Cindy's Love Of Books

It's Monday! What are you reading? 4th edition

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 01:43:00 +0000

One of my favorite bloggers Sheila from Book Journey is the host of this weekly meme. If you haven't checked out Sheila's blog yet then what are you waiting for. I love reading Sheila's blog because she covers it all and I always end up walking away like I get to know Sheila a little more from her post.

I also just discovered recently that Sheila has partnered with Jen from Teach Mentor Texts and they come up with a fun meme with a kidlit focus - anyone reading and reviewing books in children's literature - it can be picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, you name it in the world of kidlit and it's in!

So in case you are wondering what It's Monday! What are you reading? is about well its a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It's also a great chance to see what others are reading right now…who knows, you might discover that next “must read” book!

Can you believe that we are almost at the end of January? Where is the time going? I am a little late in getting this up today because of course its Monday and its my day to work in the school library. I love working in the library and have been thinking about going back to school perhaps in the fall to take a library science course. I would love to work in a school library.

Once again the weather has changed from last week. Today it was very mild out compared to last week's freezing cold weather. Apparently we will be sitting at around 0 most of the week. Tonight its pouring rain so hopefully it won't freeze over night other wise it will be messy in the am.

Last week was a slow week in reading for me. I only read one and a half books. I was reading Bunheads and I because I have been busy during the day cleaning the house and getting it ready for Michael's first Communion in May I haven't been reading during the day so my reading has been happening at bed time. Then on Friday morning I managed to hurt my back so I ended up on the couch most of the day and Bunheads was upstairs so I had to pick another book to read.

What I read this past week:

I ended up buying this last week because last Monday we were talking about this in the library and after we talked about it I just had to pick it up. Apparently the grade 6 classes are reading this in the class. Wow what a book. I have never read it but it was always on my wishlist.

This is my current read:

I am 3/4 of the way done this so I am sure I will finish it either tonight or tomorrow night.

I am not sure what I will be reading next as I have to check to see what my commitments are like and whats upcoming.

Hope everyone has a good week.
This is what I read and whats on my agenda. I hope everyone has a good reading week.

Glymm Box January Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 12:57:00 +0000

I am super excited at how fast my January Glymm box came this month. I got a email January 13th and it arrived January 17th. I think this is the first time I ever received it so quickly considering I am in the same city (Montreal) that it ships from. So for me we started off on the right foot.

What I got in my Glymm box this month:

-Kaia Naturals- Juicy Bamboo Facial Cleaning Clothes. Full sized product is 30 clothes for $17.99 and my sample size was 1 cloth for $0.60
-Vasanti Csometics- BrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator. Full sizes products is 120ml for $34.00 and my sample size was 12g for $3.40
-Anastasia Beverly Hills- Clear Brow Gel. Full size product is 0.28oz for $21.00 and my sample size is 0.085oz for $6.38
-Burt Bees- Nourshing Milk & Honey Body Lotion. Full size is 170g for $12.99 and my sample size was 2x 0.25oz for $1.08
-Cargo Cosmetics- Eye Pencil. I got a full size of this product for $16.00 for 2g.
-a card for a Free Lip Shine valued at $25 with a order.

This month my box totally paid for itself. I got almost $28 worth of samples and if I happen to get the Lip Shine then it will be bring box over $52.

I am very happy with the products I got to sample this month. They are all products that I am excited to try. As you can see the jelly belly beans were missing this month. I went on to their facebook page to see what happened and because they were a safety hazard they discontinued them but promised that there would be something new and exciting coming.

I will be placing an order with Glymm tomorrow because I have enough points to redem for something but I am not quite sure what I want to use them for.

Here are some pictures:

I love the postcards they use. When I am done doing my posts for the box and product review posts I use these cards for bookmarks. They are the perfect size.This is another pretty card.

This is what I got in my box.

Check back next weekend when I will share my thoughts on the products.

The Mailbox Post

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 11:41:00 +0000

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week and explore great book blogs. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

Mailbox Monday is originally hosted by Marcia from A girl and her books and The Printed Page. In the summer of 2010 Marcia decided she needed a change in hosting and didn't want to rely on one blogger alone to do it because its a lot of work so she decided to put Mailbox Monday on tour and so far with great success it has made monthly stops at more then a dozen blogs and this year is booked until the end. I will actually be hosting Mailbox Monday in April.
The host for January is Alyce from At Home With Books.

Another host for In My Mailbox is Kristi from The Story Siren.

Be sure to check out the above blogs to see what they and others got in their mailboxes this past week.

I was going to do a vlog today for In My Mailbox but this morning I ended up hurting my back. I think i might have turned too fast because I pulled something and it hurts really bad so I have taken my second Aleve and going to go and lay down with some heat.

Hope everyone had a good weekend and I can't wait to see what you got in your mailboxes.

This is what came to my door this week:

For Review:
I received All The Single Ladies by Jane Costello from Simon & Schuster UK. This is coming out May 3rd in Canada and coming out February 2nd in the UK.

R.A.K (Random Act of Kindness)
This past week I received two R.A.Ks from the awesome Lucy at Moon Light Gleam. Thank you Lucy they were a total surprise. She sent me Dark Lover (book 1) and Lover Eternal (book 2) by J.R Ward.

Books Bought:
This week I bought one book with a remainder gift card I had and that was Lover Revealed by J.R Ward (book 4) in the series.

So this is what I got in my mailbox. I hope everyone had a good week.

Brand New Series In Books

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:57:00 +0000

I am always on the hunt for interesting and exciting books for Michael and I stumbled upon these on Friday. It sounds like a great series for Michael that I am thinking about getting them for him because I am sure he would enjoy these books.

Here is a description about the books:
Like any third-grade boy, Zeke Meeks has his share of problems. His little sister sings embarrassing princess songs around his friends. He has a deep, dark secret that no one can find out about. (Psst...he's terrified of bugs!) And his biggest enemy is a tiny, evil girl with razor-sharp fingernails. It's Zeke Meeks versus the world!

Girls are ruining Zeke Meeks' life. Not only is he surrounded by girls at home, he now has a new girl neighbor. She might be good at sports and video games, but when it comes down to it, she is still an awful girl

Zeke Meeks thinks his teacher is crazy when he announces that no one can watch TV for an entire week. There is no way Zeke will survive without videogames or his favorite shows. Will he be bored enough to play with his sister? Study? Actually read for fun? Only time will tell

Instead of playing at recess, Zeke Meeks' classmates have been sitting around, staring at their boring Puppet Pals. Will Zeke join them, even though he has no interest in this playground craze?

Normally, Zeke Meeks wouldn't care too much about the science fair, but he needs the prize money. If he doesn't pay Grace Change fifty dollars, she'll use her evil fingernails to rip his face off. Now if only he could find a project that doesn't make the dog sick or clog up the pipes.

