An Updated Reading List

It's been a while since I last wrote about the books I've been planning to read, I know. I must admit that I've picked up these books in September, but haven't even opened them yet as I meant to put this post up a while ago. But with returning to university, life got a bit in the way. I've also just realised that I usually feature more books than this at once, but a girl can't spend all her time sat reading now can she? ~ Even though one might wish she could ~

Little Women - Louisa May Alcott // I thought I'd read this when I was younger, but I'm not sure I did since picking up a copy. My mum always used to tell me about how she read it as a child, and so it finally made it's way into my shopping basket. I really look forward to reading this over the coming weeks, but I do hope it's going to be an easy read! Even if it turns out that I have read it before, I don't have a copy of it lying around anywhere!

The Man Who Couldn't Stop: The Truth About OCD - David Adam //  You know when it's 2am and you're browsing Amazon for something and end up getting totally lost in your recommended items list? (Just me?) Well, every once in awhile, alongside the garden tools and the disposable razors, you find a hidden jem. In this particular instance the hidden jem was this amazing book from David Adam. I clicked on it, out of curiosity more than anything else, and it seemed right up my street. I saw that Matt Haig (author of Reasons To Stay Alive) had given it a good review, and it went into my basket immediately. And I mean immediately. I'm super excited to get into this because I've just finished my mental health module at uni, and I'm already missing the 'proper' psychology. As soon as I've finished my current book ('The Little Book of Hygge' by Meik Wiking FYI), I'll be popping this into my bag to read on the train!

Eat Pray Love - Elizabeth Gilbert // I feel as though every young woman should read this book. It's like a rite of passage into adulthood. I've seen the film more times than I'd care to admit, but there is something about the storyline that appeals to me and so I picked up a copy in the hopes that it may take me on some sort of journey (lol) with the start of the new year. 

The Graduate - Charles Webb // To be completely honest I have no idea why I wanted to read this, and I admit that I may have been persuaded by the aesthetically pleasing front cover. I think most people have seen the film adaptation starring Dustin Hoffman, or at least heard of the book from the various pop culture references floating around. I must say that I'm probably the least excited to read this book out of the ones I have bought, but I will let you know how I get on with it!

What are you currently reading?

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The 5 Books You Should Read Right Now

 My love for reading has been well documented during my time blogging, and over the last year or so I have read some truly influential books. Nothing beats finding a book that changes your outlook on life, so today I have rounded up the books that I have recently taken something from. I hope that you can enjoy them as much as I have, and if not I hope that you are able to find other books that impact your lives in the same way that these have impacted mine. 

Calm: Calm The Mind, Change The World - Michael Acton Smith // Although there isn't really much to read in this book, it is has had a massive impact on my life recently. I struggle a lot with anxiety and a quick flick through this book every now and again really helps me to calm myself down (no pun intended). I was recently chatting with a friend about this book, and we both agreed that is great to flick through at the end of a stressful day. It has a highly interactive element, and makes an excellent coffee table book if you're into that sort of thing. 

Yes Please - Amy Poehler // To be completely honest I don't know why I even bought this in the first place. I've watched Amy Poehler in many of her TV programmes and films, and as much as I adore her, I wouldn't say that I'm completely obsessed with her. But I'm so glad that I did pick it up as it is jam packed full of Amy's hilarious life experiences. It is a lighthearted, easy read that covers a wide range of topics, and can make you think about the way you handle certain situations.

The Life Changing Magic Of Tidying - Marie Kondo // I learnt a lot from this book. It gave me the encouragement and motivation needed for me to sort my life out. I didn't even get through the first chapter without feeling the urge to whip out the vacuum cleaner. It has changed my outlook on living, making me a tidier and more organised person, and has ultimately made me want to stay this way.  

Sparks Joy - Marie Kondo // It's no surprise that two of Marie Kondo's books have made it onto my list of influential reads. I read the other book over Christmas, and I purchased this one as soon as it became available for pre-order. Although there aren't many differences between the first and second book, they touch on the same topics in slightly different ways and I feel as though you have to read the former to appreciate this book. This particular book focuses on Marie's tidying methods and includes lots of handdrawn illustrations depicting her methods. It allows you to see her methods in action, so you can implement them into your own lifestyle. 

Reasons To Stay Alive - Matt Haig // I think I may have mentioned this book on my blog before, but it honestly deserves as many mentions as it gets. My sister is a diagnosed depressive, and it was so interesting to read about the perspective of somebody has gone through the same thing. Whether you, or someone you know suffers from mental health issues, this book provides an insight into what goes on in someone's head. It is an exceptionally short book, but what it lacks in words, it makes up for in meaning. It will make a huge impact on your life, and will make you feel grateful to be alive.  

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The Reading List - Number 3

Now that I've finished university for the summer, I have endless hours to sit and read in the garden. I always look forward to having ~6 months to relax and read all the books that I haven't had the chance to enjoy over the rest of the year. Over the last couple of months I have been splurging on loads of books ready for the moment I submitted my last assignment. So again, I thought I would share with you another instalment of my 'The Reading List' series. These books are the ones at the top of my list and the ones that will probably get read within the next fortnight!

The Society of the Crossed Keys - Stefan Zweig // The Grand Budapest Hotel was recently added onto Netflix, and out of sheer exam revision procrastination I watched it. AND LOVED IT. As soon as the credits went up I went online to seek out the book on which it was based. At first I was a little confused as it didn't seem to be based on one particular book and rather a collection of short stories. I bought the collection in the hopes that it will tell a similar story to the film, and I can only let you know how I get on with it!

The Devil Wears Prada - Lauren Weisberger // A book I have been meaning to buy for forever. The Devil Wears Prada used to be one of my favourite films and I have watched it countless times. I was actually sorting through my Amazon wishlist when I found it hidden away and it immediately went straight into my basket! I'm sure I will love it as much as the film, and I will keep you posted on my thoughts once I start reading it!

Emotional Agility - Susan David // This book has been floating around my Amazon basket since its release in April, and I've actually had it saved under the premise of doing some academic reading. It has very recently made an impact on the blogging community and I finally picked it up so I can read it over the summer. If you didn't already know I'm a psychology undergraduate and I take an immense interest in anything related to mental health. Although this book deals with a potentially complex subject matter, it seems to be an easy and compelling read. Of the many books I've read on emotional intelligence, this is the one I have been the most excited to read.

Forensics, The Anatomy of Crime - Val McDermid // I've always been interested in crime. TV programmes, books, films - you name it I've probably watched/read it long before you've even heard of it. At the start of the year I selected my final year modules and of course Forensic Psychology was at the top of my list (with Business Psychology at the bottom obv), and I thought I would get a head start by reading this. The book discusses anything and everything to do with crime. The books charts centuries of development in forensic techniques with references to well known crimes and atrocities. From first glance, the book covers a wide range of subjects from toxicology, fingerprinting, blood spatter, and DNA, to facial reconstruction, and digital forensics.

Bridget Jones Mad About The Boy - Helen Fielding // I've been having a bit of a clear out recently and I found this stuffed at the back of a drawer. I've only recently finished re-reading the Edge of Reason, so it feels like the perfect time to get stuck into the final installment of the Bridget Jones series. Plus I clearly have to read it before the film version comes out in September!!

Breakfast at Tiffany's - Truman Capote // One of my all time favourite films.  I love anything with Audrey Hepburn in, and I wanted to read the book it was based on. I thought for ages that I already had this book, but it turns out not! I remember picking it up in Waterstones almost 2 years ago to the day, but I clearly didn't follow through and purchase it! The other day I was browsing through the Penguin Modern Classics collection list, and it reminded me I still needed to read it - so here it is on my list!

Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov // I'm quite a fan of classic novels. I've read quite a few in my lifetime (lmao makes me sound about 87), and again this is one I have been meaning to pick up for a while. It's about a pervert, who becomes obsessed with 12 year old Lolita and the book follows him on his quest to 'possess' her. It looks like a bit of a controversial read, but I can't wait to get into it nonetheless.

I have masses of time on my hands so if you have any recommendations of what I should read next, please leave them in the comments!! 

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On The Reading List

Hello everyone! I have another reading list for you today. I last did one of these posts in September, and have been eager to get another one up on the blog. The books on the last post have been read and enjoyed, and I highly recommend 'Yes Please' and 'Not That Kind Of Girl' as they left me in stitches, and actually made me laugh out loud - very loud.  Towards the end of last month (when my student loan came in), I went straight on to Amazon and picked up a few of the books from my wishlist. So here is why they are waiting to be read!

'Reasons To Stay Alive' by Matt Haig // This has been on my reading list for a good few months now, and when I started to see it on Instagram and Twitter I just knew it was going to become the next 'it' book. So I purchased it. The last book I finished reading was 'Yes Please' by Amy Poehler, and as soon as I finished it, I picked up this book. As you can see from the photo, I've managed to read a good chunk of it so far and I love it already! If you haven't heard of the book, it is a real-life account of Matt Haig's battle with depression and anxiety. Being a psychology undergrad I find it so interesting to see what goes through people's minds when they have a mental illness, but I also find it helpful with my own anxiety. The book isn't another story filled with psychological rubbish, it documents Matt's journey with depression from his own experiences. I highly suggest picking up a copy if you or someone you know is battling depression, and even if not it is a highly interesting read. 

'The Fashion Book' by Phaidon Company Press // My friend Sarah bought me this brilliant book for Christmas and I love it! It is basically a giant dictionary of fashion, and includes designers and fashion/beauty brands, alongside photographers and influential people like Madonna and Brigitte Bardot. I love books like this because I am really (and I mean really) into fashion photography, and a lot of my photography portfolio is made up of fashion photography. But not only do I enjoy taking my own photographs, I equally enjoy looking at the work of others - so I am excited to sit down and give this book a proper 'read'. 

'It's Not How Good You Are, It's How Good You Want To Be' by Paul Arden // I picked this up on a bit of whim and I'm so glad I did. It's described as a 'pocket bible for the talented and timid to make the unthinkable and the impossible possible'. I've had a little flick through it and there are a few sections that aren't really relevant to me and are aimed more at wannabe business tycoons, but the majority of the book looks great if you're wanting to improve yourself and your careers aspirations. It offers great advice for those finishing university and entering the competitive world of work, but also for those who are self-employed or already have a job. Just flicking through, my favourite section is the 'Wit and Wisdom' section right at the end of the book, which includes lots of motivational quotes that everyone loves. 

'Women In This Town' by Giuseppe Santamaria // Giuseppe Santamaria is an incredible street photographer, and this book is any fashion maven's bible. It is jam packed full of street fashion photography from the streets of Paris, London, Madrid, etc. This book is totally #stylegoals, and gives you an insight to what normal, everyday people actually wear. The photographs in the book are so diverse and a large collection of styles from people of different ages are incorporated into the book making it great for anyone to read. If you're a male reader, then there is also a male version of this book called 'Men In This Town', which is the exact same book but with photos of males instead of females. 

'Pretty Honest' by Sali Hughes // I honestly have no idea why it has taken me so long to pick this book up as it has been on my wishlist for forever! I was a little dubious when ordering it, as it talks a lot about skincare and I was worried that Sali was going to be promoting makeup wipes and not taking your makeup off. But then I saw a review by Caroline Hirons (the skincare GOD) so all my worries disappeared and it was welcomed onto my doorstep the following day. I don't really know how to describe this book as it literally covers everything and is the ultimate beauty companion! I think it is worth a read for anyone who is interested in makeup or beauty!

