What I Read: February

Happy Thursday! I said this in my monthly favourites but I'll say it again. How on earth is it the end of February already? It's almost like I've blinked and missed the entire month but I think it's more like I've had my head buried so deep in my books, the month has passed without me realising.

Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets- J.K. Rowling
The first book I read this month was Harry Potter and The Chamber Of Secrets. This year I'm planning on rereading the entire Harry Potter series and last month I made a good start with The Philosphers Stone. I found I enjoyed Chamber of Secrets more as there were more details in the book that the movie doesn't show and that I'd originally forgotten about. I read this in a day as I get so easily lost in the magical world and everytime I finish one I always have the overwhelming urge to start the next. Yet I have to restrain myself as I had other books that I wanted to read this month.

Rogue- Rachel Vincent
The next book I read was another sequel to one I'd read in January. Rogue is the follow up to Stray from Rachel Vincent. It continues right after Stray finished, exploring a couple of plot bunnies that it started towards the end of Stray. Following Faythe and her pride as they tracked down a killer who's hunting tom-cats, Rogue is a good second book but lacked the suspense that Stray had. I felt it ran slow in a lot of parts and the action, especially towards the end was rushed and tied up nicely without there being a full explanation or solution. I'm still going to carry on with the series and plan on reading Pride in March but I thought Rogue was a little bit of a dip in the road that hopefully Pride will pull it out of.

Gallery Of The Dead- Chris Carter 
Last year I read a book called The Caller. It was singlehandly one of my favourite books of the year so when I saw Chris Carter has released another book, I was eager to read it. Gallery Of The Dead is the ninth Robert Hunter novel and follows the Violent Crimes Unit. This particular book follows Hunter and his partner Garcia as they hunt for a serial killer that's leaving mysterious Latin messages engraved into his victims. I was so eager to get my teeth into this but finished it a little deflated. The Caller was a gruesome, physcological thriller that had me hooked and whilst Gallery Of The Dead had that exact same format, I felt it was a little long winded and parts were either drawn out or rushed which made binge reading this harder than I wanted it to be. Carter does have another book coming out this year and after reading the excert in the back of this book, I'm dying to read what will hopefully be another gripping tale.

Evermore- Alyson Noel 
My penultimate book this month was one I picked up on a whim, finished in a day and whilst I was a little disappointed in it, I'm also eager to read the next one. Evermore follows Ever, a physic who has been able to read the thoughts of her peers since a devastating car crash of which she is the sole survivor. Then enter Damen, a mysterious new student who Ever can't get a read on yet she's inexplicably drawn to. The premise of Evermore was promising but it read more like another version of Twilight. A young woman who spent the entire time following the mysterious hot guy round like a lost puppy, until the very end when she realises her own strength and becomes a kick ass warrior. With all that being said, I did in fact read it in a day and even though I couldn't say it was my favourite read of the month, it was one that I needed to know what happened next and that alone stopped me from putting it down for more than two minutes to pee.

The Thousandth Floor- Katharine McGee
And the last one book I read in February was one I finished the same day as I write this post (27th). The Thousandth Floor is one that's been on my TBR since the end of last year and this month I finally got round to reading it. Following six teens from different walks of life, The Thousandth Floor is a futuristic YA novel that reads a lot like Gossip Girl with many intertwining twists and turns that interlink each of our characters. This is the one book that took me the longest to read as there were days when I could only read a few pages before putting down again. However as the end drew near and the secrets and lies started to unravel and become common knowledges between the characters, I couldn't put it down. Especially the last few chapters that threw a massive curveball at me and left me desperate to read the second book in the series. 

Monthly Favourites: February

Can someone please explain how the hell it's going to be the first of March on Friday? Like where on earth did February go? It's like I've blinked and missed it but I can't complain as it means I'm just that little bit closer to two amazing trips to London I have planned with Jasmin in March and April. But before I bore you all with them, let's get into this month's favourites. Now there aren't as many as January but there's still a fair few.

