Book Review - Craven Manor by Darcy Coates

 

Daniel is down on his luck and he is desperate for a job. He is willing to take any job to be able to afford food and rent. Someone slides a note under his door offering him a job as a groundskeeper at an old crumbling estate. The job offers him free housing and food along with a generous salary. He feels like the job is too good to be true.

When he arrives at Craven Manor, he feels like he might have been a victim of a prank. The mansion is dilapidated and its front door is wide open. The house is covered in leaves and cobwebs and it's apparent that no one has lived there in a long time. When he turns to leave, he finds an envelope with his name on it. There is a note offering him the job and it contains money with the promise of more if he accepts the job.

Daniel accepts the job because his only other option is to be homeless. He moves into the groundskeeper's cottage and tries to do his job. He tries to ignore all the strange occurrences and focuses on getting his job done. However, he feels that something is wrong deep in bones especially when there is a candle flickering in the abandoned tower window. He feels that Craven Manor is hiding a terrible secret but, can he survive it?

I enjoyed this novel. I like for the first time, a character isn't oblivious that something is wrong. Unfortunately, I feel for Daniel because he is stuck in a tough spot.  However, I didn't like that Daniel kept caring for a person who didn't even have his best interest at heart. I understand that Daniel was at a low point and that person was there for him but, it seems that everything that person did was motivated by greed. Daniel realized that this person was motivated by greed but, still tries to be positive and caring towards that person. Overall, I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading other books by the author

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BBW Shower Jelly with Aloe - Fresh Sea Salt Mango

I remembered when I first came across the new "jelly" soap trend and was so excited to try it. I have seen a few where the jelly had a "solid" form and you had to use the whole piece to wash. However, I found the jelly to break off bits and pieces during use.

When I first opened this tub, I was perplexed on how to use this product because it wasn't solid enough to use the entire thing at once. I shortly realized that you scoop out a small amount and apply it to your loofah/washcloth. Once you work the jelly in your shower implement, it provides a generous lather you can use. The jelly does have a nice fresh scent that lingers after you wash off. I didn't find the shower jelly to be very moisturizing and still had to follow up with lotion afterward.

Salt Skill Himalayan Pink Salt Body Scrub - Lavender

I had received this body scrub for my birthday from a friend and I couldn’t find much information about the product. The scrub is enriched with minerals, oils and bits of lavender. The salt was coarse but had a bit texture when you can scoop up some product (but it was still on the drier side). My skin was left smooth,soft and hydrated. The lavender scent was very faint but relaxing.

Bison Hot Bath Salt Ruby Grapefruit

The carbonated granules are enriched with collagen, hyaluronic acid, placenta extract, spa water mineral, capsicum extract, ginger extract, and rock salt. The Ruby Grapefruit bath salt is good for pore care according to the package. I never had a pore problem other than on my face -- and never realized that anyone might have that issue.The granules acted like pop rocks and popped but generated almost no bubbles. The packet did turn my water into a bright hot pink but that’s about it. An overall disappointment in terms of bubble bath products.

Dr. Teals pure Epsom salt soothe and sleep with lavender

Ahhh, soaking in a bath is probably one of life’s purest joys. The epsom salt is scented with lavender essential oils; even without opening the bag one can get a good whiff of the lavender.  Lavender is known for it’s calming, soothing and aiding sleep benefits. Soaking 20 minutes in warm water with 2 cups of this salt solution will have your body at perfect ease. I took a bag of this salt on my recent trip and I was so relaxed and fell asleep almost instantly.

Kneipp Pure Bliss Mineral Bath Salt - Red Poppy and Hemp

As being a fan of their Kneipp Deep Sleep Mineral Bath Salt - Valerian & Hops, I decided to try the other salts they had to offer. This bath salt being packed with red poppy, hemp and other essential oils promises to deliver you in a state of bliss. While I was totally relaxed soaking in the pale red water, I didn’t notice much of a scent as I did with the deep sleep one. I guess, they didn’t want to overwhelm your sense of peace with a scent. Overall, I think I prefer the deep sleep one to this any day of the week.

