Library Haul - February 2017

I'm a huge fan of my local library, so much so that I have an entire section on one of my bookshelves dedicated to housing my borrowed titles. After spending a week in hospital with pancreatitus I'm currently at home on bed rest, so I shuffled into the library before a Doctor's appointment to load up on some new titles to keep me entertained!

I've found myself becoming more interested in non-fiction recently, I'm traditionally a fiction gal at heart but the lessons I've found in non-fiction books have opened my eyes quite a bit. I'm trying to focus on improving myself in any way I can, and I feel that books teach me new ways of thinking that assist me with this. A lot of the books I've read recently revolve around saving money, minimising consumer debt and creating a more harmonious and environmentally-friendly home, which are all things I'm looking to achieve at the moment. If you have any great titles along these lines, do let me know and I'll put a hold on them at the library for next time! 

Why Pay Retail? - Todd Alexander
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up - Marie Kondo
Me Before You - Jojo Moyes
Footloose and Financially Free - Julie K Macken
Inside the O'Briens - Lisa Genova
Zero Waste Home - Bea Johnson

I nabbed some pretty popular titles on this library trip, I'm looking forward to finally reading the much lauded Marie Kondo book and I've heard great things about Jojo Moyes from various family members. What are you reading at the moment?
-Emma

Recently Read - August 2016

Despite already flipping onto August on my desk calendar, I'm less than halfway through my 2016 reading challenge and that fact has begun to annoy me. I am focused on a few new areas of life at the moment and have also been enjoying social media more than I once did, all of which sucks time away from moments to sit down with a good book. I really need to get back into reading and take advantage of the library stack teetering in my office! These are a few library books I've read recently.

The Girl on the Train - Paula Hawkins
Let's be real, I read this because everyone was talking about it! Last year I focused on reading current new releases and this year I'd like to do the same, but taking book popularity into consideration. I know that many people avoid doing that, but I like to be able to have a say on the latest hit so it suits me fine - plus I like having other people choose my books in a way! I quite enjoyed this novel despite it being unlike the books I normally pick up - the ending was neat but didn't bother me all that much, and I liked the shaky feeling I had around so many of the central characters.

The Piano Man Project - Kat French
I adored this novel, and felt like the protagonist was really well written. I wasn't expecting too much from this sort of romantic narrative but French built her characters really well in my opinion, and I found the romance a lot more rough and relatable than other novels I've come across.

The Life Intended - Kristin Harmel
Don't you just love that feeling when you read a book you really connect with? I could have put my judgeypants on with so many aspects of this story, but instead I leapt in with an open mind about it all and really enjoyed the strange and painful life that the main character was living. The only part that bothered me (and this may be a spoiler, but I think the blurb says just as much) is any section with her fiancé, who was so much nothing I couldn't even handle it.The ending was one I anticipated earlier in the book but I didn't know if Harmel would go there...well, she did and I surprisingly didn't mind. Would love to hear from anyone else who has read this one - it's made me order some more books by the author at the library.

What have you been reading lately? How is your reading challenge going, if you are doing one?
-Emma x

 

 

  

Recent Book Haul

I don't know if it's just the change in weather or a change in my mood, but I'm getting back into reading after becoming a bit slack over the last few months. It's been a while since I've actually bought new books to read (a few grabbed at Savers is about all I've done in the past year) so I was excited to purchase some in the last week, and was gifted a stack of others from my sisters stash. All of them seem quite promising and I'm looking forward to some nice nights curled up on the couch reading with a cup of coffee or glass of wine - that cliché heaven for bookworms, you know?

Everyone's current favourite author features quite heavily in the stack as I've wanted to see what all the fuss is about - Liane Moriarty! I picked up her brand new release 'Big Little Lies' from Big W where it was on sale for less than a tenner, and my sister gifted me 'What Alice Forgot' and 'The Hypnotist's Love Story' from her stack of unwanted reads. Also in the stack from my sister was Caroline Overington's 'Matilda is Missing', and on loan from her is 'The Pilot's Wife' by Anita Shreve which both of my sisters rave about and reread often.

 

What really spurred on this book haul was finding out that my local The Book Grocer store was closing down and had subsequently marked all books down to $5 - I promptly picked up Sophie Kinsella's 'Shopaholic to the Stars' which is the latest in the Shopaholic series (a series I adore!) along with Vivien's Heavenly Ice Cream Shop by Abby Clements. I'd not heard of that one before but I love most books that deal with small stores and the lives of those involved with it, plus - ice cream! Last but not least I picked up an eBook after seeing this tweet - Mothers and Daughters by Kylie Ladd. My to-read list has grown so much now and I can't wait to sink my teeth into these. Which should I read first?

 

Have you hauled any new reads lately?

What should I buy next?

