The End of...The Old Curiosity Shop

Author: Charles Dickens

Rating: Who are we kidding of course its 5/5!!!

     So I know I was going to write a post for every 100 pages of The Old Curioisity Shop that I finished but then I decided (about two weeks ago) that seeing as I was nearly finished (though I really wasn't, I only finished reading it yesterday) I would just write a post when I was actually finished. Which of course leads me to this post. There is only one word to express the wonder that is The Old Curiosity Shop; amazing.

     From page 1 to 555 I was riveted. Every twist to the story was entirely unpredictable and masterfully implemented. Every single character was woven so beautifully that I feel as if I have personally met all of them. Even the most seemingly shallow character (cough Richard Swiveller) was given a depth that I really wouldn't have dreamt possible. The complexity of each character was truly astounding, Dickens has truly made me appreciate character development in a way that much of today's literature never could have. Don't get me wrong I love reading books written today but I have always felt there is a certain something about classics that goes above and beyond all other literature; a feeling that reading Dickens solidified.

     Another thing I loved about Dickens writing style was how he told the story. Throughout the novel Dickens switched from the viewpoint of one character to the next, only to return back to the character he had originally started with when I was full to the brim with suspense. By switching viewpoints, Dickens ensured that the "big picture" of the story was told and that no character was percieved through one bias. And then, to complete the perfection of his novel, everything was neatly wrapped up. Though the story had to of course end from a single viewpoint, Dickens ensured in the epilogue that no character's fate was left out.

    I thoroughly encourage anyone who is too afraid to try reading a classic to cast aside their fear and plunge head first into The Old Curiosity Shop. It doesn't matter if it takes you a day, a week, a month (or several months like me) to finish the novel, it is most definitley worth it! To all those lovers of classics out there who have read The Old Curiosity Shop or another Charles Dickens novel I'd love to hear what you think of Dickens Classics!

Seductive Secrets

Rating: 4/5

Author: Colleen Connally

Official Smashwords Plot Description:

     Someone wants Alyce Hythe dead… Shunned from London society for being the daughter of England’s most notorious spy, Alyce Hythe desires only to clear her father’s name. Long has Lord Julian Casvelyn lived with guilt brought on when his brother was murdered by England’s most infamous traitor. Thrown together by fate, can the two find love to free them both?

My Thoughts:

     Its been a while since I've settled into a historical romance this good. Between the gripping mystery surrounding the scandal of Alyce Hythe's name and her passionate romance with Julian Casvelyn, Seductive Secrets had me hooked. Unpredictable catastrophe and suspicion followed Alyce throughout the novel, at every new page there seemed to be a new development to the scandal surrounding her and I absolutely loved it! Unlike so many other novels I was refreshed by the fact that Seductive Secrets was not predictable; I had no idea where the story was going to go next, every clue to the mystery was a surprise! As to the romance surrounding Alice Hythe and Julian Casvelyn... well lets just sa,y it was very steamy... in a good way. Overall I would definitley recommend Seductive Secrets to anyone who likes a novel where romance and scandalous mystery have a starring role.
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Liebster Award

So I'm super excited about the fact that I just got nominated for the Liebster Blog Award! This is just really waayy awesome and I'm kind of lost for words which is saying something considering I'm a blogger and as a rule our lives usually run on words (I absolutely love to talk). I had a lot of fun writing this post and answering the questions but before I continue, I just wanted to thank Between The Bind for nominating me and give a shout out to Little Hyuts for thinking of me as well!

But wait a sec, what even is the Liebster Blog Award you ask?

Well The Liebster Blog Award is given to upcoming bloggers who have 200 followers or less (yep thats me alright!). The word Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, dearest, beloved, lovely, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome.

Here's the Rules:

1. Each person must post 11 random facts about themselves
2. Answer 11 questions the tagger has given you and give 11 questions for the people you tagged
3. Choose 11 people and link them in your post
4. Tell them you've tagged them
5. Remember, no tag backs

My 11 Random Facts:

1.  One of my favourite colours is lilac
2.  I love to paint
3.  My room is painted blue sea foam
4.  I'm teaching myself to play guitar
5.  A have a huge fangirl crush on Prince Harry
6.  I used to make jewellery
7.  I am Team Damon all the way....
8.  ....And Team Peeta!
9.  I've always wanted to travel the world
10. I find the taste of salt water in the ocean pleasant
11. I don't mind the dentist
Questions from Between The Bind:

1. What is your real name?

Sarah

2. What "paranormal"-being would you choose to be and why?

Hmmm, I think I would be a witch (not the green, melting warty kind) attending Hogwarts. Why? Because Hogwarts is awesome and I'm still convinced that the owl with my acceptance letter simply took a lengthy detour.

