I was lucky enough to be invited to one of The Body Shop's Christmas blogger events, where I was able to see all of the new launches, sample and try out products to my heart's content and also chat with like-minded bloggers who were equally obsessing over the amazing new releases. We all got in the festive spirit, nibbling on mince pies and chocolates whilst taking endless amounts of photos and adoring the new Christmas range. I discovered some amazing products whilst there and could instantly tell that The Body Shop will be a go-to store for Christmas shopping - having everything from affordable stocking fillers to the most amazing advent calendars. I thought I'd use this chance to talk through all of the new products for this Christmas, forming the ultimate Body Shop gift guide.
STOCKING FILLERS
One thing that The Body Shop does exceptionally well is creating cute and exciting stocking fillers, allowing you to try some of their products at an affordable price and in miniature form. The Merry Kiss-Mas Wands are absolutely adorable and are the perfect gift for anyone who likes lip products and desires a hydrated and slightly tinted finished look. If you're a hand cream fan then the Handfuls of Happiness set will be right up your street, giving you six different hand creams to test out.
Still on the subject of hands, there are two nail care sets on offer: the Hand and Nail Set which provides you with a hand cream and nail file in a chosen scent, and the Expert Manicure Set which contains the same products along with a four-way nail buffer and pair of nail clippers. These are perfect to use ready for your glam festive nails and will prevent your hands from becoming dry during the cold months.
Also worthy of a mention is the Bath Fizzers, which are incredibly affordable and you simply can't turn them down. Styled to be like pick-and-mix sweets, these are so cute and are definitely a fun way of livening up your bath. Coming in the scents berry bliss, vanilla delight, candied plum and frosted flower, there's something for everyone in this mini collection and you simply can't turn them down.
FESTIVE PRODUCTS AND GIFT SETS
The Body Shop have really outdone themselves with the Christmas scents this year, with each one feeling incredibly festive and not too overpowering. I honestly couldn't choose a favourite between Frosted Berries, Spiced Apple and Vanilla Chai - the three scents that they're currently offering. Each one is unique in its own way and they immediately put me in a festive mood after smelling them.
Although I sampled a lot of the products in this range while at the blogger event, an instant stand-out was the Softening Body Butters, which live up to the name in being incredibly smooth and luxurious on the skin. They melted in nicely, hydrating my skin and leaving it feeling silky and pampered. Other products within this collection are the Exfoliating Sugar Body Scrub, Shimmer Mist and Shower Gel, just to name a few, so there's definitely a wide variety to get your hands on.
If you don't want to buy these products individually, there are some gorgeous gift sets containing them that you certainly can't pass up. The apple-shaped Festive Tin is such a cool and creative concept, looking very effective whilst housing a shower gel, body butter, body scrub and body lotion. Coming in all three scents, this is the perfect way to trial some of the different products or treat a friend to them instead. There are loads of other gift sets containing a selection of these products, so there'll definitely be one best suited to you.
BATH AND BODY GIFT SETS
If you're not a big fan of the Christmas scents this year (although I find that hard to believe!) then there are plenty of other gift sets to choose from containing products from the core collections in the Body Shop. The Festive Picks Collections are the perfect way to sample some of the necessities and favourite products, with each gift box including a shower gel, body butter, soap, body scrub and bath lily. Whether you're wrapping it up ready for a friend or just wanting to treat yourself, you can choose to purchase this set in any of your favourite existing scents, including coconut, argan oil and green tea.
For any fragrance lovers out there, there's also something available for you. Both the White Musk and Black Musk fragrances have been raved about recently, and so are available within gift sets for you to try. There are various ones to consider, some of which containing other products aside from the actual perfume. The White Musk Eau De Toilette 100ML gift set also contains a body wash and lotion, if you're looking for the scent to stick around on your body all day, and means that you can treat yourself to some luxurious body care products if you know that you like that particular scent.
ADVENT CALENDARS
December 1st is right around the corner, meaning it's almost time to crack out the advent calendars. The Body Shop have really surprised us this year with not just 1, but 3 to choose from. These lavish calendars make a nice change from the regular chocolate ones and ensure that every day in December is filled with a beauty treat. The 24 Happy Days Beauty Advent Calendar may be the standard one that they're offering but it's far from being underwhelming. If you'd like an upgrade and want a more premium calendar, they're also offering a Deluxe Beauty Advent Calendar and an Ultimate Beauty Advent Calendar, depending on your budget and what you're looking for. Regardless of which one you choose, you'll be treated to 24 lovely products, some being miniatures and others being full sized, so it's definitely worth getting your hands on one.
MAKEUP AND BRUSHES
The Body Shop's makeup range is seriously underrated, and whilst at the blogger event I discovered that all of their products are of an extremely high quality. A particular stand-out is the new Eye Colour Sticks, which are gorgeous shimmery eyeshadow crayons that have serious potential. They swatch beautifully and wouldn't budge from my hand all night. Also on the subject of eyes, you need to try the Eyeshadow Quads. Their colour payoff is incredible and they have a creamy formula that makes them a dream to apply. Needless to say, I was hovering by these for quite some time and couldn't resist swatching each shade multiple times.
Liquid lipsticks are still an incredibly popular makeup product, and so it's almost a necessity to try the Body Shop's new Matte Lip Liquid, coming in 12 different shades. The pigmentation is insane from these and they set in an instant, meaning they won't budge on your lips and last throughout the day. The shade range is also impressive, giving you an option for any occasion, whether you're looking for a baby pink or striking berry tone.
In terms of tools, the Body Shop have just released their new range of vegan makeup brushes. It's great to see more brands taking a natural and cruelty-free approach, and so I'm completely on board with this launch. All of the brushes are incredibly soft - I'm not joking by saying that they're some of the softest I've ever felt - and there's also a variety available, so you can find one for every step in your makeup routine. I'd definitely look further into these if you're a vegan or looking for some completely natural brushes.
I hope you enjoyed hearing about all of the amazing Christmas releases at The Body Shop this year, and I'd like to thank them again for hosting and inviting me to such a wonderful event. I'd love to know your thoughts on any of the products I've mentioned, so make sure to let me know what you think down in the comments. Thanks for reading and I'll see you next week with another Christmas blog post.
Love from Daisy x
Christmas at The Body Shop - My Gift Giving Guide
Sunday, November 27, 2016 • Beauty, Blogmas, Makeup
I was lucky enough to be invited to one of The Body Shop's Christmas blogger events, where I was able to see all of the new launches, sample and try out products to my heart's content and also chat with like-minded bloggers who were equally obsessing over the amazing new releases. We all got in the festive spirit, nibbling on mince pies and chocolates whilst taking endless amounts of photos and adoring the new Christmas range. I discovered some amazing products whilst there and could instantly tell that The Body Shop will be a go-to store for Christmas shopping - having everything from affordable stocking fillers to the most amazing advent calendars. I thought I'd use this chance to talk through all of the new products for this Christmas, forming the ultimate Body Shop gift guide.
STOCKING FILLERS
One thing that The Body Shop does exceptionally well is creating cute and exciting stocking fillers, allowing you to try some of their products at an affordable price and in miniature form. The Merry Kiss-Mas Wands are absolutely adorable and are the perfect gift for anyone who likes lip products and desires a hydrated and slightly tinted finished look. If you're a hand cream fan then the Handfuls of Happiness set will be right up your street, giving you six different hand creams to test out.
Still on the subject of hands, there are two nail care sets on offer: the Hand and Nail Set which provides you with a hand cream and nail file in a chosen scent, and the Expert Manicure Set which contains the same products along with a four-way nail buffer and pair of nail clippers. These are perfect to use ready for your glam festive nails and will prevent your hands from becoming dry during the cold months.
Also worthy of a mention is the Bath Fizzers, which are incredibly affordable and you simply can't turn them down. Styled to be like pick-and-mix sweets, these are so cute and are definitely a fun way of livening up your bath. Coming in the scents berry bliss, vanilla delight, candied plum and frosted flower, there's something for everyone in this mini collection and you simply can't turn them down.
FESTIVE PRODUCTS AND GIFT SETS
The Body Shop have really outdone themselves with the Christmas scents this year, with each one feeling incredibly festive and not too overpowering. I honestly couldn't choose a favourite between Frosted Berries, Spiced Apple and Vanilla Chai - the three scents that they're currently offering. Each one is unique in its own way and they immediately put me in a festive mood after smelling them.
