Review:Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan.

  Hey guys! Today's post is going to be a book review on Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan. I'll start off by saying that John Green is my favorite author, and I'm always overly impressed with his writing. This was the first time I'd ever read anything from David Levithan, but I really, really enjoyed his parts of the book.

Description:
 "Will Grayson, meet Will Grayson. One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two strangers cross paths. Two teens with the same name, running in two very different circles, suddenly find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, culminating in heroic turns-of-heart and the most epic musical ever to grace the high school stage."

 Review:
 So in this book, Green and Levithan both have a character named Will Grayson, who are actually very different despite their name. One Will Grayson has a best friend named Tiny Cooper and is kinda-but-not-really interested in a girl named Jane. The other Will Grayson is dealing with depression and is in love with someone whom he has never met.
 This book is a YA book, but just as a warning, it contains lots of cruel language and references to drinking and sex.
 I really enjoyed this style this book was written in. On Levithan's parts, the book is actually written in all lowercase. I actually really liked that aspect, and I thought it made the book even more unique.
 As soon as I started reading this book, I knew I was going to love it. Even after the first chapter, it had me laughing out loud. From a teenagers perspective, this book is super relatable. The book can go from colorful and bright to dark and sad-much like a teenagers life.
 Several of the characters are gay in this book, and all of the characters I really, really liked. There's something about each character that's super relatable, even one specific character whom I wanted to strangle later in the book.
 Overall, I highly recommend this book. This was such a fantastic read. This is by far the best book I've read since The Fault in Our Stars. This book just generally made me feel a lot of emotions-especially happy. This is probably the most entertaining book I've ever read. There were times in this book I got pissed-off, times where my heart melted, and many, many times where I burst out laughing. I even cried at the very end because it's just so touching. I just absolutely loved this book. 5/5 stars. Definitely in my top three favorite books, right up there with TFIOS and The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

 What book should I review next?

:) Becca

Favorites:January 2014.

   Well, hello, there! So basically, I haven't blogged in over six months. I'm incredibly, incredibly sorry. Life got really busy the last half of 2013, but I'm super happy to be blogging again and don't plan on stopping anytime soon. I hope everyone is having a great 2014 so far! Since I haven't blogged in so long, there's several products I haven't talked about. So for my first post in 2014, I thought I'd do a January Favorites!

 My first favorite is the Clinique Liquid Facial Soap in Mild. I believe I've talked about this product before, but I don't think I've ever been more in love with it than I am right now. I'll admit it-cleaning my face is a chore. And honestly, I get super lazy with it. But one day in early December I decided to really deep cleanse my skin, and I LOVED the way my face felt afterwards. After that, I actually was excited to wash my face. I have this soap in the "Mild Dry Combination" version, and I really, really like it. It's gentle enough, but it really gets the job done. I double cleanse with this morning and night, and my skin feels so good afterwards. I also really like the smell. The only negative is it's a tad hard to wash off, as several Clinique products are. But I highly, highly recommend.

Ahh, Bath & Body Works, how I love you. I have three B&BW products that I've been absolutely obsessed with this month. First is the Paris Amour Body Lotion. Honestly, I've never really been a big fan of lotion. I just don't like feeling greasy. But I've been super dry this month, and I've been using this every time after I shower. I really love this lotion. Paris Amour is one of my all time favorite scents, and it doesn't compete with whatever perfume I'm wearing. This lotion is wonderful. Next is the Winter Candy Apple Fragrance Mist. This is currently unavaliable at B&BW because it was limited edition for the holidays, but this is a scent that they always bring back. Whenever I want something light and refreshing, this is what I spray on. It's not overpowering, and it just smells SO GOOD! Lastly is the Amber Blush eau de toilette. Holy cow. This. Smells. Amazing. I did get this in the fall time, and although it's the perfect fall scent, I'm going to be wearing it year round. I get so many compliments every time I wear this. I actually went back and purchased two more of this travel sized bottle. I think this is the best scent B&BW has had in a long time. Highly recommend.

