Summer

 

If you're living in England, you'll know just how terrible the weather can be (major sad face), but how recently the weather has been quite nice. It's had a few ups and downs, but mainly very sunny and very warm.

I even managed to tan a little bit, which is somewhat of an achievement as I usually either burn or stay exactly the same shade of pale that I've always been.

Lucky for me, the nice weather started a few days into my holiday off work, so that made it even more enjoyable.

I don't usually drink, but the lovely warm weather, a pretty Summer dress and a flower filled garden put me in the mood for a fruit cider or two!

Sitting in the garden, reading a good book and relaxing. Sounds wonderful right?

Well Summer nights usually mean lighting a fire in the fire pit outside, and toasting marshmallows. Makes for a beautiful end, to a beautiful day.
Have you been enjoying the start of Summer?

xox

LIEBSTER AWARD!

Okay, so I've been nominated for the Liebster award by the lovely Katie at May Bee Beauty which was very sweet of her, so thank you so much! I was having the worst week until I read your comment, and you've honestly made me feel tons better!

In case you're unsure of what the Liebster Award is, it is a kind of 'chain letter' type award given from blogger to blogger who have less than 200 followers. It might seem pointless, but personally I find it really nice to have been nominated. It feels like someone appreciates all the effort you've put into your little space on the internet, and it's always nice to be reminded that someone is actually reading what you're writing!

So once again, thank you for the nomination Katie!

These are the rules

1. Thank the person who nominated you, and post a link to their blog on your blog! Spread the love!
2. Display the award on your blog.

3, Answer the 11 questions provided to you by the person who nominated you.
4. Provide 11 random facts about yourself.
5. Nominate between 5 and 11 blogs that you feel deserve the award (who have less than 200 followers).

6. Create a new list of questions for your nominees to answer.

7. List these rules in your post!

8. Inform the bloggers that you have nominated them for the Liebster award, and provide a link to your post so that they can learn about it themselves! 

Katie's Questions for me

1. Who is your biggest make up inspiration?

I don't really have a make up inspiration, I just kinda go with it sometimes. I do like to watch make up youtube tutorials from Tanya Burr and Zoe Sugg or 'Zoella' though.

2. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

As long as I'm writing, I don't really mind. Journalism, blogging, writing reviews, writing books, it doesn't matter to me. I just want to be doing something that I enjoy!

3. Your most used make up brush?

My real techniques blush brush, but I use it to contour. Don't judge me, I'm sure not everyone uses their brushes for the exact purpose they were made for.

4. Your most played song?
Probably at the minute, 'Do you want to build a snowman' from Frozen.

5. Favourite foundation of all time?

Current one that I'm using. Maybelline 'Super Stay Better Skin, Flawless Finish Foundation'. Fairly good coverage, and kinda matches my ghost white skin.

6. If you could be anywhere right now, where would you be?

Hogwarts, or Disney World in America. A girl can dream, right?

7. Most used word?

I really couldn't say. Probably monkey at the minute, as that's the new nickname I've given my cat.

8. Favourite animal?

I loooove cats. Big cats, little cats, I am definitely a crazy cat lady at heart.

9. Biggest beauty mistake?

When I was younger, I thought plucking my eyebrows was the most painful thing ever, so I'd try and shave some shape into them with a razor (what the hell, I know). One day however, I managed to take a chunk out of my eyebrow, and I had a random bald spot for weeks. Thank god for eyebrow pencils.

10. Biggest fashion mistake?

Cringe moment here, but when I was about 14 I really liked Doc Martens, and to be fair, the black normal style ones are still quite nice. The red leather plated, knee high ones I owned however, were most definitely not.

11. What advice would you give yourself when you were younger?

Everything gets better. It might not seem like it, but it will.

11 Random Chloe Facts

1. Vegetarian pizza is my fav, despite the fact that I'm not a vegetarian.
2. Harry Potter is my favourite thing ever ever ever. I've seen all the films and read the books about a gazillion times. I can quote them pretty much off by heart. 
3. I love superhero movies, and I used to watch all the cartoons when I was little. I not-so-secretly would love to be a superhero.
4. I am cat crazy.
5. I'd rather be too cold, than too hot. Its easier to add layers than to take them off.
6. I've suffered with anxiety since I was about 15, and panic attacks since I was about 17. I don't talk about it a lot and not a lot of people know I have it. I just deal, which is stupid because people should be more accepting and understanding. Unfortunately they are not.
7. I hate coffee, very much a tea person.
8. I have quite an addictive personality sometimes, when it comes to tv programmes. I can watch a couple series in a few days.
9. I have an oval birthmark on my shin that I despise. I'm really conscious about it because its just there, in the middle of my shin. Puts me off wearing shorts, skirts and dresses without tights.
10. I eat garlic sauce with almost everything. 
11. I have never broken a bone, but I did have to stay in hospital for a few days because of a nasty kidney infection.

