Reviewing A Splendid Ruin by Megan Chance

 If you embrace the saying, revenge is a dish best served cold then you will love this historical novel by Megan Chance.

A Recommended Read

Although this author has many titles to her name this is the first novel of hers I have read and I loved it.   The novel is divided into 3 parts.   The first part introduces us to May Kimble who has been living in Brooklyn, New York until after her mother's death.   She receives a letter from her mother's sister of whom she had no idea even existed and is welcomed into the arms of her newfound family in San Francisco in 1904.

She has lots of questions, but receives no answers to them and is unfortunately too naive to realise that she is being manipulated.   She suspects things are amiss, but doesn't act on her instincts or her laudanum addled aunt's ravings at her to go home.

Part one culminates in the death of her aunt and the ultimate betrayal from her family and May realises just how she's been played.

Part two is terrifying as May learns how to survive in a place that her mother hadn't even thought to prepare her for.   She learns her lessons quickly and uses her knowledge to improve her conditions while thinking of her revenge.   Why do I call it terrifying?  It's certainly not a scary, horror book, but it's terrifying as to how easy it was in 1904 for this to happen and it's something that I have read about in other historical books and novels alike.

Part Three is called Retribution and begins on April 18th, 1906.  For any American history buffs out there you may recall that this is the date of the great San Francisco earthquake.   The earthquake gives May a chance to escape where she was and she takes advantage of that.

May proves to be very resourceful and brave.  You really see how she has grown since arriving in California.   She plots her revenge and also falls in love (well, I believe the seeds for falling in love were planted in part one, but now she is ready).

The ultimate revenge doesn't come in the way that May and her paramour planned, but was the perfect moment and absolutely embodied the saying, revenge is a dish best served cold.

I really enjoyed this historical novel and a little glimpse into San Francisco's turn of the century society and also how the earthquake was dealt with by the people on the ground - the author portrayed the confusion that would have been about really well.

I recommend this read for anyone that enjoys historical fiction with a strong heroine (although she was frustratingly naive in the first part, she certainly grew into a strong heroine).  I will certainly be reading other books from this author.

This book was available as part of Amazon Prime - I love Amazon Prime as not only does it have Kindle books, it has a number of television series that I enjoy on it and also gives me free shipping when I purchase anything - find out more about it here.

It is also available as part of Kindle Unlimited which is great if you enjoy reading, I started with a free trial and am now in my second month of it.   Definitely worth the free trial, especially over these holidays when there aren't as many get together as usual - more time for reading!

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Dog Christmas Cards

As a dog lover I love seeing dog-inspired Christmas cards and as a Zazzle affiliate I know I'm not alone as I sell quite a few dog-inspired Christmas cards every year.

Card designs by Christmas Holidays on Zazzle

My most popular dog Christmas card features a pug, but this year I've sold quite a few dalmatian Christmas cards designed by fellow Zazzlers.

If you're wondering what this Zazzle is that I speak of then let me tell you about it.   Zazzle is a website where designers from around the world can upload their designs to various different products such as cards, t-shirts, mugs even yoga mats!

Buying something from Zazzle means you are helping a designer to provide for their family.   Some people 'Zazzle' alongside a 'day job', others do it alongside being a stay at home parent, yet more people do it as they have a disability that means they are unable to work outside of the home.   A few are able to survive solely on their Zazzle income.

I have brought a few products through Zazzle and I have always loved their quality.   You can see a selection of dog-inspired Christmas cards on this site - Dog Christmas Cards - from a selection of different designers.

Check out how I created my popular Pug Christmas card on this post - designing a pug Christmas card.

Here's a collection of my own dog-inspired Christmas cards that you can find on Zazzle:

Dog Inspired Christmas Cards
by Christmas Holidays

Something else that I love about Zazzle is that you can personalize the cards - many people will upload their own dog photos to send out with their cards or even write a verse for the cards. Have you ever used Zazzle for any products?    I would love to hear about your experience.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Using a Lightbox as an Advent Calendar - Yes or No?

Today I'm going to review an alternative to the usual advent calendars as a way to countdown to Christmas - a lightbox!

Forget the advent calendars and try adding a lightbox underneath your tree for a fun countdown. You can get your own...

Posted by Christmas Tree Ideas on Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Now when my daughter was younger I brought a fabric advent calendar that had little pouches I would fill each year - she used the same advent calendar every year and loved it. My friend had a wooden advent calendar that was shaped like a Christmas tree and her kids would take turns opening it - she also used to get them a chocolate advent calendar each so that no one went without something during the countdown!

It was only last year after my daughter moved out that I saw the post that you can see above - a lightbox to countdown the days seemed like a great idea. I'm interested to know what other people think though - a small gift or chocolate every day for the kids or just a countdown display under the Christmas tree?

Let me know if you're a Yes or a No!

