Tag Archives: recommendations

Oct28

What Have We Been Watching? Scary Movies Edition

Posted on by
Standard
What Have We Been Watching? Scary Movies Edition

Hello!! Johnny and I have been watching scary movies pretty much exclusively since the last week of September to prepare ourselves for spooky season. Of course, we do make exceptions for Lego Masters, Impractical Jokers, and Last Week Tonight! This month long scary movie marathon has been a hoot and I thought I would share a few of the ones that stood out for good or bad if you plan on watching some horror flicks this weekend. Now, let’s get to it:

Scream:

Very surprisingly to my husband, I have never seen the original Scream before and it was a really fun watch. This is the perfect flick to turn on for people who aren’t huge scary movie fans because, although it is a slasher, there is so much humor incorporated into it. Scream straight up makes fun of horror franchises as Ghostface does his thing and it achieves a nice balance of scary and silly. I would say Johnny and I watched more of the Scream movies but literally every single one BUT the second was on streaming services. *Face palm*

Old People:

This is a German Netflix movie that I put on while Johnny was taking a snooze and it was pretty good. As you can surmise, the old people are the villains and this was an interesting twist since it’s almost always a youngster lol. I can’t say that I would watch it again but it was worth the watch for what it was. Some parts were freaking nasty so be wary!

Nobody Sleeps In The Woods Tonight:

The plot of this Polish horror film on Netflix intrigued Johnny and me. In the summary, it says it’s about a group of technology addicted teenagers who go on a retreat where no cell phones can be used. The movie was about this for maybe ten minutes and then it turned super weird thanks to two ogre looking men who were transformed by a meteor. The first one was good and we were excited that there was a sequel. Don’t bother with it, however, because it sucked on ice and we turned it off before we even finished it.

Random Acts Of Violence:

Shudder is a streaming service that only has horror movies and TV shows. Random Acts Of Violence is a Shudder original and it was one of mine and Johnny’s favorites. Basically, a comic book writer begins to notice similarities of real life killings inspired by the serial killer in his books. The movies on Shudder can be hit or miss so we were surprised by how good it was. The artwork was also amazing and we loved when it would go from real actors to comic book style animation.

Dreamcatcher:

Dreamcatcher was another movie that we watched on Shudder and it was a bust. Actually, let me restate that. It was alright until the grand reveal began unfolding and *then* it was a bust. Long story short, there is a killer amongst a DJ, his management, and his fans. For a while, we had a good enough time trying to figure out who it was. Then, we did find out who it was and it was so stupid lol don’t bother with this one.

Last Shift:

This movie was on Netflix and it was one that actually scared me and Johnny. It’s about a rookie cop who is working a late shift alone at a rundown police department. What should be an easy night turns nightmarish when the lights go out and a cult leader and his followers appear to be making a comeback. This one was a wild ride and I would definitely watch it again.

The Collector/The Collection:

The Collector series is your basic booby trapped setting film but it’s done so well and Johnny and I have watched these movies a few times. Is the Saw-esque style the most original? No. But, the overall plot was good, the visuals were insane, and we also love Josh Stewart a la Criminal Minds who plays the main character. If you’re looking for a more fast paced horror movie and aren’t scared of some gore, then this is a great option.

Creep 1 & 2:

The Creep movies are on Netflix and Johnny and I are HUGE fans of them. It isn’t a jump out and scare you movie but it is so unsettling. In a found footage style, it covers whomever the “bad guy” feels like being on a given day and the person he hired to film him. Part hilarious, part plain weird, the Creep franchise definitely lives up to its name and we wish there were more of them!

Johnny and I have watched so many scary movies this month that I have forgotten some of them lol. However, the ones above were the first ones that stuck out to me for this post as a green light or a cautionary tale to not watch. Regardless of what you choose, enjoy your movie night!

Have you seen any of the movies that I mentioned? What did you think of them? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep30

September 2022 Finishes

Posted on by
Standard
September 2022 Finishes

Hello everyone!! It’s the end of the month and you all know what that means… It’s time to discuss all of the beauty products that I finished up! September was a wildly successful month for empties and I used up lots of products that I would happily use again. One serum in particular really blew my mind and I NEED more. Today, we’ll be talking about the new to me finishes so you can peep previous reviews in other posts. Now, let’s get to it:

image_50734081

Would I Use Again?