There is also a great website to go along with the books and its Capstone Kids .

Don't they sound like the would be so much fun to read? If you go to the Capstone kids you can read a sample chapter of Zeke Meeks vs the putrid puppet pals. I just read it and I think this is right up Mihael's alley.

(Guest Post) Joel M. Andre

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 11:17:00 +0000

Today I am taking part in Partners In Crimes blog tour and I am honored to have Joel M. Andre stop by to guest post for me today. Thanks so much Joel for taking the time out of your busy schedule to do this for me and my readers.

Most people who do a Google search on me will find an endless supply of
information. Over the years I have done a number of interviews and guest
posts promoting my books. However, around the time that my third Lauren
Bruni book, The Black Chronicles: Cry of the Fallen, I began to build a
website that focused on a variety of horror themed topics.

It was here that I would promote items like Brutal, Kill 4 Me and other
titles I have released and built a world of horror topics that interest
people. This created an online presence that left people interested in
learning more about me after they researched another topic. This has helped
me to reach a new audience. It has also helped me to avoid plenty of the
pitfalls other writers encountered.

Many writers who self-publish sit back after the book is published and
wait for people to find and buy it. They may get a fair number of sales
once people start finding it but there is no telling how long that could
take. It could be weeks or even months before the first sale.

Why not help people find your book faster so it starts selling faster?
Using SEO strategies is the answer. It isn't that difficult and the first
step is done at the time you publish at Kindle Desktop Publishing or just
about any of the other places you can self-publish. Most places have a
field to enter carefully chosen keywords that will help bring your book up
in searches made by people looking for something related to your book's
topic or storyline. To choose the best keywords, you can use such tools as
Google Keyword Tool. This will help you find the keywords relative to your
book that are actually used by people looking for something in the search
engines.

Now, this is just the first step and while important, does not go far
enough to help your book be found sooner. The next step in SEO is
backlinking. This means having other sites link to the page offering your
book. It is important that these links come from sites that are relevant to
the type of book you have or the topic of the book.

Another effective SEO strategy that is newer is social networking. This
involve such sites as Facebook, Twitter, Redgage and Google +. Millions of
people are on these sites regularly so if you are not using them to promote
your book, you are leaving sales and cash on the table. Create fan pages,
circles and whatever is the mode for a particular social site just for your
books and then start getting people to 'Like', 'Follow' and 'Plus 1' you.
It can go viral and help to boost sales and more talk about your book.

Of course, guest blogging and blog comments are another means of helping
people find and buy your book. This can be a more personal way as you can
tell a little about yourself and how you came to write the book, which is
often a great way to promote a book.

These can be a bit time consuming to do all on your own but there is a
company with the expertise to help you get it done right without costing an
arm and a leg. That company is Need An Article, where I am one of the staff
of writers who can help you get your book noticed sooner. You can check
them out at www.needanarticle.com or visit me online at www.joelmandre.info.

Joel's newest book is:

About the book:
On a warm summer afternoon, in Northern Arizona, a double homicide stains the ground with blood. Detectives are called out to handle the investigation, each plagued with their own internal demons, and aren't prepared for what they are about to find. Detective Lauren Bruni, faces a world of darkness and evil, as a demonic force begins to leash an attack on a small town. As the stakes begin to rise, so does the stunning truth, that not even Lauren can imagine. In a world where her life had started to fall apart, she must pick up the pieces and push forward in an effort to save those that she loves the most. Joel M. Andre takes the Horror genre and pushes the boundaries in a tale full of suspense, dark comedy and genuine horror.

To buy the paperback version of this book click here or to buy it on kindle click here.

About the Author
Joel M. Andre was born January 13, 1981. At a young age he was fascinated with the written word. It was at fourteen that Poe blew his mind, and Andre began to dabble with darker poetry. Between the years of 1999 and 2007, Joel was featured in various poetry anthologies and publications. In 2008 he released his first collection, "Pray the Rain Never Ends". Knowing there was something deeper and darker inside of his soul, Joel decided to take a stab at commercialism. Releasing the dark, tongue in cheek, "A Death at the North Pole", created a dark world that resulted from the death of Kris Kringle. Ultimately, it proved to be a tale of redemption. October of 2008 saw Joel release his second book, "Kill 4 Me." This was a tale that found Casey Dwyer being haunted by a spirit through text messages, and instant messaging. It was far more brutal than anything he had released before. Taking some time off and doing a lot of soul searching, Joel took things in a new direction and dabbled in the Fantasy Genre with, "The Pentacle of Light". This tale dealt with five major races battling for control of Earth, and the acceptance of their God. As times continue to change, so does the tales he has to tell. This October he will bring back Lauren Bruni in a prequel, and come 2011 there will be the next book in his Fantasy series "The Pentacle of Light". Currently, he resides in Arizona.

Thanks again Joel for stopping by and doing this for us.

Two Funny videos I discovered today

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:13:00 +0000

One of my daily rituals is always to head to facebook before anything else to see what is going one with my friends. Usually they post something interesting or funny and this morning on facebook one of my friends posted this video:

I guess this can relate to any of us bloggers and I admit that I am guilty of saying a few things in this video. How about you?
Then my second thing to do online is to head into blogger and find out what fun and exciting things fellow bloggers are posting and I saw this one this morning on tales of a ranting ginger

I am sure our significant others have said a few things this guy has said. I know mine has.

Enjoy everyone.

(Review) Canal House Cooking Volume 7

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:37:00 +0000

Title: Canal House Cooking Volume 7 La Dolce Vita
Authors: Melissa Hamilton & christopher Hirsheimer
Pub Date: January 2012
Publisher: Canal House
Pages: 128

Source: I received a copy of this from Andrews McMeel Publishing for a honest and sincere review. Thank You Andrews McMeel for sending this.

About the book:
Welcome to the Canal House—our studio, workshop, dining room, office, kitchen, lair, lab, and atelier devoted to good ideas and good work relating to the world of food. We write, photograph, design, and paint, but in our hearts we both think of ourselves as cooks first.
How did we get here? Neither of us set out to make careers in the food world. Actually there wasn’t much of a “foodie” world when we both started. But our deep interests led us down paths that unfolded in front of us.

We had worked with each other as food editors in the magazine world. We traveled the globe in search of essential and authentic recipes, sliding into banquettes in famous restaurants, meeting big deal chefs, and even cooking in far-flung home kitchens. It was great and exciting. But our work took us both away from our families, our homes, and our gardens, away from what really matters, after all.