3. Who are your favorite indie authors (max: 3)?

My three favourite indie authors right now would definetley have to be:
Jenna Elizabeth Johnson, author of Faelorehn
Colleen Connally, author of Seductive Secrets
Karen Dales, author of Angel of Death

4. Book you were surprised to have loved?
The Giver by Lois Lowry
5. Top three favorite singular books (with links):

Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce
Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

6. Top three series (with links):

Harry Potter by J.K.Rowling
The Essex Sisters by Eloisa James
The Josephine B. Trilogy by Sandra Gulland

7. What is your worst habit (book or otherwise)?

In terms of books, my worst habit is probably buying more books than I could ever possibly read.
8. 5 most "swoon-worthy" characters?

Mr. Rochester (Jane Eyre)
Patch (Hush Hush)
Gage (Petals on the River)
Cade M. (Faelorehn)
Lucius (Much Ado About You)

9. Future release you're drooling over?
Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick
Dolmarehn by Jenna E. Johnson

10. What blog post are you the most proud of? (please leave a link):

Out of the books part of my blog, I would definitley say my review of Faelorehn and from the beauty part of my blog Sparkly Polka Dot Bow.

11. What last made you smile?

My beagle

11 People I'm Nominating for the Liebster Award

1. Proofs In The Polish
2. Blog That Book Out
3. A Writer's Rest Stop
4. Nothing Better Than a Book
5. Enough Rope
6. Love YA Books
7. Words About Words
8. Novel Undertaking

*** I know I'm supposed to nominate 11 people but I'm still new and expanding my circle of bloggers. As I meet new bloggers and discover new blogs I will finish up this list here!

11 Questions For Those Bloggers Whom I have Tagged

I re-used some of the questions Between the Bind asked me because they were just so good!

1. If you could have any super power what would it be and why?
2. What paranormal being would you choose to be and why?
3. What is your favourite colour?
4. Who are your three favourite authors?
5. What are your three favourite books (with links)?
6. Top three series (with links):
7. What is your favourite film adaptaion of a book?
8. 5 most "swoon-worthy" characters?
9. Why did you decide to start blogging? 
10. What blog post are you the most proud of? (please leave a link):
11. What last made you smile?
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Sparkly Polka Dot Bow

        This design though it might seem a bit more complicated at first than some of the designs I've previosuly posted, is actually not that difficult at all! All you need to get your own Sparkly Polka Dot Bow is a bit of time and patience :)

Polishes I Used:

• Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear in Blue it
• Sally Hansen Hard As Nails in White Tip
• Sally Hansen Ultimate Shield Base and Top Coat
• Wet n Wild Wild Shine in Hallucinate (Sparkley polish)

Let's Get Started!

1. Paint your nails a solid base colour, I chose to paint mine blue.

2. Using a dotting tool dipped in White nail polish, create a diagonal line of polka dots from one corner of your nail to the opposite corner .  

3. At each corner of your nails paint a diagonal line of 3 polka dots (parallel to your original line of polka dots) on either side of the original polka dot line.

4. Using your sparkly nail polish, paint sparkles over the white dotted design. Finish by painting a topcoat over your nails to seal the design and that's it you now have your very own sparkly polka dot bow!

 

Faelorehn

Rating: 5/5 Quills

Author: Jenna Elizabeth Johnson

Official Smashwords Plot Description:

     Meghan Elam has been strange her entire life: her eyes have this odd habit of changing color and she sees and hears things no one else does. When the visions and voices in her head start to get worse, she is convinced that her parents will want to drag her off to another psychiatrist. That is, until the mysterious Cade MacRoich shows up out of nowhere with an explanation of his own.

Review

     I can honestly say that I am very glad Faelorehn was my first ebook. Yes, you read that right my first ebook. At first I was a bit apprehensive about the whole ebook craze, I was a bit of a traditionalist in the sense that you should be able to hold a book in your hands and flip the pages; Faelorehn proved me wrong. Perhaps it was the handsome and mysterious Cade or the quirky Meghan Elam with her shifting eyecolour and strange 'visions' that hooked me on Faelorehn. But there is certainly no doubt about how much I loved this book. A good book should give you chills and goosebumps, while immersing you so deeply in the story that you can't help but turn another page. If this is the definition of a good book then Faelorehn is the epitome of a great book. I got chills following Meghan on her journey to discover who she actualy was and couldn't help but turn the page. Johnson effortlessly wove in Celtic mythology, giving the story a touch of reality in fiction. Yes, I know mythology isn't exactly reality but it certainly has a basis in reality and its role in Faelorehn certainly added to this richly woven story. I would definitley recommend reading Faelorehn and experiencing the magic Johnson weaves yourself!

