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Thursday, April 30, 2015

Empties #4: April 2015

It's that time again, Empties.  I should have done this post probably last month, but...well here it is:



Makeup: 
Mascaras-Wet 'N wild and 2 Tarte ones, 1 Baby Lips lipbalm

Hair Products: 

Dry Shampoo-Batiste and 1 that I got from one of my ipsy bags.  A sample of Health Sexy Hair Leave In Product, Garnier Fructis Hydra Recarge 1 Minute Treatment.  Got 2b Guardian Angel Heat Protectant and Suave Dialy Clarifying Shampoo.

Face Products: 


Cleansers-Nourish Organic, Neutrogena Clear Pore and 40 Carrots, 40 Carrots Eye Gel, Garnier Clean Cleansing Oil (love this stuff) and Olay Toner (my favorite toner)

Body Products:


SoftSoap Coconut Scrub, BBW Stress Relief Body Wash, Mineral Salts, BBW Cashmere Lotion, BBW Pure Paradise Body Mist and Secret Deodorant

Other:
My Xmas Soap...


And that will do it for Empties this time, quite a few products, I think I used a lot of face and hair products this time, it's weird when you do Empties it's when you notice how much you of certain stuff, right?

Do you notice what stuff you use a lot off?

XOXO,

Nelia

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

April Wrap Up

I cannot believe that we are at the end of April, SERIOUSLY? Where did this month go?  Well, April was a very good reading month that's for sure.  Here is my April wrap up:

The month of April I wanted to bring my NetGalley TBR list down, I had lots of books there and it was about time that I started to read them so all of these were ebooks that I got from NetGalley so I wanted to send a special Thank You to NetGalley because truly enjoyed reading these books this month and you can see that I just flew by them.  Ok, let's start now:

1. Some Kind of Magic by Adrian Fogelin: review will be up in the next couple weeks.  3 out of 5 stars.  This books is about a summer and a group of friends and that's all I'm going to say for now.



2.  Enchantment Lake by Margi Preus: review will be up in the next couple weeks. 3 out of 5 stars.  This book is about a girl and her aunts and some mysterious deaths that has been happening...



3. Down from the Mountain by Elizabeth Fixmer:  4 out of 5 stars.  This book is about a cult and how this girl gets out of it.



4. Heartsick by Caitlin Sinead: 4 out of 5 stars. This books is about this weird disease that happens in this small town, but the question is was it human made?



5. The Naturals: Awakening (Episodes 1-4) Season 1 by Robin Parrish: 4 out 5 stars.  Kids with powers that's all I have to say.



6. Les Miserables Manga Classics by SunNeko Lee: My first comics and I loved it, maybe because it was a classic?  4 out of 5 stars.



7. Angelfall by Susan Ee: 4 out of 5 stars:  About angels coming to earth, but not what you would expect of angels that's what I'll tell you.



8. World After by Susan Ee: 4 out of 5 stars: And of course I had to read the second book.  And now I want to read the 3rd one now.



9. Whispers in the Dark by Chase J. Jackson: 4 of 5 stars. Quick read and a little creepy, if you are not afraid of creepy stories you will like this one.



10. 5 to 1 by Holly Bodger: 5 out of 5 stars.  My favorite this month.  This book is not out yet, it's coming out on 5/12, so keep your eyes open.  It's a dystopian where there is 5 boys for every 1 girl and they have to go to tests to win the girl. I'm going to do a review soon on this one, but I read this book in one seating, that's how much I loved it.



11. Seraphina by Rachel Hartman:  Currently reading...have heard nothing but good things about this book.  It's starting slowly for me, so hopefully it will start to pick up soon.  


And that will do for the month of April...What books did you read this month?  What books are you reading?

XOXO,

Nelia

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Book Review: These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

Book Review Tuesday and today it's all about aliens and space and let's just get to the book shall we?

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner 


The book stars in space, inside a luxury spaceliner, where we meet Lilac; the daughter of the richest man in the universe.  And we also meet Tarver, a young war hero who avoids rich girls because he has learned that they are nothing but trouble.  But catastrophe happens and the spaceliner is yanked out of hyper space and lands into the nearest planet and Lilac and Tarver somehow end up together and together they learn to survive.

When I started this book, it took me a little bit of time to get to it, it wasn't love at first sight that's for sure.  It took me a few days to get me into it, but then after a few chapters it was really hard to put it down.  Once they were stuck on the mysterious planet and mysterious things were happening that's when things got interesting.

So, has you see from above, the planet they got stuck in was very mysterious and very mysterious things started happening to them.  At first, they don't think they can trust each other but as the days go by they soon realize that they are the only survivors on that planet and without meaning to they soon trust each other.  And with that trust, they work together to find out what is happening on that planet and why no one else is not there. And of course they work together to bring rescue to them.  But by the end they wonder if they want rescue, if they are better off by themselves?  Especially after they find out the secrets of the planet...

What to know the secrets of this mysterious planet? Well, you will just have to read it.  Some of the stuff in this book was a little creepy, mysterious but very entertaining that's for sure.  When it ended I really wanted to read the second book, but then I found out the second book is not about the same characters and not I'm not so sure about reading.  What do you think?

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars, it was good, kept me at the edge of my seat sometimes and left me wanting more alien an space stories that's for sure.  But I still want more Lilac and Tarver, I'm still not done with them.  How do you feel about it?

Well, that will do for today's review...I could go on and on about how I need more of their story but...

XOXO,

Nelia

Friday, April 24, 2015

Weekend Reads: Whispers in the Dark by Chase J. Jackson

TGIF, it's Friday people, Woohoo!!!  I have a wedding tomorrow and then we are putting our boat in the marina on Sunday.  I don't know how much reading I will get done but this is the book that I'm currently reading and that I will read whenever I get a little free time:

Whispers in the Dark by Chase J. Jackson 




Hope you all have a great weekend!

XOXO,

Nelia

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Nail of the Week: On The Beach

It's Mani time and today's nails is:

On The Beach by Deborah Lippman






The weather is finally feeling like Spring, sunshine everywhere.  Hope you all have a great week.

XOXO,

Nelia

Book Review: The DUFF by Kody Keplinger

It's another Book Review time, still have quite a few books to do reviews so two reviews this week.  After reading TFIOS I was in a reading slump for a while and I knew that I needed a quick and funny book to get me out of it and when NetGalley had The DUFF for auto approval there I knew I had to get it so...I grab it and started reading right away:

The DUFF by Kody Keplinger


This book follows 17 year old Bianca who is doesn't think she is the pretty among her friends and she is ok with that, she is the responsible one, the one that knows when to tell them to stop if they have gone a little to far.  She is also the smart one, she spends her time studying while her friends like to spend their time partying and looking pretty.  But she wouldn't trade their friendship for nothing, they would do anything for each other.  One day the man-slut of the school goes up to Bianca and starts talking to her, she hates him and doesn't understand why he would even bother talking to her, but hen Wesley explains to Bianca that he needs to plan nice to her because she is the DUFF of her friends, the Designated Ugly Fat Friend and when she throws her coke at him he nicknames her the Duffy.

Things at home are not so great either and because of that Bianca starts doing things that is not usual for her, first of all she kisses Wesley one day and she likes it.  And he ends up liking it and both of them end up in a enemies with benefits relationship, one where no one knows about it. At first, she thinks everything is under control, but when she starts realizing that Wesley is not such a bad guy and that she is falling for him she not so sure about anything anymore.

Well, it sure was a quick read, I gave it a 3 out of 5 stars.  Why?  Well, at the beginning she talked about the importance of friendship and somewhere she kind of ignored them.  Also, her relationship with her dad?  I don't want to spoil anything, but I just wasn't okay with it, it's a tough subject.  Her mother, not very motherly, that's all I'm going to say, and she just forgives her so quickly?

Wesley, I think I liked him more than I liked Bianca.  At least he was more honest with her than she was with him.  I felt bad for him, you really get to know why he acts the way he does.

It's a good book for teenagers and adults too, this book teaches you that just because people look one way in the outside doesn't mean that's what they are on the inside.  Life is not always is what it seems.  That's what I took from this book.

I want to thank NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

XOXO,

Nelia

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Book Review: The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

Book Review Tuesday and today I'm review a book that it took forever for me to read, and I don't know why it took me so long to read because it was just simply amazing, and you can see by the title of this post what the book is so...

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green



I think by now everybody has read this book or has watched the movie, well I haven't watched the movie yet, I'm just not ready for another heart break, can you blame me?  I hope not, just give me a little bit more time, it has only been a couple months since I read the book, so...I may need a few more months until my heart can take that kind of heart break again, Ok? Ok.

Well, even though almost all of you have read or watched the movie, I am NOT going to do a spoiler review, WHY?  Well, because I don't think it will be fair for the few people that haven't read the book, because let me tell you, I am so glad I wasn't spoiled in this book, I am so glad I was totally blind going into it and not knowing what was going to happen, because that was what makes this book incredible and amazing, it's not knowing the full details and the twist.  Yes, it's heart breaking and incredible sad but totally worth, because when you read that very last page, you will sit there with the book still open in your hands crying like a baby, but glad that you didn't know what was coming.  I'm going to stop and get to the small spoiler free review and then tell you again how amazing this book is. Ok? Let's get to it.

So, this book follows Hazel, a teenager who has has had a terminal tumor since forever, but she has been in this medication has been shrinking her tumor, therefore giving her a few more years of life.  She lives her life at home most of the time, going out to classes at a local University, but her parents and doctors make her go to a Cancer Kid Support Group so she can socialize with kids her age.

During one of those Support Group meetings she meets Augustus Waters, he is in remission and there to support his friend, but somehow Hazel and Augustus connect and become friends and a little more after.
Even though they don't like the same things, they start to get to know each other and start to experience what each other like, from video games, to food, to books.  And from one book a great story comes out of it.

And then the twist happens and your heart will be broken, but you will laugh and cry with these characters.  You will fell like you are there with them and that is so freaking amazing for an author to do and that's when a reader gets to really say Thank You for an amazing experience.

I don't know what else I can say that hasn't been said about this book, I'm pretty sure everyone has said every amazing thing about it, so I'm just going to end by saying THANK YOU John Green for this incredible story.

5 out of 5 stars.

XOXO,

Nelia

Friday, April 17, 2015

Weekend Reads: Angelfall and Les Miserables

Happy Friday!!!  I'm currently reading 2 books, well actually 1 book and 1 comic book and I'll probably be done with both of them this weekend.  This month has been a really good month for reading, I feel like I'm on a roll and I'm liking it.  Here are the books:


I've been reading Angelfall by Susan Ee for a couple days now, I'm slowing getting into it, but I'm liking it.


And I picked by Les Miserables by Vitor Hugo yesterday and let me tell you something, this is my first comic and I'm loving it, this is


I got both these books from NetGalley, so thank you NetGalley, loving to get to read books that I may have not have not picked up.

Hope everyone has a great weekend.

XOXO,

Nelia

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Book Review: To all the boys I've loved before by Jenny Han

I know it's Thursday and not Tuesday but I'm doing another book review this week, I have a lot of books to review and I may do a couple book reviews a week to catch on my book reviews.  So today's book review is:

to all the boys I've loved before by Jenny Han


Yes another Jenny Han book, because I'm not ready to say goodbye to my characters on on the Pretty series and this book was $1.99 on Amazon and because I had heard nothing but good things about it, I knew I had to read it right away, so I did.

So this book follows Lara, a teenager that every time he has a crush on a boy and that crush ends, she writes a final letter to that boy, but she has never mailed to letters to those boys.  She wrote the letters to her past 5 crushes, sealed it and then hid them on a box under her bed and never thought about it anymore, well...that is until now, when she finds out that her box is gone and her letters has been mailed to all the boys.  Now, her past crushes are coming to confront her, from her first kiss, to her sister's ex-boyfriend, Josh.

At first, Lara doesn't know how to deal with it, she is embarrassed, but then she realizes some good can come out of it.  This book isn't only about Lara dealing about her letters and boys, it's also about family.  Her big sister goes away to college, out of the country away, and she has to step out and become the big sister while she is away and it's not as easy and she thinks.

I really liked this book, it's an easy and fun read.  You get to understand the before Lara and the present Lara.  And you do get to see her growing in this book, there is a great character growth and the end of the book?  Well, I just have to say; Thank God I didn't read this book when it first came out because I would be dying and dying and the second book is actually almost out  now, so I don't have too wait too long.

I gave it a 4 out of 5 stars and really recommend it if you want a light and cute contemporary read.

XOXO,

Nelia


Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Book Review: It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han

It's Book Tuesday Review time and today I'm bringing the second book of the Pretty series by Jenny Han:

It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han


Once I was done reading The Summer I Turned Pretty I picked this one up right away and once I started reading this book and found out what happened to one of the characters, well I wasn't too happy.  It was pretty devastating actually, I cried and no I'm not going to tell you what it is so you will have to read to find out.  But it is a pretty important event in this book, well the most important event of the book actually and the reason that many things happened.

Well Belly is not going to the beach house (yes it's because of that event), things are not the same and Conrad is not the same, they are not together anymore and she is trying to move one, but then she gets a call from Jeremiah asking for her help because Conrad is missing.  Belly doesn't even think twice, he has hurt her but he has been her friend since they were small and Jeremiah is still her friend and she would do anything to help him out.

Together they lie to the adults and go and try to find Conrad, after just a couple days they figure out where he is, the Beach House and off they go.  To the place where they have gone every summer since they were kids, they find Conrad there.  Conrad is not happy to see them and at first he doesn't want them there and tries to get them to leave and doesn't want to share what is going on with him.  But Jeremiah and Belly get to him finally and they eventually find out what is going on and the three of them fight for what they think it's important.  And they get help too.

And that's all I'm going to say, because anything else will be spoilers, this book...Jenny Han did it again.  Such a warm story, I loved it, I laughed, cried and it left me wanting me more again.  I haven't bought book 3 yet, I don't even know why, maybe because I'm not ready to say goodbye to this trilogy just yet?  Or maybe because how the end of this book?  I mean it was kind of unexpected, I didn't see it coming, but then I was happy and now I'm not sure if I want a change from that?  I'm not making sense unless you read the book, so please go and read it, ok?

4 out of 5 stars, only because there was a lot of emotions evolved.  I totally recommend this book.

XOXO,

Nelia




Monday, April 13, 2015

Nail of the Week: Pink

Happy Monday and Happy Spring, it finally feels like Spring in New England, we had our first 70s degree weather and it felt wonderful. Hoping that it stays like this from now on. 

When I got home I had to do my nails a Spring color and what better color than Pink? I recently got this nail polish in one of my Ipsy bags and I'm so happy that I finally can use it, let's take a look?

Milani Doll Face









How's Spring where you are? Hope you are all doing well!

XOXO,

Nelia 

Friday, April 10, 2015

Weekend Reads:

TGIF!!! Wow, this has been a very long week that's for sure.  I crashed on Monday and I have been recuperating since then, while having a cold and working let me add that.  So,  I am ready for the weekend, let's rest this brain and body a bit, shall we?

One thing that I have been doing this week is been catching up on my NetGalley books and I just started another last night and that's the one I will be reading this weekend:

Down from the Mountain by Elizabeth Fixmer



My thoughts so far?  Controversial for sure...

What are you up to this weekend?

XOXO,

Nelia

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Book Review: The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

Book Review Tuesday, alright people, after a couple weeks of crashing and trying to rest this brain of mine I'm back with a book review Tuesday and today I'm reviewing:

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han



I read this book while I was on vacation back in February and I loved it, I don't know why I hadn't heard about this book long time ago, because I finished this book pretty quick, to be exact in 2 days. Let's jump into this review...


Belly loves summers, for her everything happens between June and August, those are the magical months.  Since she can remember she has been spending summer in this summer home with Conrad and Jeremiah; they have been her best friends, her first crushes and everything in between.  But everything changes this one summer, things for the better but also things that Belly wasn't expecting at all.

The book is told by Belly's perspective and I love that she takes you back to the past so you get to understand why she is feeling about something in the present.  I loved getting to know how she feels about the two brothers, Conrad and Jeremiah.  And how she has had a crush on Conrad for the longest time ever; but in this book we get to see that he starts to notice her but at the same time does pursuit it.  Jeremiah is just such a sweet boy, I loved him right away and wish that Belly would have fallen for him.  You could see that he likes her and has for a while but you get to see that he knows that Belly likes Conrad and respects that and for that I liked him even more.

Belly and the boy's mothers are best friends and OMG, their friendship are everything, they have been friends forever and the reason that Belly goes there every summer.  Both of they are amazing women, they spend so time together, but they always have time for the kids and make them feel special.

At the end of this book, things explode the way I didn't see it coming.  I was sad, really sad for one of the characters, but because of that something good came out of it also, so the book ended really good.

When I finished this book I was ready to read the next one right away and Thank God I had it already with me.  I loved it and gave it a 5 out of 5 stars.  Totally recommend this book, it was light when you needed but expect to be sad and moving.

And that will do it for this review.

XOXO,

Nelia