Friday, July 31, 2015

Bookish Lifestyle Digest: July 2014

Hello lovelies! Welcome to Bookish Lifestyle Digest - something we'll be putting together at the end of every month to highlight our recent favorite reads and recap any posts you may have missed. We also include an About My Life section in an effort for you to get to know us better. Don't forget to tell us in the comments some things that happened to you over the past month so we can get to know you guys better too!


Updates for 2015 TBR Pile Challenge:


    Every week, starting Friday and ending Sunday night, you can pop over to Bookish Lifestyle to link up your blog posts for the week. Please feel free to link up your bookish posts (book reviews, guest posts, author interviews - but please, no memes and mailbox posts, there are many separate linkys for that already!), lifestyle posts (product reviews, parenting tips, travel posts, personal posts - anything!) and giveaways (both bookish and lifestyle!) - we want to see what cool stuff you've shared with the world recently! Be sure to check out some other links while you're here - let's get social!

        Evie




        Series:
        Illuminae Files
        Genre:
        Adult, Horror, Urban Fantasy
        Website:Amie Kaufman | Jay Kristoff

        Goodreads
        Review:
        To be posted soon
        This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do.

        This afternoon, her planet was invaded.

        The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

        But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she'd never speak to again.

        Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.

        Book Reviews

        Product Reviews
        Eye Candy Los Angeles
        Studio Oh! Stationery and Mug
        Stunning statement jewelry pieces from Honeystore

        oBo Creations
        Bibit-All from Kiddologic 
        Mayberry Konjac Facial Sponge
        Mulberry Teething Bracelet Review
        Boho/Vintage style hair pins and porcelain bead bracelet
        We Love Eyes Tea Tree Makeup Remover Oil and Tea Tree Eye

        Discussion Posts
        Reviews from a Bookworm
        Growing Up With a Pet - Victoria & Wilson
        Take a #HomeRoadTrip with us this 4th of July weekend!
        How To Get Free Books via Blog Tour and Review Programs
        4th of July #HomeRoadTrip to Niagara Falls - Recap with pictures!

        About My Life in July
        I launched my Society 6 store where I will be adding new bookish designs daily. They will be available in a variety of formats, including but not limited to, prints, pillows, iPod/iPad/iPod cases, shower curtains, tote bags, mugs etc. I'm very excited for this!!!



        Our car broke down. Yup, just yesterday. And on a day when Tori got sick for the very first time ever. We had to run to the clinic (like 2 miles). Turned out it's just a virus, nothing serious, but she gave me a bad scare. Oh, and the car is still dead.

        I cut my own hair. Don't ask. 

        Andrea



        Series:
        Standalone
        Genre:
        Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Romance
        Website:Morgan Matson 

        Goodreads
        Review:
        To be posted October 11
        Amy Curry is not looking forward to her summer. Her mother decided to move across the country and now it's Amy's responsibility to get their car from California to Connecticut. The only problem is, since her father died in a car accident, she isn't ready to get behind the wheel. Enter Roger. An old family friend, he also has to make the cross-country trip - and has plenty of baggage of his own. The road home may be unfamiliar - especially with their friendship venturing into uncharted territory - but together, Amy and Roger will figure out how to map their way.

        Book Reviews
        Mine Now
        Hype It Up!
        Fellow Book Nerds

        Author / Book Promotion
        The Notorious Pagan Jones by Nina Berry {Guest Post}


        About My Life in July
        My brother moved back home! The company that hired him a while back completely lied about everything. Like, I've had companies may fib a bit in the interview, but everything they told him was a bold. Faced. Lie. And they went back on promises they had made him with the infamous "Yeah, we may have said that, but . . ." So he peaced out of there and came home! I'm so proud of him for trying something new and having the strength to realize it wasn't what he wanted / the right fit for him and doing something about it.

        Wedding month! Okay, maybe two weddings doesn't count as a "wedding month," but they were both a lot of fun. One of them was for very good friends of ours so that was a good time all around! Though the next day was a bit rough.

        My mom, sister, and I saw Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella. I am a huge fan of musicals and once I knew Cinderella was coming to down, I knew I had to see it. Everything was simply amazing - the singing, the costumes, the set, the story. They revamped it a bit, but still stuck to the original source material, and I loved the "fresh take" on it. Definitely read to see it again!

