Book Review; Crossfire Series Books 1-3

So as soon as I finished the Fifty Shades (FS) Trilogy I started the Crossfire series, I only got the first 3 books (and waited for the 4th book to be released on the 18th November; I will review this book along with when the 5th book is released although its probably ages away to being released). I'm going to review this like I did the FS Review, each book by itself.

Bared to You (Book 1)

Gideon pretty much just wants his own way, and Eva is, well, a bit stubborn and I think she is for the completely right reason. The book moves along a little quicker then FS and the way in which they meet is also a bit different, if not a little more realistic? I did like the fact the book moved along a little quicker, and I did think that Sylvia Day actually took more care and more depth into the sex scenes in this book. The sex scenes were seriously intense and erotic - and I mean that. All I'm saying is Gideon's Parents House and Magdalene and the Limo.

I think looking at the characters, Gideon is much more likely to notice and react quickly to the fact he's screwed up, like an almost immediate reaction - he is much more needy and paranoid in my opinion. Eva is stubborn, and its very obvious she has a lot of issues in trusting people, an sometimes even Gideon. I think towards the end of Chapter 18, you can see the two's trust and relationship being pushed quite far, especially for Eva.

I really enjoyed the first book, I jumped straight into the second without a moment's delay! I really like the fact that both the two main characters are pretty screwed up from their pasts, and not just one. I feel you still get that mystery of the two characters, trying to figure both out and figure if they really 'can' work or not. To conclude, I would definitely say if you enjoyed the FS trilogy then you have to give this book a go - I would say Gideon and Eva are a bit different to Christian and Ana but they have a lot more depth and are possibly in a more intense relationship.

LOVE - Gideon and Eva if I'm going to be honest. I like how they both have a lot of issues they need to resolve. I also like the fact Eva also comes from a wealthy background herself, so she can appreciate Gideon's wealth better (unlike Ana who is in denial of CG's Wealth in FS)
HATE - I personally was not digging the whole 'all characters seem to be beautiful and perfect' thing. I mean I get that her friend Cary is a model etc and that but it just kind of seems everyone is kind of beautiful and amazing,

Reflected in You (Book 2)

The second book started out following straight on from the ending of the first book, just the next morning. I found the second book a bit more tense then the first one. I was on the edge a lot of the time, trying to figure why it was happening and how it was to be resolved. There is also a HUGE plot twist at the end - I think what we can learn from Gideon's character is to take him literally, what he says is what he means.

I did feel a lot more sympathy for Eva in this book - mainly because it was like one thing after another, and she was on an emotional roller-coaster that never ended. I do think the way she reacted a lot of the time was rational, and if I'm honest I just want to give her a hug. I began to take a tiny dislike to Gideon with the way he treats Eva in this book, despite for all the good reason he may have to do so. But he soon made me like him again with the sex scenes in this book (although, most are actually towards the first half of the book, with the second half being a lot less focused on the sex, but the intensity of having none).

I really loved the second book for showing that 2 people who are majorly (pardon my language) fucked up to be so determined to make the relationship work, for me it shows that they aren't conventional but are desperate to try for what they have and develop that in a way they feel comfortable (obviously with Gideon taking control!).

LOVE That the relationship for Gideon and Eva isn't perfect - but more screwed up. Its the fact they want to prove people wrong.
HATE I found this consistent in both the second and third books - the fact we are given information like we've only just met the character when its just been a little while since they were mentioned! It drove me crazy!!!

Entwined with You (Book 3)
I think the key overall summary of this book is 'plot twists' and 'intense sex'. So many plot twists in this book, especially from the last few chapters - I think I nearly died at 2am when reading the last few chapters as it was all so unexpected.

I think if you are expecting 'closure' from the end of book 2, you can definitely think again. I think this book will just make you even more confused on Gideon and Eva's relationship. Despite all the drama and shocks in this book I found myself still getting completely wrapped up into why Gideon is the way he is - I personally want to know everything and completely get why Eva wants to know too. I think the major plot twist at the end is completely unexpected from my view - and supremely quick.

In this book I definitely think Gideon flourishes more and you begin to realise its not about him - all will make sense if you choose to read the book. This book definitely has a little more humour to it as well - some of the jokes that came out genuinely made me giggle more then they should have; again this gave the book more of a humorous and enjoyable feel.

LOVE The fact there is a little more romance; and despite it not being much we have a small insight into Gideon's past and we can understand the way he works sometimes. Oh and the aeroplane sex... Jesus that was hot...
HATE The dropped stories - I just found that some leads were dropped in the story like we will come back to them later. Like at the end when Gideon, Eva, Cary, and Eva's parents go to a function and Eva see's someone - its just dropped. Ugh frustrating.

