The Lucky One - Nicholas Sparks | BOOKS

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"Many times, I caught myself physically smiling as I was reading"

Everyone knows of the oh-so-famous Nicholas Sparks based movies. You know, the ones with Ryan Gosling, Liam Hemsworth, Channing Tatum and in this case, Zac Efron. I must say, good choice of actors! Although I had known of the films, and watched a few in my day, I never really thought about picking up the book. Then came a day I decided to take a read of this one, and I've never looked back.

"yet there's something about it that just makes real life seem that much more magical"

Seeing as I hadn't yet watched the movie, I thought it'd be a good idea to flick through the book first. Let me tell you, once I picked it up, there was no way I was putting it down. I must admit, the moment I read about Thibault, Zac Efrons' face jumped into view, and he totally fits the character. Thibault is an awesome guy. He's done so many great things but is so modest. I don't know what is it about those kind of characters, but they are my favourite. So every time his good nature was mentioned, it made me feel somewhat 'warm and fuzzy' on the inside. Many times, I caught myself physically smiling as I was reading. And that's just one of the myriad of things I liked about the book.

"I don't know what is it about those kind of characters, but they are my favourite"

The overall story is quite interesting. It really does make me believe in destiny, and as cliché as it may sound, I guess I am a believer of fate. Don't get me wrong, I totally understand how this is a book and only a story, not real life, yet there's something about it that just makes real life seem that much more magical. Am I going crazy? I don't really know what it is, but the book gave me a sense of hope, the idea that 'good things are to come' - okay, this is just proving how much of a dreamer I really am!

"Then came a day I decided to take a read of this one, and I've never looked back"

I'm going to watch the movie and give you a verdict, was the book better than the movie? Keep your eye's peeled for that post later on in the week! However, to round this post off, let me just tell you, if you're looking for a nice escape, a good read and overall a lovely story rammed in a neat little book, this one is for you! 

Tell me, what do you think of Nicholas Sparks' books, any suggestions?

Anybody Out There | BOOKS

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"you'd find yourself getting very emotional over, laughing with, crying with and definitely enjoying every second of it."

Since the last book I read (review here) I had sort of lost hope in reading. Dramatic? Yes, I guess it is a little bit. Well, when one of your favourite authors of all time end up disappointing you so much, you're bound to feel a little disheartened (J.K. Rowling, how could you?). Everything happens for a reason, and I believe it was fate that this beauty entered my life.

The best thing about the novel? The storyline kept on going. There was not one point at which I thought 'I could do with skipping a few pages'. I wanted to read and read until the cows came home - or until my eyelids gave up on me.

"It'd be one of those movies you could watch again and again."

Another thing I've got to give Mariyan credit for, the lack of confusion when she writes.
Throughout the book, especially the first half of it, there is a lot of back and forth on what's happening 'right now' and what happened in the past. The thing is: you can tell the difference. It's put very clearly and it's incredible to see how a persons life can change so dramatically.
One more thing: the protagonist is very 3 dimensional, making the whole thing even more realistic.

On the note of characters, she has done a fantastic job! There are characters of which you will end up crying of laughter over, characters who you admire and characters that you wish were your best friend.

"Everything happens for a reason, and I believe it was fate that this beauty entered my life."

If you've read a few of the previous book reviews on BBXO, you'd know the ultimate thing I judge a book over: how it visualises as being a movie.
Let me tell you, this story was definitely a movie in my head. It would be a movie you'd find yourself getting very emotional over, laughing with, crying with and definitely enjoying every second of it. It'd  be one of those movies you could watch again and again.

Have you got any books you can read again and again?

Current Music Faves ft. Sam Smith, Taylor Swift + Daniel Duke | MUSIC

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"I was out and about with music in my ears, I noticed the song was super catchy and was thinking to myself: Who is the artist?"

We all need a refresh of the playlist every now and again, and when One Directions 'FOUR' get's a bit boring, it's time to hit the charts and see what's new.

Having said that, the charts at the moment are not-so-good. Yes, FourFiveSeconds is a good song, but of the new ones in the top 40, I was probably a fan of all about 3 of them. The songs mentioned here are actually in the charts, expect one of them. That one isn't even available in stores...