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Amazon (Kindle)
Amazon (paperback)

Smashwords

Barnes and Noble

Earthy Nails

      This design is perfect for anyone who wants to show a bit of love for the Earth, is new at doing nail designs or is in a rush but still wants a bit more oomph than plain nails. Even though its not Earth Day, I felt that I wanted to do a nail design that was inspired by our wonderful planet. I try to be very environmentally aware and incorporate simple steps that I know will I help the earth on a daily basis (like recycling). Then again, it's not like nail polish is exactly environmentally friendly... But that would be cool wouldn't it? If someone invented an environmentally friendly nail polish that was durable! Do you (guys) know of any eco-friendly nail polishes?! If so I'd love it if you told me about them in the comments below!!!! 

     Anyways if you want to try this design out for yourself simply follow the steps below; though I must watn you it is super easy!

Nail Polishes I used:

Avon Nailwear Pro Electric Green

Avon Nailwear Lagoon

Sally Hansen Ultimate Shield Base & Top Coat

Step 1: File your nails and paint them two coats of Electric Green nail polish.

Step 2: Using the Lagoon polish paint random lines across your nails (the more random the better!) And thats it, thats all there is to this Earth inspired nail design! (No just paint a top coat on to seal in your design.)

Random Designs I have on my nails:

•  One diagonal stripe (from one corner of your nail to the other)
•  Corner Triangles (Just paint the brush over the edge on one corner your to imitate a triangle)
•  Vertical Line (Paint a blue line down the centre of your nail; it helps if you paint this from top to bottom)
•  Vertical line/ Corner Triangle combo (Paint a vertical line down the centre of your nail and add a corner triangle to one side of the vertical line)

ps. If you need have any polish on the skin around your nail (like I do here), use a Q-tip dipped in nail polish remover to clean up the design.

The Old Curiosity Shop 2/5th's There!

       As you may have noticed, classics take me quite a bit longer to get through, though I am getting there, really I am!

      It honestly astounds me just how much happens over the course of 100 pages in The Old Curiosity Shop. It amazes me just how well Dickens develops his characters and the plot.

~~~Spoilers Warning~~~

The Pilgrimage Begins

      I need to start off by saying thank goodness, Grandfather and Nell are finally out of that horrid house and Daniel Quilp's grasp...for now anyways... But the way Quilp is now plotting with Nell's wretched brother and Mr. Swiveller I'm sorry to say that I have a feeling that Nell has not quite seen the last of them. While we're on the topic of Nell's brother, and Quilp, in the past 100 pages I found out that Quilp's wife had some sort of romantic relationship with Nell's Brother. WHAT!!?? I mean where did that come from I'm not even sure I can fully comprehend that, that poor woman being stuck with Quip was unimaginable enough but Nell's brother as well! Its all just too horrid!

At the School Master's Porch



    Going back to Nell and Grandfather, I have to say I am more than a little concerned for that child. Grandfather is totally dotty! He is completely unable to make any decisions and is always looking to Nell for help and guidance; so much for him trying to protect Nell! He was so entirely useless, getting Nell sucked into that theatre troup of vagabonds and then leaving her with the responsibility of planning an escape. My sympathy is seriosuly running out when it comes to grandfather, I already had issues with his character but now that he's pretty much become Nell's dependant I am fed up with him. Nell should not have to be concerned with any of  this, she's only a child for crying out loud! At lest Nell is smart enough to manage and get them to rest at the schoolhouse; if she wasn't as mentally equipped as she was her situation would simply be to depressing of a travesty.

Grinder's Lot (The theatre troup)

    If anyone else out there has read The Old Curiosity Shop, I would love to know what you're thoughts are about this story. Did anyone else find themselves losing their patience with Grandfather?!

     

Crackled Glitter

       With summer fast approaching its time to get your footsies sandal ready! Its important to make sure that you give your feet a good soak to start off your pedicure and always remember to file your nails straight across; nobody wants an ingrown toenail, ewww!

Nail Polishes I used:

• Sally Hansen Ceramics in Coral Pink
• Avon Crackle in White
• Sally Hansen Ultimate Sheild Base and Top Coat
• Lin Striping polish in Silver

Step 1: Paint your toes with two coats of Coral Pink nail polish



Step 2:  Using the striping tool paint a diagonal silver line from one corner of your nail to the opposite corner.

Step 3: Paint a thin coat of the white crackle beneath the silver line. Then paint a top coat to seal in your design and your toes are sandal ready!