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9.10.2016

SUMMER READING

source: pinterest
Since entering the world of eBooks and Goodreads at the start of this summer, I have discovered so many new books and authors that I have truly fallen in love with. They all seem to be of a murder mystery come psychological thriller genre and very Gillian Flynn-esque. I thought I'd share a few that I've read - the good, the bad and the ugly - to hopefully give you some bookspiration if you're not sure what to read next.

It all started with The Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins which is an absolutely fab book that had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I think I may have finished the book within about 2-3 days as I just couldn't put it down. The book is narrated by the different characters which I find makes it more fast pace as you are eager to find out what's happening next with a particular character. The characters are fab and I feel as though I can relate to all 3 of the main ladies in the book in some way which I like as I find it engages the reader a bit more. Overall a fantastic book and I would recommend to anyone and everyone!

After finishing that book, I needed something to fill the mystery-and-suspense-less void in my life and so took to Google to tell me which books were like TGOTT. I came across The Good Girl by Mary Kubica which is all about the kidnapping of a young girl. Whilst reading this book I really wasn't a fan and I almost hated the characters - giving them the eye roll whenever something totally predictable happened. However on reflection,  I did actually enjoy it as there is a cheeky plot twist at the end however it's not really developed enough to score as highly as TGOTT, but a fab book nonetheless.

The next three novels are all by the same author. Of course, it's Gillian Flynn. I honestly have no idea how it has taken me so long to discover her but she is honestly amazing. Now you will have all read at least one her books. It's Gone Girl, of course. An absolutely FAB book that I can't rave about enough.  After I finished the book I couldn't wait to watch the film, but sadly I felt sad/annoyed at the casting choice of Amy and Nick (and Desi) and so switched it off. This has slightly tainted my image of Gone Girl but definitely give the book a read if you haven't all ready. After Gone Girl I read Dark Places which is also a fab, murder mystery told by different characters in both the past and present day. It's definitely worth the read if you enjoyed Gone Girl. I then read Sharp Objects which is my absolute fave. Seriously. It's amazing. It's most certainly on par with Gone Girl (I personally prefer Sharp Objects after the Gone Girl film fiasco) and is definitely not a predictable story line in the slightest. Flynn definitely knows how to keep us on our toes, doesn't she?

I came across the Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll during one of my Google searches which is one I probably won't be raving about as much. The thing is, there wasn't really a story line and it almost felt as if it wasn't going anyway. After reading such amazing books with the craziest of plot twists by Gillian Flynn, I was just underwhelmed with this book unfortunately. I felt like there were so many characters that just weren't developed enough and I can barely remember what it was about.

Similarly, Dare Me by Megan Abbott was another reasonably boring book in comparison to others. It's about cheerleaders in high school which makes the writing style and themes very unsophisticated compared to books like Gone Girl. Furthermore, after reading some of the reviews on Goodreads, it appears that there are some pretty confusing mistakes in the book like bleachers in the locker room, the coaching having a bob one week then plaits the next etc etc. Despite this, I have given the author another go and I am now reading The End of Everything. I'm about half way through but whether I actually finish it...

If you'd like to follow me on Goodreads you can here.

What books have you been reading this summer?

Lots of love,
Olivia

9.08.2016

WHAT'S IN MY NIGHT OUT BAG?


Nights out are great, right? Until you realise you've forgetten your ID, debit card or even worse - eyelash glue!!! For this reason, I have compiled a checklist of all the things you should be stuffing in your tiny clutch for a night on the toon.

Phone - goes without saying. How else are you going to remember your night out without the hilarious/hideous photos on your camera roll. Or if you're like me, the double chinned selfie posted on your snapchat story.

Keys - even if you're on the pull and plan on going home with someone else - always bring your keys! It could go tits up (not in a good way).

Money/debit card - for when you're feeling generous and decide to get the next round.. again.

ID - depending on your age and if you have a baby face like me, this one is probably optional.

Eyelash glue - as mentioned before, this is an absolute essential. You can't be walking round with a wonky eyelash or with one half way down your cheek. Also there's no greater feeling than offering your tiny vial of glue to a girl in need in the loos.

Perfume - if you don't fancy buying a spray from the 'no Armani, no punani' toilet attendant, it's best to bring your own perfume. Realistically, you don't want to be carrying a whole bottle round all night so it's good to invest in a Traval O mini refillable one.

Lipstick - there's nothing worse than getting a drink with no straw and having all of your lippy disappear within 2 minutes of arrival, so make sure you bring your favourite lip product with you for a cheeky top up in the ladies. Preferably bring a nude so you don't end up leaving the club looking like the Joker.

Powder & Brush - so you don't look like a sweaty mess. Enough said.

I'd love to hear what your essentials are on a night out!

Olivia
9.06.2016

A LEVEL RESULTS & UNIVERSITY

source: pinterest
Hey guys. Long time no see, huh? It's been a while. As much as I'd love to say I'm back for good and shall be posting more regularly, I can't. My life has been pretty busy as of late and I can't say that's going to change. However, I'm really gonna try and make this work!

As the title suggests, the topic of this post will be all about A level results and the daunting task that is heading off to University! Whether you've just got your results and are planning the 7 day bender that is freshers. Or your uni days feel like a life time ago, I'm hoping you both can still enjoy this post. I'm the former, after collecting my results on the 18th (3A*s, don't you know?) I've been very much looking forward to arriving to my flat later on this month. I'm going to be studying Dentistry and the University of Sheffield and couldn't be more chuffed with myself to be very honest. My exams felt like they went bloody awful and I was pooing myself on the morning of results. However, all is well.

I actually haven't bought much for Uni yet which is making me feel very unprepared. I'm thinking of bringing most things from home like plates, bowls, bedding etc etc. It's very nerve racking, isn't it? You can probably tell I'm nervous from my erratic, no structure prose in this post. If only to be as organised as the picture I've used suggests. Actually, I've just come across The Organised Student on Pinterest and think they're bloody fab. They've even got me googling desk organiser.

I'm hoping to do an updated post re university when I'm there (if I survive) and hopefully maybe have a series on it. If anyone is looking to go to university or is doing A levels at the moment and has any questions, I'd love to help.

Lots of love,

Olivia