Book Review: The Look Book: 50 Iconic Beauties and How to Achieve Their Signature Styles

Title: The Look Book: 50 Iconic Beauties and How To Achieve Their Signature Styles
Author: Erika Stalder
PAPERBACK
Amount of Pages: 127
Publisher: Zest Books
Release Date: May 18, 2011
Geared Towards: Makeup-Wearing Readers/Teens
From: Publisher (Review Copy)
Extra Info: Also has contributions by two hair/makeup artists
Extra Info 2: This a non-fiction make-up guide esque book

Summary (From B.O.B): Clara Bow's bee-stung lips. Audrey Hepburn's winged eyes.Veronica Lake's peek-a-boo curls. Over the last century, celebrities have been at the forefront of fashion, introducing or simply popularizing some of the most innovative hair and makeup looks of all time. Now you can find out where these looks came from-and get them for yourself. THE LOOK BOOK celebrates icons from Marilyn Monroe to Naomi Campbell to Bjork, and examines when each one ushered in a unique look, why it became so legendary, and how to recreate it. Written in conjunction with celebrity hair stylist Christopher Fulton and celebrity makeup artist Cameron Cohen, this unique collection includes professional tips on how to get the best look, as well as detailed, easy-to-follow illustrated instructions. With THE LOOK BOOK, you'll become a classic beauty expert-and have loads of fun in the process!

Wdebo's Review: Seeing as how this is a non-fiction makeup guide book, this will be a very short review.

This book combined the history of beauty icons (from around the 1920's till the present) with makeup tutorials and made it into a very interesting make-up guide. Each make up tutorial was very simply laid out and made it so that even a beginner like me had no problem following it. I enjoyed the little extra information on the side of each page.

There were interesting tidbits like how certain features that many legendary beauties popularized are still used now by stars. It lists those stars which shows us a simple way in which history can repeat itself, not only in our actions but also in our appearances. I also liked the tips that were shown in the tutorial, they ranged from different brush techniques to different ways to change the makeup style to fit your own physical appearance. (Skin color, eye shape, etc).

The biographies were all very interesting and I was happy to see some of my favorites like Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe and Joan Jett. There are also quotes from every single women which were fun to read.

The only bad thing that I can think about this book is the fact that it costs 18.99 which feels like a pretty steep price for a paperback that weight/size/etc.

Grade: B+

Wdebo :)

Singin' Saturday: Rainbow Girl-Gero ft. Lon

-ENGLISH TRANSLATION-

Title: Rainbow Girl

Artist: Gero ft. Lon

Language: Japanese

TTS: None

Wdebo's Notes: Gero is an Utaite (Nico Nico Douga singer) I really like. I love his unique/sexy voice and also when he screams. Anyways, I love this song a lot and both Gero and Lon's voice fit well and it sounds wonderful together.

Even though I personally am not a gamer, I like to think that this song pertains to me in that it shows the distance that separates me and hot 2D anime guys. *Sigh* None of my other friends understand my problems...I guess I should send this song to them so that they might be able to empathize. Haha.

Since the English translations are not on the video itself, I have posted a translation of the song below under the video. None of the translations are done by me, they were posted by the video poster, JunjouAi. I give all credit to them!

Listen and Love!

When I first met you, we were in a small room piled to the top with brown boxes When you saw me, your eyes started shining with anticipation And after then, we spent a month together only us two, day after day You're from another world, but you still were more than kind enough to me I'm sorry I can't go outside of the screen, I'm only a 2D girl No matter how much I want to, I won't ever feel your touch I'm sorry I can't speak to you of my feelings, I'm only a 2 dimensional girl The only thing I can tell you is what I've been programmed for However, I really want to show just how much I'm thankful that we were able to meet... [Lon: I don't have any heart-warming strategies in mind, I'm sorry I'm the only satisfied one in this paradise. Have you found what you were looking for? You looked so innocent as you searched about.... Ah, I know I'm being selfish, but I wish I could be your last love.] You showed me that you loved me through the fact that I checked your saved games You never strayed from the path of my ending, you never cheated with me ever So then another month had passed and you began to lose interest in me You bought another game and began to install while I was watching I should have known that I would reach the ending, because I'm only a 2 dimensional girl No matter how much I love you, when you're bored you'll end it for good I'm sorry that I dreamed more than I should have, I'm only a 2 dimensional girl I wanted to have you feel what I did, even if just for a moment But please remember, if you can, how much I'm happy that you loved me

