SONEic Sound Machine | Product Review

I was blessed to have so many people in my life give gifts to my girls. Honestly, everyone just killed it on my baby registry. My family is so lucky that we have such great family and friends, we could not be more grateful.

One of the gifts we received off my registry (thanks Aunt Cherene) was a sound machine. To be honest, I didn't do much research on any particular sound machine, I registered for this one mostly based on cost. But I have loved my sound machine these past few weeks and my girls love it too.

So here is my pros and cons list about the SONEic Sound Machine*.

You can purchase this product by clicking below*.

PROS:

-This machine doesn't just have white noise. There are many different options to choose from. My girls and I prefer gray noise at night while we're sleeping, but the rain, ocean, and brook are fun ones too.

-Though I haven't used it, this sound machine has a timer. So if you wanted to not waste electricity or don't need it playing all night, then you can easily set a timer to have it automatically shut off.

-It's an easy turn on or off knob, and when you start it up it goes to the last sound you had it on.

-This can be powered either by batteries or a USB, making this machine portable.

-The machine comes with a headphone jack. I haven't used it, I'm not entirely sure why someone would use headphones to listen to just sounds, but it's an option. This would also give you the option to plug it into an external speaker, for when you want to play it really loud, I guess.

-This may not apply to you, but the sounds don't seem to affect or bother my dog. This is important to me because I have a dog that barks at everything. He even seems to do well with the thunder sound and maybe I can use it to train him to not bark at real thunder. We'll see.

-It's a very lightweight machine (though I don't have batteries in it, which I'm sure makes a slight difference). It's small and not bulky which allows me to move it around the house easily. 

CONS:

-The volume knob is touchy. It takes a little while to adjust it to the volume that you want.

-Why on earth would someone want to listen to whistling wind while they're trying to sleep? I just want someone to explain why that noise is on there because I personally just don't get it.

-Many of the sounds begin to sound repetitive, which obviously they are, but for instance, the first night I listened to the ocean noise, which I enjoyed but after a while, I knew exactly when the big wave would crash. It got too predictable and then I had a hard time ignoring it. The reason we listen to the gray noise is that while it may be repetitive, it's so steady that I can sleep easily with it playing in the background. It's predictable in a different way that allows me to ignore it.

MY REVIEW:

As you may have gathered from my Pros/Cons list, my girls do sleep in my bedroom with me in their bassinets. Every night when I turn on the sound machine, it's for me too. This machine seems to help my girls sleep. It also helps me differentiate night and day for my girls, seeing as we only turn it on at night (I plan on writing up a post on how we taught our girls the difference between night and day in the future). I personally am not bothered by it at all and neither is my husband (though that man sleeps through everything, including his crying children).

This sound machine sits at the bottom price range of $20 along with a few others. However, of the other $20 machines I personally feel this one has the most features, has the cleanest look, and has a good variety of sounds. While I haven't tried out the other machines, I enjoy mine very much and am happy with my decision to put it on my registry.

I would recommend this machine to others. The gray noise helps soothe my children and allows them to sleep easier. It's easy to use and at a good price.

Look at how in awe and amazement my girls are about this machine!! 

*This post contains affiliate links.*

Maybelline Volum' Express The Colossal Big Shot Mascara | Review

What's up my friends? I have a love of Maybelline mascaras, always have, probably always will. They're my go-to whenever I need a new mascara and I try my best to keep testing out different ones anytime I go to buy them.

My current Maybelline mascara test was on the Colossal Big Shot. So here is my review on this particular mascara. You can also check out my quick video review (if you would rather listen than read) on my YouTube channel by CLICKING HERE.

You can purchase this mascara here*:

PROS:

-Like most Maybelline mascaras (and the reason I love them so much) this mascara does not ever feel heavy or stiff on my lashes. I can brush my finger over my lashes and not be met with hard, stiff lashes.

-The price. Maybelline mascaras are always at a good price point while doing a great job and not feeling cheap.

-The application is easy. The brush isn't too crazy like some where it is easier to get on your eyelids.

-Easy removal. This mascara comes off easily with a little makeup remover or even just soap and water (but, also with tears, see cons below).

-It gives my lashes a darker tone without clumping or making them too thick.

-The brush isn't too thick and can be used on lower lashes without difficulty.


CONS:

-The brush. The product easily clumps onto the bristles, giving you a smaller bristle to work with, making application difficult.

-It doesn't really make my lashes seem any longer, unlike other Maybelline mascaras.

-If you're pregnant and have morning sickness and your eyes water, this mascara will get everywhere. (I've said it before and I'll say it again, mascara commercials are dumb and all I want is one where it shows a woman getting broken up with and crying, but it doesn't look like she's crying because her makeup doesn't move. That's the real test of good makeup, in my opinion, if it stays on well while crying.)

-Comparatively to many mascaras, Maybelline or otherwise, it just isn't anything special. It does its job but doesn't wow me in any way.


MY VERDICT:

I have nothing against this mascara, and it may work out really well for you, but it's just not for me. It doesn't give me the extra length that I crave and doesn't match up to literally dozens of other mascaras I've tried in the past. If you want a good price mascara that does the bare minimum of a mascara, then you should be good with this one. It's just not for me and I will not be using it again.