-Emma

July Goals / June Update

Recapping my June goals:
-Walk 52km (improvement is the goal, not perfection!)
Huge fail on this one, I only managed around 30km and it definitely affected the way I feel about my health and fitness right now. Can't let this happen in July!
-Limit takeaway coffee (health + budget orientated)
I still indulged in a few takeaway coffees but I consciously thought about whether or not I wanted one before ordered, whereas I used to just buy them as a habit even when I didn't want one. I've been having an instant coffee each morning and really enjoying it!
-Read 3 novels
I really enjoyed my reaching choices this month, which were all borrowed from my local library. My favourite was The List by Joanna Bolouri which was the best sexy read I've ever come across. I also read J.K. Rowling's The Casual Vacancy which took me ages to get hooked into but in the end I didn't mind it, and my final read was Paris Was the Place by Susan Conley which made me yearn for a trip abroad (and made me think about asylum and the idea of family...)
-Cut back on small beauty purchases and put that cash towards wishlist items
As you will see in my upcoming monthly round up haul I still bought some little beauty purchases, but I definitely also put a whole stack back on the shelf instead of buying and didn't buy any large beauty items either (I'm waiting for something awesome to splurge on!)
-Finalise hens + kitchen tea guest list
I was slack with finalising these and really wish companies were prompt at getting back to customers! Would love some tips on what you enjoy in a hens or kitchen tea?
-try making Mum's lentil soup on my own
Obviously wasn't as good as Mumma Bovary's but it was still delicious and perfect for cold Melbourne nights!
-create + hang artwork in the bedroom
So pleased with this one, Mister Bovary and I created a quirky canvas print for the wall and even he said it has helped pull the room together and give it some personality!

5/7 ain't bad!

takeaway coffee and a book I read in June // My version of Mum's lentil soup // my most recent library stack

July Goals!
-Walk 52km
-20+ days of stars*
-Read 3+ books
-Finalise wedding bouquet details
-Order our wedding bands
-Try cooking with a new recipe x3
-Start filling some pot plants


*stars are for days when I workout and eat healthily all day- no cheating!

Goals for June

Recapping my May goals:
-walk 50km.
I ended up on 51.41km for May, which is a good achievement considering I had to go slow because I was off work with a sore back. Having my mother in laws treadmill has been a blessing for me, rainy days are no excuse for jumping on and it felt good to hit that round number.
-fill and hang new photo frames
We ended up not hanging these but placing them on their stands as it looked a lot better - still not sure these are the pictures that will stay in the frames, but for now they will do and I'm glad I get to look at my new frames all the time now! We also hung up our new coat rack, happy days!
-make up bags of product for Mumma Bovary and my sisters
3 bags are sitting in my beauty room ready to dole out to the girls - I still have more to give them but will make up a new bag soon for those things. They aren't all that knowledgeable about beauty so a few products at a time will be better for them to try out I think. I gave Mumma Bovary some self tanning stuff that she loves, my sister some foundations that are too dark for me to trial and the other sister picked up some eyeshadow and even more foundation. Be gone, huge stash!
-book wedding videographer
I've made steps to achieving this, ultimately I'm just waiting for the company to finalise our arrangements and pay a deposit for this.
-read 4+ novels
Being off work had something to do with this being ticked off - I finished Kylie Ladd's Last Summer in May so I counted it, and I also read Mindy Kaling's book and two V.C. Andrews from the Dollanganger series. (My name on GoodReads is emmabovary if you'd like to link up!)
-keep up my water intake to stay hydrated
Lazy fail on that one!

Goals for June!
-Walk 52km (improvement is the goal, not perfection!)
-Limit takeaway coffee (health + budget orientated)
-Read 3 novels
-Cut back on small beauty purchases and put that cash towards wishlist items
-Finalise hens + kitchen tea guest list
-try making Mum's lentil soup on my own
-create + hang artwork in the bedroom

What goals are you aiming towards this month?

The Relaxation Station

Relaxing - that thing I used to do properly before I became a blogger and had a million tabs opened permanently on my laptop. I was craving a boiling hot bath the other night and so I shuffled into the bathroom with a big stash of PR gifted luxuries to indulge in.

I've had this Jeanne en Provence Feu de Bois (By the Fireplace) candle* for quite a while, often having a sniff of the jar without actually making the commitment of burning it. I take it as a major sign of hoarding that I actually feel my tummy clench at the thought of a nice candle being used up...I have to admit that Dusk had a latte candle once that I loved so much that I quit burning it half way through and was content with using it as decoration so I could sniff it all the time. Am I weird, or has anyone else done this before? Anyway - this candle was lovely, very luxe and made me feel classy in the tub which is always a good thing.