Wdebo :)

Lyric Translation: 24 Billy

To celebrate Wilber Pan's album, THE STORY OF BILLY, which was released today, I have decided to translate the title track, 24 Billy (24個比利). I won't lie, I am actually very surprised by how much I like this song. I loved his 007 album (I even own it) but I was sorely disappointed by 808. It's probably because I am not particularly fond of k-pop (Which is surprising seeing as how most of my friends are obsessed with it) and that album/a lot of other Taiwanese songs are going towards that route so yeah. Anyways, even though 24 Billy contains a lot of k-pop elements I still greatly enjoy it. The beat is kind of repetitive and simple but can still be enjoyed. I have decided the two reasons why I like this song is because...

1) It's about Multiple Personality Disorder which I find particularly fascinating and interesting
2) I love Will Pan and just wanna huggle him because he's my ABC soul brother

Anyways, no matter what the reason is for my like of this song, I have translated it and here it is. Hope you enjoy the song~ (Lyrics are below video)

A note on the lyrics: There are a few parts in which the lyrics are pretty random and it's hard to grasp what Will is trying to say with them, so I've marked those in red. I had my mom look over them and we weren't entirely sure what he was trying to say, so yep. If you have a better clue please comment with a suggested translation and I will look it over and correct accordingly~

Chinese Lyrics Credits to love54187 我是我 他是我 你是我 那我是誰 我是他 我是你 我是我 那我是誰 我是我 他是我 你是我 那我是誰 我是他 我是你 我是我 那你是誰 體內的細胞正在蠢蠢欲動 不知名的面貌在異度空間領域瞬間轉動 異樣的眼光全都注視著我 不知情的請你小心因為我可能無法承受 太多 太多 比利:這是我的身體但我發現我卻不是唯一 各個個體都在分離幾時幾何幾個聚集在我心底 說什麼是黃金比利 他們分明喜歡角力 如何能共體共存成為唯一的習題 瑞奇:我有個秘密秘密 藏在我的心裡心裡 本尊他毫無詳情不知誰現身的時機 托比:請你不要告密 我隨時會爆發 你看的是我 但你看到並不是我 你面對就是我 但我早就已經就不是我 體內的細胞正在蠢蠢欲動 不知名的面貌在異度空間領域瞬間轉動 異樣的眼光全都注視著我 不知情的請你小心因為我可能無法承受 太多 太多 (GO CRAZY)誰 誰 誰 我到底是誰 (GO CRAZY)誰 誰 誰 我到底是誰 比利:時間幾點幾分當時我到底哪個你 又躲在哪裡 湯米:請你不要再逼我 請相信我聽不懂 馬里:我也都看不清 離開了光明 蘇奇:顛覆了黑夜白天 你的尊重決定我的在場証明 SO 慢慢 抽離開AND GO 或快快 喚醒後自由 誰存活 誰逃脫 我該只屬於一個我 別太多BODY BODY 不要再MOVE MOVE 哭笑 酷肖 苦笑不得 SHOUT SHOUT SHOUT SHOUT 體內的細胞正在蠢蠢欲動 不知名的面貌在異度空間領域瞬間轉動 異樣的眼光全都注視著我 不知情的請你小心因為我可能無法承受 太多 太多 (GO CRAZY)誰 誰 誰 我到底是誰 (GO CRAZY)誰 誰 誰 我到底是誰 我是我 他是我 你是我 那我是誰 我是他 我是你 我是我 那我是誰 我是我 他是我 你是我 那我是誰 我是他 我是你 我是我 那你是誰 (GO CRAZY)誰 誰 誰 我到底是誰 (GO CRAZY)誰 誰 誰 我到底是誰 (GO CRAZY)誰 誰 誰 我到底是誰 (GO CRAZY)誰 誰 誰 我到底是誰

English Translation Please credit me (Wdebo5487)! I am me. He is me. You are me. Then who am I? I am him. I am you. I am me. Then who am I? I am me. He is me. You are me. Then who am I? I am him. I am you. I am me. Then who am I? The cells in my body currently are sluggishly desiring to move The unknown image in the outer dimensional realm suddenly rotates The abnormal eyesights are completely focused on me The knowledgeless ones please be careful because I might  not be able to endure Too much. Too much. Billy: This is my body but I discovered It’s not only me Every individual has been seperated into when to be gathered in my heart What do you mean by the “Golden Billy”? They obviously like a trial of strength How I can coexist in this one body becomes the only assignment Ricky: I have a secret, secret Hidden in my heart, heart I don’t know who will be coming out at what time Toby: Please don’t spill the secret I will erupt arbitrarily The one you are seeing is me, but you are not looking at me The one you are facing is me, but I am no longer me The cells in my body currently are sluggishly desiring to move The unknown image in the outer dimensional realm suddenly rotates The abnormal eyesights are completely focused on me The knowledgeless ones please be careful because I might  not be able to endure Too much. Too much. (GO CRAZY) Who. Who. Who. Who am I actually? (GO CRAZY) Who. Who. Who. Who am I actually? Billy: At whatever time which you am I and where I am hiding? Tommy: Please don’t force me again. Please believe that I don’t understand. Mary: I also cannot see clearly. I have left behind the light.   Szucs: Subvert the night and day. Your respectfulness decides my alibi. SO slow, slow. Detach AND GO. Or fast, fast. Waking up begets freedom. Who survives. Who escapes. There should only be one me that belongs to me. Don’t have too much BODY BODY Don’t keep MOVE MOVE Crying and smiling, it’s all exceedingly similar. Need to force a smile. SHOUT SHOUT SHOUT SHOUT The cells in my body currently are sluggishly desiring to move The unknown image in the outer dimensional realm suddenly rotates The abnormal eyesights are completely focused on me The knowledgeless ones please be careful because I might  not be able to endure Too much. Too much. (GO CRAZY) Who. Who. Who. Who am I actually? (GO CRAZY) Who. Who. Who. Who am I actually? I am me. He is me. You are me. Then who am I? I am him. I am you. I am me. Then who am I? I am me. He is me. You are me. Then who am I? I am him. I am you. I am me. Then who am I? (GO CRAZY) Who. Who. Who. Who am I actually? (GO CRAZY) Who. Who. Who. Who am I actually? (GO CRAZY) Who. Who. Who. Who am I actually? (GO CRAZY) Who. Who. Who. Who am I actually?

Wdebo :)

Random Entertainment Clips (31): Fairy Tail

So, I've been watching the anime FAIRY TAIL since the week before summer vacation (June 8th) after my friend introduced it to us during our anime night. I am currently on episode 106 and totally loving it. This post will not be a formal review of the series (I will do that later), it will just be an introduction to it with some clips.

Short synopsis-Set in a land where magic is a common occurrence and magical guilds are all over. A girl named Lucy wants to join an infamous guild named Fairy Tail. By sheer luck she meets a boy named Natsu and his flying cat, Happy, whom turn out to be her one way ticket into the guild of her dreams. The series follows the guild's shenanigans and also the interactions between all of the members.

Enjoy!

First off are some clips I enjoy from the show...

  




FAIRY TAIL also happens to have some wonderful openings and endings. Here are some favorites of mine....

 Ending #2-Tsuioku Merry Go Round

 

Ending #3-Gomen Ne, Watashi



And I can't talk about anime without adding in amvs, now can I?

Gray is one of my favorite characters....Watch this video and you shall understand..... *.*



And crack couples just make the world go 'round. I love this song a lot and was so happy when I saw it associated with a FAIRY TAIL amv. My favorite couple is Levy/Gajeel. Favorite crack couple is Natsu/Gray. Meowr.

 

Wdebo :)

Book Review: My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece By: Annabel Pitcher

"My sister Rose lives on the mantelpiece. Well, some of her does" (1).

Title: My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece

Author: Annabel Pitcher

HARDBACK

Amount of Pages: 214

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Release Date: August 14, 2012 (My birthday :) )

Geared Towards: Teens 

From: Publisher (Review Copy)

Extra: First Published in March 2011

Summary (From Front Flap): To ten-year-old Jamie, his family has fallen apart because of the loss of someone he barely remember: his sister Rose, who died five years ago in a terrorist bombing. To his father, life is impossible to make sense of when he lives in a world that could so cruelly take away a ten-year-old girl. To Rose's surviving fifteen-year-old twin, Jas, there's no escape form Rose's ever-present shadow-she's forever the living twin of a dead girl. 

Jamie and Jas's father moves them to the countryside for a "fresh new start" without their mother, who stays behind in London. But when he places Rose's ashes back up on the mantelpiece, Jamei and Jas realize that the past will continue to haunt them wherever they go. Until that is, Jamei meets someone who seems to understand his pain-the one person whom his father would never allow him to befriend. Armed with his new friend and a keen understanding of the world around him, Jamie tries to make sense of the loss that has torn his family apart and endeavors to bring them back together.

Wdebo's Review: MY SISTER LIVES ON THE MANTELPIECE is a stunning debut novel. When I first looked at the book, I was kind of hesitant to start it. I am a chronic offender of judging books by their cover and let me tell you, I really don't like that cover. (At least this cover seems better than the other ones for like the UK version and stuff). However, when I glanced over the beginning, I was shocked by how quickly I was hooked on the story.

Jamie is a very unique narrator especially when you look at the subject matter he is talking about. He's 10 and he acts and talks like it, though he does have a surprisingly mature instinct at times. I loved the usage of Jamie as the narrator, he is intune with his family and relates it back to the readers even if he does not understand what is going on at times.

The book deals with very heavy topics. It begins with a family torn apart by the death of their daughter five years ago and talks about issues like racism, alcoholism and bullying. Though at moments it does feel like the issues are buried and not given the amount of heaviness and importance they should be given, but that may also be one of the reasons I enjoyed this novel. It contains a sense of innocence that envelops the entire story. In the end, you are seeing all this unfold from Jamie's point of view and though so much has happened, he is still a child and keeps that point of view.

Throughout the story, it talks about Jamie's life a lot (Obviously, he's the protagonist) but it also deals with how his sister, Jas, deals with everything and the rest of the family's response. However, I was hoping that Jas' story could be emphasized more, it is an interesting contrast to Jamie's.

The writing itself was also very well done. The beginning though sad at parts was mainly pretty humorous. However, towards the middle it made me both laugh and cry. It was just really well written and I devoured it. The book itself is pretty small so this story went by pretty fast.

Cafe Cover Chat: As stated before, not a big fan of the cover, but I do like the blue! (C+)

All in all, a wonderful story. Even though it does contain darker themes it is written and presented in such a way that it can be enjoyed by both older and younger readers.

Grade: A

Wdebo :)

Singin' Saturday: Redlight District-Porcelain and the Tramps

I usually post songs on Saturdays. However, many of them aren't actual MVs, so I have decided to change the post label to Singin' Saturday because alliterations are BA~(At least in my dorky mind they are...)

Title: Redlight District
Artist: Porcelain and The Tramps
Language: English
TTS: None

Wdebo's Notes: Porcelain and the Tramps is the stage name used by singer Alaina Beaton when she was signed to Virgin Records. However, after being unable to agree on her music style, she left and changed to the name Porcelain Black instead.

I personally don't even remember how I found this song. I think it was from a Hetalia AMV but who knows. Anyways, from the first time I heard it, I was hooked. I really liked the beat and Porcelain's voice. As one of the commenters on the video intelligently noted, yes, this song does indeed show how much prostitution "sucks."

Anyways,

Listen and Love!

 

 Wdebo :)

Blogoversary

Yippee~ The Electrical Book Cafe is now four years old and as of last week I am now 19. (Pretty boring age if you ask me...) It has been super fun blogging for TEBC even though I have been neglecting it for the past couple of years. *Pats blog's head in comforting manner* I probably will be blogging about the same amount this year as with the last couple of years. The reason? Two words. Organic. Chemisty. Oh yeah and let's not forget Biology and Honors College History either. Oh wells...

Anyways, a few things that are coming up on TEBC...

1) Review of MY SISTER LIVES ON THE MATELPIECE
2) Some songs
3) FAIRY TAIL (anime) review
4) Re-review of NANA (Manga)
5) DEAR TEEN ME blog tour post + giveaway

Well, hope everyone has a great day.

I shall see you all around~

Wdebo :)