Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Books I'm Excited For: January 2014

Happy New Year's Eve!
Today I'm having a Star Wars marathon with my friends (we do this every year, it's a tradition for us), and I'm also sharing the books I'm excited for that are coming out in January!



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Afterparty by Ann Redisch Stampler (Hardcover or Kindle)
Emma is tired of being good. Always the dutiful daughter to an overprotective father, she is the antithesis of her mother -- whose name her dad won't even say out loud. That's why meeting Siobhan is the best thing that ever happened to her...and the most dangerous. Because Siobhan is fun and alluring and experienced and lives on the edge. In other words, she's everything Emma is not.

And it may be more than Emma can handle. 

Because as intoxicating as her secret life may be, when Emma begins to make her own decisions, Siobhan starts to unravel. It's more than just Dylan, the boy who comes between them. Their high-stakes pacts are spinning out of control. Elaborate lies become second nature. Loyalties and boundaries are blurred. And it all comes to a head at the infamous Afterparty, where debauchery rages and an intense, inescapable confrontation ends in a plummet from the rooftop... 

This explosive, sexy, and harrowing follow-up to Ann Redisch Stampler's spectacular teen debut, Where It Began, reveals how those who know us best can hurt us most.

Why Am I So Excited: First, I want to say I know this book technically comes out Dec 31st, but I missed it on my last list, and it's pretty darn close to January! Second, it just sounds really interesting! Lies, debauchery, confrontation? Sign me up!

Other Books I've Read by this Author: None, she is a new find for me!
Release Date: December 31st, 2013




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The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson (Hardcover or Kindle)
For the past five years, Hayley Kincaid and her father, Andy, have been on the road, never staying long in one place as he struggles to escape the demons that have tortured him since his return from Iraq. Now they are back in the town where he grew up so Hayley can attend school. Perhaps, for the first time, Hayley can have a normal life, put aside her own painful memories, even have a relationship with Finn, the hot guy who obviously likes her but is hiding secrets of his own.

Will being back home help Andy’s PTSD, or will his terrible memories drag him to the edge of hell, and drugs push him over? The Impossible Knife of Memory is Laurie Halse Anderson at her finest: compelling, surprising, and impossible to put down.

Why Am I So Excited?: This gets great reviews, and it just sounds like it should be a good book.

Other Books I've Read by this Author: Speak and Wintergirls. I really loved Speak, and I also liked Wintergirls, so I'm hoping this will be another one I enjoy!
Release Date: January 7th, 2014




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The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd (Hardcover and Kindle)
From the celebrated author of The Secret Life of Bees, a magnificent novel about two unforgettable American women

Writing at the height of her narrative and imaginative gifts, Sue Monk Kidd presents a masterpiece of hope, daring, the quest for freedom, and the desire to have a voice in the world.

Hetty "Handful” Grimke, an urban slave in early nineteenth century Charleston, yearns for life beyond the suffocating walls that enclose her within the wealthy Grimke household. The Grimke’s daughter, Sarah, has known from an early age she is meant to do something large in the world, but she is hemmed in by the limits imposed on women.

Kidd’s sweeping novel is set in motion on Sarah’s eleventh birthday, when she is given ownership of ten year old Handful, who is to be her handmaid.We follow their remarkable journeys over the next thirty five years, as both strive for a life of their own, dramatically shaping each other’s destinies and forming a complex relationship marked by guilt, defiance, estrangement and the uneasy ways of love.
As the stories build to a riveting climax, Handful will endure loss and sorrow, finding courage and a sense of self in the process. Sarah will experience crushed hopes, betrayal, unrequited love, and ostracism before leaving Charleston to find her place alongside her fearless younger sister, Angelina, as one of the early pioneers in the abolition and women’s rights movements.

Inspired by the historical figure of Sarah Grimke, Kidd goes beyond the record to flesh out the rich interior lives of all of her characters, both real and invented, including Handful’s cunning mother, Charlotte, who courts danger in her search for something better.
This exquisitely written novel is a triumph of storytelling that looks with unswerving eyes at a devastating wound in American history, through women whose struggles for liberation, empowerment, and expression will leave no reader unmoved.

Why Am I So Excited?: Well, it's an Oprah Book Club 2.0 book. I haven't read an Oprah book club book in awhile, but this one seems like something I would like. I have it requested from the library, and I'm glad I did- it jumped up over 100 from the day I requested it to the next! CRAZY! The description reads like it should have some strong female characters and provide a powerful story. I can't wait!