'Face Paint' by Lisa Eldridge // Lisa Eldridge is one of my all time favourite makeup artists (alongside Charlotte Tilbury obvs), and I was so excited when I saw she was releasing her own beauty book. I've watched her tutorials online for years, and I was ready to embrace whatever the book had to offer. Rather than showing you how to apply liquid eyeliner, and how to get flawless base makeup, Lisa Eldridge talks about the history of makeup, and the ever-changing reasons as to why we wear makeup. Face Paint reveals stories from Lisa's experiences in the beauty industry, and there are plenty of photos of her vintage makeup collection. 

What are you reading at the moment?

Thanks for reading!

Love Charlotte x

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The Books That Have Changed My Life

I know that I am extrememly late to the game writing about this now, but it's very rare that a book affects my life and I felt as though I needed to talk about the two that have made a big impact on me. Over Christmas I read Marie Kondo's 'The Life Changing Magic Of Tidying' and it has honestly changed my life. Literally on the day I finished reading the book, I happened to notice that there was a second book coming out (called 'Sparks Joy') and I pre-ordered it without a second thought. As with any self-help style book, there were obviously a few points that I will probably never put into practice (like tidying in silence - NO MARIE I have a dedicated Spotify playlist for that!). I'd not even read half of the book and I felt inspired to have a massive clearout! So I thought I'd share with you what I took away from the book....

1. Marie likes tidying A LOT. I'd even go as far to say she loves tidying more than anyone else. I also think she is a little crazy as she mentions that she speaks to her house on a daily basis...

2. Tidying is catching. Marie mentions that when you see someone else tidying, you feel compelled to start too. Since reading the book and having my own clearout, my family saw how clean and tidy my bedroom looked and they started work on their own. At the time of writing this post, my mum has already got rid of two thirds of her wardrobe (including some very dodgy pieces from the 90s). 

3. Marie mentioned that the average number of bin bags that her clients get rid of in a single day is 20. TWENTY. At first I was like 'woaaaaah who gets rid of that much stuff??', but when the first of January rolled around I managed to get rid of 21 bin bags of stuff. Including 7 bags from my wardrobe alone!! 

4. I was shocked when Marie said that downgrading pieces of clothing from your wardrobe to loungewear status is forbidden. I'm incredibly guilty of this, and I have clothes that I got when I was like 13/14 that I didn't wear but didn't really want to get rid of either. After taking a long hard look through my wardrobe, I realised that I didn't even wear these clothes round the house - so I knew I had to get rid of them! In the end I got rid of almost 50 items of clothing, and yesterday they went into the Tickled Pink Breast Cancer donation bin at my local supermarket!

5. Obviously being a beauty blogger, I am lucky enough to be sent products for trial and review. There are odd products that I really don't get on with, and they sit in a basket in the corner of my room collecting dust. But not having bought them with my own money I feel quite guilty throwing them away. Usually my sister will have a raid through to see if there is anything she fancies trying - but this time she only picked out a foundation. So that meant everything else went in the bin, along side some out of date makeup products and skincare items!

6. I don't really consider myself a hoarder as I have seen hoarding first hand with my own eyes. But whilst sorting through all my possessions, I realised that there was a lot of items that I was holding onto purely for sentimental reasons - not because I liked/needed/wanted them. For example, on top of my wardrobe I had a large box containing every single card I have ever received over the last 19-20 years. Birthday, Christmas, Christening, Easter, Thank You, Good Luck, Congratulations, Get Well Soon - THE LOT! After taking a few moments to look through well over 1000 cards, I realised that I had no use for them. I never take the time to sit and look through them, and so would I really notice if they went? The answer is no. It's been almost a month since they went out for recycling and to be completely honest I don't regret my decision in the slightest. 

