect match. The lighter pink side gives just the right amount of flush and goes with so many looks.
Clinique Chubby Stick 'Heaping Hazelnut':This was a purchase that was fully enabled by the Olsen twins. Once I discovered they favoured this product I had to have it. It gives the perfect amount of colour while being balmy and hydrating. The perfect nude to always keep on hand.
Let me know if you use any of these products in the comments below!
And a big thank you to Sophie for letting me take over her blog for the day!
4/03/2013
Get fabulously Insta-savvy with Here Comes The Sun Blog
Hi everyone, it's Amanda from Here
Comes the Sun. I'm here today to share with you a few of my top tips
for improving and growing your instagram account. Here are some of the tricks
that have helped me grow my instagram to 17,000+ and I hope they help
you too!
• Think before you post: This
is probably my number one rule. Not every moment of your day needs to be
uploaded to instagram, so just pick the highlights. My personal rule of thumb
is no more than two images per day and I space them out rather than posting one
after the other. You don't want to overwhelm your followers - if i scroll
through my feed and it's completely clogged up by one person, I'll usually
unfollow them and I know other people do the same.
• Composition and balance: It's
important to think about how your image will fit into a square and how to frame
it up nicely. White space and balance are so important but it's also good to
play around with cropping too. Unless you want every photo to look similar
(which is fine, many people go for a 'look' they want their photos to fit with)
it's good to play with the cropping and see what works for you. Sometimes a
close up of a detail works better than trying to fit the whole image into the
frame!
11/27/2012
12 Ways To Be More Awesome
A guest post
by Britney Hazeldine
We can all
be awesome! We already are. And these are my 12 tips to making your life that little
bit brighter and happier. Who doesn’t want to lead an awesome and exciting
life? We all deserve it!
Brighten your life through clothes and your space. I
firmly believe that a clean and happy looking environment affects the way you
live and lead your life. I’ve just finished a massive spring clean and it was
amazing!! I feel so so much lighter and, in a weird sort of way, free.
2
Take time out. Take a moment for you. Sometimes we just need a break and time to recharge. Sometimes it's good to stop and look around at the life that we’ve created for ourselves.
Take time out. Take a moment for you. Sometimes we just need a break and time to recharge. Sometimes it's good to stop and look around at the life that we’ve created for ourselves.
3
Act like a child every so often. A wise man once said “Never knowingly be serious” and sometimes these are the words I live by. Being relaxed, letting go and being carefree, some of the aspects of a child’s personality, can really do you some good. Have you seen children? I don’t mean the bullying fourteen year old girls. I mean the children from 2-4. Be amazed at the world around you. Because, it is brilliant. And extraordinary. And amazing too!
Act like a child every so often. A wise man once said “Never knowingly be serious” and sometimes these are the words I live by. Being relaxed, letting go and being carefree, some of the aspects of a child’s personality, can really do you some good. Have you seen children? I don’t mean the bullying fourteen year old girls. I mean the children from 2-4. Be amazed at the world around you. Because, it is brilliant. And extraordinary. And amazing too!
4
11/20/2012
Current Spring Favourites by Avenue M
Hello Nana Wintour readers,
My name is Maria and I write for the blog, Avenue M. It's my personal style diary along with photography, food and adventures. I'd love it if you'd stop by sometime soon.
This is just a little compilation of all my favourite things for the month of November.
Lots of love, Maria xoxo
Carrie's gorgeous pink-and-black pairings make this outfit a winner for me. I love the statement collar and high ponytail, she looks effortlessly stylish -- not to mention comfortable! I'm also loving delicate, sheer blouses with quirky details. I love the subtle scalloping on this one as well as the pretty breast pockets.
And, how good does the apple crumble slice look?! I've had this once before in a cafe but never thought about making it myself. I stumbled upon this recipe however and really want to make it... yum!
Jewel toned makeup, food and accessories. Keiko Lynn perfected the red lip to the max... I love that rich, deep red! Those macarons look very tempting too, as well as that salmon coloured bag. I love colour!
♥ ♥ ♥
Thanks so much for having me Sophie!!
Thanks so much for having me Sophie!!
11/14/2012
The Powder Room-Beauty Tips & Tricks.
Over the last few years I have grown to love all things beauty.
It has grown through admiration and education and over the years I have picked
up a few tricks I keep close to my chest. On request of Nana Wintour I have decided to
share a few of my top beauty tips.
1. Correctly applying skin care prior to make-up application is
important. It can change how your make-up sits. This is a trick I learnt from Sharon
at MAC Cosmetics in Britomart, Auckland. She applies my moisturiser and primers
using foundation and concealer brushes before applying foundation in the same
manner.
The brush provides even coverage of the product across the skin
stopping me from over using my favourite primer. They also stimulate and
massage the skin more effectively than a quick wipe of the hands helping with
blood flow movement.
2. Want make-up to last? Drink water. I work in an office all
day long with heavy air conditioning and although I use primer and sometimes a setting
spray the conditions are still having an effect on my skin. My skin is becoming dehydrated and dry and
literally drinking up my make-up.
Drinking water throughout the day made a huge difference for me
personally. Over time my skin improved and my make up was lasting the distance.
The water helps my body function to its optimum and helps my skin.
3. Invest in the correct tools. It’s amazing what the correct
tools can do. They may seem expensive at first but in the long run it pays off.
The use of a foundation brush for example over fingers can save you in product
and the application will look better. The use of the correct bun pins with your Pretty Bun can result in a more polished look than with the use of bobby pins. Sometimes it’s the small things that count and
can help you lift your game.
11/06/2012
Macarons en Vogue
Chanel is synonymous with tweed, Prada with quirkiness, Lanvin with elegance, and McQueen with theatrics. Just as that is all true, Harrods is synonymous with luxury. Just the sheer size of it all suggests extravagance (7 floors, over 330 departments.)
For their ‘Style to Savour’ campaign, the British department store looks to food and fashion—an area I like to call foodshion—, and draws parallels between the two. After all, is a dusty pink Ladurée macaron not as beautiful as a S/S 2012 Louis Vuitton broderie anglaise dress in the same shade?
Read More
For their ‘Style to Savour’ campaign, the British department store looks to food and fashion—an area I like to call foodshion—, and draws parallels between the two. After all, is a dusty pink Ladurée macaron not as beautiful as a S/S 2012 Louis Vuitton broderie anglaise dress in the same shade?
Click through for more!
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