Books I'm Excited For: May 2014

I don't have as many as last month, but I'm pretty excited about a few books that are coming out this month!

There are so many awesome books coming out next month! I'd love to see your reviews if you do one on one of these books, so be sure and link me below! And feel free to add me on Goodreads!

FTC: All thoughts and opinions are my own, and I am not in any way affiliated with any of the authors mentioned.

Book Review: Concealed in Death (In Death #38) by J.D. Robb

Description from Goodreads
The incomparable J. D. Robb presents the latest moving and suspenseful novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling Eve Dallas series.

In a decrepit, long-empty New York building, Lieutenant Eve Dallas’s husband begins the demolition process by swinging a sledgehammer into a wall. When the dust clears, there are two skeletons wrapped in plastic behind it. He summons his wife immediately—and by the time she’s done with the crime scene, there are twelve murders to be solved.

The place once housed a makeshift shelter for troubled teenagers, back in the mid-2040s, and Eve tracks down the people who ran it. Between their recollections and the work of the force’s new forensic anthropologist, Eve begins to put names and faces to the remains. They are all young girls. A tattooed tough girl who dealt in illegal drugs. The runaway daughter of a pair of well-to-do doctors. They all had their stories. And they all lost their chance for a better life.

Then Eve discovers a connection between the victims and someone she knows. And she grows even more determined to reveal the secrets of the place that was called The Sanctuary—and the evil concealed in one human heart.


My Review
J.D. Robb has done it again- 38 books in, and I'm still learning new things about the characters, and seeing growth.

The book itself begins with Roarke doing demolition on a newly purchased building, and he discovers not only one body, but 12. The bodies of 12 very young girls, all left behind. 

We meet the new Forensic Anthropologist Dr. Garnet DeWinter, who aids Eve in identifying the bodies, and also appears to give Eve a new person to spare with. There is really nothing I love more than a strong female character in a Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb book, and you can tell this woman is more than just a pretty face and a nice coat. I'm really excited to get to know here more.

As the investigation goes on, we discover the building used to house a sort of half-way home for troubled and homeless teens, and this connection remains throughout the story. I have to say, I enjoyed reading the story as it unfolded, and although I ultimately wasn't surprised by how everything turned out, I still didn't out and out guess it from the beginning like I do at times.

By far my favorite part of the entire book is all the new stuff we discovered about Mavis. We knew her past was a little less than savory- but it was so emotional and raw. I re-read her part three times, so I could really take it in. Breathtaking story telling. 

I gave this book four solid stars on Goodreads. It was really good, entertaining, and a wonderful edition to the series- and it continued to build the series as a whole. It's so exciting still to be reading a series that only continues to grow and expand upon what has already happened, and be able to see what is still to come. It has never become stagnant, and although not every book moves the series along as well as this one did, every one has contributed to the overall theme and story arch. 

My one complaint? I want Peabody and McNabb to get married soon! Or for someone to have a baby! Maybe Mavis will have another soon???? It's time, Robb!





You can purchase a copy of Concealed 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.

Allure Summer 2014 Beauty Box - Coming Soon!

I decided after looking at the contents that on next Tuesday, April 29th, at 12:01pm EST (or 9:01am my time), I will be purchasing the Allure Summer Beauty Box.

This is a little bit of a gamble, because the product I'm most excited about (The It Cosmetics CC Cream) may not be in a good shade for me- I'm hoping for Light, because I can work with that. There are a lot of other products in this box, however, that make this completely worth the price.


If this looks like something you guys are interested in, as well, feel free to click here on that date and time and order! I recommend scheduling this in a calendar so you don't forget, because these things go quick!

(I previously purchased the Allure Fall 2013 Beauty Box, and you can see my unboxing here.)


