Beauty Top 5 - August 13, 2014

I decided that I wanted to start doing a series like this. I thought it would be pretty cool to list the things that I've been loving in the past week. It just gives a more specific idea than a monthly favorites does because it shows how long I've been loving something or if I got something brand new and I love it one week and then the next week it disappoints or is replaced by a standard. I think this will be fun!

So let's get into this week's top 5. (these are in no particular order)

1. Moroccan Moisture Miracle Argan Oil - I've been mixing this in with my conditioner after I wash my hair and it's been amazing. I used to put it on after I got out of the shower, but I'm really liking putting it on in the shower instead. It really moisturizes my hair and leaves it less frizzy and more manageable. The product claims to be non-greasy, to restore luster and shine, and to heal, nourish, and soften. I can tell that it does put shine in my hair and it is definitely non-greasy. I haven't really noticed my hair healing or softening, though. It might take a little more use to really see that in my hair. I also use a softening conditioner so I wouldn't be able to tell which product is really causing the effect. Unfortunately, I cannot seem to find this product online anywhere, so I don't know if it's offered anymore. I bought it a few years ago so I don't know if it's still in stores.

2. L'Oreal Voluminous Waterproof Miss Manga Mascara in Blackest Black - One word: obsessed. I am totally obsessed with this mascara. It doesn't really match the amazingness that is Benefit They're Real (like my ultimate holy grail), but I really, really like this one. It stays amazingly all day (you know waterproof) which is amazing because I tend to get the fallout after a long day of wearing mascara. I also love that it does add a lot of volume to your lashes. I don't know how someone who wants to add length to lashes would feel about it because it doesn't seem to really do that, but OMG the volume! I am very fortunate in that I have super long lashes naturally so I don't really need to much length added but I love to have lots of volume and this mascara definitely adds that. I also like that it doesn't make my lashes look spidery (which, having long lashes, is hard to avoid). (You can buy it here)

3. Covergirl Professional Loose Powder in #105 Translucent Fair - Okay so maybe this is a little bit of a love/hate relationship, but it does it's job. I don't like the smell of this product. I really prefer unscented when it comes to putting something on my face, and this product is almost perfumed. But I do like what the product does so I think that makes up for the smell. The smell also doesn't last very long, for like maybe 30 seconds after you finish applying the powder. But I really like the fact that this is one of the powders that I've found that leave me (or rather my forehead because that's where I get oily the most) really matte the longest. Normally after about 4-5 hours, I'll have to reapply powder but this one lasts a lot longer than that. I do apply this with the puff that comes with it and sort of press it into my skin. I find that it works best that way. (Look, a link to buy it)

4. Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in #15 Rose Petal - I'm really enjoying this since it's summer and it's hot. I like the fact that it is a cream-type blush. I feel that it is super easy to blend in and it creates a great rosy glow on my cheeks. I also am enjoying that it gives a bit of a dewy finish to my cheeks. I used to only prefer matte everything (except eyeshadow) because I used to have super oily skin. Now that my skin is changing and becoming more combination-normal-dry patchy, I am enjoying more of a healthy glow-y, dewy look. I really like the color of this. It's a peachy-pink color and I think it's perfect for summer. Swatch and picture are down below. (You can purchase here).

5. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipcolor in Peach Me - I've been really loving the Revlon lipsticks recently, but especially this color. I just think it's a perfect summer color. The lipstick isn't drying at all and it's really shiny (or lustrous). I think it's got great staying power and I'm just really enjoying it. (Purchase it here).

Top is (and very hard to see) is the Maybelline blush. Bottom is the Revlon lipstick.

So, I hope this was a fun post for someone besides me. I really liked being able to narrow down what I'm really enjoying throughout this week and then maybe this will help when it comes time to do a monthly favorites :)

xoxo Jennie

July Wrap Up / August TBR

So I feel very accomplished on my July list. I read a total of 13 books this month. That is completely insane. I don't know if I've ever read that many books in a month but I really can credit that to the Booktube-a-thon. I read a total of 7 books that week and it restarted me on a reading kick. If you want to know what I read this month here you go:

Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender - I really enjoyed this book. I originally bought it not knowing anything about it (or that it was part of a series) and then picked it up when we went to the beach for a quick and easy read for vacation. It was definitely a quick read. I whizzed through it and I loved it. I really look forward to buying the rest of the series so that I can continue with it. (though, I might wait to read them in October because I feel like they would really fit in the Halloween spirit)

We'll Always Have Paris by Jennifer Coburn - I loved this book. I wrote a whole review about it here.

Marked by P.C. Cast and Kristen Cast - This was a reread for me this month. I want to reread the beginning of the series so that I can finish it since the final book is now out. I really enjoy this series and I feel like it is a pretty easy read that is really entertaining. It really hooks me every time I read it. Although it might take me a while to finish it seeing that there are 12 books + the fledgling handbook + 4 novellas.

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare - This was another reread for me. I did enjoy most of this book. Some parts of it (and if you've read it I'm sure you can guess) pissed me off a lot. But I have heard so many good things about this series that I really want to finish it. I originally bought a 5-book boxed set but only made it through the first 2 books before having to go back to school after a break so I stopped reading it. I'm really hoping to enjoy the series as much as a lot of other people do.

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi - Yet another reread. I read this for a gender studies class when I was in high school and was one of the only books that I actually liked during school (well, that I read). It is about the Iranian revolution and the resulting wars and protests. I really enjoyed hearing what happened through Marjane's perspective because she was just a young girl when all of it was happening.