Why/Why Not?

Pearlessence Serum: I decided to take a break from Vitamin C serums for a spell and moved onto my current obsession of hyaluronic acid. When I saw the Dewy Glow serum at TJMaxx during a previous haul, I couldn’t not try it and I was in love with the very pleasing color of the bottle lol. I am SO glad that I did because this serum is AMAZING! It promised a “dewy glow” and it delivered a thousandfold. After just one use, I was blown away by how fresh my skin looked and felt and it stayed that way all day. After the month it took me to finish it, my skin looked brighter and felt softer. It also paired so well with the Pearlessence moisturizer that I tried. Highly recommend!

Vital Beauty Eye Gel: The Vital Beauty Cooling Eye Gel was another TJs purchase and it was a great value. It costed about six dollars and it took me roughly four months to finish it with morning and night use. I’m happy that I bought two of them because this product was another winner. A little of it went such a long way and I was so impressed by how untired it made me look. I have been perpetually exhausted for the past month and a half but it definitely didn’t show! The delicate skin around my eyes felt healthy and strong and always looked like I got excellent beauty sleep even though that was far from the case. Loved it!

Pearlessence Gel Moisturizer: As you all know, I freaking love me a gel moisturizer. I think that they are so refreshing and love how quickly it absorbs as well as the non-greasy feeling. The Pearlessence moisturizer was really nice and Johnny liked it too for his chronically dry forehead lol. This product was so light but effective and the double dose of hyaluronic acid from the serum made a noticeable difference. I feel like my skin has never looked better or more perfectly moisturized thanks to this pairing. It took me a month of twice daily use to finish one jar.

As you can see, September was a wonderful month for finishes. I found a new favorite skin care brand and used up products that I have been working on for a while. You can’t beat that and do check out Pearlessence next time you need to restock your skin care… I think you’ll like it!

Which products did you use up this month? What are your thoughts on any of the above products if you have used them? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr20

Lil Red’s Book Club: The Family Plot By Megan Collins Edition

Posted on by
Standard
Lil Red’s Book Club: The Family Plot By Megan Collins Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! Today, we are going to be discussing a thriller called The Family Plot by Megan Collins – without giving any spoilers away, of course! The last book I read was by Collins and I was so impressed by her that I just had to read more of her work. I am so glad I did because The Family Plot is, easily, one of my new favorites. It was EXCELLENT.

Before we begin the review, I will be placing a trigger warning on The Family Plot for disturbing content dealing with murder. Now, let’s get to it:

plot1

Saying that Dahlia Lighthouse didn’t have a normal childhood is a severe understatement. She grew up in seclusion with her parents, twin brother Andy, and older siblings Charlie and Tate in a home that the locals refer to as “Murder Mansion”. The children were all home schooled but their curriculum was far from learning math and science. Rather, it revolved around their mom teaching all of them about murder and serial killings. And, yes, all of their namesakes are after murder victims.

Mother Lighthouse lost her parents in a grisly murder and the island that Murder Mansion is on has their own serial killer, the Blackburn Killer, who has never been caught. To protect her children from the evils of the outside world, she taught all of them about the worst possible things that could happen. It was her skewed idea of keeping them safe, but did it really?

As soon as Tate and Charlie became of age, they left the island without looking back. Dahlia had similar plans with her twin brother but on their sixteenth birthday, Andy disappeared and was never seen again. The loss of Andy is a gaping wound for Dahlia and she hasn’t seen or talked to her family since she moved to the mainland.

Unfortunately, Dahlia’s plans to never return to Murder Mansion were cut short when her father died unexpectedly. It’s bad enough that she has to be thrust back into her childhood home, which is a shrine to all things murder but that will not be the worst of it. In the family plot on their property, a body in the grave that has been dug for her father is discovered and puts her family at the center of an investigation.

Everyone in Dahlia’s family is a suspect for the murder of this unknown person on their property. The police even think that one of the Lighthouses might be the Blackburn Killer and Dahlia does too. As their investigation begins, Dahlia starts one of her own and the secrets that begin to spring forth confirms her feelings that she never knew her own family at all. Who is the Blackburn Killer? Read The Family Plot to find out!

As soon as I started reading The Family Plot, I was one hundred million percent in and I was genuinely upset when it was over. As you all know, Johnny and I are huge true crime buffs ourselves, so a family who lives their lives ensconced in murder was an interesting prospect. From Dahlia’s childhood to a broken family and a serial killer still at large, everything about The Family Plot kept me turning the pages until there were none left.

Every story line in this book blended together effortlessly and the grand reveals left me SHOOK. I was so engrossed in The Family Plot that I didn’t even try to figure things out for myself. Rather, I let it ride. While there were some things I pieced together on my own, I didn’t see most of the twists coming at all and there were so many instances when my jaw dropped to the floor.

The fascinating plot was held together by a formidable team of characters and I enjoyed reading about all of them. I loved brave and determined Dahlia, her true crime junkie friend, and the Lighthouse family groundskeeper named Fritz. However, it was older brother Charlie that stole the show. Charlie hides his trauma through alcohol, sarcasm, and living his life as a performance. He was absolutely hilarious and he had countless one liners that made me laugh out loud.

If you are looking for a fast paced read, a highly unique plot, and a good old fashioned whodoneit, then I can’t recommend The Family Plot enough. I am going to rate it with the coveted ten out of ten stars and I would happily read it again. Megan Collins knocked it out of the park yet again and I am itching to read more by her!

What are you currently reading? What should I read next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

PS: Be sure to tune in tomorrow for blooper shots from my Spring Skirt Savvy OOTD! 😀

Apr7

Lil Red’s Book Club: Breach By Kelly Sokol Edition

Posted on by
Standard
Lil Red’s Book Club: Breach By Kelly Sokol Edition

Hi everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! Today, we are going to be discussing a novel called Breach by Kelly Sokol – without giving any spoilers away, of course. Breach was a far cry from the usual thrillers that I am so partial to and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Before we begin, I am going to be placing a trigger warning on Breach. One of the main characters is suffering from PTSD from his time in the Navy and there are also references to miscarriages and abortion.

Now, let’s get to it and peep that amazing cover art:

image_67209729

Marleigh is a hard working twenty-two year old who is desperate to create a good life for herself. She came from a difficult home life and is now working three jobs while taking night classes to give herself a bright future. Her most important job is taking care of her grandpa’s boxing gym and trying to keep it afloat. Marleigh’s “Pops” is suffering from dementia and was the only person in her life who ever looked out for her.

While manning the front desk at the gym and studying for school, a handsome stranger named Jace walks in. And, in that instant, Marleigh’s life will change forever. Jace is an EOD specialist with a similarly sad past and a whirlwind romance begins before he is deployed again. Marleigh didn’t know it was possible to love someone so much until their relationship and, for once, her life is good.

In the short amount of time that Marleigh and Jace have been together, they got married and pregnant. Jace would be deployed, he would return home, Marleigh would get pregnant again, rinse and repeat. For a while, things are good and Jace would come home as his normal self. However, with each passing deployment, his mood worsens and not even Marleigh or their three boys brings him happiness.

Not only does Jace struggle with civilian life but he is also hitting the bottle more and more regularly. Between sleepless nights, tracking her husband down at the bar, and being a boy mom of three, Marleigh is simply exhausted. It has gotten to the point where she hardly recognizes the man that she fell in love with and her boys seem afraid of their father.

Marleigh thinks back on her and Jace’s promise to each other to always be there no matter what. She is desperate to save her family but one tragic accident starts a rapid downward spiral. How will Marleigh survive this latest blow? Will she still end up with the life that she dreamed of? Read Breach to find out!

Like I said at the start of this post, I was taken by surprise by how much I liked Breach. I read it in three sittings and was, honestly, sad when it was over. I got so wrapped up in the story line, the romance (The love scenes are steamy!), and rooting for Marleigh to come out on top every step of the way.

I was so impressed by Marleigh as a main character and her work ethic reminded me of me. I definitely remember working three jobs before I graduated college and it was exhausting. I loved her dedication to her Pops, husband, and children. She was tough but caring, talented, and a survivor. My heart ached when her fairy tale romance began disintegrating because she deserved the best of the best.

Breach isn’t a true story but the plot of an enlisted special operator and his wife is all too real for so many people. In fact, I think that’s why I enjoyed it so much. Don’t get me wrong, I love my thrillers and an unstable narrator – you all know that. However, the plots of those books are so far fetched that it wouldn’t happen in real life. Breach felt one hundred percent real and it had me hooked from start to finish.

I am going to award Breach with a seven and a half out of ten stars. As you all know, I am a stickler for typos but I only reduced the score by half a star this time around. With a book as good as Breach, I was feeling generous! I highly recommend this read.

What are you currently reading? What should I read next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar18

Hand Cream Battle

Posted on by
Standard
Hand Cream Battle

Hello everyone!! Most people carry a small tube of hand cream on their person to apply as needed when on the go. Myself, on the other hand, can’t stand using lotion during the day because of its texture and only use it before bedtime. In my beauty stock pile, I noticed that I had quite the selection of hand creams and began the process of using them up in late February.

Today, we are going to put them to the test for the best purse, pocket, or car worthy hand cream to help beat dry skin when on the move. Let’s get to it:

image_50368001

eos: I freaking loved this hand cream and consider the Shea Better by eos to be the full package when it comes to combating dry hands. First of all, the scent was absolutely delightful. It smelled fruity without being too sweet and was so nice and light. The eos hand cream absorbed quickly and didn’t feel greasy in the slightest. I also noticed the biggest difference in how my hands looked and felt after using it.

When my hands get dry, it’s not so much the texture of them as much as the redness that bothers me. The eos hand cream made my hands incredibly soft to the touch and it also eliminated the redness after just one use. It took me about six uses to complete the tube.

Renew: The Renew Intensive Skin Therapy hand cream was pretty good. It wasn’t as effective as the eos cream but worked better than the Bath & Body Works one, putting it smack dab in the middle. This hand cream had little to no scent, which is fine by me. I would rather a product be scentless than have a fragrance that I can’t stand! It was the lightest in texture out of the three hand creams and absorbed quickly. I liked how soft it made my hands but it did little to no help for the redness. I finished this small tube after four uses.

B&BW: I received the Bath & Body Works Vanilla Butter Cream hand cream as a freebie and I loved the way it smelled when I picked it out. It was rich, creamy, and, of course, I love all things vanilla. However, it was a totally different story after using the cream because it was really pungent once on the skin. When it comes to lotion, I don’t really mind what it smells like because I only wear it at nighttime. I couldn’t picture using this one during the day, though, because it was so overpowering.

In terms on how well it worked, I was unimpressed by this hand cream – especially considering it’s close to eight dollars for one travel size tube. The B&BW hand cream felt the greasiest and didn’t absorb nearly as well as the other two. My skin did feel somewhat smoother after using it but nowhere near how the eos and Renew left my hands feeling. It took me about five uses to finish this hand cream and I wouldn’t go out of my way to use it again unless I got it as a freebie.

Out of these three hand creams, the eos Shea Better is the perfect one to have on the go. If I did use lotion throughout the day, I would happily purchase it for myself and am admiring its excellent results at this very moment!

Which beauty products do you keep on your person for on the go use? Do you prefer scented or unscented lotion? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar16

Face Mask Festivities: instanatural Exfoliating Glycolic Mask Edition

Posted on by
Standard
Face Mask Festivities: instanatural Exfoliating Glycolic Mask Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Face Mask Festivities! It has been a while since I tested out a new face mask so I was very excited when my mom gifted me one by instanatural. This past week, I tried out lots of new skin care compliments of my last Sephora haul and I wasn’t loving the way my skin looked after the fact. I think it was too many new products at one time and my face looked dull and clogged by the time the week was out.

Thankfully, the Exfoliating Glycolic Mask by instanatural did the trick and this is a mask that I would happily use again. Let’s get to it:

image_67143937(1)image_67109377(1)image_67151105image_50362369(1)image_67163137(1)

Upon opening the new mask, my first impression was how happy I was that a little spoon was included to ladle out the product. I think this is such a nice touch and I love when companies do that! When I opened the jar, I could see why it came with a spoon because the mask was fairly thin and runny in texture. As a side note, it also smelled exactly like the gingerbread cake that my mom makes which was a nice bonus lol.

I used about three spoonfuls to cover my face and neck and let it sit for a little under fifteen minutes before washing off. I really enjoy using masks with exfoliating properties because it feels like getting a double treatment. I was eager to see the results when I got out of the shower and I was very impressed.

This instanatural mask not only scrubbed all of the yuck from the past week away but it left my skin looking so much brighter and radiant. It was such a huge difference from the way my skin looked prior to using it and it also felt soft and smooth to the touch. I am writing this post about an hour after using it and my skin still feels tingly, cool, and invigorated. It was like a mini spa treatment right in my apartment!

I’m excited to use the instanatural Exfoliating Glycolic Mask again and it is one that I would definitely recommend. This mask was gentle despite the intense exfoliation it provided and I am loving the results! 😀

What is your favorite face mask? How do you pamper yourself at home? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Mar10

Lil Red’s Book Club: Anatomy Of A Scandal By Sarah Vaughan Edition

Posted on by
Standard
Lil Red’s Book Club: Anatomy Of A Scandal By Sarah Vaughan Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! Today, we are going to be discussing Anatomy Of A Scandal by Sarah Vaughan and it was very good. As always, no spoilers will be given away but I will be placing a trigger warning on this book as it deals with rape. Now, let’s get to it:

image_67198465

Kate is a successful barrister in London and deals primarily with prosecuting for sex crimes. She is married to her job and doesn’t have much to show for her world outside of work in terms of friendships or significant others. But, she’s okay with this because winning a case is the ultimate high for her and immersing herself in work helps her forget her own trauma.

Sophie is a stay at home mom with two lovely children and a handsome, successful husband named James. Her husband works in the government and is close friends with the prime minister. She has a picture perfect world until it is turned upside down when the news of James having an affair with his younger colleague makes headlines.

Playing much the part of the husband who had a moment of weakness and is so sorry, charming James is able to get back in the public’s good graces. His wife? Not so much. And things get even worse in that regard when he is arrested for the rape of the colleague he had an affair with. Can you guess who’s prosecuting?

Kate is overjoyed when she learns that she will be prosecuting James. Not just for the victim who is testifying but for herself, too. Kate is connected to James and his family even though they might not remember her and she is ready to pull out all of the stops for the “guilty” verdict. Will Kate win her case? Will James finally receive his punishment that is, frankly, long overdue? Read Anatomy Of A Scandal to find out!

I must admit that for the first thirtyish pages of this book, I toyed with the idea of not reading it. Anatomy Of A Scandal started out pretty slow and it is a very wordy book, which made the not so exciting parts quite dull. However, we all know that I have never started reading a book that I don’t finish and I’m glad that I stuck it out because it was a great read.

Once the pieces were all put into place, I went from not really wanting to read it to not being able to put it down. I finished it in one week and still find myself thinking about it after its completion. Of course, I enjoyed how this book went back and forth between Sophie, James, and Kate in both past and present day. I also loved Kate as a main character because of her intelligence, tenacity, and desire for justice in the courtroom.

I am going to rate Anatomy Of A Scandal with a seven out of ten stars. The story line, while upsetting, is incredibly important and I like a read revolving around a court case. There were some parts of it that were insanely boring, though, and I was ready for it to be over when I got to the last fifty or so pages. I don’t recommend this book for people who find the subject matter too difficult because it absolutely is. But, I did like it overall and it is worth a read if you’re up for it.

What are you currently reading? What should I read next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar1

Lil Red’s Book Club: Then She Was Gone By Lisa Jewell Edition

Posted on by
Standard
Lil Red’s Book Club: Then She Was Gone By Lisa Jewell Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! My sister and I have started to read the same books together, which has been a lot of fun and we jokingly have been calling it our own book club of two. Today, we will be discussing our most recent finish called Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell – without giving any spoilers away, as always.

Kristen and I both agreed that this book was great but before we get started, I will be placing a trigger warning on it. This book deals with grief, miscarriages, as well as extremely disturbing content and is not for the faint of heart. Now, let’s get to it:

image_67207681

Ten years ago, fifteen year old Ellie Mack disappeared without a trace and her mother, Laurel, is still haunted by the tragedy. Divorced, estranged from her other children, and feeling the grief of her lost golden girl, Laurel has been simply existing as the years pass by. The pain of losing her child feels just as fresh as if it happened yesterday, every day for Laurel and she has accepted the fact that she will never be able to move on.

As Laurel goes through the motions of yet another day without her daughter, she has a chance encounter with a man named Floyd in a cafe. They have a pleasant chat over a slice of cake, which ends in an invitation from this handsome stranger to go out to dinner. No one is as shocked by this meeting as much as Laurel and after mulling it over, she accepts, which begins a whirlwind relationship.

As Floyd and Laurel get to know each other better, she eventually meets his two daughters. His adult daughter is named Sara-Jade who has a steely disposition and keeps to herself. Then, there’s his youngest girl, the effervescent Poppy. She is smart as a tack, self confident, and oh yeah – she looks just like Laurel’s missing daughter, Ellie.

Laurel chalks Poppy resembling her daughter so fiercely as a mere coincidence and continues her relationship with Floyd. However, with new information about Ellie after ten years and a strange connection between her daughter and Floyd’s ex-partner, Laurel begins seeing her daughter’s case with fresh eyes. What happened to Ellie? And does Laurel’s new boyfriend have anything to do with it? Read Then She Was Gone to find out!

I absolutely loved Then She Was Gone and finished it in just three sittings. It was unputdownable and I think that I could have read it all in one day if I didn’t have to work! Within the first one hundred or fifty so pages, I had the major twist completely figured out but that didn’t take away from the shocking nature of this read at all.

As I mentioned in the trigger warning for Then She Was Gone, there were some parts of this book that were extremely disturbing. Of course, I can’t delve into it without giving a lot of spoilers away but if you can look past it and are looking for a good thriller, I can’t recommend it enough. This was an incredibly fast paced book and I felt more and more invested at every turn of the page.

A majority of Then She Was Gone might feel like something you have read before. I also can’t tell you what books those are without spoiling it! However, the characters in this book are what made it so special. Laurel was a powerful main character and her grief was something you could literally feel as you read her story. Poppy was also an absolute delight with her dramatic personality and quirky fashion sense, which I could definitely relate to!

I am going to award Then She Was Gone with the coveted ten out of ten star rating. This was, easily, one of the best books that I have read recently and I would happily read more by Lisa Jewell again. From start to finish, this book was gripping, chilling, and one hundred percent excellent. If you’re up to it, I highly recommend it.

What are you currently reading? What should I read next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Feb23

Lil Red’s Book Club: Reckless Girls By Rachel Hawkins Edition

Posted on by
Standard
Lil Red’s Book Club: Reckless Girls By Rachel Hawkins Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! Without giving any spoilers away, as always, we will be discussing a thriller called Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins. If the author’s name sounds familiar, it should! I reviewed her book, The Wife Upstairs, a few weeks ago and I am very impressed with her work. Before we get started, I will be placing a trigger warning on Reckless Girls for general violence and trauma. Now, let’s get to it:

image_67525377

After a series of unfortunate events in Lux’s life, she finds herself at a crossroads and moves to Maui with her boyfriend, Nico, on a whim. They have grand plans of adventures on the open seas in Nico’s boat, just the two of them traveling the world and making incredible memories. Money, however, is tight and their dream seems farther away than what they originally thought.

Luckily, a big opportunity comes Nico’s way to sail two college friends, Amma and Brittany, to the deserted Meroe Island for a huge pay day. They insist on Lux coming too and, despite initial feelings of hesitance, she agrees and they set sail. Meroe Island has a troubling history of people stranded there and resorting to cannibalism to save themselves. But that was so long ago and it will be an experience of a lifetime, right?

Upon arriving at the island after a long sail, the group is surprised to find another boat already there. Jake and Eliza, the owners, become fast friends and the first few days on their own private paradise is filled with bonfires, drinks, and good food. Lux finds herself feeling happy for the first time in ages but there’s just something about Brittany’s friend, Amma, that seems a little off.

