Beijing Tai Tai Book review

When I first heard of the book Beijing Tai Tai life, laughter and motherhood in China's capital written by Tania McCartney, I was curiously excited about the book. I have never travelled outside of Austalia, but plan to one day so I love learning more about life in different countries.

Beijing Tai Tai: a collection of shrewdly observed, heartfelt and humorous insights into Beijing expatriate life after Tania was forced to move her family there for four years. It’s a rollercoaster ride of honesty and openness as a mother and wife (tai tai) juggles suburban family life in urban Beijing.

I read this book and loved it. I couldn't put the book down, I just wanted to keep on reading to find out more about the life that Tania and her family were experiencing, living in Beijing.

Tania McCartney found out she would be moving with her husband and two children both under five years of age to Beijing -  she was scared! She didn't know what to expect and so she wrote about the experience in her book Beijing Tai Tai. I love the way Tania wrote this book, it is heartfelt, funny and so real.

A great book that allows the reader to take the journey with Tania and learn about what it was like to live in Beijing and experience the different culture, lifestyle and traditions of the people in China.
She writes about lots of different things, like how she dealt with Ayi (her maid) and her experience of having her hair coloured and how she ate Chinese food.

Tania is an Australian author of children’s books and adult nonfiction. She is an experienced magazine writer and editor, is the founder of respected literary site Kids Book Review and writes for several online websites. She has also been recruited by the National Year of Reading 2012 as state ambassador for the ACT.
You can see more reviews of this fantastic book at the virtual book tour.
Beijing Tai Tai can be purchased online at www.exislepublishing.com.au for $24.99 in paperback or $9.99 as a ebook.

I have one copy of the book Beijing Tai Tai to giveaway to one lucky reader! (CLOSED)
For your chance to win, let me know - where you would like to travel to if you could go anywhere in the world? in the comments below.

Terms and conditions:
1. Open to Australian residents only.
2. Be a follower of my blog through Google Friend Connect
3. This giveaway finishes 4th of May 2012 at 10pm. (AEST)
4. Please ensure that you leave your email, so that I can email you if you are the winner.
****Optional.........(let me know in the coments below if you have done an extra entry)
For an extra entry, 'Like' my facebook page DanniiBeauty

Thanks to everyone who entered!

The winner is

RachKap

Stay tuned for more great giveaways soon!

Book review: Best Start by Lynn Jenkins

How cute is the cover of this book!?! I was sent 'Best Start' by Lynn Jenkins and I really enjoyed it.

I love reading and parenting books are great, they can address things we don't think about or have time to think about especially when you are having your first child.  

Best Start is written by Lynn Jenkins, a psychologist and she writes it in a easy to understand way, with some humor and cute cartoon drawings.

Best Start is about shaping your child's life, by providing them a positive experience and interaction. The interactions a child has from babyhood sets the foundation for the way a child develops their emotional wellbeing. 

Babies learn the difference between a happy voice and a angry voice and they are aware of their surroundings. Babies learn to be a certain way in response to how they are treated which is so powerful and important when raising children. This book goes through the developmental stages and what to look out for when raising your children. It has given me great information that I have learnt from about better understanding my children.

As a parent, there are many times when we may feel guilty of not doing enough for our children but this book helps to address that and ensures that as parents we are doing our best.

Best Start is excellent and I highly recommend to anyone that has children or will be having children. This book is so easy to understand and has a wealth of information that every parent should read. It would make a great gift too! Best start is available to purchase now.

Do you read books?

Book: Silver Smoke by Monica Leonelle and Kindle Fire Giveaway

Do you love to read?  You will definitely want to check out the new novel by Monica Leonelle called Silver Smoke, the first novel in the series. 

Silver Smoke blurb -  A broken family, a deadly secret, and an impossible romance. Brie van Rossum has fame, fortune, and beauty, but there's one thing she doesn't have--the name of her mother's supernatural killer.

The Hallows, descendants of the archangels, don't think Milena was murdered.. but can Brie trust them when their government, the New Order, wants her dead?

She'd better figure it all out soon...… because when Brie finds out who she really is, the hunt will begin.

And Milena might not be the only casualty. Like mother, like daughter...

