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Halloween is almost here and to be honest I haven't had a great reading month, at least not compared to the previous two months so I haven't been able to read all of the Halloween books that I've wanted to read this year. I have read a few Halloween appropriate books this year and here are my recommendations:

The Woman in Black by Susan Hill

I have to be honest and say that this was complete cover buy (I have this gorgeous hardback edition) but I've wanted to watch the Daniel Radcliffe film for a while so I bought the book to read first. The writing style is so incredibly easy and quick to read as well as being entertaining and atmospheric. From the film trailer I thought it would be a really creepy and scary book but it isn't - don't get me wrong, it is very atmospheric and eerie but it's not scary, to me anyway. It's easily read in a day so it would be perfect for Halloween night! My only issue was that it's a bit repetitive at times. Overall rating: ★★★☆☆, 3/5 (I think my rating is a little harsh!).

*Hoxton Street Monster Supplies Cookbook 

This is an unusual one as it's a cookbook but no cookbook could be more perfect for Halloween than this one with 'under the bed biscuits', 'Night Terror Torte' and so many more! I adore the cover, almost victorian style illustrations and amazingly Halloween recipes. I haven't tried any yet but I will very soon! Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5.

*The Night Walker by Sebastian Fitzek 

If you want a very eerie, creepy and disorientating book then this is it! It is very disconcerting and disturbing most of the time so if that's not your thing then do not read this book. It follows Leon and his struggles with sleep walking but all is definitely not what it seems, in fact it's so much worst! It's so easy to read in terms of the writing style and I had to keep reading and reading. Overall rating: ★★★★☆, 4/5.

*The Canterville Ghost & Other Stories by Oscar Wilde

This is one of my most recent reads and I'm really happy that I read it; I haven't read any Oscar Wilde before but I'm pleasantly surprised as it's so much easier to read than I thought it would be. Also the cover is stunning! My favourite story is The Canterville Ghost as it's such a classic haunted house story but it's lighthearted and more modern feeling than I thought it would be - it's such an entertaining read, if a bit predictable. Overall rating: ★★★★☆, 4/5.

*Tales of Horror by Edgar Allan Poe

I have wanted to read some of Edgar Allan Poe's work for a while but I was finally able to read some this year with this gorgeous edition by Alma. My favourite stories I've read so far are: The Tell Tale Heart, The Masque Of The Read Death and The Black Cat. My least favourites include: Never Let The Devil Bet Your Head and The Fall of the House of Usher. I have been reading my hardback edition at home and this Alma edition on the go. So far, it's obviously: ★★★★★, 5/5!

*Blood Wedding by Pierre Lemaitre

I hadn't read anything by this author but I was surprised at how quickly I read it and how easy it is too, even though the topics are quite dark (think stalking, tragedy, crime, murder etc). I wanted to keep reading on and on but the main twist/reveal was predictable and I felt the ending and explanations were lacking but overall it was a great tense and thrilling read. Overall rating: ★★★☆☆, 3/5.

*Crane Pond by Richard Francis 

This is one of my favourite reads this season and it's perfect for Halloween as it follows Sewall and his family, as well as the community, before, during and after the famous Salem witch trials. This is fiction so it isn't about the specific facts and events of the trials but it is inspired by them and features some of the same individuals. It's so so much more enjoyable than I thought it could be! I didn't want stop reading, even though some parts are a little frustrating and others upsetting, which I think is the sign of a great book! Overall rating: ★★★★☆, 4/5.

Finally I just wanted to recommend a couple of creepy, paranormal, crime filled and atmospheric YA reads, first, The Witches of New York which is one of my recent reads and I really liked it! It features ghosts, tragedy, witches, lesbian relationships and references to the infamous Salem witch trials. I would definitely recommend but it wasn't fully what I was expecting and I hope there is a second book. Next up, Ink and Bone which is more disturbing and crime filled and the setting gives me some Sleepy Hollow vibes. Lastly, Uprooted which is for those who want some witchcraft and magic as well as folktales without the creepiness or horror.