The first of only two beauty favourites this month comes from Loreal. Their newly released Magic Essence Drops have changed the way my make up looks and feels on my skin. These ultra lightweight hydrating primer drops smooth, hydrate and prep skin perfectly for any base you apply over top. They don't cause foundation to pill on the skin and really help with longevity. What I like the most about these drops is that they're extremely cooling on the skin and help to reduce the appearence of any redness that I may have. Plus a little goes a long way so this bottle will last for ages.

The only other beauty favourite I had this month came from a brand I'm so glad I can get my hands on. Flower Beauty has finally been released in the UK and after watching an interview with Drew Barrymore, I knew I just had to pick up at least one product from the range. The one I chose was the iconic looking red liquid lipstick. In the shade Scarlett Letter, their Miracle Matte Liquid Lipstick has been the only liquid lipstick I've worn this month. Sure it's more of a powdery matte finish but it's still ridiculously comfortable and I've loved pairing it with flawless skin, big lashes and big but natural looking brows. If you've been trying to decide on a product to try from Flower Beauty then I highly recommend their liquid lipsticks, I've even brought another one for a wedding I've got coming up in June.

 The only style favourite I have for you this month is this pair of jeans from Marks and Spencers. One thing I wanted to do this year was buy more bottoms. I've grown bored of just wearing plain black jeans and wanted some blue ones. I thought it was going to take me forever to find a decent pair but M&S sure know how to impress a girl. These are their super skinny, high waisted jeans. I love them so much. I haven't worn black jeans apart from when I'm at work since I brought them. They go so well with so much of my wardrobe and fit like a dream. I do have to roll the bottoms up ever so slightly to stop them from cutting my ankle off at the wrong point but apart from that they are the best £19.50 I've ever spent.

A show I haven't quite finished but have been/am absolutely loving is Umbrella Academy. I was intially drawn to it as I love Tom Hopper but after watching the advert I didn't think I'd actually watch it. It didn't seem to be my cup of tea but on a whim last week I watched the first episode and I was hooked. I still have three episodes to watch but as you can tell I'm stringing them out for as long as possible. I adore Tom Hopper's portrayal of Luther, it's so different to his usual roles and I like that whilst he's still the brawn of the operation, he's also got a gentle side. Robert Sheehan kills me as Klaus and whilst Ellen Page looks a little out of place in it, I'm intrigued to see what happens to her character Vanya in the last few episodes. If I go MIA on social media in the next few days then you know I'm binge watching the end of this series.

I have only listened to one album this month and it comes from the goddess that is Ariana Grande. When I first heard Thank you, next in it's entirety I was so unimpressed. I didn't think the album would grow on me and I'd like a couple of songs if I'd heard them repeatedly. Oh how wrong I was. I gave the album a second and third listen and I was hooked. It's literally the only album I've listened to for the whole of February. It's particularly good when I'm baking even if it means I have twice as much mess to clear up afterwards. Ariana is spilling that tea and it's shocking to think of everything she's been through lately. I have so much respect for her since she released this album and can't wait to see what the live performances look and sound like. When I first added this to my favourites list for the month there were only a few songs I picked out as favourites but as times gone on the whole album has become one big favourite and whilst I still have my absolute favourites from it, I don't dislike any of the tracks. Fake Smile, Bloodline,  Needy, NASA and In My Head have to be my absolute favourites, the ones that I turn it up that little louder for. I can't promise that there will be another music favourite for a while as this album is such a bop, it's going to take a lot for me to stop listening to it.

Last month my inner fangirl came out as Strike Back returned and whilst I desperately wanted to include it as a favourite again this month, I restrained myself. However this season, there is an amazing and I mean amazing podcast that is released every Saturday after the latest episode has aired. Hosted by Kelsey and Debs, Sit Rep is a fan made podcast for fans of Strike Back. Alongside a deeper look into the episode it features behind the scenes facts from showrunner Jack Lothian as well as amazing interviews with the cast and crew. Dan Macpherson, Bill Eagles, Jamie Bamber, Victoria Smurfit and Varada Sethu are just some of the amazing interviews so far with even more insightful brilliant interviews to come. I'm keeping everything crossed that Strike Back gets renewed for another season so that there will hopefully be another series of this brilliant podcast hosted by two lovely ladies who didn't have to go out of their way to do this but did because their love for the show, the cast and the crew is just as big as the rest of us fans.