If you vote advent calendars then check out a few here:

Farm Advent Calendar

DIY or Reusable Advent Calendars

The Great Christmas Countdown is on

Lego Advent Calendars

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Reviewing Right Behind You by Rachel Abbott

 The idea behind this book is just horrifying for any parent, let me paint you a picture .....

Purchase Right Behind You by Rachel Abbott on Amazon - photo by Lou16

Imagine you have a young child and one day the police come to your door to arrest your partner for child endangerment, at the same time a social worker and another police officer inform you that your daughter has to go with them and you can't accompany her because you may influence what she says.

Wouldn't you go out of your mind with worry about your child as well as wondering if you knew your partner as well as you thought and going over every little detail that you could think of?

Now let's say you wait and you don't hear anything so finally you decide you're going to call the police station because, seriously, your daughter must be worried not being with her mum for so long.   The next thing you discover is the police have no record of your partner's arrest and certainly don't have your daughter.   It was an elaborate ruse to kidnap your child and now you have to work out why - will there be a ransom, was your partner involved?

This book was a real page-turner and if you enjoy suspenseful fiction then you will absolutely love this.   I did work out who was behind it before the book revealed which I found very frustrating, but that's something I'm known for with both movies and books!

This book gets a big thumbs up from me, although I am very glad my daughter is an adult now, the author's idea is truly terrifying to any parent and I'm not sure I would've wanted to read it had my own daughter been a pre-schooler.   That's how good it was.

I have never come across Rachel Abbott before but I will certainly be looking out for some of her books in the future.   I actually got the kindle version of this book for free as I have an Amazon Prime account.   I love having a Prime membership because I can try different authors and even different genres of books for free before purchasing more books.

Rachel Abbott has several other books available in book form, in Kindle form as well as audiobooks, in fact, a couple of them are available for free if you decide to trial audible (I don't have this yet, but a number of people have been telling me to try it).

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Review of Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector

 I have to say that I loved the Denzel Washington & Angelina Jolie movie, The Bone Collector that was based on the book by Jeffrey Deaver so when I heard that they'd made a television series I just had to watch it!

Hunt for the Bone Collector Publicity Photo from NBC.com

Lincoln Rhyme was Denzel's character in the movie and in the television series he is played by Russell Hornsby.   We see in the first episode how he became a quadriplegic and we also meet Amelia, the NYPD officer who is to become his eyes and ears.   Like the character in the movie played by Angelina Jolie, Amelia (played by Arielle Kebbel) stops a train to save the evidence.

The storyline isn't exactly the same as the movie which means that both the fans of The Bone Collector and people who have never seen it before can enjoy this series.

As well as hunting for the serial killer known as The Bone Collector, the team headed by Lincoln also delves into other cases such as the kidnapping of a politician's daughter and another serial killer who has perfected the perfect murder ..... until he came into Lincoln's orbit that is.

If you love the thrill of vicariously trying to catch a serial killer while solving other crimes and being on the edge of your seat as members of 'your team' are put in danger then you will love this series.

There's only one problem with this series, they decided to cancel it after one season so my tip is to stop watching it about five minutes before the end of the final episode.   Otherwise, you'll be like me and forever be asking a question that was left as a cliffhanger.

Not only do I 100% recommend watching this series if you haven't seen the movie yet - check it out!  My husband and I are thinking of re-watching it since we've finished this series (which we did over two days - it's definitely binge-worthy!).

We watched the series on one of the free to air channels here in Australia, but I was thrilled to find that it's also available to watch on Amazon Prime.   I really do enjoy having Amazon Prime, we get to watch great shows and I also get to read some great books and that's just two of the perks!

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Halloween Skeletons Make Great Decor

 How do you like to decorate for Halloween?  I think skeletons are a great choice.

Hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil - image from Pixabay.com

There are a number of different ways to incorporate skeletons in your Halloween decor from basically a few bones in a graveyard style theme to using actual poseable skeletons.

You can even use animal skeletons like a dog or a cat for a little bit of intrigue.   I actually have a friend who's a yoga teacher so when I saw skeletons doing yoga I thought that would be fun for her Halloween display.

Photo by Lou16, purchase online here

The best image I saw to incorporate a skeleton inside was in a private Halloween group, unfortunately, I can't share that image with you, but it was basically a skeleton in a wedding dress sat in a chair.

I love the idea of getting a posable skeleton and putting an old wedding dress on it and sitting it in a rocking chair in the corner of the room.   It was a very good looking display (although they didn't use a rocking chair) and let's face it many of us keep our wedding dresses without ever using them again so a perfect way to give them a little airing as well.

Of course if you wanted an outside skeleton bride you could always pop her
on a garden bench with or without a groom - photo from Pixabay

How would you incorporate a skeleton into your Halloween decor?

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Reviewing the Joie Yogurt on the Go

I love my little yogurt on the go container, although sometimes it's got something different in it!