*EDIT* I decided not to buy this box. There was a huge problem with the Allure site, and I ultimately decided it was a sign I didn't need to spend the money. So I won't have this to review.*


FTC: This post is informational only. I am not sponsored by Allure or affiliated in any way. This box will be purchased with my own money, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Yes to Cucumbers Soothing Hypoallergenic Facial Towelettes

Today I want to talk about what happens when a tried-and-true product fails you. Today I'm going to be reviewing the Yes To Cucumbers Soothing Hypoallergenic Facial Towelettes.

Now, I'm not sure if my skin has changed, but these are no longer meant for my sensitive skin. I used them with no problem for years, and have repurchased these countless times. So many times that I can't even remember a time when I didn't use them, because I've pretty much been using them since they were first released in Target stores.
But something has changed. Whether my skin or the formula, these now irritate my skin. There is a scent to them that wasn't there before. I'm not sure why, but they just do not work anymore.

They still get my makeup off really well. They still feel very cooling and refreshing- before my skin starts to get red and irritated. And there still is a very calming, soothing scent, but it's different somehow.
I can't find anything online that says anything has changed, but there has to have been something. Generally sensitive skin products don't just make my skin become sensitive to them all of a sudden.


I am currently working through my very last full pack of these, and unless something changes, I'll be moving on to other wipes, trying to find something better. Or, I'll save them for swatch removal purposes.
Sorry, Yes To, your product is just no longer working for me!



(But if you want to try them, you can purchase them here.)

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

philosophy hope in a jar Review

Today I'm going to be reviewing philosophy's hope in a jar.

I received this sample of hope in a jar in my New Beauty Test Tube from March, and I decided that even though I wasn't super impressed with the night version (I used it for a couple of nights and got rid of it), I would still give this a try. And I'm so glad I did!

philosophy makes the following claims about hope in a jar on their website: our award-winning, original formula lightweight daily moisturizer hydrates and provides antioxidant protection while improving skin texture and tone, leaving it smooth and radiant. this high-performing moisturizer contains lactic acid, a gentle alpha hydroxy acid that helps remove surface dead skin cells, and beta-glucan to promote overall skin health by helping to strengthen skin’s natural rejuvenation potential. hope in a jar dramatically improves skin radiance and gently exfoliates, revealing smoother, healthier looking skin and texture.

As far as most of those claims go, I feel like this moisturizer covered them all. I used this sample morning and night for at least two weeks (I'm currently squeezing the life out of it to try and get as much out as possible), and have noticed a difference in my skin. It feels softer, it looks brighter, and really just looks healthier.
I did get a couple of breakouts while using this product, but it doesn't claim to fight acne, and I'm experiencing some hormonal fluctuations, so I can't quite attribute this product to that.
I also didn't notice this moisturizer making my already oily skin more oily. Which is nice, because usually something meant to be for dry skin can do that. 

I will say I may be in the minority, but I'm not a huge fan of the Hope in a Jar scent- it doesn't really do anything for me. It's not offensive by any means, it's just not my cup of tea. 


This is a little pricey for me, but I can definitely see picking up a little size of it when I have the extra cash just to have on hand for when I want my skin to look really, really good. I highly recommend this product!


You can purchase hope in a jar here.


FTC: This product was purchased by me with my own money as part of a subscription service. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Book Review: Panic by Lauren Oliver

Description from Goodreads
Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a dead-end town of 12,000 people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do.

Heather never thought she would compete in Panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She’d never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought.

Dodge has never been afraid of Panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game, he’s sure of it. But what he doesn't know is that he’s not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for.

For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them—and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most.


My Review
First off, I feel the need to say that this is NOT The Hunger Games. This book is getting a lot of really unfair comparisons to the Hunger Games. It's a stand alone novel, it's not about kids being forced to fight to the death, and it's not dystopian. 

Now that that's out of the way...

Panic IS about a group of just graduated high schoolers, playing a game that will earn them a chance to score a pot of money to use on what they so choose. The entire student body pools their money ($1.00 a day for every day school is in session), and the winner takes all. Minus a cut that the judges get (of which there are two).  Panic is a "risk your life" type of game (but not one where people necessarily die), where every new challenge is designed to eliminate a player from the game, until only two remain. They then compete in the Joust, and one emerges the winner. 

