Horn bangle – Mai Tai Collection, shirt dress – David Lawrence both from a very long time ago.

Outfit wise today, black remains the new black for me.  I’m in a bit of a wardrobe rut at the moment.  It’s good that I’m not buying new things on impulse but sad that not much seems to be inspiring me on the work wardrobe front.  Though I have a feeling that this fashion ennui will only be short lived.  My credit cards are just a little edgy about this trip in May.

It wasn’t all the same old, same old though. I did whip out my Revlon haul from the weekend.  It’s love.  True love.  Both the CC cream and liquid eyeliner are gym proof but easily removed with cleansing oil.  They both get full marks in the fulfilling their stated objective stakes as well.  The CC Cream has more coverage than my current BB Cream (Garnier for sensitive skin) and really does have noticeably dewy finish, even at the end of the day.  The eyeliner stays put, providing you give it a minute or so to dry in the morning.  Well played, Revlon.

www.orbitbooks.net

‘The Girl With All the Gifts’ is my latest can’t put down, can I just stay up for another 10 minutes on a work night book.  At this stage, it is definitely available in e-book format but I’m not sure about hard copy availability.

There seems to be an air of mystery about the novel.  I couldn’t even find a wiki entry to link you up with.  MR Carey is a respected figure in the sci fi and comic worlds and ‘The Girl With All the Gifts’ is a bit of a deviation from his usual territory.  The novel is part of that dystopian, post Acopalypse genre that my beloved Hunger Games trilogy explored so well.  But it is also more than that.   More as in quirky with zombies being thrown into the mix and also more with regard to the skill with which Carey weaves his story of cold blooded killing, fear and tragedy.

The novel begins from the point of view of Melanie, a young and highly intelligent girl who seems be held in captivity in a prison like place where she is on hand provided for with schooling and basic care but also deprived of human touch and love.  It’s not clear at the beginning who or what Melanie is.  The ‘what’ issue comes into question because a scientist, Dr Caldwell seems very keen to use Melanie to find the answer to the problem that has effectively ended the relatively civilized modern world and turned it into a place of fear, hunger and deprivation.

In between the two is Miss Justineau, Melanie’s teacher in the compound.  Melanie loves and worships Miss Justineau who is in turn tormented by her knowledge of what Melanie’s fate is.  Perhaps unfortunately, Melanie begins the novel living in sweet innocence of her fate but slowly realizes it as she matures into her high intelligence.

Thank goodness it’s my day off tomorrow because I’m going to be up all hours tonight reading the rest of this novel.

Take care and I hope you’re travelling well.