I was able to interview Monica Leonelle and ask her a few questions about her fantastic book:

DanniiBeauty: Tell us a little about yourself?
Monica Leonelle: I'm a 27 year old entrepreneur and writer living in Chicago. Aside from writing, I am a marketing consultant and help companies with their digital strategies. Naturally, I'm trying to transition out of that and focus solely on my novels. I'm getting there, but I'm still developing my readership.

DanniiBeauty: What inspired you to write this book?
Monica Leonelle: At the time I was writing it, I was pretty depressed, to be honest. I had always planned to write a novel, but never could seem to find the time. I was working in Atlanta at an agency as a marketing director, managing some the digital marketing for some really huge brands. Every day when I got home from work, I would fall asleep and not wake up until the next morning when I had to work. It was pretty insane. I was alive but not really living.

I couldn't express my feelings in writing just due to being a professional and not wanting to risk my job, so I started writing about this girl who was extremely depressed because her mother died. The girl had lost everything, her friends, her home, etc. I wrote like 40 pages of this super depressing manuscript, almost none of which made the cut to the actual book. But at the end of all that, I was not depressed anymore and I had Brie van Rossum, the main character of Silver Smoke. The book starts about two months after her mom dies, but those 40 pages I wrote are the in-between--what she goes through before the book actually starts.

DanniiBeauty: What is the book about?
Monica Leonelle: The book is about a girl who is looking for her mother's killer, but it's not a crime story because it has a supernatural twist. For Brie, the stakes are high, because she's developing supernatural powers and needs her mother's help to understand what's really going on. She has the help of the Hallows, who know part of the story, and can offer her a best guess. But they don't have all the answers. So Brie gets obsessed with the idea of finding her mom's killer and uncovering her family secrets. In the meantime, a lot of other crazy stuff is happening and that stuff keeps her in Honolulu, away from the mainland, where she's more likely to find answers. It's very frustrating for her, but she eventually learns the answers and they set her on a different path than she expected.

DanniiBeauty: Where did your ideas for this book/characters come from?
Monica Leonelle: I was raised Roman Catholic, so christian mythology fascinates me. I loved the idea of the archangels at the center of this major battle where humans are, in a sense, just pawns in a larger game. I guess you could say it's a bit like Percy Jackson and the Olympians in that sense.

DanniiBeauty: What are your book plans for the future?
Monica Leonelle: I have two books coming out in January--the second book in the Seven Halos series called Tin Soldier, and the first book in a new series called Socialpunk. Tin Soldier is going to be really fun--it takes place a few weeks after Silver Smoke ends, and most of the characters are miserable. Their all dealing with their pain in different ways. There are new characters and the book moves from Honolulu to New York City. Some of the characters also visit Chicago and Washington DC. Tin Soldier is much more urban--where Silver Smoke was influenced heavily by oceanic myths, Tin Soldier will have lots of references to urban legends.

Socialpunk is an entirely different series. It's a cyberpunk with a heavy focus on technology, set in near-future Chicago. Ima, the main character, is a lot tougher than Brie. Where Brie is naturally popular, a classic beauty, and kind of that girl that you can't help being jealous of, Ima is more of an outcast who only hangs out with the guys. She has some terrible stuff happen in her childhood that causes mental stress during her teenage years, when the book takes place. She's a lot rougher around the edges, and I think she'll be more relatable than Brie is.


Monica Leonelle


To celebrate the release of a new novel to the Seven Halos series, author Monica Leonelle is doing a Kindle Fire giveaway for Silver Smoke, the first novel in the series! Silver Smoke is the highly-rated (4.8 stars on Amazon) debut novel about the Hallows and the Nephilim, the descendants of archangels and humans.

CONTEST DATES: December 20th thru December 31st (12 days long)

EASY WAYS TO ENTER:
1. (3 entries) Blog about this contest and forward a link to monicaleonellecontests@gmail.com
2. (3 entries each) Share a sentence about the book with your Facebook or Twitter followers, and include a link to the book on Amazon or Barnes and Noble (you pick). One entry per social media account per day during the contest. Forward a screenshot or link of your sentence+link to monicaleonellecontests@gmail.com.
3. (10 entries each) Write an honest Amazon and/or B and N review of Silver Smoke and send a link to monicaleonellecontests@gmail.com

PRIZES!!!Grand Prize Winner: Kindle Fire (or cash-equivalent Amazon gift card)
2nd Place (two winners): Kindle Touch (or cash-equivalent Amazon gift card)
3rd Place (three winners): Kindle (or cash-equivalent Amazon gift card)
Winners will be selected using Random.org on January 1, 2012 and announced on How To Be An Author by January 2, 2012.