1. Sam Smith - Lay Me Down
This is in the title picture for a reason. The song is amazing. The thing about Sam Smith and his singing, is that you can almost feel the emotion as he opens that mouth of his! Through the headphones you are transformed into another world - and one which I would happily live in.

The minute I heard the song, I played it on repeat 3 times. If you know me, you know I rarely watch a movie twice, read the same book again or play a song on repeat (especially when it's the first time I've heard it). This? This was an exception. Other than the song 'Say Something' by Christina Aguilera and A Great Big World, which I played around 8 times in a row, this doesn't really happen to often. So, long story short: if you haven't heard this song yet, run over and put it on before continuing to read the rest of this post!

2. Taylor Swift - Style
I'm a big fan of T-Swift. She sings the kind of music I like, whether it be Love Story or Shake it Off - I'm a fan. Style? Style's a little bit different. I was out and about with music in my ears, I noticed the song was super catchy and was thinking to myself: Who is the artist? They're AMAZING! Next thing I know, it's good old Tay Tay. It's something quite different to what I'm used to with her, but it's a great song, nonetheless!

3. Hozier - Take Me to Church
When I first heard this song on the automated YouTube playlist thing (which, by the way, I think it's quite handy) I was totally loving it. I thought the emotion I felt through it was good, and it's like sort of rock/grunge vibe I do actually like. Being a pretty low key, not in-your-face song, it was right up my street! However, it was not one I instantly downloaded. Hearing it again on The Voice UK (covered by Clarke), I knew I had to have it in my playlist, and off I trot to download it.

It's such a great song, and I hope to be loving more songs by the same artist.

4. Daniel Duke - Gonna Be/500 Miles
Finally, the unexpected, not-in-the-charts song you'd probably never expect to see in a current favourite music post. The song that didn't get enough credit, in my opinion, and the artist that should have gotten through to the lives on The Voice UK. That's right, the artist was a contestant on The Voice UK this year, and he was on Sir Tom Jones team.

Tom didn't pick him from the knockouts, and I'm thoroughly disappointed. Tom had a great team - and there were about 4 of the 8 that I thought had great potential, and of the 8, he chose 3 that I think didn't do his team justice. This is all my opinion, but I think I'm just a bit annoyed by the fact than Daniel was let to go home.

Gonna Be/500 Miles was the song he sang on his first audition, and it was incredible! He has such a unique voice that he uses to recreate hit songs in a different way. Here's the YouTube link to his other performance of Shake it Off. The version he crafted was different to the original, but it still sounded awesome!


Although this post was not meant to be a huge ramble on about The Voice, it has been a show I've been loving recently. The songs they choose are the wonderful, and the amount of talent the contestants have is incredible to see.
All in all, these are the Top 4 songs I recommend you listen to, at least once, and possibly add to your playlist.

Tell me, what did you think of Daniel's performance? Like his spin on things, or do you think it's not for you?

The Netflix Tag

Hello!

The Netflix Tag has been floating around and if you know me, you know I love a bit of good ol' Telly!
So, seeing the Netflix Tag, how could I not. hey? How. Could. I. Not.?
Right, so lets dive in!

1. What are your favourite series' to watch on Netflix ?

Sherlock is an incredible series. It's full with intelligent details, and I can't believe I started the series as late as I did! If you haven't watched Sherlock, you're missing out! Run to your Netflix account and watch all 6 episodes currently on there! You can thank me later! ;)

2. What are you currently watching on Netflix ?
At the moment, I'm up to date with Pretty Little Liars. Actually, on Monday we had a little chat on here on all things PLL. Here's the link, incase you missed it! 

3. If you could have any series, old or new put on Netflix, what would it be ?
Suits. Although it is currently on there, I would love up-to-date episodes on Netflix, like they've recently done to PLL. I love Suits, definitely my favourite show (it's up there with Sherlock!). 

4. What is your one peeve about Netflix ?
Just the fact that Suits episodes are not up to date. Also, the third series of Sherlock is not on there either. I did catch the first two episodes of the third series on BBC iPlayer, but by the time I got around to the final one, it was no longer available! I was gutted. 