Other Books I've Read by this Author: None. Though I do still want to read The Secret Life of Bees, I just keep forgetting about it and then watch the movie instead.
Release Date: January 7th, 2014




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Smitten Book Club by Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Denise Hunter, and Diann Hunt (Paperback and Kindle)
""Consider that your beau is like a coveted novel whose compelling first lines you've just begun to read." --A Gentlewoman's Guide to Love and Courtship"

At a rummage sale, Heather, a member of the Fireside Book Club, discovers a turn-of-the-century romantic advice book written by a once-famous Smitten, Vermont, resident. When she shares the precious volume with her friends in the club, they find clues about a hidden treasure rumored to be buried in their tiny town.

As Heather, Abby, Lia, and Molly take turns reading the book, each projects onto it her own literary tastes. Heather sees it as a mystery. Abby discovers delicious dashes of Jane Austen. Lia sees in it the idealism of a bygone day. And Molly just wishes they'd made the book into a movie!

One by one, each of the women finds romantic love--often in spite of the historic book's advice. And in searching for the legendary gold, the friends discover the best kind of treasure. The kind that brings hope and healing to each of their hearts.

Why Am I So Excited?: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley. It seemed like it would be a cute, light read. 

Other Books I've Read by this Author: I have not read anything by any of these authors. 
Release Date: January 14th, 2014




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A Mad, Wicked Folly by Sharon Biggs Waller (Hardcover and Kindle)
Welcome to the world of the fabulously wealthy in London, 1909, where dresses and houses are overwhelmingly opulent, social class means everything, and women are taught to be nothing more than wives and mothers. Into this world comes seventeen-year-old Victoria Darling, who wants only to be an artist—a nearly impossible dream for a girl.
            
After Vicky poses nude for her illicit art class, she is expelled from her French finishing school. Shamed and scandalized, her parents try to marry her off to the wealthy Edmund Carrick-Humphrey. But Vicky has other things on her mind: her clandestine application to the Royal College of Art; her participation in the suffragette movement; and her growing attraction to a working-class boy who may be her muse—or may be the love of her life. As the world of debutante balls, corsets, and high society obligations closes in around her, Vicky must figure out: just how much is she willing to sacrifice to pursue her dreams?

Why Am I So Excited?: I've never been one to like a historical fiction, or romance, but something about it involving suffrage and class issues just makes me want to dive in!

Other Books I've Read by this Author: None- she is also a new author for me!
Release Date: January 23rd, 2014




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The Art of Falling by Kathryn Craft (Paperback and Kindle)
One wrong step could send her over the edge.

All Penny has ever wanted to do is dance—and when that chance is taken from her, it pushes her to the brink of despair, from which she might never return. When she wakes up after a traumatic fall, bruised and battered but miraculously alive, Penny must confront the memories that have haunted her for years, using her love of movement to pick up the pieces of her shattered life.

Kathryn Craft’s lyrical debut novel is a masterful portrayal of a young woman trying to come to terms with her body and the artistic world that has repeatedly rejected her. The Art of Falling expresses the beauty of movement, the stasis of despair, and the unlimited possibilities that come with a new beginning.

Why Am I So Excited?: It sounds so interesting and dramatic! I love reading about dancers (the focus and determination!), so this will be right up my alley!

Other Books I've Read by this Author: This is a debut novel by this author!
Release Date: January 28th, 2014




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Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge (Hardcover and Kindle)
Graceling meets Beauty and the Beast in this sweeping fantasy about one girl's journey to fulfill her destiny and the monster who gets in her way-by stealing her heart.

Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.


Why Am I So Excited?: It's based on Beauty and the Beast, which is one of my favorites! Ever since I started reading the Lunar Chronicles novels by Marissa Meyer, I've been intrigued by either "retellings" or books that are based on other fairy tales. This seems in line with that, so I thought I would check it out!
Other Books I've Read by this Author: I have not read anything else by this author.
Release Date: January 28th, 2014


There are so many more books that are coming out in January, but these are some of the ones I saw that I am really excited to read. My favorite place to see what's coming out is the Most Popular page on Goodreads- I highly recommend checking it out if you're looking for new books to read! 


FTC: This post contains amazon affiliate links. Please see my disclosure page for more info.

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Book Review: Champion (Legend #3) by Marie Lu

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Description from Goodreads
He is a Legend.

She is a Prodigy.

Who will be Champion?
 

June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic—and each other—and now their country is on the brink of a new existence. June is back in the good graces of the Republic, working within the government’s elite circles as Princeps-Elect, while Day has been assigned a high-level military position. 