My yogurt on the go container complete with today's lunch!
Photo by Lou16

I first say the Joie Yogurt on the go in a shop at a time when I was doing the 30 days to healthy living and I thought it might be a really handy container.   Now I have only ever seen the red and white container, but having a look on Amazon you have a choice, check them out -

Purchase from Amazon

Now obviously this is designed to have a yogurt in the main part and some toppings in the dome part of the container which is kept completely separate.   The first time I used it I left the dome empty and filled the container with some overnight oats - having a spoon attached meant I had everything I needed to eat wherever and whenever I wanted and it was great.

The next time I added some toppings in the dome and I have to be honest - I could screw the dome container off to eat my yogurt, but I couldn't open the dome.   Finally I had found the downside of this product.   I took it home and went to demonstrate to my husband how the top couldn't be opened and what do you know - it worked!

I have no idea what my issue was the first time because I have not had a problem since!

It is very easy to clean and the spoon really does stay easily attached which makes it so easy for me to take a snack or even a meal out with me for the day.   

Sometimes when I'm working and on the plan I really don't feel like a shake for lunch and I don't have the facilities to make pancakes or waffles at work so I'll make up either a thick smoothie that I can eat in a smoothie bowl with toppings or I make some overnight oats.   I put the overnight oats in this container and also add a few nuts and seeds in the dome part to add a little crunch to my lunch.

If we're travelling and I know I'm going to feel like a snack I will sometimes put coconut yogurt in the container along with some fresh berries and I may or may not add something to the dome - this can then be safely put in our cooler and I don't have to worry about remembering to add a spoon.

I have also added coconut yogurt in the container and put some protein powder in the dome container so that when travelling if we don't find anything that I feel like eating which is on plan I can simply have something little like sweet potato fries or a salad and then add the protein powder to the yogurt for 'dessert' and to make sure I get some quality protein to keep me from feeling hungry.

I do recommend this container, if I'd come across it when my daughter was younger I would've sent her to school with yogurt and toppings (she always wanted those yogurts in the supermarket with yogurt on one side and toppings on the other that you open and mix together.   This would've been right up her alley!

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Reviewing Arbonne Intelligence Lip Treatment

Do you suffer from cracked dry lips during winter? I usually do, something about the dry winter air so when I heard of a lip treatment that Arbonne had I was keen to try it. 

Arbonne's Intelligence Lip Treatment with Raspberry seed oil

Now I use a shea butter lip balm every day (Arbonne of course, those who know me know how loyal I am to this brand) and my lips haven't felt as bad the last couple of years. I also used another Arbonne product that was a lip scrub and salve, but lip scrubs should only be used once a week (some people say 2-3 times a week, but for cracked lips, my research comes down firmly on no more than once a week). 

When someone mentioned the Arbonne Intelligence Lip Treatment I was intrigued, but I didn't actually get it until a few months ago - just before our Australian winter began. It's suitable for all skin types and is designed to help promote younger looking lips, but I was interested in the claim "Deeply hydrates, moisturizes and protects the natural moisture barrier ..." and winter seemed the perfect time to trial it for myself. 

The tube seemed quite small when I received it, but having used a lot (according to my husband too

Arbonne's Lip Care Range

many!) of Arbonne products, I knew that a little would probably go a long way. I squeezed out an amount that would fit on a pinhead and rubbed it on my lips - it felt really nice like a moisturiser combined with lipstick but one with no stickiness or tackiness about it. 

I certainly didn't need my lip balm, although I kept it in my bag and applied some after lunch. 

I used the lip treatment every day for a week and my lips definitely felt softer, I decided to continue using it for another week and then I switched to using it every couple of days. 

If you get dry lips in winter I really recommend trying this and you'll know if it's working after a week which is great because Arbonne gives all of its products a 45 90 day money-back guarantee so if you don't like it you can send it back! 

It also says that it can reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles and plumps the lips' appearance so that they look younger - I'm really not sure about that. I feel like they look a little plumper, but that could be because they are smoother as they aren't as dry so the jury on that is out as far as I'm concerned. 

I know that some people use this in place of lipstick when they are going for a natural daytime look and other people use it as a primer before adding their lipstick. 

The key ingredients in this lip treatment are the following botanicals: 

• Alfalfa extract 
• Chicory root extract 
• Ginger 
• Cocoa butter 
• Raspberry seed oil 
• Cloudberry extract 

It is now springtime here in Australia and I still have the small tube so it really does go a long way.   What do you do for dry lips (if you suffer from them)?

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Reviewing PUMA Pacer Next Cage Sneakers for Men

Now before I start my review I should say that I am unashamedly a New Balance girl, so why am I reviewing some PUMA sneakers?   Let me tell you my story .....

My black PUMA sneakers - perfect for wearing to the office!

For the past 10 years I have been wearing New Balance shoes for walking (well I do also have walking sandals, but ..), running, the gym and basically any activity I do.   They were recommended to me by my physio, the people at the athletic shoe store who measured me and did various tests and one of our friends who's a podiatrist.  Even with those three recommendations I wasn't convinced until I tried them on, I decided I was never even going to look at other athletic shoes as they were so comfortable.