Although I sampled a lot of the products in this range while at the blogger event, an instant stand-out was the Softening Body Butters, which live up to the name in being incredibly smooth and luxurious on the skin. They melted in nicely, hydrating my skin and leaving it feeling silky and pampered. Other products within this collection are the Exfoliating Sugar Body Scrub, Shimmer Mist and Shower Gel, just to name a few, so there's definitely a wide variety to get your hands on.
If you don't want to buy these products individually, there are some gorgeous gift sets containing them that you certainly can't pass up. The apple-shaped Festive Tin is such a cool and creative concept, looking very effective whilst housing a shower gel, body butter, body scrub and body lotion. Coming in all three scents, this is the perfect way to trial some of the different products or treat a friend to them instead. There are loads of other gift sets containing a selection of these products, so there'll definitely be one best suited to you.
BATH AND BODY GIFT SETS
If you're not a big fan of the Christmas scents this year (although I find that hard to believe!) then there are plenty of other gift sets to choose from containing products from the core collections in the Body Shop. The Festive Picks Collections are the perfect way to sample some of the necessities and favourite products, with each gift box including a shower gel, body butter, soap, body scrub and bath lily. Whether you're wrapping it up ready for a friend or just wanting to treat yourself, you can choose to purchase this set in any of your favourite existing scents, including coconut, argan oil and green tea.
For any fragrance lovers out there, there's also something available for you. Both the White Musk and Black Musk fragrances have been raved about recently, and so are available within gift sets for you to try. There are various ones to consider, some of which containing other products aside from the actual perfume. The White Musk Eau De Toilette 100ML gift set also contains a body wash and lotion, if you're looking for the scent to stick around on your body all day, and means that you can treat yourself to some luxurious body care products if you know that you like that particular scent.
ADVENT CALENDARS
December 1st is right around the corner, meaning it's almost time to crack out the advent calendars. The Body Shop have really surprised us this year with not just 1, but 3 to choose from. These lavish calendars make a nice change from the regular chocolate ones and ensure that every day in December is filled with a beauty treat. The 24 Happy Days Beauty Advent Calendar may be the standard one that they're offering but it's far from being underwhelming. If you'd like an upgrade and want a more premium calendar, they're also offering a Deluxe Beauty Advent Calendar and an Ultimate Beauty Advent Calendar, depending on your budget and what you're looking for. Regardless of which one you choose, you'll be treated to 24 lovely products, some being miniatures and others being full sized, so it's definitely worth getting your hands on one.
MAKEUP AND BRUSHES
The Body Shop's makeup range is seriously underrated, and whilst at the blogger event I discovered that all of their products are of an extremely high quality. A particular stand-out is the new Eye Colour Sticks, which are gorgeous shimmery eyeshadow crayons that have serious potential. They swatch beautifully and wouldn't budge from my hand all night. Also on the subject of eyes, you need to try the Eyeshadow Quads. Their colour payoff is incredible and they have a creamy formula that makes them a dream to apply. Needless to say, I was hovering by these for quite some time and couldn't resist swatching each shade multiple times.
Liquid lipsticks are still an incredibly popular makeup product, and so it's almost a necessity to try the Body Shop's new Matte Lip Liquid, coming in 12 different shades. The pigmentation is insane from these and they set in an instant, meaning they won't budge on your lips and last throughout the day. The shade range is also impressive, giving you an option for any occasion, whether you're looking for a baby pink or striking berry tone.
In terms of tools, the Body Shop have just released their new range of vegan makeup brushes. It's great to see more brands taking a natural and cruelty-free approach, and so I'm completely on board with this launch. All of the brushes are incredibly soft - I'm not joking by saying that they're some of the softest I've ever felt - and there's also a variety available, so you can find one for every step in your makeup routine. I'd definitely look further into these if you're a vegan or looking for some completely natural brushes.
I hope you enjoyed hearing about all of the amazing Christmas releases at The Body Shop this year, and I'd like to thank them again for hosting and inviting me to such a wonderful event. I'd love to know your thoughts on any of the products I've mentioned, so make sure to let me know what you think down in the comments. Thanks for reading and I'll see you next week with another Christmas blog post.
Love from Daisy x
If you're not a stranger to Pinterest or Instagram, I can guarantee that you've heard of bullet journaling - the new organisational method that has gained an increasing amount of popularity over the past few years. Scrolling through the endless images of aesthetically-pleasing spreads and gorgeous calligraphy is definitely inspirational and instantly makes you want to start you own. I decided to make the jump and start planning my own over the summer, ready to start in September. Since then, I've discovered many pros and cons to the system, including ways that it could be tweaked, and so I thought it'd be helpful to share this for anyone who is thinking of starting a bullet journal.
The Pros of Bullet Journaling
If you make a bullet journal, you can decide on how the pages are set out, from the size of each box to its position on the page. This gives you much more control and the ability to do what you actually want with it, opposed to being stuck to the guidelines set out by a regular planner. You can alter the design based on what works for you so that your planner is the most functional and suited to you that it can be. This is particularly useful if you want to customise your journal to suit being a student, as you're able to add a timetable, homework tracker, revision schedule and many other school-related pages that wouldn't otherwise be included in a regular journal or diary.
Creative Outlet
With most traditional planners, you simply write in any important events and to-do lists, which helps to keep you organised but can become quite monotonous. There's barely any room to be adventurous and creative with how you enter information in your planner, but the bullet journal provides a solution to this. Whether you show creativity through quotes, drawings, fonts or colours, all of this can be included in your bullet journal as well as important details and events. You can also use washi tape, stickers and coloured pens to decorate, which can actually be therapeutic and provide much more of a creative outlet for you, transforming bullet journaling into a hobby. If you're feeling stressed by school or in need of a relax, this can also be a good option for winding down and exerting your creativity elsewhere.
You Can Mix Things Up
Once you get a shop-bought journal, you have to commit to that layout and style of entering your tasks. With bullet journaling, it's a completely different story. If you opt for a vertical spread one week but decide you don't like it, you can easily change it for the future. Or if you draw out a monthly overview but find that you hardly use it, you simply don't need to draw it out next month. There's also the possibility to try out new things and explore different styles of journaling, knowing that you don't have to stick with it as you can easily revert back to normal whenever you want.
Everything Is In One Place
It can be hectic and unorganised to have a separate diary, notebook and calendar, as well as random notes on your phone and scrap pieces of paper. With a bullet journal, you can condense this all into one place. This means that you'll know exactly where to look for something and so will never forget a task. I've also seen quite a few people who have combined their bullet journal with a revision book or for class notes, meaning even their school work is contained in this one organised place.
It's Unique For Everyone
Everyone will have different uses for their journal and things to enter, so it's only right that each journal should also be unique. You are able to find a method that is suited entirely to you, making planning much more efficient. If you're a blogger and find that regular journals don't include any place for you to plan posts, you can easily add this in. Or if you want a section to track all of your school grades, you can implement this in no time. Whatever you find works best for you can be employed so that journaling is the most efficient and enjoyable it can possibly be.
Creative Outlet
With most traditional planners, you simply write in any important events and to-do lists, which helps to keep you organised but can become quite monotonous. There's barely any room to be adventurous and creative with how you enter information in your planner, but the bullet journal provides a solution to this. Whether you show creativity through quotes, drawings, fonts or colours, all of this can be included in your bullet journal as well as important details and events. You can also use washi tape, stickers and coloured pens to decorate, which can actually be therapeutic and provide much more of a creative outlet for you, transforming bullet journaling into a hobby. If you're feeling stressed by school or in need of a relax, this can also be a good option for winding down and exerting your creativity elsewhere.
You Can Mix Things Up
Once you get a shop-bought journal, you have to commit to that layout and style of entering your tasks. With bullet journaling, it's a completely different story. If you opt for a vertical spread one week but decide you don't like it, you can easily change it for the future. Or if you draw out a monthly overview but find that you hardly use it, you simply don't need to draw it out next month. There's also the possibility to try out new things and explore different styles of journaling, knowing that you don't have to stick with it as you can easily revert back to normal whenever you want.
Everything Is In One Place
It can be hectic and unorganised to have a separate diary, notebook and calendar, as well as random notes on your phone and scrap pieces of paper. With a bullet journal, you can condense this all into one place. This means that you'll know exactly where to look for something and so will never forget a task. I've also seen quite a few people who have combined their bullet journal with a revision book or for class notes, meaning even their school work is contained in this one organised place.