        Tiffany



        Series:
        Starcrossed #1
        Genre:
        Young Adult, Mythology
        Website:Josephine Angelini 

        Goodreads
        Review:-
        Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.

        As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.

        About My Life in July
        Busy planning Mermaid & Myth Month!!  This is basically my favorite event month of all time.  I LOVE everything about it and can't wait to share great reviews, interviews and giveaways with you all <3

        Got the first Sea-Doo ride in of the year.  Okay so it's the boyfriend's toy but it is the first time in years that I have gotten on one.  I have to say I missed it.  I am so at home on the water and driving one of those things is kind of freeing.

        Gaining speed with reading again.  I was able to pick up on my reading habits again this month and my reviews are coming easier too.  This is great and exciting news :)  I have found my groove and my love of blogging again.

        Jessica




        Series:
        The Raven Cycle #1
        Genre:
        Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance
        Website:Maggie Stiefvater 

        Goodreads
        Review:
        To be posted in August
        “There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”

        It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

        Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

        His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

        But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

        For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

        From Maggie Stiefvater, the bestselling and acclaimed author of the Shiver trilogy and The Scorpio Races, comes a spellbinding new series where the inevitability of death and the nature of love lead us to a place we’ve never been before.

        Reviews
        Own the Wind by Kristen Ashley {5/5}

        Features
         Shy July {Musical Musings}
        Favorite Musical Artists (Part 1) {Musical Musings}
        Allison Rushby  {Indie Author Spotlight}

        About My Life in July
        I met Mary Pearson! She was in Austin for the release of The Heart of Betrayal, and I went to the event and it was so fun! A few of my bookish friends were there, which is always nice, and Mary was lovely. I still need to read both The Kiss of Deception and The Heart of Betrayal, but after hearing all the talk about it, I'm super excited to do so!

        Round 2 of #OTSPSecretSister, and Round 3 pairs went out. The Sis sending to me, Sara, was so nice and awesome. I'm going to miss her notes and packages! But I'm especially going to miss sending to my Sister (who should know who I am tomorrow when my last package is delivered to her). She was so fun to send to. I'm looking forward to being friends with her once she knows who I am, though! And for Round 3, I am SO PUMPED. My match has a wishlist full of things I adore, so I'm excited to send her some books, and I've got loads of ideas for other little things she'll hopefully like. This is going to be so fun!

        I am now obsessed with The Raven Cycle. I was super excited when The Raven Boys was the poll winner for July's read along, and now I'm just really, really grateful. I've had so much fun reading it this month, and I cannot wait to start book 2 (I'm probably digging in right now as this is posting). It feels like it's been forever since I found a YA paranormal that I enjoyed so much. I just really love this feeling right now!

        Val and I did an entire month for JLA! I'd thrown the idea out in a conversation with Val (my co-blogger over at Stuck in Books) months ago---like, lots of months ago... like, second half of 2014 months ago---and it's crazy to think that the idea turned into a thing that happened. And now it's over. But it was so fun to do, and I honestly adore Jennifer L. Armentrout. Her books make me happy. (And I now have Every Last Breath, which I am looking forward to diving into this month!)

        Debbie


        Reviews

         
        Most Popular
        Book Review
        Most Popular
        Product Review
        http://evie-bookish.blogspot.com/2015/07/book-review-giveaway-unnoticeables-by.html
        http://evie-bookish.blogspot.com/2015/07/product-review-giveaway-studio-oh.html

        Tell us - what went on in your month?! What were some of your favorite books this month? Favorite posts from either your blog or others? What are some new (or old) and noteworthy things we should know about? Be sure to leave a link!

        Vote for September's TBR Pile Read-a-Long Read!

        Read Along with us in September!

        We need you to help us choose our TBR Pile Read Along book!

        Reading books together makes for a great motivation to tackle our dusty TBR Piles! And this time, we're all about choosing the books together. We invite you to vote on a book you'd like to read most in July! (Covers link to Goodreads so you may read each synopsis!)

        https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18140047-love-letters-to-the-dead https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15726915-faking-normal https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16143347-we-were-liars 
        https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11925514-code-name-verity https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12578077-obsidian https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12558285-splintered

        The voting poll will be open until August 12 and we'll announce the September read along, along with the discussion schedule, on August 14.

        survey tools

        The Bookish Team will host two discussion posts, where we'll talk about the plot, favorite/least favorite moments and characters, and share memorable quotes! By joining in the read-a-long, you'll earn yourself extra points for July's giveaway.