7. Repeated mentions are made about the lack of clients that relapse into untidiness.  To my utmost surprise, NOBODY has ever become untidy again. I was certain that I was going to be the one and only person to relapse, but my bedroom has been tidy since my clearout - which is unheard of for me. Usually it will last until the end of the week - but it still looks spotless. Because I got rid of so much stuff, I know have a dedicated place for everything - which makes me want to put it away after using it! 

8. The book is centered around the idea of each item 'sparking joy'. If an item doesn't give you pleasure when you see or use it, then it is time for it to go. I found this such a good way of deciding whether or not I wanted to keep something, and I haven't found myself needing or regretting anything that I got rid of. 

Have you read Marie's books, or are you planning to have a clearout soon?

Thanks for reading!

Love Charlotte x

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What I Got For Christmas 2015

I've toyed and toyed with the idea of writing this post. Questioning whether or not people would think I'm bragging. But you know what? I don't care. I'm writing it anyway! Every year I enjoy watching videos or reading about what people have been given on Christmas morning, so I'm going to write my own post this year! I meant to write on last year but failed to, and this year I've seen a few of the bloggers I follow write up something similar, and I have really enjoyed seeing what Santa brought them for Christmas. And I, as always, was very lucky to receive some truly gorgeous and thoughtful gifts for Christmas. After being thoroughly spoiled, and eating my entire weight in Ben and Jerry's/Vienetta/Cheesecake, I have pretty much been slumped on the sofa enjoying all my Christmas gifts. But I've mustered up the energy to sit down and write, even if I am accompanied by a berry daiquiri. Yum.

Beauty

Since I'm primarily a beauty blogger, I'll start off with the ton of makeup and skincare items I received from family and friends! My mum always likes to treat me and my two younger sisters equally at christmas, and when they were both receiving expensive gadgets, my mum decided to sneak into my bedroom and see what things I was running out of. She had a good rummage, and I could actually tell that someone had been through my makeup, skincare and perfume as everything was out of place. After rummaging through my perfume drawer, she noticed that I was running out of my Clinique Happy and my Prada Candy Eau Florale perfumes - so she repurchased the Clinique for me (the cutie), and accidently picked up the Prada Candy L'Eau perfume - although I actually really like it! It's very different from the Eau Florale, so I will still go ahead and repurchase that in the New Year - but I think the L'Eau is a lot more winter appropriate! 

My mum knows I have wanted to try the Urban Decay lipsticks after I told her at least once a day for about 3 months. Whilst rummaging through my muji drawers, she noticed that I am a fan of brown toned pinks, so she picked up the Sheer Revolution Lipstick in the shade Sheer Rapture. It is absolutely gorgeous and I fell in love with it immediately! I just know I'm going to get a lot of wear out of it - especially in the spring! It is the perfect shade for daytime wear and I bloomin love it!! My mum also remembered how I'd been eying up the Mac Paint Pots every time we've been into Leeds. I've never really jumped on the Mac bandwagon. I bought two lipsticks and then gravitated more towards brands like Charlotte Tilbury and Nars (I'm so high maintenance hahaha). But I've really been wanting some of the Paint Pots to use use a bases, and I have been eying up quite a few different shades. My mum bought me the shade 'Vintage Selection' which is absolutely beautiful. I'm yet to try it out as I've not really been anywhere to wear it since she gave me it. If applying either on the go, in my stocking I received a cute little compact mirror from Cath Kidston, which will come in handy as I've misplaced my other compact!

In terms of skincare, I'd asked Santa for the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate as it is such a cult products and I'm never one for buying myself expensive skincare. I actually knew that she got me this as she was having a bit of trouble checking out on the Debenhams website (she is useless with online shopping!) and ended up coming to me for help! I've used the Kiehl's oil for the past couple of evenings and I am in love! It leaves my skin looking hydrated and calm by morning, and it is a great accompaniment to a pamper evening! Speaking of pampering, I also got a lot of Lush for Christmas! My uncle got me a couple of loose bits, which somehow happened to be some of my favourite bits. I also received the Comfort and Joy gift set which has some of my all time favourite products in it! As the name would suggest it has a little bottle of the Comforter shower cream, alongside the Ro's Argan Body Conditioner, Reindeer Rock soap, and the Twilight shower gel.

