It is a very rare thing for me to find a book that moves me. I love stories, written and verbal, story time is the best time. My own father is one of those natural story tellers and time with my family is always spent laughing over tales. But because I have this saturation of stories while I love and appreciate many its so rare to find one that moves me so much I know it will stay with me forever. That is exactly how I feel about The Son Of Thestian.

{The Prince Jionathan is plagued by visions of death. With the King on his death-bed, and the tyrannical Queen in power, the Kingdom of Harmatia lies in peril. Fleeing the city in fear of his life, Jionathan is shadowed by Rufus Merle, a young, secretive magi tasked with bringing him home. Now, with the help of a fearsome sidhe warrior named Fae, they must traverse a dangerous faerie-wood together. Against bandits, faeries and cursed priestesses, these unlikely friends travel a path fraught with danger, not least from the blood-thirsty Night Patrol and the dark conspiracy that shrouds them. Inspired by Celtic Mythology and the Arthurian legends this epic tale explores the many forms of love, loss and fear, and follows five characters as they face their demons, both material and metaphysical and struggle to find their place in a darkening world.}

The sons of Thestian is the first book in a series called The Harmatia Cycle, and when I first got the book I was unsure of what to expect. I had the suggestion for the book as this epic fantasy, it had representations of people of color as well as different sexual orientations. It was alot of tall claims and I went into the book curious but with high expectations. Everything the book claims to have it does and then some. You dont get a onslaught of romances, though love is a heavy theme, romantic, familial, friendships. You get women bonding, men bonding and then a heavy mix of the in between.

You become invested in this journey Prince Jionathan and Rufus are taking, you want to know more about them, their families, their friends and the motivation behind the darkness their world faces. And its not just one struggle, one trial, one hard thing for them to over come. You see how this group of people over come many things, together and alone, and how those things shape the world and the minds of our heroes and anti heroes. Family bonds, friendship, disappointment and regret even depression are examined in this story and never in a dismissive or round about way. They face these things and many others head on.

I found I read this book like I do the classics. I didn't rush it or power read. I took my time with every word. I did little sections and processed everything as if I was trying to work through thicker language but that's not a struggle here. To me her writing is lyrical, it reads like something from another time yet its not hard to understand or in some old English you need a special translator for. It was really like reading a fairy tale, this classic story with Magic and intrigue. And for anyone having trouble with names, or imagining the way the journey unfolds there is a glossary of terms and people as well as a map on either end of the book to help you in your world building as you read.

Now i got the ebook first and before I finished it i ordered a physical copy. I was that invested in the story and its characters. This is a world I want to continue to learn about and watch grow and my collection will end up being a representation of that.

And i want to touch for a moment on the Author, M.E. Vaughan. She is a gem in every sense. I have never met an author who was so engaging with her audience, and is always willing to share her love for the world she has created. I love it so and It just makes the whole world more real for me because she does engage with you, on Tumblr and on Twitter. She will answer questions and share fan castings. Theres no shortage of interaction and content and it makes me love this story even more, like the world is ever growing. Lets face it we all still look for snippets of Harry Potter from J.K Rowling and love when she gives us new insight into a character. M.E. Vaughan gives us that same treatment but in real time and it cements the world building here for me.

But anyone who knows me knows theres two things that really matter when picking up a book. Did I care about the characters and do I want to know what happens next. And the answer to both is a very simple YES! With a tentative release date of 2016 for the next book, The Blood of the Delphi, I simply am on the edge of my seat. Anyone who likes series, fantasy, mystery and just an amazing enthralling read would really do well to give a read to The Sons of Thestian.

For more information-
The Harmatia Cycle Website
The Sons Of Thestian Goodreads
The Sons Of Thestian - Amazon {Where you can get a sample chapter to read!}
(Note:The images above are originally from The Harmatia Cycle Website)

Anyone in the market for a new epic adventure? Have any other stories of a similar epic fashion the rest of us should be reading as well?

Custom Paintings {One of a kind commissions}

Hey there my dears! I am so so excited to tell you all what I got in the mail the other day! True I knew it was coming but these beauties deserve to be gushed about!

Now for story time! So I am a huge tumblr junkie. I have three blogs, a random fandom one, a booklr one and then a fan site for my most beloved actress Elsa Pataky... so now everyone knows i am an impossible nerd! But still tumblr is great when you want to just chill and have a giggle. One night i was scrolling through book tags and came upon a post by adriansivashkinator that had a beautiful hand done painting of the first cover of The Raven Boys. It boasted a link that I immediately followed.