        And remember, it's never too late to sign up for the 2015 TBR Pile Reading Challenge and/or join our monthly read-a-longs - just click the button below to sign up.

        http://evie-bookish.blogspot.com/2015/06/2015-tbr-pile-reading-challenge-update.html

        Love Lies Beneath by Ellen Hopkins {Book Review, Quotes & Giveaway}


        About The Book:



        Love Lies Beneath By: Ellen Hopkins Publisher: Atria Books Publication date: July 21, 2015 Pages: 320
        From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Collateral comes a gripping novel about a woman caught in a love affair that could be her salvation...or her undoing. Tara is gorgeous, affluent, and forty. She lives in an impeccably restored Russian Hill mansion in San Francisco. Once a widow, twice divorced, she’s a woman with a past she prefers keeping to herself. Enter Cavin Lattimore. He’s handsome, kind, charming, and the surgeon assigned to Tara following a ski accident in Lake Tahoe. In the weeks it takes her to recover, Cavin sweeps her off her feet and their relationship blossoms into something Tara had never imagined possible. But then she begins to notice some strange things: a van parked outside her home at odd times, a break-in, threatening text messages and emails. She also starts to notice cracks in Cavin’s seemingly perfect personality, like the suppressed rage his conniving teenage son brings out in him, and the discovery that Cavin hired a detective to investigate her immediately after they met. Now on crutches and housebound, Tara finds herself dependent on the new man in her life—perhaps too much so. She’s handling rocky relationships with her sister and best friend, who are envious of her glamour and freedom; her prickly brother-in-law, who is intimidated by her wealth and power; and her estranged mother. However perfect Tara’s life appears, things are beginning to get messy. Writing in beautiful prose, Ellen Hopkins unveils a new style while evoking her signature poetic form that readers fell in love with in Collateral and Triangles.
        Goodreads | IndieBound | B&N | Amazon | Powell's

        Follow The Tour:


        July 20th Fangirlish – Review, Author Interview
        July 20th - J & J Book Bangers – Review
        July 21st - Bookhounds – Review, Top Ten
        July 21st - Reads All The Books – Review
        July 21st - Fiction Dreams – Guest Post
        July 22nd - Between The Pages Book Blog – Review, Interview, Top Ten
        July 23rd - Actin' Up With Books – Review
        July 23rd - All For Love of the Word – Review
        July 24th - Books & Bling – Review
        July 24th - Ramblings of a Perpetual New Girl – Review, Author Interview
        July 27th - Backseats and Airports – Review
        July 28th - Books and Ladders – Review
        July 29th - Journeys & Life – Guest Post
        July 29th - Book Chic – Review, Author Interview
        July 29th - Room With Books – Spotlight/ Excerpt
        July 30th Bibliophilia, Please – Guest Post
        July 31st - Alec John Belle – Review
        July 31st - Bookish - Debbie – Review  
        July 31st - Pixie Vixen Book Reviews – Review
        July 31st - Heather Ann Book Reviews  - Review 
          
        0.
        Rage ignites in his eyes. What the hell did I do? It's called adultery. Just in case, I reach into my purse. I enjoy a one-night stand from time to time, but not with a married man. Maggots like you don't deserve someone special, waiting for them to come home. Marriage is more than a promise. It's a contract. It isn't sleeping around on business trips. You're disgusting. 

        Have you no sense of shame? Mel asks. Shame? I'm not familiar with the word. Does it hurt?  


        "Love Lies Beneath" is only the second book I've read by Ellen Hopkins who happens to be an amazing writer, which I'm sure you all know by now. However, I feel that this novel especially really hooks you in to Ellen's work. the extreme flaws of the main character make you realize that even a best selling author knows what reality is like. 

