Book: The Name Of This Book Is...Secret

Book Name: The Name Of This Book is...Secret
Series Name: Secret Series
Author: Pseudonyomous Bosch

Blurb:
Warning: Do not read this book!


... For amongst its strange and alarming contents you will fin:

two extraordinary adventurers ...

a missing magician's diary ...

a symphony of smells ...

and a deadly secret.

But wait, you already know too much! It is too late. I'm afraid nothing will stop you now. Open the book if you must. But, please, tell no one.

My Thoughts:
This is stpry is unique...and if you do find a story written like this (not by this author) then I will reward...something. Pseudonyomous has written this story about 2 11 year old kids considered to be outcasts. Cass-the survivalist and Max-Ernest, the 'sick' kid. It chronicles the adventure that starts from when they become friends.
The adventure starts when Cassandra (Cass) finds a box labeled 'Simphony of Smell' in the firehouse that her 'grandfathers' own. She traces it back to a magician to find out all about a secret society...one whose name shall not be spoken (sorry, I've signed an oath on this). And that's when the entire adventure begins.
The story, you will find is often inturrupted with Pseudonyomous rambling, commenting, analysing or giving us (redundant) information.this adds to the situation, making the readers anticipate what happens after and doesn't dissapoint you when you flip the page. The book, on the whole is comedic in the most innocent of ways while still maintaining that edge of fantasy, mystery and adventure. Pseudonyomous has done a wonderful job in keeping the readers interest and carrying the suspense, all the way to the last page.

Ideal For:
This is a book for 10+ not a lot of heavy things to read or in depth meaning to look for. There is some vocabulary to look out for as well as some phrases that the smaller readers may not understand. However, I have personally seen someone as young as ten (my little sister) and as old as 26 (random woman at a coffee shop) enjoying this book, so it's up for you to decide. The main genres of this book are fantasy, adventure, mystery and comedy. This combination along with the fact that this book is light reading makes this book an excellent stress buster after a hectic week at work. It's also the kind of book that you can read while on the train/bus, one that you can still be in the flow off even if you stop mid-chapter.

Where to get it:

Flipkart
Amazon
Barnes and Nobles

Book review: Heaven Scent

Book title: Heaven Scent

Author: Sasha Wagstaff

Blurb:

A warm, witty and wildly romantic read set in the sizzling south of France…

When Cat Hayes impulsively marries a handsome, penniless French waiter in St Tropez, she didn't realise she'd be widowed in just a few weeks. Neither did she know that her late husband was actually Oliver Ducasse, heir to the Ducasse perfume empire. Invited by the Ducasse family to their glamorous French mansion, Cat finds a family in chaos. What's more she's regarded her with suspicion and hostility, especially by Olivier's playboy cousin Xavier. Will she run for the hills as fast as her high heels can carry her? Or will she realise that she is exactly what this mixed-up family truly needs?

My Thoughts:

The book starts out in a beautifully suspenseful manner, though not in the traditional sense. No murder, no mystery yet a suspense nonetheless. Although it was a little bit  sense confusing in the beginning to keep the entire Ducasse family and their friends straight and not confuse them for each other, it was a book that I couldn't bare to put down once I'd started it. The story is beautifully written and Sasha Wagstaff has brought out each characters thoughts and emotions wonderfully. It's kind of confusing in the first chapters since the point of view switches once in a while, but in general, the entire book is written in 3rd person intimate (I'm guessing that's what you call it.)

The story takes on the journey of Cat Hayes, an impulsive level-headed advertising genius who recently married and was widowed a little while after her marriage. Her marriage was impulsive in the best considering she married a 'penniless' and 'orphaned'  French waiter she had met on her vacation in St. Topaz. She finds out after his death that he's (Oliver) the heir of a multi-million perfume company and that he's not as alone as he had told her. She meets his family and finds them to be more broken than she thought. With Oliver's cousins, sister, dad and overbearing and controlling grandmother Cat finds out that one small ingredient in a perfume can change it from ordinary to something unforgettable.