My nominations are

Rachel at Eat - Explore - Enjoy
Breffní at Le Petit Chat
Madelaine at HAZY SILVER
Jess at dear wildflower
Jodie at An Abundance of Ramblings
Regina at Lovetostylexo
Catherine at caffrinc
Lily at you had me at vintage

Questions for you to answer
1. What made you want to start blogging?
2. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
3. Cats or dogs?
4. If you were stranded on an island, what are the five things you would want with you?
5. Other than blogging, what are your other interests?
6. If you could play any instrument, what would it be?
7. Favourite tv programme?
8. What is something you wanted to be when you were younger, that you aren't?
9. Something you're proud of?
10. Do you have a favourite Disney film?
11. If you had unlimited amounts of money, what would be the first thing you would buy?

Thanks for reading! Hope everyone's having a great weekend!

Divergent Trilogy Review - CONTAINS SPOILERS

Okay, so if you don't want to know what happens in the Divergent trilogy, STOP READING NOW. This is going to contain a LOT of spoilers, so be wary as you read. 

(You have been warned).

What can I say about this trilogy, other than I thought it was amazing!

I bought the first two books in the series, Divergent and Insurgent ages ago, and only got round to reading them recently, once I had purchased the third and final Allegiant. In fact, I read all three in the series in the space of about a fortnight! (Nerd, I know).
I'm still yet to see the film adaptation of Divergent. I'm a little nervous that it's going to have gone completely off track from the book, and I thought the book was just great the way it was.

If you've seen the film or read the books, you'll know that the trilogy follows a 16 year old girl named Tris, and a number of obstacles she must overcome due to her being 'Divergent' and the danger that presents in her society, beginning with the decision to leave her family and faction behind to start fresh in a new one.
There are five factions in the city with each containing their own dispositions that they must live by. Abnegation (the selfless), Amity (the peaceful), Candor (the honest), Dauntless (the brave) and Erudite (the intelligent).
Throughout this book, the underlying theme seems to be Tris trying to figure out who she is and where she belongs. At 16, I'm fairly certain everyone has gone through a phase similar to this, and it's an easy connection that we can make with Tris.
The book is filled with danger and anticipation as you get to understand the world Tris lives in, watch her adapt to her new life as a fearless Dauntless, fall in love with her initiation instructor, and risk her life to save others, while along the way losing people that she cares for dearly.
Out of the three, this was my favourite by far. I liked the idea that because Tris was starting a new life and learning a new way of living, that the reader was going through the journey with her and learning as she did.
It was also interesting to watch her relationship with Four develop. For a while it seemed to be a 'will it-wont it' kind of relationship which I was rooting for (and I'm sure everyone else reading was too).
The three books flow seamlessly into one another, which is something I feel makes the trilogy so unique. It all happens in a very short space of time.

Insurgent, the second book starts immediately after the first book ends, after a 'war' breaks out and most of Abnegation is wiped out by Dauntless soldiers under a mind control simulation, controlled by Erudite. 
Tris, accompanied by her boyfriend Tobias/Four and a few others try and find safety with other factions, whilst constantly trying to escape Dauntless traitors.
After turning herself in to save her friends, Tris discovers the betrayal of someone she never could have imagined would hurt her so badly.
And then there's the cliffhanger ending that rips their whole world apart.
Like Divergent, the book is filled with anticipation and danger, but in a completely different way.
Tris isn't the same girl we new, after the events of Divergent, she's too scared to pick up a gun, and she's even lost the desire to live. She's reckless and puts herself frequently in danger, which puts a strain on her relationship with Tobias. Lets be real, if the one person you loved more than anything in the world was unnecessarily risking their lives, you wouldn't be thrilled either!
There is a different level of emotion to connect with, and the relationships of characters make you really involved (like when Christina finally forgives Tris for shooting Will, and their friendship becomes rock solid again. Yay!)

With Allegiant, I found that I couldn't put it down. I'd stay up until late at night trying to get to the end of the chapter, only to have to read the next one because of the cliffhanger ending.
To me, the change in direction with the book was quite surprising, but still really well written.
This book sees Tris and friends venture outside the gates of their little world, and meet a group of scientists who explain that their entire lives have been an experiment, to produce 'perfect' and 'pure' genes.
But their society is just as broken as the one Tris left behind, and their is yet more death and pain.
It's a little less easy reading that the first two, as some of the language used is too complicated and I just didn't understand what they were even going on about sometimes, and the fact that the chapters are from two different peoples perspectives (Tris and her boyfriend Tobias) confused me. I'd read a page thinking it was from one characters perspective and have to go back after realising it was the other.

The ending however, I was not expecting and took me completely by surprise. I'll admit it, I had a little cry! I disliked how it ended, because of the reasons I was meant to. But I also liked it because it was different and unexpected.
Out of the three, this was my least favourite, but I still really enjoyed it! It was just a bit too confusing for me.

Author Veronica Ross has written an incredible series, and I'm excited for what she has in store next.
She also has some shorter stories focussing around Tobias coming out July 2014 (next month), if your Divergent needs haven't been completely satisfied.

xox