Most of my real life/non-blogger friends know about my blog, and they bought me plenty of blog related things - including a few beauty bits! My friend Sarah bought me 'The Fashion Book' which is made up of an A-Z of icons, designers and all sorts! She also got me some of the Topshop beauty christmas baubles, and although the tree will be coming down soon, I have hung them on just for the time being. My friend Fern got me the Rimmel nail polish in the shade 'Chic in Chelsea' and the Soap and Glory Supercat eyeliner. I've actually wanted to try the Soap and Glory liner for some time, and I can't wait to try it out! 

Fashion

Who doesn't love a good pair of socks at Christmas! Last year my mum went a tad overboard on the socks and I think I received about 40 pairs - all of which were never seen again! Since the weather started to get chillier, I've kept complaining about how someone has stolen all my fluffy socks (*looks suspiciously at sisters*). I bought myself about 10 pairs from Primark last Christmas, wore them each once and then I've not seen them since! She picked out this gorgeous pair of chunky knit socks from Monki and they are so warm! I actually have them on now and my feet are so toastie! I also received some adorable Mr and Mrs Claus socks from ASOS which are so soft! Alongside the christmassy socks, I also got these christmassy pyjamas - which I will wear all year round! I am really fussy with pyjamas, and I prefer to have the ones that have a slim leg - so these ones fit the bill perfectly! Unfortunately both were in the wash when I was taking my post photos, so neither have made it into the post - but trust me they're cute!

Also from ASOS (my family love it just as much as me!) I got this lovely ring! I've only recently started to get into rings, and I absolutely love this one! I'd actually seen it online and liked it, but didn't realise it was so big until I opened up the little ASOS box. I absolutely love it and I wore it on Christmas day! I was also lucky to receive this gorgeous stacking rose gold ring from Pandora, which all my friends were admiring when we went out for our Christmas meetup on Sunday. I also wore a gorgeous chevron print scarf which I received from my sister, (also from ASOS) and I can't wait to go out and wear it again. I even wore it to the supermarket today! I love wearing scarves, and I have quite a collection but I've been on the hunt for some darker ones to wear with my grey coat. I usually wear a grey scarf, however it doesn't look at all right when I wear it with my coat as they are exactly the same shade of grey! This one will go perfectly with all my coats and it very oversized so I can still use it as a blanket in my lectures (even if my friends laugh at me)!

Lifestyle

My main present was so unexpected. I thought with expensive beauty products, I wouldn't receive anything else - but I nearly cried when I opened up a present containing the Fujifilm Instax Mini 90! I'd wanted an instant camera (and a Canon AE1, but I can still dream for one of those) years ago, but never received one - so when I opened this up I may have screamed a little bit! On Sunday I went out for an Italian with all my school friends as a little Christmas meetup before we all go back to university, and I took my new camera along. I had a photo with each of my friends (except one who wasn't able to make it!) and then we managed to get one all together. I also got a couple of packs of film and a camera bag alongside the camera, and I thought it was such a sweet gift! Plus the photos make for a good Instagram prop ;)

Another thing that makes for a good photo prop is a good book, and ever since the whole blogging community went mad for the book 'The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying' by Marie Kondo, I've wanted to read it. I'm not really one for being spotless as I'm usually too busy to put things away and then a mess builds up around me. But I honestly can't stand messy and unclean places. I've read the first chapter or so, and I really hope this book inspires me to make the time to tidy things away, and I can't wait to sit down with a nice cup of tea in my new Cath Kidston Mug and read the rest of it! And that's everything I received! Well... almost everything, there were a couple of gift received post photo taking, and a few other bits like chocolate, socks and money!

What did you get for Christmas?

Thanks for reading!

Love Charlotte x

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