Ideal For:

This book is aimed at teens, however even teen books have age limits and I wouldn't suggest reading this if you aren't good at handling rated scenes (although it's not that graphic) because it is present. On the plus side, this is light reading and therefore is a perfect way to de-stress yourself  after a long week. There are some sad parts in the book and some that lie on the border of angst but over all, this book will allow you to cuddle up on the couch or bed with a warm/cold cup of coffee and just read it through. The author has written it in such a way that you will find yourself lost in the characters and smiling and laughing at the entire family's exploits.

Can be found on:

Amazon

Flipkart

E-bay

Barnes & Nobles

Loot Found!!!!!

Recently...earlier this morning actually, my mom returned from a trip to South Africa. And since she's the most amazing mom ever, she decided to spoil her amazing older child a little (self-praise time ^.^) and ended up buying me tons (not literally) of makeup!!!!
 So this is what she bought me:


There is:

•  Lip gloss set- Lancome 
• 2 Lip glosses- Clinique 
• 1 Lip gloss- Yves Saint Laurent
• 1 Eye pencil- Yves Saint Laurent
• Foundation- Estee Lauder
• 1 Gel Eyeliner- Lancome
• and 1 4-way Buffer- Vega

I'll do a review on these products once I use them~ 

• Till then, I bid you adieu on the make-up side!!!

Book: Black Heart Blue

Book title: Black Heart Blue
Author: Louisa Reid

Blurb:
They tried to make me go to my sister’s funeral today. In the end I had to give in... I’d been walking in her shadow for sixteen years and I liked its cool darkness. It was a good place to hide.’
Rebecca’s twin sister Hephzibah was beautiful and daring. She was the one who always wanted more. The one who wouldn’t listen. Now she’s gone, Rebecca is alone.
While there were two of them, they stayed silent about their home life. But Rebecca, who knows the truth about how her twin died, suddenly finds herself keeping too many secrets. Hephzibah dreamt of escape, but failed. Could Rebecca be the one to find freedom?

Original and unforgettable, Black Heart Blue is not just Rebecca and Hephzibah’s story. It’s a story about all of us: a story about the lies we want to believe, the truth we sometimes can’t accept, and having the courage to discover the difference.

My Opinion:
I started reading this book because a classmate accidentally left it on my desk and found my self unable to put it down! The story is something that I wouldn't have picked up on my own but I'm glad that the classmate bought this. 
The story shows how a deformed girl copes after the death of her 'perfect' twin while dealing with abuse, extremist parents and being sheltered from the way the world works. This beautiful story oscillates between the past and the present. The past is the story leading up the the death of Hephzibah and switches point of views in between the sisters. While the present is completely in Rebecca's point of view and shows how she copes and tries to escape after Hephzi's death. I found myself hating, crying, laughing and getting upset along with the twins's ups and downs.
The story is beautifully worded and delicately crafted. Louisa Reid has made her debut with this beautiful book and has shown the dark side of the world. The story will force you to think of your actions and words along with the effect they can have on others when you can manage to put the book down. It's a wonderfully eye-opening book that will take you through the dark side of abuse while ensuring that light is there to guide your way back.

Ideal For:
This book is ideal for everyone above the age of 14/15. There is a certain level of maturity required to read this but this book is not genre bound. It is a book I'd suggest reading whether or not you like this genre or are a boy or girl. The classmate of mine that read this was a guy and even he found the story touching and an eye-opener. It is rare to find a book written by women about women/girls that can be read and enjoyed by both genders and this is one such book. I would suggest reading it it you can, even if slight angst isn't your forte. 

This is a book that needs to be read in one go, but perhaps not a rainy day. I would suggest keeping this novel for a warm sunny day when you have free time so that the outside atmosphere is not the same as that of the books. When reading this, a little bit of sunshine and laughter will be needed outside the book to make sure the dark atmosphere of the book doesn't get you down.