Hello 2020 and I find myself the owner of a pair of PUMA Pacer Next sneakers, so what happened?   Surprisingly, given the year we are in, it had nothing to do with Covid!   I work as an Office Manager for an accounting firm and we moved from our long-standing one story office building to a two story office building a few months ago.

For the first couple of weeks I decided I was wearing my New Balance shoes as I was running up and down the stairs so many times while we were getting everything organized (including carrying boxes as we were still unpacking!).   Seriously though, anyone who knows New Balance will know that each year they have different coloured shoes released and I have never owned a black or grey pair.   My current bright pink shoes are very comfy and are great for sport, but they don't really look very corporate.

Now it's winter so I thought I would wear my smart (and very comfy), flat black boots to the office.   I should mention that we now have wooden floors throughout and my boots were very loud - what was the solution?

My husband and I happened to visit a shopping centre not long after and he steered me towards the PUMA store (I was trying to go into the bookstore opposite!).   Let's look for some black pumps were the words that convinced me to leave the bookstore until later (by the way this was the bookstore where I got The Alice Network and then returned to find they also had The Huntress - can't wait for my next trip!).

The first pair I tried on were the Pacer Next and I loved them, but my husband wanted me to continue to look so I tried two other pairs on and returned to the PUMA Pacer Next pair.  Now these were actually the men's shoes and they seem to go by the name of PUMA Men's Pacer Next Cage Sneaker in the US.   I originally tried the men's on because they were all black and the woman's ones had a white stripe on them, when I put them on they were basically the most comfortable for me.

I do have wider feet than I used to and this could be why the men's style suited me best.

What I found a little strange was that the tongue was sewn in so instead of pushing the tongue up and pulling the sides out to manhandle your foot into it you had to push your foot in and then I hooked the tag on the back with my finger and effectively used it to 'shoehorn' my foot in.  It felt weird the first couple of times, but now I do it without thinking.

A very big plus with these shoes is I haven't had a single blister, not even a little rubbing.   That's after wearing them for over 8 hours a day four days in a row.   They are extremely comfortable and I thoroughly recommend them, in fact I'm not going to even look for a more 'corporate' shoe for work as these blend in nicely with my black trousers and I stay comfortable!

I will still stay loyal to New Balance for my workout shoes, but PUMA is going to be my go to work shoe for quite some time I believe.

Have you tried any of PUMA's sneakers?

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

How to Make a Healthy Version of Starbuck's Pink Drink

I'm going to review how I make a really delicious (and healthier) version of Starbuck's Pink Drink.

Photo's by Louanne, template from Canva

Now I must confess I've never tried the Pink Drink, but I kept seeing posts about it all over social media.   I don't live close to a Starbucks, but when I saw a recipe doing the rounds that everyone swore was just like it I had to give it a try.

I fell in love with this drink and now I can understand the appeal of this drink.   My version has less sugar than the original Starbucks one and it also contains antioxidants, ginseng, B vitamins and chromium which means it will help you to reduce fatigue.

It also contains a blend of amino acids and adaptogenic botanicals that help to reduce stress and improve your mind balance.    Sounds perfect doesn't it?   And did I forget to say it tastes amazing!

Ingredients for a Healthy Pink Drink

12 oz coconut milk
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 scoop Arbonne's Inner Calm Powder
1 Arbonne Strawberry Fizz Stick

Directions for the Pink Drink (healthy version)

1. Place the coconut milk, inner calm powder and strawberries in a blender and blend well.
2. Pour into a drinks bottle (I use a sports drink bottle to drink this out of, but you could use a cup or glass if you like, but in that case make sure there is plenty of room for the drink to fizz up)
3. Next add the fizz stick, if in a bottle give it a little shake before letting out some of the air and enjoy.   If you are using a cup or glass give the drink a stir before enjoying.

I've used fizz sticks on their own and also as part of my morning greens drink, you can check out my article about them here.

I am an Independent Consultant with Arbonne, you are welcome to contact me directly with any questions you may have about these products or to find out how to qualify for a discount.   Message me via Facebook or Instagram.

Have you tried the Pink Drink?

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Reviewing The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

This riveting historical fiction novel is one that is hard to put down once you start reading and takes you on a journey through both the first World War as well as post World War II.

The Alice Network by Kate Quinn, photo by Lou16

A little while ago I read a review on this very site for a book called The Huntress by Kate Quinn which peeked my interest so when I was in a bookstore and saw The Alice Network by Kate Quinn author of The Huntress I just had to buy it.   The Alice Network was actually penned first and after reading it I am even more keen to read The Huntress!

The Alice Network was actually real as was the leader and Kate Quinn has done a marvelous job of interweaving actual historic events into a story that is hard to put down.

