Saturday, December 13, 2014

Birchbox Book Club - October 2014 Gillian Flynn Sharp Objects

I read Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn this summer; it was a book that kept me intrigued throughout it's entirety. I absolutely could NOT put it down (although I did not like the ending). I also saw the movie last month and was thoroughly pleased with how it turned out: from plot, to actor casting, to how the ending was portrayed.

So when I saw the opportunity to review Flynn's other two novels for the Birchbox Birchbloggers Book Club in October, I jumped at the chance. I have only had time to read her first novel so far Sharp Objects, so this blog will serve as a review of that. This review will contain some spoilers of the book, so please do not read on if you do not want to be spoiled. I won't spoil the ending, however :)
I have friends that had previously described this novel as "disturbing" and I thought, great, I like disturbing! Well let's just say, it did not disappoint!

The book is very dark from the very beginning. It starts out with the main character, Camille Preaker, describing her depressive surroundings; the cold Chicago spring weather, the horrendous murder stories she has to cover, her boss Frank Curry's brown tobacco saliva soaked teeth, the list goes on. She is a journalist at a small newspaper in Chicago required to return back to her hometown of Wind Gap, Missouri to cover the murder of two young girls. Camille, not a huge fan of her place of origin, reluctantly returns "home" to cover the story.

The majority of the book takes place while Camille is in Wind Gap investigating the murders for her newspaper. She reconnects with her mother, Adora (whom she refers to my her first name), her step dad Alan and her step sister Amma (who is only 13 and Camille barely knows). We find out that her mother and step sister are very dysfunctional, to say the least, and that she had another sister, Marian, that passed away when Camille was very young. Neither Camille nor her mother have been the same since Marian's death.

I would say that this book is more about a dysfunctional family and less about the murders of these young girls, but it does keep you intrigued on who committed the murders and how the story will tie all together. My favorites parts of the book are Camille's love interests (there are more than one) and me going back and forth in my brain on who I think killed the two girls and why (I think I changed my theory about 5 or 6 times through out!). I won't reveal the ending but I will say I was very satisfied! I would definitely recommend this book if you liked any of Flynn's other novels or are just a fan of dark mysteries!

Think "Whatever happened to Baby Jane" (novel or movie) and "Flowers in the Attic" (novel or movie) dark.

Sunday, November 16, 2014

Last Week's Nails

These are last weeks nails! I purchased the wet n wild megalast nail polish in Wet Cement for only $1 and change (with a coupon from Harmon)! The polish is really good for the price and with a clear top coat, it lasted almost a whole week. The color is taupe with a bit of a grayish tint.
A close up


I change my polish usually once a week when I am not being lazy so look for a "this weeks nails" post coming soon!

Thursday, November 13, 2014

LOTD - ispy October 2014

Today's look of the day was inspired by the Starlooks lip gloss in guilty pleasure. I received this in my October 2014 ipsy glam bag. I had never heard of the brand before and had pretty low expectations as it is usually hard for me to find the right pink gloss for my skin tone. Well, I was pleasantly surprised! I love this gloss.
The full size retails for only $13, which is not for a gloss that you really like and can use everyday. 

P.S. Sorry for not smiling, will have to work on that! 

Monday, October 20, 2014

Unboxed - Birchbox October 2014

Better late than never! I finally received my October Birchbox this weekend and I have been inspired to start blogging again by a lovely, supportive community of birchbloggers. I am a bit rusty, but here is a quick summary of the products in my October box. If I had to pick one favorite, it would be the LuMESH Lip Gloss!

1. Essentiel Elements Wake Up Rosemary Shower Gel - This shower gel had a nice minty, relaxing smell. It lathered well and was moisturizing, but not more so than my daily body wash (Dove). My favorite part was the relaxing scent!

2. ModelCo Power Lash Long Wear Black Mascara - I love the brush of this mascara, it gives you a nice thick volumizing coat on your lashes.

3. LuMESH Hydrating Lip Gloss in Sadie -  This is a nice pink gloss on my lips; a great color for running around on the weekend.

4. Paula’s Choice Skin Balancing Antioxidant Serum with Retinol - I love the way this product makes my face feel! I put it on after I wash my face, but prior to moisturizing and my face feels so soft and has a dewy look.

5. clariSEA Rapid Detox Charcoal Exfoliant: Face - This was interesting. I wasn't sure how much to use; it is in powder form. I ended up using a quarter sized amount and I mixed it with water, instead of face wash. It made my face smooth but I didn't notice an immediate difference other wise.

You can learn more about Birchbox here: https://www.birchbox.com/invite/ijqfp

I get points if you join!