Lux is able to push past the awkward tension with Amma and is settling into island life just fine until a newcomer, Robbie, harbors at the island. Instantly disliked, Robbie is a definite outsider and flees into the dense island jungle after Lux finds him snooping around Jake and Eliza’s boat. Then, things take a turn for the worst.

After being shamed by the new little family, Robbie decides to seek his revenge and destroys the radios on each boat – making it impossible to leave the island until a back up one arrives on a passing ship over a week later. Stranded until they can set sail again, the island starts to work its strange magic and begins turning the tight knit group against each other.

As people turn up missing and bodies are found, Lux realizes she’s not in paradise at all but a prison. The people who she felt so close to end up feeling like strangers and the only thing she has on her mind now is survival. However, some people on the island aren’t strangers to each other after all and one devastating plan puts everyone in jeopardy. Will anyone live to tell their tale of Meroe Island? Read Reckless Girls to find out!

Although I liked Rachel Hawkins’ The Wife Upstairs just a little bit more than Reckless Girls, I still thought that this was a great read. Maybe because I figured out the main and several minor plot twists prior to its end and didn’t see the final plot twist in The Wife Upstairs coming at all. Reckless Girls was a lot of fun, though, and I finished the fast paced read in just three sittings. I felt disappointed every time I had to close it, making it a definite unputdownable book.

While Reckless Girls, at its core, is a classic whodoneit, it felt unique because of the creepy island setting. When things began to take a downward turn, you could literally feel Meroe Island closing in, creating a claustrophobic, paranoid vibe. Thanks to the insight provided by stories of each character’s past, it felt like danger was lurking around every corner, which made this read even more gripping.

I also really enjoyed Lux as a main character. She was strong and determined which was a nice change of pace from the main character in The Wife Upstairs who was very meek and plain. Lux was so easy to root for because of such a relatable past. I am partial to alternating narrators in a book but, for once, I didn’t mind hearing everything from Lux’s perspective so that’s really saying something!

I am going to award Reckless Girls with an eight out of ten star rating. My main qualm was the predictability of this book and I would have enjoyed to have a jaw dropping moment that I didn’t see coming from a mile away. It is still worth a read, though, and I recommend giving it a try.

What are you currently reading? What should I read next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Feb6

Organic Aromas Aurora Nebulizing Diffuser Unboxing & Review

Posted on by
Standard
Organic Aromas Aurora Nebulizing Diffuser Unboxing & Review

Hello everyone! We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming from my TJMaxx Winter Haul again because I have an exciting product to share with all of you! Today, we are going to be discussing my gorgeous new Aurora Nebulizing Diffuser by Organic Aromas. I have had it on nonstop in my apartment since I received it in the mail. In fact, it’s on right now as I write this post! Check out my unboxing and continue reading on for the review:

Peep this video to see it in action:

My Aurora Nebulizing Diffuser kit from Organic Aromas came with everything that I needed for soothing scents to envelope my apartment all of the time. Not only did it include all of the items that I need for cleaning it but it also came with two essential oils to get me started. I am currently using the Signature Blend essential oil, which is a lovely mixture of Elemi, Clary Sage, Cajeput, Chamomile, and Bergamot – it is divine and perfect to use when chilling at home. I also received the Peppermint oil, which will be great to help wake me up in the morning!

The amazing thing about this product is that it is pure scent particles coming out of the diffuser – not water. This provides the ultimate experience for all of your aromatherapy needs because the oils are not being diluted, giving you the full benefits of whichever essential oil you choose. As soon as I turn on my Aurora Diffuser with the Signature Blend, I instantly feel more relaxed, making it the ideal scent after a long day at work.

Not only are the products by Organic Aromas effective, but they are beautiful too. I love the pearl like shape of my diffuser because it reminds me of my engagement ring! The diffusers will enhance your home decor with their simple yet elegant designs. Some of the diffusers can even change colors with the LED lights so you can suit the color palette in your living room or bedroom.

I cannot recommend the Organic Aromas essential oils and diffusers enough. Treat yourself or someone else for a gift because you have the Lil Red Guarantee that it will make a much loved edition to anyone’s home!

What is your favorite scent? What makes you feel relaxed? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah