SmartFx Volume Extend Mascara

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Photos with Mascara

SmartFx Volume Extend Mascara is packed with vitamin B5, sericin, hydrolyzed silk to condition lashes. The mascara promises to provide a clump free full fringe look. I usually use NARS mascara but I decided to try a new one. I saw this mascara on sale and I definitely know why it is on sale. The formula felt a bit dry when applied to my lashes. I also didn't even notice a difference between the mascara on and my natural lashes.

Primark Home No. 18 Peach Bellini Candle

I found this sweet scented candle at Primark for only $5. The candle had a sweet and fresh peachy scent. It has a 60 hours burn time which is very good  for the price. It wasn't my favorite scent as it is bit mild but definitely worth price.

Book Review - Together Forever by Jody Hedlund + Giveaway

Photo Credit - Amazon

Marianne Neumann is searching for her younger sister, Sophie. Filled with desperation, Marianne becomes a placing agent with the Children's Aid Society in hopes of locating her sister. As a placing agent, Marianne hopes to locate a better life for the orphans, while locating her sister in the process. 

Andrew "Drew" Brady is accompanying Marianne on her first placing trip. He is a former schoolteacher who gets along with the children. However, underneath his charm and beauty, lies a dark secret that continues to torment Drew. The pair finds themselves growing closer until a devastating accident threatens to break their bond. Will Drew be able to put aside his feeling of guilt? Will Drew and Marianne be able to move past the accident?

This historical romance was an enjoyable read. It was an interesting topic about placing orphans from New York City to other small towns. While the book was good, I found the beginning a bit slow but it picked up towards the end. The characters were all flawed but they were trying their best with the cards they were dealt with. 

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion**

About the Book

Title: Together Forever, Orphan Train Book 2
Author: Jody Hedlund
Genre: Inspirational historical romance
Release Date: May, 2018

Determined to find her lost younger sister, Marianne Neumann takes a job as a placing agent with the Children’s Aid Society in 1858 New York. She not only hopes to offer children a better life, but prays she’ll be able to discover whether Sophie ended up leaving the city on an orphan train so they can finally be reunited.

Andrew Brady, her fellow agent on her first placing-out trip, is a former schoolteacher who has an easy way with the children, firm but tender and friendly. Underneath his charm and handsome looks, though, seems to linger a grief that won’t go away–and a secret from his past that he keeps hidden.
As the two team up, placing orphans in the small railroad towns of Illinois, they find themselves growing ever closer . . . until a shocking tragedy threatens to upend all their work and change one of their lives forever.

About the Author

 

Jody Hedlund is the author of over a dozen novels, including Love Unexpected, Captured by Love, Unending Devotion, The Preacher’s Bride, and A Noble Groom, winner of the 2014 Carol Award for historical romance. She received a bachelor’s degree from Taylor University and a master’s from the University of Wisconsin, both in social work. She lives in Michigan with her husband and five children. She loves hearing from readers on Facebook and on her blog at www.jodyhedlund.com.

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jody is giving away a grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card!!

Click below to enter: https://promosimple.com/ps/cee5/together-forever-celebration-tour-giveaway

Book Review: Furyborn (The Empirium Trilogy) by Claire Legrand

Photo Credit - Amazon

Rielle Dardenne is hiding a secret from her kingdom and her loved ones.  However, when her beloved best friend, Audric is ambushed, Rielle is willing to risk everything to protect him. Rielle is exposed to be one of the prophesied queens; but she must prove that she is the queen of light and not the queen of blood. Rielle must perform seven elemental magic trials and if she fails, things will take a turn for the worse.

Queen Rielle is a fairy tale to Eliana Ferracora. She is a bounty hunter for the Undying Empire, who is trying to survive. When her mother suddenly vanishes and Eliana must join forces with the rebels to find her mother. At the side of the rebels, she realizes evil and how terrible the Empire treats its citizens.  How is Eliana and Rielle related as their story intersect? Will Eliana be able to save the rebels from the Undying Empire?

I found the novel to be an interesting and thrilling read. It was fun to read about two strong female leads. However, I found it hard to like Eliana. She act like she was invisible but she was consistently overtaken by Invictius and the general from Red Crown. I didn't like that she tried using her sex appeal to get out of a situation instead of trying to formulate a plan. While, Rielle to rely on her internal strength and convictions instead of using her sex appeal. I can't read to read the next installment of this book.

**Disclosure - I received a free unedited copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion**

Book Review - Bite Me by Louise Cypress + Giveaway

Photo Credit - Amazon

High School senior, Morgan Taylor-Jackson, can't wait to attend UCLA and leave her old life behind.  Her parents constantly bicker over their divorce. Morgan is known as the nerdy girl who hasn't been kissed yet. Her life turns upside down when she gets bitten by a small child and she is taken to the hospital. Upon returning home, she realizes that her body is going through a transformation but she isn't sure what to do.

Van Xander is descendant of Van Helsing. He believes all vampires should be destroyed even ones who abstain from human blood, who call themselves, Puritans. When Van is sent to investigate a local coven, Morgan becomes his prime target after a string of murders occur. While Van pretends to be interested in her, he notices that she isn't like the other vampires. Will Morgan become a full-fledged bloodthirsty vampire? Will Van be able to put aside his distaste for vampires and help Morgan?

The novel read like your average teenage vampire romance novel. It was packed with the basic predictable teenage drama along with a few twists. I found the book to be a fun and enjoyable read.  Even though, some parts were a bit over the top. For example, the dynamics between Van and his sister, Cassandra didn't feel like "normal" brother and sister interaction, at times.  I enjoyed the fact that the author incorporates popular vampire ideas, such as their weakness to silver. I like that she also included aspects, such as Puritans and groups of people who both wanted to kill and "help" the vampire race. I look forward to reading the book in the series.

