[Books] The Cousins' War #1: The White Queen by Philippa Gregory

Goodreads

July 27 2013 - July 28 2013

Synopsis

Brother turns on brother to win the ultimate prize, the throne of England, in this dazzling account of the wars of the Plantagenets. They are the claimants and kings who ruled England before the Tudors, and now Philippa Gregory brings them to life through the dramatic and intimate stories of the secret players: the indomitable women, starting with Elizabeth Woodville, the White Queen.
The White Queen tells the story of a woman of extraordinary beauty and ambition who, catching the eye of the newly crowned boy king, marries him in secret and ascends to royalty. While Elizabeth rises to the demands of her exalted position and fights for the success of her family, her two sons become central figures in a mystery that has confounded historians for centuries: the missing princes in the Tower of London whose fate is still unknown. From her uniquely qualified perspective, Philippa Gregory explores this most famous unsolved mystery of English history, informed by impeccable research and framed by her inimitable storytelling skills.
With The White Queen, Philippa Gregory brings the artistry and intellect of a master writer and storyteller to a new era in history and begins what is sure to be another bestselling classic series from this beloved author.

Review

The White Queen by Philippa Gregory tells a story about a commoner; Elizabeth Woodville, who falls in love with the King of England; Edward IV, they marry and she becomes Queen. This is also during the time of the Cousins' War, where cousins' fight over the throne of England. 

I started watching the TV Series that was based on this book, and I loved it. I made others watch it, but unfortunately they don't love it as much as I do... :( 

Being the impatient person that I am, I wanted to know what would happen next and what would happen in the ending of the series, so I decided to read/listen to the books. 

The TV series did a great job sticking to the books, I am pleased about that. But as for the rest of the episodes that haven't been released yet, we still have yet to see if they really did stick to the books or not. 

The book is from Elizabeths; the Queen herself, point of view, so everything is told through her eyes, her emotions, her thoughts. Her husband King Edward IV, has his own POV in the book, but for only a few paragraphs. 

Now what makes this book so engrossing to me is how things happen so fast. What seemed like multiple wars would be won by the King and multiple babies would be born in the entire span of 20 years. 

I listened to the audio version; the narrator did a great job by the way, for the majority of the book, that may be the reason behind it being fast paced. 

The book ended with such a really big "OH MY GOSH!" and a really hard face palm. 

The book made me worry and fear for the life of Elizabeths family and her royal children. It made me gasp and say "No!" making people around me think I'm going crazy and it made me smile sweetly. It has somewhat of romance and a lot more of suspense. 

I will definitely read the entire Cousins' War series, and I recommend it to everyone who loves reading historical fiction. This is the book for you!

Have you guys read any of Philippa Gregory's books?

Have you read the Cousins' War series? 

Have you all watched the TV Series? 

Let me know!

I would love to hear about it! xD

[Books] Percy Jackson & The Olympians #2 - The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

Goodreads

Started on: July 25 2013

Finished on: July 27 2013

Synopsis

The heroic son of Poseidon makes an action-packed comeback in the second must-read installment of Rick Riordan's amazing young readers series. Starring Percy Jackson, a "half blood" whose mother is human and whose father is the God of the Sea, Riordan's series combines cliffhanger adventure and Greek mythology lessons that results in true page-turners that get better with each installment. In this episode, The Sea of Monsters, Percy sets out to retrieve the Golden Fleece before his summer camp is destroyed, surpassing the first book's drama and setting the stage for more thrills to come.

Review

Percy Jackson: The Sea of Monsters, is the second book of the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan.

After I watched the movie trailer, I said to myself "Now I definitely have to read the book before the movie comes out" I was in no hurry, but there would always be a thought on the back of my head telling me to start reading The Sea of Monsters. It was weird...

I surprisingly finished the book pretty quick. Probably because I listened to the audio version. The narrator did a good job with all the characters voices, it was pretty funny that way he voiced some of the characters. xD

I enjoyed the first book, and knew that I would enjoy the second book as much. And I was right.

