Book Review: Geek Girl All That Glitters by Holly Smale

My review of Geek Girl All That Glitters by Holly Smale

 

 

Blurb from the back cover

 

Harriet Manners knows many facts.

*Toilet roll was invented by the Chinese in 600AD

*A comet's tail always points away from the sun

*The average healthy heart beats 70 times per minute. Even when it's broken.

But she knows nothing about making new friends at sixth form. And even less about being a glittering supermodel success. Which she now is - apparently...

 

My thoughts on the book

 

This booked is aimed at 11+, but even as an adult, it's a good, easy read. Ideal if you fancy a good book but don't want to have to concentrate too much. I love the central character, Harriet. She is someone I think young teenagers could very easily relate to. She is warm, kind and just wants to be liked, but as a bit of a misfit, she finds it hard to make friends. The story tells of Harriet's brief success as a model, and how she is instantly popular. A story of shallow teenage behaviour and true friendship. This is one of a series of books, and although I haven't read any of the others, I didn't feel lost or like I didn't know what was going on.

 

Conclusion and rating

Ideal for teenagers, this is a good book to teach kids that beauty isn't skin deep, and the importance of friendship. I also like the random facts that are often thrown in. Very interesting and overall a good read! 4/5

 

Available now! to buy your copy, click here.

 

Check back Friday, when I will be running a giveaway to win a copy of this book and a copy of Demon Road by Derek Landy. If you missed my review of that one, have a look here.





 

You can find me here: Twitter Bloglovin Pinterest and Instagram Please do stop by and say hi!

 

I was gifted this book in return for my review, but all opinions are my own. As an avid reader, I would never recommend a book I didn't really enjoy!





Shrinking Violet Home Edition Shrink Wrap Kit Part 2

Last week, I announced the arrival of my Shrinking Violet home edition shrink wrap kit. If you missed the post, have a read here for full details of what's included, how it works etc.

What I didn't know at the that time, was that this kit works slightly different to others. The mix of oil and heat are what flush the toxins through. This kit doesn't work by dehydrating you, therefore when you have that first glass of water, the inches don't come back like they do with some shrink wrap treatments.

I have now completed my first treatment. Read on for my thoughts on the treatment!

Firstly, the kit says to use 25ml of lotion. As I was only concentrating on my bum, tum and thighs, I cut this down significantly.

The lotion has a lovely salon fresh, citrusy smell. It is quite runny but was easy to apply and didn't end up all over.

I then popped the suit on. The plan was to take a couple of photos with the suit on. I couldn't do it! There is nothing flattering about being dressed in a head to toe silver coloured shrinky suit, and that is not something I want immortalized on the internet. I would seriously recommend doing this alone or with people you are extremely comfortable with!

I thought the suit would be rather uncomfortable but it really wasn't. It warns in the instructions that the heat and perspiration may cause itching. I have sensitive skin, so I fully expected to be itchy but I wasn't at all. I did feel warm, but not uncomfortably so.

After waiting for an hour, it was time to remove the suit. I turned it inside out and wiped clean with a damp cloth, although it didn't feel sticky or anything.
My skin felt amazing. So soft and not at all greasy.

The results: I lost just short of 2 inches from my stomach and bum area (measuring around my hips), 1 inch of my waist, and just over 1 inch from each thigh! That's a dam good result for one treatment!

I would definitely recommend this to anyone wanting to kick start a weight loss programme, someone wanting to tone up slightly or just for a big night out!
Well worth the money!

For more details, or to buy your own Shrinking Violet Wrap Kit, visit the Get Shrinking website here. These kits are a bargain at only £99. I have had a look, and for one session of this treatment at a salon, the price is around £65, so this is a really good offer. This link is NOT an affiliate link, so you can rest assured I'm not trying to sell you this so I make a pound or two. I really do think it's extremely good value for money!

Pop along to the website, grab your kit and #GetShrinking now!

You can find me here: Twitter Bloglovin Pinterest and Instagram Please do stop by and say hi! 
 
 

I was sent this product in exchange for an honest review. All words and photographs are my own!

The Importance Of Teaching Consent

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you might remember I wrote a post about victim blaming. If not, you can read it here. I mentioned consent in that post, but didn't go into, so today I thought I would talk about the importance of teaching young people about consent.

Firstly, I believe that obtaining consent is important at any age, but I think as adults, we are more equipped to communicate successfully non-verbally.

I think teaching teenagers about consent is one of the most important things you can teach them.

I'm sure sex ed in schools has moved on drastically since I was there, and perhaps now consent is covered in more detail. When I was at school, it was summed up as "girls, just say no" and that was it!

Whether or not this is taught in schools, I think every parent should cover it whenever they believe their child is old enough to understand the meaning. Often in schools, by the time these things are taught, it's too late.

I know parents don't want to think their teenagers are having sex, but in some cases they are. It's better that they are equipped with the facts.

It's not enough to teach a girl to "just say no".

Imagine two people. They have been together a couple of months. They are kissing, and he moves his hand towards her panties. She half heartedly pushes his hand away and mumbles "we shouldn't". She looks down, bites her lip and swallows hard. He tries again. She pushes his hand away again, maybe she even giggles a bit. She say's quietly "it's not right."

An adult male would get the impression from this that she doesn't want to go any further. If he has any decency about him, at this point, he will stop.

Now imagine he's 15.

Body language probably isn't his strong point at this stage, especially if they have had a few drinks.

His hormones will be going wild.

Even the most decent teenager can justify this as she wanted to really, she was just too shy to admit it, she was laughing. And the crucial part - she didn't say no!

It is essential to teach girls that if they don't want things to go further they must use the word "no".

Equally important, is to teach them how to say no.

There is a world of difference between a girl giggling and saying "no, we shouldn't" and looking someone in the face and saying "no, I don't want to".

Assuming the boy she is with is a decent person with even minimal morals (because if he isn't, nothing she says is going to stop him), the second phrase will make him stop. The first phrase sounds like she wants him to persuade her.

I don't think the full responsibility of this lies with girls' parents.

I believe that parents of boys should be teaching them that no means no means no. End of. Not "I'm open persuasion" not "Just do it anyway" but no.

Teach him that if at any point she uses the word no, he must stop immediately.

Teach him that the grey areas are rarely grey.

They are, more often than not, a girl so wrapped up in the boy that she doesn't want to tell him no and risk losing him.

A girl desperate for him to hear the no behind the giggling and the gentle hand pushing.

A girl that wants to hear it's ok to wait.

Teach him that one simple phrase can save a lot of heart ache. Even if she isn't saying no and she seems totally into it. The simple phrase being "Are you sure you want to do this? We can stop anytime you want."

By asking this question and getting an answer, there is now consent without pressure.

Are you the parent of a teenager or pre-teen? Have you taught this lesson yet? If so, how did you go about it? Do you feel it is covered well enough in schools? Let me know in the comments :)

You can find me here: Twitter Bloglovin Pinterest and Instagram Please do stop by and say hi!

Anything Goes Linky Week 15

 

Welcome to the Anything Goes linky, week 15! This linky is for any type of posts on any subject. Literally Anything Goes! It will run from 12.05am Monday to 11.55pm the following Sunday, so there is plenty time to link up. And if you link up early, feel free to pop back and check out some of the later link ups - you never know when you will find your new favourite blog!

I will be adding pinnable images to my #AnythingGoes Pinterest board, check it out here www.pinterest.com/randommusings29

If you are new to linkys, Becky at Cuddle Fairy has written a fantastic guide on how to link your posts, which you can read here: http://www.cuddlefairy.com/the-linky-guide-1/

There seems to be some confusion about the "name" part of the linking up process. This is the name of the post (or the name you want displaying) rather than your name.

I would just like to say a big thank you to each and every one of you who link up. Whether you have been here from the beginning, linking up each week, or if this is your first time here (and everything in between), thank you for helping make this linky a success!

How it works

 

1. Link up to 3 posts, old or new, per week

 

2. Please add my badge to any linked up posts - copy and paste the code below into the HTML section of your post.

3 Please read and comment on at least 2 other posts, but feel free to do as many as you want to! The more you share the love, the more love you will get back!

4. To keep up to date with what's happening when, feel free to follow me on Twitter @randommusings29

 5. Share your post's URL on Twitter using #AnythingGoes and tag me @randommusings29 and I will retweet (as many times as you want to!).

I look forward to reading all your posts! Everyone welcome :)

You can find me here: Twitter Bloglovin Pinterest and Instagram Please do stop by and say hi!