If your interested in checking out Silver Smoke, it is available in paperback and on kindle from Amazon.

What book are you reading at the moment?

The Mum Who Roared by Christie Nicholas - Book Review

We all know that raising children is a beautiful gift and journey to take in life. There are so many joys and happy moments. At the same time though, it can be an overwhelming experience and changes your life from the day you bring your newborn home.

After attending an event, I got a copy of 'The Mum Who Roared' a book written by Christie Nicholas. I absolutely love this book. This book is my new best friend, literally it answers everything I would ask a best friend.

I cannot believe how much I related to this book. I was nodding and agreeing with everything I was reading and I was finding so many great practical tips. I was finding out so much, about things I had questioned or wanted to ask someone, but just didn't. This book is an excellent resource and guide to what you need to know after having a baby, to have control of your life and be true to yourself. This book reassured me that as a mother of two, I can still have a balanced life looking after my children and myself as a woman. The book left me feeling motivated, confident to pursue my passion in life and be a woman who has love and respect for my mind, body and attitude.

The author of The Mum Who Roared, Christie Nicholas, is a mum of two and entrepreneur who runs KidsBusiness a marketing and public relations business. I have briefly met Christie at the events she has organised and she truly is lovely and so inspiring which really comes out in her book as well. Here she is giving us a brief overview of her book.

The Mum Who Roared is definitely a great book for all mothers and mothers-to-be. This book would make a wonderful gift for any woman. You can check out and purchase the book on the, The Mum Who Roared website .

Do you know anyone who would benefit from this book? If your a mother, did you have support to help you when your children were young?

Winner of the book Through our childrens eyes by Margaret Jarvinen is.......

Thanks to everyone that entered the book giveaway Through our childrens eyes by Margaret Jarvinen. Check out the website  http://www.throughourchildrenseyes.com.au/ for more information on the book.

 I love it when I see so many entries, I wish I had a magic wand that could give everyone a prize, but sadly I can't! So.......

The winner has been chosen and is:

Michelle

Her comment was " I am with my kids all day everyday.. homeschooling... so now.. something that I love to do ... is just sing or be silly to make them laugh."

Congratulations! Please email me your profile name, full name and mailing address to danniibeauty@hotmail.com ASAP.
You prize may take a few weeks to arrive.

Stay tuned for more giveaways soon !!!

Book review Through Our Children's Eyes by Margaret Jarvinen - and a Giveaway (CLOSED)

Ever wanted to know what children think about their parents? Children are amazing, so full of life and joy. If you stop and ask them anything, they will always give you a honest answer.

When I was asked if I wanted to review the book Through Our Children's Eyes by Margaret Jarvinen, I jumped at the opportunity. This book is such an inspirational and insightful book for parents and children.

Through Our Children's Eyes is a book that has quotes from children between the ages of three and twelve years about how they perceive their parents. The book is easy to read and follow, has great drawings and is a interactive book. The book layout is fantastic for children to follow and it has spaces for you to write yours and your child's quote too - a great way to share some insightful moments with your children and keep forever.

I sat down with my seven year old son and we read the book together. It was great to read what other children thought of their parents. The questions are easy to understand such as 'what do you like the best about mum?' We had so many laughs and fun together, thinking about what we both thought of each other. It was great to hear my son's quotes and it gave me so much joy to know that he was able to express his love for me. There are also questions relating to dad 'what do you like best about dad?' which my son read with his dad and it was great to see them bond and share that togetherness.

As a parent, this book made me realise how fun and joyful it is to find out what my child thinks. I love that I can write in the book and can read it many times over and over again. This book is something that you can keep and treasure forever.

My son loves this book! He loves that we have both written our quotes and thoughts and wants to read it all the time.

Through Our Children’s Eyes is a book that is so interactive and will be enjoyed by children and parents. It will allow you to interact with your child and find out things you might not have known. Definitely a must read for every child and parent. You can see more about this book at http://www.throughourchildrenseyes.com.au/ .

**********GIVEAWAY********* (CLOSED)

I have ONE Through Our Children's Eyes book to giveaway to one lucky reader!