Persepolis 2 by Marjane Satrapi - This was the first time that I read this book. It follows Marjane after the Revolution through to her late teens. In this book Marjane is sent out of the country for school to get away from the wars in her country and she grows up. You see how much she changes throughout the story and how much she gets distanced from what is happening in her own country and it give a really interesting perspective.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins - With Isla coming out later this summer, I wanted to reread Anna and read Lola for the first time. I remember absolutely loving this book when I first read it and it definitely did not disappoint. It is such a happy and romantic read. I absolutely love it.

Detroit by Lisa D'Amor - This is actually a play. It takes place in the "now." In the suburbs of Detroit. It is about two couples who are neighbors and are learning what their lives are about. I think it was a great play. It really says a lot about our society and what people are really like.

Fat Pig by Neil LaBute - Yet another play that says a lot about society. This one confronts the stigmas of the dating world and what people think about you and who you are or should be dating. The few LaBute plays that I have read have all centered around how society warps our perceptions of what is acceptable in people's physical appearance.

A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula LeGuin - I read this back when I was in middle school, I think. I remember that I really liked it and that my brother had lent it to me at some point. I also have the sequel, which is why I reread this one. Because this book is older, the way it is written is a bit harder to read. The language isn't as fast paced as more current books are. It took me quite a while to get through which really threw me considering it was only 183 pages. Other than the fact that it took me a while to read, I really enjoyed the story of this book. It follows a boy named Ged through his early life. He finds out that he has magical powers and ends up going to school for magic. He is made a wizard but one mistake that he made in his first year at school still haunts him. In this book we follow him throughout his years at school and through his first few years on his own as a full wizard as he confronts his mistake and tries to make it right. I really look forward to continuing the series.

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare - Another reread (this was the month of restarting series wasn't it). I like this one better than I liked the first. It got a lot better in my mind and I'm really hoping that they just keep getting better.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor - OMG. I loved this book. I just whizzed through this one. It follows a girl named Karou who lives in two different worlds. She lives in our world, in Prague, going to art school with friends and a normal flat. But she also lives in this place that's called "Elsewhere." She was raised in this place but she doesn't really know much about it other than her "family." When she is confronted by someone who might have something to do with this "elsewhere," she really begins to wonder more and more about it. She wants to find out who she is. I absolutely adore this book and I am really regretting that I chose to order the rest of the series instead of running to Barnes and Noble and buying it. I just really want to have it in my hands now!

The Selection by Kiera Cass - Another one that I seriously loved. I absolutely need the other two books in the trilogy like right now! This book is a distopian where the United States no longer exists. It is an entirely new country with a monarchy. The book follows America Singer who is chosen as one of 35 girls to compete for a chance to be the new queen. The monarchy chooses their prince's wife from the population of the country (which I think is a really cool concept). But then the prince has to choose from the 35 that get to get to know him. I seriously can't believe that I have to wait until my next paycheck to buy the other two books!

Well, those are the 13 books I read this month. I enjoyed all of them, even if some of them were harder to read than others. Do you want to know what my total page count was for the month, cuz I do!? 3,786!!

Now for my TBR for August. These are just a few thoughts and I might or might not get to them.

Days of Blood and Starlight and Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor - These are the second and third books of the Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy and they're probably the only books that I am absolutely sure that I'll be reading this month.

City of Glass, City of Fallen Angels, City of Lost Souls, and City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare - I know that I definitely want to continue with this series this month. I don't know if I'll marathon these last four books after I finish the Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy, or if I'll read them kind of one book at a time, but I definitely want to try to get them read this month.

The Warrior Heir by Cinda Williams Chima - This was the Booksplosion book for the month of July (so yea I'm late) but I still want to read it this month. :)

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline - This is going to be part of the Little Book Club read a long this month.

I also want to read some more books but I don't want to make too high of a goal and then not be able to reach it. I want to read books by some of the authors who are going to be at the Decatur Book Festival at the end of the month, but that also depends on my having the money and the ability to get those books before that happens. I'm very optimistic but I'm also going to be very busy with work coming up this month. We'll see...

xoxo Jennie

Review: We'll Always Have Paris by Jennifer Coburn

So here it is, my first book review ever. (real quick before I start reading for the read-a-thon)

We'll Always Have Paris is a memoir written by Jennifer Coburn. It describe her time traveling with her daughter as she gets over her fear of dying. Throughout the book, they take 4 trips to Europe because Jennifer wants to not have any regrets if she dies young.

Coupled with the stories of all the places that Jennifer and her daughter Katie visit, are flashbacks to her childhood with her father. He is the reason why she is so scared of dying young; he died when he was 49 and she is convinced that she will, too. As we travel to Paris, London, Italy, Spain, and Amsterdam with Jennifer and Katie, we watch as Jennifer learns to live in the moment and enjoy life.

I really enjoyed this book. I wasn't sure what it was going to be about until I actually took a good look at it when I went to read it. When I bought it at the bookstore, I just saw that it was about Paris and bought it. I didn't really notice that it was a memoir or that it was written by a best-selling novelist. I just have this strange fascination with Paris. So, not knowing what it was really about and knowing that it was the second book that I had brought on vacation with me, I just started to read it.

I really loved how Coburn was able to tie in what she was experiencing with her daughter with what memories she had of her father. I really want to know more about her father's life and more about her travels through Europe. Of course, the fact that the most recent trip that she took with her daughter was last year, makes knowing more about their trips through Europe a little difficult.

I thought that the book was really well written. I felt like I was experiencing the Paris night life with them. I also laughed and I cried and everything in between.

I would give the book 4/5 stars. And would really recommend it.

xoxo, Jennie