_______________________________________________________________

So I will be doing a lot more reviews on my blog. This will include makeup and hair products like always, but also baby items that I use with my girls. If you have any requests on what I should review, leave a comment down below. And if you own a product or company and would like me to do a review for you, please email me at thedancingcowblogger@gmail.com. Thanks ever so much!!

My Foundation Routine | Fashion & Beauty

Hello friends! By now you should all be well aware of my obsession with Ipsy. It's how I afford makeup. I'm poor but I can pay $10 a month for samples of makeup and beauty products. I'm also a hoarder of makeup, so it lasts me a while as I try to get through it all.

But while about 85% of my makeup routine is probably Ipsy products, my current foundation routine is not... with the exception of my makeup brushes, but that's totally irrelevant.

Today I am sharing with you my three, yes three, foundation products that I am currently obsessed with. These products in combination give my face natural coverage and I'm in love when the way they work so well together.

DREAM LIQUID MOUSSE

AIRBRUSH FINISH IN CLASSIC IVORY

BY MAYBELLINE

Now if you're a long time follower of my blog, you may be aware that I also have an obsession with Maybelline. Because of my lack of money, Maybelline is my go-to affordable makeup line, not just for the price but for the quality. I honestly believe it is the best product quality for the price of any drugstore makeup line. 

I am, however, new to this particular foundation. While the next product has been a staple for me for years, I decided to try this product after running out of a particularly wonderful Ipsy foundation. But I am loving it. 

This foundation does a fantastic job at covering my pores and imperfections, giving my skin a smooth finish. It's very lightweight and doesn't weigh heavily on my skin, nor does it look heavy. Best part, a little goes a long way so it'll last a long time, making it worth the cost, not that it costs that much to begin with. 

I highly recommend using a foundation brush to apply it though. If you use your fingers, you tend to get uneven coverage and, in my experience, end up using more to get the coverage where you really need/want it. I'm currently obsessed with my Luxie Dreamcatcher Precision Foundation Brush 660 that I got from Ipsy and love the softness of the brush and how easy it is to blend with. 

INSTANT AGE REWIND 

DARK CIRCLE ERASER IN BRIGHTENER/ILLUMINATOR

BY MAYBELLINE

I've talked about this one many times before and even have a review you can READ HERE (though it's not the best review and I may write up another since I've been very into reviews lately). This product is literally my favorite beauty product of all time. I cannot live without this and some type of mascara. 

I currently have the highlighter version, which is weird for me, since I used to often use this as an all-over foundation in a pinch, and I can't really do that with this shade. But regardless, it works well to cover the dark circles under my eyes that are always present. 

My favorite thing about this product is that it lasts all day and blends ridiculously well. I never have to worry about my dark circles popping up again later in the day. I'm ridiculously in love with this product, you don't even understand. 

I use this after the liquid foundation so I just dab it on under my eyes and blend it out a bit with my fingers. I will sometimes use the same brush from my foundation to blend the colors of the two a bit better, but typically just dabbing it on does the trick. 

MATTE POWDER FOUNDATION

IN FAIRLY LIGHT

BY BARE MINERALS

If you're looking for a good powder foundation, this is the only one you need. Bare Minerals is a more expensive brand and it is the most expensive beauty product that I consistently purchase. But it's something that I feel I always have to have around. 

This powder has fantastic coverage, hides pores and imperfections, is super lightweight, blends with your skin tone well*, and often doesn't even look like you're wearing makeup at all. In fact, I've worn only this powder without the foundations underneath and it gives me the imperfect look I crave with little work. 

(*If you really want to be sure it'll work well with your skin tone I recommend going to their store and having them find your correct shade. I did that a few years ago and it has made all the difference, and the guy was bored and gave me a whole makeover, bonus!)

Because I use the liquid foundations, I use this powder to help keep the liquid foundations in place as well as giving a final blend to my look. I use the C427 Duo Fiber Crown Brush from an Ipsy bag to dab and blend on my powder in the areas I know tend to fade (this is technically a blush brush, but it has worked well for me thus far). I have fairly oily skin so I use the matte version of this powder to keep my skin looking natural. Honestly, this powder gives me a more natural look, which I love. 

If you would like a video on my full makeup routine, leave a comment below and let me know. For now, you can check out my previous makeup routine video HERE. 

THANK YOU FOR READING!! 

All-Natural With Zak Detox Deodorant [Giveaway Closed]

Words can not describe the mix of excitement and anxiety that filled me while taking these photos. For the majority of my life, I have been the girl who wears makeup constantly. And I mean constantly. Beaches, lazy days, I'm pretty sure I even wore makeup to have surgery last year.

But today's post is all about being healthy and all-natural so I took photos in my bedroom in my Chewbacca pajamas and with natural hair and no makeup. It was slightly terrifying posting this, but I'm happy with how it turned out... and even more happy to offer a giveaway with Zak Body Care for you!!

As some of you may recall, near the beginning of this year I did my first real giveaway with Zak Body Care. I tested out their original deodorant, which I promptly fell in love with, and then I was able to give one away to one of my amazing readers!!

Well, today I'm happy to announce I'm not only doing a giveaway but am also offering a code to buy your own Zak's Detox Deodorant for a discounted cost! I love all my readers and want you all to be able to try out a natural and healthy deodorant!

Zak Body Care is a company that I am so happy to work with. The people I have worked with through this experience have been so kind and helpful. This is a company that gives great customer service while providing a quality product.