The Sea of Monsters is a great book for all ages from 8 and above. It's a great fantasy adventure book that is page turning. It has an adventure in every chapter that keeps the reader going. Unlike some books that I've read that would only get interesting in the middle or towards the ending of the book.

The book again ends with a cliff hanger which literally made my jaw drop. (Just to put it out there; my jaw dropped twice during the reading of this book).

One more thing: I cannot seem to get over that Percy is like 12 - 13.

Adventurous, page turner, humorous, and jaw dropping (towards the ending)

* I'm trying out this new layout for my book reviews, what do you all think?*

[Fashion] What to wear to work when it attacks

I think you all know what I mean by "when IT attacks".
Yes ladies, I'm talking about when our period decides to fall upon a work day.

There are many women out there who, when on their period, struggle when deciding what to wear to work. We all want dress comfortably when it's the time of the month, well all want to just sit home, relax and wait for the pain to go away. But no, you need to get those bills and debts paid off.

These tips that I'm about to share with you, some I've personally tried out and the rest I've seen on others.

Here are my simple tips on how to dress for work during your time of the month:

What to do

- Take a pain killer

- Bring extras (pads, undies and clothes)

On to what to actually wear

- Pants - Keep it loose and flowy. We don't want any pad outlines showing do we?

Stick to dark colors - Just incase something slips and you end up with a stain, it won't be that noticeable on the way to the bathroom.

(wide-leg pants, crop trousers, peg trousers, culottes)

- Top - again, keep it loose and/or flowy. Go wild with the colors. 

(blouse, halter tops (don't forget a cardigan), peplum blouse, kimono top)

- Dresses or Skirts - If you're the kind who enjoys wearing dresses or skirts and wouldn't mind wearing them to work when you're on the time of the month, go ahead and do so. Just make sure that your panty line or pad isn't visible to the public! 

Again, stick to dark colors

(peplum dresses/skirts, waffle dresses, skater dresses,  full skirt dresses, shift dresses)

- Shoes - Keep them comfy and as low as possible. If you're a stiletto girl, go ahead and bring out that stiletto on your second or third day, for now, stick to ballet flats or a kitten heel.

(oxfords heels/flats, ballet flats, kitten heels, 2"- 2 1/2" heels)

These are all just very basic comfortable workwear ideas. Don't forget to add your own little spice and flare to the outfit. 

If you have your own ideas on what to wear to work during the time of the month, please feel free to comment down below! ^^

[Books] The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Goodreads

Started on: July 7 2013

Finished on: July 14 2013

Synopsis

Three ordinary women are about to take one extraordinary step. 

Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone. 

Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken. 

Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own. 

Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.

Review

The Help by Kathryn Stockett is a book that shows you the maids side of the story back in the 1960's. It was a time of the KKK and discrimination of other races, it was also the time of Martin Luther King and the civil rights movement. But this book mainly focuses on two black maids and one white rich girl who becomes an outcast in her town because of what she wrote. Aibileen, Minny and Skeeter

I bought this book last year because I watched the movie and thought it was interesting enough to buy the book and read it. When I started this book, I didn't think I would enjoy it so much. I thought it would be one of those boring books with meaning that would take me a whole month to finish, but nooooooo... this book was unputdownable. 

I listened to the audiobook of this, and the narrators did a marvelous job, they all did. I was speaking in a southern accent the entire time I was listening to it. 

I don't know if I've read any other books that made my heart melt just like this one did. It really touched my heart how people in this book can be so kind and patient with others. 

I highly recommend this book to be read by everyone. At least once in their life time. This book is up there with the must reads before you die list, because this book gives out a meaning that is unexplainable. 

It's an amazing book that is a must-read!

[Blog Tour + Food/Book Review] Hello Hot Lunch, Hello Cool Lunch by Lisa Leconte

Good Day everyone!

Welcome to the Virtualbookworm blog tour !

Today I have reviewed a cook book! 