The book switches perspectives between Heather, and Dodge. Heather decides to "jump" (the first challenge) after seeing her boyfriend kissing another girl. You might think that is pretty shallow but as you get to know Heather through the story, you realize this girl has been abandoned one too many times.
Dodge makes the jump for revenge- his sister played in Panic and was crippled in the Joust. 


But this story is about so much more than just the game of Panic. It's really about a bunch of bored teenagers from a falling apart small town USA who create a game that will give someone the ability to get out. Because people rarely get out of small town USA (Or, Carp, as this town is called, and it didn't miss me that Carp is an anagram for Crap). It's about the lengths people will go just to have the chance to leave a bad situation, or make a bad situation better. 
And it is tense- there was palpable tension throughout the whole story, to the point where once I was sitting in bed, completely up right, clutching the book so tight my hands started going numb. 


Ultimately, one person does win Panic. After all the challenges and tension, someone wins. And it's a satisfying ending. The reader won't be left with any unanswered questions, and the characters stayed consistent enough throughout that when the ending is reached, you're not left feeling like the author just wrote something to have it done. It's a complete novel.

I gave this book four stars on Goodreads. It was entertaining, interesting, and more thought provoking than I thought it would be. I've been a fan of Lauren Oliver since I read Before I Fall (which I gave five stars on Goodreads, and is a wonderful book), and was left slightly disappointed after reading the Requiem Trilogy. So I'm glad to see her back with a really good, stand alone YA novel. 


You can purchases the Hardcover of this book here, or a Kindle copy here.


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

Birchbox April 2014

I am seriously in love with this box! So far, it's my favorite.

Of course I looked at the spoilers first, and here are my first impressions:

- Cynthia Rowley Beauty Eye Pencil - Depending on what color I get, this could be exciting! I've never tried one of her eyeliners before.
- Fekkai Technician Color Care Shampoo - I've tried this before, way back in 2011, as a product review thing from BzzAgent. Overall it's okay, but not worth the price of me repurchasing. I will enjoy using this again for now.
- Color Club Gala's Gems Collection - I enjoy Color Club's formula, so I'm excited to see what color I get!
- theBalm Cosmetics How 'Bout Them Apples? Cheek and Lip Cream - I don't own anything by theBalm, but I've heard good things. But I'm also not really a cream blush girl. We'll see!
- KIND Snacks Healthy Grain Bar - This is my lifestyle extra, and I've never tried these bars but have seen them in the store, so I'm intrigued!







Part of the box including 52 Bright Ideas for a Rainy Day, and I got #13. (If this is something that interests you, you can purchase all 52 from Birchbox for $10.00.



My Tip: Stage a full-force closet attack. Rule of thumb: If you haven't worn it in two years, you probably aren't going to wear it again. Put it in a bag and donate it. Reward yourself with a new outfit.
(I actually do this all the time- I am constantly purging my closet of clothing I don't wear.)



Here are all the products!



Color Club Gala's Gems Collection in Heirloom Pearls
We teamed up with style blogger Gala Gonzalez to create this exclusive shimmery shade.
How To Use: Use two coats for an opaque, pearl finish.
How It Works: These lacquer shades combine Gala’s beauty know-how with Color Club’s longwearing formulas. Gold Struck is an understated, soft gold that’s subtle enough for daytime wear. Breakfast At... is an emerald pearl that bears a striking resemblance to a certain iconic jewelry box. Aquamarine Azulino is a pearly sky blue with a hint of shimmer, and Heirloom Pearls, Gala’s admitted favorite of the whole collection, is an opulent off-white.
Will I Use It?: Yes, I love Color Club's polishes! Probably be looking for this in my next Nail of the Month update!