All of Zak's Detox Deodorants are:

• Aluminum free,
• Cruelty-free,
• GMO-free,
• Paraben free,
• And are made from 100% natural ingredients.

Zak's website states: "Deodorant should promote health, not undermine it."  It's amazing what horrible ingredients products can get away with these days. Health risks can be found in almost any product. So it's nice to find a company focused on promoting health and natural ingredients instead of chemicals.

Being all-natural can sometimes be a change. Whether it's taking photos makeup-less (and bra-less) or trying out a new deodorant, it's a change. For my husband, putting "all-natural" on a product turns him off to it. He doesn't believe that all-natural things are worth the hype. But for Zak Detox Deodorant, being all-natural isn't any gimmick or fad, it's a quality deodorant that keeps you, and your skin healthy.

This time around, I tested out the new Super Smooth formula. And while I was already a fan of their original formula, I like this one so much better. The application is much easier. It glides on with no effort and, just like the original, it lasts all day with no stink! With my new job, I'm on my feet a lot and there's a lot of stress, but this deodorant keeps my stress-sweats from being any issue. I promise you, this new formula is worth trying out.

I'm so excited to be able to share this new formula with one of you FOR FREE! I love receiving free things and I'm sure you do too. But even if you don't win, remember you can still get your own Detox Deodorant at a discounted cost with the code below.

This giveaway will run from today until November 30th. There are multiple ways to gain entries into the giveaway, a few are mandatory but some are just for fun. (And one you can do every day for additional entries!) All information on the giveaway and its rules are listed below.

Good luck to you all! Stay tuned for more fun stuff coming to my blog soon! 

For those who already know they're going to love this new formula, you can buy your own by CLICKING HERE and enter the code ZAKDANCE20 to get 20% off your purchase! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Are you still reading? Want something else "super" in your life? Check out my short story series about superheroes by CLICKING HERE. Okay, that was a terrible, very shameful plug, but I had to do it. Sorry. But honestly, read it. I know I'm the one who wrote it, but I still think it's pretty awesome and a new story is being posted tomorrow!

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Giveaway ends 11/30/2016. Open to legal residents of the US only. Winner will be selected at random by Rafflecopter.com and be notified by email. Winner will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is selected.  I will make every effort to assist you in obtaining your prize. If there is an issue with receiving your prize, please notify this blog within 30 days for assistance, after that we may be unable to assist you. The product provided for the review was free of charge from the company. The product offered for the giveaway is free of charge, no purchase necessary. My opinions are my own and were not influenced by any form of compensation. Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are in no way associated with this giveaway. By providing your information in this form, you are providing your information to Kaylee Farnes and Zak Body Care. I do not share or sell information and will use any information only for the purpose of contacting the winner. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler - Book Review

Hello friends! Today I have another book review for you. I've always been a fan of YA fiction but the last two I read were not so great. So if you have any suggestions for me please let me know! Thanks!

Yes, I probably could have found a great picture of of the book cover, but instead here's one with my adorable dog. Because why not? #zoramgerrard

Also the book title constantly made me think of this Taylor Swift song:

And also, I forgot about this music video. It's kind of funny and awesome. 

SYNOPSIS:

Alright so I'm just going to pull this directly from the inside book cover because it's what immediately drew me in. Listen to how cool this sounds:

"It's 1996, and Josh and Emma have been neighbors their whole lives. They've been best friends almost as long—at least, up until last November, when Josh did something that changed everything. Things have been weird between them ever since, but when Josh's family gets a free AOL CD in the mail, his mom makes him bring it over so that Emma can install it on her new computer. When they sign on, they're automatically logged onto their Facebook pages. But Facebook hasn't been invented yet. And they're looking at themselves fifteen years in the future.

By refreshing their pages, they learn that making different decisions now will affect the outcome of their lives later. And as they grapple with the ups and downs of what their futures hold, they're forced to confront what they're doing right—and wrong—in the present."

(Taken from GoodReads)

Doesn't that sound awesome? Doesn't that make you want to read this? Doesn't that make you jealous you didn't think of it first? 

RANDOM THOUGHTS:

While the idea behind the synopsis is awesome, if you look back at it the writing in the beginning part is very choppy, boring, and a little too direct. That's how the majority of this book was. Sometimes I worry when I critique these books and say the writing is bad that you may think that I consider myself some amazing writer. I'm not, by the way. I do my best at writing, but I do sometimes go back and find choppy sentences. However, I like to pretend I would never publish a book that way. 

There comes a point where reading this style of writing just gets too boring. When you're constantly being told everything so directly, it leaves nothing to the imagination. One of the points of reading is that you get to escape from the real world and imagine a different one, but in this book I didn't feel that way. I felt like I was reading a news story. Being given facts directly. Personally, I'm just not a fan of this style of writing.

Back to the synopsis, it is undeniably and awesome idea. Teenagers who get to see their futures? And then make changes in their futures by what they do in the present? It's such a cool idea and I was so excited for it... but I just felt let down. I feel like there were so many possibilities in which this could have been taken, but they took the easy, boring, simple route. There wasn't much of a plot or story and then it just ended. It was just... strange... the way this book was plotted out. 

CHARACTERS:

Emma and Josh are our main characters. Emma is crazy. Josh is pretty cool, he's fairly redeemable in this book, but Emma... 

If you don't want anything spoiled, maybe stop reading and skip over to "My Review", though this isn't a terrible spoiler. 

