Book Review: Get Positively Beautiful by Carmindy

According to a recent study, only 2% of women describe themselves as 'beautiful.' (Dove Global Study 'The Real Truth About Beauty: A Global Report', 2004) The media instructs women how to 'look ten years younger,' 'cover up wrinkles,' or 'get fuller, plumper lips.' And even makeup products play off womens' insecurities, promising to conceal perceived flaws, define cheekbones, or make eyelashes fuller and longer. The underlying message? That there's something inherently wrong with the way women look and that they have to spend time, money, and energy keeping up with all the ways they should 'fix' themselves. 

In GET POSITIVELY BEAUTIFUL, makeup artist Carmindy from TLC's hit program What Not to Wear shows you how to change your mindset from negative fault-finding to a positive beauty philosphy. You learn how to find and focus on your best features and how to combat negative thoughts about your appearance. Carmindy demonstrates easy makeup techniques for eyes, brows, lashes, lips, cheeks, and skin, and how to adapt looks to different weather conditions and 'beauty moods.

This is a self-help book about how to put on makeup but also gives you some positive quotes and also how to give yourself a positive compliment before you put on makeup. When it comes to makeup, I only put on lipbalm, BB Cream, and whatever lipstick I have in my bag these days. But after reading this book, there were a few things I was tempted to try out, but is still scared to do. Foundation? Haven't found the perfect one yet. Mascara? Fuhgeddaboutit. I'm still looking for a new one since my old one got old. But I do reconmend this book one hundered percent to someone who's either slowly but surely wanna know about makeup or just know about it but wanna feel positive about it

Book Review: The Husband List by Janet Evanovich and Dorien Kelly

Based on the family from the bestselling Love In A Nutshell, the story of an heiress longing to marry for love or not at all

From The New York Times bestselling writing duo Janet Evanovich and Dorien Kelly, comes the story of a young woman’s search for true love. Caroline Maxwell would like nothing more than to join her brother, Eddie, and his friend, Jack Culhane, on their adventures. While Jack and Eddie are off seeing the world, buying up businesses and building wildly successful careers, Caroline's stuck at home frightening off the men her mother hopes will ask for her hand in marriage.  When her mother sets her sights on the questionable Lord Bremerton as a possible suitor, Caroline struggles with her instincts and the true nature of her heart.  She longs for adventure, passion, love, and most of all . . . Jack Culhane, an unconventional Irish-American bachelor with new money and no title. A completely unacceptable suitor in the eyes of Caroline's mother. But Caroline's dark hair, brilliant eyes and quick wit have Jack understanding just why it is people fall in love and get married.

Set in New York City in 1894, The Husband List is an American gilded age romantic mystery. It evokes memories of the lavish lifestyles and social expectations of the Vanderbilts and Rockefellers—a time when new money from the Americas married Old World social prestige and privilege. Dresses by Worth, transcontinental ocean voyages, lavish parties, a little intrigue, and a lot of romance await in, The Husband List.

This book was a fun read and it didn't take me long to read it. The first time I saw this book the only thing I saw was the design of the novel. Then when I picked it up last week and started to read it, I loved it. 

It's about a girl named Caroline Maxwell who is forced to...how can I say this....be with a man she don't like but her mama does. The man in question is Lord Marcus Bermerton, aka the boring version of Chuck Bass if Chuck was from England, a lord, and BORING. But he was manipulative just like Chuck-to the point where he was hiding the fact that he killed his French wife Adele. Caroline, on the other hand, had fallen in love with Jack Culhane, a beer brewery Irishman and she wanted the adventure and she wasn't feeling Lord Borington. 

I actually enjoyed this book and I do ship Jack x Caroline and I wanna read the second book!!!

What's in My Book Purse-7/19/2013

Hey. y'all! Long time, no see, huh? Well I've been busy playing Skyrim and have been reading a LOT lately. So let's get started on this post, shall we?

From top to bottom:

1. Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice
2. Janet Evanovich and Dorien Kelly, The Husband List
3. Carmindy, Get Positively Beautiful
4. Bobbi Brown, Bobbi Brown Beauty

Basically, I have a feeling I'll have a lot more time blogging on here because I might have to take one class this quarter instead of the three classes I normally have. Anyway, these are the books I'm reading this month. What are you reading?

One Good Knight by Mercedes Lackey

When a dragon storms the castle, what should a (virgin) princess do? Why, turn to her studies, of course But nothing practical-minded Princess Andromeda of Acadia finds gives a definitive solution. The only Traditional answer, though, is soothing the marauding dragon by a virgin sacrifice. Things are going fairly smoothly with the lottery--except for the women chosen, of course--until Princess Andromeda herself is picked

But facing down the dragon doesn't go quite as planned, and now, with the help of her Champion, Sir George, Andromeda searches for the dragon's lair. But even--"especially"--in the Five Hundred Kingdoms, bucking Tradition isn't easy. It takes the strongest of wills, knowledge, quick wits and a refusal to give up, no matter what happens along the way.

Basically, this book is about a Princess named Andromeda or Andie for short, is sacrificed to a dragon thanks to the evil plan of her mother, Queen Cassiopeia of Acadia and her right hand man, Solon (who reminded me SO MUCH of Sir William Cecil, all except he's a magician). Cassiopeia asked Solon to erect a barrier to keep out Godmothers and Champions to face the dragon. 

But did they count on a female Champion? Did they also count on Andie and one of the dragons, Peri, to fall in love? Nope they did not. Did they also expect that the dragons don't eat the virgins that they sacrificed? *glares at Andie* Nope. 

The most shocking thing to me was the fact that Solon killed Cassiopeia and then turn into some huge Demon that scared the living crap out of Andie, and the other fact was that Andie's mother-HER OWN MOTHER-basically turned her into a ghost in the castle when Andie started doing reports and started treating her like a young lady even though Andromeda was a Princess, and wanted to get her out of the way. 

I did enjoy this book a whole lot and I really do reconmend it.

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man

Steve Harvey, the host of the nationally syndicated Steve Harvey Morning Show, can't count the number of impressive women he's met over the years, whether it's through the "Strawberry Letters" segment of his program or while on tour for his comedy shows. These are women who can run a small business, keep a household with three kids in tiptop shape, and chair a church group all at the same time. Yet when it comes to relationships, they can't figure out what makes men tick. Why? According to Steve it's because they're asking other women for advice when no one but another man can tell them how to find and keep a man. In Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man, Steve lets women inside the mindset of a man and sheds lights on concepts and questions such as:

—The Ninety Day Rule: Ford requires it of its employees. Should you require it of your man?

—How to spot a mama's boy and what if anything you can do about it.

—When to introduce the kids. And what to read into the first interaction between your date and your kids.

—The five questions every woman should ask a man to determine how serious he is.

— And more...

Sometimes funny, sometimes direct, but always truthful, Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man is a book you must read if you want to understand how men think when it comes to relationships.

This book took me a long time to read and honestly? It's a good book-it helped me a little to see what kind of guy I might be looking for, but for now I'm single and waiting on him to come to me...or I'll come to him. IDK. But anyway, Steve Harvey breaks down how men thinks and some rules like the ninety-day rule, which I'll be so happy to follow, but one thing made me mad was the fact that Steve said something like, 'us men can't go out every time and buy you that Chanel bag on your birthday,'

Uh...EXCUSE ME???

On my birthday, my future boyfriend will bring me a Coach, Michael Michael Kors, Kate Spade, Lancome, ALL OF THE THINGS I WANT BECAUSE OF REASONS. Oh and also brings me books. Lots and lots of books...and all of the seasons of Game of Thrones. Because I can't live without Game of Thrones, books and other things that make me happy.

Also if he's a book nerd, we can read together and exchange books so we can learn each other's taste. But the problem is....where in the world is all the sexy and hot book-reading guys??? Where are they???? If they are somewhere in America or in England *cough*Oxford*cough* then come to Georgia PLEASE!!!!

Josaphine's Lessons

Josaphine's Lessons is a series of short stories about her sexual trysts to enrapture you. Josaphine's encounters are humorous, scandalous, and outlandish as well as revealing. She takes you on sexual adventures that are steamy, titillating and highly entertaining. 

Josaphine begins her adventures as a young, immature teenager, and brings you through her ordeals as she becomes a wise, mature woman. At the end of each sexcapade, Josaphine imparts the lesson she learned. Some were easy to come by and some were hard lessons of life. 

Enjoy the journey and see if her lessons are similar to your own!

Since I have no photo whatsoever of the book, I'll just say that if Samantha Jones from Sex and the City had a book, this would be it. This book has over 40 names of men and all of them has lessons and stories about these men at the same time. Some of them I loved, others I kept cringing at for some reason-for example, Larry the Mercedes Overload.

First of all, broski had too many Mercedes icons to the point where I was completely turned off by this story-COMPLETELY. Bubba-he's not a redneck one? Cracked me up a little bit but I don't know if I had a favorite, but if I did, I just can't put my finger on it.

Anyway, I do reconmend this book-you can get it on amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com and I don't know if it's sold somewhere since I know the author but I might can ask her....

The Other Queen by Philippa Gregory

Two women competing for a man's heart
Two queens fighting to the death for dominance
The untold story of Mary, Queen of Scots

This dazzling novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author Philippa Gregory presents a new and unique view of one of history's most intriguing, romantic, and maddening heroines. Biographers often neglect the captive years of Mary, Queen of Scots, who trusted Queen Elizabeth's promise of sanctuary when she fled from rebels in Scotland and then found herself imprisoned as the "guest" of George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, and his indomitable wife, Bess of Hardwick.

The newly married couple welcome the doomed queen into their home, certain that serving as her hosts and jailers will bring them an advantage in the cutthroat world of the Elizabethan court. To their horror, they find that the task will bankrupt them, and as their home becomes the epicenter of intrigue and rebellion against Elizabeth, their loyalty to each other and to their sovereign comes into question. If Mary succeeds in seducing the earl into her own web of treachery and treason, or if the great spymaster William Cecil links them to the growing conspiracy to free Mary from her illegal imprisonment, they will all face the headsman.

Philippa Gregory uses new research and her passion for historical accuracy to place a well-known heroine in a completely new tale full of suspense, passion, and political intrigue. For years, readers have clamored for Gregory to tell Mary's story, and The Other Queen is the result of her determination to present a novel worthy of this extraordinary heroine.

Philippa Gregory, once again you did an amazing job with 'The Other Queen'! This book was entirely about Mary Queen of Scots, Bess of Hardwicke and Earl of Shewsberry, or as Mary calls him, 'Chowsbewwy'. Elizabeth I was mentioned a little in this book and honestly? Throughout the book I felt sorry for Mary because one, her and Elizabeth never met. Not one time. Second, Bess drunk some haterade when the Earl, George, kept talking and seeing and falling in love with Mary and had the gall to call him a fool. Third, I never liked William Cecil AT ALL in this book. Not one fuck was given every time I see what William Cecil did. All in all I enjoyed this book a whole lot and I wanna read more from Philippa Gregory.