But neither could have predicted the circumstances that will reunite them: just when a peace treaty is imminent, a plague outbreak causes panic in the Colonies, and war threatens the Republic’s border cities. This new strain of plague is deadlier than ever, and June is the only one who knows the key to her country’s defense. But saving the lives of thousands will mean asking the one she loves to give up everything. 

With heart-pounding action and suspense, Marie Lu’s bestselling trilogy draws to a stunning conclusion



My Review
So. 
I guess that's not really a good way to start a review, but that's just how I feel. I felt meh about half way through the book, and I feel meh after finishing it. 

It reminds me a lot of how I felt when I finished The Hunger Games series. Underwhelmed. 
(Don't get me wrong- I loved the shit out of the first and second Hunger Games books, and will happily go to the last movies, but that doesn't mean I'm not secretly hoping they change Katniss completely from someone that's always in a coma to someone who is actually who she was in the beginning. Sorry, tangent!)

I really, really liked the first book of the Legend series. But as the books have gone on, I haven't felt that pull to be in that world. And towards the end, I was wanting to read more about the small, skipped over things (can she please do a series about Antarctica?!), rather than caring about Day. Or June. Or even Eden. 


I cared so little I finished the book yesterday, and I remember very little about the book as a whole. 

What I do remember is this- The Colonies invade the Republic. They need to find a cure to the plague the colonies are spreading, and they think Eden is the key. In order to get Antarctica's help, they have to find the cure.
Eden isn't the cure. Tess is dying. Day is dying. 

And then it all becomes a huge blur of war and mistruths, and I stopped caring. Even the end, although it was both happy and not, didn't really leave me feeling any way.


Other than feeling extremely underwhelmed.


I gave this book a three star review. Which is for both the book and the series as a whole. I don't think this book deserves less than three stars, because it wasn't a bad book. I guess I just wanted more of the experience. I wanted to care, and I didn't. 
That is probably my fault more than the authors, especially because this book has such high ratings otherwise.

If you're interested in getting this book after my gushing review (lol), you can get the hardcopy here, or a kindle copy here.

FTC: I borrowed this book from my local library. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This post contains amazon affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

My favorite books read in 2013, and my yearly books read goal

Merry Christmas!

Today, I'm going to be sharing with you all my favorite books that I read this year. These are books that I gave a 5 star review on Goodreads that I read in 2013, which I don't give out a lot of. I give out a lot of four star reviews, admittedly, but the 5 star review I save for the books that will stay with me, that I'll recommend to everyone I know. They're the books I shout about from the rooftops.
I wasn't blogging my reviews back when I read most of these, so there isn't a review to accompany those. But I'm still going to quickly tell you why I enjoyed them so much!


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The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling (Hardcover, Paperback, and Kindle)
A BIG NOVEL ABOUT A SMALL TOWN ...

When Barry Fairbrother dies in his early forties, the town of Pagford is left in shock.

Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war.

Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils ... Pagford is not what it first seems.

And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations?

Why I Loved It: Admittedly, this book is not going to be for everyone. I wasn't even sure it was going to be for me at first. There are a lot of characters, and it took me until about page 90 to keep who was who straight. Then the book got really good. Then I hated everyone in the entire book and wanted to set it on fire. Then I loved the book again, and wanted to hug it (I actually might have). 

This is not Harry Potter. There is no magic, and this book is not meant for children. But it is a great adult novel about a town of people that think they all know each other, and they really don't. That think everything is perfect, and it's not. Is there a real Pagford, and Rowling is just writing it down? Of course not, but that's what this book feels like. 
The book itself goes nowhere. It's not a book with much resolution. But it is wonderful.




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Reached by Ally Condie (Paperback and Kindle)
After leaving Society to desperately seek The Rising, and each other, Cassia and Ky have found what they were looking for, but at the cost of losing each other yet again. Cassia is assigned undercover in Central city, Ky outside the borders, an airship pilot with Indie. Xander is a medic, with a secret. All too soon, everything shifts again.

Why I Loved It: This was my favorite end to a trilogy. It made me laugh, it made me cry buckets (at around page 430), and it made me just love the series in general. It's rare I love every book of a trilogy, and only the second one got four stars. It was complete, I wasn't left with questions or thinking something was missing- it was just perfect, as far as dystopian trilogies go.