Why Taking Time For Yourself Is Okay

Life is hard. Life isn't all sweetness and light. Life can be the biggest bitch out there. But life is also the greatest gift any of us can be given and it's completely what you make of it. That may mean that sometimes it's hectic, filled with dinners, lunches and nights out whilst other times it's just you in your pjs with the cat, watching a rerun of your favourite show. And whilst the former is filled with amazing memories and mementos, sometimes the latter is exactly what your mind, body and soul needs.

I for one am a big believer of taking time out for yourself. It can come in any shape and form but as long as you come out of it feeling grounded and ready to take on whatever life has to throw at you, it's served it's exact purpose. Holding together a job, social life, love life, social media presence as well as the million other commitments life throws at you can be stressful, can push you to breaking point at it's worst but are not worth comprimising both your physical and mental health for. Cancelling that dinner date, that cinema trip or taking a break from social media isn't going to make your life crumble down around you feet. Don't concern yourself with what others will think of you for taking time out for yourself, take the time to do what you love, the things that make you feel more you, that put you back together and help you bounce back from what ever stress or low that's been bogging you down.

There have been many a time when I've disappeared off social media for a few days, not replied to texts for a few days and just taken time to recenter myself and sort my shit out. My friends understand why it happens as they do it as well so they never get angry or judgemental about it, they just accept that's what I've needed to do and that if there is still anything I need to talk about, I'll do it in my own time. And that's one of the main things I want you to take from this. It's okay to take a time out, to spend time caring for yourself both physically and mentally whether the people around you understand or not. If they judge you, get angry when you cancel plans or stop including in plans afterwards, I think it's safe to say you need to reevaluate the people in your life. If your family and friends truly love you, they'll understand the pressure of life; especially in this day and age, and that it can take it's toll.

What I'm trying to say is that it's okay to take a break. To cut off from all the pressures of life for a while to regroup, ground and pull yourself together. Not replying to a text isn't going to be the end of the world and neither is not retweeting that viral meme that's doing the rounds on twitter. Taking time out to bake, read, sleep or binge your favourite show or film isn't a waste of time that could be spent doing other things, especially if it help you to forget about all the stress you've got going on. Time for yourself is vital if you want to life a happy life. Trust me, you may feel guilty about doing it but after a while that guilt will disappear and you'll be able to see the good it's doing for you as well as being able to recognise when you need to take that break and focus on yourself for a while. 

Review: Revolution 30% AHA+2% BHA Peeling Solution

When Revolution dropped the Make Up and added a skincare line to their brand, I was dubious. There make up was already a little hit and miss for me and I thought that their skincare would be exactly the same, especially when it came to their take on a high alpha hydroxy acid based mask. And I wasn't wrong about their products being hit and miss, but their 30% AHA+2%BHA Peeling Solution blew me away in the best possible way.

Blood red in colour and claiming to contain a whopping thirty percent alpha hydroxy acid formula, this intensive, ten minute mask aims to resurface, retexturise and brighten the skin. This mask is not for the faint hearted and definitely not for those with extremely sensitive/reactive skin. It can be quite intense, even for my skin that's used to having a high concentrate of AHA on it everyday. However the results are worth it and I can't go a week without using it. A quick ten minute go with this mask and your skin will feel like a baby's butt. Sure it tingles, leaves skin a little red but that's nothing a little facial mist and moisturiser can't cure. Yes it's intense but in my opinion it's a lot gentler on skin than a physical exfoliator, it doesn't pull at the skin like a sugar scrub would which for me helps my skin feel less irritated and sensitive afterwards.

Sure it looks like an slightly more pricey copy of the The Ordinary's 30% mask and whilst I have never tried The Ordinary's version, I think I would always prefer this one more. It has a slight fragrance, leaves skin looking a little red but it also leaves skin smooth, soft to the touch and the day after, make up just glides over top like a dream. Plus the way Revolution has marketed all their skincare products, they're a lot easier to understand than that of The Ordinary. It's only £7.99 and works wonders so if you've been thinking about buying The Ordinary's version, I'd suggest checking this one out before you make your final decision. It's definitely one I'll be repurchasing over and over again.