Snippets:
Snippet 1:

I’ve recorded today as another black day and it’s there, 

a story inscribed hard on my heart. The tales I keep hidden within are many; if  you ever open me up then you’ll 

read the truth. Look inside, peel back skin and flesh, excavate bone,

and there you’ll find a library of  pain. Perhaps 

you will ask me to explain. I am, after all, the curator of

this past. But some things are too terrible to tell and those

words are buried deep. Those are the words I never even  

whispered to my sister, those are the words that I daren't

say aloud. I wish they wouldn't cry in the walls of  my 

room and hunt me down in my dreams

Snippet 2:

Granny had been kind and we’d looked forward to 

staying with her like other kids look forward to Christmas. It was a chance to eat chocolate and watch television.

A chance to read books until well past bedtime. At Granny’s we were allowed to laugh out loud and play dress up, she even let us try her make-up. Hephzi loved make-up, the more sparkly the better. Granny made sure my sister got a bra when she was twelve and started to show. Sometimes she’d take us to the cinema and we would watch unsuitable films: Disney princesses, cartoons, Harry Potter. She was The Mother’s mother and she loved us. She used to kiss me and tell me I was lovely. Her little love. No one else ever said that. As we got older 

we visited her less and less. No need, said The Parents, we could make ourselves useful at their church events instead of  lounging about at Granny’s. Years yawned wide with her 

absence. I know Granny missed us. When she rang up and one of  us managed to answer, her voice sounded thin and far away like a paper aeroplane spiraling out of  sight. And then she died.

Where to get it:
you can get it at;
amazon
e-bay
Flipkart
Barnes & Nobles

Nails:Music Notes

I've recently started doing my nail art on my own...so excuse the poor quality, but my friend at school had been making a design like this in her notebook and I wondered what it looked like when transferred to nails...
Like I've said, I've just started so the design is quite basic..but uploaded either way~

Somewhat blurry...stupid phone cam -.-"

There are multi-colored lines...but camera isn't good enough to see it properly

The lines are a bit more visible now~

if you want better pictures, feel free to as me ^^ and for a tutorial check out my YouTube page:

Book: The Daughters

Series title:The Daughters

Book title: The Daughters

Author: Joanna Philbin

Blurb: The only daughter of supermodel Katia Summers, witty and thoughtful Lizzie Summers likes to stick to the sidelines.

The sole heir to Metronome Media and the daughter of billionaire Karl Jurgensen, outspoken Carina Jurgensen would rather climb mountains than social ladders.

Daughter of chart-topping pop icon Holla Jones, stylish and sensitive Hudson Jones is on the brink of her own music breakthrough.

By the time freshman year begins, unconventional-looking Lizzie Summers has come to expect fawning photographers and adoring fans to surround her gorgeous supermodel mother. But when Lizzie is approached by a fashion photographer who believes she’s “the new face of beauty,” Lizzie surprises herself and her family by becoming the newest Summers woman to capture the media spotlight. 

My thoughts: Three very different celebrity children, all who seem to struggle to live behind their respective parents' shadow. This is book gives us a whole new perspective as to what it's like being a celebrity's child.

Each of the three main characters have their own hills and valleys along with a wide range of flaws and little perfections. Each of the three main girls are human...unlike their idolized parents and this is the underlying message present throughout the book. Each character is trying to step out their parent's shadow and create a place in the world for themselves. The meeting of three different personalities are shown very clearly throughout the whole book and how these three best friends compliment each other.

The only complain about this book is that it's completely in 3rd person point of view. It would have been interesting to see their lives unfold through first person narrative, if not for all then just Lizzie (the main-main character's) thoughts on all the roller coasters in this book.

Ideal For:  This book is something that is written for girls. I won't specify and say teenagers because it isn't. Although the main characters are teens, their trials and successes are something that many of us face, even if we aren't trying to step out of a celebrity's shadow. 

This book doesn't make for very heavy reading it's not something that you will have to read, then sit and think about all that it implies.It is something that you will read once to get the message from then re-visit perhaps once every three months...like a distant relative or an acquaintance from school. This is a great travel book that you can slip into you're bag to read while traveling to and from work or school.

Snippets: 

Snippet 1:

 “Come on!” Katia yelled. “Take a picture!” 

Here we go again , Lizzie thought. Every time she went to an 

official function with her mom, she wound up getting roped into a 

photo session. Couldn’t Katia have mercy on her, just once? 