So there's a point where Emma sees who she is married to in the future and sees that they are getting a divorce. Emma, being the crazy teenager she is, finds the guy's number, talks to him, and changes her college plans strictly so that she will never meet this guy and never be married to him. After doing so, her future Facebook page shows her married to someone else.

Okay, so, this is crazy. Emma is so concerned with her future happiness that she makes very bold decisions that change her life in the future. This is the first instance, and probably the biggest, but she does quite a few other things to change her future. It was almost terrifying the kind of power she had. 

Now I think that if this book had been done differently, the fact that Emma can change her future by a simple thought would have been super cool. But because of the way this was written, she just came off as crazy. 

I did not like Emma. She also had a boyfriend that she hated and it really kept irritating me that she kept dragging him along for no reason. She then dumped him partially because he shaved his head, which was so petty I hated it. 

FAVORITE SCENE:

In the beginning it was really fun to have all the 90's references, but it got a little excessive. 

I thought it was really fun for Josh knowing who his future wife was and trying to get her to notice him and school. He wasn't nearly as drastic as Emma and it was cute just seeing how he did subtle things to get her to notice him. Josh was cool. The more I think about this book, Josh was cool.  

MY REVIEW:

I am torn on this book. Part of me wants others to read it because it is such a cool idea. But the writing is just not good and it ends so abruptly and without much resolve, I still have a few questions. 

But overall I was disappointed by this book. Such a cool idea and I just felt let down by how it all turned out. Take that as you want. Read it if you want, I won't really do much to convince you either way, because I'm personally torn. 

Have you read The Future of Us? What are your thoughts on this book? Let me know in the comment section below! 

Fan Art by Sarah Tregay - Book Review

All I do anymore is book reviews. Sorry that I'm not actually sorry.

Today's review is on Fan Art by Sarah Tregay. Before I get into the full review I want to say upfront that I was disappointed by this book. I'll get into the details later, but I felt it had a lot of potential, but didn't live up to it.

Photo Credits: www.sarahtregay.com

SYNOPSIS:

Fan Art is the story of Jamie Peterson in his senior year of high school. He's eager to leave high school and start a new life, one where he can be openly gay. But before that, he realizes he's fallen in love with his best friend.

While Jamie fights to stay in the closet, a group of girls are determined to get Jamie and Mason together. But will telling his best friend the truth ruin a life-long friendship or start a new relationship?

RANDOM THOUGHTS:

Fun fact, when I got this book I was not immediately aware it was about a gay boy. Sadly, when I saw the name Jamie and skimmed through the description I thought this story was about a girl. (Sorry to my future nephew Jamie being born in a few months. Don't worry, I'll never mix you up with a girl.)

However, when I learned that this was a LGBTQA book I was even more interested in reading it. I have never read a book with a main character who is gay. I'm married to a man, so it's something I don't relate to, but I'm always open to learning more. So going into this I was excited to see this story from a gay perspective.

I feel that this is a story anyone, gay or straight, can relate to, to a point. Falling in love with your best friend and worrying about ruining the friendship. That's something that can happen to anyone, which is why this book was intriguing to me before I even knew it was about a gay teenager.

I also feel that making the main character gay and having him fall in love with his male, straight best friend is a great way to twist on the relate-able plot line. This book had so much potential to be something truly great, but I felt severely let down.

The story dragged on forever and I didn't understand why. This book was fairly long for what it was. I'm pretty sure I could explain the whole story in a few paragraphs (but I don't want to spoil anything in case you want to read it). There just wasn't enough substance and I had to force myself to finish it because I got very bored.

Yet somehow, this book ended so abruptly. While the boring things seemed to last forever, the ending seemed cut short. It was unfulfilling.

CHARACTERS:

I hate Jamie. I'm sorry. I do. He is incredibly annoying, moody, and he doesn't think straight (ha ha, that's punny and I didn't intend it to be). There were way too many instances when he would take something someone said to him and go off course with it. It was ridiculous. I kept thinking "There is no possible way anyone would get to that conclusion from what was said."

He wasn't a realistic character. Sadly, I have to blame the writing on this one. He's a seventeen year old who acted like a child, with tantrums, with not understanding basic speech by others, and just acting dumb. I've mentioned in other book reviews that I love YA fiction, but when an author can't form a good teenager voice and makes them either too smart or too dumb it can be very frustrating to read.

Jamie's family was interesting to me. His mother was so happy about him being gay. His step-father was very open and understanding about it. His younger, twin sisters were too little to know what was going on. But there there was his birth father, who was mentioned maybe twice. And each time he was mentioned I expected some conflict to come of it, but it never did, and they stopped talking about him immediately. It was weird.

Mason, his best friend, was a good person. Again, family issues were weird to me because there was always hints at conflict that never followed through. Mason wasn't that exciting of a character though, and you would think, with this book coming from Jamie's perspective, I would have fallen in love with Mason just like Jamie did, but I just didn't.

Then there was Eden, Jamie's girl best friend. She was a fun character, but still not a favorite. She also had family conflict that was never fully addressed or resolved. It's like every character had to have something strange in their family or past, but we just ignored it to focus on the love story. I don't understand why that happened, but I wasn't a fan.

I suppose my favorite characters in the whole book were Jamie's younger sisters... and it's probably just because I'm baby hungry. But none of the characters really stood out to me and I barely cared for any of them.

FAVORITE SCENE

Oh man... hmm.... I don't know. I really am not a fan of this book. Not a fan of Fan Art. I guess the one thing that stood out to me was Jamie's passion for getting a certain graphic novel published in the high school literary magazine.

Basically, a graphic novel depicting two gay guys playing a game and kissing was submitted for the magazine and Jamie very strongly wants it to be included, to a point where he's willing to get in trouble to make sure it gets done. I liked that. I liked his passion and that he was so willing to share the story with the whole school. That's probably my favorite part.

MORE RANDOM THOUGHTS

I read a couple reviews of this book on GoodReads because I wanted to see how this book was viewed by someone who is gay. I think that I'm not alone in saying this book had good intentions and had potential but didn't follow through.

There's a lot of great reviews on there, some positive, some not, but I would maybe suggest reading through those if you're still on the fence of whether or not you should read this book.

MY REVIEW

I don't think I can recommend this book to other people, because I just didn't like it. It's a cute story, I guess. It's not one of those depressing YA novels like what I've read a lot lately. It's very light and happy, there is conflict, but it gets resolved it a unique (abrupt) way. It's not the worst book I've ever read, so I wouldn't judge you if you go read it yourself, but I'm just not a fan myself.

What were your thoughts on Fan Art? Let me know in the comments below! Also, if you know a really good LGBTQA book I should read just let me know, I'd love to check them out!

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer - Book Review

Another book review? Yes, another book review. I'm currently in a rut. I want to blog, I want this blog to get more followers but I've been so discouraged because it feels like nothing I do helps me get more followers and it's just upsetting. So I'm sticking to what I enjoy, because it keeps me going, and for now, that's a bunch of book reviews.

Photo Credits: www.thelunarchronicles.com

Please keep in mind that this is a sequel. Scarlet is the second book in the Lunar Chronicles. So the synopsis alone had a spoiler to the first book, so maybe check that one out first. You can read my review on the first book, Cinder, by CLICKING HERE.

SYNOPSIS:

Scarlet is a retold version of Little Red Riding Hood. In futuristic France, Scarlet is looking for her missing grandmother. After meaning a street fighter named Wolf, who may have information about her grandmother's whereabouts, she is forced to trust him and they journey together to Paris unraveling mysteries together.

Also returning is Cinder, escaping from prison and teaming up with a fugitive space "captain" as she figures out what's next in her future.

I just realized how cheap these books are on Amazon. I should totally just buy them, I'm so sick of waiting for the library to have them available. The library in my city is not my friend. 

RANDOM THOUGHTS:

Fun fact, I read this book in one day. Yes. One day. July 3rd, I got home from church, laid in my bed and read through the entire book. It's not like I do this often and it's a pretty long book too so I'm pretty proud of my accomplishment. 

I liked this book a lot better than Cinder. If you read my last review you may remember that one of my biggest problems was not connecting to the characters. In Scarlet I felt the characters were more interesting and I cared more about their stories. 

The story was well written and less predictable than Cinder. There was a good flow to it and you knew more of what it was leading towards so it kept me interested. I love stories where you know where it's generally headed because then I have something to look forward to. 

Scarlet and Wolf are awesome. I'm a huge fan of shipping love interests (any other Olicity fans here?) and Scarlet and Wolf are amazing. I find it entertaining to have two people so different that are drawn to each other. They have arguments and are more realistic as a couple than two similarly minded people. I very much enjoyed watching their interactions together as they traveled together. 

Also, I love how protective Wolf is of Scarlet even after just meeting her. It's adorable. 

But, on that note, Scarlet is one of the coolest characters ever. She is not afraid to speak her mind or fight, literally fight, for what she believes in. She is such a strong female lead and I'm obsessed. And while she doesn't always need Wolf's protection, she accepts it and is grateful for it. She's just amazing. I love her a lot. One of my favorite strong female leads I've read about in a long time. 

I've also heard (because I am terrible and look at spoilers way too often) that the rest of the Lunar Chronicles has strong female leads. So bravo to Marissa Meyer. 

I also enjoyed the sequences with Cinder. Thorne is an incredible addition to the series. He adds a different level of humor and he's just a fun character to have around. Again, though, I don't have much of a connection to Cinder, which I feel bad about because she's kind of the main person in the series. 

FAVORITE SCENE: 

Train scenes between Scarlet and Wolf. I think particularly jumping onto the train, because the intensity of him wanting to keep her safe is just amazing. 

I also really enjoyed the way Wolf's fighting sequences were written. As a street fighter, there were a couple of these scenes for him and they were enjoyable. As someone who is writing stories about super heroes I can tell you that writing fight scenes are difficult (so difficult, it's the reason I've pushed all my release dates back) but Marissa Meyer handled them very well. 

Scenes focusing on Kai were also good. I love his character a lot and I just feel bad for him a lot having to become emperor at a young age. But every time a scene with him comes along I get excited, even though in this book he basically stayed seated in the same room for every one of his scenes.

MY REVIEW:

I really enjoyed this book. I liked Cinder a lot but this one was so much more enjoyable for me and actually made me love the first book even more. It also got me more excited for the rest of the series. 

I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone, but definitely read Cinder first. While it is a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood a lot of it is unpredictable and it's a book that definitely keeps you on the edge of your seat. 

Side Note: I literally kept singing Little Red's part from "Into The Woods" in my head through this whole book. "Into the woods to grandmother's house!"

I've also had an obsession with James Corden lately and the very end of this clip always makes me laugh.

All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven - Book Review

Hello friends! As I think I mentioned (maybe not) this summer I'm trying to get through a lot of books. I set a goal on Goodreads to get through 40 books this year and I've only finished 9! I'm so behind! But this summer I'm working on catching up.

Today I have another book review for you and if I could give this review a sub-title it would by "The Right Book at the Wrong Time." You'll learn more about why in my review. Heads up, this review gets personal, but I'll try to keep it spoiler free.

Photo Credits: www.jenniferniven.com 

SYNOPSIS (from Amazon):

"Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him. 

Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death.

When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink."

MY REVIEW:

This book is so difficult for me to review so I'll start with a checklist then explain why this was one of the hardest books for me to read (which may hint at spoilers so if you don't want anything given away then you can stop reading after the "Anyways..." below).

Good writing? Check.

Relate-able characters? Double check.

Well thought out plot? Check.

Researched material? Check.

Tugs at the heart? Major check. 

So yes, this is an amazing book. Initially after reading it, here is the review I posted on Goodreads (Can I advertise this app enough? My goodness!):

Five star book. I stand by that. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone and not just a soft recommendation, I believe that as time goes on I will shove this book into the hands of everyone I meet. I will read this book time and time again because it is worth it. This is one of the most important books I have ever read and I will force it on all my friends and family. Read it. Just stop reading my blog and read this book now. 

This book can easily be compared to The Fault in Our Stars as far as themes go. I loved TFIOS (the book, never saw the movie) but this one blew it all away. While very similar, Finch and Violet are much more relate-able than Hazel and Augustus Waters (how can you not say his full name, it's awesome). Not just in their situation but they were written as actual teenagers. 

Violet and Finch are very realistic teenagers and are written as teenagers, not overly intellectual showing it was clearly written by an adult, but also not incredibly dumb-ed down showing it was clearly written by an adult... one who seems has a low opinion of teenagers (I'm looking at you, book I'm reading right now). 

I'm such a fan of young adult fiction but get a bit annoyed when it's so clearly written by an adult. All The Bright Places is a smart book with smart characters, but they are a realistic teenage smart, which is something I really appreciated in this book. 

All The Bright Places also has a realistic and easy-to-follow plot. It tells a story in a very clean and concise way. While this is the first book I've read by Jennifer Niven, I believe that this is one of her talents, simply based on her "Twelve Writing Tips" on her website, which I highly recommend reading if you're an aspiring author like I am. 

There is sometimes a struggle with books like this where there isn't a clear ending you're working towards. Take something like Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows, you know where it's headed the entire time and so each new chapter you know it will lead you closer to the ending. A book like All The Bright Places doesn't have an obvious ending it's headed towards. Yes there are hints, but for the most part you're just going along for the ride not knowing what's ahead. 

In many books with this structure, where it's just a story of people's lives rather than a specific "quest", I tend to get bored. A lot of books like this often through in random fluff to help with the word count and it gets monotonous to read. I did not feel this way with All The Bright Places and this book kept me reading. I read this book fairly quickly because I could not put it down. I basically did not sleep while reading this book. Just worked and read. What a life.

I very much enjoyed this book and highly recommend it, BUT it was incredibly difficult for me to read and while I suggest you continue reading the rest of my review, if you want to avoid any and all hints at a spoiler, maybe you should stop now. 

Anyways... 

As I mentioned this was also the hardest book I've ever read. The reason for that is that it touches heavily on the topic of teenage suicide and mental health, both of which are things I have personal experience with. 

At the age of 17 I attempted suicide and I can tell you right now that the emotions someone feels during something like that are portrayed incredibly accurately in this book. Suicidal tendencies and mental health is a serious topic and as someone with a personal knowledge of it, this book handled it very well and accurately. 

The problem was not the book. The problem was me. With my depression I have the annoying ability to "absorb" the emotions of people around me. If I'm in an upbeat environment I feel happy and when I'm around people who are sad, I get sad. Basically if anyone cries around me, I'll be crying too. Not to mention already dealing with my own depression, which makes feeling other people's sadness only harder on me. 

When reading this book the same thing happened. I very easily felt the emotions being described in this book. I literally had to stop reading in the middle of the night, pull my husband off the couch where he had fallen asleep, and have him hold me until I could regain control over my emotions. It wasn't about being sad because of what was happening in the book, it was literally feeling what the characters were. And it was terrifying. 

Now I feel so strongly about the importance of this book and if I had read it at a better time in my life I would not have reacted so negatively. But (in case you're new to my blog) I had a miscarriage last November and since then my depression has been at it's absolute worst. Even when I was seventeen and wanting to kill myself I did not feel emotional pain like I have this year. 

THIS WAS THE RIGHT BOOK AT THE WRONG TIME. 

This book is perfect. I want to buy it, I want it to be mine, I want to frame it in my home, I want to buy hundreds of copies and send one to each and every one of you, but I should not have read it at this time in my life. 

I finished it about a week ago and I have been recovering since. Part of me wanted to write up this review right away but I was too emotional. And then people spoiled Me Before You to me and I was also angry. Just a mess of emotions really. Still am a bit. Story of 2016 for me. 

Overall I recommend this book so much. I realize that's a weird sentence, but it's 100% true. 

