Posts

Product Review: Head & Shoulders Citrus Fresh 2 in 1 Dandruff Shampoo & Conditioner

-
Image
Influenster.com sent me a VoxBox that had a full size bottle of Head and Shoulders Citrus Fresh 2 in 1 Pyrithione Zinc Dandruff Shampoo and Conditioner. It is supposed to promote an "Invigorated Scalp and Shiny Hair" and is infused with yuzu and mint essence. I received this product for free in exchange for my honest review of the product.
Who doesn't enjoy getting something for free to try out? I definitely enjoy and appreciate being able to test out free products. There were a few things I enjoyed about this Head and Shoulders Citrus Fresh 2 in 1 Dandruff Shampoo and Conditioner.
It definitely made my scalp tingle, but in a good way. I could tell it was doing its job to keep me from having dandruff. Normally, when I use shampoo and conditioner that are combined into one product, it doesn't detangle my hair, but the Head and Shoulders Citrus Fresh 2 in 1 did a great job in conditioning my hair. On top of that, it left my hair looking very shiny and soft to the touch.…
Post a Comment
Read more

Flashback Friday: Jessi's Secret Language (The Baby-Sitters Club, #16) by Ann M. Martin

-
Image
Jessi's Secret Language (The Baby-Sitters Club, #16) by Ann M. Martin is about eleven year old Jessi Ramsey agreeing to babysit two days a week for the Braddock kids, nine year old Haley and seven year old Matt. There is one catch, Jessi has to learn sign language because Matt is deaf. On top of this responsibility, Jessi auditions for her dance school's ballet production of Coppelia and lands the lead part, which adds even more rehearsal time to her already busy schedule.
There is a lot that I enjoyed about Jessi's Secret Language (The Baby-Sitter's Club, #16) because it teaches kids many life lessons that even some adults could benefit learning about. Namely being accepting and inclusive of people with special needs . . . in this case, learning sign language so that Matt could easily communicate and play with others.
I thought the book was well thought out showing how two different families dealt with having a deaf child . . . the Braddocks went out of their way to …
Post a Comment
Read more

Book Review: Little Miss Stoneybrook . . . and Dawn (The Baby-Sitters Club, #15) by Ann M. Martin

-
Image
In the process of rereading books from my childhood, I picked up the book Little Miss Stoneybrook . . . and Dawn (The Baby-Sitters Club, #15) by Ann M. Martin. Typically, I don't care for books that are written about beauty pageants because they don't usually represent them correctly. This book was no exception. One of the reasons I usually take exception to books about pageants is that I participated in them for eleven years (from age 8 through age 19) and have fond memories of them; beauty pageants are usually portrayed in a negative light, especially by those who have never competed in them. After the death of JonBenét Ramsey, beauty pageants were put in more of a negative light. Pageants where contestants wear a lot of makeup started to be referred to as glitz pageants, and many pageants popped up where there was minimal makeup worn. (Yes, I know this book was written pre-JonBenét.)
The events in the beauty pageant weren't exactly represented correctly. There isn…
Post a Comment
Read more

Manic Monday: No Easy Target by Iris Johansen

-
Image
No Easy Target by Iris Johansen is a stand alone book that mentions characters from the Eve Duncan book series. Margaret Douglas had a troubled youth due to the fact that her father considered her a freak because she could talk to and influence animals utilizing telepathy. Escaping her father, she goes on the run to only be kidnapped and held prisoner by criminal Nicos. After escaping his grasp, Margaret has been on the run again for three years, that is until former CIA operative John Lassiter breaks into her apartment and eventually apprehends her.
This is the third book I've read by author Iris Johansen and by far my favorite so far. It was chosen as a book club read, so I'm not sure if I would have picked up to read on my own, but I am definitely glad I did read it. No Easy Target had a bit of everything in it . . . action, suspense, mystery, fantasy, and romance. It definitely had me on a roller coaster ride as I wasn't exactly sure how it would play out, but I was de…
Post a Comment
Read more

Book Review: After You (Me Before You, #2) by JoJo Moyes

-
Image
After You (Me Before You, #2) by JoJo Moyes picks up approximately two years after Me Before You (Me Before You #1) ended. After Louisa Clark spent time abroad, she moves back to England and bought a flat in London. Estranged from her parents and still depressed after Will Traynor's death, she goes to the roof of her building to think and ends up falling off it. After recovering at her parents house, Louisa returns back to her flat in London and finds the surprise of her life.
There was a lot of things that I loved about the book and just a few that I didn't like. I loved the fact that it largely showed how Louisa was struggling with Will's death and was having trouble living life to its fullest. So many people struggle after the loss of a loved one, and it seems like others expect them to be whole again relatively quickly. But, I also wanted to shake Louisa at some points because she so obviously needed help with her depression and wasn't doing anything about it . . .…
Post a Comment
Read more

Book Review: The Initiation (The Secret Circle, #1) by L.J. Smith

-
Image
The Initiation (The Secret Circle, #1) by L.J. Smith tells the story of Cassie Blake on vacation in Cape Cod, Massachusetts and becomes friends with Portia Bainbridge. When Cassie's mother receives a phone call that her mother is in poor health, she makes the decision that Cassie and she will move to New Salem, Massachusetts to take care of her mother. Intimidated by a new school, Cassie is in awe of a group of teenagers who rule the school where even the adults are afraid of this group.

The Secret Circle trilogy was my introduction to the author L.J. Smith. I immediately fell in love with The Initiation and couldn't wait to read the other two books in the series. Since it was originally published in 1992, it was turned into a television show, and I was ecstatic about the news. However, when the first trailer came out, I was disappointed because many of the characters were nixed, and they changed some huge parts of the series that vastly changed the story, including adding a ch…
Post a Comment
Read more

Sunday Reads: Wait Till Helen Comes, A Ghost Story by Mary Downing Hahn

-
Image
Wait Till Helen Comes: A Ghost Story by Mary Downing Hahn is about the summer twelve year old Molly, ten year old Michael, and their bratty seven year old stepsister Heather, along with their parents, move into a converted church in the city of Holwell, Maryland. Believing that Holwell is much safer than Baltimore because it is out in the country, Jean and Dave feel it is safe for their kids to play outside and explore their property without constant supervision. But when Heather befriends another little girl named Helen at the cemetery on their property, bad things start to happen.
I first discovered Mary Downing Hahn in the sixth grade when my English class visited the school library to be shown around and to check out a library book. Feeling frustrated that they didn't have any of my go to authors, I began perusing the shelves and came across a book called Time of the Witch by Mary Downing Hahn. Intrigued by the synopsis, I checked the book out from the library, and I was hooke…
Post a Comment
Read more

Book Review: The Strange Power (Dark Visions, #1) by L.J. Smith

-
Image
L.J. Smith churned out yet another winner with The Strange Power (Dark Visions, #1). It was originally published in 1994 by Archway Paperback. Kaitlyn Fairchild is an out cast in her Ohio town because of her drawings that predict the future. That along with her violet rimmed eyes have made the town called her a witch. When she is presented with the opportunity to attend the Zetes Institute with four other psychic teens, Kaitlyn jumps at the chance for a new start.

Let me begin by saying that I absolutely loved this book and engrossed from the very first page, even as an adult. I first read The Strange Power (Dark Visions, #1) as a sophomore in high school. It is slightly different from her other trilogies in that it deals with psychics instead of vampires, witches, and/or werewolves. There is a bit of suspense, thriller, mystery, romance, and fantasy throughout. For a young adult book, the characters are very well developed, and the plot moved along very well. There weren't any sl…
Post a Comment
Read more