Splenderosa Handbag

Splenderosa is giving it's readers a chance to win a gorgeous Italian Leather Alligator embossed cross body bag.



Just beautiful don't you think? Enter here.

Sky1 - Foundation by William Amerman Review

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

Wow! Where do I even start with this book? The one thing I can say with absolute certainty is that this book will grip you in it's talons and won't let you go until you finish it. From the first page where we meet Nick Burke and learn of his situation to the last pages where...well you'll have to read and find out...the action keeps you immersed in Nick's story.

This is the synopsis provided for the book:

In a post-apocalyptic world, Nick Burke has been allotted 389 square feet of living space by the government. Disease spreads quickly when people are packed together so tightly. Quarantines have been imposed in an effort to contain the spread of infection. 

When a quarantine is imposed on Nick's Ground, he and his family are trapped. The only way out is to break laws that carry a penalty of death. 

Fearing for his life and the safety of his family, Nick joins forces with a local group to move to another Ground. But can he trust his new friends?

Right off the bat you can see that this is going to be a dystopian setting so if you enjoy reading dystopians, then I would definitely recommend this book for you. What I loved about it was the action sequences-you follow Nick and his family through their journey to get to higher ground and each scene is so meticulously described that you're on the edge of your seat. I also really enjoyed that this was a more gritty dystopian-many of the books I've read in that genre have been targeted to a teenage audience so you tend to miss out on the more gritty descriptions. This was perfect for an older audience (although I think it would be completely suitable for a teenage audience). I also really liked that this book was so believable. Many times when I read a book, I end up rolling my eyes every few pages because the scenes are just so over the top or absolutely unrealistic. That definitely wasn't the case here-I could very well see this happening in a post-apocalyptic world and that's what sets this book apart from many other dystopians.

But, the best part of the book is it's part of a series! Yes, that's right-more action, more conflict, more everything! What's also great is that the author managed to solve the basic conflicts in this book, but still sets up the overall themes for the next book so your not left with a frustrating cliffhanger. Instead, your left with a sense of completeness, with just a hint of anticipation for the next book and I know I'll be looking for the next book in the series to read soon.

Anyways, I would definitely give this book a try if your into Dystopians because it's definitely one of the better ones out there!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Haven: A Stranger Magic by D.C. Akers Review

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

I'm sure you've all had that evening when you pick up a book and think I'll just read this for an hour then get some work done; before you know it, the book is over, you're sitting there with a smile on your face and it's 2 AM with the errands still incomplete. Well, that was this book- Haven: A Stranger Magic.

As a woman with a college year old daughter I thought this book might have been too young for me. When I started reading it, I found that the protagonist, Sam, was a 13 year old boy and his sister was only a couple of years older. I didn't think that I would be able to really connect with those characters and therefore wouldn't like the book that much. However, I'm not one to quit reading for a reason like that so I continued on. I found that it was actually quite entertaining. A lot of the struggles Sam goes through are very real and I found myself sympathizing with him a lot. I loved that the author was able to make me feel these emotions, because it drew me into the story even more. Another thing I loved and was happy the author did was Sarah's point of view. In the beginning when I saw the way she acted, I was a little angry with her, but getting to see her emotions and her motivations, not only redeemed her, but had me rooting for her.

What's it about?
This book was more or less a prologue that set up the setting, characters and background for the rest of the series, so if you're hoping for mind-blowing action scenes and earth-shaking revelations you won't find them here, but you will find the understanding you need to get there.
Essentially, the book is about Sam, a 13 year old boy, who sees a man standing outside his house at night. Somehow, magically, the man always disappears either then or by the next morning. While Sam works to discover who this stranger is, his sister is also starting to uncover her own secrets. The synopsis for the book reads:

Sam Dalcome thinks he is so completely average that no one ever notices him. Until he discovers a mysterious stranger outside his home. Bewildered, he tries to uncover the stranger’s intentions. But Sam is sidetracked when he and his friend Travis discover a secret passageway deep in the town’s quarry that leads to a hidden cavern. What they uncover next will not only change their lives forever, but will uncover the first clue to a deadly Dalcome family secret. Sam finds himself drawn into a world of mystery and magic he never knew existed, which brings him closer to a destiny he never knew was possible.