We live in little towns across the river from each other, one in New Jersey, the other in Pennsylvania. So we decided to join forces. We share similar backgrounds, having grown up in big families where food came first. In a time that seems like a million years ago now, our aproned grandmothers nurtured us with wholesome, comforting food—buttermilk pancakes drenched in salty butter and maple syrup. Our mothers were glamorous. They loved parties and cocktails and restaurants and brunch with Bloody Marys—food was exciting. Last night’s Chinese “takeout” would show up at breakfast reheated with two poached eggs on top. Both of us have deep food memories and large legacies to uphold.

We found our loft studio in an old redbrick warehouse downriver from where we live. A beautiful lazy canal runs alongside the building. One hundred years ago, mules plodding along the tow path hauled provision-ladened barges up and down the state. In warm weather, we provision-ladened barges up and down the state. In warm weather, we throw open the French doors and the voices of the people walking or or fishing below float up to us. We plant herbs in our window boxes and grow tomatoes in pots on our wrought-iron balcony. In the winter we build fires in the Franklin wood stove to keep cozy when its snowy and gray outside.

The Canal House has a simple galley kitchen. Two small “apartment-size” stoves sit snugly side by side against a white tiled wall. An old wooden carpenter’s worktable with a little sink at one end is our long counter and pots hang from a rack suspended above it. We have a dishwasher, but we find ourselves preferring to hand wash the dishes so we can look out of the tall window next to the sink and see the ducks swimming in the canal or watch the raindrops splashing into the water.

The town around us is a small American river town. A noon whistle still blows and church bells chime—no kidding! There is a drug store around the corner. Across the street is an old hardware store, and the best bar in the world is right down the alley.

And every day we cook. Starting the morning with coffee or cups of sweet milky tea, we tell each other what we made for dinner the night before. In the middle of the day we stop our work, set the table simply with paper napkins, and have lunch. So it came naturally to write down what we cook.

The Canal House Cooking series is a seasonal collection of our favorite recipes—home cooking by home cooks for home cooks. With a few exceptions, we use ingredients that are readily available and found in most markets in most towns throughout the United States. All the recipes are easy to prepare, all completely doable for the novice and experienced cook alike. We want to share with you as fellow cooks, our love of food and all its rituals. The everyday practice of simple cooking and the enjoyment of eating are two of the greatest pleasures in life.

This volume celebrates the bounty of fall and the festive holiday season with delicious Italian dishes, some classic, some reinterpreted Canal House style.

I always love when I get a new cookbook in the mail to review because that means a whole bunch of new recipes to try. We love trying new foods and some are a hit and some are a miss but its nice to try something new.

I love the cover of the book because it looks like its a fancy looking journal.

This is the first time that I heard about Canal House cookbooks and now I am really cuirous about them because if they are anything like this one I am sure I would enjoy it. Who doesn't like to try something new every now and then?

This is cookbook number seven in the series and its based on a recent month long journey that Melissa and Christopher took in Tuscany.

I got to make a few recipes from the cookbooks so far and our favorites have been the Simple Tomato Sauce (you can use this with pasta and lasagne), Ragu Bolognese (which I modified a bit because there was some ingredients we didn't like and we enjoyed it) and finally a delicious Apple Cake.

I think if you like trying new things or Italian cooking then this is the book for you. Interested in buying the book but would like to see a sample first, well then click on this. After seeing the sample I am sure your mouth will be watering.

It's Monday! What are you reading? (meme) #3

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 01:14:00 +0000

One of my favorite bloggers Sheila from Book Journey is the host of this weekly meme. If you haven't checked out Sheila's blog yet then what are you waiting for. I love reading Sheila's blog because she covers it all and I always end up walking away like I get to know Sheila a little more from her post. Hopefully this year I might actually get to meet her if she goes to NYC (HINT HINT Sheila).

I also just discovered recently that Sheila has partnered with Jen from Teach Mentor Texts and they come up with a fun meme with a kidlit focus - anyone reading and reviewing books in children's literature - it can be picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, you name it in the world of kidlit and it's in!

So in case you are wondering what It's Monday! What are you reading? is about well its a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It's also a great chance to see what others are reading right now…who knows, you might discover that next “must read” book!

Can you believe that we are into our third week of January? Where is the time going? I am a little late in getting this up today because of course its Monday and its my day to work in the school library. I love working in the library and have been thinking about going back to school perhaps in the fall to take a library science course. I would love to work in a school library.

The weather has changed very drastically here in Montreal. The past few days have been extremely cold with almost temps of -25. Its almost typical weather for us but a shock when its been above average temps. We got hit with a major snow fall last week and I hear there is more coming tomorrow along with freezing rain so that should be alot of fun....NOT!

Last week was a slow week in reading for me. I only read one book. Not sure what happened as I was on a roll but I think it was getting back into the swing of things and into a routine. Looking forward to getting the reading back into gear.

What I read this past week:

I managed to finish this up last week and I was almost going to give up because I was having a hard time but then I got to a point and was like a manic. I had to know what was going to happen. I really enjoyed this one. My review will be posted this week.
This is my current read:

I will begin this one tonight and I am excited as I love the cover.
This is what I read and whats on my agenda. I hope everyone has a good reading week.

The Mailbox Post

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 12:41:00 +0000

This weeks mailbox is a little different because I started the week off by picking up a gift basket that I won from a local radio station here in Montreal, 92.5 The Beat. It was a Van Houtte's coffee basket as you will see shortly.

I also was lucky enough to meet the announcers of the morning show which was a total surprise because I thought that I was just going to be meeting with the producer but I think he knew that I was a fan of the show and of Cat's that he brought them down.

Shaun, Sarah, me and Cat.

I had no idea what the prize was exactly apart from it being a Van Houtte's gift basket. So when I got it I was surprised. It ws filled with a full bag of expresso beans, and three other bags of assorted coffees which I am dying to try as those are ones I have never tried. There was also a can of cookies and a panatone cake and a frother. It was all in a reusable black box.

After picking up my gift basket I decided since I still had some time that I would stop by the Atwater library to check the sale cart to see what there was and I managed to pick these up:

-I am not a Serial Killer by Dan Wells
-How I made it to Eighteen by Tracey White
-Also known as Harper by Ann HayWoo Leal

This past week I didn't get anything for review which is okay but the lovely Jeri Smith Ready sent me this little envelope of swag that is signed and a book plate that I can added to my copy of Shift.

When I was at Walmart this week I saw this sitting in the book section and it was too much of a deal that I couldn't pass up. Its Switched by Amanda Hocking

So this was my week how was yours?

(contest) Win a Kindle Fire + more Day 2 (#epickindlegiveaway)

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 23:19:00 +0000

Want to win a Kindle Fire? Authors Aiden James, Scott Nicholson, J. R. Rain, and H.T. Night are teaming up Jan. 11-13 to give away $1,000 in prizes, including four Kindle Fires, $200 in Amazon gift cards, and 45 free Kindle books.

