Current book envies

Hardbacks/coffee table books

Love Tanya by Tanya Burr : Being a huge fan of the vlogger herself, it's surprinsing I still haven't bought a copy of her book. From what I saw, it seems like a very entertaing coffee table book, featuring beautiful pictures, great recipes, fashion/beauty tips... On top of that, I would love to know a bit more about the beauty guru's life (creepy ? Sorry...).

Glam Guide by Fleur de force : Another beauty guru-y book, Fleur owns one of my favourites youtube channel of all times (FleurdeForce) and buying her work feels evident.

Pretty Honest by Sali Hughes : The « beauty bible » everyone is talking about at the moment (well...a few weeks ago). As usual, I'm late to the party but I did download an extract from this book on my kindle, and absolutely loved it! One day I swear I'll get my hands on the (entire) hardback version of this beauty tips goldmine.

Makeup Manual by Bobbi Brown : Even though I have never tried Bobbi Brown Cosmetics before (can't find them in France), I've heard so many mouth watering (or eye-watering, really, since I can't get my hands on them) things about the line. The book seems pretty good as well, in the same lines as « pretty honest » but with many more illustrations.

How to be a parisian, wherever you are by Caroline de Maigret, Anne Berest, Sophie Mas and Audrey Diwan : Yes I'm french. No I'm not from Paris, No I don't have class in my genes and Yes I could use some help in the fashion department, that's when this book would come in handy. Plus, isn't the cover illustration gorgeous ?

Novels

Yes please by Amy Poelher : Button bookshelf. Sold me. Neeeeeed this book !

Wild by Cheryl Strayed : OK. Button bookshelf again, but don't blame me, Essie is amazing (if you don't know who I'm talking about, click right here and get stuck in front of her videos for a few hours, you're welcome)! The theme of this book seems quite unique and reflexion-worthy. I promised myself I'd read it before watching the film.

Gone girl  by  Gillian Flynn: I've seen mixed reviews on this novel. But again, I refuse to watch the film before giving this thriller a read.

Et Voilà ! These are a few of my current book-envies (I have sooo many others but I don't want to bore you with them).

Hopefully this list will have given you some reading ideas and tell me, what's on your reading list?

See you soon,

Maddy

January book haul

I said in my previous post that I had been offered an amazon gift voucher by my grandparents. Instead of spending absolutely all of it (I still spent a bit though) on makeup, I decided to buy a few books I had been wanting for a long time.

Girl Online by Zoe Sugg: Since I love Zoella so much as a beauty vlogger, I couln't avoid buying her book. I also know Tanya Burr and Fleurdeforce are releasing books this year:  Love, Tanya for one, Glam guide for the other, you can be sure they'll go straight into my basket as soon as they come out! I decided to go for the blue and pink hardback version instead of the kindle one (same price), not for convenience reasons (obviously) but because I loved the look of it. This is definitely very light reading, far from what I'm used to swallowing for school (Flaubert, here I come). If you want a gorgeously written book, don't pick this one up! Only do so if want a super quick and easy read, or mabye if you're young and want to get into reading, this one is ok. As much as I adore Zoe's blog/vlogs, I'm not so keen on her book, it's a bit « shallow » for me.

Girlboss by Sophia Amoruso: Trend victim. Again. This book is written by the ex-garbage digger now multi-millionaire CEO of nastygal.com. She writes about how she managed to grow such a successful company, giving her tips and tricks with all of her outspokenness. It don't agree with everything she says (I'm not going to shoot her or sentence her to 1000 lashes, promise) but came out  of this book feeling like I too could become a girlboss. I now feel quite empowered and want to take over the world (It's probably going to last a week). Again, not a literary masterpiece, but a good revitalizing self-help book.

Not That Kind Of Girl by Lena Dunham: I had never tried self help books and wanted to give them a shot, can you tell? Only just started this one by the very well known « Girls » actrice and am already liking it. It's a lot denser than the other two, and Lena's writing is much better. She is funny, outspoken, and from what I have read, has lived quite a few « weird » experiences. Needless to say that weird people are my jam ! I'm going to love this book.

That's all for my book haul, light books aren't the only ones that I read, I also picked up a couple of classics for my french studies but I though you might find them boring. Don't hesitate to tell me if you want to hear about them though, I have some new ones to add to my top 5.

Until next time, smile :-)

Maddy

Winter

 Winter is...

Snow, bresh of fresh air, winter walks

Fire, rare warmth, sweet candles

Soft blankets, books, tv shows and films, wondering minds...

Comfort soups and sweet potatoes,

porridge and baking,

hot beverages and chocolate

Huge coats and knitted scarfs,

red lips and pink blushes,

sparkling nails and heart.

Have a lovely winter,

Maddy

My top 5 books (that make you look smart)

I've been obsessed with books for much longer than I have with beauty. Reading has always been an escape and something I love to do. Studying for my Bac, I have to read a lot of classics which, as surprising as it may seems, I really enjoy. So here is a top 5.

1: The stranger by Albert Camus.

My absolute favorite. If you are depressed, stay away from this book, it won't help. The way it is written is simple and to the point. The principal character is an anti-hero whithout empathy, cold, lost, just a human in all his ambiguity.

I read it in french and have no idea how it is translated but this book's pretty short, so please give it a read, it is brilliant!

2: Froth on the Daydream by Boris Vian

This is a bit of a marmitey « Love it or hate it » book. I found this book very poetic in its absurdity. The characters are sweet and lovable although a bit weird .Through this masterpiece the autor also gives a very sarcastic analysis of society and is decades ahead of its time. Give it a try and tell me on wich side of the yeasty force you find yourself.

3: Lady Chatterly's lover by D.H. Laurence

Yet another book so far ahead of its time that it caused a scandal and was censored then banned from 1928 to 1960. Again, the characters are very believable and are brought to life by the quality of Lawrence's flawless writing. It is definitively the most beautiful non cheesy, realist love story I have ever read (go on titanic, go back to bed).

4: Dreams from bunker hills by John Fante

The only book by John Fante I've read (naughty me) but I'm planning on reading the other adventures of Bandini (which are all kind of autobiographic). I just came to the realisation that the books I prefer are quite similar, no sugar coating, very true to human kind (likable or hatable) and give you the freedom to choose whether you like the characters or not. I hate Bandini. The fact that Fante has managed to make me feel so stongly about his character shows his talents as a writer. This piece of art reminds me A LOT of « the stranger », unenjoyable, painfully true, absolutely brilliant!

5:To kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

A gigantic classic that I read about 4 years ago and remember loving it! I'm really not the kind of person that reads books more than once (I tend to get bored and there are so many new books to discover) but this one I would like to read again. I remember it being very inspiring, it was my first ever « classic » novel and I was surprised that I did not get bored reading it . I think that it has to do with the complexity of Atticus Finche's character and all of the different  layers  and facets this novel has. Unfortunately, french students don't get to study it at school.

The outsider: L'enfant multiple by Andree Chedid

The outsider because it won't really make you look smart, or else you can be sure it would have been classed on top of my list. I mean it when I say that this is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. I was pedentically reticent at first « No I won't read it, its a kid's book bla,bla,bla »What a brat! Andree Chedid's prose is amazing, finishing this book you'll feel like you're in a little bubble of dreamyness (does that make sense?). Please read this incredibely touching novel, I stupidely think that if every person in the world read this book, it would make it a better place (hey Maddy come back to earth. See the effects books have on me ?). No honestly, it is short, you have nothing to loose reading it, so go and find yourself a copy.

That's a wrap, see you soon (for a top 5 guilty pleasure book mabye?)

Maddy