To enter:

1. Let me know, what is a fun activity you and your children like to do together? in the comments below

2. Be a follower of my blog via Google Friend Connect (link up on the left)

Optional and for an extra entry:
Like DanniiBeauty on facebook  - HERE
(let me know in the comments that you have)

Terms and conditions:

•This giveaway finishes Tuesday 8th of March 2011 at 5pm. (aest)

•Open to Australian residents only.

•One winner will be chosen randomly.

•Once the winner is announced, please check back to see if you are a winner, the winner will need to email me their mailing address. It can take a few weeks for the prize to arrive.

Rae Morris: Makeup, The Ultimate Guide - see inside

If you're interested in make-up books, you've almost certainly come across this one. It contains some amazing pictures. I was actually asked to do a review of this and let you have a look inside... so this post is picture heavy.

Just like every other make-up book on the market, this one also covers the basics: the essentials, brushes, prepping. Nothing new here.

I like the section on eyelashes. Using the same model and make-up, she applies different eyelashes (natural, lux, high impact) to show you how they can change your eyes. In fact, a lot of the looks in this book rely on eyelashes for that extra wow factor.

Many of the looks are dramatic. She uses pigments, glitter, sticky tape, diamond dust, liquid eye paint, gold leaves... items that a beginner or a "normal" person does not usually have in their make-up kit, so beware.

The good thing is, it does have step-by-step guides on how to achieve each of the looks.

 Cleopatra eyes: this is one of my favourite looks.

How to contour: this is a very detailed and interesting chapter. She uses a cream foundation four shades darker than the model's natural skin tone to contour. But as she explains herself, "this technique is advanced".

Highlighting: this is also a great chapter.

Typical Rae Morris... red lips with a twist: purple added to the top, gold on the bottom.

Some of the more natural looks....

Overall, I would say that the book is inspiring and a lot of these looks would be perfect for a photo shoot. If you want to be ultra creative and experimental with your make-up, this is probably for you.

But for beginners, I think there are 'friendlier' books out there that concentrate on more down-to-earth looks (that you can't go wrong with!). Like Jemma Kidd's Make-up Masterclass or any of Bobbi Brown's books.

Three types of husbands

Packing is boring and the house is a complete mess but at least I'm finding things that I'd forgotten about. Like this book, Elegance by Kathleen Tessaro. I read it years ago and didn't think it was particularly interesting so I was about to put it aside...

But I had a look inside first and found something I wanted to share. She says:

"There are three types of husbands.

1. The Blind Man, who says, "Isn't that a new suit, darling?" when he at last notices the ensemble you have been wearing for the past two years. There really isn't any point in discussing with him, so let's leave him in peace. At least he has one advantage: he lets you dress as you please.

2. The Ideal Husband, who notices everything, is genuinely interested in your clothes, makes suggestions, understands fashion, appreciates it, enjoys discussing it, knows just what suits you best and what you need, and admires you more than all the other women in the world. If you possess this dream man, hang on to him. He is extremely rare.

3. The Dictator, who knows far better than you what is becoming... and decides if the current styles are good or not and which shop or dressmaker you ought to go to. This type of man's ideas on fashion are sometimes up to date, but most often he has been so impressed with the way his mother used to dress that his taste is, to say the least, about twenty years behind the times."

My husband is definitely #1! What about your husband / partner / boyfriend?

The best: Jemma Kidd's Make-up Masterclass

In my opinion, this is one of the best make-up books out there. It is more interesting than most of Bobbi Brown's books; more colourful, useful and easier to read (no grey text) than Nars' Makeup Your Mind; and the looks are much more achievable and not nearly as complicated as the ones by Rae Morris, Kevyn Aucoin and Scott Barnes.

Jemma Kidd's Make-up Masterclass is packed with beautiful pictures AND useful information. Yes, there is a lot of text! It is a great reference book, something you will want to refer back to again and again. You will learn a lot from this. 

In the first section, Beauty Basics, it gives you tips on skincare, enhancing beauty at all ages, and seasonal make-up. So in spring/summer, put away compact foundations and switch to a tinted moisturiser or a light liquid foundation applied sparingly, use powder mineral foundation if you have oily skin, keep brows in place with hairspray, stick to a neutral eyeshadow with a slight shimmer for daytime, replace black eyeliner with brown (or a bright colour!), use cream blush (looks more natural). Those were some of the tips for a 'light, long-lasting make-up' and there's more: bold colours for eyes, spring pastels, summer nights.