Definitely an interesting premise. I will definitely be checking out the next book in the series just to find out what happens. I've always been a fan of fantasy and I think this book fits the bill. If you've ever read the Fablehaven series, I find that this book has some of the same style of writing and setup as that one (I loved that series too).

If you get a chance give the book a try-you may really enjoy it. It's free on Amazon Kindle right now, so you can try it for free!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Cottonelle Clean Slate Review

Crowdtap recently gave me the chance to try out Cottonelle's line of toilet paper and fresh care wipes. I was able to invite a few of my friends for a "Clean Slate, Clean Bum" party so we could all take some time to discuss what we liked and didn't like about Cottonelle. Of course, simply talking about toilet paper and clean bums isn't exactly scintillating conversation, nor is it the best party discussion. I'm sure all of us have been to party and met "that guy". You know, the one who brings up the most awkward and "get me out of here" topics? Well, it would be worse if that was the host. However, Crowdtap was able to solve that problem for me. Along with their amazing Cottonelle product package:

They also sent me plates and glitter glue to decorate them. A sort of fun party idea all while discussing Cottonelle. It took the party from being a somewhat awkward affair of bathroom talk to a somewhat awkwardly fun affair of bathroom talk. Seriously though, since it was held with a great group of friends who have known each other for years, it wasn't awkward or uncomfortable at all. We all a lot of fun talking about what we liked and disliked about the brand Cottonelle and their products.

Our likes:
They have high quality products. The toilet paper is soft and doesn't just crumble apart. Their fresh wipes work remarkably well and are flushable!
Great value: I find that the quality of products is quite affordable. I'm not paying large amounts of money for high quality. I find their prices to be reasonable.

Dislikes:
One of the things we all agreed on was that Cottonelle needs to make their products in bulk. I'd like to go to the store and buy a large pack of it, so I'll have it in storage. Yes, I realize I can just get more than 1 pack at a time, but I would like to see bulk packs.

Midst all the bathroom talk we also got a chance to decorate some plates. This is one of them (and yes I know it's no work of art-in fact I'm well aware it looks more like a kindergartner got his/her hands on it):

We were all quite proud of our creations. I'd also like to add that our art skills aren't quite up to par.

*Disclosure: I received this party pack from Crowdtap in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own (and my friends in this case).  

Twice: Designer Clothing for Less

A few days ago, a friend of mine sent me a link to a website. She told me that it was a clothing site where I could find designer clothing for a fraction of the cost compared to department stores. I was a little skeptical because, come on, designer clothing for less? Sure, you could probably score some good deals at a department store, but how much of a price cut are you really going to get? Well, I decided to check it out anyways. The site is called Twice and they advertise a variety of different name brands at up to 70%-90% off retail. Once I started browsing, wow, was I amazed! After filtering to my size, I found over 20,000 items and then some. Choose from tops, pants, skirts, jeans, dresses and more. The best part is that most of the clothes are less than $15.00-now that's a bargain.

Take a look at some of the clothes you can find there:

I've saved the best for last:
Right now when you join here you get a $10 credit in your account. What's even better is that through January 17, 2014 enter the code SURVEY10 in the promotional code box when you go to checkout and you get another $10 off your purchase. That means you can get clothes completely FREE! Shipping is $5 and you can use your credit towards it so anything under $15 is free!

And wait (yes, I probably do sound like one of those ads on tv, but seriously this is a great deal)-if you download their iphone app and login through it, you get another $10 in your account. You also get another $10 if you download their ipad app.

So let's recap:
1. Register here for $10
2. Then download their iphone app (totally optional of course, but you get $10 if you do)
3. Download their ipad app (again optional, but another $10)
4. Finally, until January 17, use the code SURVEY10 for another $10

If you do all these steps you should get $40 (of which you can get $35 of free clothing) for minimal work. Unfortunately, they don't have an android app yet, but maybe soon!