The Queen of Spies herself, courtesy of Wikipedia

The novel features two strong heroines - Eve Gardiner and Charlie St Clair.   Eve's story takes us through the world of women espionage during the first World War and introduces us to the real life Queen of Spies, Louise de Bettignies.   What I found great after finishing this story was the author notes at the end which mention which of the characters were actually based on historical figures and which weren't.   Something I thought very interesting was where Kate Quinn got the idea for Eve's story, along with her spy name.

Eve's chapters take us through the perils of life as a female spy during World War I in France.   The other heroine is Charlie St Clair who finds herself (an American college girl) pregnant and unwed at 19 during the aftermath of World War II.

When her mother takes Charlie to Europe to dispose of her 'little problem' they make a stop in England where Charlie leaves the hotel to search for Eve Gardiner who was a name on the bottom of a missing persons report for her French cousin who went missing during the war.

Together they head to Europe, along with Eve's Scottish helper and driver and start on their individual quests - Charlie to find her cousin Rose and Eve to hunt down her enemy who handed her over to the Germans during WWI.

As the book interweaves through the two story lines we learn more about both heroines along the way and find where they both have to make major decisions which could totally change the outcomes of their lives.   The book also exposes the double standards women faced during WWI and showed how little these double standards had changed by the 1940s. 

Obviously as with any historical fiction some liberties were taken, but I'd love to think that Louise de Bettignies did buy ridiculous hats when travelling and was able to inject some fun into her life of intrigue.   I like the idea of her having the personality that was displayed in the book as the life of a spy in France at that time was very bleak - as it was for most every day people in Europe at that time.

I would love to see this book turned into a movie as I'm sure my husband would enjoy it.  What can you expect from this book?   If you pick up this book expect suspense, intrigue, a little romance and so many twists and turns.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Reviewing Twinings Chamomile, Honey & Vanilla Tea

I absolutely love my tea which is why I thought I would review another tea staple in my life - Twinings Chamomile, Honey & Vanilla.

Photo from Pixabay

I am a big fan of Twining's teas and have actually written about their peppermint tea previously.   As much as I enjoy a good coffee, tea is the staple drink of my life.

Every day starts with a mug (I don't really do tea cups unless I have a pot to top it up from!) of Arbonne tea and when I get home from a busy day at work nine times out of ten I'll have a mug of Twinings Chamomile, Honey & Vanilla tea.   I usually also drink this tea before going to bed, except for the odd nights I made myself a Milo.

Chamomile as a herb is known for it's relaxation properties and I do remember the first time I tried it, it was made from actual dried chamomile flower (like the photo above) and it had a back taste that I really didn't like at all.   I have tried various brands several times over the years both as a loose tea and in a tea bag form and I haven't been able to stomach the after taste of the Chamomile.

A couple of years ago I tried a Spiced Apple and Chamomile blend from Twinings which I didn't mind so when the Twinings teas were on special again I thought I would try the Chamomile, Honey and Vanilla - I haven't looked back!

I don't know if my taste buds have changed as I've gotten older or if it's the addition of the honey and vanilla flavours, but I thoroughly enjoyed this blend and, as I've said, it is now a staple in my life - in fact I think I have four boxes in my cupboard as I write this!

If you want a caffeine free tea (complete with relaxing properties) to drink before going to bed I can really recommend this one.

There are quite a few tea drinkers that write for Review This Reviews and you can check out their reviews right here - Tea Related Reviews.

Have you tried this tea blend before?

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

The Stranger, a TV Series

I would like to review a British television series called The Stranger and I can easily do it in one sentence.   Go and watch it right now!

The Stranger (British TV Series) - image adapted by Lou16
from a photo on Pixabay.com

Want more than my bossy sentence?   Well I must admit the trailer for this series looked good and certainly peaked mine and my husband's interest, but the series itself totally outshone our expectations.  It is based on a book by American author Harlan Coben and after watching it I am definitely going to start reading some of his books.

The series has a British cast that if you watch many British shows you'll probably be very familiar with.   There were lots of actors that I recognise from different shows that they've popped up on.   The main star of the show is Richard Armitage who as an actor first came to my attention in the British spy series Spooks, although he has a number of other credits to his name.

Another star is actress Siobhan Finneran who has appeared in several British television shows over the years, but I particularly liked her portayal of  a police detective in The Moorside (available through Amazon Prime).   In this show she, again, plays a detective.

I would also like to mention two other stars of the show - Shaun Dooley and Jennifer Saunders.   I will be honest and say that I felt both of these actors were not (in my opinion) on their best game, but the story was strong enough that they didn't need to be better.   As a fan of Shaun Dooley since I watched Married, Single, Other years ago (a great British drama series) I was a little disappointed in his acting.   I've also loved Jennifer Saunders since her French and Saunders days, but I didn't feel that her acting was to the standard of the rest of the cast.

An actor that was amazing was Paul Kaye, I absolutely hated his character, he played it perfectly

This series is what I call bingeworthy.   We started watching it on a Sunday night and were only going to watch one episode - 3 episodes later we had to turn it off as we had work the next day.   The following night we had things on and decided to just watch one episode before bed...we watched two and it was very hard to get up the following morning.