Review: Maybelline Snapscara

 

Every January like clockwork, Maybelline releases a new mascara. And usually they smash it. They did when they released both Lash Sensational and Total Temptation. So their latest release, the Snapscara has for me personally some very high expectations to live up to.

Advertised as having a new and innovative formula, the Snapscara boasts a gel based formula over that of the usual wax and oil formulation. It claims to free lashes from clumps as well as being smudge proof and flake free, two major let downs in mascaras made of the original combination. It's curved bristle brush is supposed to just glide through lashes, giving them an instant volume boost that lasts all day. And that's where this mascara lets me down.

It's not a terrible mascara but it hasn't blown me away like the Total Temptation or Lash Sensational did. It's brush gives volume easily and distributes a decent amount of product onto the lashes without leaving them clumpy or spidery. However it does just glide through lashes meaning that you end up with more mascara on your eyelids than on your lashes. And because the formula isn't as thick as your normal wax based mascaras, this mascara has a tendency to smudge or transfer before it's dried down, which makes applying setting spray over top or even an accidental sneeze a disaster.

Khila from MissBudgetBeauty recently featured this on her channel and said she felt it needed to dry down more to be a good mascara and I totally agree with her. I much prefer a drier mascara as I don't have to worry about it flaking or smudging, two things this mascara has a tendency to do. A lot of the time when I wear this, I end up with two dark lines along my lower lash line by the end of the day, something I've come to realise I've probably been walking around with all day. For me the only redeeming feature of this mascara is it's removal. Unlike wax based mascaras, this removes like a dream and doesn't leave anything sitting on the lashes to create that dreaded morning after panda eye. If you're looking at Maybelline for your next mascara purchase, I'd highly recommend trying the Lash Sensation, Total Temptation or Push Up Angel mascara over this one. Each has it's own unique brush and whilst they don't have gel based formulas, they give the same brilliant results after every use, something the Snapscara is again lacking.

How To Enjoy Valentines' As A Singleton

Valentine's Day is tomorrow and for many millions of people, they're gearing up to celebrate the day with their loved ones. But there are also millions of people who are single and don't enjoy the 14th of Febraury, there are even some who loathe the day. At school when it was another day to pick on those who didn't fit into the cool kid asethetic, I absolutely loathed the day. Yet as I've gotten older, I've grown to hate it less. I don't think I'll ever grow to love Valentine's but I think most of that comes from the fact that there are times when it makes me feel lonely. Yet with the invention of Galentines', there are plenty of ways to cure those Valentine's blues and today I'm going to share with you a few things to do to enjoy Valentine's as a singleton and how giving yourself a little self love and care is better than any present on Valentine's.

Galentine's is the best way to cure those blues. If you have an amazing group of lady friends who also happen to be single, a day spent with them is a day well spent. Make plans, get dressed up and spend countless hours laughing your ass off with your closest gal pals. Lunch plans, dinner plans, a day spent snuggled up in your pjs watching trashy romance movies, they're all great plans that can be done with your ladies. Or if your friends are busy, spend the day with your mum. I know that sounds lame but trust me, a day spent with my mum is all I need sometimes. Again lunch, dinner or a duvet day are great ideas and half the time don't cost the earth. Plus it may just help distract her from the slightly disastrous gift your dad panic brought her, if he remembered at all.

Take yourself out. Get dolled up, go shopping, treat yourself to that bag, those shoes or even that new lipstick you've been eyeing up. Stroll around, shopping bags in one hand, coffee in the other like your Blair Waldorf, like the only thing you care about is spending that cash you've worked hard to earn. And of course with that being said, don't go too overboard. Don't spend money that you don't have and don't leave yourself struggling to pay for necessities until your next paycheck. This is one of two plans I have for myself this Valentine's. New Look have a couple of little beauts in there at the moment and I think they'd make the little to me, from me gift.

However if you don't feel like going out, stay in, have a pamper day. Stay in your pjs all day, watch trashy movies, eat all the snacks. Do whatever you want to do. I personally plan on coming home from work, running myself a hot bubble bath with a hot chocolate and a marathon of Harry Potter. Yeah I know it's not very romantic but I'm not a big fan of romance/chick flick films and I'm currently on a Harry Potter kick. And whilst you're at it, cook yourself your favourite dinner or order in, do a little bit of online shopping. Anything that makes you feel good, grounded and ready to take on the world is exactly what you need on the one day a year that your single status is commented upon more than usual. Take Valentine's Day as a day to be selfish in loving yourself and fuck everyone who has anything negative or bad to say about it.

GRWM: Valentine's Day

 

There's only three days until Valentine's and I know a lot of you are thinking about what you have planned, what you're going to wear, how you're going to wear your hair and what make up you're going to go with. Today, I'm sharing with you a look that I think will be perfect for any Valentine's plans you have and won't take you ages to do.

Prime
Primer is one of the key elements for this look. It'll help prep skin for any base product you apply over top as well help with the longevity of your make up. I like to use a trio of products which yes is overkill but for me works wonders. I use a combination of the Maybelline SuperStay Primer, Maybelline Master Prime Anti-Redness Primer and the Loreal Infallible Magic Essence Primer Drops. The combination of the three help to hydrate, smooth and reduce any appearence of redness as well as improve the longevity of my make up. I really like the fact that they're all lightweight so they don't feel like they're weighing my skin down or are going to cause my base products to pill on the skin when applied.

Base 
When it comes to my base, I want it to be flawless but not mask like, light weight and long wearing. Enter the Revolution Conceal and Define Foundation. It's full coverage, lightweight, long wear formula answers every one of my base needs and lives up to it's claims. I currently have to mix the shades F1 and F2 to get the right shade but once it's blended out, it's gorgeous. A damp beauty blender is my weapon of choice, the finish so much nicer and natural looking than if applied with a brush. I always advise taking it down your neck though so you don't end up with that dreaded line.

Concealer
For concealer, I always use the same combination. The Maybelline The Eraser Eye and the Revolution Conceal And Define Concealer. The duo work wonders on covering any darkness surronding my under eye area as well as brightening and making that area look more awake. Again I take a damp beauty blender to blend it outwards, paying special attention to the inner corners where it tends to crease ever so slightly.

Brows
For brows I went in with my trusty E.L.F Brow Pencil. It's not an ultra soft crayon but it's still soft enough to create enough realistic looking definition without scratching the skin. Whenever I fill in my brows, I constantly brush them through with a spoolie to remove any excess product sitting in them or any foundation that may cause the product to ball and pill as the day goes on.

Lashes
I like my lashes to be as big and voluminous as possible but without being clumped or weighed down with product. So once I've curled them, I apply a generous layer of the Benefit They're Real Tinted Lash Primer. It helps to prolong a curl as well as seperate and give depth to my occasionally sparse looking lashes. Then to give them even more volume and length, I applied a generous coat of the Loreal Volume Million Lashes Couture. It's micro bristle brush catches every lashes and gives it a fanned out defined look that lasts all day long.

 Lips 
As Valentine's is coming up, I thought about trying a pink lip instead of the classic red. However I couldn't resist the pull of a red and I've found my new holy grail red thanks to the UK release of Flower Beauty. Their Miracle Matte Liquid Lipstick in Scarlett Letter is the perfect blue toned classic red that will suit a multitude of skin tones. It's lightweight formula makes it feel like your wearing nothing and it doesn't feel uncomfortable or drying after a few hours either. I could resist wearing this and I may even wear this again on Valentine's Day itself. However if red isn't your kind of colour, a nice pink shade will give the look that romantic yet girly vibe.

 Setting 
And to set everything into place so it didn't move or disappear, I spritzed my face generously with the Revolution Hyaluronic Acid Setting Spray. This doesn't only keep make up locked in place throughout the day but it also helps to keep skin hydrated so it doesn't start to look dry or cakey after a few hours wear. I swear by this stuff and I highly recommend it if you're looking for a new setting spray.

Recipe: Simple Valentine's Cupcakes

Happy Friday! Today I'm bringing you the final of my three Valentine's themed recipes I've been sharing with you all week. I started the week with Raspberry Shortbread Hearts and followed it up on Wednesday with Strawberry Centred Valentine's Brownies. And today I'm sharing with you the easiest of the three, for those who want to bake their loved one something but don't have the confidence to make anything ridiculously complex or complicated. These cupcakes are so quick and easy to make and taste absolutely divine. A moist vanilla cupcake topped with a strawberry buttercream, makes for an adorable and tasty Valentine bake.