Overall 
If I'm going to be honest, I was rather sceptical of this series to start with, as I didn't think that the books would live up to the claims that its 'better' then FS - well I think the book proved me wrong. I would argue however that I do think this was written better, and the plots aren't EXACTLY the same (like some people claimed), which was refreshing in itself. 
One of the big things that bugged me in all three of the books, had to be that some sex scenes were written in great depth, and real good depth too - but then if they had follow up sex near on after (which happened frequently) it would cover about 5-6 lines and that's it. I personally found that majorly frustrating and think Day could've done that a bit better in my opinion.

The only other big criticism is the release dates for the next books - I know this is not Day's fault, but the publishing house. Jesus, I just feel lucky I only had to wait 2 months for the 4th book to be released - I know many people have waited over a year. I am also confused on how many more there are actually going to be?! Some people have said five in total, some six and some people even said seven. So if you know please let me know in the comments!!

Emma Victoria

xoxox

OOTW; From Smart to Casual

So a couple of weeks ago, I was working flat out and had to go from office wear to casual going out to dinner wear. So I decided to wear a multi-change outfit, one suitable for 2 different situations.

So for me I made a base outfit and by adding either a jacket, or cardigan made it either smart of casual!

Underwear
Floral Set, Bra and High Waisted Knickers; Simple Be - Bra £30 Knickers £15

Black Hold Up Stockings, Amazon - £2.89

Outfit
Base
Navy Blue Alice Top, Collectif - £15

Black Pencil Skirt, Chairty - £5
Black Patent Clover Heels, Clarks - £50 (discontinued)

Casual
Pink Fluffy Cardigan, New Look - £24.99

Pink Patent Handbag, Next - £30

Smart
Tailored Blue Spot Jacket, Next - £35

It was super easy for me to shrug off my jacket from work and pop on this super cosy and cute cardigan, perfect for the cooler evenings now, and go out to dinner! Literally took me just 5 minutes

to change over and do my eye make-up! Super cute and super quick. The base outfit is simple, and can be worn for various occasions, either dressed up or down! 
For my eye make-up, I used a candy pink on the inside of my eye, and on the outer lid I used a bold shimmery blue. I then blended the two and got a beautiful purple hue in the middle! Totally cute and super simple to achieve, by using an angled brush and blending brush! 
I just used my scandal eyes mascara and used the Mary Kay lip gloss in 'gold rush' for a slight shimmer. On my cheeks is the Bourjois blush in Rose D'Or; and foundation and concealer are Collection 2000, both in shade ivory.

Not long until its December and we can officially go Christmas Crazy!!

Emma Victoria

xoxox

Simply Be SS15 Preview Event!

So on Wednesday I went to my first ever bloggers event, all thanks to Simply Be! I also did a mini vlog of my night too (check it out here)

I had such a fantastic night with some lovely ladies, meeting lots of lovely new ladies and bloggers and meeting bloggers who inspired me to start blogging! (I did fan girl a little inside if I'm going to be honest) I had such a lovely night and spent it with the lovely Hayley too from Lady Haze of Vintage! I also met the lovely Mookie from Mookie's Life and she's also so super lovely (we even bagged a cute selfie!!)

So here comes all the pictures....!

My fellow Vintage lover Hayley from the Lady Haze of Vintage and moi!

Bright Pink Pleated Midi Skirt - a must have!!

My absolute favourite Bikini!

Beautiful Wrap Dress

The gorgeous Mookie & Moi!

Hayley & Myself having some lovely wine!

Hayley, Mookie and I - Selfie Time!

I got to London about half an hour earlier then what I expected, due to my later train being cancelled (it does pay to be early sometimes!) and I got to Oxford Circus about 4ish where I met the lovely Becky from doesmyblogmakemelookfat and a few other lovely ladies too! We went to the Simply Be shop on Oxford Street and had a look round (found a few pieces I wouldn't mind getting once I get my first pay from my new job!) and then I went to pick the lovely Hayley from the tube station before we all headed up and over to the Sanderson Hotel where the event was being held!

There were so many beautiful ladies as well as lots of beautiful pieces for the next collection - I'm even very tempted to get a bikini for the first time in ever as I completely fell in love with the pink bikini on show and the black and white polka dot bikini!!

I also saw this gorgeous jersey wrap dress, that will be warm if a little chilly but also cool enough to wear on a really hot day!