Cynthia Rowley Beauty Silver Eyeliner
The NYC-based designer's new metallic liner goes on smoothly for long-lasting wear.
How To Use: Gently trace your lash line for a defined look. Smudge within 30 seconds for a smoky eye, and then let the formula set for all-day wear. Sharpen the pencil as needed for a finer point.
How It Works: These luxe, creamy liners deliver bold color that lasts and lasts. Choose from five wearable shades: Black, Silver, Charcoal, Sky Blue, and Violet. Vegan, cruelty-free, and paraben-free, these liners feature Cynthia Rowley’s signature gold foil design.
Will I Use It?: I used to LOVE Silver Eyeliner in my high school days- it brings me back to my Sophmore year, studded jeans, and thick eyeliner. So I was actually kind of excited to see this- I would NEVER buy a silver eyeliner now, but I'm glad to have it back in my collection. And I put it on my lower water line and it just made my eyes shine! Definitely a keeper!  
I posted a swatch at the bottom of this post. 
(As a side note: I'm pretty bummed this has to be sharpened, I wish it was a twist up.)



Fekkai Technician Color Care Shampoo
This hydrating cleanser uses plant proteins to keep color-treated hair looking true-to-hue.
How To Use: In the shower, work a generous amount through wet hair, concentrating on your roots. Rinse, and follow with conditioner.
How It Works: Plant-based proteins keep color-treated looks looking true-to-hue, while moisture-restoring avocado oil hydrates dry, brittle strands. A potent blend of peach, apricot, and callendula flower extracts helps protect hair from discoloration and fading.
Will I Use It?: As I said above, I have used this shampoo before, and I did like it. I'll definitely use this.



theBalm cosmetics How 'Bout Them Apples Cheek & Lip Cream in Pie
From the brand's new palette, a dual-purpose, creamy stain with a hint of shimmer.
How To Use: For a true-to-life flush, dab onto cheeks and lips with fingertips. For a more precise line, apply to lips with a lip brush.
How It Works: This creamy lip and cheek palette offers gorgeous, long-wearing color with a slightly wet feel that makes it oh-so-blendable. You might say that applying it is as easy as (apple) pie. Each palette has six colors: Cider, Cobbler, Pie, Crisp, Candy, and Caramel. Mix and match for the sweetest results. Use Caramel for contouring, and dab Cobbler on your lips for a fresh shade of red. Layer Candy and Crisp for the perfect pink peach color, or use Crisp solo all over cheeks. Wear Pie on the apples of your cheeks, and try Cider to mimic the effects of a day spent in the sun.
Will I Use It?: Honestly, I have never really been a fan of cream blushes- I never feel like I'm using them correctly! But I do enjoy the color of this, and might use it as a lip cream. HOWEVER, I swatched this on my hand (see below), and wasn't at all impressed with the staying power. So I'll give this a try, but I'm not expecting much.



KIND Snacks Healthy Grains Bar - Maple Pumpkin Seeds with Sea Salt
The perfect combo of salty and sweet, these delicious treats pack a whole-grain punch.
How To Use: Throw one of these in your bag or a whole box in your desk drawer at the office, and you’ll never have to worry about being “hangry” again.
How It Works: Each bar is made with five super grains for maximum nutritional and taste bud benefits. Available in Maple Pumpkin Seeds with Sea Salt, Dark Chocolate Chunk, Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate, and a variety pack of the three.
Will I Use It?: Yep, I'm going to take it to work, and when I feel like I need a snack, I'll give this a shot. It definitely sounds like something that I will like.



Here are a couple swatches. Both products have really nice pigmentation.

This is my favorite box of the three I have received so far, and I'll definitely be keeping my subscription another month.
Birchbox also introduced their Aces program this month, and I am already half way to the 500 point goal! I think this is a great way for them to reward people that keep their subscriptions and review all the products in their boxes. Good going, Birchbox!

If any of you are interested in signing up for Birchbox, please click there and use my affiliate link! I receive points which I will exchange for products that I can review on this blog.


FTC: This box was purchased by me with my own money. All opinions are my own. All product descriptions were taken directly from the Birchbox card included in the box.
This post contains Amazon.com affiliate links and a birchbox affiliate link. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.
The individual product links to the birchbox product page are not affiliate links.