I think a lot of people didn't like that this book centered a lot on Xander and his medic experiences. But to me, these novels are about the characters experiences primarily, and the romance secondarily, especially if there's a love triangle. I really give no shits about the romance potential between Cassia and Ky, or Cassia and Xander. To me, it was obvious who she was going to end up with, and I just enjoyed the ride of it. I recommend reading the entire trilogy- they're great, and I don't think it will leave you feeling empty and disappointed like some of the other dystopian trilogies. 




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The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (Hardcover and Kindle)
Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.

Why I Loved It: My review on Goodreads (which was written prior to starting this blog) simply says this: "This book is going to stay with me for awhile". And it has. Again, it's a book with real-seeming characters. These real characters are in a horrible situation- they all have cancer. It's devastating and beautiful and heartbreaking all at once. Do August and Hazel speak like real teenagers? No, they don't. They're ironic and jaded and have cancer. So they talk and live like they do. It's not a perfect book, but it was perfect to me. 

Also, as an aside, I am super excited for the movie, and LOVE the poster. Holy crap do I love it. I want to hug it.




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The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult (Hardcover, Paperback, and Kindle)
Sage Singer befriends an old man who's particularly beloved in her community. Josef Weber is everyone's favorite retired teacher and Little League coach. They strike up a friendship at the bakery where Sage works. One day he asks Sage for a favor: to kill him. Shocked, Sage refuses…and then he confesses his darkest secret - he deserves to die, because he was a Nazi SS guard. Complicating the matter? Sage's grandmother is a Holocaust survivor.

What do you do when evil lives next door? Can someone who's committed a truly heinous act ever atone for it with subsequent good behavior? Should you offer forgiveness to someone if you aren't the party who was wronged? And most of all - if Sage even considers his request - is it murder, or justice?

Why I Loved It: This book was beautiful, and devastating. I cried happy and sad tears while reading this book. Minka's story... I still think about it. The book takes place during the holocaust, and is one woman and one man's story. The way she brings the full story together is breathtaking. Jodi Picoult is a winner in my book, and this is my favorite of hers. Hands down. It is probably one of my favorite books that I've ever read. 





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Roomies by Tara Altebrando and Sara Zarr (Hardcover and Kindle)
(This book was provided by NetGalley for review.)
It's time to meet your new roomie.

When East Coast native Elizabeth receives her freshman-year roommate assignment, she shoots off an e-mail to coordinate the basics: television, microwave, mini-fridge. That first note to San Franciscan Lauren sparks a series of e-mails that alters the landscape of each girl's summer -- and raises questions about how two girls who are so different will ever share a dorm room.

As the countdown to college begins, life at home becomes increasingly complex. With family relationships and childhood friendships strained by change, it suddenly seems that the only people Elizabeth and Lauren can rely on are the complicated new boys in their lives . . . and each other. Even though they've never met.

National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr and acclaimed author Tara Altebrando join forces for a novel about growing up, leaving home, and getting that one fateful e-mail that assigns your college roommate.


Why I Loved It: You can read my full review here. I specifically timed this post because the book is now available to purchase! 




I didn't quite meet my goal of books to read this year- I wanted to read 50, and I ended shy of that. 


2013 Reading Challenge

2013 Reading Challenge
Ashley has read 41 books toward her goal of 50 books.
hide

I'm going to set next year's goal at 50 and try really hard to meet it! 

I'd love to see what books you guys have read and have loved this year (or just in general), so please feel free to share below!


FTC: All books were either purchased by me, borrowed from the library, or provided by NetGalley for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This post contains amazon.com affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Perfect Palette Tag

I've seen this around YouTube and I thought it would be a really fun tag to do!


1. Best Packaging

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I have to give it to the Naked Basics. I love that the mirror stays in place. I love how sleek it is. It's not always easy to open, but I do wish more of my palettes were like this, basically because I can set it on a table and it will stay open.


2. Best Color Payoff

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It's a tie between my Lorac Pro Palette, and my original Naked Palette. I feel like the color payoff on both of these is really true to pan.


3. Most Versatile

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This definitely goes to the Lorac pro. I can create any look I want with this palette- from super neutral to dark and smoky. Anything I want to do, eyes wise, I can do!


4. Best for Traveling

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This is also a tie! If I need to go somewhere, these are the two palettes that I want with me. It's not that the Lorac doesn't have enough mattes- it certainly does! But between the two, I have a mirror that can stay open, and enough of a mix of mattes and shimmers that I can do any look I need to!