Here's my second Halloween look of 2016, I haven't been able to create nearly as many as I wanted to this year as I've have a couple of mini eczema flareups so I haven't wanted to cake my face in lots of makeup. However, they are really fun to create and this look is a bit of a mashup of the original harlequin and the joker (or maybe a clown?!).

This look is so easy to create and I used only products from highstreet/drugstore brands so it's an affordable look using products you probably already have in your makeup collection! I think this look would be perfect with a traditional harlequin jester outfit or a black jumpsuit or playsuit. For my hair I just used my new Anjou hair straightening brush which I love! Here's a list of the products I've used:

- Max Factor Smooth Effect Foundation
- Vichy Setting Powder
- NYX Blush in Taupe
- Makeup Revolution Lipstick
- Stila Liquid Eyeliner
- Makeup Revolution Palette (Fairy Doll)
- Benefit Roller Lash Mascara
- Avon Shock Liner

The look is a bit of a mix of different characters but it was easy to create and I'm really happy with the look on the whole. I first started with my regular foundation, powder and contour which I'm loving! Then I moved onto the brows and I used a red lipstick but you could use a lip pencil for a sharper finish and you could use another shade if you wanted but I think the red brows works well with the red/pink blended through the crease.
Now onto the eyes, I started with a matte black from a Makeup Revolution palette and applied it all over the lid, winging it out at the outer corner slightly. I then blended a pink toned red through the crease as a transition - just blend, blend, blend. Next up the liner, I use a liquid liner to get sharp, intense lines; I drew a harlequin style (or clown?) shape on the cheeks. Finish with black liner on the upper and lower lash lines and mascara.

Last but not least the lips, I used the same black liquid liner to line my lips, fill them in and draw an extended smile which was the hardest part as it was so difficult to get it symmetrical! Keep some micellar water and cotton buds on hand for cleaning up.

You could add some fake blood to the look to make it gory and more scary, I'd definitely recommend the *Bloody Marvellous Runny Blood from PAM London as it's fantastic! It's so quick and easy to use and it actually looks quite realistic! I've used it in a previous Halloween look and it worked so well!

How is it almost Halloween already! It seems like this year has gone by SO quickly and one of my favourite holidays is right around the corner (I can't wait). I love watching unusual, paranormal and spooky films and TV series all year round but especially during the autumnal months.

Warner Bros have so many TV series and films that are Halloween appropriate but here are some of my favourites and recommendations! First, I have to say that I'm not a fan of jump scares, super scary or cheesy Halloween films and TV series so there won't be any of those in this post:

Vampire Diaries 

I think that this series is the most well know of my recommendations and it's perfect for this time of the year because vampires, come on, they are the quintessential Halloween creatures. I watched half of the first season in my final year of university but with my dissertation I didn't have time to finish it; I'll have to get round to it this Halloween. I know so many of my friends love this series and I'm all for watching it just because of Ian Sommerhalder to be honest!

The Originals 

Again, this is another series that I've started but not finished yet, it's available on Netflix which is were I first heard of it. It's again about vampires, which are probably my favourite paranormal creatures. There are three full seasons available now so there are more than enough for a Halloween night binge.

iZombie 

There's a theme with this post, I've watched the first episode of iZombie and liked it although I watched it just after reading Warm Bodies and it seemed far too similar so I wouldn't recommend read/watching them closely together. I like the premise, the main actress and isn't scary so perfect if you are like me and don't like jumpy or very scary tv shows.

Lucifer 

This is a show I've seen quite a lot about recently on Twitter and I'm definitely interested to check it out, especially as it has Tom Ellis as the lead and I loved him in the Miranda series - although I've no idea how he'll be in this! It looks interesting and a bit sarky so I'm sure I'll love it!