Agave Healing Oil Treatment Review

Today I'm going to be reviewing the Agave Healing Oil Treatment. 

I received this oil in my March 2014 Birchbox, and from the minute I opened it to the very last drop that I scrapped out of the package with my finger, I was in love. I wish the sample had come a little differently, but despite my concerns about not being able to use it, I absolutely was, and I absolutely did. It didn't leave my hair weighed down, it smelled wonderful (coconut and vanilla), and it left my hair feeling wonderfully soft and shiny. And it didn't make my hair super oily, even on a day that I overdid it by a lot! Which, unlike the other hair oils I've used, was a surprise! 


So the big question- would I repurchase? And out of all the hair oils I've used so far, how does it compare?
Well... drumroll........
It's the best. Hands down, the BEST hair oil I've used so far. Even better than the Josie Maran. 
I am actually saving up my birchbox points so I can get the trio of Agave products (includes this hair oil, and a shampoo and conditioner) so I can try the complete system. It is just amazing and I am really very, very impressed! 
This is an oil I can use every single day, and not have any excess greasiness, and feel like it is making my hair more healthy in the process.




FTC: This product was purchased with my own money. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Book Review: Better Off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg

(This book was provided to me by NetGalley and Scholatic for review purposes.)

Description from Goodreads
For Macallan and Levi, it was friends at first sight. Everyone says guys and girls can’t be just friends, but these two are. They hang out after school, share tons of inside jokes, their families are super close, and Levi even starts dating one of Macallan’s friends. They are platonic and happy that way.

Eventually they realize they’re best friends — which wouldn’t be so bad if they didn’t keep getting in each other’s way. Guys won’t ask Macallan out because they think she’s with Levi, and Levi spends too much time joking around with Macallan, and maybe not enough time with his date. They can’t help but wonder . . . are they more than friends or are they better off without making it even more complicated?

From romantic comedy superstar Elizabeth Eulberg comes a fresh, fun examination of a question for the ages: Can guys and girls ever really be just friends? Or are they always one fight away from not speaking again — and one kiss away from true love?


My Review
This was another one of those cute, quick reads that I love so much. And it was done so well. 

The story follows Macallan and Levi, in alternating perspectives with dialogue between the two at the end of a chapter. 

Macallan and Levi meet when Levi moves to their school and Macallan is asked to show him around. They bond over their love of (fictitious) BBC Show Buggy and Floyd. And become fast best friends. And, eventually, fall in love.

Now, before you get mad, this isn't a spoiler- it becomes pretty obvious early on from the dialogue between the two characters after a chapter that the story is going this way. But it doesn't make the story any less interesting. Reading the banter between the two, and the way they relate and how they interact with each other and the secondary characters was just so interesting- there wasn't a flat character in the bunch. And you really do route for the two of them to figure out that they you can be both a best friend and a true love. 

So, the real question- Do I think guys and girls can just be friends? I do. I think it is extremely possible. But for this stories purposes, I'm glad it turned out not to be the case.

I gave this book 4 stars on Goodreads. It was cute, quick, and had great character development. I wish there was more to read about Macallan and Levi!
You can purchases the Hardcover of this book here, or a Kindle copy here.


FTC: I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This post contains amazon.com affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.

Caudalie Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet Review

Today I'm going to be reviewing the Caudalie Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet. I was able to test out this product thanks to the March 2014 Birchbox.

My skin did not like this product at all. It was red and irritated by the third day & night combo I used it, which is a pretty good indication to me that a product is going to continue to do this and also not work for me.
I do have sensitive skin, so I try to look at ingredients and determine if a product contains ingredients that should really either only be used on my face once a day (usually I'll do night if that's the case, if I do happen to get a reaction), or not at all. I didn't notice anything at all that would cause my skin to become so irritated, so I didn't think I would have any issues.
This product also claims that it is good for sensitive skin and helps reduce redness, and I did not find this to be the case at all. Completely the opposite, in fact.
(For the record, I didn't use any facial cleansers during the testing of this product that I know can cause me minor irritation occasionally- I just stuck to tried and true stuff.)