Enjoy! xD

Amazon | Ebay |

VirtualBookworm Book Store

Hello Hot Lunch, Hello Cool Lunch is now serving 2 books in one. One side is full of fun and über cute hot lunch ideas, tips, and recipes. The flip side serves up fun cold lunch ideas with more tips and recipes. Your family and friends will crown you Royal Lady of Lunches after enjoying your new-found creative foodie genius.

Review 

Hello Hot Lunch, Hello Cool Lunch by Lena Leconte. When I first received this cookbook for review, I was skimming through the recipes and when I got to the middle the pages appeared to be flipped, then I realized that is whats fun about this book. It's divided into 2 categories, Hot Lunches and Cool Lunches, and the way it's divided is that half of the book is flipped upside down. 

Do you have kids, and have no idea what lunch to make them for school? Are you tired of your boring old lunches that you see everyday? This is definitely the book for you! 

This cookbook if filled with different kinds of lunch recipes that are simple and the ingredients can be found everywhere. Plus it's kind of healthy. From rice to soups to sandwiches. This has great recipes for everyone to try out new flavors in the form of common lunch meals. 

All of the recipes in this book look quite hard to make, based on the pictures, but honestly, they are really easy. They just look hard and complicated. Just by adding a little bit of food coloring or cutting up cute shapes and animals out of cheese helps make your lunch look happy and creative, and kind of worth eating. And if you have kids, and you make these dishes for them, they will definitely love it.

These small lunches can also be served at picnics, or small parties - okay now I'm talking about the sandwiches. It may take some time to make a whole bunch for about 10 people, but it's worth it. You'll get so much praise from it, and the food will tastes twice as good.

This is a cookbook to get if you want to add a bit of creativity to your regular packed lunches. It has cute and simple tips, and you can make cutouts to help you with shaping your cuttable ingredients like cheese.

Thanks for stopping by everyone! 

Have a great day! ^^

[Books] Teaser Tuesday: July 9 2013

Hey everyone!! 

Happy Tuesday! ^.^

It's always so much fun participating in these memes! I dunno why! xD

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teaser

Goodreads Page

"I come home that morning, after I been fired, and stood outside my house with my new work shoes on. The shoes my mama paid a month's worth a light bill for. I guess that's when I understood what shame was and the color of it too"

Skeeters POV pg. 150-151

 I am really enjoying this book. Its funny and it just keeps you reading. 

Have you guys read The Help yet? 

What's your teaser for this tuesday? 

xoxo

[Books] I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella

Goodreads

June 15 2013 - July 7 2013

Synopsis

I've lost it. :( The only thing in the world I wasn't supposed to lose. My engagement ring. It's been in Magnus's family for three generations. And now, the very same day his parents are coming, I've lost it. The very same day. Do not hyperventilate, Poppy. Stay positive!! :)A couple of glasses of bubbly with the girls at a charity do and Poppy's life has gone into meltdown. Not only has she lost her engagement ring, but in the panic that followed, she's lost her phone too. As she paces shakily round the hotel foyer she spots an abandoned phone in a bin. Finders keepers! Now she can leave a number with the hotel staff. It was meant to be!

Except the phone's owner, businessman Sam Roxton, doesn't agree. He wants his phone back, and doesn't appreciate Poppy reading all his messages and wading into his personal life. As Poppy juggles wedding preparations, phone messages and hiding her left hand from Magnus and his parents, can things get any more tangled?

Review

I've always loved Sophie Kinsella's books. It was because of her that I got so into reading chick-lit.

I've got your number was release a year after Mini Shopaholic, and when I saw the book trailer for this I got so excited that I just had to get it! Unfortunately, I got it a few months after it was released from bookdepository.com because I was too lazy to buy it from the bookstore; impractical, I know. 

Anyways...back to the review. 

I've got your number was an easy paced book, just like other Kinsella books. It had been so long since I've read any of her books and it made me feel nostalgic of my high school and university days of when I used to read a lot of Kinsella books. 