Penny Dreadful 

Onto my only really creepy pick for Halloween this year and oh boy is it disturbing at times! I adore Eva Green so I definitely wanted to check this series out when it was first aired and I fell in love. I've watched the first and second seasons and it has the main thing I love in tv series - characters from classic fiction as in this there's frankenstein and his monster, werewolves, Dorian Grey, vampires (spoilers) and more! I cannot recommend it enough although if you don't like gore, creepy dolls, possession/demons etc then probably don't watch!

The colder autumnal and winter months are perfect for spooky, dark and quirky reads; I've already read quite a few creepy books so far this month and this is one of them although even though it does have creepy elements, it's definitely more quirky, atmospheric and unusual - think Tim Burton.

I was very kindly sent *Heap House by Edward Carey (£7.99) by Hot Key Books which is the first book in the Iremonger trilogy. I adore the cover, it's so unusual and unique - it also looks quite gothic. The Hoy Key Books I have all have a pie chart style symbol on the back depicting the main themes and topics within the book which I think is a fantastic idea! For this book the themes are stated as friendship, gothic, revenge and escape.

The book follows the massive Iremonger family including Clod Iremonger who are all very eccentric. They've created a frankstein's monster of a house all full of the family and distant relatives, the house is pretty much a character of it's own...The majority of the family and plethora of distant relatives who act as servants, never leave the house as it's surrounded by the heaps which are gigantic, mountain like structures of rubbish. New servants are brought in every so often, including a curious girl called Lucy Pennant and she makes an unlikely and adorably cute friendship with Clod.

The Iremonger family are more than a little unusual and one of their main eccentricities are their birth objects; when an Iremonger is born, a member of the family gives them a 'birth object' which can be anything from a bath plug to a fireplace. Poor, sickly (but cute and delightful) Clod can hear birth objects and he knows that something is wrong, not just with the birth objects but the house in general and he endeavours to find out what has caused the disturbance and the odd peace the family have found for themselves in their own unique, topsy turvy world.

I love the writing style, it's incredibly easy and quick to read and I also love the illustrations throughout the book even though some are a little creepy to say the least. You get so many points of view from the family members and servants, each one with an illustration, so it can be a little confusing just because there are SO many characters but it is an unusual, essenctric and easy read that has such a fantastic quirky and victorian atmosphere. There are a few twists and turns all of which are a little predictable and I wasn't massively happy with the ending but I would definitely recommend it - I think it would be an incredible film, if done correctly and if Tim Burton directed it as this is definitely Tim Burtonesque already! I definitely want to carry on with the trilogy! Overall rating: ★★★★☆, 4/5.

This post is very exciting because I'm not only working with a website that I've been browsing for years but it is my first halloween post of the year! As you may have figured by now if you follow me on Twitter (@ofbeautyand) or if you have been following my blog since last Halloween then you'll know that I'm a bit obsessed with not just Halloween makeup but Halloween TV, movies, books and general nostalgia.

For my first Halloween look of the year, I have decided to create a more glamorous and less scary look than previous years - my creepy doll and clown looks are a little disturbing and my even my Cheshire Cat Halloween look is a little...scary. So today's look is easy to create and it looks quite glam but obviously because it is a Halloween look, there will be blood. I had no idea what to name this look as I think it is quite a glamorous witchy look but with the blood it's quite vampiric.
I was sent a couple of products from Ere Perez and Pam (Precious About Makeup) to create this look which is super exciting. The look is really easy to create as I first started with my regular foundation, concealer, powder, contour and brow pencil/gel. Here's the full list of the products I used:

- Lancome Cushion Foundation
- Essence Stay All Day Concealer
- Vichy Setting Powder
- Eye of Horus Brow Pencil/Gel
- NYX Blush in Taupe
- Tom Ford Extreme Mascara
- Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette
- Kiko Eyeshadows
- Threads False Lashes
- Essence Silver Eyeliner
- *Ere Perez Black Eyeliner
- *Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Natural Lipstick in N43
- *Bloody Marvellous Professional Runny Blood

