Wildthorn by Jane Eagland

Release Date: January 17, 2012
Publisher: Young Picador
Source: Purchased
Format: Finished Copy
Pages: 359
Amazon  |  Goodreads


Seventeen-year-old Louisa Cosgrove longs to break free from her respectable life as a Victorian doctor's daughter. But her dreams become a nightmare when Louisa is sent to Wildthorn Hall: labeled a lunatic, deprived of her liberty and even her real name. As she unravels the betrayals that led to her incarceration, she realizes there are many kinds of prison. She must be honest with herself - and others - in order to be set free. And love may be the key...

I am embarassed to say that this sat on my bookshelf untouched for many, many years. As in 4 years ...*face palm*  ANYWAYS...moving on. Of course the cover is what initially attracted me, but I really enjoy historical fiction and I was really curious about this book. I am so glad that after such a long time I dusted it off and gave it a try!

The main character Louisa is not your typical victorian belle, she has much more in common with girls today like you and I.  She wanted more than to  just wear fashionable clothes, look pretty, and procure a good marriage. She was fascinated by her father's work ( he was a doctor) , she studied and had dreams of becoming a doctor herself one day. She was a character I could really identify with. Most girls from the time they are little play act weddings and by the time they are 10 have their entire weddings planned out. I was never that girl, I wanted to go to college and have a career. So I really connected with Louisa right away. Which is why this story was so utterly heartbreaking. . .

After her father's death, which is hard enough, she is committed to an insane asylum simply because she wants to study and become a doctor. It really saddens me that something as simple as being different, or  not being content with just being a housewife actually landed women in asylum's . But things like this ACTUALLY happened, which is what this whole story is based upon.

"Excessive study, especially in one of the fair sex, often leads to insanity."

I won't go any farther into the story because I think its an incredible book that every woman should read! It will make you cry, and make you thankful to have the freedom to be a wife, a mother, a student, or whatever it is that you desire to be.

 

Review: Young Miss Holmes, Casebooks 1-2

Young Miss Holmes Casebook 1-2 by Kaoru Shintani

Release Date: March 13,2012
Publisher: Seven Seas
Source: Borrowed
Format: Paperback
Pages: 384


Christie is Sherlock Holmes' precocious niece. She lives in a beautiful home with her maids and her giant dog Nelson, who look after her in the absence of her parents. Her maids include the proper Annemarie and the unrefined, uneducated Nora, whose skill with her "Snake Tongue" whip occasionally comes in handy. Though Christie hates studying, she loves using logic to solve mysteries, and so she often ends up helping her uncle and Dr. Watson solve their cases.

I am a big fan of anything Sherlock Holmes, books, movies, comics, re-tellings, you name it and I am ALL about it! When I saw this at my local library while perusing the manga shelves, I had to take it home, and I am so glad I did!

This is a super cute series, that's easy, fun and a super quick read. The story centers around  Christie, Sherlock Holmes niece. She wants to follow in her uncle's steps and is definitely proving to be a relation of his with her quick wit and sharp skills of observation.  As would be expected in Victorian times, she does it all with a maid and tutor in tow!

I really began to enjoy seeing how she would go about inserting herself into her Uncle's cases, I found it quite comical at times. Although only 10 years old, Christie can hold her own in the grown up world of mystery , suspense and scandal! Throw in  a few vampires and you have yourself a really fantastic series.

If your fans of Sherlock Holmes, Manga or your just want to try something different then I recommend you pick up a copy for yourself!

 

Waiting on Wednesday (32)

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. 

From gold medalist and reality TV star Shawn Johnson comes a debut YA novel inspired by her own experiences as an elite teenage gymnast—just in time for the Summer 2016 Olympic games.

Charlie Ryland has a secret.

She may seem like your average high school sophomore—but she’s just really good at pretending.

Because outside of school Charlie spends all her waking hours training to become one of the best gymnasts in the world. And it’s not easy flying under the radar when you’re aiming for Olympic gold…especially when an irresistible guy comes along and threatens to throw your whole world off balance.

Inspired by her own experiences as a fifteen-year-old Olympic gymnast, gold medalist Shawn Johnson writes a delightfully entertaining novel about chasing big dreams and falling in love, all while trying to keep it real.

I had absolutely no clue that Shawn Johnson was writing a YA based off her experiences...how EPIC is that guys?!? I am such a HUGE olympics junkie, and a fan of Shawn. It isn't often that you find a YA with a MC training for the Olympics! In fact...this is probably a FIRST! Wooo! I seriously cannot wait you guys! Thank goodness this hits stores  June 7th!

What are you eagerly anticipating? I'd love to know so don't forget to share in the comments. And if you participate in WoW make sure you leave your link below so I can check it out!

Happy Reading!

XOXO

Review: Finding Audrey

Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella

Release Date: June 9, 2015
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Source: Borrowed

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 288
Amazon |  Goodreads

An anxiety disorder disrupts fourteen-year-old Audrey’s daily life. She has been making slow but steady progress with Dr. Sarah, but when Audrey meets Linus, her brother’s gaming teammate, she is energized. She connects with him. Audrey can talk through her fears with Linus in a way she’s never been able to do with anyone before. As their friendship deepens and her recovery gains momentum, a sweet romantic connection develops, one that helps not just Audrey but also her entire family.

So I have been in love with Sophie Kinsella and her witty books since what feels like the beginning of time! When I found out she was going to be coming out with a Young Adult book, my fave genre, I flipped! In the best way of course! ;)

Sophie's books have the most entertaining character's, that literally have me laughing out loud until I have tears running down my face. If you've never read anything by her, check out her Shopaholic series, it is hysterical!

While this book felt much more middle grade than YA, I really did enjoy it once I got into it. It wasn't as laugh out loud funny as some of her other's, but it was cleverly entertaining none the less!

The main character, Audrey has gone through a pretty traumatic event, which causes her to just retract into herself. For the first time in her life, she is dealing with some pretty big issues, like anxiety and depression. I personally suffer from both, and found her descriptions and the lengths someone suffering from these disorders will go to to avoid interaction or uncomfortable/unfamiliar situations, totally spot on! I wish this book had been around when I was teen! This is not a subject that is featured in very many YA or MG works, and I love that Sophie Kinsella took this on with her witty and entertaining style!

My favorite things about this book, besides the wit and humor, were the character's! They were so vivid and colorful, and delicously entertaining! Particularly Audrey's family, who are every bit as quirky as she is! I loved pretty much every scene with her mother and laughed hysterically at her antics. All in all this managed to be a fun, light hearted, and quick read despite the serious nature of the main character's issues.

If your a Sophie Kinsella fan, a YA or MG fan, or are just looking for a lighthearted, fun read, with a bit of depth, I highly recommend this one!

Swatch & Review : BH Cosmetics Galaxy Chic Eyeshadow Palette

Hi Lovelies!

I am here today with a swatch and review of the BH Cosmetic's Galaxy Chic eye shadow palette. I recently placed my first order with BH for the Carli Bybel (look for a review and swatch soon!) palette, and was amazed at the fantastic quality at such an affordable price! I just had to order more!

Now that I have moved out on my own, I have to be so much more conscience of my budget. Gone are the days of blowing a paycheck at Ulta or Sephora. *cries* Anyhooo....fortunately for me, there are some incredible brands out there that deliver loads of bang for your buck, and BH Cosmetics just happens to be one of them!

While I have not tried all of their products, I am loving all of the palette's I have ordered from them so far. The Galaxy Chic palette contains 18 baked eye shadows that come in a range of colors from neutrals, to smokey tones and vibrant colors.  I love the range in this palette because I can do an every day look for work or running errands, a smokey look or a bright super fun look. Whatever I'm in the mood for!

So let's get to the swatches!

From top to bottom we have Aphrodite, Prometheus, Jupiter, and Sun.  

From left to right we have Mars, Mercury, Cosmic and Milky Way

From left to right we have Neptune, Earth, Comet and Meteor

From left to right we have Asteroid, Mercury, and Mars

And our last 3 from left to right are Pluto, Moon and Electra

As usual, BH Palette's are very pigmented and go on very nicely! They are so fun to play with and are priced well! And the best part, since these are baked, you can apply them wet for an even bolder look!

I can't wait to really play with this and have some fun! I think the blue's are going to make an amazing mermaid look! Ahhh!!!

You can grab this palette by clicking on the picture below . It is on sale for $12! If you grab one, make sure you let me know how you like it! And feel free to share pics of any looks you created with it.

Until next time...

XOXO

Cristina

The Dawning of a New Era, or, Something Like That...

Hi Lovelies!

It's Cristina here with some exciting news and changes! By this time you will have noticed quite a few changes. From my blog name, to the design. And there's even more to come!

If you've been following me from the beginning then you know that this started out as a book blog. For several years now I've been on a hiatus. I was dealing with an inner struggle about a year into blogging. While I adore books, always have and always will, there is so much more to me than just that! I felt like my blog sort of put me into a single box and I felt very stiffeled!

I had many a conversation with my closest blogging friends about this. I had a a cooking blog, a nail art, blog as well as my book blog, and I just...felt like I couldn't ever be MYSELF. I have so many interests and things that I want to share with you, but I felt stuck.

That was really all my own fault, and how I had chosen to brand myself. While "the Princess of Storyland" was a perfect fit for me in that first year, as I continued to grow as a person and as a blog, it no longer seemed to be the perfect fit. I'm not sure why it didn't dawn on me sooner, but the solution was as simple as a name change!

A light bulb moment later, and "the Princess of Everything" was born. *sigh* I feel like now I can be myself! I can use my blog as an outlet to share ALL of the things I know and love! Books will still be a part of this blog, and always will be! But now, now i can finally share all of my other passions as well!

This blog is a little mix of everything! Beauty and Skincare, Hair tutorials, book reviews, crafting and DIY, recipes and so much more! I was very young when this blog started, and I've grown in leaps and bounds since then. I want this place to be home, not just for me, but for each of you as well. I want it to be a -place where we can talk about the latest trends, our favorite movie and tv show of the moment, our current read, as well as what in the heck are we going to make for dinner tonight?!?!?

I hope you continue to read my blog, and interact with me! Please feel free to chat, share your favorites with me and just make yourself at home! If you have any suggestions for content on my blog, or things you'd like to see, please feel free to let me know! This after all, is your blog too!

XOXO
Cristina

Review: Don't Look Now (PERSEFoNE #2)

Don't Look Now (PERSEFoNE #2) by Michelle Gagnon

Release Date: August 27, 2013
Publisher: Harpercollins
Source: Publisher
Format: ARC
Pages: 336
Amazon  |  Goodreads

Noa Torsen is on the run. Having outsmarted the sinister corporation Pike & Dolan, Noa and her friend Zeke now move stealthily across the country, protecting runaways before they become test subjects for P&D's horrific experiments. Noa knows all too well what that feels like: Whatever they did to her has left her exhausted and scared.

Back in Boston, Peter anxiously follows Noa's movements from his computer, using his hacker skills to feed her the information she needs to stay alive. But he's desperate to do something more, especially when he learns what P&D has done to his ex-girlfriend Amanda.

Then, in an explosive confrontation, Noa and her team are trapped in the one place they thought was safe. It will take everything Noa and Peter have to bring down the corporation before it gets them first. And with no one to trust and enemies hiding at every turn, they may be the only people alive who can.

This stunning second book in the critically acclaimed Don't Turn Around trilogy raises the stakes to their absolute limit and will leave readers begging for the exciting conclusion, Don't Let Go.

 

When Don't Turn Around ended I was dying inside! It quickly became one of my all time favorites and I needed more pronto! Don't Look Now has been one of my most anticipated books of 2013!

This trilogy is amazingly epic and I can't recommend it highly enough! I think this is a great series for girls, and boys as there is plenty of heart racing action! And it also helps that the story is told both through Noa, and Peter's point of view!

I am so obsessed with this series and am sad to see it end, but am dying for the next book! This one didn't have as much action as the last, but it was still pretty incredible! I was shocked, and left wondering what will happen, which is a good thing! It kept me guessing, and my heart went out to Noa and Peter, it felt like there was no one they could truly trust except for each other!

This was a solid followup to the first book in the series and I am excited to pick up where this one left off!