One of the best things about this book is that the step-by-step guides are actually comprehensible. It's also interesting to see different finishes of eyeshadow, for example, side-by-side (sheer, glitter, loose metallic pigment, gloss, frost, matte). And find out what the top ten looks for eyes and lips are. This is all in the section Make-up Masterclass.

The fun part is Get the Look.

Daytime looks: everyday gorgeous (for every skintone: porcelain, fair, olive, deep), daytime glamour, boardroom beauty, corporate to cocktails, blushing bride and yummy mummy.

Night-time looks: after-dark beauty (porcelain, fair, light olive, dark olive, deep), foxy and fabulous, red carpet glamour, dancing queen and big date.

Holiday looks: beach babe, beach to bar, wintry and wonderful, country life and frequent flyer.

What I really like is at the very back of the book. It's called "Jemma's favourite..." for skincare products, body products, make-up and tools, organic brands and products for problem skin. The brilliant thing is, they're not necessarily products from her own line! As I mentioned in my Laura Mercier haul post, the secret brightening powder is one of Jemma's favourites! How many of these products have you tried? 

Dealing with emotions - with Mr Pusskins

Here's a book that explores love. She loves him and treats him well but he's ungrateful and bored. So he leaves her and has some fun. Until he realises what a big mistake he has made. He repents and asks her to take him back. She does, with open arms, and they live happily ever after.

A typical love story? Maybe, except the guy in the story is a cat called Mr Pusskins.

Amongst other things, because there's a bit of danger involved, when he hangs out with a cat gang, this appeals to my son. And yet he can sleep without fear because there is a happy ending.

The story deals with emotions that are familiar to all of us, even little kids, and that's what's so good about it. My kid gets angry and stomps off, just like Mr Pusskins. And we also make up with hugs and kisses.

If you like this book, there are more stories featuring Mr Pusskins...

I recommend Usborne's See Inside books: How Things Work

For kids who can't yet read, pictures are everything. And to make that even more interesting, there are picture books with flaps. Usborne does some very good ones.

There's one in their See Inside series called How Things Work.

It is packed with explanations on how musical instruments or household appliances (hair dryer, toilet) work. It introduces new vocabulary (also perfect for me because I never really learned what parts of a crane or helicopter are called!). It's probably too complicated for four-year olds to really understand but there's no harm in introducing such topics. This will be a useful reference book for years to come.

These books are educational but so well done that they definitely belong in a kid's library. They would make great gifts, as well.

Yoga for Real Life by Maya Fiennes: First thoughts

I finally have my copy of Maya Fiennes' new book, Yoga for Real Life. Yay!

It seems to be packed with tips on meditation, Kundalini yoga exercises and how to cope with life. Also included are several recipes for energy-enhancing smoothies. There are plenty of photos and colourful images, which make it pretty to look at and have lying around on a table (this is important!).

I've only read as far as the introduction and she's written something that made me feel better instantly:

"You don't need to understand it all to get the full benefit. You don't have to believe it at all."


What a relief - because I admit I don't understand it yet! But I want to.

This is what it looks like inside.

 

I'm sure it will enhance the basic understanding that I now have from watching her detox and de-stress DVD. I'll be back with a proper review!

Sir Charlie Stinky Socks

I love books. I think it would be more sensible to borrow books from a library but there's just something about having my own collection. In recent years I have been focusing on children's books; we have seriously gone from nil to a small library. How do I justify this? Books are educational. And I plan on keeping them for my grandchildren!

One of our current favourites:

Sir Charlie Stinky Socks and the Really Big Adventure by Kristina Stephenson 
This is an exciting and slightly scary book (great for boys) about a brave little knight who comes across beasties, a dragon and a witch. He doesn't fight them, though, you see. He's got better methods, such as singing a lullaby, sharing sandwiches or offering a drink. 

Look inside...
Included are some huge flaps. 

Sure, it's an entertaining book, but what makes it even better is the CD. I think this is so well done, with fun music, great sound effects and it's read convincingly. As if that weren't enough, the CD also contains songs and games.

Love the name, too: Sir Charlie Stinky Socks!