I was able to get a cute skirt and sweater so hopefully you'll find something you love as well!

Hershey's Spreads Review: Move Over Nutella

You might have recently heard about a Nutella like spread called Hershey's Spreads. Well, I was lucky enough to be one of the few to enjoy a jar of them courtesy of Crowdtap, a site where consumers can answer questions about brands. I was so excited to try them out because everyone in my family has a sweet tooth. It took a little while to arrive, but when it got here, I couldn't decide what to try it on first. I was able to try the chocolate and almond flavor, but Hershey's also makes chocolate and hazelnut as well as plain chocolate. Move over Nutella, there's a new spread in town!

After looking at some suggestions of what to use it on, such as toast, waffles, fruits and the like, I decided to try my own experiment and scooped a teaspoonful into milk. I warmed it up for a good 2 minutes and added a hint of sugar; voila-hot chocolate! It tasted delicious and I was happy with the results.

I also tried it on sugar cookies. Yes, I know that seems a bit much, but seriously, if you have a sweet tooth like me, you can't go wrong. Honestly, it wasn't as sweet as it sounds and actually was pretty good. I found that the taste was rich and the varying textures made it all the better. But, the best way I found to eat Hershey's spreads is straight out of the jar. A spoonful of it is just perfect while your watching your favorite movie or reading a good book. Rich and creamy, you can't go wrong with it's chocolaty goodness!

*Disclosure: I was given this product by Crowdtap for free to review. However, all opinions are my own. 

The UGLEE Ergonomic Pen Review and Giveaway

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.
Remember the days when you could go online and buy a pen that wrote well, looked nice, was super comfortable and never resulted in hand cramps? No? Me neither. Well, that is until now; a couple of days ago I received a package from UGLeePen with 3 pens for me to test. They call it the World's Most Comfortable Ergonomic Pen.

Before I opened up the packaging, I made sure to read some of the statements on the front and back of the pack:

One of the most prominent claims was that you could write all day without cramping or strain. That's a pretty strong statement to make and I intended to see if that would hold up. One thing you should know is that my daughter is pursuing her Masters degree, which means lots of writing; who better to try the pen than her? So I gave the pen to her and asked her to let me know how she liked it. I, of course, kept another pen for myself and wrote with it throughout the day. 

Today, the results are in. My daughter told me this was one of THE best pens she has ever used. She loves the texture and feel of the finger grip and said that she didn't feel any strain or cramping in her hands. The one thing she wishes she could change though was the size of the pen tip-she would prefer it to be smaller. However, besides this minor point, she loved it. 

My own review is very similar. My first thoughts at seeing the pen was that contrary to the name, I actually thought it was pretty unique. I love the design and think it's rather charming. 

Initial tests proved that it's very easy to write with-the ink flows smoothly and like my daughter said I didn't feel any strain or cramping as I wrote throughout the day. Also, like my daughter said, I LOVED the finger grip. Have you ever walked into the stationary aisle and seen those pen packages that say "feel me" and the grip looks extra squishy, but you touch it and it's actually just firm rubber? Well, this is nothing like that-the grip is very squishy and for a big kid like me this was a huge positive. The grip makes it easy to write with and very versatile. Now, these claims aren't just pure conjecture-there is a science behind the design of this pen, which you can read about here. 

The ink comes in 3 different colors: blue, black and red while the pen comes in a variety of colors: red, blue, green, pink etc. According to their website, the pen is great for those with arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome as well as children who are just learning to write. It's also perfect for those who need to write for long periods of time like students or note-takers. 

All in all, I loved this pen and would recommend it to everyone (even those of you who might not use pens that often-this might just change your mind). 

UGLeePen is also sponsoring a giveaway so one of my readers can have their own UGLee Pen. Just follow the directions of the Rafflecopter and good luck! Keep in mind that the first 3 options are mandatory.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.