Next is the Batiste Dry Shampoo in Blush. Okay, hands down-best dry shampoo I've ever tried. My hair gets super greasy super fast, and this product works wonders. I don't think it adds a ton of volume, but that's not what I was looking for in a dry shampoo. I bought this in the scent "Blush" because I thought it smelled good, and it does, but the scent is really strong. After I use this, my entire room smells like this product, and it's just too overpowering. Definitely repurchasing, but next time I'll stick with the original.

Next is the Elf Makeup Mist and Set Spray. I don't know if my makeup products just happen to be super long-lasting, or if this product is a miracle worker, but something is making my makeup last ALL DAY. I honestly love this stuff. I go through it super quickly, but it's only $3 a bottle, and you truly can't beat that. To be honest, when I very first bought this product, I didn't really think it would work. But like I said, my makeup has been lasting the entire day. This stuff is really great.

  Next is the Revlon Illuminance Creme Shadow in Electric Pop. I've actually owned this product for years, and back when I was really into brighter colors, the bright blue in this quad was my jam. But lately I've really been liking the light frosty white shadow as a base. It really makes my eyes pop, and it looks great with the next product I'll be talking about.

  Next is the Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette. I use this every single day. Every single color in this palette is really simple, but absolutely amazing. Honestly, I wasn't really a fan of matte colors until using this palette. I recommend this so, so much. Probably my favorite eyeshadow palette ever.

  Next is the Elf Liquid Eyeliner in Black. This is a really pigmented eyeliner, and it always looks great. It's amazing, and probably my favorite liquid eyeliner ever.

 
  I got this Clinique palette a super long time ago, but the product I've been loving is the blush on the bottom. It's in the color Iced Lotus. I've never been a huge blush fan, but this is the perfect color for me. It's very light and natural. The texture is very nice and soft. It's just beautiful.

  The last makeup product is the Elf Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder. Whenever I purchased this, they actually only had this one, but this product now comes in three shades. I believe the color I have is St. Lucia. Like I said, I'm not a big blush person, so I'm showing this for the bronzer. I use this for contouring everyday, and it's become my all time favorite bronzer. Depending on what brush you use, it blends really nicely. And for only three dollars, you should give it a go!

  These are the brushes I've been using to contour. The first is the Mac 187 Brush. I love this brush because it's super soft and gives me a really, really natural contour. I really recommend this if you want your contour to blend nicely. I occasionally notice some slight shedding, but nothing bad at all. This brush is on the pricer side, but if you're looking for a brush that will give you the most natural contour, I highly recommend this one. On days when I want a stronger contour, I use my Real Techniques Contour Brush. This brush is SO soft and easy to work with. If you want your contour to be more precise, this is what I recommend. It doesn't blend quite as well as the Mac one, but that's why I use it when I want my contour to be more noticeable. Both of these brushes are super soft and easy to clean, and I really recommend both of them.

  My book favorite this month was by far Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan.  I'm going to be doing a full review of this in the near future, but overall, this is the best book I've read in a long time. This was just such a fantastic and hilarious book.


  That was all my favorites for this month! I've been wanting to pick up some new products, so if there's any makeup or books you would like to me to review, leave them below! :)

:) Becca

Weekend Review: MAC Pro Longwear Lipglass

                                                (Photo is from here.)

For today's Weekend Review, I'll be reviewing the MAC Pro Longwear Lipglass in Long Love Love. Let's get started! :)

Let's start out with the pros. MAC never disappoints me, especially with their lip glasses. This color has definitely hit a home run for me.This product lasts forever, and the color is perfect. Long Love Love is described as a "light cool pink". I agree with that, but it's actually quite bright. I think this color looks great on lighter skin tones. And like I said, it lasts forever! I only have to reapply maybe once, and at the most twice.

Now for the cons. This lipgloss is incredibly thick, which makes it kind of messy to apply. It's also sticky. Like, really, really sticky. If I wear to repurchase, it would be because of the color. I'm super impressed with the staying power and color, but it's just so sticky and messy. And to be honest, I'm not a big fan of any of the other colors. This is the type of lipgloss that when you talk it transfers back and forth between the upper and lower lip, if that makes sense. I can't complain too much about the thickness or stickiness, though, because this lipgloss really does last. I was looking for a very specific color when I found this, and I'm super glad I did.