And, as a quick aside to the review itself, I was extremely disappointed with the amount this sample contained- the package wasn't even half full, and I got six uses out of it. In a package this size, I should have been able to get at least a weeks worth of day and night use. But then again, after my 5th use, I noticed some irritation, which was confirmed after the sixth use, and this promptly went in the garbage (even though it barely had enough left for half of a 7th use). After reading through some reviews from other Birchbox recipients, this seems to be common. I'm not looking for much when it comes to a $10.00 sample box, but I do expect the samples I receive to be mostly full or all the way full.


Overall, I didn't like this product and won't be seeking to repurchase it. As far as the brand goes, I did like the texture of this product, and the smell. So I might be interested to try some other things by them for down the line. Just not this product again.



FTC: I received this product as part of a Birchbox, which I pay for with my own money. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Target Beauty Box, March 2014

This is a little bit of a late post, but I got the Target Beauty Box!
This isn't a monthly box or anything, but every once in awhile Target puts these out for $5.00. I recommend following the blog My Subscription Addiction because it's her blog that alerted me to this being on sale. The only reason I got it is because it had a couple of products I wanted to try anyway!

On to the box!




It came like this! So cute!



And here are all the products. They're all what I would consider "deluxe" samples, but the smoochies and the mascara are full sizes!



The first product is a full size of the L'oreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara. I've been using this on and off, and the formula is a little on the wet side, but I enjoy it! It really separates my lashes. I'm not sure it really does that butterfly thing where the lashes are longer on the ends, but as far as mascaras go, it's pretty good! And considering it costs more than this entire box? A definite win!




The second product is the Herbal Essences Naked Dry Shampoo. I was going to be buying this the next time I needed dry shampoo, and now I don't think I will. So far, not impressed! 



The third product is the Toni & Guy Sea Salt Texturising Spray. I've never used a Sea Salt Spray before, and I can't decide how I feel about it. I'll definitely do a review when I figure out how I feel.



And more of this Jergens BB Body! I received a sample of this in my March 2014 Birchbox, but this is actually a bigger sample than what I received. I actually am enjoying this lotion on my legs, but I'm not using it consistently enough to see if it actually does make a difference over time. I need to start doing that.




The last product is this smoochies gloss by Covergirl. It's not actually as glittery coming out as it appears in the package, and I'm surprised also by the fact that it's not an absolutely sticky mess like some of the other Covergirl glosses.



Overall, I'm glad I spent the $5.00 on this! I am repeating everyone when I say I wish Target would make these a regular thing- seriously an amazing deal with some great products!



FTC: I purchased this box with my own money, and I am in no way affiliated with Target. All thought and opinions are my own.

Book Review: Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Description from Goodreads
Set over the course of one school year in 1986, ELEANOR AND PARK is the story of two star-crossed misfits – smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you’ll remember your own first love – and just how hard it pulled you under.


My Review
Oh, my heart. Seriously, this book messed me up in the best way.
First off, I didn't want to put it down. Every second I could find to read this, I was reading it.  Second, I had trouble forming coherent thoughts when they HELD HANDS. Because it was written in a way that made me remember the first time a guy held my hand and it actually felt like something real.

And, also, it made me feel like this:


(As of writing this post, it now has 17 likes. I have quite a few fellow book lovers on my Facebook.)

A big part of the reason why I wanted to review books on my blogs is to share books I love so much. And because vocalizing my love of certain books is so complicated for me- especially a book that touches me so profoundly. I almost want to be protective, because when I start to describe this book, it comes out like this: "OMG. so, it's about this girl Eleanor, and this guy Park, and it's set in the mid-80s, and there's all these references to 80s music, and they hold hands and it's adorable!"
And yeah, that IS what this book is about. But it's also about a girl, who is complicated and messed up. She has a really unhappy family life. And she starts her first day at school on a bus where no one wants her to sit next to them. And Park finally gives in, and she sits next to him. They barely speak, but he eventually notices she's reading his X-Men Comic, and gradually he introduces her to The Smiths and Joy Division, and other comics like Watchmen. They both bond and bicker over their love of these things, and, eventually, they discover more.