        Tara is an independent forty year old, dating around but not looking for anything serious. A ski trip in Lake Tahoe with her sister, Tara ends up in the hospital after getting plowed into by another skier. There she meets Cavin, a handsome orthopedic surgeon who takes an interest in Tara and her rehabilitation.  They start going out, and everything seems to be going great until Tara meets Cavin’s son, Eli. The father-son relationship is very tense, and Eli makes unsettling declarations about Cavin. Meanwhile, Tara starts receiving threatening emails and notices strange cars seemingly keeping watch in front of her house.

        I found this book to be really addictive, like so many other books by Ellen Hopkins. Although this book wasn't one that was told in verse, the language is just as captivating as any of her other books. Ellen did a fantastic job of keeping me guessing about what was coming around the corner. 

        In my opinion, Tara is a pretty unlikable character with her privilege and personality quirks, but she's also relate-able in several ways. She has a love for vocabulary and a great wit that make her feel very grounded despite her extreme wealth. I think every one of us has battled once in our lives what Tara is battling. Does true love really exist for her or should she just stay in her fun filled one night stand life?

        Such an unexpected book from an author that truly keeps you guessing, "Love Lies Beneath" was a great addition to Ellen Hopkins books. Readers will be on the edge of their seats to see what Tara ends up doing!! 




        About The Author:



        “After eight highly successful young adult novels-in-verse, I decided to explore more mature subject matter and wrote my first two novels for adults utilizing my signature verse-style formatting. I changed directions with my third, Love Lies Beneath, choosing to write in prose to better connect with an older audience, some of whom might be resistant to the fiction/verse merger. I will continue to write YA, of course. (My twelfth YA novel publishes Fall 2015.) Teen characters are hugely appealing to me. But some topics I want to write about demand adults as main characters. My first adult novel, Triangles, explores midlife directional changes, and my second, Collateral, follows a Marine couple through four deployments, with the inevitable consequences. Please visit the BOOKS page here to learn more. Love Lies Beneath is sexy, chilling noir fiction about a woman who has it all—wealth, beauty, possessions; everything, except love, which she finally discovers at forty, after three failed marriages. While everything is perfect at first, things change when the doctor’s teenage son moves in. It’s then the lies begin to appear. But who, in fact, is the liar? Expect the sequel to Love Lies Beneath in 2016 and more books for mature audiences in the future.”
        Goodreads | Website | Twitter |Facebook | Pinterest | Tumblr
        Giveaway:
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        The Raven Boys Read Along: 2nd Discussion


        Hi guys! Welcome to the 2nd discussion for our July Read Along: The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater! Huge thank you to everyone who joined us for chapters 1-23 a couple weeks ago! So excited to discuss (or flail over) the end together!

        About the Book

        The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
        Series: The Raven Cycle #1
        Published: September 18, 2012 by Scholastic Press
        Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance
        Find it: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound
        "There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”

        It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

        Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

        His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

        But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

        For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

        From Maggie Stiefvater, the bestselling and acclaimed author of the Shiver trilogy and The Scorpio Races, comes a spellbinding new series where the inevitability of death and the nature of love lead us to a place we’ve never been before.

        Discussion Questions

        1) How surprising was the truth about Noah? Did you see it coming--did it completely floor you? Did you have any other suspicions about him? And after the reveal, did you notice what his first line in the book was?!

        2) Noah and Blue have something of a friendship. What do you think of it? Did you like it? Do you think it'll change later, and if so how?

        3) What's your current opinion on the romantic aspects? Do you have a ship? Are you hoping for more of a certain pair?

        4) Whelk was always shady, but did you suspect just how deep it went? Were you surprised at that reveal? And do you feel any sympathy for what happened to him, or think another way of handling it would have been better?

        5) Adam's situation at home was terrible, but what did you think of how that turned out? Particularly Ronan's part in it?

        6) Adam's sacrifice. What do you think of what he did? How do you think it'll affect him later?

        7) Were you surprised when Blue's mom let her go along with the boys--and then joined in helping them herself? Had you guessed that her mom knew what was going on?

        8) Did you have a favorite character? Who was it and why? Also, did you have a favorite PART of the book as a whole? Which part? Why?

        9) The last line. RONAN. Did his announcement at the end make things click for you--specifically about the title of book 2? (Did you gasp and then laugh? Jessica did.)

