Iris and the Tiger by Leanne Hall

Iris and the Tiger by Leanne Hall
Published January 27, 2016 by Text Publishing
Source: the publisher
Rating: 5 stars

From the blurb: Twelve-year-old Iris has been sent to Spain on a mission: to make sure her elderly and unusual aunt, Ursula, leaves her fortune–and her sprawling estate–to Iris’s scheming parents.
But from the moment Iris arrives at Bosque de Nubes, she realises something isn’t quite right. There isan odd feeling around the house, where time moves slowly and Iris’s eyes play tricks on her. While outside, in the wild and untamed forest, a mysterious animal moves through the shadows.
Just what is Aunt Ursula hiding?
But when Iris discovers a painting named Iris and the Tiger, she sets out to uncover the animal’s real identity–putting her life in terrible danger. 

Iris and the Tiger is a wonderful, creative story that captivated me from the start. I felt sorry for Iris, her parents are greedy and don't care about her, and from what we glean about her school life, it sounds like she's feeling lonely and out of place. At Bosque de Nubes she finds a new home, one filled with magic, family, and new friends. Her adventures with Jordi were a delight and watching her become more confident was satisfying, knowing she'll take that confidence back home. The night I finished this I had a fantastic dream involving the beast car from the story, and I have a feeling the imagery from this book will stay with me for a long time.

Thank you to Text Publishing for my review copy.

I adore the cover of Iris and the Tiger and thought I'd challenge myself to paint nails to match. I new this set would take a while so I timed myself by watching Disney movies - I got through Mary Poppins and Alice in Wonderland.

I used acrylic paint and a very fine brush.

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

I read The 5th Wave in April 2013 and absolutely loved it. It was thrilling, it was clever, and I couldn't put it down. I never did nails to match but I'm off to see the film version this evening so I thought I'd celebrate with a manicure!

I started with a base of Orly Lemonade.

I used acrylic paint, a fine brush, and a small piece of sponge to paint Cassie and the trees.

Inbetween Days by Vikki Wakefield

Inbetween Days by Vikki Wakefield
Published September 25, 2015 by Text Publishing
Source: the publisher
Rating: 5 stars

From the blurb: At seventeen, Jacklin Bates is all grown up. She’s dropped out of school. She’s living with her runaway sister, Trudy, and she’s in secret, obsessive love with Luke, who doesn’t love her back. She’s stuck in Mobius—a dying town with the macabre suicide forest its only attraction—stuck working in the roadhouse and babysitting her boss’s demented father.
A stranger sets up camp in the forest and the boy next door returns; Jack’s father moves into the shed and her mother steps up her campaign to punish Jack for leaving, too. Trudy’s brilliant façade is cracking and Jack’s only friend, Astrid, has done something unforgivable.
Jack is losing everything, including her mind. As she struggles to hold onto the life she thought she wanted, Jack learns that growing up is complicated—and love might be the biggest mystery of all. 

Inbetween Days is Vikki Wakefield's third novel and it's yet another example of how she excels at writing about teens, loneliness, and small towns. Everything about Jack and the town of Mobius was palpable: her longing, the isolation, the mystery, the heat of the summer. The relationships were realistic and complicated, no matter who it involved: her sister, her mother, Jeremiah. The ending was perfect, not quite wrapped up but with just the right amount of resolution.

Thank you to Text Publishing for the review copy.

For the base of this manicure I used China Glaze First Mate, Nailt It! Cornflower, Models Own Blueberry Muffin, LA Colors Illusion, and Butter London Sprog.

For the grass and bushland I used Ulta3 Tahition Lime, Ulta3 Mermaid Green, and China Glaze Into the Wild.

For the movie screen I used acrylic paint.