Overall, if you find a color that you really like in these Pro Longwear Lipglasses, I say go ahead and purchase it. They're $20.00, and they'll last you for a long time. However, if you're buying a lipgloss just to buy a lipgloss, I say skip these and maybe try the regular lipglasses.

Hope you enjoyed this Weekend Review! :)

:) Becca

What's in my Makeup Bag?

Hey guys! :) Today I thought it would be fun to do an updated "What's in my Everyday Makeup Bag?" post! These are pretty much my all-time favorite makeup products, so if you'd like a review on any of them, feel free to request! Let's get started!


Face Products:
-Maybelline BB Cream in Light
-Clinique Blushwear Cream Stick in Glow Blush
-Clinique Even Better Foundation in Ivory(#3)
-NYC Sun 'n Bronze Bronzing Powder in Coney Island Glow
-ELF Golden Bronzer
-Maybelline Mineral Power Pressed Powder in Light
-ELF Contouring Blush & Bronzer
-ELF All Over Color Stick in Golden Peach
-Estée Lauder Signature Shimmer Powder in Gold Pearl
-Clinique Almost Bronzer in Light/Medium
-Covergirl Nature Luxe Foundation in Alabaster
-Covergirl Clean Pressed Powder in Ivory
-Essence Match 2 Cover! Cream Concealer
-Benefit the POREfessional
-Covergirl Invisible Concealer in Fair


Eye Products:
-Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette
-NYX Super Skinny Eye Marker in Carbon Black
-ELF Brightening Eye Palette in Brownstone
-Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Gel Liner for Blue Eyes
-Maybelline The Rocket Mascara in Blackest Black
-Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion
-Almay Intense i-Color trio for Brown Eyes
-Maybelline Eyestudio Cream Eyeshadow Trio in Rose Revolution
-Maybelline Mega Plush Macara in Very Black
-Covergirl Smokey Shadow Blast in Purple Plume
-ELF Brightening Eyeliner in Black
-ELF Liquid Eyeliner in Black
-NYX Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil in Cashmere
-NYX Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil in Milk
-NYX Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil in Gold
-Essence Gel Eyeliner in Midnight in Paris

Lip Products:
-NYX Mega Shine Lipgloss in Chandelier
-Maybelline Color Whisper in Petal Rebel
-Ava Skylark Lipgloss by Elle&Blair
-Ulta Brilliant Lip Color in Petal Pink
-Nivea Lip Butter in Raspberry Rosé Kiss
-Starry Hydrant Lip Saver in Grape
-Revlon Lip Butter in Strawberry Shortcake
-Covergirl Lipstick in Darling
-MAC Lipglass in Viva Glam Nicki
-Covergirl Blask FlipStick in Snap
-Wet 'n Wild Lipstick in Pink Ice
-Ulta Lipstick in Tickled Pink
-Wet 'n Wild Juicy Lip Balm in Cherry
-Clinique Chubby Stick in Whoppin' Watermelon
-Essence XXXL Shine Lipgloss in Nude Candy
-MAC Pro Longwear Lipglass in Long Love Lovw


So that's everything that's in my makeup bag! :) I'm thinking about doing a post on my everyday makeup brushes, so if you'd like to see that, comment below! :) Hope you enjoyed this post!

:) Becca

Okay? Okay.:The Fault in Our Stars-Book Review.

                                                         (Photo is from here.)

So I'm finally doing another book review! :) A few days ago I finished reading The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. So if you aren't familiar with the plot of this book, this is what the inside cover states:

"Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis.  But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten."

So basically, this is a love story between two teenagers who are battling cancer. It's such a beautiful, humorous, and tragic story. You want to feel so happy for Hazel and Augustus, but you can't because you know that they are both sick and you can't help but feel like there's not going to be a happy ending.  But despite all the sadness, this book was so incredibly good. I've never read a story like this one, the closest thing would probably be The Perks of Being a Wallflower, which is a TOTALLY different storyline. It's incredibly heart-wrenching, but the humor in it is straight up laugh-out-loud.