5. What are your essentials for a perfect night in with Netflix ?
A cosy blanket, my go-to furry pink roses blanket is my favourite. I was catching up with the latest PLL episode on Netflix today and the blanket was in the wash - definitely not the same experience. Good, nonetheless! 

6. Recommend one series or film for someone else.
I have yet to watch a film on Netflix, there aren't any that catch my eye but in terms of series, Sherlock! (These questions are all interlinking, aren't they?)

7. Name a series on Netflix you keep meaning to watch but haven't yet.
Hmm... none off the top of my head. I think I keep up with the ones I am a die-hard fan of, and happy with my selected few. (I say few, but there are quite a lot! *shh*)

8. Did you discover anything awesome because of Netflix ?

Homeland was a series I found only due to Netflix. Although, I have watched every single one on there, so there's none left to watch. To be honest, I'm just super happy Suits is back so Homeland is not missed!

Is there any show you cannot recommend enough on Netflix? Would love suggestions! 

& I Tag YOU to do it too! 

No 7 Base + Top Coat, First Impressions : POTW

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"Popping into Boots and realising they had the buy one get one half price thing going on...I'd go for the No 7"

One thing I learnt from writing this post: taking pictures of clear things is very difficult. Okay, now that that's out there, let's move on. 

"I'm a sucker for the labelling and I am hoping it works wonders"

No 7 is not such a bad brand. Well, it's actually quite a good brand and when realising my go-to Barry M top coat was literally on it's last legs, with it taking much longer than it should to coat one nail with the clear shade, it was time to invest in a new one. Popping into Boots and realising they had the buy one get one half price thing going on, with a £3 off voucher, I thought I'd go for the No 7. 

"the wide brush is what sold it for me."

The fact that there's two different formulas for the base and top coat confuses me a little. What is the actual difference? I have no idea. However, I'm a sucker for the labelling and I am hoping it works wonders. In particular, the wide brush is what sold it for me. If you saw this post, you'd know how much easier it is to apply nail polish with this type of brush.
Who would've thought the size of the brush would drastically change your manicure routine?

LINKS:
No 7 Top Coat : Amazon, Boots
No 7 Base Coat : Amazon, Boots


What's your all time favourite top/base coats?

Blog Recommendation: LaurenConrad.com

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"One of my favourite things about LC.com is the comment section"

Okay, so I was in a bit of a blog rut, and me being me, I get a little anxious if things aren't done on time. So, I'm sitting here, Wednesday night, knowing my weekend is jam-packed and I will not get a chance to breathe, let alone write a blog post. Then it hit me: like HEY, I love reading blogs, and I'm sure others will love reading this one. So here it is:

LaurenConrad.com, run by the LC Team, and the founder being the Lauren Conrad herself - like you didn't figure that out already! 

The blog is quite an inspiration, with it talking all things ranging from clothes to beauty to decor, I can't say it didn't influence the start of BBXO.

Great for a go-to girl-time read and it is full of helpful tips. One of my favourite things about LC.com is the comment section. The community on there is just lovely, the people are intelligent, have such great ideas and good things to say.

So, if you're out on the hunt for a blog to follow, check out LaurenConrad.com.
Who are your go-to blogs that you get inspiration from?

BerryWeekly: Flowers, Room Scents & Vita Coco

Hello!

"prepare to get some tips to spice up your room for Summer"

Another Friday has approached us! OMG I feel like every Friday I start with the same intro, either that or 'TGIF'. Gosh, it's getting old! Anyway, that may be getting old but lets see what's new and loving this week! Also, prepare to get some tips to spice up your room for Summer, too! :)

"you would have NEVER in a billion years thought of it"

The flowers in the garden have been blooming and that's when the most creative idea ever hit me: Cut up a few flowers and leaves and stick them in a vase for the room! Yes, I know - you would have NEVER in a billion years thought of it!

Why not make the most out of what we have - so if you have flowers in your garden or if anyone allows you to take their flowers, definitely do this - it's super easy and looks amazing! Plus, it's always lovely to wake up to these beauties in the morning!