The book is written in two perspectives- Eleanor and Park's. And it's almost always a continuation of the previous perspective. So it flows really nicely, and you're never left wondering how the other person feels about whatever situation comes up.

So, I liked this book from the beginning, but pretty much the time I knew I was not going to be able to put this book down once I got home from work was when Eleanor and Park held hands.
From Eleanor: "Then he slid the silk and his fingers into her open palm. And Eleanor disintegrated."
From Park: "Holding Eleanor's hand was like holding a butterfly. Or a heartbeat. Like holding something complete, and completely alive. As soon as he touched her, he wondered how he'd gone this long without doing it."

Just beautiful. And it's just holding hands! But it was sweet, and perfect.
I think Rowell really captured what it's like to hold someone's hand for the first time that becomes completely everything to you, immediately. And who doesn't feel that way about their first loves?

And mostly, that is how it goes through the whole book. Sweet, falling in love things.
Until the gunshots. And then you find out how truly horrifying Eleanor's home life really is. You have an impression before. You know things are bad. But this bad? Just... wow.
I wanted to reach in the book, pull Eleanor out, and just hug her. Because other than Park, she doesn't have many friends. Though she does have two hilarious girls that friend her in PE that I wish had their own book or short story accompaniment because I want to know more about them. And what happened to them after.

Back to the gunshots. Her stepdad is the kind of guy you wish you could stick your foot into a book and kick in the balls. Or, call the cops on. And shake her mom and just say "He's not worth it!" But it made me cry so much, because clearly, she's trying the best for her family and is in this horrible, abusive relationship.
(I hope that's not a spoiler. I think it becomes obvious early on in the book that is happening.)

And things get both better and worse for Park and Eleanor from there. Park wears makeup, Eleanor gets a makeover from Park's mom and dislikes it, they go out on an actual date and do more than just kiss in the car...
Well, that's all I'm going to say.

Eleanor and Park just touched me so completely, and if I COULD meet Rainbow Rowell, I would hug her and thank her for bringing them both into my life. Especially Park. It's been a long time since I've just completely fallen in love with a Young Adult novel male protagonist without wanting to puke in my mouth every time he said something romantic. Because it didn't feel like it was pandering to what young girls think romance and real love is about. It was actually how young women (and even myself, at 29) feel about real love. And romance.
At least it was to me. It was real.


I gave this book 5 stars on Goodreads. It was just wonderful and hit all the right points for me. 
If you'd like to purchase a copy of this book, you can purchase a copy for Kindle here, or a hardcover 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.

A What's In My Makeup Bag update!

So, remember my post from yesterday where I raved about that CoverFX foundation and powder?


Well, I write my posts usually the weekend before they go up. And at that time, I did really love the foundation. But I used it all of last week with no problems. Until I started breaking out. And the foundation started wearing funny.
I didn't do anything different, and I didn't change up a moisturizer at all. But it did start doing weird things, and considering I paid $72.00 for both of these? I really couldn't afford to just let the foundation sit there and me not use it.
(Today was the last straw- I sit at a desk all day for my job, and I went to the bathroom about 10am (which is about 4 1/2 to 5 hours after I put on my makeup, and my foundation was just gone. Melted right off my face. And it was just a little streaky. Not cute.)


So I decided to go to Sephora to exchange the foundation. But since I'm a genius, I didn't keep my receipt, so I had to do an exchange. And I decided to get the Naked 2 Palette, and Too Faced Glitter Glue.



I now own all the Naked palettes!



The casing is pretty much the same as the Naked 3, only a different shade.



And it also came with these primer pods, and a brush.