        10) There's loads of hype surrounding this book and series. Did The Raven Boys live up to that? Did you enjoy the book as a whole? And do you plan to continue on to the next book, and maybe, possibly, the rest of the series? If so, do you have any predictions about what may happen next? If not, what about this novel did not work for you? 

        Please leave your answers in the comment section below and don't forget to respond to other comments so we can have an amazing discussion! We'll be checking in and responding as well  :)

        However, please only reference things in The Raven BoysYou may make guesses or speculations as to what happens in the next book(s) (or, if you've already read them, what you thought would happen when you finished The Raven Boys), but do not spoil it for those who may have not yet moved on. (Seriously, Jessica is only JUST starting The Dream Thieves and is really pumped about it. Don't dull the fun, pretty please.) :)

          Our Favorite Quotes

          He smiled tolerantly at her. Rubbing his smooth chin with its recently assassinated chin hairs, he studied her. She barely came up to Ronan's shoulder, but she was every bit as big as he, every bit as present. Gansey had a sense of incredible rightness, then, with everyone assembled by the Pig. Like Blue, not the ley line, was the missing piece that he'd been needing all these years, like the search for Glendower wasn't truly underway until she was a part of it.
          He strode over to the ruined church. This, Blue had discovered, was how Gansey got places --- striding. Walking was for ordinary people.
          "Out of the blue?" Calla asked.
          "I'd prefer if you didn't use that expression," Blue said.
          "His name wasn't really Butternut, was it?" Gansey asked Adam in a low voice.
          "I didn't say it was possible," Gansey replied, not looking up from his splint. "I just said that was what I would like."
          She tried to imagine being Gansey, seeing the warehouse for the first time, deciding it would be a great place to live, but she couldn't picture it. No more than she could imagine looking at the Pig and deciding it was a great car to drive, or Ronan and thinking he was a good friend to have. But somehow, it worked, because she loved the apartment, and Ronan was starting to grow on her, and the car...
          Well, the car she could still live without.
          Ronan, taking in Blue's posture and Gansey below, observed, "If you spit, Blue, it would land right in his eye."
          If I'd been anybody else in the world, she thought, this would've been my first kiss.
          "I don't mean to interrupt. But in either three or seven minutes," Persephone said, "Blue's raven boys are going to pull down the street and sit in front of the house while they try to find a way to convince her to sneak out with them."
          "Well," said Ronan, "I hope he likes it. I've pulled a muscle."
          Gansey scoffed, "Doing what? You were standing watch."


          Never too late to join!

          Remember, it's never too late to sign up for the 2015 TBR Pile Reading Challenge. While sign-ups are now closed, you'll be able to sign up again when Jessica posts her July - August on August 25th!

          Also, check back later to vote for September's Read Along book!



          Thursday, July 30, 2015

          Baby Product Review: Bibit-All from Kiddologic - Got messy kiddos? You need this!


          About Kiddologic BibIt-All:


          The bibit-all™ is a must-have infant/toddler bib that finally gives parents an effective solution to a universal problem - mealtime messes at home and on the go.

          Conventional bibs, and other full coverage bibs on the market don’t provide true protection of baby’s clothes and are lacking in comfort, ease of use, quality, and style. Kiddologic created the bibit-all™ to fill those gaps and provide what is truly the perfect bib.

          The super-soft, stretch terry bibit-all™ features long sleeves with ribbed cuffs, a high ribbed collar to protect from drips and full coverage that extends to the lap. An innovative waterproof lining prevents foods and liquids from soaking through without adding bulk or restraint of movement.

          The bibit-all™ is available in three colors: sky blue, wild orchid, and a gender neutral fresh lime - in both an infant and toddler size. The fashionable colors and design make this bib an attractive accessory in any setting. In addition, the bibit-all™ is affordably priced, allowing parents to keep multiple bibs in rotation and making it an ideal shower gift.

          With it’s superior coverage and comfort, easy-on/easy-off design, plush washable fabrics, and fashionable style, the bibit-all™ redefines the bib. 
          http://www.kiddologic.com/  https://twitter.com/Kiddologic  https://www.facebook.com/Kiddologic?fref=ts  https://uk.pinterest.com/kiddologic/  http://www.amazon.com/Kiddologic-bibit-all-Baby-Fresh-Months/dp/B00AWMS9AO

          My Thoughts


          My first thought when we got the bibit-all in the mail was: "Why-oh-why did I not know about this miraculous invention until now?" 

          Victoria  is at a stage when she loves exercising her independence by eating snacks and even full meals without my help. She is 16 months old, mind you, she does not know how to use a spoon yet (other than slamming it on the table or trying to hit the dog on the head with it), and, inevitably, she makes a huge mess every time. I'd say about 30-40% of her food ends up in places other than her stomach.  Plus, for whatever mysterious reason, she feels the need to squish the food in her tiny fists and mold it like a play-dough before trying to stuff it in her joy-filled face. I guess she is not the messiest kid in the world, but she is still pretty good at getting herself dirty. 

          I have a ton of regular bibs - both the basic cloth ones and the double-layered waterproof ones, but the problem with those is they are too small and too ineffective to actually keep your kid completely dry and clean. They don't stay in place, they soak through, or the food simply drips off of them and ends up in your kid's lap. 

          The Kiddologic bibit-all is the first bib that I can honestly get behind. It really works great. The design is nothing short of brilliant and the material seems to be great at preventing drinks and foods from soaking through to your child's clothes. The stretchy pullover design creates a seal around your child's neck (it's not too tight to the point of being uncomfortable, but it's snuggly enough to prevent leakage), and there are similar stretchy seals around the wrist areas. 

          Additionally, the front is longer than the back, so even if your kid spits or spills a larger amount of food, it won't end up in their lap. The back is short and open, which is awesome for warmer days - no need to worry about your child overheating and sweating while wearing it. The material has a nice texture that stops the food and liquid from sliding down. It's a very neat bib and I wish I had one or two of those when Victoria was first introduced to solid foods, or when she was going through teething and drooling profusely. 

          Most importantly, with all the other bibs we have used so far, Victoria would get very annoyed and try to pull them off (usually succeeding). With bibit-all, she really doesn't mind. She seems to think it's just a piece of clothing - she looks comfortable and perfectly content wearing it. I'm so glad I discovered it! Now, bring out the watermelon and ice-cream!:) 


          Wednesday, July 29, 2015

          Jewelry Review + Giveaway: Eye Candy Los Angeles


          It's no secret that I love statement jewelry and Eye Candy Los Angeles is, in my opinion, the place to shop for truly beautiful and reasonably priced jewelry pieces and accessories. Their stuff is really fabulous. Their jewelry pieces really stand out - they're large, eye-catching, unforgettable and sparkly. And just all around wonderful!

          Today, I get to share with you my reviews of two jewelry pieces from Eye Candy Los Angeles collection. I got the Sun and Moon earrings and the Stone Moon Necklace. 

          These earrings are real show stoppers. They're absolutely stunning. They're large and beautifully detailed, with different colored gemstones and zirconias.
          I love that they are asymmetrical, that makes them so much more special and unique. The sun one is also slightly longer, which, admittedly, bothers me a little bit, but I don't consider this is a deal-breaker by any means. These earrings are just too magical to pass on.
          Because of their size and the abundance of gemstones, they are a bit on the heavy side, so if you're not used to wearing large and heavier earrings, you are going to have to take it slow. I wore them on our Niagara Falls 4th of July trip and while I absolutely loved the look, by the end of the day I couldn't wait to take them off :) It's a matter of getting used to their weight thought. Now, I can wear them all day long and the extra weight doesn't bother me any more. 



          Stone Moon Necklace ($74)
          I decided to get this necklace because I thought it would compliment the earrings very well, and of course, it does. It's a double chain necklace with a teal stone and a half-moon pendant.


          The chain comes with a decent size lobster clasp and its length can be adjusted. It's a nice length for a low-cut dress, and I love wearing this necklace with my tribal print maxi dress.


          The stone and the pendant are not too large, and therefore, not heavy at all. In fact, this is quite a delicate, lightweight and charming piece, and it balances out the over-the-top character of the earrings. 



          Giveaway:


          You can win $150 worth of Jewelry from Eye Candy Los Angeles! 
          Open US/Canada! 
          Ends: 8/10/2015


          a Rafflecopter giveaway
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