I started off with the audiobook, then continued on with reading it, until I got to the middle. Honestly, I got bored. So I would just read a couple of pages a day, and be done with it, there were even times when I got fed up, because I wanted something reckless and exciting to happen. Since I wanted to finish the book quickly and be done with it. I continued on with the audiobook.

As I got close to the ending, things started to get exciting and intense. I practically jumped up and down  and squealed while I doing my errands and listening to the book at the same time. 

I finished the book with a big smile on my face and a deep sigh. And it gave hope on how my non-existent love life would turn out. 

I've got your number is another great novel by Sophie Kinsella, that is funny, an easy read, and if you've loved her Shopaholic Series and other chick-lit novels, you'll love this one. 

xxxxxxxxxx

xoxoxoxox

:) 

[Books] Teaser Tuesday: July 2 2013

Hey everyone!! 

Happy Tuesday! ^.^

It's always so much fun participating in these memes! I dunno why! xD

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teaser

Suddenly my gaze fixes on a man standing alone, about thirty yards away. He's wearing a dark suit and has thick black rumpled hair and is holding a phone to his ear. Even from the distance I can see that he's laughing.

"How long have you been there?" I demand furiously. 

"Just arrived, didn't want to interrupt" 

pg 32  

~~~

I know I'm supposed to put only two sentences but I just can't help it! xD
Sophie Kinsella books are what really got me into reading. I've read almost all of her books, but am taking my sweet time with this one! xD

Have any of you read anything my Sophie Kinsella ? 

What's your teaser for this tuesday?

xoxo

[Fashion] Beach Party Look

Beach Party Look by anglelight

My idea of a beach party is beach volleyball, tanning, great music, dancing, a little bit of drinking, and swimming. I went to my first beach party a few days ago. I know, I'm 19 and I haven't even gone to a beach party, blah blah, whatever. I never really had the chance okay!

 It was 4 hours until the party, and I had no idea what to wear. I went threw my closets entire summer section and after an hour, my room was mess and I still didn't know what to wear. So I googled.

Got some ideas and began compiling my outfits up and ended up with 3 different outfits.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when going to the beach
1. There is going to be sand - and lots of it! (Flip flops or sandals)
2. It's going to be hot and the sun will probably be burning (Sunscreen & SPF)
3. You will probably get wet (Extra clothes & a towel)

When I arrived at the party, there was sand everywhere! and not just a thin layer or sand that you can easily walk in, I'm talking about sand that you literally have to hike in. I was planning on wearing my converse, but I'm so happy I stuck with sandals.

The outfit up top, is basically what I decided to wear. But I added a dress over my shorts because my shorts felt too short and I had a flowy top over that just incase it got a little windy during the night. The bikini is optional; most people wore it just for the sake of it, even if they won't get in the water.

Other accessories are optional. I brought a small purse with me since I was going to be walking around a lot more than sitting in one spot.

So that's that! Hope you all like it! Because I do.
I am totally loving my white shorts this summer!

What clothing piece are you all loving this summer?
xxoo

[Fashion] New York City, Times Square Look

It's a fashion post!!

New York City, Time Square Wear by anglelight 

While I was working, it's either I saw something or heard something that made me think of New York City and Time Square. I then closed my eyes and saw myself standing in the middle of Time Square, watching the New York traffic and people making their way to work on a busy morning or afternoon. And I just saw myself standing there, and then I started to picture my outfit.

I imagined myself wearing a long skirt with a slit on the side, with a pastel colored top with something over it, like a cardigan, and pairing it all with combat boots, some sunglasses and messenger bag.

I decided combat boots because they are comfortable and if I were to walk around all day, my feet wouldn't hurt as much. xD

It has somewhat of a gothic feel to it, but the pastels really brings it all out. Some gold jewelry would really finish up this outfit.

This is just one of the outfits I pictured myself wearing when I go to New York.

So here it is. I love it, and I hope you all like it too! ^^

xoxo