I never really wanted this before, but I have been looking at a lot of swatches and tutorials lately for it. And since I had to exchange the foundation for something anyway (and walked around for over an hour looking for something), I decided to just go ahead! And I actually really, really love the colors. So in my makeup bag it goes to play!



This is also a product I've been wanting to try!



I really, really hate fallout, so hopefully this helps!



It's a little thicker, and tackier, than regular Too Faced Shadow Insurance, and it does appear that it works! I tried it with Urban Decay's Sidecar from the Naked palette (infamous for it's fallout), and while it didn't help during application, after removing the fallout from under my eyes, there was no more fallout, at all. Usually with that particular shade, I get fallout all day long. But no more!



Not sure how you can see that, but it blends in extremely well!


So that's what's additional in my makeup bag now! Happy Friday!

What's in my makeup bag? (As of April 3rd, 2014)

New month, new makeup!





I got a new foundation and powder! I was hanging out at Sephora looking around, because I wanted to try a liquid foundation. The girl at my Sephora was super nice, and did one of those color matching things, and helped me decide on the CoverFX Natural Finish Oil Free Foundation and the Cover FX Illuminating Setting Powder. I've been using this for about a week, and I really, really like it! It's been so long since I've used a liquid foundation on a regular basis, and I'm surprised how much I am enjoying it. Definitely worth the price I paid.
(I also like that the Color thing matched me with a Dior and a Lancome foundation, and she steered me toward this anyway. I know they don't work off of commission at Sephora, but it's rare that they don't always recommend the most expensive thing.)



I'm also going to be trying to use these babies from Geek Chic more. 


Let me know if you guys like this way of me showing you what I'll be using for the month, or the old way. This way obviously takes me less time, but I'll definitely go back to the other way if you guys like it more.


FTC: All products were gifts or purchased by me with my own money. Everything else was purchased by me with my own money. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This Month In Nails - March 2014

KISS Gradiation EM0311 Step 1





This is from a set of "ombre" colors I got in the Rose Vox Box from Influenster. My nails are obviously shortish again... it's still a struggle! So I went on the light side. I did enjoy just this color by itself- I think if I put just this over a darker polish, it would be really pretty!


MAC in Stage Red





I picked up this polish at a CCO in Gilroy at the outlets. It is such a beautiful red, and I can't wait to put it on my toes this summer. The formula on this polish is really nice! I did use three coats, but I could have gotten away with two.
The swatches on this suck, I realize. I don't know where all those dings came from, or why I didn't notice it until after the pictures were already taken. This is clearly still a work in progress!


MAC Double Trouble with an accent nail of OPI In True Stefani Fashion





I also picked up Double Trouble from the CCO. I love that it's so dark, but it's still obviously a blue nail polish. And it's such a beautiful shade of blue! The formula was a dream, and this is two coats. I did pay full price ($12.50 each) for these mac polishes and I'm not sure I'll be purchasing again, but they were definitely worth every penny!
The OPI is so gorgeous- it sparkled as much as my wedding band! I think it definitely went well with this dark polish, and I'm excited to try it some more. The formula was a little thick, but I've noticed that to be par for the course with these dense glitter polishes. 


Zoya in Channing



I love this color, but this formula was a little touchy to work with. I also got a nasty dent in my index finger nail. I definitely am going to be trying this out as a pedicure color soon, because I think it would look awesome on my toes. 



Urban Outfitters in Bohemian Summer



 

I stopped by the mall the other day to kill some time, and Urban Outfitters had all their nail polishes on sale for $0.99! This is suppose to be a dupe for the Deborah Lippmann nail polish in Rockin Robin. This is the only one I picked up, but I really like it. The formula took three coats to get opaque. I think it's a great spring color, and the light blue is really flattering on my skin tone.


I did much better about painting my nails this month, and my nails are finally starting to get to a length I love. I am still having some problems with my cuticles and it's my goal in April to stop picking and taking better care of my hands in general.



FTC: Please see above for how polishes were received. Unless stated otherwise, they were purchased by me with my own money.