"you would understand my excitement when a whole box of it landed on my doorstep"

You may be as hyped about coconuts as I am - as shown in this post, this post and this post - and if you are, you would understand my excitement when a whole box of it landed on my doorstep on Monday! I ordered it from Amazon, by the way.

"Definitely recommend it"

Finally, another thing thats great for your room is this fragrance diffuser. It is a plug-in and has 3 scents which change every 45 minutes. This makes it so you can smell the fragrance every time it changes and realise it is there. I have the trio in 'Thai Orchid' and this is the 3volution fragrance diffuser by Ambi Pur. Definitely recommend it and it lasts forever!

I hope you had a fantastic week and tell me: What's your favourite type of Flowers? 

L'Oreal Skin Perfection Micellar Solution Review - Makeup Remover

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I hope you're having a great time with parties all around, as the New Year brings! With parties comes MAKE UP and with makeup comes great responsibility!

Obviously, by that I mean that we need to remove that makeup - and that's is great responsibility! If your skin is anything like mine, you may notice that as you apply more makeup, especially things such as foundation, your skin gets worse and worse when it's 'naked'. So to prevent those unwanted spots and break outs, we need to remove makeup as best as we can… therefore, makeup remover comes in!

I bought the L'Oreal Skin Perfection 3-in-1 Micellar Solution (woah, that's a mouthful!) and thought I'd give you a review. Put it this way: this is my second bottle!

I love this product. It removes makeup without any stinging solution and it's simple to use. Unlike skincare wipes where I feel you're tugging against your skin and not being very gentle, this Micellar Solution feels like water and sort of glides makeup off from your skin.
To use, I apply this to a cotton pad or two and start from my eyes, hold the pad there for a couple of seconds and swipe away the makeup. Then I use the pad around my face to remove everything else. Simple! Okay, on days you're wearing a LOT more makeup, you may need to go over your face twice!  But, that's basically it!

Have you heard of Bioderma? If not, it is a french product which is said to be very similar to this. It is described as 'like water' which means it is very light on the skin! I would agree to say that the L'Oreal is like that too! However, Bioderma has a much bigger price tag and is hard to find, whereas L'Oreal is quite the opposite.

So, I guess that the L'Oreal may not be AS great as Bioderma, for a price of just over £4, and just over £3 if you're like me and buy it on sale, there is nothing to complain about!

Like I said earlier, if you're one for being gentler on your skin and are using skincare wipes (which I find also leave my skin a little red later too, due to friction - which could possibly give premature wrinkles) maybe you should give this a go - you may love it more!

What do you use to remove your makeup or tone your skin? 

Get Super Soft, Lovely Hands

Hello!

Surprisingly you may not know exactly how important keeping your hands moisturised actually is. Read on and find out...
Today is National Wash your Hands day. I'm not lying, it really is! It's in this time of the year as with the colder weather, the case of the flu seems to have hit everyone at once. To help stop the vicious cycle of catching and spreading germs... well, wash your hands!

Constantly washing your hands means you're constantly removing moisture from them, leaving them dry and flaky. Whether you're a hand model or not, keeping your hands soft and lovely is key for youthful skin, and should be more of a priority than it seems to be.

Did you know your hands and neck are the first places that show signs of wrinkles? Keeping these area moisturised means you'll look youthful and radiant.
I keep telling my mum this and now she keeps a bottle of heavy moisturiser on the kitchen counter near the door so as she leaves her hands are moisturised. That's not to say I haven't seen my dad use it a couple of times too!

Itchiness, skin irritation and flakiness can also occur due to dry skin, known as xerosis.

Try these hand creams on-the-go:

Image from here

available in Boots, Amazon and many others.

image from here

available from Boots, Amazon

and for a night time treatment - my go to product:

image from here

available from Boots, Amazon and others.

Keep these mini-products in many different places such as:

• desk
• purse
• bedside table
• kitchen counter
• coffee table

This way you remember to do this more often.... which is what I need to start doing more! 

So let's do it, you and I - we'll get softer hands together!

Don't forget to check out this post to see whether your makeup needs to be thrown out!