It's Unique For Everyone
Everyone will have different uses for their journal and things to enter, so it's only right that each journal should also be unique. You are able to find a method that is suited entirely to you, making planning much more efficient. If you're a blogger and find that regular journals don't include any place for you to plan posts, you can easily add this in. Or if you want a section to track all of your school grades, you can implement this in no time. Whatever you find works best for you can be employed so that journaling is the most efficient and enjoyable it can possibly be.
The Cons of Bullet Journaling
It's Too Time Consuming
One of my main criteria for planning is that it should be quick and easy to do. Whether it's entering important dates or creating new spreads, I should be able to spend a minimal amount of time on it. This is especially important as a student, as I need to quickly and efficiently jot down any homework tasks, notes and revision before it disappears from my brain. However, I found that bullet journaling took up a lot of my time, and I couldn't enter something into my journal without either having to draw out a completely new page or spending lots of time to make sure what I was entering looked nice.
I'm a Perfectionist
When I was creating my spreads, I didn't want to settle for alright. I wanted perfection and that's pretty hard to achieve. I was measuring boxes to be accurate down to the hundredth of a centimetre (this is how extreme I was going!) and constantly erasing things that didn't look quite like how I'd envisioned them. Although I was pleased with the final spreads, it took too long to get to that point and I'd always notice something that could be tweaked or altered to make it perfect. With a homemade journal like this, I was never going to get it 100% right.
When I was creating my spreads, I didn't want to settle for alright. I wanted perfection and that's pretty hard to achieve. I was measuring boxes to be accurate down to the hundredth of a centimetre (this is how extreme I was going!) and constantly erasing things that didn't look quite like how I'd envisioned them. Although I was pleased with the final spreads, it took too long to get to that point and I'd always notice something that could be tweaked or altered to make it perfect. With a homemade journal like this, I was never going to get it 100% right.
Some Spreads Were Unnecessary
When deciding what spreads I wanted in my bullet journal, I went a bit crazy and overboard. Some of the pages I included were a bucket list, the tracker of all the books I read and a list of things that made me happy. Although all of these were nice additions, none of them were really necessary or could've been fine just on my phone. I spent way too much time making these additional pages look nice, even though I'd hardly use them in my day-to-day life.
When deciding what spreads I wanted in my bullet journal, I went a bit crazy and overboard. Some of the pages I included were a bucket list, the tracker of all the books I read and a list of things that made me happy. Although all of these were nice additions, none of them were really necessary or could've been fine just on my phone. I spent way too much time making these additional pages look nice, even though I'd hardly use them in my day-to-day life.
It's Difficult to Plan Ahead
It's understandable that you won't have time initially to draw out every page and spread for the next 12 months, and this can start to become an issue. Bullet journaling was great for planning in the moment, or for that particular month which was already drawn out, but as soon as I found out the dates for a holiday next summer or important exams in the future, all of this went out the window. There's nowhere to immediately write down these things without drawing out all of the spreads between now and that moment, which I didn't want to do as there may be changes or alterations that I wanted to make in the future. For this reason, I found bullet journaling a lot harder to maintain, especially when considering long-term tasks and goals.
It's understandable that you won't have time initially to draw out every page and spread for the next 12 months, and this can start to become an issue. Bullet journaling was great for planning in the moment, or for that particular month which was already drawn out, but as soon as I found out the dates for a holiday next summer or important exams in the future, all of this went out the window. There's nowhere to immediately write down these things without drawing out all of the spreads between now and that moment, which I didn't want to do as there may be changes or alterations that I wanted to make in the future. For this reason, I found bullet journaling a lot harder to maintain, especially when considering long-term tasks and goals.
I Don't Have Enough to Enter
Although I do have plenty of college-related tasks to keep track of, I don't really have much else apart from that. Particularly in the holidays, I could have weeks with nothing going on and so a blank journal. This was hard to accept with my bullet journal, as I'd just spent lots of time drawing out each spread only to not even use it. Considering the amount of time and effort that was put into setting it up, it just wasn't worth it for only a couple of tasks or to-do lists.
Now that I've shared with you all of the pros and cons of bullet journaling, are you eager to start one or rather give it a miss? I'd love to know all of your thoughts on bullet journaling and also any resolutions to any of the cons I listed, as I'd love to start it again if I solved these issues.
Thanks for reading this post and remember that I'm currently running a giveaway, which will be ending in a week from now (27th November). To enter simply click the link here or check out my previous post. I'll see you next week with a new post, and I hope you're excited as the Christmas content officially begins!
Love from Daisy x
Although I do have plenty of college-related tasks to keep track of, I don't really have much else apart from that. Particularly in the holidays, I could have weeks with nothing going on and so a blank journal. This was hard to accept with my bullet journal, as I'd just spent lots of time drawing out each spread only to not even use it. Considering the amount of time and effort that was put into setting it up, it just wasn't worth it for only a couple of tasks or to-do lists.
Now that I've shared with you all of the pros and cons of bullet journaling, are you eager to start one or rather give it a miss? I'd love to know all of your thoughts on bullet journaling and also any resolutions to any of the cons I listed, as I'd love to start it again if I solved these issues.
Thanks for reading this post and remember that I'm currently running a giveaway, which will be ending in a week from now (27th November). To enter simply click the link here or check out my previous post. I'll see you next week with a new post, and I hope you're excited as the Christmas content officially begins!
Love from Daisy x
If you're not a stranger to Pinterest or Instagram, I can guarantee that you've heard of bullet journaling - the new organisational method that has gained an increasing amount of popularity over the past few years. Scrolling through the endless images of aesthetically-pleasing spreads and gorgeous calligraphy is definitely inspirational and instantly makes you want to start you own. I decided to make the jump and start planning my own over the summer, ready to start in September. Since then, I've discovered many pros and cons to the system, including ways that it could be tweaked, and so I thought it'd be helpful to share this for anyone who is thinking of starting a bullet journal.
The Pros of Bullet Journaling
If you make a bullet journal, you can decide on how the pages are set out, from the size of each box to its position on the page. This gives you much more control and the ability to do what you actually want with it, opposed to being stuck to the guidelines set out by a regular planner. You can alter the design based on what works for you so that your planner is the most functional and suited to you that it can be. This is particularly useful if you want to customise your journal to suit being a student, as you're able to add a timetable, homework tracker, revision schedule and many other school-related pages that wouldn't otherwise be included in a regular journal or diary.
Creative Outlet
With most traditional planners, you simply write in any important events and to-do lists, which helps to keep you organised but can become quite monotonous. There's barely any room to be adventurous and creative with how you enter information in your planner, but the bullet journal provides a solution to this. Whether you show creativity through quotes, drawings, fonts or colours, all of this can be included in your bullet journal as well as important details and events. You can also use washi tape, stickers and coloured pens to decorate, which can actually be therapeutic and provide much more of a creative outlet for you, transforming bullet journaling into a hobby. If you're feeling stressed by school or in need of a relax, this can also be a good option for winding down and exerting your creativity elsewhere.
You Can Mix Things Up
Once you get a shop-bought journal, you have to commit to that layout and style of entering your tasks. With bullet journaling, it's a completely different story. If you opt for a vertical spread one week but decide you don't like it, you can easily change it for the future. Or if you draw out a monthly overview but find that you hardly use it, you simply don't need to draw it out next month. There's also the possibility to try out new things and explore different styles of journaling, knowing that you don't have to stick with it as you can easily revert back to normal whenever you want.
Everything Is In One Place
It can be hectic and unorganised to have a separate diary, notebook and calendar, as well as random notes on your phone and scrap pieces of paper. With a bullet journal, you can condense this all into one place. This means that you'll know exactly where to look for something and so will never forget a task. I've also seen quite a few people who have combined their bullet journal with a revision book or for class notes, meaning even their school work is contained in this one organised place.
It's Unique For Everyone
Everyone will have different uses for their journal and things to enter, so it's only right that each journal should also be unique. You are able to find a method that is suited entirely to you, making planning much more efficient. If you're a blogger and find that regular journals don't include any place for you to plan posts, you can easily add this in. Or if you want a section to track all of your school grades, you can implement this in no time. Whatever you find works best for you can be employed so that journaling is the most efficient and enjoyable it can possibly be.
Creative Outlet
With most traditional planners, you simply write in any important events and to-do lists, which helps to keep you organised but can become quite monotonous. There's barely any room to be adventurous and creative with how you enter information in your planner, but the bullet journal provides a solution to this. Whether you show creativity through quotes, drawings, fonts or colours, all of this can be included in your bullet journal as well as important details and events. You can also use washi tape, stickers and coloured pens to decorate, which can actually be therapeutic and provide much more of a creative outlet for you, transforming bullet journaling into a hobby. If you're feeling stressed by school or in need of a relax, this can also be a good option for winding down and exerting your creativity elsewhere.