Nature's Alchemy - Lavender Aromatherapy Herbal Mineral Salts

Lavender has been lauded for its relaxing aroma, and its deep cleansing and purifying properties. The mineral salts is packed with 100% pure essential oils of lavender and extracts of comfrey leaf, comfrey root, elder and lavender flowers. The mineral salts were very salt, they reminded me of table salt when I pour it into my bath. When I opened the pouch I did notice a scent but after sitting in the water, the scent seemed to disappear. Overall, I didn’t like it as much as I like the ones from Kneipp.

Kneipp Deep Sleep Mineral Bath Salt - Valerian & Hops

If I am not mistaken, Sebastian Kneipp, one of the founders, a priest who at 28 contracted the deadly [at the time] tuberculous and was cured by hydrotherapy. Which lead him to found Kneipp with his pharmacist friend who shared the same natural product ideologies. Naturally, baths are an excellent way to relax, lull you to sleep, a treat for a hard day at work and for health reasons. While, I knew Kneipp was a good trusted brand -- I was bit wary to try the bath salts. I don’t know why, I am kicking myself for not trying earlier. After returning from exhausting day of errands and family gatherings, I was already super tired, exhausted and sleepy. I decided a bath would have been a perfect way to unwind and take it easy. When I open the packet, the air was flooded of Valerian and Hops [I am not sure what either smells like but I guess it has to be the scent I was sniffing :) ]. The blue salt crystals turned the bath water into a beautiful azure blue color. The color you imagine the water being in tropical islands [and also hiding sharks under their alluring surface]. I immediately slipped in and was immediately transported into a Greek soaking tub. I started to relax; I felt my tension melting away. The water was still fragranced and left my skin softly  scented and my skin soft to the touch. While the blue color didn’t stain my tub, I wouldn’t recommend using anything white near it [towels, mats] or porous colors though. Even after my bath, the scent is still wafting through the air. How was I feeling after the bath and was I able to sleep better? I am having trouble staying awake to write this review but I don’t feel the disgusted I - want - to - sleep - get - out - of - my - way but more like I am at peace and I could go for a nice nap. Which right about now, sounds great. Good night! I am happy to report, I did have a restful deep sleep last night. I am totally in love with this bath salt.

AHAVA Pure Salt Revival Bath Salts: Mandarin – Cedarwood



Photo Source - Amazon



After finishing your entire to do list for the week, the last thing you want to do is anything else. Taking some time to indulge in you is what the body, mind and soul needs. A bath is the best way to unwind and renew your senses.  I have used Ahava products for a while but I have not noticed anything special about them. These bath salts have changed my perceptions about this brand. The citrus scent is invigorating and the scent lingers long after my bath finished. My skin was left soft and smooth. I can’t wait until my next bath!

Beauty Tip: Epsom Salt

While combing through last month’s beauty magazines, I came across an interesting article. They list 3 uses for Epsom salt. Apart from the regular old uses, such as laxative or for a nice soak, they listed using Epsom salt as a body scrub. As a fan of body scrubs, I couldn’t wait to try it. The recipe to making the body scrub was actually quite easy. Using a bit of your favorite body wash [I used St. Ives] and mix Epsom salt to create the body scrub, using as much or as little of each ingredient as you desire.  Unable to contain my excitement, I hastily mixed the concoction in the bathtub while showering, creating a liquid mess. Try mixing the ingredients beforehand, so you can make the mixture more liquify [more body wash] or a rougher texture [more Epsom salt]. I prefer a more rough texture so I can get a good scrub down.  My homemade body scrub left my skin smooth, but I wasn’t quite satisfied with the results. Perhaps, I am too spoiled with having smooth, soft and hydrated skin after using a body scrub. While I would not use it as a replacement to my current body scrub, I would supplement it with my current body scrub.