Her Shop BlueberryBlooms was like this treasure trove of works. I looked through all of her images and then asked if she took commissions which thankfully she did. I now have this need for all of my favorite books done up this way. But the first series i asked for was one by Helena Hunting and really moved me when I was reading.

Clipped Wings

Inked Armor

Pictures of them just dont do them justice! The colors compliment each other so well but are vibrant without being obnoxious. She captured the feel of the original covers and i just couldn't be more in love. I already have a wish list of others that I want.... I have plans for this beautiful wall of books, but paintings since I just dont have the room for a full set of shelves. The price points are totally affordable as well... I really just cant say enough good thing about this experience and my need for more!

Anyone else in the market for some amazing artwork? Have any other fan made works of art the rest of us just have to get in on?

My First Ever ARC & Working with ReadingWithABC

So it has been an exciting week here with me, and its only Tuesday, how lucky am I? But I wanted to share with you all what would be happening, with my first bit of very big and exciting news.

While I love blogging, writing how I feel about things is very therapeutic for someone with Anxiety like me, I also love to read other bloggers. I have a few favorites that I check the most religiously, and one new find that has also become one of my new favorites Reading With ABC. A book blog run by the lovely Liza. I got caught up in reading her reviews and tags right away. And then one of her posts caught my attention and I reached out to her. Liza being only one person was feeling a little overwhelmed by the amount of books she received as ARC's (Advanced Reader Copies) to review. With so many books how could one person review them all? So she found a solution. She would send copies of ARC's out to others in exchange for their reviews, paying it forward in the book loving community and just making my day. Id never read an ARC and the prospect was to good to pass up. So I emailed her and she amazingly had the one I was interested in reading and reviewing!

The Book- Tracked by Jenny Martin

Now the line that drew me in was The Fast and the Furious gets a futuristic twist in this action-packed debut! How can anyone not want to read that?? The goodreads page is linked though for anyone wanting to check it out. Now this book has since been released so everyone who is interested can hit up Amazon and snag a copy. Also after I read and review this beauty I will tweet the links and probably Instagram them where you can find it over on Reading With ABC. Can you tell my excitement is real?

Also be on the lookout for a review for The Sons Of Thestian which is my current read and probably my newest obsession. There will be some fall skin and hair care for dry skin and curly hair to look out for as well as some epic hauls! Lots going on and I cant wait to share it with you all!

Wordery Haul!

Hey there my dears! Today i thought i would share with you this baby haul i got from this new website i just discovered, Wordery. Now i don't know about you guys but i can be a bit of a book cover snob. If a cover isn't pretty it kills my desire to read. Bright colors and beautiful artwork are what draw me into a book and make me interested in the story well before i read a synopsis. So when i saw the American versions of these books i was less then impressed. There was nothing about it that drew me in. But i knew the books had some buzz and after seeing them in beautiful editions on youtube i had to have them. So i sought out a site that sold editions from other countries, in this case the UK, and hit the jackpot when i found Wordery.

(The book titles will take you to their goodreads page to learn more about the books. The price tag will take you to the wordery page to shop)

The Books-
Vicious - By V.E. Schwab $9.95
Attachments - Rainbow Rowell $10.69

Now while ordering from a site that ships overseas can take ages the shipping here was amazing. I had each book in about ten days and with a cute bookmark to boot, totally free. I imagine that for each country it will be different but their time across the Atlantic was amazing so id hope the same would be true for other countries as well. And the site boasts a converter right up top to switch to your currency so no confusing yourself making conversions yourself or having to let google do it for you.

The price point was also amazing, this is essentially what id have paid getting them here in America, just for less pretty books. With free shipping from another country and fair prices (To rival Barnes & Nobels) it is a really sound investment for a book lover and collector like myself. And for others in the same boat as me the site is worth having a look at.

What are some releases i just have to see in another countries cover? Anything the rest of us just need to add on our shelves? Feel free to leave suggestions below to share the beauty!

Whats in my bag? Summer 2015!

Hey there my loves. A couple of weeks ago i decided to change over my purse, ive had this one waiting in the wings for a while and while the tiny bags i was using were a nice change im a big bag kind of girl. And this design was just up my ally, who wouldn't want this vintage style tattoo print of their favorite Disney princess?