Snippet 2:

Hudson rolled her eyes. “" There  was  this  guy  from   Rolling Stone

on the tour with us, doing the usual article on ‘Holla Jones and her 

Unstoppable Career,’ and he asked me how old my mom was. I was 

so jet-lagged, I told him the truth: thirty-seven. And when it got 

back to my mom, she freaked  out. As if three extra years were that 

big a deal.” Hudson stood up and placed her half-empty carton into 

the trash can. “Moral of the story? Don’t ever talk to the press. Even 

when they’re, like, living with you day and night.” 

Where to Get it:

Again, this book (and the rest of the series) is available depending on where you live. So far, the fourth book of this series was recently released, so to all my US friends, it's available at good old Barnes and Nobles...just check it out on their websties..to my other readers, Amazon is also an amazing site to get it from...if you want to know other places...feel free to drop in a comment~

Book: Stravaganza-City of Masks

Series Title: Stravaganza

Book title: City of Masks

Author: Mary Hoffman

Blurb: Lucien Mulholland, a teenager recovering from chemotherapy, is given a red and purple marbled notebook by his father so that Lucien can write in it since Lucien's throat hurts. When he falls asleep holding the book, he wakes up in the enchanting Bellezza, a Renaissance Venice-like city in the country of Talia (which resembles Renaissance Italy), ruled by a beautiful and imperious Duchessa. Here he meets the adventurous Arianna Gasparini and the mysterious Rodolfo Rossi. Rodolfo is a Stravagante, a traveler of a secret order who can move between Lucien's world and Rodolfo's by use of a talisman (an object from the other's world). However, Bellezza for all its beauty also has many dangers, especially for those who become close to the Duchessa.

My thoughts: Stravaganza. What a name for a series...a word that doesn't exist in the English language but is perhaps the most important thing to understand. Lucien manages to enter a 16th-century town while holding a book. This art of time-travel...for that is what this is, is known as Stravagation- thus the title. To stravagate, one must have a talisman from the place one is to stravagate to, along with a burning desire to escape your day-to-day life. However, you don't choose a talisman, it chooses you. In this thrilling adventure, Lucien gets a talisman (won't tell you how :P) and arrives in Bellezza without knowing what he has done. Here he meets Arianna, a girl who desperately wishes to become a mandolier (gondolier of recent Venice) and their adventure through the city-state of Bellezza begins. Mary Hoffman has managed to bring out her characters wonderfully. You can empathize with Lucien, laugh at Arianna's mishcief and find yourself entrapped in the Duchessa's mesmerizing eyes.  

  This book is a fast-paced page turner that speaks of time travel, deception, political intrigue, assassination, kidnapping and many other twists. It's guaranteed that you won't guess the ending until you read it.

Ideal For: This book is ideal for (10+) although even (20+) people would enjoy this book. This book falls under the genres: Fantasy, Romance, Thriller and Adventure. So if you like reading any of these genres, this book would be highly recommended. Even if you've never read these genre's before, this is book is such that you must read it at least once.

This is the kind of book that you would want to read in one-sitting, curled up in bed or on the couch during a long weekend, or Lazy afternoon.This book is itself a talisman that will take you to the wonderful City-State of Bellezza and allow you to get lost in all it's mysteries

Snippets: 

Snippet 1:

That evening Dad brought him in a notebook with thin pages and a beautiful marbled cover, in which dark reds and purples swirled together in a way that made Lucien need to close his eyes.

Snippet 2:

Arianna saw at a glance what she was going to have to do, though she hated him for it. She dragged him back into the shadow of the bell-tower and started yanking off her boy's clothes, unaware of the effect she was creating.

Where to Get it: This is book's availability depends on where you live. In UK and USA, this book is available in most of the bookstores and shouldn't be too hard to find. If unavailable, then please go here for International readers:City of masks-Amazon

USA readers(Lucky you can get it here xD): City of masks- Barnes & Nobes

Indian readers: City of Masks-flipkart

And for those lucky few who are a member of the British Council Library (My British Library) this book is available there as well.