Book review: Neferet's Curse by P.C. & Kristen Cast

A quick book nook for ya! This would be the first book associated with the House of Night series I have read. Keep that in mind as I relay my thoughts on the novella Neferet's Curse, written by P.C. & Kristen Cast. 

A delightfully easy read, definitely geared towards the more mature teen audience. However, an adult can enjoy the story just as much since the literary content is somewhat dark, and graduated. 

In the couple of hours it took for me to read the book in its entirety, I was continually and pleasantly surprised by how many underlying stories developed. I was captivated from start to finish. I appreciated being able to understand the story without having read anything else associated with the House of Night series, and although it has a fantastical element to it, the pages read more realistic and relatable. 

I'd definitely recommend this book to mature, young adult females. The writing style  is presented in a way that I believe that target demographic would embrace and identify with. As an adult reader, this leaves me wanting to follow the characters and the authors make it very easy to feel as if you're a fly on the wall page after page. 

I encourage you to borrow the book from a library near you and report back with your thoughts and comments!

Happy reading! 

NPW Vanilla Fragrance Nail Polish Remover Pads

How fun is nail polish!? Design, texture and color that you create to show your personality make it the perfect way to accessorize without having to spend a fortune. And, although it can be a pain to get perfect and the time it takes to dry can be unpleasant, I always find it worth it once it's on! But what about when the time comes to take it off!?? That's where nail polish remover comes in. There are so many products on the market, it can be a challenge to find what works best for you! So here's a review on NPW Nail Polish Remover Pads! Don't feel like reading the whole post? - Scroll to the bottom for condensed product details.

I purchased these remover pads from GAP, but they appear to be from a company called NPW. They retail for $2.99, and they were on sale so I figured I'd give them a try. As you can tell, these pads leave much to be desired. The pads are thin, and small and must be used with great force to initiate results. The pad also filled up with polish and stained my fingers and left polish in the nail creases. But along with the bad did come some good! They claim to be vanilla scented, and that sure is true! They smelled great, even as they were removing the polish. Additionally, they were VERY moisturizing to the point that they left a somewhat greasy-ish, lotion feel to my fingers upon completion which I sort of liked. The container comes with 30 pcs. which is a pretty generous amount to me. However, if you DO decide to pick these up, I'd recommend using 1 per hand at the least. All in all, if you're looking to find a product that easily, and quickly removes nail polish I'd stick with acetone remover (harsh on the nails, but a girl on the go's dream!) - this will not impress you. It might be more suitable for younger nail polish users, or for people who wear very light nail polish. The packaging is cute and convenient, the smell - lingering and delicious. The moisturizing effect was likeable, but for me it's all about functionality and results. This nail polish remover did not pass the test and it's back to the headache inducing ol' school products for now. 

Product: NPW Vanilla Scented Nail Polish Remover Pads

Price: $2.99 (@GAP)

Quantity: 30 pads

Scent: Vanilla (Yummy!!) There are many different scents available on website.

Effectiveness: Hardly effective. 

Where to buy: GAP, www.npw-usa.com Available Scented Nail Polish Remover Pads

2/5 stars. Affordable and fun, but not fun-ctional!

 

Support the Bamboo Challenge Grant! - Pandas - explore

Support the Bamboo Challenge Grant! - Pandas - explore

Aveeno Tinted Moisturizer Review

It's summer and you know what that means - we all get to bake our bodies and reap the rewarding effect of a smokin' hot TAN bod!!!! NOT. For people with fair skin (such as myself), the sun's rays can really harm our exterior. A product to play up the sunkissed look without damaging the only skin you'll ever have is to go with a tinted moisturizer with SPF. They'll never know you're really 1/2 vampire. 


This review is on Aveeno's Positively Radiant Tinted Moisturizer. Don't forget.. if you don't feel like reading the whole post, just scroll right on down to the end of this entry where you can find concise details pertaining to the product. Happy reading! Here goes..

So this summer I wanted a bit of a glow because if you know me, you know I am as pale as Casper would be if he saw a ghost - no, seriously. I started using a gradual tinted moisturizer (Jergen's brand) all over my body and totally loved it. The reason I had to find a new product I blame on my skin's sensitivity level. I couldn't use the body lotion or face lotion on my face without breaking out which resulted in - well, not the most attractive sight under the sun. Anyway, I remember my old boss using this product and she was very knowledgeable of skin care products so I figured I'd be safe - and I was/am! I LOVE this product. It is very sheer, lightweight and even provides a small but appreciated amount of coverage to help even out skin tone. The smell is a little off-putting at first, but honestly I have come to like it, as was the case when I used Jergen's Natural Glow product. I can put a teeny tiny amount on and not be afraid that I need more make-up  and I also don't have to duck in any back alleys to make sure my face isn't melting off my face if you know what I'm talkin' about!! :) It lasts all day long and when I look in the mirror, no matter how tired I feel, my face remains bright, balanced and tinted. The only con I can see when it comes to this product is the price. It can run from about $14.00/$18.00 per bottle (2.5 oz.) which is a bit expensive for a drugstore product. But I guess it's worth it considering it DOES have SPF 30 and the tiniest amount goes a long way. One other tiny discrepancy with the product is the shading. They only make 2 shades which include fair to light and then medium. The medium is a bit dark for me, and the fair to light doesn't get my face to the shade I desire so I stick with the medium and so far, no one has told me to lighten up on the fake-bake or bronzer - So, I guess it's a-ok for me! Overall, it's a very nice, effective product. It adds some light reflecting minerals to the skin creating that perfect summer glow we all crave! But alas, it is a bit pricey, but worth every penny! Product Details Below:

Product: Aveeno's Positively Radiant Tinted Moisturizer 

Price: Ranges from $14.00-$18.00 per bottle

Size: 2.5 oz.

Scent: Like-able, but acquired 

Wear time: Lasts all day! No less than 8 hours.

Where to buy: Local drugstores, Target, Wal*Mart, etc. 

5/5 stars! Love it!

Better Homes Candle: The Sweet Smell of Success

Mmm. Who doesn’t LOVE to come home to a yummy smelling home after the worst day ever (which seems to come around more than once in an actual ‘ever’.) I know I do! One of my favorite ways to do that (besides baking) is to light up a candle and hover over the flame for what seems like … ALL NIGHT! 


This review is on the Better Homes candle, more specifically, the Warm Vanilla Creme scent. Be sure to scroll to the bottom for concise product details. Let’s get started!

I purchased the candle from Wal*Mart, which isn’t a store I usually shop at, but on my way out I noticed an end display full of candles and if anyone is a sucker for candles – IT’S ME!! How could I just walk past shelving of jars filled with brightly colored/scented wax? I couldn’t! What’s more is that the pricing was extremely affordable, and I am talking less than $5.00 per candle. No doubt, that also made me very skeptical, as the candles I usually purchase range from $10.00 -$20.00. Anyway, back to the IMPORTANT part of the blog. My husband and I immediately started sniffing to our hearts (or noses, rather) delight! To my surprise, THEY ALL SMELLED SO GOOD! Warm Vanilla Creme was actually the first one I smelled, and to be honest, felt it was WAY too strong. It smelled like FROSTING,  SERIOUSLY!!!!! And don’t get me wrong, I love that smell, I just wasn’t sure how it’d wind up smelling during the burn. I picked it up anyway, brought it home, and let it burn while I left the house. DO NOT EVER DO THAT!!   BAD ME!! Luckily, when I got home, my house was not burnt to the ground and when I walked in my home I had an immediate sugar rush! My nostrils were pleased as I started taking deep breaths as if I were getting tested for asthma! It was just the right amount of frosting scent and gave my entire downstairs a sugary, sweet smell. I couldn’t be happier and I plan on purchasing another one tomorrow! It almost angers me how impressed I am with a $5 candle that I got from Wal*Mart when all along I’ve been buying outrageously priced candles that contain less wax and have a shorter burn time. Better Homes candles are the way to go – so far! I’ll have to buy some other scents to see if they, too, have a permanent place in my home. Candle  Details Below:

Product: Better Homes candle in the scent Warm Vanilla Creme
Price: $4.97
Size: 18 oz.
Scent: Yummy!! Smells like frosting and spreads through large area.
Burn Time: 50+ hours
Where to buy: Wal*Mart
5/5 stars – Amazing product!!