Ingredients
For The Cupcakes
- 100g Caster Sugar
- 100g Stork/Margarine
- 100g Self Raising Flour
- 2 Eggs
- 2Tsp Vanilla Extract

For The Buttercream
- 200g Butter, softened
- 320g Icing Sugar
- 2Tsp Strawberry Extract
- 1 Tube Of Dr Oetker Pink Gel Food Colouring

Method
1- Pre heat oven to 180C. Line a twelve hole muffin tin with paper cases.
2- In a bowl place the butter and caster sugar. Beat until creamy in consistency and pale in colour.
3- Add one egg and a tablespoon of flour. Beat until fully combined, scraping around the edge of the bowl so that there's nothing left sitting on the sides.
4- Repeat with the second egg and a second tablespoon of flour. Again beat until fully incoporated.
5- Fold in the rest of your flour. Take your time with this, you don't want to knock any air of your mixture.
6- Once your flour has been folded into the mix, add your vanilla extract and fold the mixture together. Now would be a great time to scrape around the bowl again so that every thing is fully incoporated and you don't have pockets of flour sitting at the bottom of the bowl.
7- Spoon your mixture into the paper cases and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
8- Leave to cool in their tin for five minutes then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
9- Whilst they're cooling, place your softened butter into a bowl and beat until it's creamy and smooth.
10- Sieve in half of your icing sugar and beat until fully combined. I highly recommend sieving your icing sugar and it'll stop you getting pockets of icing sugar in your buttercream.
11- Add the other half of your icing sugar and beat until fully combined. If the buttercream looks a little too stiff to pipe, add a splash of milk to the mixture to just loosen it slightly.
12- Beat in your strawberry extract and food colouring. You can make the buttercream as bright as you'd like but I personally decided on a paler pink. Remember to scrape the edges of the bowl so there's nothing sitting on the side and everything has been fully incorporated.
13- Once you're happy with your buttercream, spoon it into a piping bag fitted with a nozzle of your choice. Ice your now cooled cupcakes in any pattern you like. You can even add a few sugar decorations to the top when your finished if you wanted to. I was going to add some sugar roses to mine but it turned out I didn't have enough to do the whole batch so I left it at the buttercream.
14- Leave them to set and then share them with your loved ones, or enjoy them all to yourself if that's what you want.

Recipe: Strawberry Centred Valentine's Brownies

On Monday I shared with you the first of three Valentine's based recipes and today I'm back with my second. I had played with the idea of making a Valentine's themed sandwich biscuit but me and sandwich biscuits aren't friends at the moment. So I took another look at what I could create that would look like you've the effort yet are still adorable and tasty. Then on Pinterest I saw that someone had sandwiched together brownies to create twist on the classic Victoria sandwich sponge. So I thought that instead of letting my new heart shaped cutters go to waste after only one use, I knuckled down and brought to you a recipe that is a little more complex than I'm used to but turned out great and I'm quite proud of, if I say so myself.

Ingredients
For The Brownies
- 200g Unsalted Butter
- 200g Dark Chocolate
- 275g Caster Sugar
- 3 Eggs
- 35g Cocoa Powder
- 90g Plain Flour
- 100g Chocolate Chips

For The Buttercream
- 200g Butter, softened
- 320g Icing Sugar
- 2 Tsp Strawberry Extract
- 1 Tube Of Dr Oetker Pink Gel Food Colouring