As characters go, there wasn't any character that I didn't like. Each one of their situations makes you care for them so much. They're definitely not the most relatable characters, but in this book that didn't really matter.

I believe this is labeled as a young adult book, which I agree with. There's hardly any sexuality, and when there is, the book doesn't go into detail, literally no more than a sentence or two. There's also really no violence, unless you count one of the characters ranting and smashing trophies. I think the only thing stopping younger aged readers from reading this is the amount of sadness and tragedy. It's definitely an emotional book, but the wittiness of it is just great.

This is the only book I've read of John Green, but his writing has by far left an amazing impression on me. I'm really interested in reading Looking for Alaska, so if you've read that, tell me what you think in the comments below! The way this book was written was just beautiful, so I'm excited to read more of his work.

Overall, this is probably one of the best books I have ever read. If you've read this, tell me what you think! :) Also, if you have any other recommendations of books I should read/review, leave it in a comment below! Hope you enjoyed this review!

:) Becca

Weekend Review: Bath&BodyWorks Shimmer Be Enchanted Body Butter

                                                              (Photo is from here.)

For today's Weekend Review, I'm going to be reviewing the Bath & Body Works Shimmer Be Enchanted Body Butter. Let's get started! :)

First off, this scent is amazing. It's described as a "fresh, sparkling blend of frosted florals sweetened with sugared pomegranate". This body butter is super moisturizing, and this little one is such a bargain at only $7! The full size is $15, which isn't too bad, considering you get 7 oz. I really love this scent, and I'm considering purchasing it in a perfume!

The only con is that the amount of shimmer is way too intense. It's okay for your body; to give it a nice glow, but it gets all over your hands, and everything you touch throughout the day will become glittery. If you're investing in a body butter just for the moisture, then I would highly recommend getting the non-shimmer version. (By the way, the glitter in it is gold, so yes, it is very noticeable.) But other than that, this is quite an amazing product! :) Overall, I would really recommend if you don't mind shimmer!

Would you guys prefer if these Weekend Review posts be only on one product? Or maybe two, or three? I feel like this post was quite short, but I can stick to one product per post if you prefer. Leave me your comments below! :) Also, next post will be a book review! Get excited!!

:) Becca

Walmart and Ulta Beauty/Makeup Haul

So recently I picked up some products from Ulta as well as Walmart! I thought I would do a haul, so let's get started! :)

First is the Essence XXXL Shine Lipgloss in Nude Candy. I now have three of these lip glosses, and I'm in love with them. The next time I'm at Ulta, I'm going to repurchase this color along with some new ones! This nude-peachy color just really draws me in, and the product in general is amazing! Such a steal!

I also wanted to pick up an Ulta Brilliant Color Lipgloss. This one is in Petal Pink. I haven't used it enough to really say my thoughts, but I'll do a full review after a couple more uses!

Next is an Ulta Lipstick in Tickled Pink. It's a little bit shimmery and fairly moisturizing. This is another product that I really haven't used enough to tell if I like it. So far the only con I have notice is that it's not super long-lasting!

I also picked up the Essence Match2Cover Creamy Concealer. I actually really love this stuff! I'm pretty sure it's my new favorite concealer. :) It doesn't 100% cover my dark circles, but what does? Plus, it has really great coverage! It's perfect!

Lastly from Ulta, I got the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Cashmere, which is from The Mortal Instruments collection! Everyone knows how great this product is, and I'm loving this color. Great buy!

Moving on to what I picked up at Walmart, first, I got the Wet n Wild Lipstick in Pink Ice. I've only used this once, but so far I really love the formula. Not sure how I feel about the color, though.

Last, but not least, I got the Almay Intense I-Color for Brown Eyes. I haven't tried this yet, but I'm really excited to! :)

I can't wait to try out all these products! If you would like an in-depth review, tell me in the comments below! :)

Becca :)