UPDATE: Jennifer Niven replied to my Tweet about this post, so she's basically my new favorite author. Yep.

What were your thoughts on All The Bright Places? Let me know in the comments below! 

Cinder by Marissa Meyer - Book Review

Hello friends! I am so excited to be doing a book review for you guys! I've been trying to get back into the habit of reading, which will hopefully lead into the habit of book club!! Remember my book club? I do, and if you want me to start up again I need your help! Unless I get at least 10 people to join the Dancing Cow Book Club on GoodReads then I will not take the time to do it. So if you want book club, log onto GoodReads and join the club! It'll be awesome and much more planned then previously so let me know if you want it to start up again!

Anyways, today's post is a review on the book Cinder by Marissa Meyer. It is the first book of the Lunar Chronicles and it's kind of awesome. So without anymore chatting, let's get into my review.

Photo Credits: www.marissameyer.com

Don't want to read a review? You can watch a quick two minute review of Cinder on my YouTube channel by CLICKING HERE! 

Here's a quick synopsis before I get into my review:

Cinder tells the futuristic story of Cinderella. In New Beijing lives a world of androids, humans, and cyborgs. Our heroine, 17 year old Cinder, is one of these cyborgs. As the plague Letumosis moves through across the world, cyborgs are being drafted in to find the cure. And when Cinder is drafted in, they find that there's something special about her, something that could change everything.

I loved that this was a futuristic fairy-tale. Cinderella as a cyborg? Heck yes! That sounds awesome! And it is pretty awesome. Cinder is also a mechanic which I found to be a very unique trait. How many fairy-tale princesses are mechanics? Not any I can think of. The setting is very cool, I personally haven't read any books I can think of that include androids, cyborgs, and people living on the moon... oh yeah, there are people living on the moon. 

There's one particular scene between Prince Kai and Cinder in an elevator that I've honestly read three times now because, yeah, it's kind of hot and amazing. I love reading about budding relationships and page 225, it's a good page. It made me smile. But spoiler alert, they're teenagers, it's not going to be that hot. Get your mind out of the gutter.

I'd say my biggest problem with this book is that I never got fully invested in the characters. It could be a personal thing, but none of the characters really stood out to me and made me fall in love with them. There is also a disadvantage to writing a book based on a fairy-tale. I was just waiting for the announcement of a ball and was not moved in any way when it came. 

I also thought it moved slowly. Marissa Meyer is a fantastic writer and was amazing at descriptions, but there's a point where I don't need play by plays of what hand gestures are being made, I need plot. It was a slow moving plot and I was a little disappointed by that. More importantly, when I finally got truly excited for the story and couldn't put the book down... it ended. There are more books in the series but I was very disappointed that I was only truly interested near the end and had to see it end abruptly. 

Despite my grievances, I highly recommend this book. While it may be able a 17 year old girl, it's not just another young adult novel. This book is so well written. I've been obsessed with YA novels but let's be honest, they aren't all written that well. Marissa Meyer did her research throughout this book and let me see a futuristic world that she created. I think that all ages and all genders can really get interested in this book. 

I recommend this book. It's definitely worth the read and I'm really anxious to read the rest of this series.

What did you think of Cinder? Let me know in the comment section below! 

Batiste Dry Shampoo - Two Minute Review

I'm obsessed with dry shampoo, especially this one. This past week I went four days without washing my hair and despite how oily my hair can get, it looked fabulous everyday simply because of this product. I'm such a fan. You can learn more and purchase your own Batiste Dry Shampoo HERE.

Remember I am posting a new video every week this summer! So leave your comments below on suggestions of what I should do... because I'm running out of ideas. 

Oh! Also this summer I'm working on reading more books so if you would like me to start up Book Club again you should let me know! Even if I don't, you can keep up with what books I'm reading on GoodReads and through my #bookselfie's on social media. 

Love you guys!! 

L'OREAL Blow Dry It Quick Dry Primer Spray // Two Minute Review

There will always be products out there that we don't love. For me, this was one of those. If you have suggestions of products for me to review just leave a comment below. Also, if you want more details about why I did not like this product just ask and I'll give you more information.

Don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel!! 

Zak Detox Deodorant - Two Minute Review

You can learn more about Zak Body Care and their other products by CLICKING HERE! 

The giveaway closes soon so enter now!

Zak Detox Deodorant Giveaway!! (Closed)

Hello friends!! One of my goals for 2016 on this blog was to do quarterly giveaways. I am always so grateful for my blog readers and want to reward you for being my online friends! Hopefully as this blog continues to grow, giveaways can be much more frequent and your chances of getting free stuff will grow.

I am so excited to announce this quarter's blog giveaway, because this is my first ever sponsored post!! I was contacted by Zak Body Care  to test our their all-natural, toxin-free deodorant and give away a free sample to one of you!

Now I wouldn't just give away something I didn't know about, so I've been testing this product... AND I'M OBSESSED. It's been far too long since I've hand a deodorant that has lasted me through the whole day, and even longer! When I put on this deodorant in the morning, go through the day with it and then sleep with it, without ever reapplying, I still don't have to worry about stink. It's kind of like a miracle.

To prove that it could last through the day I made a few short clips on my phone the first day I tested it out. It was added on my recent haul video on my YouTube page so you can check that out HERE.

Zak Body Care has released a press release with information on all their new products and exactly what's in them:

New natural deodorant formulas from ZAK Body Care aim to solve the ‘natural deodorant’ problem once and for all. New natural formulas target customers across the board who wanted something different, something more.