Now tell me this isnt the cutest bag ever?! It makes me think of this Rockabilly Pinup girl, but its also totally my style. My favorite Disney princess printed like shes an old school sailor tattoo.... amazeballs. I got this beauty from HotTopic which is great for fandom kind of merchandise. I tried to find this bag on the site and i couldn't find it. But they do have an Alice in wonderland one Here! Just like mine it does come with a shoulder strap but i don't use mine, im more of an hand/arm bag to shoulder bags. The leather is soft and its sturdy. The bag isnt heavily structured but it doesn't fall flat the second its empty either. Now take a second to appriciate the beauty that is the print, which was really my selling point on a bag that retails just shy of $70!

Now if you are thinking about this bag or any others as an option practice smart shopping. The price tag for the purse was $69.50, but i got it for around $44. Sign up for site emails, or better yet search for coupons online if you need to check out quickly. Theres always in store and site sales, all you need is a bar-code or coupon code to scan or input to get amazing deals. Ill outline some of my bargain shopping tips in another post, how to get clothes beauty and books for steals! And now for a little peak at what is inside of my bag!

Inside the Bag-
*Marvel Notebook- My Blogging notebook, for ideas, lists, keeping thoughts together because i have the memory of a goldfish and if i dont write things down they are gone from me forever.
*Kindle- Yes that beautiful black case with Jai Courtney's lovely image on it? That is my kindle Case, Its from Caseable and its my second. My original kindle 3 also had a case from there. They are great qualty and i can post a review for them if you guys would like. Also see that Noob writen on there? Yup, tagged with NoobChic, its one of my most prized possessions... books on tap always.
*iPhone- Its an iPhone 6 and that pretty Ariel case was about $5 on ebay.
*Mimco Wallet
*Powerstick Deodorant Body Spray- Because its summer and freshness is key. Also it compliments my Summer Escada perfume so well!
*Glasses Case- Its all fancy pants Michael Kors because it came with my glasses, yay for sales at Americas Best.
*Compact Mirror- Now this is my pride and joy, and i have a bigger one as well because a full review of the mirros and site is to come. But i can say now if you are in the market for a great mirror, that lights up, for you or as a gift for someone else check out VanityPrimp! Must see and from what ive seen she now carries bad ass cellphone cases as well!
*Nude Stix Lippie- In mystic and comes in that adorable tin case.
*Makeup Bag- This beauty was an ipsy bag a couple of months ago. Sephora has a bigger version, of which i have one... super cute and durable, with alot of space for the 11 lippies i seem determined to carry around.

So that is a wrap up of what i carry around with me when im on the go. What do you guys just need to lug around every time you leave the house? Anything i need to tuck into my bag next time i go out? Leave any tips, tricks or recommendations below!

An Ember in the Ashes ~ No Spoiler Review!

Hey there my sweets! So i just finished the most amazing of books and i wanted to share it with you all. Now usually i'm really put off by hype. If theres a movie, book or TV show that goes from zero to sixty in like a couple weeks i just don't really want to see it. I only just saw Frozen because of this weird thing i have by being totally turned off by the hype. Now if you are a big reader you might have heard of An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir. And because of this hype i almost didn't pick it up. But i saw the book trailer for it, and then read the synopsis and decided against my usual type to give it a try. So now i can tell you was it good and better yet was it worth the hype?

First can i say how engaged i was with these characters? Almost immediately i cared about Laia and wanted to follow her along, the same for Elias. Two very different voices to see this world through. Laia is a slave who is fighting to save her family. Elias is a soldier who is fighting for his freedom. The difference between them doesn't change how similar their battles are against the empire, from very different starting points.

Now i have seen a few reviews that complain about the simplicity of the world. Its high fantasy in that its not based in our world and takes a vast mixture of mythology bringing it into what would be their real world setting. But still some of the names for things i have seen ridiculed. I think what Sabaa did here was genius. Sure the people who values knowledge above all others were named Scholars and some might think thats to basic. But i think Sabaa did something that made her world more open to others. Ever Tried to read a series called The Song Of Ice And Fire? I have and the most confusing thing was learning all these complicated names. Places, things, roles, characters everything had a new and complex name. And it sounds amazing and ultimately beautiful. It also confuses the hell out of me sometimes and slows my reading progress. With this world i was sure of who was who, what their roles were and where they fit into the story. It made a high fantasy world less confusing and didn't pull me out of the story so i had to google things or back track.