There are several ways to enter during Jan. 12-13:

Share this blog link according to the blogger’s directions. Please leave me a comment and an url link to where you shared this.
Share our free books and event from http://epickindlegiveaway.blogspot.com
Spread the news about our contest on your favorite Internet hangouts and the Kindle Fairy is searching and putting names in her Magic Hat. If sharing this on in your favorite hangouts please use @cindyloveofbook so I know. Leave a comment letting me know where you did this.

TODAY’S FREE KINDLE BOOKS valid from Thursday January 12 at 12:01am till 11:59pm only

Scott Nicholson

The Red Church (supernatural thriller) Amazon US Amazon UK; As I Die Lying (psychological thriller) Amazon US Amazon UK; Creative Spirit (haunted house thriller) Amazon US Amazon UK; Disintegration (suspense thriller) Amazon US Amazon UK; Zombie Bits (zombie stories) Amazon US Amazon UK; Duncan the Punkin (children’s book) Amazon US Amazon UK; Speed Dating with the Dead Amazon US Amazon UK; The Skull Ring (suspense thriller) Amazon US Amazon UK; Scott Nicholson Library, Vol. 4 Amazon US; Amazon UK; GHOST COLLEGE - A supernatural mystery Amazon US Amazon UK; CURSED urban fantasy Amazon US Amazon UK; BAD BLOOD - A Vampire Thriller Amazon US Amazon UK Transparent Lovers (paranormal mystery) Amazon US Amazon UK; Head Cases (psych thriller stories) Amazon US Amazon UK Solom Amazon UK

Aiden James

Aiden James Vampires (Vampire adventure) Amazon US Amazon UK; Cursed Immortals (Supernatural Thriller/Vampires) Amazon US Amazon UK; The Vampires’ Birthright (Vampire adventure) Amazon US Amazon UK; Cades Cove (Horror/Mystery) Amazon US Amazon UK; Vampire Twist (Vampire adventure/Mystery) Amazon US Amazon UK; The Raven Mocker (Horror/Mystery) Amazon US Amazon UK; Deadly Night (Murder mystery/Supernatural) Amazon US Amazon UK; The Forgotten Eden (Supernatural Thriller) Amazon US Amazon UK; Twice Bitten (Vampire adventure) Amazon US Amazon UK

J.R. Rain

ARTHUR - A modern-day spiritual adventure Amazon US Amazon UK; BAD BLOOD - A Vampire Thriller Amazon US Amazon UK; BLACK RAIN: 15 Short Stories Amazon US Amazon UK; CURSED - Supernatural horror thriller Amazon US Amazon UK; DARK QUESTS: Two Adventure Screenplays Amazon US Amazon UK; ELVIS HAS NOT LEFT THE BUILDING - A murder mystery Amazon US Amazon UK; GHOST COLLEGE - A supernatural mystery Amazon US Amazon UK; JUDAS SILVER - An adventure screenplay

Amazon US Amazon UK; LOST EDEN - An adventure screenplay Amazon US Amazon UK; THE LOST ARK - An adventure novel Amazon US; THE BODY DEPARTED - A ghost story Amazon US Amazon UK; THE VAMPIRE CLUB - supernatural fantasy comedy

Amazon US Amazon UK; THE VAMPIRE WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO -mystery novella Amazon US Amazon UK

H.T. Night

A Boy's Life (Young Adult) Amazon US Amazon UK; Boy Meets Girl (Young Adult) Amazon US Amazon UK; Everlasting Love (Poetry) Amazon US Amazon UK; Getting Yours (Romantic Comedy) Amazon US Amazon UK; Paranormal Love Stories (Vampire/Werewolf Love Story) Amazon US Amazon UK; The Werewolf Whisperer (Vampire Romance) Amazon US Amazon UK; Vampire Love Story (Vampire Romance) Amazon US Amazon UK; Winning Sarah’s Heart: Back to School (YA Romance) Amazon US Amazon UK; Winning Sarah’s Heart: Boys Being boys (YA Romance) Amazon US Amazon UK

If one of the four authors hits #1 on the Kindle Free list, they will give away another Kindle Fire. If at any time during the event, the four authors hold all the Top 10 slots on the Kindle Free list, they will give away a sixth kindle. Winners will be selected after the contest by the Watauga County (NC) Public Library using random.org.

(Contest) Win a Kindle Fire + more (#epickindlegiveaway) Day 1

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:06:00 +0000

I was recently asked if I wanted to be a part of the Epic Kindle Fire give away and I thought about it and I decided that sure why not. Cindy's Love of Books is one of many blogs taking part in this epic give away. I will be posting something over the next three days some info and some free kindle books.

Please note that I am personally responsible for providing this but authors Aiden James, Scott Nicholson, J. R. Rain, and H.T. Night have teamed up and from Jan. 11 to 13 to give away $1,000 in prizes, including four Kindle Fires, $200 in Amazon gift cards, and 45 free Kindle books.

But wait there is more, if one of the four authors hits #1 on the Kindle Free list, they will give away another Kindle Fire. If at any time during the event, the four authors hold all the Top 10 slots on the Kindle Free list, they will give away a sixth kindle. The bonus Kindle winners will be selected using the #epickindlegiveaway hashtags on Facebook and Twitter.

The Facebook and Twitter hashtags must accompany a link to one of the free books, a participating book blog (such as mine), or the contest home page at http://epickindlegiveway.blogspot.com or it won’t count as a valid entry. Thanks, good luck, and enjoy the free books!

Want to win a Kindle Fire? Authors Aiden James, Scott Nicholson, J. R. Rain, and H.T. Night are teaming up Jan. 11-13 to give away $1,000 in prizes, including four Kindle Fires, $200 in Amazon gift cards, and 45 free Kindle books.

There are four ways to enter during Jan. 11-13:

Share this blog link on social media according to blogger’s directions . Please leave a comment and a url link to where you did this.

TODAY’S FREE KINDLE BOOKS valid only today, Wednesday January 11th from 12:01am until 11:59pm

Scott Nicholson

The Red Church (supernatural thriller) Amazon US Amazon UK; As I Die Lying (psychological thriller) Amazon US Amazon UK; Creative Spirit (haunted house thriller) Amazon US Amazon UK; Disintegration (suspense thriller) Amazon US Amazon UK; The Harvest (technothriller) Amazon US Amazon UK; Zombie Bits (zombie stories) Amazon US Amazon UK; Transparent Lovers (paranormal mystery) Amazon US Amazon UK

H.T. Night
A Boy's Life (Young Adult) Amazon US Amazon UK; Boy Meets Girl (Young Adult) Amazon US Amazon UK; Everlasting Love (Poetry) Amazon US Amazon UK; Getting Yours (Romantic Comedy) Amazon US Amazon UK; Paranormal Love Stories (Vampire/Werewolf Love Story) Amazon US Amazon UK; The Werewolf Whisperer (Vampire Romance) Amazon US Amazon UK; Vampire Love Story (Vampire Romance) Amazon US Amazon UK; Winning Sarah’s Heart: Back to School (YA Romance) Amazon US Amazon UK; Winning Sarah’s Heart: Boys Being boys (YA Romance) Amazon US Amazon UK; Vampires and Werewolves Beginnings (Vampire Romance) Amazon US

J.R. Rain
ARTHUR - A modern-day spiritual adventure Amazon US Amazon UK; BLACK RAIN: 15 Short Stories Amazon US Amazon UK; CURSED - Supernatural horror thriller Amazon US Amazon UK; DARK QUESTS: Two Adventure Screenplays Amazon US Amazon UK; ELVIS HAS NOT LEFT THE BUILDING - A murder mystery Amazon US Amazon UK; GHOST COLLEGE - A supernatural mystery Amazon US Amazon UK; THE LOST ARK - An adventure novel Amazon US; THE VAMPIRE WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO -mystery novella Amazon US Amazon UK

Aiden James
Aiden James Vampires (Vampire adventure) Amazon US Amazon UK; Cursed Immortals (Supernatural Thriller/Vampires) Amazon US Amazon UK; The Vampires’ Birthright (Vampire adventure) Amazon US Amazon UK; Cades Cove (Horror/Mystery) Amazon US Amazon UK; Vampire Twist (Vampire adventure/Mystery) Amazon US Amazon UK

If one of the four authors hits #1 on the Kindle Free list, they will give away another Kindle Fire. If at any time during the event, the four authors hold all the Top 10 slots on the Kindle Free list, they will give away a sixth kindle. The bonus Kindle winners will be selected using the #epickindlegiveaway hashtags on Facebook and Twitter.

The Facebook and Twitter hashtags must accompany a link to one of the free books, a participating book blog, or the contest home page at http://epickindlegiveaway.blogspot.com or it won’t count as a valid entry. Thanks, good luck, and enjoy the free books!
###

If one of the four authors hits #1 on the Kindle Free list, they will give away another Kindle Fire. If at any time during the event, the four authors hold all the Top 10 slots on the Kindle Free list, they will give away a sixth kindle. The bonus Kindle winners will be selected using the #epickindlegiveaway hashtags on Facebook and Twitter.

The Facebook and Twitter hashtags must accompany a link to one of the free books, a participating book blog, or the contest home page at http://epickindlegiveaway.blogspot.com or it won’t count as a valid entry. Thanks, good luck, and enjoy the free books.

Please note that the entry rules have changed and I fixed the form to reflect that so all that entered today will still have those entries so not to worry.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

(Review) Shatter Me

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 01:54:00 +0000

Title: Shatter Me
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Publisher: Harper Collins
Pages: 338
Pub Date: November 2011

Source: I received a finished copy from the publisher for my honest review.

About the book:
Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war– and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a world as riveting as The Hunger Games and a superhero story as thrilling as The X-Men. Full of pulse-pounding romance, intoxicating villainy, and high-stakes choices, Shatter Me is a fresh and original dystopian novel—with a paranormal twist—that will leave readers anxiously awaiting its sequel.
-from Goodreads

Shatter Me was one of the most anticipated books on 2011 and it actually peaked my interest so much so that I was anxiously waiting for it to come out. So I was pretty excited when it showed up for review but yet a little apprehensive because so much hype was on this book. What would I think of this book?

I believe Shatter Me is going to be part of a trilogy.

I have to say that I don't read alot of dystopian books and that is my choice. The book has to be something that interests me and this one did. This wasn't a fast read for me.

I know so many people dislike the cover because they feel as though it doesn't go with the book and yes that is true but I have to admit that I really love the cover.

As for the book itself I have read both negative reviews and positive reviews so I was excited to read the book to find out what I would think of it. I am usually one of those who reads a book and feel as though I am a fish swimming up river wondering why they loved it and when I didn't or why didn't they love it when I did. As for me I am on the fence with this I didn't love it or hate it.

I enjoyed that the book wasn't just a romance book or just an action packed book and that it actually left me wanting to find out what would happen next. I didn't find it to be predictable at all and it played out very good. I enjoyed the writing and the only thing I had to get use to was when the author ~~would write and scratch things through~~ and then say it again but once I understood the purpose it all made sense.

Juliette is a young girl who was taken away because of something that happened that freaked people out and she is basically locked up in a cell for 264 without seeing a single person. She hasn't seen or touched anyone. Not much is revealed in the first part of the book that would indicate why she was taken away without a fight and locked up. You actually think that she might be crazy because to make it through her time being locked up she counts things. Its only about half way through when you get to see the reasons why and can't help but feel sorry for Juliette.

As for Adam, I was a little unsure of him at first but grew to love him because no matter what Juliette was or had done he was making it a mission to protect her no matter what. That is one of my all time favorite qualities in a guy one who can love a person for who they are and not what they are or did.

Would I read the next book? Of course I would because I am curious to see where this could go.

It's Monday! What are you reading? (meme) #2

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 01:06:00 +0000

One of my favorite bloggers Sheila from Book Journey is the host of this weekly meme. If you haven't checked out Sheila's blog yet then what are you waiting for. I love reading Sheila's blog because she covers it all and I always end up walking away like I get to know Sheila a little more from her post. Hopefully this year I might actually get to meet her if she goes to NYC (HINT HINT Sheila).

I also just discovered recently that Sheila has partnered with Jen from Teach Mentor Texts and they come up with a fun meme with a kidlit focus - anyone reading and reviewing books in children's literature - it can be picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, you name it in the world of kidlit and it's in!

So in case you are wondering what It's Monday! What are you reading? is about well its a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It's also a great chance to see what others are reading right now…who knows, you might discover that next “must read” book!

Well we are beginning the second week of January and Michael is back at school and I am back to volunteering in the school library again. I missed working in the library. It will be nice to see the Monday ladies again.

This weekend we found out that Michael's hockey team is number one in the novice C division and we are undefeated to date. The only thing that bothers me is how certain parents feel as though there are only two kids who score for the team and that they are working the hardest. Gee they are only 7-8 and 9 years old. They aren't professionals. I noticed this weekend that those two kids never pass the puck so of course they are the ones getting the goals. I just think that perhaps parents need to watch what they say around other parents because there is no I in TEAM.

I was really pleased with my reading last week. I managed to get two books read and a weeks worth of blog posts up on the blog. So anyways lets get on to my reading expectations.

What I read this past week:

I was pleasantly surprised that I actually read two books last week. Go me! HEHE

So my current read this week is:

When I finish with that I am hoping to pick up:

This is what I read and whats on my agenda. I hope everyone has a good reading week.

The Mailbox Post

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 18:28:00 +0000

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week and explore great book blogs. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

Mailbox Monday is originally hosted by Marcia from A girl and her books and The Printed Page. In the summer of 2010 Marcia decided she needed a change in hosting and didn't want to rely on one blogger alone to do it because its a lot of work so she decided to put Mailbox Monday on tour and so far with great success it has made monthly stops at more then a dozen blogs and this year is booked until the end. I will actually be hosting Mailbox Monday in April.
The host for January is Alyce from At Home With Books.

Another host for In My Mailbox is Kristi from The Story Siren.

Be sure to check out the above blogs to see what they and others got in their mailboxes this past week.

I will be doing a vlog this week because I got a lot of books to show you guys and I will also be including some pictures as well. Enjoy.

Bloggers and an author mentioned in the vlog: (Thanks for the Christmas cards & swag)
-Kathy at Bermudaonion
-Heidi at Ya Bibliophile
-Lucy at Moonlight Gleam
-Lori Pescatore author of Human Blend and Earth Blend

Thank you for the cards and swag. If you haven't checked out their blogs you should.

Book for Review:
-Canal House Cooking Vol 7 by Melissa Hamilton & Christopher Hirsheimer. The RD is January 17th, 2012

Christmas book haul:
-The Pledge by Kimberly Derting
-Tyger Tyger by Kersten Hamilton (first book in the Goblin Wars series)
-Twisted by Gena Showalter (book 3 in the Intertwined series)
-Angel Burn by L.A Weatherly
-Vanish by Sophie Jordan (book 2 in the firelight series)

Book Closeout Canada order:
-Viola in the Spotlight by Adriana Trigiani (2nd book in series)$18.99 on sale for $2.99
-Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon (book 1 paperback) $11.99 on sale for $1.99
-Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon (book 1 hardcover) $23.99 on sale for$2.99
-Fury of the Phoenix by Cindy Pon (book 2 hardcover) $19.99 on sale for $3.49
-The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith $19.99 on sale $3.49
-Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers $10.99 on sale for 2.49
-Keys to the Repository by Melissa de la Cruz (book 5) $16.99 on sale for $3.49
-Bloody Valentine by Melissa de la Cruz (book 7) $16.99 on sale for $2.49

I spent $23.42 before shipping. ($34.24 total) and had I bought these when I wanted them in the store it would have cost me $125.92 and that is with my chapters discount card and not including taxes so I think I did pretty good and they were all books I have had on my wish list.

This is what came to my mailbox this week, what about you? Have you read any of the above?

January Julep Box

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 02:21:00 +0000

Today I got my very first Julep box and I have to say WOW! I was really impressed.

What is Julep you asked? Well as a Julep Maven, you will have access to the hottest trends in nail color and the latest Mani Care and Pedi Care products - delivered right to your doorstep, just like the beauty editors do. And you'll have access to these trends and products before anyone else.

Its $19.99 US per month subscription but you get well over $40 in products. You can cancel at anytime risk free.

So please enjoy my vlog and just a little note to those who don't want to watch I have photos afterwards.

In the January box I got:
-Julep nail vernis in the shade of Gayle (I think this might no be available as I couldn't find it on their site.) This was a free gift/product and it cost $14 for 8ml.
-Julep nail vernis in the shade of Maria. Its a shimmering platinum rose. I love the color and I will be using this alot I think. It cost $14 for 8ml.
-Julep nail vernis in the shade of Anne. Its a ultra-saturated tropical violet creme color. I think this would be perfect for the summer. It cost $14 for 8ml
-Julep Pomegranate body scrub. It exfoliates and moisturize in one simple step. I have no idea how much this would sell for. I got a 4g container.

So looking at the price of the nail polishes its $42 alone so the box paid for itself and they are all full sized products. I guess each month I have the option of changing my boxes contents so I will be curious to see what the next box will be. Not sure I will continue this since its basically nail polishes and I have quite a few already but I think I will check the next box to be sure first.

Now to the pictures. Enjoy :)

This is how the box looked once I opened it. Nothing fancy just a black box with Julep maven on the sides and black & silver crinkle cut paper strips inside. As you can see all the products are wrapped in bubble wrap and plastic. My box is from the American Beauty collection.

This is the shot where I took after I removed the intro card. Very curious to see what I got. Aren't you?

This is the contents of the box and I am really impressed with the picture because it really shows the true colors of the nail polishes. My favorites so far by shades alone is the first and last one.

A close up of the shades and here is a description on the second and third ones. I can't find anything on the first one (top one).

Shimmering platinum rose. Feminine and sophisticated. Professional quality “4-free” nail polish formulation, developed without carcinogens such as formaldehyde or formaldehyde resin, toluene and DBP. (this is the bottom one)

Ultra-saturated violet. A tribute to one of our beautiful celebrity guests! Eye-catching on a pedicure and head-turning on a manicure--especially if your wardrobe is heavy on blacks and neutrals. Professional quality “4-free” nail polish formulation, developed without carcinogens such as formaldehyde or formaldehyde resin, toluene and DBP. (this is the middle shade)

This is the body scrub. I am excited to use this product and it actually looks really nice and pleasantly looking.

So as of right now I am really impressed with the box and the contents. I am super excited to try all the nail polishes and I heard that this nail polish actually lasts quite awhile so I am curious to see this.

Anyways I hope you enjoyed seeing what I got in my box and stayed tuned throughout the month when I do product reviews on them.

If you are interested in Julep I would appreciate it if you used my referral link.

(Review) Never Eighteen

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 00:12:00 +0000

Title: Never Eighteen

Author: Megan Bostic
Paperback (Trade paperback):204 pages
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt/Thomas Allen & Son Ltd
Pub Date: January 4th, 2012

Source: I received an Advance Readers Copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review.

Description of the book:

Austin Parker is never going to see his eighteenth birthday. At the rate he’s going, he probably won’t even see the end of the year. The doctors say his chances of surviving are slim to none even with treatment, so he’s decided it’s time to let go.

But before he goes, Austin wants to mend the broken fences in his life. So with the help of his best friend, Kaylee, Austin visits every person in his life who touched him in a special way. He journeys to places he’s loved and those he’s never seen. And what starts as a way to say goodbye turns into a personal journey that brings love, acceptance, and meaning to Austin’s life.

This is a debut novel for 2012 and I am super excited that I am being the new year with a review from a brand new author and I am excited to read her upcoming books. I thought Megan did a fantastic job with this one.

I knew going into this book that it wouldn't be a light or fun read. I admit that I even cried at the end. This is a fantastic book about friendship (Austin & Kaylee), love (Austin's really cares about Kaylee) and loss. (Austin is dying from his leukemia)

I loved Austin from the beginning and as I read the story I knew it wouldn't end good. Austin has discovered that his leukemia is progressing and he has been told that he doesn't have that much longer to live even with treatment. So he takes it upon himself to make sort of an amends over the course of a weekend. He wants to know that he did all the he could before dying.

He recruites his friend, Kaylee (and his one true love) to help me out even if it means just driving him to places. He is enjoying the time they are spending together. I loved Kaylee as well. I thought she was the perfect person for Austin. As you read you can't help but feel something for these two and that hopefully they will be able to share their true feelings with each other before its too late.

Will Austin reveal his true feelings before its too late?

Thank you Thomas Allen & son for sending me this book to review.

Product Review

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 21:24:00 +0000

I have once again been given the chance to do another product review for EdenFantasys. Since the last time I did one (you can click HERE to see that review) you can see that have branched out with adding a whole bunch of new products. Yes its still an adult shop but you can also find so much more.

One of my New Year's Resolution was to actually put me in my priority list. As a mom its so easy to lose ourselves in the shuffle of every day life. We are busy carpooling kids to one activity to the next, doing errands, doing chores etc as I am sure you all know what I mean.

I have decided that me as a person needs to take care of me and that means not feeling guilty about buying things such as lip gloss, make up, or clothes because as moms we admit that our children come first and I agree that is true but sometimes I think us moms need to put us at the top for just once.

So as I was looking around I spotted a few things that caught my interest. This one is one of my favorites:

12-days-of-Christmas-lip-set includes two of each of the following:
Brown sugar exfoliating lip scrub
Day and light lip conditioning treatment
Super shiny clear gloss
Matte gloss
Hazelnut cocoa butter lip balm
Breath mint lip balm

Get mistletoe ready and say Merry Kiss-mas with our holiday collection of spa treats for lips! The perfect stocking stuffer, Secret Santa gift, and on and on... This fab collection includes two of each of the following: brown sugar exfoliating lip scrub, day and light lip conditioning treatment, super shiny clear gloss, matte gloss, hazelnut cocoa butter lip balm, breath mint lip balm. All cozy in a plastic zip, FAA approved travel bag. You're good to go.

This 5 piece kit comes with a variety of smells to help you relax during those long trips. Soak in a hot bath full of bubbles or rub some lotion on to smell like whipped vanilla frosting. Either way, this will leave your nose happy and your bag dry (no leaking). Yummy bath & shower gels.

The Bella in Bloom Shadow Palette is a lovely collection of eye shadow palette. It's perfect for travel and easy to carry around. The eight shades complement each other very well and are perfect for both day and night. This one eye palette can be used for fun and flirty looks as well as dark and sexy. It's the perfect addition to any romantics makeup bag!

Then finally the last product that caught my eye was the happy-Hanukkah-lip-set. This is similar to the one mentioned above with I believe are different shades and flavors.

Thanks again EdenFantasys for the opportunity to post for you again. Not sure what I will order first but I am really aiming to purchase the lip sets or the lip glosses.

It's Monday! What are you reading? (meme) #1

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 00:05:00 +0000

Happy New Year everyone. I hope everyone had a good holiday season and that Santa was good to everyone.

It was good but extremely busy more so then usually but it was good. Over the holiday Michael took part in a curling tournament and his team came in second place out of seven teams. This teams came from a few places in Quebec and one Ontario team.

As for hockey the team lost in the tournament, Michael didn't get to play in the deciding game because he had curling.

We did alot of visiting with friends and family and it was so much fun. We are slowly getting back into reality so to speak and Michael is home another week before he starts back to school so it will be nice to chill this week.

I figured since it was the new year that I would take part in It's Monday! What are you reading? again. I did some of it last year but for some reason I think I got myself overwhelmed and was commiting to reading to many books in a week so this year will be different.

One of my favorite bloggers Sheila from Book Journey is the host of this weekly meme. If you haven't checked out Sheila's blog yet then what are you waiting for. I love reading Sheila's blog because she covers it all and I always end up walking away like I get to know Sheila a little more from her post. Hopefully this year I might actually get to meet her if she goes to NYC (HINT HINT Sheila).

I also just discovered recently that Sheila has partnered with Jen from Teach Mentor Texts and they come up with a fun meme with a kidlit focus - anyone reading and reviewing books in children's literature - it can be picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, you name it in the world of kidlit and it's in!

Wecloming in 2012 with a friend meet up

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 18:20:00 +0000

I couldn't think of a better way to welcome 2012 then getting to plan an unexpected breakfast meet up with a friend and that would be Tina from Bookshipper. This was literally planned at the very last minute ie the night before.

I am so happy that we were able to get together on very short notice and that there was a restaurant open today, New Years Day. Tina introduced me to this great little restaurant awhile ago and its a great little place. You get alot of food for your dollar value. Plus you actually walk away quite full.

Its always nice to get together and hang out with friends especially ones who share your love of books. We talked about the holidays, books, NYC/BEA and of course other things book related and not book related. Its hard to believe that almost this time in 5 months we will be getting ready to head to the big apple again.

No meet up would be complete without an exchange of books (in my case) and magazines (in Tina's case). Tina graciously passed on the following books to me:
-Pretty Crooked by Elisa Ludwig . This is a debut novel for 2012. Its scheduled to be released March 2012.
-Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin. I believe this is also another debut novel for 2012 and its scheduled to be released in March as well.
-Love & Leftovers by Sarah Tregay and this is another 2012 debut novel. This is coming out this month.

They all sound like fantastic books and I am excited to read them.

Tina also gave me a belated little birthday present. I love Yves Rocher products and this is my other obsession next to books that is. I was super excited to get this because they are products I have yet to try and now I am exited to try them.

Inside the package was:
-Almond Nourishing Moisturizer for Dry to very dry skin and I have used it because in the winter time I suffer from very dry skin. I think this is one of my new favorite products. I loved the smell of it and the feel of it. I noticed a difference after a few applications. Something I would definitely buy in a full size.
-Olive Oil shower gel. I have used this almost every other day in the shower and I love it. I will be going to Yves Rocher to get a full size product very soon. It lathered really well and left a nice scent on the body.
-Oriental velvety-skin scrub. I have used this on my hands and feet and I loved the results after a few times of using it. I think this would be something I would get a full size product of.

Thanks so much Tina for the books and the little Yves Rocher goodie bag.

Happy New Year everyone.

Happy New Year

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 16:00:00 +0000

Wishing you all a Happy and Safe New Year

The Mailbox Post

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 13:57:00 +0000

Its hard to believe that this will be my last mailbox post of 2011. Where did the time go? It just felt like yesterday I was writing my first mailbox post of 2011.

This week I didn't receive any books in the mail nor did I buy any books this past week. Although I did place an order with Book Closeouts Canada because they had a huge boxing day sale and I was able to nab a few books that I have been eyeing for under $3 each and those are hardcovers. So that will probably come in the new year.

Speaking of the new year I want to wish all my readers a happy and joyous New Year and all the best for 2012. I wish you much happiness and great reading.

I would also love to thank all the great reps and publishing houses that I work with for sending me some many great books in 2011. Looking forward to working with you again in 2012.

To all the great bloggers out there who have shared their love of reading with us and for sharing their reviews of so many great books. My wallet appreciates it HEHE.

See you 2012.

(Product Review) Luxe Box (December)

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:35:00 +0000

Recently I got my Luxe Box for December and I have had the chance to try out all my products so I thought that I would share my thoughts on them.

I thought that the design on the holiday card was really cute and I loved the different snow flakes that were on the card. It was super cute/

The first product that I was super excited to try was the Yves Rocher Italian Mandarin shower Gel.

Bask in beauty this holiday with the limited edition Les Plaisirs Nature Italian Mandarin collection. Fall in love with this irresistibly indulgent body wash and envelop yourself in its delicate and delicious citrus-scented lather.

I received a sample of 50ml and the full size is 400ml for $12 Canadian. I love Yves Rocher bath products and being able to try a sample before buying it is really nice and I think this is a scent that I would definitely buy when I am in the store again. I found it wasn't a strong smell but a nice light fruity smell. A little goes a long way and it lathered really well. This is a thumbs up for me.

The second item was the limited edition Belgium chocolate which I thought was super cute because this wasn't just a random item that was thrown in the box it was custom made and it was delicious. I had no problems opening it up and it got devoured right after I made my vlog for the box.

I didn't use the NYX slim eye pencil because the last time I bought an eye pencil and used it I just thought it wasn't age appropriate. I felt like I was trying to be younger then what I was so I ended up passing it on to my niece who will hopefully give me her thoughts on it.

A smooth definer for your beautiful ids, this basic eyeliner blends easily and comes in a variety of shades. A staple in every one's make up bags, you can never go wrong with black!

I received the full size product of this and its 1g for $4.

The next item is DDF Advanced firming cream. (DDF=Doctors Dermatologic Formula)

Advanced formula contains the breakthrough Tumeric Complex, with glycerin, zinc and copper, that hydrates to firm and tighten, provides antioxidant protection for the moisture barrier, and promotes rapid surface cell turnover to help reverse the appearance of aging for younger looking skin.

I received a 14g sample that I was told is worth $41 (which is crazy) and the full size is 48g for $140. I had a hard time getting the product opened as the lid was on really tight which I guess is good because nothing leaked.

I didn't find the directions to be very clear on what to do. It said "Apply day and/or night to face, neck and decollete. As with all facial products avoid getting into eyes."

It went on nice and smooth with no greasy feeling and it didn't weigh down my skin like some products do. I didn't find the product to have a smell which is nice. This is a product that I will enjoy while I have the sample for. Sadly with the $140 price tag I won't be buying it anytime soon.

Then finally its the Paco Rabanne perfume samples.

Lady Million
For her, a heady bouquet of voluptupous flowers underlined with patchouli and amber.

I received what was suppose to be 1.2ml sample but I think it was much less because the sample bottle was half full. This wouldn't be a scent I would buy because I found it to be a little to strong for my liking and the price tag of $80 for 50ml is a little steep in my books.

1 Million
For him, an intense harmony of leather, white wood and amber dashed with citrus and spice.

I really enjoyed the smell of this one as I found it to be very masculine and I found it did smell good on my significant other. Although with the price tag of $58 for 50ml doesn't appeal to him. The sample size was suppose to be 1.2ml but it was half full as well.

So, personally for me I have to say that this was my least favorite box of the month. I just found that after watching a few youtube videos and seeing what others got and what I got was a huge disappointment. I am finding that the same bloggers/reviewers always seem to get the better boxes and everyone else including me seems to have gotten the bottom of the barrel. Not sure if that has to do with the fact they paid for a year or not.

Now for the Pros and Cons:

PROS:
-I got to try a new Yves Rocher product which really excites me because I love Yves Rocher and now I can add a new product to my shopping and bathroom.

CONS:
-This is the third month I have gotten perfume samples and my second month for getting a Paco Rabanne samples.
-The perfume samples were only half filled and honestly I probably could have gotten them at The Bay or Sears and gotten more of a sample. These weren't deluxe sized samples.
-The only full product I got was a $4 eyeliner. Really?
-The only deluxe sample I got would be the Yves Rocher shower gel and perhaps the DDF firming cream. On the website they say 4-5 deluxe sample sizes which didn't happen this month.

Since its the holiday season I guess I was expecting a huge wow factor but that didn't happen. I will try another box in January to see what its like but I am thinking if this continues I will be cancelling my subscription because they aren't delivering what they promise and I can spend my $12 a month on something else.

I know on facebook Loose Buttons has gotten alot of complaints from people like myself who aren't happy and I have to admit that it bothered me how much the ones who got the better boxes were leaving comments praising Loose Buttons and telling the ones who complained to unsubscribe if your not happy and that we all signed up for a sample service and this is what you get.

Do you feel as though I have a right to complain and offer my feedback or should I just say nothing and cancel? Please let me know what you think.

The Mailbox Post

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 08:29:00 +0000

I have to start off by saying that I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and enjoyed your weekend.

Isn't it funny how much time we invest into Christmas to have it over in a blink of a eye?

I will be making a Christmas book haul vlog sometime this week as you can imagine we did get a ton of books this holiday season.

Well we did end up having a white christmas in the end. It was nice to see the snow on the ground and it did make it feel more Christmas like. I took some great photos that I will start sharing in the new year.

Well its that time of the week when you get to peak into my mailbox. It was a very quiet week and I was pleasantly surprised that I got a book in the mail and here is where I will admit that I did the happy dance.

I am not going to do a vlog for one book so I will share a photo instead. Here is the book I got:

Is this cover hot? I absolutely love this cover and how the hunk's eyes match the wolf eyes.

This only comes out in March 2012 and honestly I don't think I will be able to hold off on reading this till then. I love Terry's books.

So this is what I got last week and I a dying to read this but if I do read this before the release date my review won't be posted until release date.

What did you get in your mailbox this past week?

Merry Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 11:53:00 +0000

Merry Christmas everyone. I hope you enjoy this day with the ones you love and that you got some amazing gifts and eaten some great food.

I love Christmas and will be spending the morning at home with my family with a Christmas breakfast and then later on today I will be having a Christmas dinner with some more family.

Merry Christmas Everyone.

(video)Where Are You Chirstmas?

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 14:31:00 +0000

This is an absolute favorite of mine.