The Last of the 2014 Books

I had a couple of books from 2014 that I haven’t had a chance to post about. Here are my reviews! 

This is one beautiful new reference book I was thrilled to add to my collection. The pages are thick, glossy, richly illustrated color pages that add depth to any Bible study time. This is a hefty tome, to be sure, both in content and size. My boyfriend was enthralled with the beauty and detail found here, and I fear the book may end up living at his house! For any scholar or serious Bible lover, this is one of the most stunning Bible Dictionaries out there. Not to be confused with a concordance, though this edition is cross-referenced, this book gives contextual info and historical background on Biblical terms, feasts, figures, and more. You can find such interesting things as a list of diseases in the Bible, photos of discovered historical ruins, and detailed definitions of all of those hard-to-pronounce Old Testament places/names/facts/figures. This is an essential for your bookshelf.

Have you heard of Michelle Phan? Who am I kidding, if you’re a female with internet access, of course you have. She is one of THE biggest YouTube beauty gurus, and this hardcover shares her story along with actionable tips to be your best, beautiful self. 

Michelle runs her YouTube channel and blog, her makeup line Em, her beauty subscription service ipsey, and her television company FAWN, along with being Lancome’s beauty guru. Can we say BUSY?

While Michelle’s tone is a bit elementary, there are some interesting stories and tips to be found from poring over this book. I was pleasantly surprised. Her story is interesting (she started out as an art student) and I enjoyed seeing a behind-the-scenes peek into her life and routine. I was expecting this to be a thumb-through book but I enjoyed spending time with the book. Michelle covers a LOT of ground, from makeup and skincare to job interviews, etiquette, and finding your online persona. I think this would be a great gift for any teenager or twenty-something. A beautifully presented book, and looks pretty in any stack or bookshelf, too, which is a huge plus in these visual days!