100th Post! My Ultimate Favourite 9 Books To Read

Hello everyone! This is my 100th post!! It's been just over two years since I started this blog so today I'm going to do something that I don't usually do and tell you all about my 9 ultimate favourite books to get cosy and get lost in. 

Fiction

The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly by Sun-Mi Hwang

Books that make you question your aspirations are very important and even more so when they are metaphorical - which is how I read this one. The poor hen, who is constantly under threat from predators, only has one simple wish and she is challenged in her attempt to fulfil it. 

The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling

With the new film coming out TOMORROW(!) I have quickly read this book and it is so much more than what the original film portrayed the story as. Mowgli's hardships of being a 'man-cub' within the animals of the jungle lead to him creating friendships with Bhageera the panther and Baloo the bear who protect him from the animals who see him as prey. 

Kensuke's Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo

Michael gets ship wrecked on an island with his dog Stella but they're not alone. This is another 'chidren's' book that is also a great read for adults (in fact, my Dad is currently reading it) and this is probably my favourite book in this category. 

A Song for Issy Bradley by Carys Bray

The Bradley's go on a journey of discovering themselves and one another. When an event brings many emotions including confusion, sadness and hope, each member of the family's life is changed forever. Though this is a pretty dull read, I was interested to see different perspectives from the different family members after the event happened because I have experienced a similar situation.

Science

The Compact Cosmos by Matt Tweed

A compact and easy to go to guide of the cosmos. Understand more about the universe from auric objects to zones that are habitable away from our planet with both cute and complicated illustrations.

The Martian by Andy Weir

Mark Watney is stranded on Mars after the rest of the crew from his mission had to make an emergency evacuation and thought he had died in the process. This sci-fi novel is one of the best books I've ever read and is also an incredible film staring Matt Damon (though I prefer the book).

An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth by Chris Hadfield

If you know me then you'll have heard me mention Chris Hadfield a couple thousand of times. All time cool guy and three time space go-er, Chris Hadfield's rocket ride of how he became an astronaut (with helpful healthy life tips) makes this my favourite book ever.

Autobiography

A Work In Progress by Connor Franta

With almost five and a half million subscribers on YouTube, Connor Franta shares how his childhood and teenage years have made him who he is today. I love reading about how people who make their own careers get to where they are in life. Be aware: this book has been written with great aesthetics.

I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai with Christina Lamb

Who is Malala? More like who is she not and what hasn't she done?! She was shot by the Taliban for wanting girls across the world to be educated equally and this is her story from before the event that changed her life and afterwards. I don't think I will ever get over the fact she is only a few months older than me and has achieved what she has already and here I am watching kids TV shows (All Over The Place if you're interested).

Have you read any of these book? If so, did you enjoy them as much as me? Do you have any books that you would put on your favourites list that you think I should read? Let me know in the comments.

Balance Me Treatments | Radiance Face Mask : Skin Care Review

Is your skin lacking in .... well everything lately? From tired eyes to dull skin, Balance Me ensure that their 5-minute Radiance Face Mask will brighten your complexion and purify your impurities among other skin boosting benefits.

The Product

When I think of a mask I usually expect something quite thick but because this is a quick 5-minute solution so I was reassured when this turned out thinner. The consistency is a bit like a silky and is slightly clay-like with small beads of walnut shells.

It has a distinctive nutty smell with fruity hints - which is appropriate because this is what is in this mask along with kaolin clay.

Does it Work?

I wasn't expecting any miracles, especially the first time I used it but I did notice a difference. My skin problems still exist after 2 weeks of using this mask about twice a week however my skin looks a bit brighter, especially in the dull areas. Immediately after I use it, my skin also feels more radiant as if it has been gently exfoliated. 

Conclusion 

Whilst some people have claimed this mask has done absolute wonders for their skin, I can only partially agree. My skin has benefited from using this mask and I think it would be great to use if your skin was especially dull and in need of a pick-me-up. 

As you may be able to tell, this is just a small bottle and I have to admit this was a free sample from Glamour Magazine (GUILTY!) but you can buy this sized bottle (15ml) for £6.50 or a larger size (75ml) for £18.00. 

If I'm honest, I would buy the larger bottle if it was the price of the smaller one so unless my skin was desperate I'm not likely to buy this. That being said, I would recommend anyone who feels like they need something like this to get it because I think it would definitely be worthwhile to spend a bit extra.

I give this product 3/5

Have you tried this product? Do you agree with me?

Oh My Girl (오마이걸) Liar Liar MV : Outfit Inspiration

Oh My Girl have a new song called 'Liar Liar' and, like any fashion concious being, the outfits the girls wore really caught my eye. I loved the outfits from the teaser pictures and the music video (which has great aesthetics can I say?). In the MV they mostly wore tops and skirts but I can't lie that loved the top and trouser outfits that were in the teaser images too. Here is some inspired outfits from the cute and fresh concept.

Oh My Girl (오마이걸) Liar Liar - The Top & Trouser Edit

Let's start with the top and trouser edit! This look will take zero effort to pull off because all you need is a striped top and some great fitting jeans. Alternatively, you can style your tee with casual dungarees for an even more effortless look whilst still keeping that fresh and simple vibe.

Oh My Girl (오마이걸) Liar Liar  - The Top & Skirt Edit

If you'd prefer the top and skirt outfits that Oh My Girl wore then it's possibly even simpler! With a high waisted skirt you could wear any kind of top. To work this look, tuck in a top, jumper or shirt to your skirt and you've done it. I love the blue Pure Cotton Frill Striped Blouse from Marks and Spencer's that I've included in the picture above and one of the girls wears a similar one in the video.