The pacing was good as well. You were taken all around their realm, you saw flashes of the different peoples inhabiting this world and caught these colors of diversity even while it furthered the story. There was history lessons that didn't feel like school. Information slipped in so you learned things sometimes before, sometimes after the other characters. The women were just as strong if not stronger then the men as well and carried large chucks of the story, the history and the struggle on their backs. It was amazing.

The book itself is amazing quality. Firm binding with a velvety dust jacket and inside those front flaps the most amazing maps ive ever seen for a fantasy world. Every inch of the book is beautiful and not one millimeter was wasted everything used to draw you into this world that has been made for your enjoyment.

So the big question, Is it worth the hype? Short answer? Hell Yes! I was so happy with this book. Beginning to end it took me along for a ride i didn't want to end. I rooted for both of our main characters, and many of the people who touched their lives. It both ended with this desire for more and complete satisfaction at the end of the story. And i couldn't recommend it more if i tried, but seriously a must read.

Final Rating: ★★★★★

July Favorites!

Hey there my dears! Today i thought we could have a little chat about the things i have been loving for this past July. Now i know not a ton of makeup will be seen today but its just been too hot to layer much on my skin without the threat of breakouts. Summer and heat waves might just be the death of me! So here is a peak of the things i have been loving. For all that i can i will link you to where you can nab your own if something catches your eye.

The Favorites-
*Elizabeth Arden Good Nights Sleep Restoring Cream - Now sadly this one has been discontinued as all things i love tend to do, BUT they do have a substatute listed on their site that might be worth the try. As someone who suffers from very very dry skin though this product leavs me feeling soft and plump in the face after putting it on before bed. And a little goes a long way.
*Soft Matte Lip Cream - Abu Dhabi
*RIMMEL LONDON Professional Eyebrow Pencil - Dark Brown (My hair is black but black brows on my lighter complextion can look to jarring so the dark brown works well as a match between hair and skin)
* The Original Panama Jack Citrus Mint Lip Gloss - This is just a slap on and feel really good on the lips daily thing. Not much color payoff but feels nice if slightly sticky, and smells sooooooo good!
*AERIN Waterlily Sun - Now this little beauty smells fresh and clean and just all around amazing. Not sweet, no heavy floral or super candy sugary smell. The full size (Biggest size is only 50mil sadly) runs a whooping $110 but if you are willing to make that kind of perfume investment its worth a smell. Its one of those scents that links but fades enough to mix wth your own oils and just... its amazing. If you want a chaper alternative ive found it is similar to Elizabeth and James Nirvana White Rollerball
*Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment Sunscreen SPF 15 - This is my overnight lip treatment, and it can give a slight tint to the lips so its perfect for running around during the day as well. I have both Honey (Pictured) and the original untinted one (Not Pictured)
*Ribbon Hair Ties
*Avengers paperclip bookmarks - These were just so super cute when i ran across them on ebay i needed to have them. Of course my baby Thor is my favorite. They have minons and mickey mouse and tons of other options, they are really cute, small and handy.

Now i know this is cheating... kinda. But the new One Direction song Drag Me Down dropped on the last day of the month. But since i listened to it maybe 40 times in that first day its totally my final July favorite. You can listen to the boys belt it Here!

These are all of my loves for July. Anything that i have been missing out on thats a must have? Im always looking for new goodies to play with! I hope everyones week is starting off on the right foot!

August TBR pile

Hey there my loves! With the last unofficial month of Summer upon us i took a look at the books that i wanted to enjoy while i'm hiding from heatwave after heatwave we seem to be having these last couple of weeks. So these are the books im going to try and get through, including one of my favorite Graphic Novel series to date, a book series or two i want to start and some of the Novellas that go with them. Not pictured but to be added below will be some kindle books and a novel im still waiting to be delivered... Barnes and Nobel had a 20% off coupon for a single book and i couldn't help myself...

The Book List
*Suicide Squad, Vol. 3: Death is for Suckers
*City Of Bones
*Attachments
*Shadow and Bone
*Of Poseidon
Kindle Books
*The Stranger (The Syrena Legacy 0.4)
*Own The Wind
*The Sons Of Thestian
Still waiting on...
*Rook
(All books link to their goodreads page where you can find a synopsis for the book and a link to the authors page.)