 

 

<div align="center">
<a href="http://myrandommusings.blogspot.co.uk/p/blog-page_9.html" title="My Random Musings"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrP1K8WQ-TeV6jEYE3LinjjiafF89jOv40MseLzysG51MwWIt4iJyuCOI4TTm3J5zuEhdQK3dH1E5heF9NpnDv0iNHlpyYDJDzZPG5R1phIPT0FbhXEgssXfReigWzUbWyd5xuYhjEnSw/s1600/Anything+Goes+linky+badge.jpg" alt="My Random Musings" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Thought Of The Day - Week 19

Welcome to this week's thought of the day round up!

 

Monday

 

Making a mistake doesn't mean you failed - quitting instead of dusting yourself off and trying again is what means you failed!

 

Tuesday

 

 

That feeling you get when you realise everything is going to be just fine!

 

Wednesday

 

 

You're amazing and there's nothing wrong with admitting it!

 

Thursday

 

 

Your happiness starts with you. Don't allow anyone to take that from you!

 

Friday

 

 

Follow your heart, follow your dreams and follow your instincts. Never regret!

 

Saturday

 

 

Hopes and dreams can be put off, forgotten about or changed, but they never truly die.

 

Sunday

 

 

Stand up for what you believe in. It doesn't have to be the popular opinion, it just has to be your opinion!

 

Which one is you favourite? Let me know in the comments :)

 

You can find me here: Twitter Bloglovin Pinterest and Instagram Please do stop by and say hi!

 

 

 

 

Avon Haul 2

Welcome back to my Avon haul series. My latest order just arrived and I can't wait to try the products out!

 

1. Avon Colour Corrector Pearls

2. Nail Art

3. Blusher Brush (although I intend using it on the corrector pearls!)

4. Dark Orchid and Raspberry 500ml bubble bath

 

Total spent: £16.50

 

What are your favourite beauty buys this month? Let me know in the comments :)

 

You can find me here: Twitter Bloglovin Pinterest and Instagram Please do stop by and say hi!

The End Of A Relationship: Moving On

Originally, this post was going to be ways to cure a broken heart. There are many schools of thought on this, ranging from have a good cry, burn their possessions, get horribly drunk, or move on to the next person. I don't believe any of those are the cure, they are merely something to fill the time until your heart heals. Because the simple truth is this. The only cure for a broken heart is time.

Over time, you will find yourself thinking of the person less and less, and when they do pop into your head, you might even smile at the memory rather than feel pain. When that happens, you are probably cured.

There are hundreds of books, magazine articles and songs dedicated to curing broken hearts. Can it really be that simple? Just wait it out? I think so.

Put on your "boy done me wrong" playlist, eat ice cream, scream and cry, whatever you want to do in the moment, but know that it will pass.

It might feel like your world has ended. It hasn't. One part of it has ended, but that's all. In time, you will find ways to fill the gap the relationship left, you will probably come to realise it was for the best. After all, if it was meant to be, it wouldn't have ended.

Here are three ways to fill the time and move on:

1. Career

Have you been thinking about going for a promotion? Changing careers altogether? Throw yourself into it. Use the extra time to research what skills you will need. Now complete relevant training, and offer assistance with projects that will help you build up the skills.

2. Hobby

Have you always wanted to write a book, paint, learn a new craft? Now is the time. Lose yourself in something you enjoy.

3. Travel

If you've always wanted to travel, then now could be the time. If money is what's stopping you, look into a working holiday.

Those all sound better than moping about over a failed relationship right?

If you don't want to commit to something big, why not just spend time with friends. Fill your spare time with fun activities. Laugh. Remember though, if some of your friends are mutual friends, it is unfair to put them in the middle. Just because your ex has broken your heart doesn't mean he/she is a bad friend. Don't make your friends chose sides. If you really need a good bitch about your ex, bitch to your non-mutual friends.

Now, turn off the done me wrong playlist, and play your "moving on" playlist. Think Cheryl's I Don't Care, Destiny's Child's Independent Woman, and Alanis Morissette's You Oughta Know. Turn the volume up, put on a slick of lippy and show the world you aren't broken!

What's your go to cure for a broken heart? Let me know in the comments :)

You can find me here: Twitter Bloglovin Pinterest and Instagram Please do stop by and say hi!