Luckily the third night we had nothing on and the series only has 8 episodes so we managed to finish it!   I recommend watching it when you have 8 hours to spare because you may not want to stop.

The main story line is very interesting as it's about a stranger approaching someone with details of a secret.   What keeps it enthralling is not just wondering about the stranger, but all the intricate little threads that the writers have kept running through it.   The book was adapted by screenwritter Danny Brocklehurst and he has done an amazing job.

The suspense was kept up with all these surprising things happening - as an example at the end of one of the episodes someone walks into their workplace and is greeted by their workmates.   That doesn't sound very cliffhangerish now does it?   However it made my husband and I both sit up as we hadn't anticipated that happening!

The ending of every episode has you wanting more and that is exactly why I loved it.

I did see that Danny Brocklehurst and Harlan Coben co- wrote another Netflix series called Safe so I am definitely going to put that one on the must watch list!

One of the great things about winter is definitely cold nights watching some great shows/movies with my hubby.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Why You Need a Fun Beauty Headband

I'm going to review for you today why you actually need a fun beauty headband such as this one pictured -

Peace signs, laughter and a fun headband may not make your clay face mask
harden any quicker, but it passes the time nicely!

Now I don't wear make-up very often so I don't need a beauty headband to keep my hair off my face while doing that, but I do love a good face mask.

I have actually written about my favorite face masks on here already from my fun clay face mask to my 'face never felt so smooth' cellular renewal face mask.   I would also like to tell you a little bit about double masking, but that can wait.

You need to have a beauty headband to keep your hair off of your face as your hair doesn't want to get covered in your face mask!   It's also handy to use one when you're cleansing, toning, treating and moisturising your skin.

Why would you grab a boring headband? - you deserve so much more, now maybe you want something glitzy and glam, but I recommend something fun because laughter is good for you and if you can't enjoy a little fun while having beauty treatment in your own home - when can you?

It should come as no surprise to anyone who's read my cow onesie review that I love injecting fun into my life where I can.   At the moment I have two different fun beauty headbands that I use - the one featured above and the one below.   However, I have just discovered a unicorn one on Amazon!   Oh my goodness, that is going on my Christmas list!

This photo was for a face mask and pout friendly competition on instagram, as I've said
you only live once so why not have fun!  Don't you love the ears on this headband?

So where do you get these fun fashion headbands?   Well, you can check out the selection online at Amazon - there are some great ones or keep an eye out when you're at the mall.   I got my two at a local cosmetics store.   If you're self-conscious then I recommend online, the girl seemed to think I'd grown an extra head when I told her they were for me - she'd asked if I was buying them for my daughter!

Don't forget to have fun in your life, even while doing mundane things like treating your skin (a few pouts or peace signs don't go amiss either LOL!)   I have read many times that if you're happy and enjoy life then you'll live longer.  I challenge you not to have fun (or at least crack a little smile) while wearing either a unicorn headband, big bow headband or some other type of fun headband!

Do you have a fun beauty headband?   I'd love to know what ones you have.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Why I Love My Cow Onesie

Today I'm going to review a polar fleece cow onesie for adults and tell you why it was my best birthday gift.   I also love the presentation (kudos to the shop assistant for folding it this way).

My cow onesie all folded up!

So I recently celebrated another trip around the sun and this year my husband surprised me with a few gifts in the morning.  One of them was my absolute favorite for a number of reasons the main one being I had never asked for one and yet it's perfect!   That gift was the cow onesie pictured above.

When I unwrapped it I was like a kid again, I thought he'd got me a fun, novelty cushion to start with and then I realized what it was and I was so excited!   I love that it was a cow because I have a soft spot for cows and because it's just fun!

More Reasons to Love My Cow Onesie

If you're not into cow onesies there are lots of others ones to choose from (to be honest I would've been just as excited to get a unicorn onesie too!).

Polar fleece onesies mean they are lovely and warm which is just perfect for winter.   Here in Australia we are predicted to be heading into a very cold winter this year, so warmth is very important.  

If you have young children you can all wear onesies for a family movie night and have a lot of fun as your favorite animal.   Just in case you didn't realize I do think these are a lot of fun!

If you have a pet they will love snuggling up to you, my dog loves snuggling up all the time, but the cow onesie really won over my fur grandbaby - my daughter's kitten was not straying from her nanny once she felt the polar fleece!

Pets love polar fleece so a polar fleece onesie is just asking for lots of
cuddles - meet my grandfurbaby, Simba!

Back to my onesie, it has a hidden  zip in the back so that you can sit on the toilet without having to get undressed!   

It also has a tail which I thought was a lot of fun (that might just be me though!).

Onesie's with hoods just seem to me to be even warmer and I love putting the hood up as I'm curling up on the couch watching something on television such as House on Haunted Hill or Jack Ryan.