5. Biggest Regret

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This is also a tie. I may lose seriously blogger cred, but I don't get the love with the wet 'n wild  eyeshadow palettes- at least not this one. I get crazy fallout, the shades are chalky so they don't blend well- I just don't get it! I really need to just purge this out of my collection. I'm willing to try some of the other wet 'n wilds because this could be a fluke, but I regret buying this.
The Cover Girl palette I mainly got for the green and blue, and now I have better quality makeup that I don't absolutely need a white base to get absolute color payoff. I would have to layer so much eye shadow on my eyes to get close to the shade in the pan that it just wasn't worth it. 

6. Best Color Names

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Of the palettes I have, it has to be this palette. I think Too Faced really does come up with the funnest names! The names of this palette include Cut the Cake, Hot Cocoa, Lovey Dovey, and Licorice Latte, to name a few.

7. Least Used
I think it's safe to say that my least used is also the ones listed under "biggest regret". I don't use those much because I'm not into the color payoff or the fallout. I really just need to trash them.

8. Most Used, Most Loved, Desert Island
The Lorac Pro! It's listed in several categories, and I am just so in love with it. It's the only palette I own that I can actually see having to replace the whole thing because I will have run out of virtually every shade. There isn't a single shade I dislike in this palette, and all are pigmented and flattering shades for my skin tone. I can get any look I want (as I said above), and I never worry about not being able to come up with one look using ONLY this palette (I usually have to use more than one if I'm using any other palette I own). Overall, this is the palette I will go back to.  


I Tag: Jenna and Allie, specifically, and any of you that want to do it! If you've already done this tag, please feel free to leave a comment to the post or YouTube video, and I will definitely go check it out!



FTC: All products were with purchased by me with my own money or received as gifts. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Foreo Luna Mini Review

(I received this product at a discount from BzzAgent and Foreo to review.)

I've had about a month to really use and get to know the Foreo Luna Mini, and I have to say, I am beyond in love with it!

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(I took this photo when I traveled with the device. It is so portable!)

As I said in my original post, I've never used any other kind of skin care brush (like the most popular, the Clarisonic), but I've heard it's harsh for sensitive skin. This is not harsh at all. I haven't had any kind of irritation- it just feels good! It does make my face a little numb right after use, but nothing concerning.

So far, I have not had to recharge my device yet. I've probably used it over 30 times since receiving it (I have used it at night and turned around and used it the next morning- I love it that much!), and after every use, I just feel like my skin is so clean.

I feel like it's changed the way my skin looks- when I look in the mirror, my skin actually looks healthy and not dull. I've found myself going without my BB or CC creams on occasion because I feel like I don't need that extra coverage. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that this gets my skin completely cleared out of any left over makeup, so it allows my skin to breathe and get healthy. 

From the photo above, you can see that I traveled with it, and it took up no room at all. It just fit right inside a bag I keep my skin care and toothbrush in. It didn't turn itself on randomly. 


I really like the exfoliating side- it's been great at helping me get rid of the little bits of dry skin that are popping up now that it's getting cold.


Overall, I highly recommend at least giving this product a try, especially if you're already in the market for a facial brush. It's less expensive than the Clarisonic when you factor in replacement brushes. And I've never had an issue with it! It's also antimicrobial, and you can clean it with a gentle soap and water. So long as you take care of it, this won't be something you have to replace at all! 


The standard price of the Foreo Luna Mini is $139.00, however, Foreo and BzzAgent have provided me with an offer code good for 35% off regular price (which would bring this down around $90.00). If you'd be interested in the code, please comment below with your e-mail and I will be happy to pass it on! This promo code is no longer available. Thank You for all the interest!

Please feel free to ask any questions below if I didn't address them above, and I will answer them to the best of my knowledge. 

Thanks for reading!


FTC: This product was provided to me at a discount as a BzzAgent. I have not received any compensation in exchange for this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Book Review: The Troop by Nick Cutter

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(I received this book to review from NetGalley)

Description from Good Reads
Lord of the Flies meets The Ruins in this frightening novel written in the bestselling traditions of Stephen King and Scott Smith. 

Boy Scouts live by the motto “Be Prepared.” However, nothing can prepare this group of young boys and their scoutmaster for what they encounter on a small, deserted island, as they settle down for a weekend of campfires, merit badges, and survival lessons.

Everything changes when a haggard stranger in tattered clothing appears out of nowhere and collapses on the campers’ doorstep. Before the night is through, this stranger will end up infecting one of the troop’s own with a bioengineered horror that’s straight out of their worst nightmares. Now stranded on the island with no communication to the outside world, the troop learns to battle much more than the elements, as they are pitted against something nature never intended…and eventually each other.

“Lean and crisp and over-the-top....Disquieting, disturbing,” says Scott Smith, author of The Ruins and A Simple PlanThe Troop is a visceral burn of a read that combines boldly drawn characters with a fantastically rendered narrative—a terrifying story you’ll never forget.


My Review

About 20% of the way into reading this book, I tweeted the following out:
I did end up finishing this book. It was itchy, and uncomfortable, but I finished it. 



The Troop is about a group of boy scouts and their troop leader, over the course of a weekend, where they went for survival training. And, funny enough, that is exactly what they get when Tim, the scout master, finds a man extremely ill, malnourished, and dying. Scoutmaster Tim is also a doctor, and knows immediately there is something wrong with this stranger. He is gaunt, his skin is practically melting off of him, and he's sick. Very, very sick. He's also eating everything in sight. Including a couch cushion. 


We quickly discover what the disease is- worms. But these aren't just your normal, every day worms. No, these are scientifically engineered worms. That were made by a doctor in a lab. 

The perspective of the book stays in third person, but goes back and forth between the scouts on the island, and reports of what happened in the lab where the worms were created, and various news reports and interviews about what happened on the island.

This book is extremely descriptive, which is great. However, it makes for an extremely uncomfortable read. Ever wondered what it would be like to be infested with worms that want nothing more than to possess you? You're going to find out. Want to get inside the head of a psychopathic little kid? You're going to get that, too. Want to know what it's like to be so sick you are outside of yourself in a way that practically forbids your body from acknowledging it?
I think you see where I'm going with this!

Speaking of psychopathic children- if violence towards children bothers you, even if it's self-inflicted or from other children, you are not going to like this book. If you hate violence in general, stear clear. Not everyone that starts on the island makes it off, so try not to get too attached.
This books also has several instances of violence towards animals (both self-inflicted and otherwise), and that was harder for me to read in some ways than the violence towards the scouts.

I gave this book four stars on Good Reads, but really I'm about at a four and a half. I really, really enjoyed this book, even though it made me uncomfortable. However, I will have a hard time recommending it to just anyone (it would have to be someone that I know is a fan of the genre, and not someone that justs reads Romance, for example), and I don't see myself wanting to read it again.
I'll just keep it tucked away in my brain, where it will probably fester and create nightmares. Of which I had two while reading this book.


This book will be available for purchase on February 25th, 2014. You can preorder it for Kindle here, or hardcover here.


FTC: This book was provided to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Amazon affiliate links are used in this post. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

What's in my makeup bag? (As of December 17th, 2013)

I'm getting naked this month!

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I completely cheated and I've been using my Naked 3 Palette already. I could not help myself!
So needless to say, it's going in this month's bag so I can continue playing. I'm also going to just use my other two Naked palettes. I don't own the Naked 2.
I'm excited to see all the different combos I can come up with!

For face, I'm using the same blushes as before, but switching up the base a little bit.


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I've been using the Lumene CC cream since receiving it in my November New Beauty Test Tube, and I really, really love it. I'm also adding back in the Ponds BB cream. I'm keeping the bareMinerals, and I'm also adding the Urban Decay finishing powder. I'm a fan of it- I wish it applied a little differently, but it's a nice finishing powder.

I love switching up my mascaras pretty much competely every time.
I know I shouldn't have this many mascaras open at once, and I know they expire. But I will throw them away if they dry up or start smelling bad. You can stop emailing me!


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I got the Rimmel Scandaleyes Retro glam in my Rose Vox Box, and I'm okay with it so far. I haven't use it enough to decide. The only other one pictured I'm still not sure of is the Lash Domination mascara, so I really want to make myself use it a lot to try to decide if I should go for a full size or not.
I do think I will need to break down and buy a full size of the Too Faced Better than Sex mascara. It's so nice. It's not Better Than Sex, but it's better than a lot of mascara's I've tried, and I've decided it would be worth the cost.

Everything else is staying the same from my last makeup bag update- same eyeliners, same blushes.



I'd love to see what you guys are using, so feel free to make your own blog posts and link below, and I'll come check them out!
I'm on a low buy for the foreseeable future (trying really hard to get things paid down to save for house down payment!), but I still love ideas!


FTC: The Rimmel Mascara was provided by Influenster for review, and the Lash Domination mascara was a gift from a friend. Everything else was purchased with my own money. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Unboxing/Reviewing the Influenster Rose Vox Box

(I received this box compliments of Influenster to test and review the products inside.)