The A'Kin Orange Blossom Body Wash* isn't the sweet orange that some products can be, and I think many people would prefer this bitter orange scent (if bitter is what you could call it - you know me with scents...) I thought this body wash would go well with the heavily scented Lush Golden Wonder Bath Ballistic*, which is something I have always wanted to try out for myself! Little soap stars shoot out of this once you drop it into your bath and it leaves everything a beautiful shimmery blue (but don't worry, it didn't stain the tub!)

I devoured the last of my Malteaster bunnies while reading Margaret Atwood's The Edible Woman, which I've now finished and quite enjoyed! I found the message a little hard to decipher and went looking for some in depth reviews to gauge the public opinion, but the fact that I looked forward to reading it on my lunch breaks meant it was a good 'un. You can suss out my reading style on my Goodreads profile if you like!

 

What are you reading right now?

Are you a fan of baths, or do you think they are too much hassle?

Are there any permanent Lush bath products I need to suss out?

 

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

 

 

*Provided for consideration. Honesty,always.

Goals for May

I'm head over heels for the new plants Mister Bovary placed around our front yard - they sit nicely with the succulents, don't you think? He even planted a baby one outside my office window, too cute.

I've decided that jotting down a few goals each month is a good way to push myself to get things done, and so I've made a list of intentions for the month of May. We have been living in our home for over 6 months now and it still needs some loving touches and decorations arranged, so this month I want to work on creating a more homey environment for us to live in. A few health + mindset goals never go astray either.

-walk 50km
-fill and hang new photo frames
-make up bags of product for Mumma Bovary and my sisters
-book wedding videographer
-read 4+ novels
-keep up my water intake to stay hydrated

What goals do you have this month?

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

The Coral Contender

My obsession with pink lips seems to have waned a little bit and I've been rocking a bright coral lip. It all started when I was wearing a new top and wanted to embrace the bright shades in it, so I rustled through my stash and came up with 4 contenders...

Maybelline Color Sensational Coral Crush - this really is a stunning shade, and one that I have had for a few years now. Old and worn and one of my top 5 lip colours of all time, I always return to it when I get hooked back onto bright lips. It's bright, juicy and wears away so evenly that I often wear it to work!

Maybelline Color Sensational Vibrant Mandarin - A newer coral/orange acquisition, this was a shade from the revamped launch of the staple Maybelline line. More orange than the rest, the formula of this line is just divine.

MAC Party Parrot - a true matte shade from the lipstick legend, I was elated to pick this up from the MAC Iris Apfel collection back in 2012 (original post here!) This is slightly more red toned that the other coral rather than orange or pink, and is a nice flattering matte formula.

Revlon Super Lustrous 180 Melonade - A celebrated stunner that I really hunted for once I heard that it had been discontinued (even though I haven't worn it very much at all I have a back-up in my drawer!) The post that pushed me to buy this was definitely Tegan's...

Swooning over one of my favourite books (Virginia Woolf's A Room Of One's Own) and these four beautiful lip shades. Woolf's book stemmed from some lectures she gave about women and fiction, and it is something I reread regularly to get my mind going and pump me up from some writing.
 

In the end, I handed the reins over to Mister Bovary to decide and Coral Crush came up trumps! So I can now call it a household favourite, right? I've worn it consistently since these photos were taken, so that is saying something.

What bright coral lipstick do you have in your stash?
Do you own any of these beauties?

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

*All of these were bought with my own cash. Honesty, always.

just read

Since I've been on university holidays, I've gotten my teeth stuck back into reading for pleasure again. I set myself a GoodReads challenge at the beginning of November to read 15 books by the end of 2011. I only managed to chew through 9 in the two month period, but I was still really happy with myself when I considered the crazy hours I had at work over that time. This year I've set myself a challenge to read 30 books. 1 down, 29 to go! Here are a selection of the books I read in my first challenge.

-Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee

-The Second Wife by Elizabeth Buchan
-Cocktails for Three by Sophie Kinsella as Madeleine Wickham
-The First Stone by Helen Garner
-The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom
-Perfume by Patrick Suskind
-Sexing The Cherry by Jeanette Winterson

Top pick from this bunch goes to Patrick Suskind, Perfume was so well written and gripped me by the stomach (nostrils?) and never let me go. Has also got me hooked on scents of all kinds, have been stopping quite often just to sniff and sigh. The First Stone was also marvellous, was a wonderful example of strong non-fiction. A very scandalous subject matter too, which I'll delve into in my GoodReads review. Most disappointing of the bunch would definitely be The Second Wife, which I thought was crap, to be honest. Cliche storyline, characters not appealing or hateable enough for it to be worth it, and dragged on in a whiny fashion. I will note here that I do like chick lit, I find it relaxing, but I wish I hadn't wasted my time reading this particular novel.

Have you read any of these?
Come on over to GoodReads and set yourself a challenge- you can see my profile and track how I'm doing here, and also in my blog sidebar to the left <<
Do leave a comment and let me know what you're reading, or what novels I should download on my new Kindle.
Happy Reading!