You Can Mix Things Up
Once you get a shop-bought journal, you have to commit to that layout and style of entering your tasks. With bullet journaling, it's a completely different story. If you opt for a vertical spread one week but decide you don't like it, you can easily change it for the future. Or if you draw out a monthly overview but find that you hardly use it, you simply don't need to draw it out next month. There's also the possibility to try out new things and explore different styles of journaling, knowing that you don't have to stick with it as you can easily revert back to normal whenever you want.
Everything Is In One Place
It can be hectic and unorganised to have a separate diary, notebook and calendar, as well as random notes on your phone and scrap pieces of paper. With a bullet journal, you can condense this all into one place. This means that you'll know exactly where to look for something and so will never forget a task. I've also seen quite a few people who have combined their bullet journal with a revision book or for class notes, meaning even their school work is contained in this one organised place.
It's Unique For Everyone
Everyone will have different uses for their journal and things to enter, so it's only right that each journal should also be unique. You are able to find a method that is suited entirely to you, making planning much more efficient. If you're a blogger and find that regular journals don't include any place for you to plan posts, you can easily add this in. Or if you want a section to track all of your school grades, you can implement this in no time. Whatever you find works best for you can be employed so that journaling is the most efficient and enjoyable it can possibly be.
The Cons of Bullet Journaling
It's Too Time Consuming
One of my main criteria for planning is that it should be quick and easy to do. Whether it's entering important dates or creating new spreads, I should be able to spend a minimal amount of time on it. This is especially important as a student, as I need to quickly and efficiently jot down any homework tasks, notes and revision before it disappears from my brain. However, I found that bullet journaling took up a lot of my time, and I couldn't enter something into my journal without either having to draw out a completely new page or spending lots of time to make sure what I was entering looked nice.
I'm a Perfectionist
When I was creating my spreads, I didn't want to settle for alright. I wanted perfection and that's pretty hard to achieve. I was measuring boxes to be accurate down to the hundredth of a centimetre (this is how extreme I was going!) and constantly erasing things that didn't look quite like how I'd envisioned them. Although I was pleased with the final spreads, it took too long to get to that point and I'd always notice something that could be tweaked or altered to make it perfect. With a homemade journal like this, I was never going to get it 100% right.
When I was creating my spreads, I didn't want to settle for alright. I wanted perfection and that's pretty hard to achieve. I was measuring boxes to be accurate down to the hundredth of a centimetre (this is how extreme I was going!) and constantly erasing things that didn't look quite like how I'd envisioned them. Although I was pleased with the final spreads, it took too long to get to that point and I'd always notice something that could be tweaked or altered to make it perfect. With a homemade journal like this, I was never going to get it 100% right.
Some Spreads Were Unnecessary
When deciding what spreads I wanted in my bullet journal, I went a bit crazy and overboard. Some of the pages I included were a bucket list, the tracker of all the books I read and a list of things that made me happy. Although all of these were nice additions, none of them were really necessary or could've been fine just on my phone. I spent way too much time making these additional pages look nice, even though I'd hardly use them in my day-to-day life.
When deciding what spreads I wanted in my bullet journal, I went a bit crazy and overboard. Some of the pages I included were a bucket list, the tracker of all the books I read and a list of things that made me happy. Although all of these were nice additions, none of them were really necessary or could've been fine just on my phone. I spent way too much time making these additional pages look nice, even though I'd hardly use them in my day-to-day life.
It's Difficult to Plan Ahead
It's understandable that you won't have time initially to draw out every page and spread for the next 12 months, and this can start to become an issue. Bullet journaling was great for planning in the moment, or for that particular month which was already drawn out, but as soon as I found out the dates for a holiday next summer or important exams in the future, all of this went out the window. There's nowhere to immediately write down these things without drawing out all of the spreads between now and that moment, which I didn't want to do as there may be changes or alterations that I wanted to make in the future. For this reason, I found bullet journaling a lot harder to maintain, especially when considering long-term tasks and goals.
It's understandable that you won't have time initially to draw out every page and spread for the next 12 months, and this can start to become an issue. Bullet journaling was great for planning in the moment, or for that particular month which was already drawn out, but as soon as I found out the dates for a holiday next summer or important exams in the future, all of this went out the window. There's nowhere to immediately write down these things without drawing out all of the spreads between now and that moment, which I didn't want to do as there may be changes or alterations that I wanted to make in the future. For this reason, I found bullet journaling a lot harder to maintain, especially when considering long-term tasks and goals.
I Don't Have Enough to Enter
Although I do have plenty of college-related tasks to keep track of, I don't really have much else apart from that. Particularly in the holidays, I could have weeks with nothing going on and so a blank journal. This was hard to accept with my bullet journal, as I'd just spent lots of time drawing out each spread only to not even use it. Considering the amount of time and effort that was put into setting it up, it just wasn't worth it for only a couple of tasks or to-do lists.
Now that I've shared with you all of the pros and cons of bullet journaling, are you eager to start one or rather give it a miss? I'd love to know all of your thoughts on bullet journaling and also any resolutions to any of the cons I listed, as I'd love to start it again if I solved these issues.
Thanks for reading this post and remember that I'm currently running a giveaway, which will be ending in a week from now (27th November). To enter simply click the link here or check out my previous post. I'll see you next week with a new post, and I hope you're excited as the Christmas content officially begins!
Love from Daisy x
Although I do have plenty of college-related tasks to keep track of, I don't really have much else apart from that. Particularly in the holidays, I could have weeks with nothing going on and so a blank journal. This was hard to accept with my bullet journal, as I'd just spent lots of time drawing out each spread only to not even use it. Considering the amount of time and effort that was put into setting it up, it just wasn't worth it for only a couple of tasks or to-do lists.
Now that I've shared with you all of the pros and cons of bullet journaling, are you eager to start one or rather give it a miss? I'd love to know all of your thoughts on bullet journaling and also any resolutions to any of the cons I listed, as I'd love to start it again if I solved these issues.
Thanks for reading this post and remember that I'm currently running a giveaway, which will be ending in a week from now (27th November). To enter simply click the link here or check out my previous post. I'll see you next week with a new post, and I hope you're excited as the Christmas content officially begins!
Love from Daisy x
Rimmel has recently relaunched one of their most popular mascaras, with the new Scandaleyes Reloaded range being highly anticipated by beauty enthusiasts and bloggers alike. I was lucky enough to be sent this amazing collection - consisting of two mascaras and two eyeliners - and so I couldn't wait to share them on my blog. This post will contain a run-down of the entire collection, including what the products claim to do, my opinions and any other information about them that is worth noting.
But first, I've got an exciting giveaway for you to enter. If you'd like to be in with a chance of winning this collection - consisting of two brand new eyeliners and mascaras, then you can simply enter by using the widget below. To enter, you will need to follow my blog on Twitter, Pinterest and Bloglovin. Once all of these have been carried out, you will unlock further entries, such as tweeting about the giveaway and commenting on a blog post, so there are plenty of ways you can enter and be in with a chance of winning.
This giveaway is only available to UK residents and will be open for 2 weeks, so make sure you enter while you've still got the chance! The winner will be contacted via direct message on Twitter, and if no response is gained after a week and multiple attempts of contacting them, then a new winner will be selected. Good luck to everyone who is entering!
Click the link to enter the giveaway!
Now that you've had the chance to enter the giveaway, keep reading to hear my opinions on these products in the form of a review...
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SCANDALEYES RELOADED AND THE ORIGINAL SCANDALEYES?
Although I haven't tried the original Scandaleyes Mascara, I've gathered from the press release that the main difference between these two mascaras is the brush. In the Scandaleyes Reloaded Mascaras, there are hollow, flexible fibres that allow your eyelashes to access the formula at the very core of the brush. The shape has been redesigned to make it smaller and tapered, allowing for more intricate application and ease in reaching each individual lash, which is particularly useful if you have small eyes.
THE CLAIMS
Rimmel claims that this mascara features an innovative formula that allows lashes to look 11 times more voluminous in comparison to regular lashes, whilst still being lengthening and clump-free. Each lash is supposedly plumped, stretched and separated to give an eye-opening yet defined effect. This mascara also boasts its sweat-proof, smudge-proof and humidity-proof formula, meaning it shouldn't budge throughout the day - except for when warm water is used for an ultra-easy removal. This product definitely has some extravagant claims, and so I was really excited to test it out and see if it lived up to them.
PACKAGING AND APPEARANCE
This mascara comes in two shades: Black and Extreme Black, both of which have different packaging. The former's appearance is definitely bold, to say the least. It's vibrant orange casing makes a huge statement, feeling modern and funky, immediately enticing you to try it. The Extreme Black shade comes in sleek, black packaging that makes it easily recognisable and almost mirrors its counterpart. The tube itself is fairly large, being maybe slightly bulky but having a really eye-catching appearance.
The brush is large and tapered, with its original bristles and classic shape really appealing to me. There are no gimmicks in the form of a curved wand or oddly shaped brush, meaning it looks just like you'd expect from an average mascara. The tapering of the tip is a redesigned feature that allows you to easily reach all of your eyelashes and supposedly fits the shape of your eyes better than the original brush.
APPLICATION AND APPEARANCE ON THE LASHES
Something that really impressed me is how the clumpiness of the mascara is minimal, and even after applying numerous coats my lashes will still look fairly defined. I personally like this, as I'm not a huge fan of the clumpy lash look, and it also means you can layer this mascara to your heart's content for some added drama.
I definitely feel as though this mascara isn't as voluminous as it claims to be, although it's still a product that I've loved using. After applying a single coat, my lashes were incredibly defined and looked longer, but there wasn't a huge difference in the ways of volume. I do find that it can be built up for a more dramatic look with a few more coats, but it didn't quite deliver the wow factor that I was expecting.
I feel as though this product is very dependent on how your original lashes are, as I've heard from people who don't have the best lashes that it isn't the best choice for them, whereas other bloggers who already have nice lashes swear by this product. This is definitely something to keep in mind if you're considering this product, but I personally really like how it looks and have used it non-stop over the past few weeks.
DURABILITY, LASTING POWER AND REMOVAL
My favourite element of this mascara is that it truly stays in place throughout the day, and I find that it's entirely intact when I come to remove it of an evening. There's minimal smudging or transfer, even after exercising and rubbing my eyes, and so this mascara definitely achieves a five-star rating in this department.
Removing this mascara is also easy, and I find that a tiny bit of cleanser is all it takes to remove any traces of the product from your lashes. You don't need to tug or rub at your eyes to remove it, as the mascara quickly lifts off your lashes during removal. It's honestly crazy how a product can last so well throughout the day, but when you come to cleanse it removes with ease.
SCANDALEYES RELOADED EYELINERS
With the launch of these mascaras also came two new eyeliners, which I was quite excited for as I'm always on the hunt for a good quality yet affordable liquid liner. There are two different tip styles: The Precision Micro which provides an ultra-thin tip for incredible accuracy; and the Thick and Thin which has a slanted edge enabling you to draw both think and thicker lines, depending on how you hold it. They are supposed to be extremely black and stay put for up to 24 hours, lasting through heat, water, sweat and tears. I have yet to fully try out these products, yet from swatching them on my hand and using them a couple of times it's clear that they don't budge after drying, staying crisp and fresh-looking opposed to flaking away. I definitely feel as though these products have potential, especially for people who aren't liquid liner experts, and so I'm looking forward to experimenting with these more in the future.
OVERALL OPINION
I have to say that I'm a huge fan of these products, especially the mascara which I've been using everyday since being sent this product. I definitely hope that whoever wins the giveaway will also love these products and I can't wait to hear what you think of them.
Thank you very much for reading this post and for all of the support, as without it things like giveaways wouldn't be possible. Remember to enter the giveaway within the next two weeks to be in with a chance of winning! I'll see you next Sunday with a new post, so goodbye for now!
Love from Daisy x
Thank you very much for reading this post and for all of the support, as without it things like giveaways wouldn't be possible. Remember to enter the giveaway within the next two weeks to be in with a chance of winning! I'll see you next Sunday with a new post, so goodbye for now!
Love from Daisy x
Rimmel Scandaleyes Reloaded Mascara and Eyeliners Giveaway and Review
Sunday, November 13, 2016 • Beauty, Makeup
Rimmel has recently relaunched one of their most popular mascaras, with the new Scandaleyes Reloaded range being highly anticipated by beauty enthusiasts and bloggers alike. I was lucky enough to be sent this amazing collection - consisting of two mascaras and two eyeliners - and so I couldn't wait to share them on my blog. This post will contain a run-down of the entire collection, including what the products claim to do, my opinions and any other information about them that is worth noting.
But first, I've got an exciting giveaway for you to enter. If you'd like to be in with a chance of winning this collection - consisting of two brand new eyeliners and mascaras, then you can simply enter by using the widget below. To enter, you will need to follow my blog on Twitter, Pinterest and Bloglovin. Once all of these have been carried out, you will unlock further entries, such as tweeting about the giveaway and commenting on a blog post, so there are plenty of ways you can enter and be in with a chance of winning.
This giveaway is only available to UK residents and will be open for 2 weeks, so make sure you enter while you've still got the chance! The winner will be contacted via direct message on Twitter, and if no response is gained after a week and multiple attempts of contacting them, then a new winner will be selected. Good luck to everyone who is entering!
Click the link to enter the giveaway!
Now that you've had the chance to enter the giveaway, keep reading to hear my opinions on these products in the form of a review...
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SCANDALEYES RELOADED AND THE ORIGINAL SCANDALEYES?
Although I haven't tried the original Scandaleyes Mascara, I've gathered from the press release that the main difference between these two mascaras is the brush. In the Scandaleyes Reloaded Mascaras, there are hollow, flexible fibres that allow your eyelashes to access the formula at the very core of the brush. The shape has been redesigned to make it smaller and tapered, allowing for more intricate application and ease in reaching each individual lash, which is particularly useful if you have small eyes.
THE CLAIMS
Rimmel claims that this mascara features an innovative formula that allows lashes to look 11 times more voluminous in comparison to regular lashes, whilst still being lengthening and clump-free. Each lash is supposedly plumped, stretched and separated to give an eye-opening yet defined effect. This mascara also boasts its sweat-proof, smudge-proof and humidity-proof formula, meaning it shouldn't budge throughout the day - except for when warm water is used for an ultra-easy removal. This product definitely has some extravagant claims, and so I was really excited to test it out and see if it lived up to them.
PACKAGING AND APPEARANCE
This mascara comes in two shades: Black and Extreme Black, both of which have different packaging. The former's appearance is definitely bold, to say the least. It's vibrant orange casing makes a huge statement, feeling modern and funky, immediately enticing you to try it. The Extreme Black shade comes in sleek, black packaging that makes it easily recognisable and almost mirrors its counterpart. The tube itself is fairly large, being maybe slightly bulky but having a really eye-catching appearance.
The brush is large and tapered, with its original bristles and classic shape really appealing to me. There are no gimmicks in the form of a curved wand or oddly shaped brush, meaning it looks just like you'd expect from an average mascara. The tapering of the tip is a redesigned feature that allows you to easily reach all of your eyelashes and supposedly fits the shape of your eyes better than the original brush.
APPLICATION AND APPEARANCE ON THE LASHES
Something that really impressed me is how the clumpiness of the mascara is minimal, and even after applying numerous coats my lashes will still look fairly defined. I personally like this, as I'm not a huge fan of the clumpy lash look, and it also means you can layer this mascara to your heart's content for some added drama.
I definitely feel as though this mascara isn't as voluminous as it claims to be, although it's still a product that I've loved using. After applying a single coat, my lashes were incredibly defined and looked longer, but there wasn't a huge difference in the ways of volume. I do find that it can be built up for a more dramatic look with a few more coats, but it didn't quite deliver the wow factor that I was expecting.
I feel as though this product is very dependent on how your original lashes are, as I've heard from people who don't have the best lashes that it isn't the best choice for them, whereas other bloggers who already have nice lashes swear by this product. This is definitely something to keep in mind if you're considering this product, but I personally really like how it looks and have used it non-stop over the past few weeks.
DURABILITY, LASTING POWER AND REMOVAL
My favourite element of this mascara is that it truly stays in place throughout the day, and I find that it's entirely intact when I come to remove it of an evening. There's minimal smudging or transfer, even after exercising and rubbing my eyes, and so this mascara definitely achieves a five-star rating in this department.
Removing this mascara is also easy, and I find that a tiny bit of cleanser is all it takes to remove any traces of the product from your lashes. You don't need to tug or rub at your eyes to remove it, as the mascara quickly lifts off your lashes during removal. It's honestly crazy how a product can last so well throughout the day, but when you come to cleanse it removes with ease.
SCANDALEYES RELOADED EYELINERS
With the launch of these mascaras also came two new eyeliners, which I was quite excited for as I'm always on the hunt for a good quality yet affordable liquid liner. There are two different tip styles: The Precision Micro which provides an ultra-thin tip for incredible accuracy; and the Thick and Thin which has a slanted edge enabling you to draw both think and thicker lines, depending on how you hold it. They are supposed to be extremely black and stay put for up to 24 hours, lasting through heat, water, sweat and tears. I have yet to fully try out these products, yet from swatching them on my hand and using them a couple of times it's clear that they don't budge after drying, staying crisp and fresh-looking opposed to flaking away. I definitely feel as though these products have potential, especially for people who aren't liquid liner experts, and so I'm looking forward to experimenting with these more in the future.
OVERALL OPINION
I have to say that I'm a huge fan of these products, especially the mascara which I've been using everyday since being sent this product. I definitely hope that whoever wins the giveaway will also love these products and I can't wait to hear what you think of them.
Thank you very much for reading this post and for all of the support, as without it things like giveaways wouldn't be possible. Remember to enter the giveaway within the next two weeks to be in with a chance of winning! I'll see you next Sunday with a new post, so goodbye for now!
Love from Daisy x
Thank you very much for reading this post and for all of the support, as without it things like giveaways wouldn't be possible. Remember to enter the giveaway within the next two weeks to be in with a chance of winning! I'll see you next Sunday with a new post, so goodbye for now!
Love from Daisy x
Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier is a book that I read during the summer, but I knew that I wanted to produce a review on it. All of the novels that I usually talk about are my absolute favourites, getting five-star ratings and endless recommendations. This novel is a bit different - I liked it but I didn't exactly love it. I wanted to produce a review where I could really unpick the novel and carefully select the things I enjoyed and those that I didn't, rather than blindly singing its praises for ten minutes, and so I thought it'd be interesting to share my thoughts on this novel with you.
First published as a German trilogy, Ruby Red was translated into English and soon became a hit with YA readers. This book has received a lot of recognition and has equally been praised, so I was definitely eager to read it. Being a mixture between contemporary, historical fiction and some fantasy, this novel featured all of my favourite genres and elements and so was a recipe for success.
| Synopsis |
Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon--the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust."
| Characters |
A common feature of young adult fiction is that the main characters are developed and incredibly detailed, whereas secondary characters don't receive as much detailed. I feel as though this was flipped in Ruby Red, with us seeing many different sides to characters, such as Gwyneth's mother and Lesley, whereas Gideon and Gwyneth both seemed quite one-sided in their thoughts and actions. However, I hope that they will develop throughout the trilogy and I'm looking forward to seeing how their characters alter and react when faced with new situations.
Gwyneth is your average 16-year-old girl, quirky and spunky yet with an element of vulnerability. Her character is an exact embodiment of the trope of the main character thinking they're ordinary but aren't, yet for once I actually loved how this was portrayed. Seeing the normality of her life at the start of the novel provided an evident juxtaposition to the time travelling scenes later on. It really helped to show how she was just a young girl thrust into a new world, yet still had to deal with the regularities of life. Despite being the 'chosen one', her character is supposed to be mediocre - her grades are average, she has no particular skills and nothing stands out as being unique or special about her. However, this worked in favour of the storyline, and although I'd usually hate it when the main character is plain and boring, it enhanced the story and its plotline in this case.
Gideon is your typical YA romantic interest, although our main character actually shows more of an anger towards him in the beginning. The budding romance between them is typical and fairly expected, but I quite like how his character was portrayed and the dimension he'll bring to the novel. He came across as quite stubborn and rule-abiding in certain parts of the book, but I'm hoping that his character will loosen up and relax throughout the rest of the trilogy.
Charlotte is the snooty, goody-two-shoes cousin of Gwyneth who is portrayed to be quite jealous and sanctimonious, yet I actually feel quite sorry for her. She had been prepared for time travelling for the entirety of her life, and so to have all of that taken away in an instant - and by her cousin - I can really sympathise for. Despite there being a clear barrier between her and Gwyneth, I hope their relationship develops and they become closer throughout the trilogy, as Charlotte ultimately has all of the knowledge Gwyneth needs to help her.
Time travel was the pivotal element of this novel, yet I felt as though the explanation we were given was somewhat simplified. This definitely helped in terms of understanding it (unlike The Square Root of Summer, for example, which completely lost me with its detailed scientific reasoning behind time travel) but at the same time it felt as though there would've been major repercussions of the actions of both Gideon and Gwyneth that were brushed aside to not complicate the story. For example, the cell phone being used while in a different era would've likely caused a ripple effect and drastically changed both the past and the future, yet these minor elements were completely ignored.
Aside from this, I enjoyed how time travelling was presented throughout the novel. The concept of it being instilled in your DNA is unique and definitely intrigued me, and I loved how more fantasy elements were incorporated into this aspect of the novel to make it seem less scientific and factual. Since Gwyneth was new to the world of time travelling, we got to learn all about it as she did, which helped with understanding and meant that I was never confused. I'd personally love to know a bit more about the history of the device they use, as well as how Isaac Newton was able to calculate the birth dates of the time travellers, but it's possible that these will be explored in the rest of the trilogy.
I found that this novel was a great introduction to the trilogy, providing us with any necessary information and a detailed history that'll hopefully guide us throughout the other books and give us a flavour of what to expect. This book was primarily an exposition, spending a lot of time introducing the characters and premise of the storyline before anything actually happened. This meant that once the action did kick in, we understood everything well. However, at times it did feel as though we were treading water and not making any progress, having to surpass over half of the novel just to get into the main plot and action.
Another great thing about this novel is how any information and concepts that we needed to understand were creatively implemented, unlike in other novels where it can seem to be a droning history essay. Conversations were used often to raise our awareness of the more important features, which I much preferred rather than simply being told the facts. The glimpses of London in different eras were also fascinating, with the elaborate descriptions giving us an interesting insight into how things have changed.
One thing that I'd change about this book is the amount of action and drama within it. Although it was great as an introduction to the world and for providing an insight into the characters and concepts, I wish that more would've happened in relation to the plot progression. The book had a slow, almost leisurely pace, with there being no major dilemmas or much action until the very end. I think that this trilogy would've hugely benefitted from being one large book, as we would've received much more action without having to wait for the next novel, plus I didn't feel as though the cliffhanger was large enough to anticipate an entirely new book. Having said this, I expect that the second and third books in the trilogy will be filled with much more drama and action, considering they don't have to spend time setting up the world and characters, so I'm looking forward to reading these.
I also found that the plot was fairly predictable in places, with the main twist of this novel being quite obvious from the get-go - I even think it was hinted at on the blurb. However, since this twist came so early on, I can guarantee that there'll be more surprising ones littered throughout the rest of the series, hopefully which are less predictable and anticipated.
This book is definitely split between being a historical fiction and a contemporary, with the balance between Gwyneth's regular life and time travelling being perfect. Although there was potential for a more sci-fi approach, I much prefer how this novel handled the topic of time travel, and instead we were presented with much more mystery. There was lots of intrigue and speculation around the different families, societies and all of the history behind what was happening, which definitely attracted me and gave the book an adventure-like feel to it. There were some elements of romance in this novel, but for the most part, they felt forced and only there to fill the criteria rather than to enhance the plot. However, as Gwyneth and Gideon get to know each other better, I'd expect this to develop and be furthered throughout the series.
One thing that I found about this series is that it'd probably be more suitable for a middle-grade audience, despite being labelled as a YA novel, as I found it to be quite young and watered down in places. This definitely isn't entirely negative, as it helped us to see the plot progression much easier and witness what was happening, but it lacked the complexity and challenge that I wanted. A lot of the dialogue between the teenage characters seemed a lot younger and immature, as well as some of the concepts being over-simplified, meaning I feel as though this novel would be appreciated much more than someone who is younger than myself.
In conclusion, I found this book to be a great introduction to the storyline and world of Ruby Red, preparing us for some hopefully exciting twists and revelations. The mystery is still prevalent at the end and so is really intriguing me to read Sapphire Blue, however, I'd hope that it had more action and intrigue than this novel. I'd definitely recommend this book if you're in it for the long-haul, but if you're just wanting a quick read that'll tie up any loose ends, this book may not be for you.
Thank you very much for reading this review and I hope that you enjoyed it! I really enjoy reviewing books so if there are any others that you'd like to see me mention then make sure to let me know down in the comments. I'll see you next Sunday with a new post, so goodbye for now!
Love from Daisy x
Charlotte is the snooty, goody-two-shoes cousin of Gwyneth who is portrayed to be quite jealous and sanctimonious, yet I actually feel quite sorry for her. She had been prepared for time travelling for the entirety of her life, and so to have all of that taken away in an instant - and by her cousin - I can really sympathise for. Despite there being a clear barrier between her and Gwyneth, I hope their relationship develops and they become closer throughout the trilogy, as Charlotte ultimately has all of the knowledge Gwyneth needs to help her.
| Time Travel |
Time travel was the pivotal element of this novel, yet I felt as though the explanation we were given was somewhat simplified. This definitely helped in terms of understanding it (unlike The Square Root of Summer, for example, which completely lost me with its detailed scientific reasoning behind time travel) but at the same time it felt as though there would've been major repercussions of the actions of both Gideon and Gwyneth that were brushed aside to not complicate the story. For example, the cell phone being used while in a different era would've likely caused a ripple effect and drastically changed both the past and the future, yet these minor elements were completely ignored.
Aside from this, I enjoyed how time travelling was presented throughout the novel. The concept of it being instilled in your DNA is unique and definitely intrigued me, and I loved how more fantasy elements were incorporated into this aspect of the novel to make it seem less scientific and factual. Since Gwyneth was new to the world of time travelling, we got to learn all about it as she did, which helped with understanding and meant that I was never confused. I'd personally love to know a bit more about the history of the device they use, as well as how Isaac Newton was able to calculate the birth dates of the time travellers, but it's possible that these will be explored in the rest of the trilogy.
| What I Liked |
I found that this novel was a great introduction to the trilogy, providing us with any necessary information and a detailed history that'll hopefully guide us throughout the other books and give us a flavour of what to expect. This book was primarily an exposition, spending a lot of time introducing the characters and premise of the storyline before anything actually happened. This meant that once the action did kick in, we understood everything well. However, at times it did feel as though we were treading water and not making any progress, having to surpass over half of the novel just to get into the main plot and action.
Another great thing about this novel is how any information and concepts that we needed to understand were creatively implemented, unlike in other novels where it can seem to be a droning history essay. Conversations were used often to raise our awareness of the more important features, which I much preferred rather than simply being told the facts. The glimpses of London in different eras were also fascinating, with the elaborate descriptions giving us an interesting insight into how things have changed.
| What I'd Change |
One thing that I'd change about this book is the amount of action and drama within it. Although it was great as an introduction to the world and for providing an insight into the characters and concepts, I wish that more would've happened in relation to the plot progression. The book had a slow, almost leisurely pace, with there being no major dilemmas or much action until the very end. I think that this trilogy would've hugely benefitted from being one large book, as we would've received much more action without having to wait for the next novel, plus I didn't feel as though the cliffhanger was large enough to anticipate an entirely new book. Having said this, I expect that the second and third books in the trilogy will be filled with much more drama and action, considering they don't have to spend time setting up the world and characters, so I'm looking forward to reading these.
I also found that the plot was fairly predictable in places, with the main twist of this novel being quite obvious from the get-go - I even think it was hinted at on the blurb. However, since this twist came so early on, I can guarantee that there'll be more surprising ones littered throughout the rest of the series, hopefully which are less predictable and anticipated.
| Themes |
This book is definitely split between being a historical fiction and a contemporary, with the balance between Gwyneth's regular life and time travelling being perfect. Although there was potential for a more sci-fi approach, I much prefer how this novel handled the topic of time travel, and instead we were presented with much more mystery. There was lots of intrigue and speculation around the different families, societies and all of the history behind what was happening, which definitely attracted me and gave the book an adventure-like feel to it. There were some elements of romance in this novel, but for the most part, they felt forced and only there to fill the criteria rather than to enhance the plot. However, as Gwyneth and Gideon get to know each other better, I'd expect this to develop and be furthered throughout the series.
One thing that I found about this series is that it'd probably be more suitable for a middle-grade audience, despite being labelled as a YA novel, as I found it to be quite young and watered down in places. This definitely isn't entirely negative, as it helped us to see the plot progression much easier and witness what was happening, but it lacked the complexity and challenge that I wanted. A lot of the dialogue between the teenage characters seemed a lot younger and immature, as well as some of the concepts being over-simplified, meaning I feel as though this novel would be appreciated much more than someone who is younger than myself.
| Overall Opinion |
In conclusion, I found this book to be a great introduction to the storyline and world of Ruby Red, preparing us for some hopefully exciting twists and revelations. The mystery is still prevalent at the end and so is really intriguing me to read Sapphire Blue, however, I'd hope that it had more action and intrigue than this novel. I'd definitely recommend this book if you're in it for the long-haul, but if you're just wanting a quick read that'll tie up any loose ends, this book may not be for you.
Thank you very much for reading this review and I hope that you enjoyed it! I really enjoy reviewing books so if there are any others that you'd like to see me mention then make sure to let me know down in the comments. I'll see you next Sunday with a new post, so goodbye for now!
Love from Daisy x
Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier is a book that I read during the summer, but I knew that I wanted to produce a review on it. All of the novels that I usually talk about are my absolute favourites, getting five-star ratings and endless recommendations. This novel is a bit different - I liked it but I didn't exactly love it. I wanted to produce a review where I could really unpick the novel and carefully select the things I enjoyed and those that I didn't, rather than blindly singing its praises for ten minutes, and so I thought it'd be interesting to share my thoughts on this novel with you.
First published as a German trilogy, Ruby Red was translated into English and soon became a hit with YA readers. This book has received a lot of recognition and has equally been praised, so I was definitely eager to read it. Being a mixture between contemporary, historical fiction and some fantasy, this novel featured all of my favourite genres and elements and so was a recipe for success.
| Synopsis |
Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon--the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust."
| Characters |
A common feature of young adult fiction is that the main characters are developed and incredibly detailed, whereas secondary characters don't receive as much detailed. I feel as though this was flipped in Ruby Red, with us seeing many different sides to characters, such as Gwyneth's mother and Lesley, whereas Gideon and Gwyneth both seemed quite one-sided in their thoughts and actions. However, I hope that they will develop throughout the trilogy and I'm looking forward to seeing how their characters alter and react when faced with new situations.
Gwyneth is your average 16-year-old girl, quirky and spunky yet with an element of vulnerability. Her character is an exact embodiment of the trope of the main character thinking they're ordinary but aren't, yet for once I actually loved how this was portrayed. Seeing the normality of her life at the start of the novel provided an evident juxtaposition to the time travelling scenes later on. It really helped to show how she was just a young girl thrust into a new world, yet still had to deal with the regularities of life. Despite being the 'chosen one', her character is supposed to be mediocre - her grades are average, she has no particular skills and nothing stands out as being unique or special about her. However, this worked in favour of the storyline, and although I'd usually hate it when the main character is plain and boring, it enhanced the story and its plotline in this case.
Gideon is your typical YA romantic interest, although our main character actually shows more of an anger towards him in the beginning. The budding romance between them is typical and fairly expected, but I quite like how his character was portrayed and the dimension he'll bring to the novel. He came across as quite stubborn and rule-abiding in certain parts of the book, but I'm hoping that his character will loosen up and relax throughout the rest of the trilogy.
Charlotte is the snooty, goody-two-shoes cousin of Gwyneth who is portrayed to be quite jealous and sanctimonious, yet I actually feel quite sorry for her. She had been prepared for time travelling for the entirety of her life, and so to have all of that taken away in an instant - and by her cousin - I can really sympathise for. Despite there being a clear barrier between her and Gwyneth, I hope their relationship develops and they become closer throughout the trilogy, as Charlotte ultimately has all of the knowledge Gwyneth needs to help her.
Time travel was the pivotal element of this novel, yet I felt as though the explanation we were given was somewhat simplified. This definitely helped in terms of understanding it (unlike The Square Root of Summer, for example, which completely lost me with its detailed scientific reasoning behind time travel) but at the same time it felt as though there would've been major repercussions of the actions of both Gideon and Gwyneth that were brushed aside to not complicate the story. For example, the cell phone being used while in a different era would've likely caused a ripple effect and drastically changed both the past and the future, yet these minor elements were completely ignored.
Aside from this, I enjoyed how time travelling was presented throughout the novel. The concept of it being instilled in your DNA is unique and definitely intrigued me, and I loved how more fantasy elements were incorporated into this aspect of the novel to make it seem less scientific and factual. Since Gwyneth was new to the world of time travelling, we got to learn all about it as she did, which helped with understanding and meant that I was never confused. I'd personally love to know a bit more about the history of the device they use, as well as how Isaac Newton was able to calculate the birth dates of the time travellers, but it's possible that these will be explored in the rest of the trilogy.
I found that this novel was a great introduction to the trilogy, providing us with any necessary information and a detailed history that'll hopefully guide us throughout the other books and give us a flavour of what to expect. This book was primarily an exposition, spending a lot of time introducing the characters and premise of the storyline before anything actually happened. This meant that once the action did kick in, we understood everything well. However, at times it did feel as though we were treading water and not making any progress, having to surpass over half of the novel just to get into the main plot and action.
Another great thing about this novel is how any information and concepts that we needed to understand were creatively implemented, unlike in other novels where it can seem to be a droning history essay. Conversations were used often to raise our awareness of the more important features, which I much preferred rather than simply being told the facts. The glimpses of London in different eras were also fascinating, with the elaborate descriptions giving us an interesting insight into how things have changed.
One thing that I'd change about this book is the amount of action and drama within it. Although it was great as an introduction to the world and for providing an insight into the characters and concepts, I wish that more would've happened in relation to the plot progression. The book had a slow, almost leisurely pace, with there being no major dilemmas or much action until the very end. I think that this trilogy would've hugely benefitted from being one large book, as we would've received much more action without having to wait for the next novel, plus I didn't feel as though the cliffhanger was large enough to anticipate an entirely new book. Having said this, I expect that the second and third books in the trilogy will be filled with much more drama and action, considering they don't have to spend time setting up the world and characters, so I'm looking forward to reading these.
I also found that the plot was fairly predictable in places, with the main twist of this novel being quite obvious from the get-go - I even think it was hinted at on the blurb. However, since this twist came so early on, I can guarantee that there'll be more surprising ones littered throughout the rest of the series, hopefully which are less predictable and anticipated.
This book is definitely split between being a historical fiction and a contemporary, with the balance between Gwyneth's regular life and time travelling being perfect. Although there was potential for a more sci-fi approach, I much prefer how this novel handled the topic of time travel, and instead we were presented with much more mystery. There was lots of intrigue and speculation around the different families, societies and all of the history behind what was happening, which definitely attracted me and gave the book an adventure-like feel to it. There were some elements of romance in this novel, but for the most part, they felt forced and only there to fill the criteria rather than to enhance the plot. However, as Gwyneth and Gideon get to know each other better, I'd expect this to develop and be furthered throughout the series.
One thing that I found about this series is that it'd probably be more suitable for a middle-grade audience, despite being labelled as a YA novel, as I found it to be quite young and watered down in places. This definitely isn't entirely negative, as it helped us to see the plot progression much easier and witness what was happening, but it lacked the complexity and challenge that I wanted. A lot of the dialogue between the teenage characters seemed a lot younger and immature, as well as some of the concepts being over-simplified, meaning I feel as though this novel would be appreciated much more than someone who is younger than myself.
In conclusion, I found this book to be a great introduction to the storyline and world of Ruby Red, preparing us for some hopefully exciting twists and revelations. The mystery is still prevalent at the end and so is really intriguing me to read Sapphire Blue, however, I'd hope that it had more action and intrigue than this novel. I'd definitely recommend this book if you're in it for the long-haul, but if you're just wanting a quick read that'll tie up any loose ends, this book may not be for you.
Thank you very much for reading this review and I hope that you enjoyed it! I really enjoy reviewing books so if there are any others that you'd like to see me mention then make sure to let me know down in the comments. I'll see you next Sunday with a new post, so goodbye for now!
Love from Daisy x
Charlotte is the snooty, goody-two-shoes cousin of Gwyneth who is portrayed to be quite jealous and sanctimonious, yet I actually feel quite sorry for her. She had been prepared for time travelling for the entirety of her life, and so to have all of that taken away in an instant - and by her cousin - I can really sympathise for. Despite there being a clear barrier between her and Gwyneth, I hope their relationship develops and they become closer throughout the trilogy, as Charlotte ultimately has all of the knowledge Gwyneth needs to help her.
| Time Travel |
Time travel was the pivotal element of this novel, yet I felt as though the explanation we were given was somewhat simplified. This definitely helped in terms of understanding it (unlike The Square Root of Summer, for example, which completely lost me with its detailed scientific reasoning behind time travel) but at the same time it felt as though there would've been major repercussions of the actions of both Gideon and Gwyneth that were brushed aside to not complicate the story. For example, the cell phone being used while in a different era would've likely caused a ripple effect and drastically changed both the past and the future, yet these minor elements were completely ignored.
Aside from this, I enjoyed how time travelling was presented throughout the novel. The concept of it being instilled in your DNA is unique and definitely intrigued me, and I loved how more fantasy elements were incorporated into this aspect of the novel to make it seem less scientific and factual. Since Gwyneth was new to the world of time travelling, we got to learn all about it as she did, which helped with understanding and meant that I was never confused. I'd personally love to know a bit more about the history of the device they use, as well as how Isaac Newton was able to calculate the birth dates of the time travellers, but it's possible that these will be explored in the rest of the trilogy.
| What I Liked |
I found that this novel was a great introduction to the trilogy, providing us with any necessary information and a detailed history that'll hopefully guide us throughout the other books and give us a flavour of what to expect. This book was primarily an exposition, spending a lot of time introducing the characters and premise of the storyline before anything actually happened. This meant that once the action did kick in, we understood everything well. However, at times it did feel as though we were treading water and not making any progress, having to surpass over half of the novel just to get into the main plot and action.
Another great thing about this novel is how any information and concepts that we needed to understand were creatively implemented, unlike in other novels where it can seem to be a droning history essay. Conversations were used often to raise our awareness of the more important features, which I much preferred rather than simply being told the facts. The glimpses of London in different eras were also fascinating, with the elaborate descriptions giving us an interesting insight into how things have changed.
| What I'd Change |
One thing that I'd change about this book is the amount of action and drama within it. Although it was great as an introduction to the world and for providing an insight into the characters and concepts, I wish that more would've happened in relation to the plot progression. The book had a slow, almost leisurely pace, with there being no major dilemmas or much action until the very end. I think that this trilogy would've hugely benefitted from being one large book, as we would've received much more action without having to wait for the next novel, plus I didn't feel as though the cliffhanger was large enough to anticipate an entirely new book. Having said this, I expect that the second and third books in the trilogy will be filled with much more drama and action, considering they don't have to spend time setting up the world and characters, so I'm looking forward to reading these.
I also found that the plot was fairly predictable in places, with the main twist of this novel being quite obvious from the get-go - I even think it was hinted at on the blurb. However, since this twist came so early on, I can guarantee that there'll be more surprising ones littered throughout the rest of the series, hopefully which are less predictable and anticipated.
| Themes |
This book is definitely split between being a historical fiction and a contemporary, with the balance between Gwyneth's regular life and time travelling being perfect. Although there was potential for a more sci-fi approach, I much prefer how this novel handled the topic of time travel, and instead we were presented with much more mystery. There was lots of intrigue and speculation around the different families, societies and all of the history behind what was happening, which definitely attracted me and gave the book an adventure-like feel to it. There were some elements of romance in this novel, but for the most part, they felt forced and only there to fill the criteria rather than to enhance the plot. However, as Gwyneth and Gideon get to know each other better, I'd expect this to develop and be furthered throughout the series.
One thing that I found about this series is that it'd probably be more suitable for a middle-grade audience, despite being labelled as a YA novel, as I found it to be quite young and watered down in places. This definitely isn't entirely negative, as it helped us to see the plot progression much easier and witness what was happening, but it lacked the complexity and challenge that I wanted. A lot of the dialogue between the teenage characters seemed a lot younger and immature, as well as some of the concepts being over-simplified, meaning I feel as though this novel would be appreciated much more than someone who is younger than myself.
| Overall Opinion |
In conclusion, I found this book to be a great introduction to the storyline and world of Ruby Red, preparing us for some hopefully exciting twists and revelations. The mystery is still prevalent at the end and so is really intriguing me to read Sapphire Blue, however, I'd hope that it had more action and intrigue than this novel. I'd definitely recommend this book if you're in it for the long-haul, but if you're just wanting a quick read that'll tie up any loose ends, this book may not be for you.
Thank you very much for reading this review and I hope that you enjoyed it! I really enjoy reviewing books so if there are any others that you'd like to see me mention then make sure to let me know down in the comments. I'll see you next Sunday with a new post, so goodbye for now!
Love from Daisy x
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