Hey guys! Today I'm bringing you my unboxing/review of the Influenster Rose Vox Box. For those of you unfamiliar with Influenster, it is a program where you review products, and if you're score gets high enough, they invite you to receive different themed boxes and review what's inside!
You get scored based on different surveys taken, and your expert score. It's quite fun, and this is the fifth box I've received since joining in March of 2012.

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The box usually arrives like this, only the size and color depends on what you are reviewing. My themed box was the Rose Vox Box, which is a beauty themed box. I most likely qualified for this box because my Beauty Queen Expert Badge score is an 87.

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I was quite excited when I learned that Kiss USA and Rimmel was included in this box. I've never tried a Rimmel mascara, and I'm a fan of some of the Kiss USA products, so I knew I would be pleased.
According to the box badges, I expected to receive something from VitaBath, however, nothing was inside my box. Since this box was free, I'm not complaining! But it is something worth noting.

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Lindt Lindor Milk Chocolate Truffles (contains 1)
I'm already a pretty big fan of these (I actually had a package in my room!), but it's always nice to get a little treat. If you've never had a Lindt Truffle, but you're a fan of chocolate or candy, I recommend them highly! They are just so creamy and delicious.


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Kiss USA Gradiation Kit in Exposure Gold
I've used their fake nails before, and I liked them okay, so I was pretty happy with receiving this. The colors are a beautiful choice for the holidays, and I'm excited to try them out- especially that pretty gold sparkle one! Be on the lookout for this in my nail looks next month!

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Rimmel London ScandalEyes Retro Glam in Black
This wasn't a mascara I was familiar with prior to receiving this box, but I've used it a few times now, and overall I like it! The brush is very large and hour-glass shaped, and really does add quite a bit of volume to my lashes. The formula is a little wetter than I prefer, but I'm sure once it dries out a bit, I will love it more.
It reminds me a lot of the Cover Girl Lash Blast, in the way my lashes behave. I'm going to keep using it and see which one I enjoy more.

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Dr. Scholl's For Her Cozy Cushions
I'm probably going to be giving these away- the only boots I have are Bear Paws, so they have a built in comfort lining, and these will be too fluffy if I put them in any of my flats. I'm sure they work great, I'm just not going to use them and I'd rather give them away to someone who will.

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Belvita Breakfast Biscuit in Blueberry
This was surprisingly delicious and filling. It would be a great mid-morning or late afternoon snack. I definitely want to try the cinnamon ones, but the blueberry flavor was great, too. When I purchase more snacks for work, this will definitely be high on my list to try.


If you're interested in joining and being active on Influenster to try your hand at receiving boxes, please leave your email here and I will invite you! My score will go up the more you review, but that's the only form of "compensation" I would receive.


FTC: I received this box from Influenster to review the products sent. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This post contains amazon affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette Swatches and Review

You guys. I don't think I have been this excited for a palette since the original Urban Decay palette. I mean, yes, I'm obsessed with my Lorac Pro Palette now, but I got the original Urban Decay Naked Palette within the week it came off, and I may or may not have purchased this shortly before clocking in for work on the day it came out. Needless to say, I'm super excited to show it to you guys!


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I really geeked out over the inside of the box also being so pretty! It's those small details that really get me!

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The case is basically the same as the Naked 2- a metal-like plastic. It clicks shut securely, though I have heard of people dropping them and breaking the little tabs that allow it to click securely shut. I know a lot of people complained about the original Naked not being secure enough, but I've never had any problems with mine!

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Hello, gorgeous! I'll be honest- this it the first palette I've ever purchased sight unseen- I had only seen swatches. I'm not usually one that will buy a palette like that, but I couldn't resist with this one and I'm glad I didn't. All the shades are absolutely gorgeous.
They are as follows (from Left to Right): Strange (pale neutral pink matte-satin), Dust (pale metallic pink shimmer with iridescent micro-glitter), Burnout (light peachy-pink satin), Limit (light dusty rose matte), Buzz (metallic rose shimmer with silver micro-glitter), Trick (light metallic pinky-copper shimmer with tonal micro-sparkle), Nooner (medium pinky-brown matte), Liar (medium metallic mauve shimmer), Factory (pinky-brown satin), Mugshot (metallic taupe shimmer with slight pink shift), Darkside (deep taupe-mauve satin), and Blackheart (smoky black matte with rosy red micro sparkle).