I used a combination of shadows from the Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette and the Kiko Eyeshadow Palette that I made to create a basic black, almost metallic looking, smoky eye. Then I used a silver eyeliner as a highlight and a black liner on the upper and lower waterlines followed by mascara. I don't wear false lashes therefore they are a little tricky for me to apply so I cut up the outer corners of my Threads lashes and just applied them to the outer corners which actually gave a really pretty effect!
Now onto the lips and blood, I applied a nude lipliner all over the lips then I applied the Make Up For Ever Lipstick over the top - this shade is just gorgeous, it's a pretty and unique orange shade (I really want to try more products from Make Up For Ever!). Now the blood, I haven't used fake blood before so I didn't know if it would stain or if it would be really messy to use. The runny fake blood I have is actually really easy to use, it doesn't stain the skin and you don't need a lot of blood to get a great effect! I just used the lid of the blood tube to apply it to my face and it drips down really realistically, in my opinion. As the blood was over my mouth I did unintentionally eat some of the blood but thankfully it is safe to swallow although I obviously wouldn't recommend it - it makes the teeth look orange and gory!

I've reviewed a few products from Indigo Herbs on this blog and also on my vegetarian food blog over the past year or so and I've loved everything. I'm really grateful to be able to try these products, some of which are amazing and I probably wouldn't have tried them if I didn't blog. I was very kindly sent some of the Indigo Herbs Halloween themed products (Halloween is my favourite season so I'm super excited about these products, you'll see why if you read on!).

First up, my favourite product of the three, the *Indigo Herbs Organic Raw Pumpkin Seed Butter (£5.99, 250g) which is perfect for the autumn aka. pumpkin everything season. I love munching on seeds and they are great to add to salads and within homemade granola, flapjacks and crumbles; however the only nut/seed 'butter' I've tried is peanut butter so I was intrigued by this pumpkin seed butter. To fit with the halloween theme, the butter is green! It has a rich, nutty/seed and almost smoky flavour which I love! I've been using a small amount (a little goes a long way) on seeded crackers and almost as an icing on cinnamon muffins. The only thing I'm not crazy about is the texture, it's quite runny in the tub but when you eat it, it has quite a thick sticky consistency but for the price I think it is well worth a try! Overall rating: ★★★★☆, 4/5.
Next up, the *Indigo Herbs Cat's Claw Powder (£7.99, 100g). No cats were harmed in the making of this powder, although it's very witch like isn't it? I can imagine the experimenters at Indigo Herbs are looming over a beaker adding powders of various animals and plants into it and crackling...Can you tell I've had too much coffee and it doesn't help that I'm really excited about Halloween!

Anyway Cat's Claw is actually a vine that grows up to 30 metres in height in the rainforest of Peru. The bark of the vine is ground into a fine powder and that's what Cat's Claw Powder is. It can be added to juice or smoothies, I've been adding it to the latter. It doesn't have much flavour, it just adds a little earthy flavour if that makes sense - maybe I'm not using enough in my smoothies. It has anti-inflammatory properties which may help if you swollen joints etc but I think you may need to use quite a bit to have a noticeable effect. Overall rating: ★★★★☆, 4/5.
I'm loving all of these product names, first we have pumpkin butter, then Cat's Claw powder and now the *Indigo Herbs Devil's Claw Tea (£3.99, 50g). I love tea, well not traditional English tea but herbal, mint and green tea so I was excited to give this a go, especially with a name like Devil's Claw Tea! The tea is composed of the dried root of a desert plant from Namibia and has been used by the San Bushman for centuries; as with the Cat's Claw Powder it is great for those with joint pain.

Unlike all of the other tea varieties I have, with this one you boil a couple of teaspoons of the tea in 300ml of water on the stove and then strain into a mug. I didn't read this part when I first used it, I just used my loose tea infuser and it made such a strong mug of tea - it was really intense and bitter so definitely follow the instructions! I'm not crazy about this tea sadly but I still think it's worth a try. Overall rating: ★★★☆☆, 3/5.