DENVER, CO –Driven by customer led demand, all-natural and Organic deodorant company ZAK Body Care is launching not one or two but five new and completely unique deodorant formulas this Spring 2016. “We thought we should offer as many deodorant formulas as fast as we could make them to try and provide what our customers were asking for,” says ZAK Body Care founder and CEO, Zak Lyon.  

It is widely known that all too frequently natural deodorants fail to work. “Natural deodorant shouldn’t be that hard to figure out but for some reason as the natural skin care industry has progressed and produced great products deodorants seem to have been left behind,” says Zak Lyon. ZAK Body Care makes the natural choice without sacrificing effectiveness. ZAK Deodorants are designed with the uncompromising requirement that they literally feed the outer, middle and inner skin cells, protect against unhealthy and odor causing bacteria on the surface, and effectively deodorize.

ZAK Body Care CEO, Zak Lyon, says: “Within each deodorant formula is a number of skin superfoods dense with nutrients and functional compounds to improve the health of the skin and deliver on our ‘Deodorant’ promise.”

Each formula is completely unique in substance and form—some are solid sticks, some are liquids, others are somewhere in between. You may like one for the gym and another for going out or you might prefer one above all others.

The Original Deodorant is ZAK’s home base. A solid stick deodorant, the Original formula uses coconut oil, baking soda, and arrowroot powder as the soft base.  Shea butter, Aloe vera, USA beeswax, and natural plant extracts are added to give depth and structure to the formula. Earth clays and baking soda absorb both odor and wetness.

The newest solid stick deodorant, Super Smooth, is aptly named because it goes on super smooth and glidy. This formula keeps you smelling fresh all day with Aloe vera juice as the most abundant ingredient. All the Aloe nourishes and protects the skin and gives the formula that unmistakably smooth on with a subtle cool and fresh feeling only Aloe vera can deliver.

The new Deodorant Spray is natural and powerful, yet simple. A liquid deodorant, this formula uses natural plant extracts and healthy bacterial enzymes to combine for innovative yet simple odor protection and prevention. Fragrance blends for both men and women give these two deodorants magnificent, head turning fragrances.

The new Essential Oil Roll-on Deodorants are 100% essential oils by volume, nothing else except pure, natural, essential oils. They’ve selected the most powerful essential oils with antibacterial properties and combined them with some of the best fragrant essential oils for men and for women to give these deodorants unforgettable, sophisticated aromas.

The new Body Deodorant is a never before seen deodorant lotion. At ZAK Body Care they created a deodorant so nourishing and smooth that people think it’s a lotion. Call it a body deodorant, call it a deodorant lotion; just don’t say it’s not versatile. This deodorant formula can be used anywhere on the body. Underarm throughout the day and on your feet before you get in bed is just the beginning. Fellas, after a shower, rub it on your junk, front and back. Ladies, after a shower rub it anywhere, just remember: NOT FOR INTERNAL USE.  Use ZAK. Get creative ;)

This new line of premium natural deodorants is aiming to appeal to everybody. Not only do preferences matter but also some natural deodorants just don’t work for certain individuals. Attempting to solve this is ZAK Body Care with 5 totally unique forms of deodorant. “We constantly innovate and improve for our customers,” says Zak Lyon,  “they deserve cutting edge, no-compromise natural skin care products.”

For customers who are categorically disappointed with natural deodorants ZAK Body Care hopes to have the solutions you’ve been looking for.

About ZAK Body Care:

ZAK Body Care is a natural skin, body, and personal care company. Based in Denver, Colorado, ZAK Body Care has been serving customers with their Original Formula Deodorant since 2014 and have recently begun trying out new products to see which ones customers are really after.While ZAK currently only offers deodorants they are quickly expanding into other meaningful areas to better serve their customer base. ZAK products are sold on Amazon, Jet, and ZakBody.com. Local distribution in Colorado is limited. At ZAK Body Care a good diet is paramount to health and this principle has guided the company since the very beginning because skin care is really skin food. At ZAK they believe everybody deserves healthy options and so their mission is to provide access to the latest and greatest healthy skin food available.

I don't know about you,  but that deodorant "lotion" sounds amazing for the back of my neck during the summer time. Long hair and summer heat has never been a good combination for me.

Now if you aren't into all-natural or essential oils, I get that. I'm a skeptic sometimes myself, but I believe in results. I've been using their original deodorant and this has quickly become a product that I believe in and will purchase again in the future. It worth it simply because it works. If any product should work, it should be your deodorant and this is one that truly works.

I could go on and on about how much I believe in this product, but why don't you try it out yourself
FOR FREE!! 

Below you can enter to win their original deodorant for free! You just have to follow Zak Body Care on Facebook, Instagram, check out their website, and visit my own Facebook page as well. After those four things, there are other ways to enter to win that you can come back daily to do, giving you more and more entries!

You have two weeks to enter and share it with your friends to win as well (because we aren't selfish here). The winner will be picked March 31st and will be emailed soon after. The more people that enter, the more likely I am to do another giveaway soon, because I love you and am in a giving mood, so spread the word and we could have another giveaway next month!

I will be posting a Two Minute Review on my YouTube channel next week, so if you're still a little unsure you can check that out before entering.

Okay. Enough rambling. Get entering to win!!!

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