I do recommend going one size up than you'd normally wear as the idea is to be comfy which is easier if you keep the onesie more roomy.

PIN ME!

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

The Haunting of Hill House Reviewed

I have just finished the Netflix television series The Haunting of Hill House that Esquire coined as a spookier version of This is Us.   Not exactly how I would describe it!

I should also note that it is available to watch on Amazon Prime in the US (not sure about other markets), so if you don't have Netflix you can still watch it.

The series is based on the 1959 Gothic horror novel of the same name by Shirley Jackson.   I had actually watched the 1999 movie The Haunting that was also based on this book and although the critics panned it, I enjoyed it as I love psychological horror movies.   By the way, the series is very different to the film so it doesn't matter whether you've seen it or not.

It has been very hard to get my husband to watch any suspenseful or psychological horror films with me over the past couple of decades so when I saw this series I knew I would have to watch it by myself.   I stayed up late at night watching it and I loved it.

The series runs through two timelines (which is where the connection to This is Us comes from), the first is of the Craine family's childhood as they live in Hill House as children before their mother commits suicide in the house.

The second timeline is of them as adults and they are brought together when their youngest sister goes back to Hill House to commit suicide.

Each episode reveals to us how the different family members were impacted by their childhood in the haunted mansion.   I found I was eager to keep watching the next episode.   The youngest twin Nell was haunted during her childhood by the bent neck lady and in the episode aptly named the Bent-Neck Lady there is a surprising twist that I wasn't expecting as to the identity of this lady.

I was a little disappointed by how the season ended, but if I'm honest I'm not sure that I would've been happy with any ending.

I think the actors were perfectly picked for their characters and acted their roles really well, I found myself completely drawn into the series.  I recommended it to my daughter and my husband told her that he didn't need to watch it as he'd listened to my commentary, ' don't go, oh you had to go there didn't you?', I do not recall having that conversation with the television, but it is very plausable!

If you can sleep after watching supernatural dramas that are full of suspense then I thoroughly recommend this one.   Apparently they are bringing out a second season based on another family and another house.   I'll be honest I probably won't watch that one as I feel like this was a one season show. 

Definitely worth a quiet night in and a big bag of popcorn.

More Television Series | Mini Series to Enjoy

If you don't fancy this television series I can also recommend the following shows (although please note I've only watched one season of Shetland):

Thirteen (2016 TV Mini-Series)
This mini-series starts with a young 26 year old woman running out of a house for a payphone and claiming to be a girl called Ivy who was last seen 13 years ago. Is it really her and what has happened over the last 13 years?

Good Omens 2019 TV Miniseries
David Tennant and Martin Sheen are absolutely outstanding in this adaptation of Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman's book Good Omens. Even if you've never read the book you will love the writing and the chemistry between these two characters representing good and evil.

Reviewing the Amazon Prime TV Series Upload
This dark comedy is based in the year 2033 where death doesn't always mean it's all over. If you have the money you can choose to upload your consciousness and memories into a virtual 'afterlife' where you can stay forever

Shetland Series Reviewed
Shetland is a crime drama set in the picturesque Scottish Shetland Islands, the main character is DI Jimmy Perez who's also a single father. The scenery is beautiful and the plots are full of twists which make them very watchable.

Reviewing Agatha Christie's the ABC Murders
The ABC Murders is definitely one of Agatha Christie's best novels, this adaptation does take some liberties that a purist may not like, but it is still an enjoyable mini series to watch.

The Widow Series Reviewed
This series starts with English widow seeing a news article where she believes she spots her late husband alive and well in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Of course this leads to her flying out to DRC in search of him, the series has twists and turns, suspense and action and is thoroughly recommended.

Reviewing Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan - The TV Series
Jack Ryan is a character who was born in a novel by Tom Clancy, the son of a Baltimore cop and a nurse who serves as a marine before becoming a history teacher and finally joining the CIA. A few of the books were made into blockbuster movies and now we have a television series.

And Then There Were None - The Mini-Series
Based on an Agatha Christie novel this is one of her darker novels and is based in the 1930s around a nursery rhyme called 10 Little Indians/10 Little Soldiers. It will keep you guessing right up to the end.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Reviewing Mother's Day Gift Ideas

Every Mother's Day people are looking to get something special for their mother.   While flowers and chocolates are a common standby, let's look at some other awesome Mother's Day gift ideas.

Gifts for the Mum's Who Love to Read

Obviously, if their favorite author has released a book then grab them a copy, or if you've heard of a new author that you think they'd like this is an ideal time to make that introduction!

There are other things that would be good for book lovers though one of our contributors has reviewed an amazing range of gift ideas for people who love big books.

I Like Big Books and I Cannot Lie Gift Ideas

Your mother might be a regular at her local library in which case a library book would definitely not go astray.