**Disclosure -  I received a free unedited copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion**

Title: BITE ME

Author: Louise Cypress

Pub. Date: May 14, 2018

Publisher: Louise Cypress

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 303

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon

I fell in love with the slayer sent to destroy me. 

Morgan Taylor-Jackson can't wait for high school to end. In six months she leaves for UCLA and says goodbye to La Jolla, California and her parents' messy divorce. But when Morgan is bitten by a four-year-old boy, she becomes infected with a mysterious condition. Fever, insomnia, and a new bustline are only the beginning; Morgan morphs from nerd to bombshell.

As far as Van Xander is concerned, all vampires are evil, even the ones who reject human sacrifice and call themselves Puritans. When Helsing Incorporated sends Van to La Jolla to investigate the local coven, Morgan is his prime target. Pretending to be interested in her, Van asks Morgan out and puts her through a series of tests to determine her killer nature.

Morgan is thrilled to be dating a hot guy like Van and falls for him hard. As Van strings Morgan along, he grows increasingly guilty. Morgan is kind, compassionate, and a gooey romantic. Just as Van's mind begins to change, evil forces threaten everything. When prom night arrives, there are only two ways out of the ballroom: death or immortality. 

About Louise:

Louise Cypress believes in friendship, true love, and the everlasting power of books. She has never met a vampire, but she has been to a Love Sucks concert on Valentine’s Day. Louise can often be found curled up with a romance novel on Saturday night, diet soda in hand, secretly wishing bustles were back in fashion. Louise lives in San Diego, California, where the beach is crowded and summer is immortal.

BookBub | Amazon Link | Instagram | Goodreads

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card, International.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rafflecopter Link:

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Tour Schedule:

Week Two:

5/28/2018- To Be Read- Review

5/28/2018- BookHounds YA- Interview

5/29/2018- Two Points of Interest- Review

5/29/2018- The Howling Turtle- Guest Post

5/30/2018- Smada's Book Smack- Spotlight

5/30/2018- Two Chicks on Books- Guest Post

5/31/2018- Wonder Struck- Excerpt

5/31/2018- Jaime's World- Spotlight

6/1/2018- The Book Girl- Interview

Book Review - The Dan Diaries by D.D. Marx + Giveaway

Photo Source - Amazon

Dan Sullivan and Olivia Henry are best friends until Dan loses his life tragically in a car accident. Dan is transported to Heaven, where he must navigate his new life. He is assigned to become Olivia's guardian angel. While guiding her through her life, he realizes that she is going to take a lot more work than he realizes. He sends signs and clues to Oliva to let her know that he is watching over her but Olivia is deeply distressed over his death. She is hesitant to believe in the signs and fearful to fall in love again. Will Olivia be able to love again?

This was the fourth novel in the series but this novel can be read standalone.  I found the novel to be an interesting concept. After reading the novel I felt wanting more. I felt the plot fell flat because it was narrated mostly by Dan and he already knew what was going to happen and when. I felt that the Angel aspect took central stage and Hank and Finn's life was more of a backstory. Especially, when important story building information was given as side thought or was just told to us. I found there were too many characters and it got confusing with the nicknames for each character. Olivia, for example, was called Olivia, Liv, and Hank. Each of the characters' lives was intertwined and played a special part in Olivia and Finn's future. I thought that was interesting but only a few main characters should have key involvements and not minor characters as well. I was curious about finding your soul mate in heaven if you didn't find it on Earth. However, they never spoke about if you found your soul mate on Earth and then they remarry to their other soul mate. How would the dynamic change when all the soul mates are in heaven.

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion**

Book Details:

Book Title: The Dan Diaries by D.D. Marx (The Beyond Series Book #4)
Category: Adult Fiction; 200 pages
Genre: Chick-Lit
Publisher: Beyond Dreams Publishing
Release date: April 6, 2018
Tour dates: May 14 to June 8, 2018
Content Rating: PG-13 (minimal swearing)

Book Description:

Dan Sullivan was the best friend of Olivia Henry when his life was taken in a tragic car accident. Shocked to be on the other side, Dan navigates his way by learning his new role in eternal life. His first assignment is as Olivia’s guardian angel. He has the crucial role of guiding her to her pre-defined destiny. Dan’s death throws Olivia into a tail-spin which causes her to veer way off course. He understands the enormity of the challenge when he hears the mechanism by which he can communicate. He’s only allowed to use signs and symbols to get her attention and cannot interfere with her free-will.

Every time he thinks he’s close, something throws her off track. He’s forced to start over by convincing her to trust in their enduring, unbreakable bond. Olivia can feel Dan’s presence but is still reluctant to believe the messages he’s sending. She is fearful of falling in love again at the risk of losing another soulmate. Can Dan persuade her to trust in his love from afar so she can finally receive the happiness she truly deserves?

Buy the Book:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

Add to Goodreads

Meet the Author:

D.D. Marx is a contemporary romantic fiction writer and blogger. Marx is a graduate of the University of Dayton, as well as the Second City program in Chicago, where she currently resides. A proud aunt and self-described hopeless romantic, Marx has always had a knack for humorous and engaging storytelling. Her pen name is a dedication to her beloved friend Dan, who continues to guide and inspire her in her daily life.

Connect with the Author: Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest

Enter the Giveaway!

Ends June 16, 2016

1st Prize: Win the complete Beyond series (4 ebooks total / open int'l / 2 winners)

2nd Prize: Win the complete Beyond series (4 paperback books total) and a Shine Bright Journal (open to USA only / 1 winner)

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