Method 
1- Pre heat oven to 180C. Line a thin baking tray with baking paper.
2- In a bain marie melt the dark chocolate and unsalted butter. I always prefer to melt my chocolate over a bain marie rather than in a microwave as it's lessens it's chances of burning.
3- Once everything has melted together, place to one side and leave to cool until it's room temperature.
4- In a bowl place your sugar and eggs. Whisk until they're double in size, pale in colour and have a mousse like consistency. I find it best to do it with either an electric whisk or in a stand mixer as it can take a little while to get it to the right consistency.
5- Once your chocolate mizture is cool enough, add to the eggs and sugar. Fold in gently as to not knock any of the air you've just created.
6- Sift in your cocoa powder and flour and fold gently again. I like to use this step to scrape around the bowl to make sure there is nothing clinging to the sides and everything is being fully incoporated.
7- Fold in your chocolate chips and then pour into your prepared tin. If you're wondering why you need to use a thinner baking tin, it's so the brownies don't come out too thick and can be easily cut later once they've cooled. I used a swiss roll tin for mine and they came out the perfect thickness.
8- Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
9- When they're out of the oven, leave to one side to cool and start on the butter cream. Place you softened butter in a bowl and beat until soft and smooth in consistency.
10- Sift half your icing sugar into the mix and beat until it's combined, remembering to scrape the edges of the bowl so everything gets incorporated.
11- Add the rest of your icing sugar and beat until completely combined. If your buttercream looks a little stiff, you can a teaspoon of milk to just soften it to an easier piping consistency.
12- Add your strawberry extract and pink food colouring. Beat until it's combined, adding more colour where necessary. Once you're happy with your buttercream, place to one side.
13- When your brownies have completely cooled, take your heart shaped cutter and start cutting out matching pairs, using a smaller cutter where necessary to get the most out of your brownies.
14- Lay them out on a cooling rack and spoon your buttercream into a piping bag.
15- Depending on the size of your piping nozzle and the steadiness of your hand, gently pipe around the outline of the heart, working your way in until one half is completely covered in buttercream.
16- When you have half your brownies hearts covered in buttercream, take the remaining plain halves and sandwich them on top of the iced hearts. Try not to press too hard or the icing will ooze out the side.
17- Once all your hearts have been sandwiched together, leave to set on the cooling rack, then share with your bae or loved ones.

Recipe: Raspberry Shortbread Hearts

Valentine's Day is quickly approaching and whilst it's not my favourite holiday in the calendar, I can't deny that baking Valentine's themed is quite appealing. So this week, I will be sharing with you three Valentine's themed bakes that I thought would be a nice idea for those of you who plan on baking for your loved one.

Ingredients 
- 115g Butter
- 55g Caster Sugar
- A Pinch Of Salt
- 10g Freeze Dried Raspberries
- 175g Plain Flour

Method
1- Pre heat oven to 180C. Line two baking trays with baking paper.
2- In a bowl place your flour, sugar and salt.
3- Add your butter and rub together until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. This doesn't take as long as you expect but if you want to make it quicker, you can easily put this all together in a food processor and blitz it together.
4- Add your freeze dried raspberries and continue to rub together until it forms a dough. This won't take long but if you do find your dough breaking or not coming together at all, add a little water or milk as a binding agent. However don't add too much or your dough will be wet and again won't come together easily. 
5- Once you have your dough, place it on a lightly floured surface and roll it out until it's a 1/2 inch thick. Take care to flour your rolling pin as well as it might stick to the dough and you'll end up tearing a hole out of it as your rolling it out.
6- When you're happy with the thickness of your dough, take your heart shaped cutters and cut out as many shapes as you can, rerolling your dough when necessary to get the most out of it.
7- Place your shapes onto your prepared baking tray and bake for 10-15 minutes or until they're golden brown. When you take them out, you want the edges to be firm but the inside to still be a little soft, they'll soon firm up as they cool and you'll end up with delicious melt in the mouth shortbread.

Haul: Books, Books, Books

At the beginning of the year I made a promise to myself that I would start reading a little everyday which would hopefully help me read more. Yet as I looked through my book collection, there weren't many that were jumping out at me. So over the last few weeks, I may or may not (see former) brought a few new books to add to my collection to help me continue on this reading kick I've been on.

Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince- J.K. Rowling
I've read The Half Blood Prince as a child but this year I want to reread the entire Harry Potter series and as I was digging them out, I sadly discovered I didn't own The Half-Blood Prince. Thank god for Amazon, where a lot of these came from, for helping a girl out. Now I have the entire collection and I can continue on with my reread.

