Evil Queen Book Club: The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

I find it very difficult to talk about books I really loved because all I want to do is give you all copies and make you read it yourselves. The Ocean at the End of the Lane was one of those books - read it now, you won't regret it.

I love Neil Gaiman. I cannot express enough how much I love him. He is, for me, a perfect writer - he is smart, eloquent, and fantastically talented. He writes books that feel like they were meant for me, that feel like home to me. It seems to be really difficult to find books that have fantasy or science fiction elements without feeling like genre pieces or YA (You either get Twilight or Game of Thrones) - not to discredit those, but that's not always what I want. I like literary fiction that is still fantastical - and Neil is able to hit that mark for me every time. His books have become cherished favourites. Stardust was my first, and to me, as a lover of fairy tales and magic, Stardust is a perfect story. American Gods is perhaps his most well known story, which is on the opposite end of the spectrum - its gritty, bloody, dirty, and an epic story.

Ocean at the End of the Lane is more on the Stardust end of the spectrum - it reads like a fairy tale and sits gently on the fence between children's literature and adult literature (there's a little bit of sex in it, just a hint); it feels like a fairy tale but is a sophisticated, prosiac read that leaves you with a massive book hangover - you know, that feeling you get after you finish a book and are still existing in it's world? It doesn't happen every time, but it definitely felt it with The Ocean at the End of the Lane.

Without giving any spoilers away, I can tell you it's told from the perspective of a grown man remembering his childhood - a childhood that just so happened to be touched by a magical new friend and a terrifying nanny. It's a nightmare we all know so well, where the adults are terrifying and controlling, and they don't realize the evil around them. The children in this story hold the power, and it's a reaffirmation of the power of imagination and strength in friendship.

I really thought this one from Neil was so beautiful, and I want everyone to have a copy in their library. Go. Go get it. Go sink into a fairy tale.

On Raw Denim: Uniqlo's Pure Blue Japan Collection

Pure Blue Japan denim cropped shirt, Pure Blue Japan sweatshirt, Pure Blue Japan relaxed skinny fit tapered jeans

It's really difficult to find the perfect pair of jeans, isn't it?

We try on different styles from different brands, skinnies, straights, boyfriends, and pay ridiculous amounts of money for premium denim that feels like you've owned them forever.

However, new offerings from Uniqlo's Pure Blue Japan collection will solve all your denim woes.

Their latest special collection is pretty much the perfect transitional wardrobe - great chambray button downs, comfy sweatshirts and t-shirts, denim jackets, and most of all - perfect fit raw denim jeans. And those babies are under $80.

This is also the first time Uniqlo has offered Selvedge denim for women - for those of you who don't know, Selvedge is a type of raw denim characterized by that finished edges (see that bit of red and white on the cuff there? That's prevents fraying). Usually you'll find folks wearing them cuffed to show that off. It's a pretty cool detail, and worth it to invest in jeans that won't fall apart. Uniqlo's Selvedge is made by Kaihara, one of the oldest denim looms in Japan. Normally jeans like these run for over $100, so Uniqlo's are a super good deal.

Plus, they're super comfy and fit like a glove. Count me in. Loving them cuffed with a pair of wedges and a chunky sweater or sweatshirt, or the denim shirts unbuttoned or tied over a comfy tee.

Fall Style Inspiration: Stealing from the Brit Boys

Harry Styles, Matt Hitt, Matty Healy

Fall Essentials by evilqueenstyle featuring Urban Decay

T shirt
etsy.com

Uniqlo purple shirt
uniqlo.com

H M biker jacket
$57 - hm.com

Topshop short skirt
topshop.com

Steve Madden black leather boots
stevemadden.com

Alexander McQueen skull ring
couture.zappos.com

Rag bone black hat
rag-bone.com

Urban Decay lipstick
$24 - johnlewis.com

Color Your Mouth: NYX's Macaron Lippies

From Top: Black Sesame, Lavender, Pistachio, Key Lime

Okay so before I get into actual product reviews, I want to talk about being afraid of colour

Maybe about a month or so my dear friend Nikki linked to my blog on her facebook status. Now, there's a little bit in here about "goth" kinds of things, and one of her friends made a comment about how in her day, a goth girl would never have dreamed of wearing neon. 

And that's probably true. Traditional goth wear is pretty much black/grey/red, with very little desire for variance. And a lot of people, whether they prescribe to a subculture or not, stick to a pretty strict colour palette. I do too, I have colours that look good on me and colours that I wear and colours that I absolutely do not wear (brown, blue, gold).

But theres something to be said for the shock value of bright, unexpected colours. I don't understand why lipstick in particular is typically restrained to traditional reds, berries, pinks, and nudes. It's boring. It's expected. It's the same thing every other bitch is doing.

So why the fuck not wear green lipstick? Why the fuck not wear brighter, bolder shades? Wear every fucking colour of the rainbow on your mouth. Who gives a fuck?

There is something to be said for pushing boundaries and stepping out of your comfort zone, and that something is this: you will never know your own goddess power unless you try new things. Turn heads. Make people stare. Make it worth their time.

That being said, as soon as I saw previews of these lipsticks from NYX I knew I had to get my hands on them. Because I'm weird, and I like crazy colours.

The formula is a little less pigmented than I'd like, and I didn't really love the Black Sesame's grey against my skin tone -  I'd need something more matte and maybe a little darker. But I really love the Lavender and Pistachio colours, and actually I think they're quite wearable. I like bright coloured lips against all black outfits, and it's a perfect unexpected pop of colour. These are really great alternatives to more expensive brands like Lime Crime, and the packaging is pretty dope too.

Overall, I'm pretty pleased!