I overall cannot wait for next year for Summer and Spring, but I also want to say a huge thank you to Simply Be for this amazing opportunity!!

Love 

Emma Victoria

xoxoxo

Review; Collectif Pearl Coat (Beige)

Happy Saturday! Sorry today's post isn't up at the usual time, but I've been so wrapped up into my reading, that last night I forgot to write this post up (and while I write this I'm actually watching the rugby)!!

Anyway, today I thought I'd show, and review my absolutely stunning new coat! I'm in complete awe and love with this coat - I waited a year to purchase it, and its everything I expected and more.

So lets begin with the actual aesthetic looks to the coat.
The Pearl Coat has a 1930's style with stunning pleats on the waist, bust and back of the coat to give volume and to shape. The coat has a small hourglass cut to the waist, which is also supported with the flare of the skirt on the coat too. (Perfect for those ladies who want to flatter their figure, or to acheieve a little hourglass figure while wearing a coat). The collar, cuffs and trim of the coat are all in a faux fox fur which is so super soft you never want to take the coat of at all! I also saw a post on Tumblr where the Pearl Coat looks identical to the one in the picture (link here).

The coat itself, is very heavy, but at the same time its very cosy and warm. I genuinely can't wait to have snow again in the UK, just so I have even more excuse to wear the coat!
I bought this coat in a size 20, and its definitely true to size, I'm in between sizes in Collectif varying from a size 18 -22, but I'm predominantly a 20. The coat has a good little bit of stretch to it, not loads but enough to fit over my rather voluptuous lady lumps. The buttons are mighty sturdy too, as well as positively cute. What I love even more with the faux fur neck collar, is that you can have it loose like I am wearing in the images, or you can fasten it up so its more tighter around your neck for more warmth; there is 3 hook and eye fasteners on the fur collar, and is a really lovely option to have, depending on what the weather may be.

The coat also has really good pockets - I'm very fussy when it comes to coats with pockets. My last coat had poor excuses for pockets and I couldn't even put my phone in them without it falling out - however the pockets on the pearl can probably hold a compact mirror, lipstick and my iPhone 4s quite happily - which is perfect if you are just quickly dashing out and don't need nor want to take a handbag! (Also perfect to pop your hands in if you gloves aren't keeping your hands toasty!)

My favourite part of testing anything that has a flowy skirt to it, is the twirl test! I didn't expect this coat to be too twirly considering how heavy it is, but I was pleasantly surprised! If you are walking down the street the skirt actually swings as you go, making you look like you've stepped out of the 1930's glamour scene (no complaints here!), but if you really want to get some va va voom, then just spin in a circle (I do it a lot, way too much some times!) and then you can really get some volume under the skirt - definitely a happy girl here! No worries if it's windy though as the coat will definitely hold down so you won't have to worry about having any Marilyn Monroe moments!

11/10

So overall I think this whole coat is phenomenal - its just perfect and is classically elegant.  I even think giving it an 11 out of 10 is still not justifying how amazing this coat is, in design and quality. You can either dress it up or dress it down! I'd pair this coat with my Patsy Herringbone skirt, black tights, black pumps, a cute top and cardigan/bolero with this coat for a cute winter outfit!
The price of £185 may be a little steep for those on a budget, but I promise that it is definitely worth its price tag!

You can buy your's here:
Green - http://www.collectif.co.uk/plain-pearl-coat-p-vaw140611-c-green.html
Beige - https://www.collectif.co.uk/plain-pearl-coat-p-aw130609-c-beige.html 

Love 

Emma Victoria

xoxox

(P.S If you want to see my twirling around in the coat then check out my Mini Review on YouTube!)

OOTW; Winter Polka Dotty

Seeing as we are approaching cooler climates now its starting to get near Christmas - which always means I get super excited. However, I still have a lot of meetings to go to for various things I do, so I need to look smart yet stylish. Way back in July I think it was, Collectif had a huge sale and I bought this lovely dress, and its absolutely perfect!

Blue Crochet Multiway Bra, Simply Be - £32 (No Longer Available)

Blue Crochet High Waisted Briefs, Simple Be - £18 (No Longer Available)

Black 20 Denier Hold-ups, Amazon - £2.89

Red Polka Dot Dolores Wiggle Dress, Collectif - £50
Black pearls, Charity Shop - £1
Cream Fur Coat, Primark - £35
Patent Becca Bag, Collectif - £35
T-Bar Heels, eBay - £20

This outfit is really lovely and comfortable, I got my dress in a size 22, but kind of wish I went for a 20 or even an 18. Its actually quite big on me, but I've yet to get round to tailoring it properly to my figure. However, its a super classy, bright number which can brighten anyone's day - as my boss told me so!