Gallery Of The Dead- Chris Carter 
Last year I accidentally discovered Chris Carter. I picked up his novel The Caller cheap in a supermarket and was instantly hooked when I started reading it. It was one of my favourite reads of 2018 so when I saw he had a new one out, I just had to get it. I don't really know much about the plot apart from the fact it follows a series of gruesome crimes that one Detective Robert Hunter has to solve. I read a chapter of this on iBooks and knew instantly that this was going to be a hit without needing to read the synopsis or any more chapters.

The Night Circus- Erin Morgenstern 
The Night Circus is a book I've been saying I'm going to read/buy for the last couple of years but never gotten round to. Well this year that changed and now it's sitting happily in my TBR pile, waiting for me to finally get round to it. I don't know what it is about The Night Circus that drew my attention but from reading the synopsis, the mystery, intrigue and romantic aspects definitely have me intrigued. I am kind of saving this one, what for I don't know but I do know I keep putting to the bottom of the pile for some bizarre reason.

The Cruel Prince- Holly Black 
When I was looking for new books to read, I watched a lot of Booktubers and quite a few of the ones I've brought are because I've seen them spoken about by a lot of the Booktubers I've watched. The Cruel Prince is one of the most talked about books from the last year so I felt like I just had to get it to see what the hype was all about. Featured around sisters who were stolen from the mortal world and made to live in the Fey world, The Cruel Prince follows the journey of one sisters' dream to win a place in the High Court of Faerie. From the reviews I've read and watched, this book will simultaneously have me hooked whilst giving me all the feels. Holly Black has also just released the sequel, The Wicked King but I'm going to wait until it's released in paperback before I buy as I much prefer paperbacks over hardbacks.

Caraval- Stephanie Garber
Caraval is another I heard a lot about when I was looking for new books and from reading an excert, I think could be a winner for me. Featured around two sisters who dream of nothing more than escaping their father and seeing the once a year Caraval performance. They are finally granted their wish as an invitation falls into their hands but once they arrive, the sisters are split up and the true nature of Caraval evolves. I'm hooked just from the synopsis of this book and am very tempted to put this to the top of my February TBR pile.

The Thousandth Floor- Katharine McGee
Another book I read an excert of and just knew I needed in my collection is The Thousandth Floor. Set in the future, The Thousandth Floor is set around a thousand story tower and it's many occupants from the ridiculously rich to the barely scraping by poor. Featuring five teenagers with intertwining plots, this book gives off major Gossip Girl vibes and is the first of a trilogy that I'm aiming to finish this year.

The Hazel Wood- Melissa Albert
The Hazel Wood is one I've heard mixed reviews on, some loved it whilst some found it boring and lacking. I again have read a preview and liked what I read so decided to give the whole book a go. Centred around Alice a seventeen year old girl who's spent most of her life moving to city to city with a dark cloud hanging over her and her mom's head. When she finally thinks her bad luck has gone, her reclusive yet famour grandmother dies leaving behind her estate The Hazel Wood. And when Alice's mom is stolen, Alice has to enter The Hazel Wood to learn of the fictional world her grandmother created and what may lay in wait for her there. I'm looking forward to reading both this and it's sequel when it's released, keeping my mind up open even though I've seen many a mixed review.

This Lie Will Kill You- Chelase Pitcher 
One of the eighty three books I'd like to read this year is One Of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus so when I saw this advertised as one for fans of One Of Us Is Lying, I knew I just had to pick it up. This Lie Will Kill You centres around five teens who played a part in the death of one of their fellow partygoers. One year later, they're invited to an isolated mansion to compete a competition with a $50,000 prize. Advertised as Clue meets Riverdale, the premise of this book had me hooked as soon as I read it. Again this could potentially be one of my February reads if I stop scrolling aimlessly through Twitter.

The Puppet Show- M.W. Craven 
And last but not least is the latest book to my collection. The Puppet Show is a crime/thriller that sees disgraced detective Washington Poe brought back from suspension to help solve the case of serial killer burning people alive. I love a good crime novel and whilst this isn' the normal style I go for, it has a lot of potential and could be extremely good if the author's put enough thought into it. If I do finish it then this and all the others will all be featured in a What I Read post throughout the year.