Fingers crossed i can get through all 9 of these and maybe toss in another comic or two because i have been LOVING those lately. What reads are you guys hoping to get to while laying on the beach or like me, hiding from another heat wave? Leave your recommendations below!

July Reading Wrap Up

Hey there my sweets! I thought today i would share with you the kinda staggering 17 books i read in the last month!

Ok the picture isnt staggering but alot of the books were kindle books. Or i loaned out to my mom because they were just that amazing! But still between giant epic novels, novellas and some of my new Graphic Novels it was an amazing reading months. Below will be a rundown of all of the beauties i took in this month and i will link my good reads for anyone who likes reading and wants to be friends there. Ill accept everyone and love to talk books so dont be shy! My Goodreads (Books are in the order i read them)

The Book List
*Clockwork Angel
*Clockwork Prince
*Nowhere But Here
*Jack and Jill Went Up to Kill: A Book of Zombie Nursery Rhymes
*Clockwork Princess
*Suicide Squad, Vol. 1: Kicked in the Teeth
*Disarm
*Batman: The Killing Joke
*Code Orange
*The Wrath And The Dawn
*Every Zombie Eats Somebody Sometime: A Book of Zombie Love Songs
*Cupcakes & Ink
*Clipped Wings
*Suicide Squad, Vol. 2: Basilisk Rising
*Kate Fox & The Three Kings
*Better When He's Bad
*An Ember in the Ashes
(All books link to their goodreads page where you can find a synopsis for the book and a link to the authors page. The site is amazing and deserves a look around. Sometimes they even have giveaways, a chance to win ARC's {Advanced reader copies} of books before they are released!)

Impressive right? I mean not all novels but what ive been doing to avoid any reading hangovers is toss in a novella or graphic novel to kind of cleanse my pallet after an intense read or something that is deep fantasy. Dont have time to read these all and need my top three? An Ember in the Ashes is amazing and i will have a full review of it soon, as i will with The Wrath and the Dawn. More into contemporary? Better When He's Bad.... just a must read. Its a New Adult so not for the younger readers but still so so good. Need a YA option? Nowhere But here hands down.

What have you guys been reading this summer while you are soaking in the sun and enjoying your summer months? Have any recommendations you want to share? Leave them down below and dont forget to check out goodreads, we can be book buddies!

Little Life Update

Hey there beauties! Long time no see. I know life got busy and i got lazy and ive been anxious lately to get back to you all! That expression above clearly says im unhappy not blogging and need to get back now! So what have i been up to?

Well the school year for my son got to be very trying, though he rocked it and passed, hey second grader. My daughter didn't know being three now meant she should move past her terrible twos so the home life has been.... interesting to say the least. My family who lived multi generational in our home split up as it were and my parents are no longer in the house so slightly less help with the kiddoes now. So theres been a lot of home life changes to adjust to.

Ive been spending a lot more time reading, something i had kinda shifted to the back burner for a while which im glad to be back in the swing of things. I love reading. And for a while Netflix took its spot... there is something so additive about being table to watch 5 seasons of a show without commercials. I am going to do a post on my Netflix obsessions soon enough so we can binge watch and fan girl together. But my next couple of posts will show the book buying thats been happening and all the reading. Ive found some GREAT books so keep an eye out for reviews.

Following along that line i have decided that i want to move forward with a dream of mine that i have always wanted to pursue. I want to write a novel! I dont know just how i want to go about this, i mean there is so many options. Posting straight to online, doing solely ebooks, seeking an agent for publication. I dont know just how i plan on going about anything but first is the writing process. I have this story i want to tell, well I have many stories i want to tell actually but this one to start with needs some fine tuning, alot of drafting to start with. I really want it to be perfect, something ill be proud to share with the world.

As for my makeup buying it has slowed but i have had time to play with so much stuff while ive had some time off so i can share all of that with you guys. Reviews galore. Also i have a swap i never shared with you guys that i simply must! My friend from Ireland Eleanor and me did a makeup swap that originated on Instagram and the gems she sent must be shared with the world.

I think maybe thats all i needed to quick catch up on? I have a couple windows open working on lots of things just now so expect lots more content very soon! Ive missed writing and im so so glad to be back. Any comments, questions or concerns drop me a line below and ill get back to you my dears. Any requests for posts or reviews drop me a line here or through email. I hope everyone is having an awesome Sunday and has a great start to the week tomorrow.