I've also been really enjoying wearing hold-ups more so far this autumn/winter, I normally just wore plain tights or leggings if wearing boots. And these Amazon ones are amazing and don't fall down! I have a review for them coming up soon!

I kept my make-up particularly simple, seeing as this is a more 'office' do, and the smoky grey eyes are just absolutely lovely anyway! You can add eyeliner if you wish, however I chose not to.

Make-up

Vie Tinted Moisturiser in Very Light

Collection 2000 Concealer in Shade 02
Collection 2000 Foundation in Light
Natural Collection Face Powder shade Neutral

Light Shimmer Grey over whole lid
Dark Shimmer Grey in crease, blended out

Rimmel Scandaleyes Mascara
Mary Kay Lip Gloss in shade Goldrush

Emma Victoria

xoxox

Preparing for Christmas... Tips!

I know, I know "Its only NOVEMBER!" but - I like to be prepared for Christmas, and not have to panic at the last minute like hundreds of other people! So here are a few of my tips for Christmas, not only for this year but for future years.

1. Make a List!
I'm not saying make a list just for other people  for what to get you - make a list for yourself!
Normally around mid-late September I start planning for Christmas. What I'm doing for dessert for Christmas day (as I'm normally the one who does dessert), presents, Christmas Cards, Candles, decoration themes & plan. Everything! I normally have a list of presents compiled by mid-October for everyone and have a budget set on how much I'm spending.

2. Spending
Now I have heard countless times of the shock bills we get in January and the impending doom of debt... However I completely avoid this and don't normally have a panic attack of lack of money by 10th January.
What I do, and is one of the best things I do, is put money away for Christmas presents every week of the year, starting the first week of the New Year. This year I saved up just over £300 which was more then enough for my presents and more! It makes things so much easier and less stressful too!

3. Plan Ahead 
Overall the key thing to Christmas is to plan ahead - don't leave anything to chance. Don't wait for the rush of the 1st December to start getting things in. The earlier you start planning and buying things the less panic and rush December seems. I normally go for a waltz around the shops in December after I've done all my shopping for look for myself.

4. Buying after Christmas
So, normally after Christmas is over, everything goes on sale. Last year Balsam Hill had a huge sale and we got an 8ft Christmas tree with lights for £299 when the original RRP was £650. We finally took the plunge and bought a fake tree as we found we could shape them better and have the tree up for much longer!
I normally buy my wrapping paper, cards and other bits and bobs just after Christmas for the next year.

5. Enjoy the Season!
Its one thing I find that so many people are stressing out - that they can't enjoy the time! Which makes me so super sad!!! I love Christmas with all my heart - I love the fake snow, the joyous songs and little children getting excited for St Nick! 

So please enjoy the time, have a cheeky little Baileys, watch a few Christmas episodes on TV while wrapping up presents and writing cards, go out to the local town which has all the beautiful decorations alight at night! (I love going to Oxford Street and Winter Wonderland every year in London, especially at night!)

(P.S I normally love going to see the Choccywoccydoodah Christmas displays in Brighton, and now also London. They are so phenomenally amazing - definitely a recommended visit!)

Emma Victoria

xoxox

Personal; I Have An Idea.

So recently, I've been thinking a lot more as to my career, my life, my job. I've been planning the next few years roughly in my head like the boring stuff of wanting to ideally be moved out by 21, pass my test, get a decent car, spend 2 years at this job and possibly then start looking at another, the trivial things really.

But one thing that has always bugged me, that I know I'd never have the guts to do would be to start up my own business. I have so many ideas stuck in my head; in my dreams I have my own mini empire of an array of my ideas being successful... But I know in reality, I can't and first and for most don't have the guts to take such a huge financial risk right now or maybe ever.

I admire anyone who starts up their own business, and follows that dream. I think what bugs me is that I wouldn't know how to do it for a start. What to start with and who to start with - its all just confusing, its not as simple as writing something down on a piece of paper. It takes time and a lot of money.

Another thing that bugs me personally, is that I feel that I'm not smart enough, like no one will take me seriously, my family and friends say I'm smart but I don't feel I am. I know you don't have to be smart to run a business, but I just feel like I'd make a mockery of myself.

So do any of you have a dream that maybe your too scared to pursue or delve into? If you are, what makes you feel like you can't, and do you think you ever will?

Do you have any good advice?

Emma Victoria

xox

(P.S Don't forget to check out my Haul Video on my YouTube channel which I uploaded yesterday!)