Something's to keep in mind are: 

1. Don't make your outfit bold. You want to either have a pale coloured skirt or top at least, don't have a deep blue skirt with a bold red top - that's not the point of this look.

2. Keep it simple. It seriously is just a top and skirt or trouser matter, only add one piece of jewellery and wear skin coloured tights. 

Do you love this look as much as I do? Let me know!

Spring into Action | 6 Ways to Be More Productive This Easter

With the mornings getting lighter and the sun making more appearances in our skies, spring isn't just a time to enjoy chocolate. I don't know about you but I always find myself feeling more motivated to do things at this time of the year although I never know how I can do this. 

If you're like this or want be more productive this Easter weekend then I have some tips to help with just that.

Spring Clean Your Stuff

Sometimes, simply going through cupboards and drawers to sort out your possessions can make you feel like you've accomplished something. Go through what you want to keep and what you don't. For the things you don't want you can give to a charity shop or sell online.

Embrace the Earlier Mornings

Waking up in daylight completely shook me the other day and I thought I had slept in until I realise it was my alarm that had woken me up. During the winter, I would spend an hour laid in bed after I woke up but now it's hard to stay in for 20 minutes (I'm not able to jump straight out of bed the second I wake up just yet...). It feels like the day is starting earlier when the sun rises at the early hour of 6am so take the opportunity to start your day earlier.

Do Exercise 

Exercising for 20 minutes to start your day is said to make you feel more energetic and motivated for the rest of the day than without. With warmer and brighter mornings, take the opportunity to go for a quick 20 minute run in the fresh air.

Eat More Fruit

There's nothing quite like the feeling you get when you eat fruit. Even if the rest of your life is spiralling out of control, I think eating a banana or an apple makes me feel like I have got my life together. Nonetheless, fruit has so much more healthy nutrients that other 'healthy' snacks can't give you. So go ahead and swap a chocolate bar for an orange! (Easier said than done.)

Spring Clean Your Life

Do you ever feel like there are just not enough hours in a day to do everything you want to do, or even need to? Recently, I realised I was spending way too much time on social media so I gave them all up (apart from Twitter and Tumblr because I use them the least). You can do this by making a note of what you have done in a day and how much time you spent doing it.

I did a similar thing in a previous post to help you eat the right things. Once you have made the list, notice what changes you could make to your lifestyle e.g only go on Facebook for that spare 5 minutes you'll have at breakfast or spend 20 minutes after tea going through your notes from your lessons. These little changes have made me feel like I'm achieving a lot more in a day than I used to.

Organise Your Work

In England, the Easter holidays is one of the last chances we get to revise for exams. Thankfully, I'm doing a diploma at college so I don't have exams but I do have coursework and I know I will need to organise when I'm doing that work so I can also have time to do other things I want to do.

Make a quick timetable of what day and how long you are going to spend doing each piece of work. I think that even just doing this makes you feel much more productive and motivated to do work and revision than without doing so.

Do you have any other ways that you make yourself motivated?
Have a happy Easter!

Lee Hi - Seoulite : Half Album Review

Lee Hi is back after what feel like forever and she's brought an incredible album that I've had on repeat non stop. In my opinion, all of these songs are better than anything she has released before (although 'It's Over' was a good tune) and it's no surprise with it being produced by Tablo, DJ Tukutz and herself. Here's my review:

1. World Tour (비행) (Feat. MINO of WINNER)

What a perfect song! I've been really into easy listening songs lately but they still need a bit of excitement and variety in them or the song can get boring very quickly so MINO's rapping was a cherry on top for me. Easy and flowing melodies from the chorus and the 'don't think about it' part at the end has me humming this song whenever I'm not listening to it.

2. Hold My Hand (손잡아 줘요)

Another easy and relaxing song with jazzy vibes, especially with Hi's voice being a little raspy. This is fun and uplifting which matches perfect with it's vintage style. I love the harmonies that play a good part in conveying those old school vibes. This is probably my favourite song on the album.

3. Breathe (한숨)

This is where the album takes a turn from being bouncy and light hearted, though the lyrics are still uplifting and sweet. This ballad seems to be either a hit or a miss with most people and I'm still undecided. Written by SHINee's Jonghyun, the pitch of the chorus makes me feel a bit uneasy and I'm not so sure that Hi should be singing it because it doesn't suit her voice. Other than that, I must say I will probably listen to this song the least because it's a ballad that could have a bit more to it for more emotion to come out.

4. Official (Feat. Incredivle)

We've fully come out of the bouncy and smiley songs and we're into the hip hop now, as expected on a YG artist's album. It starts off with what I thought was going to be a much lighter sound but then it slows and goes into a heavier beat. I love Incredivle's rap and I think it adds that extra something to the track making it an instant favourite for me.

5. Fxxk Wit Us (Feat. Dok2)

Lee Hi says the F word too obviously and too much for me to play this song out loud when my family is at home but that hasn't stopped me.... Hi is great at having a cocky but cool sound in her voice which I think is conveyed perfectly throughout the whole song. It's a great addition to the feeling of the song too as if she knows that no one can fxxk wit her and her man.

I give Seoulite 5/5. Recently, I have felt like there hasn't been many songs that I really love and that I would play continuously but this album has broken the trend because it has (almost) everything that I could ask for in an album. From light hearted cute songs that aren't babyish to the more fierce hip hop songs that don't try too hard. Well done Lee Hi, Tablo and DJ Tukutz.

What do you think of Lee Hi's album? Do you agree on my review of the songs?

I adore this album artwork, too!