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(Left to Right - Strange, Dust, Burnout, and Limit)


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(From Left to Right - Buzz, Trick, Nooner, and Liar)


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(From Left to Right - Factory, Mugshot, Darkside, and Blackheart)

Overall, I'm really happy with the shades in this palette. I really like Dust as an allover "natural" lid color, but it is prone to fallout so you have to be careful with it! I don't see myself using Blackheart all that often (maybe as a cut-crease, but more likely as a tight-line color) but every other color I have used and been very impressed with the pigmentation and the staying power.

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The palette also comes with four sample pods of the primer potions that Urban Decay offers- I already know I am not a fan of the original, but I love their anti-aging one. I'm kind of excited to try the other two, but to be honest, this isn't my favorite way to try a sample, and almost wish they had just given the little tubes, since they are easier to work with.

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I really like that the name of the palette is on the brush. I'll probably always keep my brush with the palette, but it's still a nice touch.

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The brush itself is okay. It's good quality, but I don't feel like it's the best at picking up all that the product had to offer. I have other better brushes, but it's good for travel or when I'm in a hurry.

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My order also came with this sample that is probably going to the trash. I already know I'm not a fan of this primer. Though, I might just keep it in my kit for an emergency or to pass it off to someone that may like it better than me.


I'm really, really happy I decided to splurge and get this. I'm sure I'll form more opinions as I use it more, but so far as first impressions go (I've used this four times since receiving it), I don't regret my decision to get this, and I recommend it, especially if you're a fan of rose gold and taupe.


FTC: This palette was purchased by me with my own money. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Book Review: Thankless in Death (In Death #37) by J.D. Robb

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Description from Good Reads
In the latest suspense thriller in the #1 New York Times bestselling series, the year 2060 is drawing to a close in New York City and loved ones are coming together for Thanksgiving. But sometimes the deepest hatreds seethe within the closest relationships, and blood flows faster than water…

Lieutenant Eve Dallas has plenty to be grateful for this season. Hosting Roarke’s big Irish family for the holiday may be challenging, but it’s a joyful improvement on her own dark childhood.

Other couples aren’t as lucky as Eve and Roarke. The Reinholds, for example, are lying in their home stabbed and bludgeoned almost beyond recognition. Those who knew them are stunned—and heartbroken by the evidence that they were murdered by their own son. Twenty-six-year-old Jerry hadn’t made a great impression on the bosses who fired him or the girlfriend who dumped him—but they didn’t think he was capable of this.

Turns out Jerry is not only capable of brutality but taking a liking to it. With the money he’s stolen from his parents and a long list of grievances, he intends to finally make his mark on the world. Eve and her team already know the who, how, and why of this murder. What they need to pinpoint is where Jerry’s going to strike next.


My Review

I love how this book starts- not only are you immediately inside the head of the killer, but you know who he is. To say Jerry is not a nice person is pretty much an understatement. There is usually something that makes me feel empathy for the killers in the In Death novels, but this was one of the novels where I felt that the killer is just an evil human being. 

Eve's story continues as Thanksgiving nears, and Roarke's family is coming over from Ireland to spend Thanksgiving. I love seeing the growth in Eve- she is still nervous, but through the book it is obvious she is better about family, and wanting to be near them. It seemed like for so long Eve was only about "the job", but now there is so much more to her. It's nice to see that growth, even after 37 novels in this series.
I guess what's I'm saying is, she is not Stephanie Plum. She isn't the same woman as she was in Naked in Death- yes, she does still struggle with contact from others, and babies confuse the hell out of her- but she's much more open to being with those that are alive, rather than just spend the time with the dead.

We also learn that Eve is finally up for a long due promotion, and getting a medal. Not only her, but Roarke as well. I'm not at all surprised by Eve's choice for the promotion. I think it's clear that Eve won't be behind a desk until (if ever) her and Roarke choose to start a family of their own. I'm not even sure that will ever happen, but it was nice to see that happen for her.

In the midst of everything, Jerry kills two others, besides his mother and father. He kills brutally, and it gets him off. He loves it.
I feel like Eve does- he gets so very lucky with those murders, and the police are just steps behind him.


As far as In Death novels go, this was mostly within the formula- no real surprises, just a really good addition to the series. I was glad to see all of my favorite characters live through another, as well. I'm always nervous she's going to off another person I really like.

If you are a fan, I highly recommend checking it out. And if you've never given the series I try, but you like your murder mystery with a side of romance and friendship, I recommend it as well.



You can purchase a copy of Thankless in Death for Kindle here, or a hardcover here.



FTC: I borrowed this book from my local library. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This post contains Amazon.com affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.