Literary Friday ~ The Nightmare Affair

Synopsis according to GoodReads:

“Sixteen-year-old Dusty Everhart breaks into houses late at night, but not because she’s a criminal. No, she’s a Nightmare. 
Literally.

Being the only Nightmare at Arkwell Academy, a boarding school for magickind, and living in the shadow of her mother’s infamy, is hard enough. But when Dusty sneaks into Eli Booker’s house, things get a whole lot more complicated. He’s hot, which means sitting on his chest and invading his dreams couldn’t get much more embarrassing. But it does. Eli is dreaming of a murder.

Then Eli’s dream comes true.

Now Dusty has to follow the clues—both within Eli’s dreams and out of them—to stop the killer before more people turn up dead. And before the killer learns what she’s up to and marks her as the next target.“ 

The Nightmare Affair is a pretty typical YA contemporary fantasy story. The main character, Dusty, is a typical sarcastic teenager. The mystery of the story is a typical, predictable mystery. The romance in the book is a typical YA girl-has-two-boys-to-choose-between trope. 

It’s a fun, quick read that isn’t anything terribly original (except the Night Mare concept, which was neat), but has some witty moments. My one complaint is Dusty’s constant, grating sarcasm (negativity is wearying, and defensive negativity aimed at people who are trying to support you isn’t endearingly hip, it’s churlish).

I’d recommend it for fans of lightweight YA, especially contemporary fantasy ones. 

Featured Eyeshadow ~ Peasant

And now for another embarrassing tale of makeup making:

In a true rags-to-riches twist, Peasant started out as a lovely dark tan. I was quite proud of the sand-tone color I’d made, thinking it excellent for neutral looks.

And then I put it on my eyes, as I test all my colors on myself first. And as I brushed it on, I realized it was streaking….I had forgotten to grind it down!

So I quickly ground it…and as I worked, this earthy tone became charcoal. Like magic!

And so my Cinderella color was born- a happy accident.

Thankfully, it’s still an excellent shadow…although more for smokey eye looks than nude looks.

Eye of the Week ~ Enchantments

I rocked this eyeshadow look for an interview (two, actually) because I’m still somewhat obsessed with the color purple. It’s odd, because I’m normally a blue/green gal. But something about these shades is pure magic for me.

(with flash, for drama)

That’s Narrative on the browbone, Ball on the inner third of my eyelid, Storytime on the middle third of my eyelid, and Happily Ever After on the outer third of my eyelid and in the crease. (And mascara on my upper and lower lashes)

I did a lot of blending and layering with this look, which is my new favorite thing.

 

Speaking of new favorite things, this is adorable and I love it muchly:

398.2 is Fairytales in the Dewey Decimal system. Brought to you by Zazzle!

Literary Friday ~ Lips Touch Three Times

Synopsis according to GoodReads:

“Three tales of supernatural love, each pivoting on a kiss that is no mere kiss, but an action with profound consequences for the kissers’ souls:

Goblin Fruit: In Victorian times, goblin men had only to offer young girls sumptuous fruits to tempt them to sell their souls. But what does it take to tempt today’s savvy girls?

Spicy Little Curses: A demon and the ambassador to Hell tussle over the soul of a beautiful English girl in India. Matters become complicated when she falls in love and decides to test her curse.

Hatchling: Six days before Esme’s fourteenth birthday, her left eye turns from brown to blue. She little suspects what the change heralds, but her small safe life begins to unravel at once. What does the beautiful, fanged man want with her, and how is her fate connected to a mysterious race of demons?“

Laini Taylor is a phenomenal writer. The way she describes things is lyrical, poetic, and sensual in every way. I wish I had read this when I was in high school, and as I could relate to Kizzy (in her first story). 

The stories within Lips Touch Three Times are fantastic examples of contemporary retellings of fairy tales and fairy tale tropes. They are morality lessons, couched in gorgeous narrative and relatable characters. Reading these is like having a vacation for my imagination. 

I recommend it for fans of fairy tale retellings and classic Grimm-style adventure stories. Also for fans of Laini Taylor, and girls who imagine their first kiss with a more practical danger-sense.

Featured Eyeshadow ~ Ball

Disney Ball by suneestride

What is a fairytale without a ball? It’s the vehicle for romance that has inspired Sweet 16 parties across the globe; the original collaboration between dance and true love. Also, it’s the opportunity to pull out a truly fabulous pair of shoes.

And in this case it’s also a chance to indulge in some purpley purple. With pink shimmer.

PURPLE!

 

Eye of the Week ~ Woodcutter’s Daughter

As fun as royals can be…

Prince Harry in Australia

My heart tends to be on the side of the lower classes, especially the women of the lower classes.

In fairytales, they’re often given the promise of a better life only if they can vault some seemingly-impossible task. Solve the riddle, spin the straw, catch the prince’s attention, and you can be free of poverty, indentured servitude, a murderous husband, etc.

That’s Forest on my inner lid half, and Peasant in a wedge on the outer third of my eyelid, well-blended. Then I lined the outer half of my lash line and outer half of my water line with Peasant.

I think it makes a rather good simple daytime look, and representative of the brave women of fairytale lower classes. What about you? Do you have a favorite fairytale theme, or character?