Top 20 2009 NOTDs

Well, what a year as they say. Almost the entirety of it spent blogging =) So I thought I'd browse back & pick some favorites to show you guys, to start off 2010 on a good foot, with A LOT of content =)

My super-duperest top favorites are at the beginning of this list, but I could not actually rank these, it was too hard.  In fact, this started out only going to be a top 10, but I started finding so many that I loved, I decided to do 10 favorite overall manis, and then an additional top 10 favorite colors =)

I think this still holds the place as the favorite Konad I've ever done, although a few others have come close.  This swirly goodness from back in August used Claire's Magic as the base color (original post HERE):

The hands-down BEST glitter that I own, China Glaze Atlantis (original post HERE):

Pretty recent, and not anywhere near the top of my list when I initially finished it, my Holly Leaves & Berries Christmas mani really grew on me as I wore it (original post HERE):

I have had such a fun year learning how to water marble. I think my favorite - at this particular moment of posting LOL - was the one I did with several colors from the China Glaze OMG Collection (original posts HERE & HERE):

My Halloween Spiderweb mani (original post HERE):

The mani that change my mind about liking matte polish, OPI DS Extravagance matte-ified (original post HERE & without matte topcoat HERE):

A polish that I will admit was worth the dent in my wallet, Rescue Beauty Lounge Orbis Non Sufficit from the Blogger Collection (original post HERE):

I love funky frenches, and this is one that I often think of doing again, either the same or maybe with a different color scheme (original post HERE):

Black fishnets - a Konad classic =) - over Barielle Get Mauve-ing (original post HERE):

The 4th of July mani that was inspired by fireworks (original post HERE):

OK, now on to the best colors of the year ...

Best red - I chose Zoya Isla (original post HERE):

Best orange - this isn't only orange I guess, but I didn't have that many to choose from & this one did deserve to be included in the top 20 somehow =)  China Glaze Fortune Teller (original post HERE):

Best green - how could I choose anything but China Glaze Emerald Sparkle (original posts HERE & HERE):

Best blue - I really love my blues.  This one I was really close, I almost went with China Glaze Frostbite (original post HERE), but in the end I went with OPI DS Fantasy (original post HERE):

Best purple - and probably best holo if I'd included that category - Color Club Wild at Heart (original post HERE):

Best black - Icing Blackout (original post HERE):

Best silver - China Glaze Millennium (original post HERE):

Best grey - I know everyone always calls Color Club Revvvolution a black holo, but really it's dark grey (orignal post HERE):

Best brown - Misa Earthward (original post HERE):

Best duo-chrome - OK, so duo-chrome isn't a color on it's own.  Do I look like I care? =) I had to find some way to get Indigo Illusion included (original post HERE):

So, those are my favorite from 2009.  I can't wait to see what I come up with this year =)  Thanks for reading.

~Colette

Final 2009 Books: 68-77

Believe it or not, this was a slow reading year for me. I've said it before, but if you're a new reader, I read 130 books in 2008, so not even hitting 80 in 2009 was a huge personal disappointment for me. Well, maybe not huge, but I was disgruntled, believe it. My goal for 2010 is 100 books, which would be about 2 a week. I'm already off on a good foot, I finished my first book day before yesterday on the 1st. But before I can start to tell you about my 2010 books, I've got to finish up 2009 =)

You may have noticed a little Amazon link showed up over in my affiliate section in the right sidebar - starting with this post, if you're interested to purchase any of what I'm currently reading, the titles & book covers will be click-able for you to purchase through Amazon.com. I personally get the vast majority of my books from my local library, but if you're the type who likes to own their favorites, please consider starting here, as a little commission on my end would be pretty sweet =) If you are another heavy-using library patron & only care about the reviews, the links will be pretty unobtrusive & easy to ignore.

Last thing before the books is, I'm put up a poll (which I haven't for a while ) - I'm curious, how many books did YOU read over the past year? Are you pleased with what you read, wish you'd read more, feel like you wasted your time & should have read less? Please vote & feel free to leave a comment. Now on to the books:

#68

Must Love Hellhounds

Anthology

This anthology featured stories by Charlaine Harris, Nalini Singh, Ilona Andrews, and Meljean Brooks.

I mainly got it because I wanted to read the Charlaine Harris story, but I actually ended up liking that one least.  The Ilona Andrews story turned out to be my favorite, set in her Kate Daniels' universe but featuring one of her friends, Andrea.  This short fit really neatly into the established storyline - something which unfortunately isn't always true & can really lose an author points with me.

#69

The Titan's Curse

Percy Jackson & the Olympians Book 3

Rick Riordan

At first I thought I saw where this book was going, then there were a few turns & I started to doubt myself, then in the end it turned out I was right in the first place LOL.  The movie based on the first book in this series comes out in I think February, I would like to have finished the series by then, I think I have 2 books to go at this point.

#70

Gwenhwyfar: The White Spirit

Mercedes Lackey

This is an Arthurian tale, and while I can't claim to have read very many, I quite enjoyed this one.  Might have something to do with the fact that Lackey is one of my favorite authors LOL, I don't ever really have to worry about disliking one of her books.

#71

Fantasy

Anthology

This anthology featured stories by Christine Feehan, Sabrina Jeffries, Emma Holly & Elda Minger.

I picked this up for the Emma Holly short - as it is the story that started one of her series - but most of the rest were OK.  Christine Feehan is not my favorite, although she seems to be pretty popular because I've run across her stuff in anthologies before.

#72

Lucinda, Dangerously

Demon Princess Chronicles Book 2

Sunny

The demon princess with a heart of gold, if that isn't too hard to believe.  This book finds her stripped of her powers & imprisoned.  This series is a spin off from Sunny's other series, the Monere.

#73

Moon Awakening

Children of the Moon Book 1

Lucy Monroe

This is the first paranormal book of Lucy Monroe's that I've read, and I think she handled herself pretty well.  The Children of the Moon are - no surprise here I'm sure =) - werewolves.  Seems like usually you find werewolves in a more modern, urban setting, but this is actually set a few hundred years ago in Scotland.

#74

Never After

Anthology

This anthology featured stories by Laurell. K. Hamilton, Yasmine Galenorn, Marjorie M. Liu, & Sharon Shin.

The weirdest part of this book, the part I (sadly) remember most at this point, is that it s not standard size.  It was a paperback, but it was a little narrower & an inch or two taller than most paperbacks.  I couldn't quite figure out what the point of that was, other than making it so that it wouldn't fit neatly on a bookshelf LOL

The other disappointment was that, despite the fact that she had top billing & her name is literally bigger than the title of the book, Laurell K. Hamilton's story was less than 40 pages.  Of a book that was nearly 400 pages., with only 4 short stories.  To say I was miffed is an understatement, I mean come on!  That's kind of like false advertisement.

#75

Kitty Raises Hell

Kitty Norville Book 6

Carrie Vaughn

In the last book, during her trip to Vegas, Kitty managed to piss a few people off - as usual I guess you could say, but these particular people decided to take their vengeance through a being that at first appears to be a demon.

#76

First Lord's Fury

The Codex Alera, Book 6

Jim Butcher

Ah, this book was bittersweet for me, I'd been waiting for it for about a year, anxious to see what happened next, but it's also the final book of the series, so I'm sad there won't be any more.  I always want to know what happens next, so maybe I'm never really satisfied when a story ends LOL.  This ending came close though, everything came together in the end & there were several last minute twists that I didn't see coming, unexpected confrontations & some that I'd been looking forward to that never ended up happening.  I think The Codex Alera is my favorite series I've read in a long time, maybe ever.  I can only hope Jim Butcher picks another story to tell in this world.

#77

Hot for the Holidays

Anthology

This anthology featured stories by Lora Leigh, Angela Knight, Anya Bast & Allyson James.

I'd actually been on the waitlist for this one since last Christmas I think LOL, the timing was pretty good that I got it in time for the holidays this year.  Just a quick read, filler while I waited for a few other things that were in transit.

There are sooo many books I'm looking forward to in the next year =)  Here's to meeting & beating my goal.  Thanks for reading.

~Colette

Polish OCD - My Stash in Excel

So, when I originally started my spreadsheet, it is was pretty basic - just brand & color really.  Then as time went on I thought of more & more I wanted to add – what collection was it part of, when did I buy it, are there pics on my blog?   Is the color dark, light, medium ... soft, strong, neon?  Is it a shimmer with a secondary color peeking through?

I still think of things I want to add, distinctions I want to make, & I have to decide if I really need to track this or that, if I want to add ANOTHER column & then keep track going forward, or if I ever in life would get around to backtracking & filling in what’s already on the spreadsheet.  Answer to that last is probably no ... I don't even go back & make notes like I intended to, except in very specific cases.  Maybe I can make that another resolution =)

Anyway, I recently uploaded my spreadsheet (846 bottles & counting) to Google Docs.  Click HERE if you'd like to check it out, or there's now a link on the right sidebar - right under the link to my YouTube channel.  Feel free to leave a comment or drop an email with any questions to my personal quirky sorting system LOL.  I'll also accept swatch requests, although I make no promises on how long it may take me to actually fulfill them!

Thanks for reading.

~Colette

Christmas Polish Haul!

Almost forgot to post these!  My mom went to Wal-Mart to get these for me - a store she would normally never set foot in LOL!  Apparently a few months ago I expressed a desire for Strapless, and while that gorgeous blue glitter was sold out, I'm still plenty happy with the Christmas haul that I did receive:

 

Left to right, all Pure Ice:  Busted, No Means No, Celestial, Heart breaker, Calypso, Splash & A List.  Purples & blues, you'd think she knows me well or something LOL =)

Thanks for reading.

~Colette