Library Bags for Adults

Personally, there have been two gifts which I have absolutely loved as a bookworm mum - my kindle was a gift from my husband.  Now I've always loved reading 'real books', but I've found with a kindle I am reading a lot more (and have ventured into a lot more genres).   I tend to read fiction on my kindle and nonfiction (books that I'm likely to refer back to) as actual books.

The other gift is a gift I gave myself - Kindle Unlimited.   It is amazing, in the first week of my Christmas holiday this year I downloaded 13 books through Kindle Unlimited and read them all.   It's like an enormous library of books to choose from.

Gifts for Tea or Coffee Drinking Mothers

Don't all mothers drink at least one of these?   You could buy them some specialty coffees or teas or even a coffee machine.   Another idea that always seems to be a winner is a mug.

Mugs for Mum Ideas

There are lots of different gift ideas for coffee lovers such as these coffee slippers.

Women's Coffee Slippers - Perfect for the Coffee Loving Mom

When it comes to the tea-drinking mother then we have some great gift ideas right here -

Best Gifts for Tea Lovers

Gifts for Moms That Enjoy Wine

You can get some beautiful wine glasses including the fun Lolita collection that I'm sure any mom would love.   If they already have wine glasses covered then maybe they need some wine pearls ...

Wine Pearls - Chilling Wine in Style

Of course, some nice wine to go with it is bound to be appreciated!

Spa Gift Ideas for Your Mother

Maybe you want your mother to feel special and a spa day with you just isn't on the cards.   Why not give her some of Arbonne's beautiful spa range so that she can have a spa experience in her own home.

Arbonne's Rescue & Renew Product, perfect for a day spa at home

One of the products in their spa range is the French pink clay face mask which feels absolutely divine, you can read about it here:

Have Fun with this Pink Clay Face Mask

Essential Oils for Your Mum

Following on from the spa idea is essential oils, if your mum loves essential oils then she may have her own selection, but I'm sure she would be happy to get some aromatherapy jewelry or a diffuser.   If she's interested (or you think she would be) in aromatherapy then you could get her a few essential oils.

Some great essential oils for a beginner include lavender, lemon and peppermint (make sure that any you purchase are 100% pure essential oils).

Why I Love My Aromatherapy Necklace
I love my aromatherapy necklace, it's something I had been thinking of getting for a while, but it was actually my daughter who finally brought me one as a gift. Let me share my review with you and let you know how I wouldn't be without this now.

An Essential Oil Diffuser Lives Up to All the Hype
I received a HoMedics brand of essential oil diffuser as a gift and I love it. It's easy to use. The rotating colored lights gives the room a lovely ambience as well. Read my review to see what my hesitation on getting one was and why I think it lives up to the hype.

Lava Stone Bracelet Review
These bracelets are fully adjustable due to the sliding knot and are surprisingly affordable. Lava stones can be used as a wearable oil diffuser. They also make a very attractive fashion accessory.

Gift Ideas for Mothers Who Love a Puzzle

If your mother enjoys jigsaw puzzles or Sudoku then I have a few gift ideas she may enjoy right here:

Wooden Puzzle Compartment Boxes
The boxes are offered individually with different designs to choose from. The workmanship is beyond outstanding. You would never know just looking at the box that it is also a fabulous puzzle with secret compartments inside.

A Novel Gift for a Sudoku Fan
I think this novel gift idea for Sudoku fans is even more apt in 2020! It is ideal for a mom that has a sense of humour as well as a love of this numerical puzzle, I know my mum would get a laugh out of it.

Reviewing Ravensburger Puzzles Over 2000 Pieces
Ravensburger is a brand of puzzle that I can count on for quality. With over 2000 pieces in these puzzles they are ideal for a mother who is serious about her jigsaw puzzles (although you may want to measure her table beforehand to make sure it will fit!

More Gift Ideas that Moms Will Love

Of course, I love a comfy pair of PJs, a dressing gown, or a warm pair of slippers when it comes to comfy and practical gift ideas.  In fact, a gift idea that was a huge hit with this mum was a cow onesie!

Handmade Crocheted Slippers
Slipper Socks Reviewed

Scarves are also a great gift idea and I know I've got a few for my own mother over the last few years.  In 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic, a group of people that I work online with started to show off their scarf selections by way of big hair bows.   I couldn't resist joining in!

Me trying out a big hair bow for the first time!

Beautiful Affordable Scarves Make Great Gift Ideas

If you can't be there with your mother this Mother's Day then why not look at getting her lipstick to brighten up her day so that she can smile anyway!

I absolutely love the feel (and look) of Arbonne's Lip Duos which I've reviewed here:

Reviewing Arbonne's Lip Duos

What Will You Be Getting Your Mum This Year?

I've actually gotten my mum something from Arbonne this year (I can't say what in case she reads this) for a couple of reasons.   The first is that I think she'll love it (the most important thing after all).  The second is that I could log into my online account, order something for her and get it shipped straight to her door even though we live in different countries.   That is what I call convenience.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON: