Des Absurdités

The Secret World of Arrietty

2012-02-10T00:00:00.089-05:00

When I was younger, I remember reading Mary Norton's The Borrowers and thinking how interesting it would be if there really were little people living throughout our homes, using things humans don't need. Now the word of the Borrowers is coming to life in the new movie The Secret World of Arrietty, which hits theaters on February 17!

Here is a synopsis of the film:

Residing quietly beneath the floorboards are little people who live undetected in a secret world to be discovered, where the smallest may stand tallest of all. From the legendary Studio Ghibli (“Spirited Away,” “Ponyo”) comes “The Secret World of Arrietty,” an animated adventure based on Mary Norton’s acclaimed children’s book series “The Borrowers.”

Arrietty (voice of Bridgit Mendler), a tiny, but tenacious 14-year-old, lives with her parents (voices of Will Arnett and Amy Poehler) in the recesses of a suburban garden home, unbeknownst to the homeowner and her housekeeper (voice of Carol Burnett). Like all little people, Arrietty (AIR-ee-ett-ee) remains hidden from view, except during occasional covert ventures beyond the floorboards to “borrow” scrap supplies like sugar cubes from her human hosts. But when 12-year-old Shawn (voice of David Henrie), a human boy who comes to stay in the home, discovers his mysterious housemate one evening, a secret friendship blossoms. If discovered, their relationship could drive Arrietty’s family from the home and straight into danger. The English language version of “The Secret World of Arrietty” was executive produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall, and directed by Gary Rydstrom. The film hits theaters Feb. 17, 2012.

I am really excited to see this movie! The first time I saw a preview for it on TV, I did not know that it was intentionally based off of The Borrowers books. I thought that maybe someone else had come up with the same idea and thought it was new and creative. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the movie was based off of the books! It's such an exciting world to bring to life!

Here are a couple of clips from the movie:

I can't wait to see the movie myself- if I can, I hope to see it opening weekend!

You can find out more about The Secret World of Arrietty on Facebook. This Facebook page has clips and information about the movie.

FTC Disclaimer: All information contained in this post, including video clips, and film information was provided to me by Disney. The opinions expressed are my own.

Freebie Sites #2: ExpoTV

2012-02-09T00:00:00.000-05:00

For my second post in this series, I want to highlight a site called ExpoTV. This site is a little different than a lot of the "freebie sites" out there because it is not exculsively a site that gives away free things. I've had a lot of fun participating in ExpoTV! I'll talk a little bit about what the site is all about, and then why I've enjoyed it so much!

The slogan for ExpoTV is "Real People. Authentic Opinions." As a member of ExpoTV, you can create video reviews of products you use so you can share your opinion with other consumers and brands alike. You can create a video review for any product you use. For some products, you can earn points for submitting a video. Sometimes, you earn points because a certain company wants video reviews made of their products. Other times, there are not enough reviews available of a certain product, so ExpoTV offers extra points for submitting a review of these "most wanted" products. The points can then be redeemed for a huge variety of items, from gift cards to electronics to appliances and more. If you submit a review for a product that is not eligible for points, you are instead entered into a monthly sweepstakes for a prize (which changes each month).

I have to admit that for a long time after joining ExpoTV, I was wary of participating. It seemed strange to me to make a video review of a product. In addition, I really don't like public speaking, and it was difficult for me to record a cbohesive review when I so hated being on camera. However, once I decided that it was worth putting up with my hatred for being on camera, I began to really enjoy participating in ExpoTV. I now have a lot of fun talking about the products I use. I also really trust reviews from other people that are posted on the site. The points also add up very quickly if you submit those videos, and you can earn gift cards after only a couple of video submissions!

Maybe you're asking why I am including ExpoTV in a series about free things. Well, ExpoTV also had a program called Tryology, where members can get sent products to sample and review. Most of the time, these products have yet to be released to the public, so if you're lucky enough to get selected to participate in a Tryology program, you'll actually be one of the first people ever to sample the product! You don't earn points for submitting your Tryology review, but you do get to keep all the products that are sent to you. In my experience, they've always been full-sized product "samples".

I have participated in two Tryology programs so far- once for a Suave product, and once for Herbal Essences. One of the products I decided not to use after receiving it, so my video review was about why I made that decision. The other product I loved and have used practically every day since receiving it. (Since I signed a confidentiality agreement before participating, I unfortunately can not say more about the products at the moment.) The great thing about ExpoTV's Tryology program is that you can talk about your honest opinion of the product in your video.

If you have an outgoing personality and like to talk about products you use, I highly recommend participating in ExpoTV! Whether you participate in Tryology or not, you can still earn great rewards with the points you earn!

If you're already a member of ExpoTV, let me know what you think of it!

FTC Disclaimer: I am a member of ExpoTV. I posted this review for the benefits of my site readers. I was not asked to do so by ExpoTV, and I am receiving no compensation for this post.

BOOK REVIEW - Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

2012-02-08T00:00:00.000-05:00

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads:

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

Lola and the Boy Next Door is a companion book to Anna and the French Kiss. It's not really a sequel, because although there are crossover characters (more St. Clair, anyone? :) ), the plot of Lola is entirely its own. However, I couldn't help but compare this book to Anna when reading it. Maybe this is unfortunate, because if Lola had been the first Stephanie Perkins book I'd read, I would have absolutely loved it.

I couldn't help but feel sympathetic towards Cricket, and even Calliope, twins who were Lola's next door neighbors in her childhood, throughout the entire book. Though they were set up to be the "bad guys" in a sense, over the course of the book, these two characters grew more than any others. From the beginning of the book to the end, as Lola's opinion of the twins grew and changed, so did mine. I believed what Lola felt, and I found myself agreeing with her nearly all of the time. Lola's emotions towards her family, friends, and boyfriend took me on a roller coaster ride the whole time I was reading. Everything she felt seemed so genuine that it was possible to forget that she only exists within a book.

I really don't know what exactly about Lola made me not love it as much as I loved Anna. Quite possibly, it was because Anna took place in Paris, a city that I've visited many times and love. I don't have that same connection to San Francisco. In addition to that, the plots of Anna and Lola follow nearly the same arc. While the characters are different, it is easy to see counterparts between both books- the main character, the love interest, the significant other who causes problems, the best friend... It was mainly for this reason that it became so easy to compare the two books. Side by side, I enjoyed Anna much more. Independently, they both are amazing.

I would recommend reading Lola and the Boy Next Door if you're looking for a fun, contemporary romance. I would have to give this book 4 out of 5 stars, because Anna got 5+ in my mind. However, Lola is still a worthwhile read for any fan of contemporary YA, whether you've read Anna yet or not!

2012 in Pictures (3)

2012-02-04T09:59:00.000-05:00

January 19: On my way back to my dorm, I watched a hawk try and catch a squirrel (to eat). Couldn't get my camera out in time to take a picture of that, but here is the hawk up in a tree.

January 20: My desk calendar in lab!

January 21: I got the first parking space in the lot! Small victories...

January 22: I made pound cake. It was FANTASTIC. And it cooked in a reasonable amount of time!

January 23: SNOW!!!

January 24: There was this cool icicle hanging out of a gutter on the overpass.

January 25: The Brett Hall oven got even fancier with the addition of a light and a fan!

January 26: I got a "top secret" package from ExpoTV with a new Herbal Essences product to sample. I love it...but I still can't say what it is!

January 27: My first package from Swaggable! Did I mention that I love getting things for free? ;-)

January 28: Alumni day at pep band. We filled up three rows of trumpets!

January 29: A photo for an auction I listed on Listia...I needed more points to get some hair stuff (barrettes, hats, etc.) that I've been eying.

January 30: I cooked myself a delicious dinner using the new and improved Brett kitchen. I made spiced turkey tenderloins with spaghetti and spinach. It was delicious!

January 31: The BzzKits for two new Bzz Campaigns I'm in- Dunkin' Donuts and Ristorante Pizza. (Blog posts are forthcoming for both of these.)

Freebie Sites #1: BzzAgent

2012-02-02T15:00:00.017-05:00

I tried to do a series like this last year and I failed miserably at it after the second week (oops!), but I am going to attempt (again) to write a series of posts on websites that send out free products to consumers. The sites are all different in their goals for sending out products, so it's important to learn about each site before deciding whether to join and participate. I will highlight a different site each Thursday!

The first site that I'd like to highlight is BzzAgent. You may recognize this name from a number of other posts on my blog. I've been a member of BzzAgent for about a year and 9 months, and it's been fantastic! Before I tell you about my experience as a BzzAgent, though, here is some information about what the company's purpose is.

BzzAgent is a Word of Mouth (WOM) marketing site. What this means is that in exchange for providing free products, the recipient is then expected to spread the word about the product to family and friends. You are not expected to provide a positive review- just an honest one, whether you liked the product or not. Companies (such as L'Oreal, Maybelline, Dunkin' Donuts, and Orbit) hire BzzAgent to start this WOM marketing process for them. BzzAgent works with the company to target a certain demographic whom they think are the prime users of the product. Then, people who fit this demographic are offered a Campaign- meaning, they are given the opportunity to request a sample of the product as well as either coupons or samples to pass along to others who they think may be interested in trying out the product. In exchange for this, BzzAgent asks that people report back how they spread "bzz" about the product. On the website, you submit a report detailing who you talked to, what you said, and how they reacted. It really is not much to do in exchange for receiving free products! In addition to that, you can create bzz through Facebook, Twitter, and blogging.

My experience with BzzAgent has only been fantastic! Over the past year and a half plus, I've participated in 17 campaigns, 6 of which have been online/digital products or services, and 11 of which have been for physical products. Though it's certainly fun to get "real" items in the mail, the online campaings have been fun too! I love talking about all the things I get for free and getting friends and family to try the products out with me. Even after Campaigns have ended, I still find myself bzzing about certain products. In particular, I still talk about the Maybelline Baby Lips lip balm and the Amazon Kindle Keyboard that I got from BzzAgent! (Check out my Kindle reviews here and here.)

If you love spreading the word about new products, then BzzAgent might be for you! Check out the site for yourself! If you join, make sure to fill out the surveys available to you. Then, sit back and wait patiently (difficult, I know!) for a Campaign invite, which will be sent to you by e-mail. hszIt could take months for this to happen, but trust me- it's worth the wait.) If the product or service looks interesting to you, accept the Campaing offer and then get bzzing away!

Are you a member of BzzAgent? What do you think of it?

FTC Disclaimer: I am a member of BzzAgent. However, I was not asked to write this post, and all opinions expressed are my own.

(2015)QUILT for an AIDS-free Generation

2012-01-31T00:00:00.034-05:00

AIDS is a terrible disease that has been plaguing the world for decades. Because there is no cure, the majority of people who contract the disease will ultimately die from it. The only way to stop the spread of AIDS is to treat those who have it as best as possible and prevent them from spreading it to others.

That is where the organizations ONE and (RED) come in. Both of these organizations are dedicated to stopping the spread of AIDS. ONE and (RED) believe that by the year 2015, it will be possible to stop the spread of AIDS from mother to baby by providing treatment to HIV+ pregnant women. This treatment costs just 40¢ per day! Yet throughout the world, it is not available to those who need it most.

You can help show your support for an AIDS-free Generation and pledge your solidarity in helping to reach this goal by 2015. The (2015)QUILT is a project which allows you to create a digital patch on a quilt, and join others around the world who are committed to eliminating the spread of AIDS.

Here is some information on the (2015)QUILT project:

We are so close.
In 1987, a quilt created by The Names Project Foundation covered the National Mall in Washington, D.C., memorializing those we lost to AIDS. Today, we stand at the threshold of another defining milestone in this fight: by 2015, we should be able to provide treatment to the millions more who need it, drastically reduce new infections, and virtually end the transmission of HIV from mothers to their babies. 1.4 million HIV+ pregnant women need access to treatment – treatment that only costs about 40 cents a day.

It can be done. But we need your help to get there.

Join millions of existing ONE and (RED) supporters. Add your panel to the (2015)QUILT. Make a pledge to do more and a thank you gift will come your way. Our friends, THE KILLERS have once again recorded a Christmas song for us— their 6th song for the cause. Add your pledge to the (2015)QUILT and receive one of (THE KILLERS) RED Christmas songs for free.

The beginning of the end of AIDS starts with you.

If you are on Klout and you'd like to make a pledge to help stop the spread of AIDS to newborns by 2015, ten people can join the (2015)QUILT perk using this link that I received to share. If you aren't one of the first 10 people, or if you're not on Klout, you can still visit the (2015)QUILT project and make a patch yourself. Then spread the word to others. Education is the first step in achieving this goal.

FTC Disclaimer: I am received information on this project through Klout Perks. I was under no obligation to share my opinion; I did so for the benefit of my readers and because I believe this is an important cause. All opinions expressed are my own.

Free Sample Purex

2012-01-30T14:30:00.016-05:00

Because of its success in the past, Purex has once again opened up their free sample website! This time you can get a sample of Purex Triple Action laundry detergent. (Check out my review of it here!) If the site is not working, check back throughout the afternoon; it's just going live today and I don't know at exactly what time. Once you've gotten your sample, stop back here and let me know whether you loved this detergent as much as I did!

FTC Disclaimer: I received notice of this promotion through my participation in Purex Insiders. All opinions expressed are my own.

BOOK REVIEW - The Death Cure by James Dashner

2012-01-29T00:00:00.035-05:00

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Thomas knows that Wicked can't be trusted, but they say the time for lies is over, that they've collected all they can from the Trials and now must rely on the Gladers, with full memories restored, to help them with their ultimate mission. It's up to the Gladers to complete the blueprint for the cure to the Flare with a final voluntary test.

What Wicked doesn't know is that something's happened that no Trial or Variable could have foreseen. Thomas has remembered far more than they think. And he knows that he can't believe a word of what Wicked says.

The time for lies is over. But the truth is more dangerous than Thomas could ever imagine.

Will anyone survive the Death Cure?

I wanted to love The Death Cure. I really, really wanted to love it. I wanted it to be filled with mystery and suspense like the previous two books in the trilogy, and I wanted it to answer the questions that have been building throughout the series. I wanted to find out what Thomas' childhood was like, and what his role in WICKED was before he entered the Maze. I wanted to find out why Teresa made the decisions she did, and what her relationship with Thomas was like before the Maze. Unfortunately, I did not learn any of those things in what turned out to be a slightly disappointing end to what could have been a fantastic trilogy.

Dashner continued to successfully develop confusion and mystery in The Death Cure. Each page seemed to create more questions in my mind. Because WICKED is an organization based on lies, I found myself constantly wondering what was the truth and what was not. This kept me wanting to read more, with the hopes of finding out what really was going on in this post-apocalyptic world. Intrigue-wise, The Death Cure was extremely successful.

My overall complaint with the book was how few of my questions were answered. Based on the previous two books in the series, as well as early events in The Death Cure, it seemed as though there were some things that would simply have to be revealed in order for the series to reach a conclusion. Somehow, Dashner managed to end the book without answering most of these questions. The ending was acceptable, but once I actually closed the book and thought about it, I found myself unhappy with how much information I still did not know. It felt to me as though the answers to some of these questions could have been revealed and led to a more wholesome ending than was written.

I would have been left with this sour impression of the book if it were not for the epilogue. Wow! I was not expecting that revelation (even though maybe I should have been...). I'm not going to say any more about that, though ;-)

Overall, I would say that if you have read the first two books in this trilogy (The Maze Runner and The Scorch Trials), then you should definitely read The Death Cure to finish out the series. However, if you're looking for a new dystopian/post-apocalyptic series to read, I would look elsewhere.

Product Review: Purex UltraPacks laundry detergent

2012-01-28T00:00:00.000-05:00

I was lucky enough to receive a sample of Purex UltraPacks laundry detergent for review. I have used Purex detergent in the past, and I was eager to try the UltraPacks to see if they could really make doing laundry easier.

It was so convenient to just toss one UltraPack into the washing machine before adding my clothes. No measuring detergent into a cap, no spilling liquid anywhere- the packs were super easy to just throw in to the machine. The packs contain Purex's Triple Action detergent, which I've used the liquid form of before, in a 2x concentrated formula. You get the same cleaning power in a much more convenient form! Once the washing machine is turned on, the packs dissolve in the water and release the detergent inside. The Purex UltraPacks can be used in any washing machine, including HE.

I used the Mountain Breeze scented UltraPacks. I love this scent- whenever I use Purex detergent, it's what I choose. My clothes come out smelling fresh, but not overly perfumey. However, if you are not a fan of scented detergent, Purex UltraPacks are also available in Free & Clear (100% free of perfumes and dyes).

My only problem with the Purex UltraPacks was that each package only contains 18 packs. Compared to a bottle of liquid detergent, this is significantly less loads of laundry that can be done. When I use liquid detergent, I rarely use the recommended amount of detergent- I usually use less- so the bottle lasts even longer. With a package of Purex UltraPacks, you can only do 18 loads, and there is no way to change that.

I love anything that makes doing laundry easier. Being in college, I hate doing laundry because it takes up time that I could be doing other things, whether that is studying, sleeping, or hanging out with friends. Purex UltraPacks make this tedious chore a little bit easier, because it saves me time and mess that comes with using liquid detergent.

Purex UltraPacks will be available for sale beginning in February!

FTC Disclaimer: I am a member of Purex Insiders, and I received a sample of their UltraPacks liquid laundry detergent in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Product Review: Cutex Nail Polish Remover Pads

2012-01-27T00:00:00.001-05:00

Swaggable is a new social marketing site that allows you to sample products, review them, and then share your review with your friends. What's cool about Swaggable that sets it apart from other WOM marketing sites is that it is based upon your social circle. The products you are given to sample are chosen based on things you or your friends have already shown an interest in, such as on Facebook.

I was lucky enough to be able to join Swaggable while it is still in Beta, and sample Cutex Nail Polish Remover Pads.

Here is the product description, courtesy of Swaggable:

Cutex® Nail Polish Remover Pads offer a handy way to quickly remove polish and condition nails and cuticles in one easy step. They're not only faster than any other brand, they also help strengthen and nourish your nails while moisturizing and softening your cuticles at the same time. These pads are perfect for travel! A single pad removes polish from ten nails, fingers or toes—even dark and hard-to-remove colors.

As the product description claims, I was able to remove the nail polish from all 10 of my fingernails with one pad. In that respect, the Nail Polish Remover Pads are very convenient, as I can use just one pad as opposed to multiple cotton balls with liquid remover. However, there were two things I did not particularly like about this product. First of all, the red dye from the felt pads got left behind on my nails. Secondly, my fingers felt dry and slightly sticky after using the product; I think this is again from the dye on the felt pads, although I can not be sure. I would be more likely to use this product in the future if it came with uncolored felt instead of red. However, the single-use packets and large pads did make this product very convenient to use; they fill a niche in the market that I only wish had been thought of sooner!

FTC Disclaimer: I received a sample of Cutex Nail Polish Remover Pads from Swaggable for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is how much I love my Kindle!

2012-01-26T17:40:00.001-05:00

A while ago, I wrote a review of the Amazon Kindle Keyboard, which I received from BzzAgent. My initial review mainly dealt with setting up the Kindle and using it for PDFs. Now that I've had my Kindle for a few months, I've branched out to use it for many more purposes, and discovered some fun features that I'd like to talk about, too.

The best thing that the Kindle has done for me is allow me to read more often. It's so light and slim that I just carry it around in my purse. Whenever I have even a few minutes of down time, I pull out my Kindle and read a few pages or a chapter of the book I'm reading. Because the Kindle automatically remembers the last page I read, there's no need for me to worry about remembering page numbers or finding something to use as a bookmark. During my first three and a half years of college, I rarely read books for fun during the semesters- maybe one book a year, if that. It was disappointing, because I love to read, but I just couldn't justify carrying around a heavy novel when I was already lugging notebooks and textbooks. It wasn't worth the extra weight when I wasn't even sure if I would have time to read during the day. I am so excited to be able to read more for fun now, and it is all because the Kindle is so easy to carry with me all day!

I also love that my local library (at home, not at school) has a fantastic program that allows you to check out Kindle books. Though the lending period is shorter than for print books (two weeks instead of three), I have been able to find the majority of books I want to read using this system. Even new releases are available for the Kindle, and overall there is less of a wait list for the e-books than print books! This discovery has made having a Kindle simply fantastic!

On top of that, as many of my followers know, I review books on this blog. Some of the books I receive are e-galleys, which I previously had to read on my computer using Adobe Digital Editions. While the program itself is very useful, it hurts my eyes to read from a computer screen for too long. So, it was taking me forever to finish books that I received in this format. Now that I have a Kindle, I can upload my e-galleys to it, and read them much more quickly and in a way that is much easier on my eyes.

If I want to listen to a book instead of reading it, Kindle has a text-to-speech feature. The voice is computerized, and therefore does not always catch nuances in pronunciation that a human would. However, I have used this feature a few times and it is still nice to have when I want to continue with a story but either don't want to read (ie, if my eyes are tired), or if I can't (such as while driving).

These are just the reasons that I can think of off the top of my head for loving my Kindle. (And for me, love is a strong word to use, since for the longest time I was convinced that I would hate using an e-reader.) Sure, there are still reasons that I enjoy reading books in print, but I would not change having my Kindle for any reason. If you're someone who loves reading but just doesn't want to carry around a heavy print book all the time, get a Kindle for yourself and rediscover your love of reading!

Do you have a Kindle, or another e-reader? What's your favorite thing about it?

Finding Nemo 3D!

2012-01-24T00:00:00.001-05:00

Finding Nemo has been one of my favorite Disney movies since it first came out. It's the perfect mix of humor and sadness, family and friendship. Somehow, Finding Nemo manages to capture the emotions that we all feel in a great family-friendly film. Finding Nemo is a movie that I have enjoyed watching with my family for years. Even when it first came out I was able to watch it with my younger sisters and we all could enjoy it.

Finding Nemo will be released in Disney Digital 3D on September 14, 2012! Here is a synopsis of the movie:

Academy Award®-winning Best Animated Feature “Finding Nemo” returns to the big screen for the first time ever in thrilling Disney Digital 3D™. In this stunning underwater adventure, with memorable characters, humor and heartfelt emotion, “Finding Nemo” follows the comedic and momentous journey of an overly protective clownfish named Marlin (voice by Albert Brooks) and his son Nemo (voice by Alexander Gould)––who become separated in the Great Barrier Reef when Nemo is unexpectedly taken far from his ocean home and dumped into a fish tank in a dentist’s office. Buoyed by the companionship of Dory (voice by Ellen DeGeneres), a friendly-but-forgetful Pacific regal blue tang, Marlin embarks on a dangerous trek and finds himself the unlikely hero of an epic effort to rescue his son––who hatches a few daring plans of his own to return safely home.

Even though the release of the movie is still months away, the trailer has just been released, and I am lucky enough to be able to share it with you!

I personally can't wait to see Finding Nemo in 3D. Besides it being such a great story, I am sure that all the bright colors of the underwater scenery will be even more vivid in 3D!

What other Disney movies do you hope to see released in 3D?

FTC Disclaimer: The images and video clips included in this post, as well as information on the movie Finding Nemo, were provided to me by Disney. All opinions expressed are my own.

Preview & Enter to win Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver!

2012-01-23T00:00:00.020-05:00

The sequel to Lauren Oliver's Delirium, Pandemonium, arrives on February 28th! Too bad that is still a month away... In the meantime, though, the first 75 pages are available for preview! In addition, you can enter to win an ARC of Pandemonium! Just visit the Delirium Trilogy fan page on Facebook and click on the Delirium Extras! tab. There will be five winners picked weekly until February 15, so there is still plenty of time to enter!

FTC Disclaimer: I posted this information for the enjoyment and benefit of my readers. I received no compensation from Harper Teen, Lauren Oliver, or Facebook for this post.

What I'm Reading: Mastiff by Tamora Pierce

2012-01-21T00:00:00.019-05:00

This week, I'm reading Mastiff by Tamora Pierce.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

The Legend of Beka Cooper gives Tamora Pierce's fans exactly what they want—a smart and savvy heroine making a name for herself on the mean streets of Tortall's Lower City—while offering plenty of appeal for new readers as well.

Beka and her friends will face their greatest and most important challenge ever when the young heir to the kingdom vanishes. They will be sent out of Corus on a trail that appears and disappears, following a twisting road throughout Tortall. It will be her greatest Hunt—if she can survive the very powerful people who do not want her to succeed in her goal.

I started reading Tamora Pierce's books way back in middle school (almost 10 years ago, wow!). I started with Alanna, and have read every Tamora Pierce book since then. I figured that by college, I would move past her books and find new authors to read, but the stories are so captivating, and Mastiff is no different.

My favorite part of Tamora Pierce's books overall, but in particular Mastiff is the character development. Even though the story is told in a first person voice (Beka, the main character, is keeping a journal, which is what we are reading), all of the main characters- humans and animals alike- have distinct personalities, interactions with other characters, and their own quirks. I won't reveal too much of the plot, but like in most Tamora Pierce novels, the characters in Mastiff find themselves in a number of extremely stressful and dangerous situations. As a result, the characters must react and make spontaneous decisions. Each character reacts in their own way, and then must deal with the consequences of their decisions with the other characters. Their interactions seem genuine and real. I love that even though I am reading a fantasy novel, I can relate to the characters and believe what they are doing.

In addition to the characters we know and love from the previous books in the Beka Cooper series, Tamora Pierce introduces some new characters in Mastiff who are just as deep as the returning cast. My favorite new character is Farmer, a mage who joins Beka and Tunstall early on in their Hunt. He has so many levels to his personality, and I just want to keep reading to find out more about him. In addition, I love his flirty side... ;-)

It's been years since the last book in the Beka Cooper series came out, I know, but if you loved Tamora Pierce in the past, I highly recommend picking up Mastiff and diving right back in to the series!

2012 in Pictures (2)

2012-01-20T00:00:00.008-05:00

My first post in this series, Pictures (1), explains what this is all about.

January 10: I went to check out Books-A-Million at the Cherry Hill Mall, and, in true Aliyah fashion, found a cupcake stand in the mall, too. This was a chocolate-covered strawberry cupcake. It looks pretty, and tasted pretty good!

January 11: Does taking pictures specifically for the blog mean I'm cheating? These are the books I got from the library this week, in preparation for Sunday's IMM.

January 12: Again, with the 'is this cheating'? A picture of the books I bought this week, in preparation for IMM.

January 13: My mom and I went to see the Tintin movie. We saw Tintin billboards when we were in Brussels over the summer, and wanted to see the movie- and we finally did!

January 14: Women's basketball...games shouldn't get this close (OT).

January 15: We ate brunch at Adelphia, and there were these fantastic cookie cups filled with chocolate and topped with M&Ms. When I say fantastic, I mean fantastic. This is coming from someone who doesn't really even like chocolate.

January 16: Stocking up on items for the semester!

January 17: I met Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler, authors of The Future of Us.

January 18: I've been back for 3 days, and already my room is a huge mess!

I met Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler!

2012-01-19T00:00:00.052-05:00

The other night I had the amazing opportunity to meet Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler, authors of The Future of Us! They visited a Barnes and Noble in Princeton as the first stop of their 9 day/9 city book tour across the United States.

Me, Carolyn, and Jay!!

Jay and Carolyn were great at presenting. They have a wonderful vibe together, and made the audience laugh out loud a number of times during their presentation. They talked about their own books and how they got in to writing YA literature, as well as how they ended up joining forces to create The Future of Us. It was a really interesting story, complete with cryptic e-mails, late night phone calls, and donuts! They also mentioned some of their favorite YA novels (besides their own, of course). Both included Jerry Spinelli's Stargirl on their list. (I haven't read it, but let me know what you think of it if you have!) If you get a chance to meet Jay and Carolyn at one of the other stops on their tour, I highly recommend it! You won't regret hearing from these two.

I haven't yet read The Future of Us (I know, I know...) but I did buy a copy last night to get autographed (along with my copy of Thirteen Reasons Why). I will certainly be reading it soon, though. I (somewhat) remember 1996, so I'm excited to see how it is portrayed in this novel. If the book is even half as entertaining as Jay and Carolyn were when speaking, I'm sure The Future of Us will be a very enjoyable read!

Will you be at any of the stops on Jay and Carolyn's book tour, or have you seen them in the past? What did you think of their presentation?

Books-A-Million

2012-01-17T00:00:00.044-05:00

Last week, I visited my local Books-A-Million. Until Borders closed in Fall 2011, my local bookstore always was Borders. The closest one was right across the highway from my house. It was a less than 5 minute drive to get there. I have great memories of spending time there over the years with my sisters, my parents, and even friends. Borders truly was my local bookstore. Even though it was a national chain, it had a homey feel that I loved. I just don't get the same feel from Barnes and Noble. Sure, I can find the books I am looking for, and there is a large selection of items to browse through, but Barnes and Noble feels a lot less personal and a lot more like a big corporation that happens to sell books. Ever since Borders closed, I've been trying to find another bookstore that replicated the feel I got there. That led me to search for other, less well-known bookstores in my area.

In my search, I came across Books-A-Million. I had heard of this bookstore before, on line from people living in other states. However, until very recently, I did not know that there were any in New Jersey. In fact, I first learned that there was a Books-A-Million near me when one of the Borders nearby got bought by Books-A-Million. That's not the store I visited, but that is how I learned that there even was a Books-A-Million in New Jersey.

The Books-A-Million closest to my house is actually located inside a mall. It's not a stand alone bookstore, so it is a lot smaller, but it still had all of the books I was looking for. I was pleasantly surprised to see that nearly all of the space inside was taken up by books, save for one small wall of magazines and one rack of calendars. There were no puzzles or games, which seem to take up a lot of space at other bookstores. I loved that I walked into a bookstore and was greeted by books. It's disappointing that a lot of bookstores feel like they need to sell other things to draw people in.

Since the store was very small, and I went on a weekday afternoon, there were only two employees working both the cash registers and the floor. However, instead of frazzled, overworked employees like one might expect in this situation, both were actually very friendly and willing to help me. I even had a nice conversation with one of the women about the cover of a book I was interested in!

Books-A-Million definitely had the homey feel that I loved about Borders and feel is missing at Barnes and Noble. Though there is a Barnes and Noble closer to my house, in the future, I envision myself visiting Books-A-Million to purchase my books when I can!

In My Mailbox: January 15, 2012

2012-01-15T00:00:00.012-05:00

In My Mailbox (IMM) is a meme hosted weekly by Kristi at The Story Siren.

Here's what I got this week!

From the library, I got Across the Universe by Beth Revis, Unison Spark by Andy Marino, Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins, and Legend by Marie Lu.

From the bookstore, I bought The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (an autographed copy!) and A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin.

From Net Galley, for review, I got Caught in Crystal by Patricia C. Wrede and Invasion by Jon S. Lewis.

From Pulse It, for review, I got Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler.

Since I haven't even read most of the books that I got last week, I have plenty of books to keep me busy for a while! What's in your mailbox this week? Leave me a comment and I'll stop by your blog!

What I'm Reading: Neurogastronomy by Gordon M. Shepherd

2012-01-14T00:00:00.068-05:00

"What I'm Reading" is a new feature on this blog where I will briefly review a book that I am currently reading. In "What I'm Reading", I will feature books that I have not yet finished, but still think warrant being mentioned on the blog. These reviews will include a synopsis as well as my impressions of the book in progress.

This week, I am reading Neurogastronomy by Gordon M. Shepherd.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Leading neuroscientist Gordon M. Shepherd embarks on a paradigm-shifting trip through the "human brain flavor system," laying the foundations for a new scientific field: neurogastronomy. Challenging the belief that the sense of smell diminished during human evolution, Shepherd argues that this sense, which constitutes the main component of flavor, is far more powerful and essential than previously believed.

Shepherd begins Neurogastronomy with the mechanics of smell, particularly the way it stimulates the nose from the back of the mouth. As we eat, the brain conceptualizes smells as spatial patterns, and from these and the other senses it constructs the perception of flavor. Shepherd then considers the impact of the flavor system on contemporary social, behavioral, and medical issues. He analyzes flavor's engagement with the brain regions that control emotion, food preferences, and cravings, and he even devotes a section to food's role in drug addiction and, building on Marcel Proust's iconic tale of the madeleine, its ability to evoke deep memories.

Shepherd connects his research to trends in nutrition, dieting, and obesity, especially the challenges that many face in eating healthily. He concludes with human perceptions of smell and flavor and their relationship to the neural basis of consciousness. Everyone from casual diners and ardent foodies to wine critics, chefs, scholars, and researchers will delight in Shepherd's fascinating, scientific-gastronomic adventures.

I decided to branch out from my typical YA genre, and start to read some science non-fiction books, too. For being a science major, I actually read very little science material outside of what is required for my courses and lab work. Maybe it's time to put an end to that.

Neurogastronomy has a very interesting premise, something that I have really not thought about before. Food does not inherently have flavor; instead, our brains create the sensation of flavor based on smelling the foods we eat. Yes, most of what humans consider to be the taste of a food is actually due to its scent! It's kind of strange to think about, yet, it's why we have a problem tasting food when our noses are stuffed up.

In Neurogastronomy, Shepherd discusses both scientific and social implications of this scent to flavor phenomenon. The topics of this book span everything from how the molecules we smell travel to the brain, to how scents can trigger memories tied to food. Neurogastronomy is really striving to be a comprehensive collection of all the ideas related to how our brain perceives flavor. As neurogastronomy is a new field of study, from my perspective, this book succeeds.

Though I am not very far into the book yet, I am already interested in learning more about how smell and flavor are connected and how they relate to not only our appreciation of food itself, but other aspects of life. Shepherd's conversational style make this book appropriate for any adult reader, with or without a foundation in the sciences.

FTC Disclaimer: I received a copy of Neurogastronomy for review from Net Galley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Product Review: Physicians Formula makeup

2012-01-12T00:00:00.075-05:00

Thanks to the wonderful folks at Physicians Formula, I received a box of makeup to review! Some of these products have not even been released yet, while others are new releases from Physicians Formula. In the box was:

Mineral Wear Talc-Free Mineral Airbrushing Pressed Powder SPF 30

Happy Booster Glow & Mood Boosting Blush

Organic Wear 100% Natural Origin Lash Boosting Mascara

I'll review the products in the order that they are pictured in the box, from left to right.

Mineral Wear Pressed Powder: This is the first time that I have ever used a powder foundation, and I actually realized that I prefer it to liquid foundation like I usually use. It's so much easier to apply, and significantly less messy. Even though it is a powder, it actually covered my face much more evenly than liquid foundation has, and hid a lot more blemishes, too. I used my own "blusher" brush to apply the powder instead of the brush supplied by Physicians Formula. However, you could most certainly use their brush if you wanted to, as it is large and soft enough to cover your whole face without irritating your skin. The only complaint I would have about this product is that a lot of powder comes free from the palate when you sweep a brush across it, so unless it lands back on the palate, it seems like I am losing product each time I use it. However, because of how well it works on my face, this is certainly a product that I will continue to use. There is even a mirror underneath the makeup, so you can carry it with you and apply it when you are not near a bathroom or somewhere with a large mirror.

Happy Booster Blush: The blush was a nice peachy-pink color which was a lot more subtle on my pale skin compared to other blushes I have used in the past. Some blushes are too dark or too red, but this looked almost natural on my skin, not like I was trying too hard with my makeup. My cheeks are pretty pink to begin with, so the blush actually helped to even out some of the splotchiness that I usually notice. I also really liked that the blush was scented! I've never heard of scented face makeup before, but I was pleasantly surprised with the nice floral scent of this blush. It doesn't really smell once you put it on your face, but it does smell in the palate. It's a refreshing, bright scent that won't take the place of, say, antidepressants to boost your happiness, but will make you smile because of how nice it smells. The palate itself is a really bright pink, which is my favorite color, so I also like the makeup because of this ;-)

Organic Wear Mascara: Let me start off by saying that I have such trouble wearing mascara! Most mascaras that I wear irritate my eyes so that by the end of the day, all I want to do is take it off. This mascara, though, I was able to wear all day with no problems! I was so excited when, at the end of the day, my eyes felt totally fine. Honestly, mascara is the makeup item that I consistently have the most trouble wearing. I was so glad that this mascara was one that I was able to wear all day. I think it is because of the all-natural ingredients used, in contrast to the man-made ingredients found in most mascaras. My one problem with the mascara was that the brush seemed very large, but in a way that may be a positive too, because it doesn't take many swipes to coat all of my eyelashes.

Overall, I was very happy with all of the products that Physicians Formula sent me, and they have become a staple in my makeup routine already!

FTC Disclaimer: I am a "buzz" maker for Physicians Formula, and received these products from them with no stipulations. I was not required to, but chose, to post a review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

2012 in Pictures (1)

2012-01-10T00:00:00.001-05:00

One of my "resolutions" for 2012 was to take a picture each day of the year. It's been just over a week, and I've remembered to take a picture each day so far! I'll post them periodically here on my blog. Here are the first 9 days of pictures :)

January 1: I took a trip into NYC with my family to see the holiday windows at the department stores, visit the Holiday Market at Bryant Park, and see the Christmas tree at Rockafeller Center.

January 2: I went to Barnes and Noble with my nearly $100 in gift cards that I've been accumulating, and picked up these two books that I've been wanting to read (as well as a Sudoku-a-day calendar)! (Maybe you recognize this picture from this post ;-) )

January 3: This is how many people care about the Rutgers women's basketball team, ranked #10 in the country. It's disappointing.

January 4: Finally, it snowed! Just a light coating, but, it finally felt like winter!

January 5: I visited my little sister's 8th grade science class to talk about my research.

January 6: In preparation for a holiday party I was having with friends, I made twice-baked potatoes with scallions and bacon. Yum!

January 7: Another classic RU basketball moment- the men's team upset #8 UCONN!

January 8: This is a really neat trumpet player sculpture that I picked up at the Bryant Park Christmas Market last week. It's made entirely of scrap metal!

January 9: I finally got mail this year!

In My Mailbox: January 8, 2012

2012-01-08T00:00:00.032-05:00

In My Mailbox (IMM) is a meme hosted weekly by Kristi at The Story Siren.

This week, I purchased Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi and Prized (Birthmarked, #2) by Caragh M. O'Brien.

I have been waiting for Prized since I finished Birthmarked, the first book in the trilogy, last year. I picked up Shatter Me because I've read rave reviews of it and decided I just had to read it myself!

My public library allows you to check out books for the Kindle, and this week I found out that a lot of books I've been wanting to read are available that way! I borrowed Mastiff (The Legend of Beka Cooper, #3) by Tamora Pierce, The Declaration by Gemma Malley, Across the Universe by Beth Revis, and The Time Paradox (Artemis Fowl, #6) by Eoin Colfer.

Free from Amazon for the Kindle, I got Tortured: A bridge story between Birthmarked and Prized by Caragh M. O'Brien.

From NetGalley, for review, I received Quest for the Scorpion's Jewel by Amy Green, Endworlds by Nicholas Read, Neurogastronomy by Gordon Shepherd, and The Kitchen as Laboratory edited by Cesar Vega, Job Ubbink, and Erik van der Linden.

I have a ton to read now! Reviews are forthcoming (in the near- or, not so near, future) for most of these titles.

BOOK REVIEW - The Statsitcal Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

2012-01-07T00:00:00.009-05:00

Synopsis from Amazon:

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18C. Hadley's in 18A.

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.

I was a bit apprehensive about The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight before reading it. Based on the synopsis, in my mind, I had classified it as being similar to Stephanie Perkins' Anna and the French Kiss. Since I loved Anna, I just wasn't sure that any similar book would be able to compare. To my surprise and delight, I was mistaken!

From the first chapter, I was intrigued by Hadley and Oliver's relationship and each of their lives. Both of the characters seemed very realistic- they were not idealistic teenagers like characters sometimes are. Just like "real live" teenagers, Hadley and Oliver each had struggles in their lives that they were dealing with, but each also managed to find something positive to help them through. In the case of this story, that positive thing was each other. Both Hadley and Oliver were very relatable characters, and it made the book a very easy read.

Towards the end of the story, Oliver reveals a secret to Hadley (and to the readers). Smith also did a great job at hinting at Oliver's secret throughout the novel, so that it was not a complete surprise when it was finally revealed. Once we did find out Oliver's secret, it made a lot of sense with respect to events earlier in the novel. I thought that this scene was handled very well. I hate when a surprise twist seems to come out of nowhere. Luckily, though I did not predict this twist, it made sense and worked with the entire storyline.

I do have to say that the ending of the book made me cry. The scene when Hadley mends her relationship with her father was so wonderfully written and so real. I did not expect this book to be a tear-jerker as much as a chick flick, but I was actually happy with the emotions this book caused me. It showed the power of Smith's writing and how well she created her characters. While Hadley and Oliver's story has come to an end, I am eager to see what Smith writes next!

FTC Disclaimer: I received an advance readers copy (ARC) of The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight for review from Hip Scouts, a program of LB-Teens and Hachette Book Group. All opinions expressed are my own.

Busting the Newbie Blues!

2012-01-06T11:23:00.000-05:00

Small Review is hosting a fantastic event called...

In her words,

This event is designed to:

Put new YA book bloggers on the map
Increase blogger interaction
Start a discussion by sharing our experiences as new bloggers
Learn about what it was like for established bloggers when they were newbies

So here goes:

When did you start your blog?

I started my blog in the summer of 2009, though I didn't really start posting regularly until 2011.

Why did you start your blog?

I started my blog so that I could have a place to share whatever I wanted to. When I was younger, I kept a journal, but I liked that a blog could be read by other people, so I could share my ideas.

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far?

I don't know how to get people to read my blog! My biggest challenge has been getting people to find my posts and comment on them. I love comments, but I rarely get any.

What do you find most discouraging about being a new blogger?

Looking at other, more well-established blogs, I wonder if I will ever get as many followers or comments. It's discouraging especially when some of the blogs with a ton of followers have been around just as long as mine has!

What do you find most encouraging?

As a new blogger, I feel like I have a lot more freedom with what and how I post. People don't expect certain things from me, such as posts on a certain day, contests, memes, etc.

What do you like best about the blogs you read? Have you tried to replicate this in your blog?

With respect to book reviews, I like that most bloggers post a synopsis of the book (such as from Goodreads) before their review so that if I haven't read the book in question, I can still understand what is being said in the review. In my early book reviews, I just posted a review but recently I did start to add synopses, too!

What do you dislike about blogs you’ve read? Do you try to avoid this?

Bad grammar! That is my biggest pet peeve with bloggers in general. Your blog is a published piece of writing, so take pride in it! I always proofread my posts before they get published.

Any advice for other new bloggers?

Don't give up on your blog. Even if you're struggling to get readers, you started blogging because you liked writing and sharing your ideas. If you're truly passionate about it, you can find a way to push through the struggles.

Any questions you'd like to ask newbie or established bloggers?

Established bloggers: In your early days, how did you promote your blog to get more readers?

Is there anything you’d like to tell us about your blog? Feel free to link a few of your favorite posts or posts you wish had more comments.

Unlike a lot of YA book bloggers, I don't exclusively write about books on this blog. While books are a large component, I also post other product reviews and write some "personal" posts as well. So it's quite the eclectic mix here (hence the blog name, which translates to "Randomness" from French).

Here are links to a couple of my recent book-related posts:

The Rivals by Daisy Whitney

Product Review: Kindle Keyboard

A lot more reviews are coming soon in 2012 (my to-read pile is about 10 high!), so stay tuned! ;-)

2012!

2012-01-01T00:00:00.030-05:00

My resolutions for the new year:

1) Write every day (even if it's just a sentence!) of something that is not related to school.

2) Take a picture every day. (Tried to do this last year, but failed after about 2 days.)

3) Blog at least once per week. (Not necessarily just 52 times this year- but at least once every Sun-Sat week.)

4) Go to the gym twice a week during the semester.

Goals to achieve in 2012:

1) Move to France! (Hopefully, I get accepted to the Assistant d'Anglais program and get to spend 7 months in 2012-13 living & teaching somewhere in France.)

2) Get my knee back to "normal". (Now that marching band is over, I should be able to avoid aggravating it more, and focus only on rehabbing it.)

3) Earn some sort of Honors on my thesis! (Because, putting in so much effort and not getting honors would just be a waste of time and a huge disappointment.)

Happy New Year, everyone!

BOOK REVIEW - The Rivals by Daisy Whitney

2011-12-30T11:00:00.000-05:00

Synopsis from Goodreads:

When Alex Patrick was assaulted by another student last year, her elite boarding school wouldn't do anything about it. This year Alex is head of the Mockingbirds, a secret society of students who police and protect the student body. While she desperately wants to live up to the legacy that's been given to her, she's now dealing with a case unlike any the Mockingbirds have seen before.

It isn't rape. It isn't bullying. It isn't hate speech. A far-reaching prescription drug ring has sprung up, and students are using the drugs to cheat. But how do you try a case with no obvious victim? Especially when the facts don't add up, and each new clue drives a wedge between Alex and the people she loves most: her friends, her boyfriend, and her fellow Mockingbirds.

As Alex unravels the layers of deceit within the school, the administration, and even the student body the Mockingbirds protect, her struggle to navigate the murky waters of vigilante justice may reveal more about herself than she ever expected.

The Rivals is the sequel to Daisy Whitney's debut novel The Mockingbirds, which was released last year. I received an ARC of The Rivals for review. The Rivals will be released on February 6, 2012.

The Rivals picks up at the beginning of the new school year after The Mockingbirds ended. This year, Alex is in charge of the Mockingbirds. Right as the school year begins, she is confronted with a case that is different from anything the Mockingbirds have handled before- an alleged drug ring that students are using to cheat. Throughout the book, Alex must confront both friends and enemies, decide who is being truthful and who has been lying to her, and come to terms with her role in the Mockingbirds as well as her standing with her friends. Alex is more mature in The Rivals, and I felt as though her decision-making in this book was more rational and less emotional than in The Mockingbirds. Of course, being as this book takes place in high school, there is still a touch of romance, friendship problems, and growing pains.

Overall I was very pleased with The Rivals. The characters grew well in the aftermath of the events from The Mockingbirds, new characters were introduced, and new layers were added to returning characters- even some more minor ones, such Ms. Damata, the music teacher, which added depth to the plot.

Daisy Whitney deals with difficult issues in her books, but in a way that is approachable to young adult readers. In fact, I think the real lesson in The Rivals has less to do with the surface "don't use drugs" issue, and more about how to make informed decisions with the information presented to you and how to deal with the aftermath of choices you make.

I would highly recommend reading The Rivals (and The Mockingbirds, if you haven't read that)! Whether you're a YA reader or not, these books have a lot to offer.

FTC Disclaimer: I received an advance readers copy (ARC) of The Rivals for review from Hip Scouts, a program of LB-Teens and Hachette Book Group. All opinions expressed are my own.

Purex Triple Action Laundry Detergent

2011-12-28T17:59:00.001-05:00

I received the new Purex Triple Action laundry detergent for review from Purex Insiders. This is the first time I have ever used Purex brand laundry detergent, as my parents have used Tide for as long as I can remember. However, I am always open to trying new brands of products, so I welcomed the opportunity to sample Purex's new detergent.

I was not at all disappointed! In fact, I felt as though the Purex Triple Action freshened my clothes better than any detergent I have used in the past. Oftentimes, I find that my laundry is "clean", but still smells bad even after washing it. Some of that probably has to do with the fact that I wash my clothes in a dorm laundry room using really old machines. But, my clothes smelled clean after washing them with Purex Triple Action in the dorm washing machines! I sampled the Mountain Breeze scent. It wasn't overpowering at all- my clothes smelled fresh, but not "perfumey" in a way that would clash with the scents I wear as makeup. My usual laundry detergent is unscented, but I found that I actually prefer the scented Purex detergent.

Here's what Purex says about their Triple Action detergent:

"New Purex Triple Action leverages the best parts of our current formula, combined with new additions, to deliver great cleaning plus improved brightening power... Like all of our current detergents, new Purex Triple Action has been specifically formulated to work in both traditional and High Efficiency (HE) washers."

Overall, I was very happy with my experience using Purex Triple Action. I will definitely continue using it, because it leaves my clothes smelling clean and looking great!

FTC Disclaimer: Purex provided me a free sample of their new Triple Action laundry detergent in exchange for a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Holiday Cards from Shutterfly

2011-12-15T19:39:00.000-05:00

Shutterfly has a fantastic collection of holiday cards this year! For the past couple of years, I have ordered my holiday cards from Shutterfly, partly because they have a huge selection of designs, and partly because I always seem to have a promo code for the Shutterfly website. When you combine those two, it only makes sense to order from there! Below you can see the holiday card that I will be sending out this year~ how adorable! :) I can't wait until my friends and family see it!

Stationery card

View the entire collection of cards.

FTC Disclaimer: In exchange for posting this, Shutterfly will send me a coupon code that I can use towards my next purchase. This has not affected my post in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.

REDBOX 12 Days of Deals and Prizes (a Smiley 360 mission)

2011-12-15T16:54:00.001-05:00

I was lucky enough to be selected to participate in a Smiley 360 mission to promote Redbox's 12 Days of Deals and Prizes. You can find out more about this mission here.

First of all, if you haven't heard of Redbox before, here is a description, taken from the campaign homepage:

Renting more than 1.5 billion discs to date, Redbox is America's destination for movies and video games. With more than 28,000 locations nationwide, Redbox is the fun, fast, easy way to rent the latest new release movies on DVD or Blu-ray Disc® and the top new releases of family video games. Featuring up to 200 titles and 630 discs, Redbox is a fully automated video rental store contained in 12-square feet of retail space. With more than 68 percent of the U.S. population living within a five-minute drive of a Redbox kiosk, Redbox is where America rents movies and games.

I love Redbox! My family rents movies from there all the time, because there is a Redbox kiosk in most of the grocery stores near my house. Since it only costs $1 per night to rent a movie from Redbox, it's a much more economical way to watch a movie than buying the DVD or seeing it in theaters. In fact, in some cases my family has waited for a movie to be released through Redbox before watching it since paying $1 to rent a DVD is much cheaper than paying for five movie tickets.

$1 is a great price to rent a DVD, but this holiday season, Redbox wants to make things even easier by giving away coupons towards their DVD rentals. Their promotion is called 12 Days of Deals and Prizes. By texting "FUN" to 727272 once per day from now until December 24, you'll receive back in the form of a text message a code that can be used for money off of your next rental from Redbox- anywhere from 25 cents to $1 off. If you're lucky enough to get a $1 off code, your movie will be free! You'll also be entered for a chance to win other great prizes from Sony, Wii, Barnes and Noble, and more! So why wait- start participating in Redbox 12 Days of Deals and Prizes today!

You can find Redbox on Facebook.

FTC Disclaimer: I am participating in a mission through Smiley 360 to promote Redbox 12 Days of Deals and Prizes. In exchange for my participation, I received one code for a free movie rental at Redbox. All opinions expressed in this post are my own and have not been altered in any way by my participation in this mission.

Product Review: Physicians Formula New! Shimmer Strips Fashionista Eyes shadow and liner

2011-12-08T15:58:00.000-05:00

I was lucky enough to receive the new Shimmer Strips Fashionista Eyes eyeshadow and liner from Physicians Formula for review. This product is part of their new Shimmer Strips Eye Enhancing Shadow and Liner collection in Univeral Looks. Physicians Formula makes products especially designed for sensitive skin, by using hypoallergenic ingredients. Their products are fun to use, but don't irritate your skin- perfect! I have used face products from Physicians Formula before, such as their primer, but I have never used their eye makeup before even though I have considered it in the past. That is why I was so happy to receive the Shimmer Strips Fashionista Eyes eyeshadow and liner to try and review!

I have always liked wearing purple eyeshadow. It's a color that just tends to look good on me, so it's my go-to color for eye makeup whenever I need to wear it. So, I was pleased that the Fashionista palate contained mostly purple shades. Besides a wide array of purples, there was also one strip of gold and one of black. While these aren't colors that I usually wear, I think that they complimented the purple nicely and can add a dramatic flair to the look if you choose to apply them.

The shadows and liners are actually divided up on the palate into three looks- natural, playful, and dramatic. However, I strayed from the recommended grouping of colors and put together my own look using the light purple and gold from "playful" with the dark purple from "dramatic".

Before

After

I don't wear makeup every day, but I was eager to try out this eye shadow, so I donned it yesterday, when I was out and about going to classes, my internship, and other events. When I first put on the eye shadow, I was initially worried that the color wasn't bold enough to stand out on my face. Turns out that was just because of the horrible lighting in my dorm. When I moved in to brighter light, I loved how the colors looked on my face! I used a light purple and dark purple on my eyelids, and then added some gold in the corner of my eye for some more pop. I thought it looked fantastic (though maybe I'm a little bit biased). Normally when I do wear makeup, I tend to mix colors from different palates to create a more interesting look. But since the Shimmer Strips from Physicians Formula are coordinated to be mixed and matched, I was able to put together a fun, creative look without going to a bunch of different shadows and worrying that the might not look good once on my face. The eyeshadow lasted all day and didn't even seem to fade as the day went on. I applied it around 10 am, and when I got back home at 10 pm, it was still bold and visible, as if I had just put it on. I was surprised, since makeup usually fades long before 12 hours is up- but that just attests to how fantastic Physicans Formula products are!

I actually got a lot of compliments on my look yesterday from a random assortment of people who said that they liked my eye makeup! All of my worries that the colors might not be bold enough were for naught- people sure noticed! Overall, I am excited to keep using my Shimmer Strips Fashionista Eyes collection in the future, and I would highly recommend this product to anyone with sensitive skin who is looking for a fantastic cosmetics product to try.

You can find Physicians Formula online, on Facebook, and on Twitter.

FTC Disclaimer: I received Shimmer Strips Fashionista Eyes eyeshadow and liner collection for free from Physicians Formula. The choice to write a blog post was my own, and all opinions expressed are my own.

BzzAgent Campaign - Aliyah has a Kindle!

2011-11-08T22:33:00.001-05:00

I recently joined the most amazing Bzz Campaign yet- for the Amazon Kindle 3! (I've written about BzzAgent here in the past, so check out that post first if you don't know what BzzAgent is.) That's right- BzzAgent sent me a Kindle 3, for free, to sample & spread the word about! Now that I've had it for a few weeks, I thought I'd share my opinions.

The Kindle was pretty easy to set up, though I did use the guide that came with the Kindle to help myself out. You can charge the Kindle either through the USB drive on your computer, or by plugging it in to a regular outlet (mine came with an adapter that allows me to switch between the two; these are also available for purchase if your Kindle does not come with one). I left mine to charge for most of the day while I was in classes, and then in the evening I went about putting things to read on my Kindle.

I wasn't ready right away to pay for books to load onto my Kindle, but I did have some PDF files that I needed to take to class. I decided to put those on the Kindle and see how things worked out. After skimming through the guide, I realized how easy it is to add PDFs to the Kindle. All you have to do is drag the file to the "Kindle" drive, and it's loaded! I was so glad it was easy to save the PDFs onto the Kindle. Now, instead of printing 20+ pages of articles each week, I can bring the articles I need on my Kindle and save my printing balance for other things. The one thing I did not like about reading PDFs on the Kindle was that you can't adjust the text size. Instead, you have to use the zoom function, which took some getting used to. But once I did get used to using the zoom, it was super convenient to read my PDFs on the Kindle.

I also realized that my local library allows me to check out Kindle editions of library books. How cool is that?! I'm away at school, but I can still read books from my home library on my Kindle! It's a great way to read books that I wouldn't buy, and that my school library doesn't carry. Initially, I was a bit apprehensive about reading a book on the Kindle as opposed to a print edition. I've only read two books in non-print format before, and only because I was so desperate to read them that I found them on the Internet instead of waiting to get them from the library. I found it difficult to read for too long on the computer screen, and I was afraid that the Kindle would be a similar reading experience to that. I was mistaken! It is very easy to read from the Kindle screen since it is not lit like a computer screen. It really does look like you're reading from paper even though it is a digital screen! I can also read outside in the sun without there being any glare on the screen like there is when using a computer outside.

Another thing that initially took some getting used to was the fact that the Kindle screen is only wide enough to display one page of text at a time compared to the two page spread of a print book. But the Kindle can turn pages so quickly that it does not affect my reading experience at all.

I also love that the Kindle as such a long battery life. In over 2 weeks of having my Kindle, I've only charged it once, and that was only because I needed to plug my Kindle in to my computer to upload a book, not because it needed charging.

Overall, I was very pleasantly surprised with the Kindle. The reading experience, though not identical to reading from a print book, was not as drastically different as I had expected. The screen itself was easy to read from, and even when I spend a lot of time reading a book on the Kindle, I don't get a headache, and my eyes don't hurt. I can even read outside with no problem! While I still think I prefer reading books in print when I can, the Kindle definitely fits into my school life much more easily. It fits into my purse and is much slimmer and lighter than a typical book. Plus, since my school library and the public library in town don't have a wide selection of the books I like to read, the Kindle allows me to read the things I want to even when the libraries don't carry the item.

I would recommend the Kindle to anyone with a busy, on-the-go lifestyle that loves reading but can't figure out how to fit it into their life. The Kindle is just the thing that will allow you to fit reading back into your life!

Update 1/26/12: I posted an updated review of the Kindle Keyboard after using it for a few months!

BzzAgent provided me a Kindle Keyboard as part of a Campaign in exchange for providing my honest opinion on the product. I was provided no additional compensation in exchange for writing a positive review.

Couponing at Target

2011-10-23T21:19:00.000-04:00

I had a great shopping trip at Target today! Target is one of the best stores to coupon at, because they allow you to combine store and manufacturer's coupons for the same product (called "stacking"), so you can save even more money. I usually try to do this 'when I can', but this weekend I actually planned out a shopping trip to see how much money I actually could save. It worked out well!

My haul from the day!

Here's what I got!

Febreeze Air Effects, $2.50 (reg $2.69)
Febreeze Set & Refresh single, $2.50 (reg $2.69)
manufacturers coupon: $2/2 Febreeze products

Dove Ultimate Go Fresh deodorant, $3.49 (reg. $3.84)
Dove Ultimate Go Fresh body mist, $3.49 (reg. $3.84)
promo: buy deodorant, get body mist free
manufacturers coupon: $1/1 Dove Ultimate Go Fresh deodorant or body mist

Suave Professionals touchable finish hairspray, $2.74
Suave Professionals volumizing mousse, $2.74
manufacturers coupon: BOGO Suave Professionals dry shampoo or styling product
Target coupon: 50¢/1 Suave Professionals product
Target coupon: 50¢/1 Suave Professionals product

Covergirl Lipslicks lip gloss, $4.99
Covergirl Eye Enhancers 4-kit, $4.84
manufacturers coupon: $8/2 Covergirl face products
Target coupon: $1/1 Covergirl product
Target coupon: $1/1 Covergirl product

Another bonus to couponing at Target is that even if you are getting an item for free, you can use a coupon on it. That's why I could use two Target coupons on for my two Suave Professionals items, even though I technically was only paying for one. I could have also used a coupon on the free body mist I got with my deodorant purchase, but I only had one coupon with me and not two.

I paid $8.52 for everything I got, and saved $20.96 between sales & coupons- a total savings of 71%! Though I do love couponing and getting things for free, I rarely keep track of how much I am actually saving. That might change in the future!

BzzAgent Campaign - How "Smarterer" are you?

2011-10-18T21:05:00.003-04:00

I recently joined a BzzCampaign for a new website called Smarterer. Smarterer allows you to take tests about a wide variety of different websites, applications, and programs, and then share your scores- if you choose to- online (Facebook, Twitter, your blog) or even on your resume. The tests are scored similarly to the SATs (I know...bad thing to compare to!) in that the points are on a scale of 800. After answering only 10 questions, you can get an accurate score. The more questions you answer, the more your score can improve. Because there are always more questions being added to the tests and more people taking them, you do need to answer more questions on each test in order to prevent your score from decreasing over time.

So far, I have taken tests for BzzAgent, Facebook, Twitter, and Blogger. It's fun to see how well versed I am in these websites that I use every day! I realized that I know a lot about BzzAgent, and not so much about Twitter! In fact, I'm at the top of the leaderboard for the BzzAgent test at the moment, with a score of 797. Based on your score on each test, you also get classified as "smart", "smarter", or "smarterer". Right now I am "smarter" about Twitter and Blogger, and "smarterer" about BzzAgent and Facebook.

As I said earlier, you can share your scores on your blog. My scores are in the left-hand sidebar- check them out! The only problem that I have with this feature is that, since the scores are shared through an HTML code that you have to post yourself, and not a widget, the scores you share don't automatically update. Therefore every time you take a new test or answer more questions, you have to go back to your blog and update the HTML code. Update 10/19/11- I was mistaken on this! The scores do automatically update! Update 10/20/11- But if you take a new test, your score won't automatically add until you update the HTML code.

Overall, however, I've been extremely pleased with Smarterer. The quizzes are fun, and the competitiveness of vying for a spot on the leaderboard keeps me returning to the site at least a few times a week to take the quizzes. I've participated in a few "online-only" BzzCampaigns over the past few years, and Smarterer is the first of those campaigns that I've really enjoyed participating in! I definitely recommend joining Smarterer and trying it out for yourself.

Smarterer is a free service. I received an early invitation to the site from BzzAgent. Since then, the site has opened to the general public and can be joined for free.

Science students utilize critical thinking, too

2011-10-14T00:54:00.001-04:00

Science students utilize critical thinking, too is an opinions letter that I submitted to my college's daily newspaper in response to an article earlier this week that contested that science majors don't use critical thinking skills- that only liberal arts majors do. My piece is going to be published in today's paper! I usually don't get irked enough about issues to write about them, but this article bothered me just enough that I decided to say something about it. Besides the initial article itself, the specific quote from the article saying that only liberal arts majors use critical thinking was the paper's quote of the day! Unbelievable... As a student doing both a science major (molecular biology & biochemistry) and a liberal arts major (French lit), I really do see both sides of the playing field, so to speak, and I think it's fair that I voice my opinion on the subject. :) PS- It's cool to be "officially" published!

BzzAgent!

2011-09-13T21:17:00.003-04:00

I have been a BzzAgent since May 2010. What is a BzzAgent, you may ask? Good question!

BzzAgent is a word-of-mouth social marketing company. In a nutshell, companies hire BzzAgent to market their products to a certain demographic. BzzAgent then gives the product to certain members of the site (the Agents), who typically receive the product to sample (usually, a full-sized sample!), coupons to give to friends & family, and a BzzGuide with information about the product and some ideas on how to share about it with others. And it's not "no-name" companies that use BzzAgent. Some companies that have used BzzAgent for Campaigns in the past have been Orbit gum, Scrubbing Bubbles, Hanes, Maybelline, Keurig, and Dr. Scholl's! These are reputable companies that want to promote their newest, coolest products to you.

My very first campaign, way back in July 2010, was for Orbit gum. It was a ton of fun to participate in! That summer, I was working at a day camp, and I was able to share coupons for free Orbit gum with a bunch of my co-counselors. Since then, I've also participated in campaigns for Maybelline lip color, L'Oreal eyeshadow, TresEMME shampoo, and Water Bobble. Now, like any product you might try, I wasn't a fan of everything BzzAgent sent me to sample, but I had a lot of fun trying out all these new products anyway! (And I still use my Water Bobble nearly every day- it's sitting right here on my desk as I write this!)

Just last week, BzzAgent started an awesome new program called the Daily Bzz. Now, in addition to being selected for Campaigns based upon demographics as in the past, there are certain campaigns that are open for this new Daily Bzz program. You get to be as creative as you want to tell BzzAgent why you deserve to participate in the Daily Bzz Campaign. And these campaigns are the really awesome ones- such as Campaigns for a Kindle, Cuisinart blender, and The Help. I've been having so much fun with the Daily Bzz Campaigns I've participated in so far! My "creative" entries have all been videos- linked here for the Kindle, here for MiO, and here for the Cuisinart blender. The Daily Bzz is open from 11am-6pm each weekday. Then, BzzAgent looks at all of the entries, picks their favorites, and lets you know the following business day if you've gotten into the Campaign. I've been SO lucky with this so far, and gotten into the Kindle 3, MiO, AND Cuisinart campaigns!! That's right- I'm going to be getting all three of these products, totally FREE, just in exchange for talking about it! Did I mention how AWESOME BzzAgent is?!

So, do you think BzzAgent is for you? Great! Just go here to sign up and get started today! Make sure to answer all the surveys that are provided for you, and you'll get invited to a campaign in no time!

9/11/01- Ten Years Later.

2011-09-11T11:57:00.003-04:00

9/11 is one of those days in our lives that we will never forget.

10 years ago I was sitting in Mrs. Groninger's 2nd period social studies class. She got a phone call from her husband. I remember her saying that she would never answer her phone in class, and the first time her phone rang, she looked at who was calling but didn't answer it. Then it rang again, and she picked up because she figured if her husband was calling then it must be an emergency because he knew that she would be teaching. She took the call in the hallway, and then came back into the classroom and put on the TV. Her husband was a truck driver and had heard the news on the radio as soon as the first plane hit. He wasn't sure how the school was going to handle the news, but wanted to make sure that she knew what was going on. Mrs. Groninger told us that there was an emergency in NYC. We watched as the second plane hit the second tower. Towards the end of the period there was a school-wide announcement asking the teachers not to put the televisions on. Mrs. Groninger kept the TV on for the rest of our class anyway, but shut the door and told us not to tell any of the other teachers that we were watching the news. Third period I had English. That teacher refused to put the TV on because of the principal's announcement. He talked a little bit about what had happened but tried to run a normal class otherwise. I remember being especially scared because my dad had gone into NYC for work that day. That was the first thing I thought of when I heard the news. I didn't know where in the city he was, just that he was there and I didn't know if he was even alive at that point. Later in the day I called my mom and found out that my dad was a few blocks away from the World Trade Center but that he was fine. When I got home from school I watched news coverage of the attacks for the rest of the afternoon. My mom didn't want me to watch it, until I told her that I had already seen the news in school. I think she was more bothered by the coverage that day than I was. I just needed to watch it to process what had happened. My dad couldn't get home that night or the night after, since all of the tunnels out of NYC were blocked. He stayed at my aunt and uncle's house in the city and came home the next day. Even though I talked to him on the phone, until I actually saw him, I didn't believe that he was okay. I slept with one of his polo shirts for the two nights he wasn't home, and kept it with me for days after he came home.

My last first football game =[

2011-09-10T01:30:00.001-04:00

I've been in marching band since my freshman year of high school, and now, 7 years later, I am starting my last season of marching band ever. Last Thursday was my last first football game ever. It was definitely a day filled with emotion. Seeing the freshman so excited for their first ever college band performance, while the seniors were a lot quieter and, while happy to be performing, also sad to be starting their last season in marching band, was such a shocking disparity because as a freshman I could not ever have imagined the emotion I would feel that day. From the moment I put on my uniform that afternoon, the one thought that kept running through my head was that it was the beginning of my last season ever in marching band. I know all of the other seniors were thinking the same thing. The emotion we all had was evident.

Each year at the first football game, running out of the tunnel for pregame brings tears to my eyes. The overwhelming emotion of seeing tens of thousands of people watching you perform is indescribable until you are actually on the field. This year was no different for me- in fact it was probably the most emotional pregame show I've ever had, even more so than my first game freshman year at Rutgers. Unlike previous years, I knew exactly what to expect running out of the tunnel. And I knew that it would be my last time ever feeling that first-game-of-the-season rush of emotion. I got chills as I saw the packed stadium for the first time, and I bit my lip so I wouldn't cry and would actually be able to play the show! I had tears in my eyes during the whole pregame show (but I wasn't crying so much that I couldn't play!). And I made sure to march the best pregame show of my life.

I think maybe the hardest part of it all was knowing that years and years from now (and even next year), students in the marching band will be running out onto the field for the first game of the season, but I won't be a part of it anymore. All I can do is make the most of the time I have left in marching band and hope that this season is the best one ever.

Seniors <3

BOOK REVIEW - Wither by Lauren DeStefano

2011-07-28T23:58:00.001-04:00

I've been wanting to read Lauren DeStefano's WITHER for ages now but it always seemed to be checked out of the library every time I went. Well, I finally got to the top of the waiting list recently and boy was it worth the wait!

Warning- Spoiler Alert!

From the very first page, the world that Lauren DeStefano created drew me in. Unlike many dystopian worlds, the world of WITHER seemed highly believable given the social circumstances. Even though not all of the characters were in the same situation, they each were affected by the virus in their own way. I could really feel the desperation and fear of each character. What really was interesting to me was that since all of the characters were feeling similar emotions, their reasons for feeling that way became one of the most important parts of the story. For example, Rhine, Jenna, and Linden both felt fear living in the mansion, but none of them were afraid of the same thing.

I also felt like Rhine's character was very genuine. As a young woman myself, I constantly found myself thinking, What would I be feeling if I were in Rhine's situation right now? And the answer was always, Exactly how Rhine feels in the story. DeStefano did a fantastic job capturing the real, raw emotions of a trapped teenager in fear for her life. While I've never been in a situation like Rhine's (thank goodness!), I simply could not imagine myself feeling any differently than she did. As a female reader, it was refreshing to see a female lead not immediately give in to the social pressures around her. The fight in Rhine, given her circumstances, made her seem very real, and made her story memorable.

But of course- this story is not just about Rhine. Who can forget about Gabriel?! Even though he was in the text less than Jenna, Cecily, and Linden, as a character I felt as though he was second in importance only to Rhine. His transformation from an obedient servant to a young man with fire inside of him was the most moving part of WITHER. His story showed that it's possible to fight what you've been taught if you want something different. As a counterpart to Rhine, it is interesting to see their stories unfold in parallel. On one hand, you have Rhine, who knows from the get-go exactly what she wants (even if she does waver occasionally), and just needs a way to get it. On the other hand, there's Gabriel, who doesn't like what he has but takes a long time to come to terms with the decisions he needs to make. Rhine and Gabriel are really the two characters who provide uniqueness and voice to WITHER.

And the ending...well...if this was a stand-alone book, I would have hated the ending- very cliché. However, knowing that WITHER is just the first book of a trilogy, the ending was fine. It wasn't very exciting, but it (almost) works as a cliffhanger for book two (FEVER, due out 2/21/2012).

I definitely definitely recommend WITHER to anyone with even the slightest interest in YA dystopian novels. If you haven't been hooked in the past, read WITHER anyway! It doesn't have crazy apocalyptic events like some other dystopians, and the believability of the plot makes WITHER the perfect quick read!

Mischief Managed!

2011-07-18T01:04:00.000-04:00

A huge piece of my childhood ended in the wee hours of Friday morning, when I finished watching Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 in theaters. I'm sad to see it end, but at least I feel that it ended right. I don't care how cheesy it sounds; the Harry Potter series was a huge part of my life growing up and made a huge impact in many ways. There are plenty of experiences that I can honestly say I wouldn't have had if it weren't for Harry Potter.

Like any truly obsessed Harry Potter fan, I wrote fanfiction. I'll bite, here's the link. My fanfiction-writing phase didn't last too long, but I got quite a bit written during my stint. I was sort of pulled into this by my high school friends, who stuck it out way longer than I did.

Around the time I was 13 (so, beginning of high school-ish), I came across and subsequently joined d69. If you were obsessed with Mugglenet.com as I was at that point, you might remember a bunch of people who posted comments with (d69) after their name. I was one of them...not quite an original member, but I joined pretty early on. Down the road, I ended up as a moderator of the d69 forums and then an editor of the d69 website. This was still going strong up until around the time the Deathly Hallows book got released. But I'm getting ahead of myself...

I also had a rather lovely Harry Potter theories website...well, actually three of them, for some reason- either I kept forgetting passwords, or usernames, or whatever. This was truly where my Harry Potter obsession lay. Theories, theories, theories! (And using my oh-so-impressive HTML that I learned in freshman year of high school advanced computers ;-) ) I don't remember exactly when I stopped with the website (around the time of the release of book 6, I think), but it lasted long enough......

that when Amazon announced a contest to find the biggest Harry Potter fans to act as "kid correspondents" before the release of Half-Blood Prince, I made sure to enter! And, I won! This was really the 'opportunity' I was talking about. I was not only interviewed for newspapers both locally and out-of-state, but I even was able to travel to New York City to visit Scholastic and be interviewed for NBC! Even now, six years later, I think of this as one of the best things that happened to me- and all because of Harry Potter! In my audition tape for the Amazon contest, I talked a lot about my work with d69 as well as my own theories website, and that's really what got focused on after I won the contest. Everything tied together in the ~~end~~... middle.

So, yes, I'm going to be a bit nostalgic now that the Harry Potter era is really coming to a close. For me, it extended far beyond just some books and movies. Through my websites, I met a huge range of awesome people. Though we don't all stay in contact regularly anymore, every once in a while someone will pop by the d69 forums to just say hi... And of course, the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity I had as a member of the Amazon Kid Correspondents panel is something I'll never forget. (My Gryffindor robe that I've worn to the last few movie releases? It was a gift from Scholastic after my interview.) So while it's time now to say adieu to Harry, the one thing that will never leave is everything that this magnificent series has brought to my life. Thanks.

Froggy!

2011-05-27T23:26:00.000-04:00

^What happens when my sister and I get bored and decide to use the Internet and our limited Photoshop skills.

(This is also now my desktop background.)

Original image:

Personally, I think outer space is way more fun ;-)

summertime soc

2011-05-24T00:25:00.000-04:00

For me, summertime has always been a time for thinking. The only time of the year when I am essentially free to do whatever I want. Or, to do nothing at all. There are no obligations creeping up behind me (or at least, way fewer than during the rest of the year). On one hand, it's great. I can be much more relaxed. Instead of worrying about making sure everything gets done that needs to, I can breathe and take a break. On the other hand, it leaves me too much time to think. Free from all the stresses of school, my mind wanders. And being the kind of person that I am, it wanders to everything that could possibly stress me out during summer vacation. The thesis application that I really should have just gotten done during the semester. MCAT and GRE prep. Booking airline tickets and train tickets and hotels for my upcoming study abroad/Europe trip. Besides that, being home in itself is stressful. My parents aren't used to having three kids at home, and I'm not used to having to answer to my parents about everything I do. Things have always been...tense...at my house, and while me going off to college should have at least helped prove to them that I'm an adult and can take care of myself, it's seemingly done the exact opposite to my parents. Now that I think for myself, they're slowly losing the control over me that they so enjoyed for the first 17 years of my life. Yes, I've finished three years of college now, and I've been living away from home for three years, and while I have a rational view of the world, I'm not afraid of it. No, my parents haven't really accepted any of this and so things are especially tense. More thinking...what can I do so this will all calm down? In some ways, I miss the stresses of the semester, where I was forced to stay focused and not let my mind wander in all these different directions. Maybe that's what gets me through the majority of the year- the sheer fact that, if I get too distracted, I'll fall. And I can't let that happen.

Freebie How-To: Free Product Coupons

2011-05-18T00:45:00.000-04:00

In order to save money on shipping costs, some companies opt to send free product coupons instead of mailing an actual sample of their product. Once the coupon comes in the mail, you simply take it to the store and 'buy' the product for free.

There are definitely some advantages to getting free product coupons, even though it takes a little bit more work to get your freebie. The main advantage is that you will get a full-sized product for free instead of a sample-sized one! Because many products are not available in travel sizes at major retailers, your coupon will be valid for a full-sized product. Another advantage is that because most products are available in different varieties (ex, different scents or different flavors), you have more of a say in exactly what you get for free. This in turn helps the brand, because you are able to pick out a product that you're interested in and that you might purchase in the future if you like the freebie.

It's really up to each individual brand whether they choose to send a coupon or a product sample. As such, there are not many specific websites that I can list here where you can find free product coupons. One website that does make free product coupons available, however, is Kraft First Taste. If you sign up for this website, Kraft will occasionally make coupons available to get their newest products for free. The only disadvantage is that you'll have to install a coupon printer to get these coupons as most of them are not available by mail. Other companies will send coupons by mail- so if installing a coupon printer is not something you want to do, don't worry!

Other free product coupons may be available as prizes from instant win games. You may also be able to get them by writing to companies whose products you (1) use often and love, or (2) have had a problem with. The companies may send you coupons to either thank you for your comments or to appease you if you've had an issue with their product.

Here is a small list of some free product coupons I've gotten recently:

Suave Professionals Dry Shampoo or Styling Product
Pampers Kandoo bathroom wipes
Clairol Nice 'n Easy Color Blend Foam
ThermaCare Heat Wraps
any El Monterey frozen food product

Freebie How-To: General Free Samples

2011-05-11T11:30:00.006-04:00

General free samples are the easiest and most common kind of freebies available. Companies offer trial-sized samples of their products in order to promote their product to as many customers as possible. These samples may come directly from a company, or from a major retailer that sells the product.

Stores such as Walmart and Target regularly offer samples. Their availability and specific offers vary, but you can usually find something on these sites.

The P&G Brand Sampler from Proctor and Gamble is similar to the trial-sized free samples that you can find, but when you register for the Sampler, you actually can get a small box of trial-sized products, and occasionally coupons as well. This is available approximately four times per year.

When companies offer free samples, they will often announce them on their Facebook pages. This means that if you like a brand or use it often, you should "like" them on Facebook!

Other times, smaller brands (as opposed to the well-known ones that you see all the time in major retailers) will offer free samples of their product in order to try and expand their consumer base. It's not easy to come across these samples yourself, as some of the websites might be pretty small, but websites like It's All Free Online (FB: Free Samples, TW: @NewFreeSamples) and Free Stuff Times (FB: Free Stuff Times, TW: @fstimes) will list these samples as they become available and are found. They will also list samples from the major retailers, if you don't feel like searching a bunch of places for them yourself!

Here is a small list of some samples that I have gotten recently:

Maybelline NY FitMe Foundation
Secret Natural Mineral Deodorant
Degree with motionSense Deodorant
Zapzyt (an acne treatment)
Orville Redenbacher's Pop Up Bowl popcorn

Freebie How-To: Part 1 ~ An Overview

2011-05-09T14:30:00.002-04:00

I'm going to do a series of blog posts about free stuff. The more people I talk to about my free stuff obsession, the more people I find who are surprised that it's even possible to get things for free. This first post is a general overview of different types of freebies that are available. Each of these categories will get its own post later on.

1) General free samples

These are the typical free samples that you can get in the mail. When companies want to promote their products, you can usually get a small sample of the product. This often also comes with a coupon so that if you decide to buy the product, you can also save money!

2) Free product coupons

Instead of mailing out samples, some companies opt to mail you a coupon good for a free product. You take the coupon to your local store and redeem it to get your free item. This saves the companies money (since it is cheaper to mail a coupon than a sample-sized item), and, you get a free full-sized product out of it!

3) Word-of-mouth (WOM) marketing samples

Sometimes, you can get free full-sized products to sample. These samples often come from word-of-mouth marketing sites. In exchange for the free product, you are expected to talk about the product to friends and family once you have used it. The hope is to not only create a new customer out of you, but also out of people you interact with.

4) Instant Win Games (IWG)

Instant win games are one way to get more expensive things for free. While a lot of IWG come out around holidays, there are always some out there. While it's not a guarantee that you will win anything, when you do win, the prizes are typically worth a lot more money than anything you can get for free by other means.

5) Facebook/Twitter

Brands have Facebook and Twitter pages as a means of interacting with their consumers. These brands often provide coupons to their fans/followers, and even will have contests for bigger items from time to time- such as gift cards or product freebies.

6) Hosted Parties

Another vein of websites, similar in a way to WOM, is hosted parties. Companies provide products for the host (you) as well as samples for your guests and sometimes, activities for your party as well. Then, you host a party which incorporates the product you are acting as an ambassador for.

7) Free Books

I'm listing this separately from the other types of samples because there are publishers and bookstores that will mail readers new releases for free in exchange for a short review. These are geared towards both children and adults. While the options of books to choose from is not always huge, it's a fun way to try something different.

8) In-Store freebies
Occasionally, companies will offer in-store promos where you can go into their store and pick up a free product. While sometimes you have to purchase something to get the free item, this is not always the case. There are plenty of times where the item is totally free, no strings attached!

9) Miscellaneous

Other ways to get things for free include calling or writing to companies and asking for coupons or samples, and using coupons while you shop. This last post of the series will include a variety of other ways that you can easily get things you use often for free (or almost free).

I will probably post this series as 1-2 posts per week for about 6-8 weeks. Enjoy!

Trying not to think ahead

2011-05-07T23:36:00.000-04:00

In just under 36 hours, I will finish my last final of junior year of college. I'm actively trying not to think about the fact that next year will be my last year at Rutgers, that a year from now I will be the one thinking about graduation and looking forward to the rest of my life.

On one hand, I'm excited and thankful to be in this place. Since getting to college, I've been worried about not being able to complete my majors on time due to the sheer number of credits they take. Now, I'm down to three classes and two one-credit seminars, plus a thesis. And that's it- then I am done. A part of me is really happy about this. I am finally sure that I can finish both of my majors on time, so, no more worries about not finishing in four years, and having to worry about paying for a fifth year of school.

On the other hand, I can't believe that I've already been at Rutgers for three years. The time has just gone by so quickly. I volunteer as an academic adviser for incoming students; the past two weekends I have helped these students pick their classes for their first semester at college, and think ahead about their major options and career goals. As I talk to these students, experiencing a small taste of the college life for the first time, I can't help but think about when I was in their shoes three years ago. Like them, I was overwhelmed and apprehensive of all the choices in front of me, and struggling with the freedom that Rutgers was shoving at me. Now, I am on the other end of that spectrum. I know what classes to take, what I am interested in, and I have ideas in place for my future. It's amazing how much can change in just a few years. Suddenly, I am the one people are asking for advice. I know something about all the craziness that is Rutgers University. And one year from now, it will all be over.

I don't want to think about it too much; after all, I still have a year left that I want to take full advantage of. I'm excited to continue working in my lab, and give a greater time commitment to research. I can't wait for marching band season to start up again in just a few months- and the fact that it will likely be my last ever just makes it all the more special. And even now, I am looking forward to seeing my friends again in September that I won't see all that often over the summer because South Jersey is too far away from everything else in this state.

At some point, I'll have to come to terms with the fact that next year is the end of my Rutgers undergraduate career. But...not right now.

BOOK REVIEW: Graceling by Kristin Cashore

2011-03-24T17:29:00.002-04:00

Okay, I usually review a book first before I give my recommendation on it, but not this time. Graceling was amazing. The moment I finished the book, I logged on to Twitter and wrote "Kristin Cashore's GRACELING is one of the best books I've ever read. Quite possibly *the* best. Wow." And that just about summarizes how much I loved reading Graceling.

Graceling takes readers inside the world of Katsa, a warrior-girl in her late teens with one blue eye and one green eye. This gives her haunting beauty, but also marks her as a Graceling. Gracelings are beings with special talents—swimming, storytelling, dancing. Katsa's Grace is considered more useful: her ability to fight (and kill, if she wanted to) is unequaled in the seven kingdoms. Forced to act as a henchman for a manipulative king, Katsa channels her guilt by forming a secret council of like-minded citizens who carry out secret missions to promote justice over cruelty and abuses of power.

Warning: Spoilers may follow.

For a fantasy novel, I was pleasantly surprised that Graceling was so character-driven. Katsa is such a strong main character, and her personality is clearly expressed. It is her actions, primarily, which drive the story. She is a well-rounded character, with definitive likes and dislikes, ideas, and her own unique way of interacting with those around her. From the very first page of the book, the reader is exposed to Katsa's unique and strong personality. Of course, like anyone, Katsa has her flaws. She is young, and still learning how to control her powers, so at times she is very impulsive. However, these flaws just add to her depth as a main character, and provides for the reader just one of many reasons to want to keep reading Graceling. Will Katsa overcome these fatal flaws in order to save the kingdom? Or will they get the best of her and cause her ultimate downfall?

Another huge character component of the book is the relationship between Katsa and Po. Unlike many relationships found in YA fiction novels, theirs seemed very real. It was definitely not love at first sight for the two of them! Throughout the entire novel, both characters must work to learn how to trust each other. This is really the crux of their entire relationship. At different times in the book, Katsa and Po learn new things about each other, and each time, one or the other of them must decide how this new information will affect their relationship. Katsa and Po's relationship is, in fact, the overarching plot line that stretches from the very first page of Graceling to the last, and in its own way, affects every other plot point of the book.

I am not going to go in to too much more detail about Graceling here- if you want to know more, you'll just have to read the book yourself! While it is fairly long, Graceling is not a difficult book to read and it is absolutely worth your time.

Book summary (inside dashed box) courtesy of Amazon.com.

BOOK REVIEW: Dreams of Significant Girls by Cristina Garcia

2011-03-21T23:13:00.000-04:00

I received Dreams of Significant Girls by Cristina Garcia as part of an ARC tour from Good Golly Miss Holly. This was the first ARC tour I ever participated in, and it was a really fun experience!

Unfortunately, the book itself was not quite so pleasant. In fact, Dreams of Significant Girls is the first book that I'm reviewing on this blog that I did not finish reading. After starting and stopping the book close to five times, I finally gave up on reading it about less than 100 pages in.

It seemed as though Garcia was trying too hard to create a unique voice for each of the three girls by separating each of their stories into separate sections. I did not like this setup as it became very redundant when each character retold the same event from her own point of view. This is why I prefer books with one narrator; it is an easy way to avoid such redundancy and it keeps the book moving at a better pace.

In addition, I felt like Garcia gave me no reason to care about her characters. The reasons she gave for the girls spending time at the summer camp seemed weak, and even in the part of the book I read, I had a hard time coming up with reasons for the events that took place except for the fact that something has to happen in a book.

Though I only had a week to read this book (as part of the rules for the ARC tour), I am sure that even if I'd had years and years to read Dreams of Significant Girls, I would not have finished it. Garcia may have been trying to imitate The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series, but that series was written much, much better.

Dreams of Significant Girls will be released on July 12, 2011- although I really would not recommend reading it. If you are looking for a coming-of-age type story, there are many better ones out there.

BOOK REVIEW: Forgotten by Cat Patrick

2011-03-15T00:32:00.000-04:00

I was lucky enough to receive a copy of Cat Patrick's debut novel, Forgotten, from Hip Scouts.

Warning: Spoilers may follow.

This book is about fifteen-year-old London, who can remember the future, but not the past. Every night, her memory resets, and the only way she has to know about the previous day is to read her notes about the events that transpired. Then, London starts having a recurring memory about a funeral, which starts around the same time that she starts dating Luke, the new kid at school. London must make some difficult decisions in order to better understand this memory, her past, and her future with Luke.

I really enjoyed this book, although it was a lot different than I expected it to be. From the title and the description, I thought it would be a very fluffy, "chick flick" sort of story. I was very wrong! While those aspects were definitely a part of the plot, the main piece was a lot more psychological and required much more thinking. This actually came as a pleasant surprise to me. I like not knowing exactly what is going to happen next in a story, and that was the case with Forgotten, for sure. On that note, however, nothing that happened was completely unexpected. The sequence of events all made sense, it was just not necessarily what I saw coming.

I do have to comment on the fact that the cover image shown here is not the same cover as is on the ARC I read. The cover of my copy is a lot more flirty, with playful shadows and a more comical font. I think that in this case, the design of the cover definitely would influence my preconceptions of the plot. I guess the fact that the cover of my copy sported pink butterflies, versus the actual cover with cracked, ominous-looking block letters, changed my expectation of the story. However, after seeing both covers I think that the one pictured in this blog post (which is the actual cover that will be printed, as far as I can tell) fits the book much better.

All in all, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a page-turner novel. I finished the book in three days, and it only took me that long because I started reading it right before I wanted to go to sleep! When I finally had some free time during the day, I spent upwards of three hours straight finishing the book because I just could not put it down! There was no good stopping point, because the story was so action-packed. With all of the surprises Cat Patrick has put into each chapter, this book can be a quick read if you want it to be, or a slow, analytical story on the other hand. Either way, I'm sure you will enjoy reading Forgotten, which will be released on June 7, 2011.

Even more FREE :D - BzzAgent and Maybelline lip color

2011-03-11T00:18:00.002-05:00

Apologies for my lack of posting over the last month. It seems as though this semester is going to be crazier than I expected, so I will probably be doing the majority of my posting during breaks. Like now!

While I'll be sure to update with an even larger "free stuff" post once I get home this week and pick up all of my free samples that have come since January, I have one exciting freebie to share right now!

I've been a member of BzzAgent for about ten months and I just got my second "real stuff" campaign this week! ("Real stuff" means that they actually sent me products in the mail, and didn't just base the campaign solely off of the internet.)

For those of you who don't know what BzzAgent is, it is one of the leading word-of-mouth marketing sites. Companies use BzzAgent to spread the word about their hot new products by sending samples out to consumers. It is then up to the Agent to learn about, use, and talk about the product they've received.

My new campaign is for Maybelline SuperStay 24 2-Step lip color.

This product is designed with microflex technology so that it will not become flaky even after you wear it for an entire day. The two-step process includes the lip color itself, which is the first coat, and a conditioning balm- the second coat- to add shine.

I am not one to use lip color on a daily basis, and even when I dress up I usually just wear lip gloss. However, I was willing to give this product a chance anyway.

I tried the Forever Chestnut shade, from the Naturals shade family. This lip color comes in four shade families- Reds, Pinks, Plums, and Naturals. I did not want something that was too bold or bright, so I opted to use the brown.

I found that if I applied it lightly, the lip color blended well with my natural lip tone. While you could tell that I was wearing lip color, it was not too loud of a color, which is exactly what I was going for. I also liked that my lips felt moisturized and did not ever feel dry through the course of the day like with other lip colors I have tried in the past.

Unfortunately, the color itself did not last for 24 hours. Right now my lips look pinker than usual, but not anywhere close to the brown shade I started with this morning. It's been just about 15 hours since I put the lip color on in the first place.

Overall, as someone who does not often wear lip color, I found this product to be a nice addition to my minimal makeup routine. It blended nicely with my natural skin and lip tone and gave me a subdue yet beautiful look for my day.

You can try Maybelline SuperStay 24 2-Step lip color for yourself with this $2 off coupon!

Also, I would highly recommend BzzAgent for anyone who loves trying new products for free! While you're not guaranteed to get campaigns, BzzAgent is working hard to improve their company and I've noticed recently that there are a lot more opportunities becoming available. Definitely check it out! =D

Disclaimer: I received samples of Maybelline SuperStay 24 2-Step lip color from BzzAgent. This review is my own opinion and I am not being compensated for publishing this blog post.

BOOK REVIEW: Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

2011-02-20T01:27:00.000-05:00

As someone who has not picked up a paranormal book since Twilight, I was wary of reading Kiersten White's Paranormalcy at first. I received a copy of this book from Georgia White of YA Lit Chat, however, and since it was highly recommended by other members of YA Lit Chat, I decided to give it a go even amidst my skepticism.

I'm so glad I decided to read Paranormalcy- I LOVED it! The characters were well-developed and each had such an individual personality that I kept finding myself unable to put the book down. I was afraid of becoming confused by all of the different paranormal species, but White did a great job of explaining what each character is capable of, in a way that lets the reader know what is necessary without distracting too much from the overarching plot. Because I have never read paranormal before, I found this to be helpful in terms of understanding everything that was happening around Evie.

Warning: Minor spoilers may follow.

White was able to make the characters so believable that I found myself experiencing the same emotions that Evie must have been feeling. Reth annoyed me so much! =]

While I am not usually a fan of huge endings like there was in Paranormalcy, I found myself okay with the outcome here. While a lot of what happened at the end (which I'm not going to reveal) was brand new material that was not predictable at all, it did make sense. So while I was not entirely happy with so much thrown at me as the reader so suddenly, I was not disappointed beyond that. And, I was very happy with who Evie ended up with!

This is a must-read for any YA fan- even those who are not typically fans of paranormal.

The second book in the Paranormalcy series, Supernaturally, is scheduled to be released on August 30, 2011.

It's been a while...

2011-02-14T18:24:00.000-05:00

Now that the semester is finally rolling here, I've suddenly found myself with no time at all =[ Exams have already started taking place, as have a number of papers, presentations, and rehearsals... So as much as I am trying to budget my time, I'm still insanely busy with all of this. As such, while I am trying to keep up with posting here a few times a week, I'm not going to guarantee that it's going to happen that often.

I announced yesterday that Lisa was the winner of the free Coffee-mate coupon! So congratulations to her!

I have some posts planned for this week- at the very least, a review of Paranormalcy, another free samples post, and a Waiting on Wednesday =)

So thanks for bearing with me :) And keep reading!

Congratulations to...

2011-02-13T00:07:00.000-05:00

Lisa!

Lisa won a coupon good for one FREE bottle of Coffee-mate creamer! Congratulations, Lisa! I will be sending your prize out this upcoming week.

Coffee Cupcakes w/ Vanilla Caramel Buttercream Icing

2011-02-08T13:03:00.001-05:00

I was inspired by all the Coffee-mate stuff I got last week and decided to use the idea of coffee and some of my free creamer to make these delicious cupcakes. According to one of my friends who tried one, "It tastes like you're eating a latte!" Yum! I think that's a perfect description of these delicious cupcakes- and I don't even drink coffee!

Coffee Cupcakes

1 c white sugar
1/2 c butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 tsp coffee extract
1 1/2 c. flour
1 3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 c milk

Cream together sugar and butter. Add eggs and vanilla, mix well. Combine flour and baking powder, add to sugar mixture and combine until wet. Add milk, stir until large lumps are gone. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 min or until cake feels springy.

*For plain (white) cupcakes, increase vanilla to 2 tsp and remove coffee extract.

Buttercream Icing

1/2 c butter, softened
3 1/2 c confectioners sugar
4 tbsp vanilla caramel Coffee-mate
5 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla

Beat all ingredients together with mixer until smooth. Add additional sugar if too thin; add additional milk (NOT Coffee-mate) if too thick.

*You can substitute in any flavor Coffee-mate you want into this icing to make a variety of flavors!

So even if you don't drink coffee, you can still enjoy these cupcakes! And don't forget to enter to win yourself some FREE Coffee-mate until TONIGHT!

Meet Me on Monday #1!

2011-02-07T00:00:00.024-05:00

Meet Me On Monday is a meme hosted by Java at Never Growing Old. Each week, she posts five "get to know you" questions so that bloggers can get to know each other better. It sounds like fun, so I'm going to give it a try this week!

1) Did you watch the Superbowl?

I watched it for all of about ten minutes...only to check the score and see if it might go into overtime so that I can get my free Papa John's Pizza =P But no- I watched part of the SVU marathon and part of the Toddlers in Tiaras marathon instead.

2) What is the last book you read?

I just finished Kiersten White's Paranormalcy. I loved it! (Check out my review, coming later this week.)

3) What is your favorite kind of cake?

Red velvet for sure! Mmmmm :)

4) Do you snore?

I don't think so! At least, nobody has ever told me that I have!

5) Do you play an instrument?

Why yes I do! I play the trumpet in the Rutgers marching, pep, and concert bands. My entire schedule pretty much revolves around band...so playing an instrument takes up the majority of my "free" time!

Book Blogger Hop (2/4-2/7/11)!

2011-02-05T12:27:00.000-05:00

Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted at Crazy For Books. Each week, a question is posted for bloggers to answer. This week's question is:

What are you reading now and why are you reading it?

Well, if I had answered this yesterday, my answer would have been Paranormalcy by Kiersten White. I won it from Georgia McBride during YA Lit Chat about a month ago and finally got around to starting it this week. While I normally don't read paranormal, I do try my best to read every book I get. Well, Paranormalcy was just so good that I finished it yesterday! (Look for my review coming this week.)

So now I have a couple books waiting to be read, and I'm debating which to read next. XVI by Julia Carr and The Eagle by Rosemary Sutcliff are up on the list- I bought XVI and received The Eagle from InGroup. But I also have Dreams of Significant Girls waiting in the post office (can't get packages until Monday...) for an ARC tour, so I might wait until then to pick up a new book.

Until I decide, I'll probably continue reading My Favorite Band Does Not Exist by Robert T Jeschonek, which I got from NetGalley to review, and have downloaded onto my computer. I just am not a big fan of reading off of my laptop, so I always like to have a "real" book that I'm reading, too.

Whew, that was long! What are you reading?

CONTEST TIME! Win Coffee-mate Creamer this Flavor Friday!

2011-02-04T00:00:00.029-05:00

Coffee-mate is hosting Flavor Friday today in order to promote their new Café Collection of creamers. I was lucky enough to receive one of their party packs so that I can share their product with my friends and family. (I discussed my party pack in this post.)

Whether you're one who needs coffee to just get moving in the morning, or if you grab a cup of joe when you're exhausted but just need to get through that last chapter of a book you're reading, Coffee-mate allows you to personalize your drink with over 25 flavors of creamer!

I couldn't get such a great promo and not share it with my awesome blog readers. That's right- one lucky reader will win a coupon for a FREE bottle of Coffee-mate Creamer!

Mandatory entry: Check out Coffee-mate's website, and then leave a comment on this post with which flavor of creamer you'd most like to try in your morning coffee.

Additional entries (leave a comment for each extra entry):
~Follow my blog (visibly) with Google Friend Connect (+1)- If you're already a follower, that's okay, too- just let me know that in your comment!
~Follow me on Twitter (@DesAbsurdites) (+1)- Make sure to leave your Twitter handle in your comment.
~Blog about this giveaway on your blog (+3)- make sure to link to the blog post in your comment.
~Tweet about this giveaway and link to Des Absurdités or this post in your tweet (+1)- make sure to leave a direct link to your tweet in your comment. One tweet per day the contest is running.

BUT WAIT! If I get ten new followers to my blog over the course of this contest, I will give away a SECOND free coupon! That's right- two winners! So spread the word about Des Absurdités, earn yourself some contest entries, and increase your chances of winning all at the same time!

This contest runs from Friday, 2/4 at 12:00 am EST until Tuesday, 2/8 at 10:00 pm EST. I'll notify the winner by e-mail within one week of the contest ending. The winner then has 72 hours to reply to me with their address before a new winner is chosen.

Good luck!

Coffee-mate provided me with coupons and samples to promote their Free Flavor Friday. I am not receiving any compensation for this post, and the giveaway is sponsored by Des Absurdités.

BOOK REVIEW: Birthmarked by Caragh O'Brien

2011-02-03T08:00:00.002-05:00

Caragh O'Brien's Birthmarked was a refreshing twist on the typical dystopian novel. Unlike most, which create a completely fictional futuristic society, O'Brien incorporates things that affect real lives today into the story to create a very plausible story.

Warning: Plot spoilers may follow.

At first, it surprised me a bit that hemophilia was such a major component of the plot. In my past experiences, authors that try to include a scientific twist tend to botch the actual facts of the disease. However, O'Brien obviously did her research, because both the genetic and physical components of the disease were described accurately and succinctly in the text. Enough information was given about hemophilia to explain to the reader why certain other events were taking place, but on the other hand, the reader was not overwhelmed with scientific data. I thought it was a nice balance, and enough to convince me that this future is possible for our society.

I thought Gaia was a believable protagonist. While there were some points in the book where I could accurately predict what would happen next, I understood that Gaia might not be able to because of her limited knowledge of the world inside the Enclave. In that sense, the reader must be able to separate herself from the main character at times in order to appreciate the story more. While you might be able to figure something out, Gaia might not. And while the POV is third person limited, just as an educated reader in 2011, some things become obvious.

I have to say that the ending of Birthmarked was very reminiscent of the ending of The Giver. (If you've read The Giver- the same thing happens.) While I found that ending to be perfectly suitable for The Giver, in the case of Birthmarked, I thought it was really just an easy way to create a cliffhanger. I thought that there could have been other feasible endings, and O'Brien just chose the most extreme. But I guess I'll have to wait for the sequel and see if I'm less disappointed with this ending based on the plot of that book.

The sequel to Birthmarked, Prized, is expected to be released in November 2011.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Prized by Caragh O'Brien

2011-02-02T00:01:00.000-05:00

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a meme hosted weekly by Breaking The Spine to highlight upcoming book releases and spread the word about them. This week, I'm featuring Prized by Caragh O'Brien.

If you've heard of Caragh O'Brien recently, it's because her first book, Birthmarked, made a big splash when it hit the YA market last March. Prized is the sequel to Birthmarked, and it's due to be published in November, 2011.

(My review of Birthmarked is coming tomorrow!)

No synopsis has been released yet for Prized, but currently, it is known that it will pick up Gaia's story about two weeks after the end of Birthmarked.

Have you read Birthmarked? What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

FREE THINGS version 2.0

2011-02-01T19:42:00.002-05:00

Anyone who knows me or has read my blog/Twitter for long enough has easily noticed my obsession with FREE THINGS =D (If you've forgotten, check out this post.)

Since then, I've gotten a couple more fun free items that I want to share with you- like my free Nescafé Dolce Gusto Piccolo machine from Coffee Mate! They're hosting an event called Flavor Friday this Friday, 2/4 in order to promote their new Café Collection of creamers!

They sent me a generous pack including capsules for my Dolce Gusto machine, Free Coffee-Mate coupons for myself and to share with friends, and some instant coffee and creamer packets to share as well. My co-workers at the research lab I work at will be very happy this Friday! And...SO WILL MY BLOG READERS! That's right- check back here on Friday, February 4 for my very first blog contest!! I'm super excited for this, and you should be, too!

I also got, in a very roundabout way, a free pair of moccasins from Payless! Last semester, my university's food services department had a survey that if you completed it, you got money added to your university "debit card". I used my money for a Payless gift card, and ordered a pair of black moccasins, which came today. They are very comfortable and warm- perfect for this icky weather we've been having all winter.

Last, but not least (and maybe the most exciting thing for those readers of mine who are book bloggers) is a copy of The Eagle by Rosemary Sutcliff. The story was originally published in 1954 under the title The Eagle of the Ninth, but was rereleased with this new title in November 2010. I was lucky enough to receive a copy of this book from InGroup, a faction of MacTeen (Macmillan Publishing).

So as you can see, I've been having some fun with my free products recently! Make sure to stop by again this Friday, 2/4, to win some free stuff for yourself!

Book Blogger Hop (1/28-1/31)!

2011-01-28T01:10:00.000-05:00

Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted at Crazy For Books as a way for bloggers to connect with each other over a common book-related question each weekend. This week's question was submitted by yours truly =)

What book are you most looking forward to seeing published in 2011? Why are you anticipating that book?

I submitted a hard question! There are definitely a lot of books that I'm looking forward to reading in 2011. But if I have to pick one, I'd have to say Mastiff by Tamora Pierce. This is the third book in her Beka Cooper series. Tamora Pierce is one of those authors that I've grown up with. I started reading her books in middle school (6th or 7th grade) and even though that was over eight years ago (wow!) I still love her books. Mastiff doesn't come out until November, and there's no synopsis released yet, but I'm sure it will be worth the wait!

Again, a huge thanks to Jennifer at Crazy for Books for featuring Des Absurdités this weekend!!

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Memento Nora by Angie Smibert

2011-01-26T07:00:00.005-05:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine to profile yet to be released books that we're eagerly anticipating. This week, I'm featuring Memento Nora by Angie Smibert. It will be released in April 2011.

It's a YA dystopian novel that I came across while perusing other book blogs. It sounds like a really interesting take on the dystopian genre because it also deals with issues of memory.

Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:

A teen struggles to hold onto her memories-and her identity-in a world that wants everyone to forget-and keep on shopping. Three dynamic teens come together to create a comic book of their memories.

There was a better synopsis somewhere, but I can't find it at the moment. Sorry =(

I was lucky enough to get selected for an ARC tour of this book from the wonderful Holly at Good Golly Miss Holly! I'm fifth on the list so I should get the book around the middle of March. But I am extremely excited to read this one; it's been on my list since I first heard about it! Can't wait =)

BOOK REVIEW: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

2011-01-24T08:00:00.036-05:00

Wow! Suzanne Collins has done it again! Mockingjay absolutely lives up to the hype that was surrounding its release. As the last book in the series, Mockingjay needed to wrap up Katniss' story, but also address the cliffhanger we were left with at the end of Catching Fire. It succeeds amazingly well in doing both, and the story still includes the twists and surprises we grew accustomed to from reading The Hunger Games and Catching Fire.

WARNING: Minor spoilers may be present.

The book starts off with a brief overview of everything that happened between the end of Catching Fire and the time at which Katniss has to choose her role as the Mockingjay. While this section reads at a much slower pace than the rest of the book, this narration was necessary to set the stage for the rest of the plot. In my opinion, Collins handled this as best as she could while still propelling the story forward.

The story really gets moving when Katniss and the others begin actively participating in the life of District 13. I don't want to give away too much here, but District 13 was nothing like I imagined it would be. Panem is in the midst of a bloody and trying war, and District 13 is trying to cope with it while still staying true to their beliefs about the country. This is an important plot point- so I will lay it to rest here.

The character development, I have to say, was my absolute favorite part of Mockingjay. After the events that ended Catching Fire, the tributes, some of the other Hunger Games personnel, and a few District 12 habitants find themselves thrown into District 13, which even if it had not been preparing for war, is very different from 12 or the Capitol. Collins did an amazing job of tracing each character's journey in 13 and exploring not only their actions, but their thoughts as well. More so than in either of the preceding books, I felt like I really knew each character. Even when there were plot twists that shocked me, in some way, they were not completely out of the blue. They all fit with some aspect of that character's personality. The characters all felt like real, not like a fictional creation that they were. It made Mockingjay an even more captivating read, because the character progression felt so natural.

The ending, the ending...satisfied me even though I really expected it not to. But after reading the whole series, this ending is really the only one that makes sense, after all.

READ THIS SERIES! That's really all I have to say. Even if you are not a dystopian fan, the character development and plot progression of The Hunger Games trilogy rivals those of any other series I have ever read. You will find yourself wrapped up in what is happening to Katniss and Panem, and unable to put the book down.

And the semester has begun!

2011-01-23T11:19:00.000-05:00

It's been a crazy first week of classes for me! None of my classes seem like they will be particularly difficult (or at least, not worse than last semester!), and my schedule is not awful. But with all of the snow we've gotten here in NJ over the past few weeks, just physically getting to class has been like a death trap! There is so much ice everywhere that walking to the bus stop is a gamble for your life. But I made it through =) and can't really complain. Some of the classes I'm taking could have turned out to be much more difficult than they did, and a couple of them are actually interesting, too ;-) As long as I don't procrastinate too much, the workload should be manageable.

Of course, that makes it sound like I've had all the time in the world to update the blog. I wish! But unfortunately, that is not the case. The first week of classes is always crazy because of trying to purchase textbooks, but this year that craziness is compounded by the fact that I also have to get special permission numbers for one of my classes...but I can only get it after I get three people to sign a form. Shouldn't be that hard...except that the last person only has office hours on Tuesdays and is not in his office at all except for then. So I've spent hours running back and forth between campuses to try and register for this class...which I still haven't been able to do, by the way.

But although I haven't had time to update the blog until now, I have been reading! Which means that there are reviews coming soon =)

I started reading Ash by Malinda Lo. This is the companion to Huntress, which I wrote a review of earlier. At the moment I have to say that I prefer Huntress, but a proper review is definitely coming next week! The book is due at the library next Friday, so I don't have a choice but to finish it by then!

Other than that, my reading list is everything that was In My Mailbox last week. And I still have reviews to post for the rest of the Hunger Games series, which I finished last week.

Hopefully the next few weeks calm down a little bit, and then I will update here more often. Hopefully...hopefully...

In My Mailbox: Jan 10-16

2011-01-17T07:00:00.000-05:00

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by The Story Siren as a way to share what books we got over the past week.

I purchased XVI by Julia Carr.

I also got a load of books from NetGalley! (If you've never used it, it's an awesome site where you can get advance copies of books online. You have to read them on your computer- no print copies- but if you don't mind that, then it's a great way to read a lot of books well before their release dates.)

The Atomic Weight of Secrets or The Arrival of the Mysterious Men in Black by Eden Unger Bowditch
My Favorite Band Does Not Exist by Robert T Jeschonek
Lost Voices by Sarah Porter
The Cellar by A J Whitten
Trickster's Girl by Hilari Bell

Sadly, I start classes again this week so I'm not going to have as much time to read as I did over the break. I'm going to read the books I have but my blog posts are going to start being a mix of book posts and random life posts again. This blog started out as a personal blog and I don't want to lose that aspect of it even as I post more book reviews and such. =)

On Editing

2011-01-16T10:24:00.001-05:00

I participated in NaNoWriMo last November. For those of you who haven't heard of NaNoWriMo before, it's pretty simple. Write a 50,000 word novel between November 1 and 30, and you win. What do you win? The satisfaction of writing your very own novel (and some other little goodies...but mostly just satisfaction). It doesn't sound like much, but anyone who has ever completed NaNoWriMo can attest to the amazing feeling you get when writing that 50,000th word.

Now it's been about a month and a half since the end of November. I haven't touched my novel at all until this week when I finally felt ready to start editing. Now, personally, I like editing a lot more than I like writing. But I never imagined how hard it would be to edit something I wrote myself! Even though it's been weeks since I last read my own novel, I realized that there's no way I am going to forget everything that happens. So it becomes extremely difficult to predict how a reader might experience a plot twist or a new character, since as the author, I already know how they impact the rest of the story.

I don't really have any intent on making this particular novel publishable, so I'm not going to stress too much about editing; however, I'd like to get it to the point that I can let other people read it. A rough copy of a novel written in 27 days is not exactly perfect ;-)

Have you ever written something novel-length before, or attempted NaNoWriMo? What are your editing tips?

Book Blogger Hop (1/14-1/17)!

2011-01-14T02:42:00.001-05:00

The wonderful blog Crazy For Books has a weekly feature called the Book Blogger Hop. Each week, they post a question for bloggers to answer. It's a great way for book bloggers to connect with one another. This week's question is:

Why do you read the genre that you do? What draws you to it?

I love reading YA fantasy or dystopian. Even thinking back to when I was younger, some of my favorite authors to read were Tamora Pierce, JK Rowling, and Libba Bray; I loved The Giver and The Magician's Nephew; The Guardians of Ga'hoole, Pendragon, and Artemis Fowl were the series I followed.

Now that I'm in college, I still find myself attached to YA fantasy. While they're quick reads for me now, this genre still pulls me in for all the same reasons it did when I was younger. I can't find novels in the adult section that I love quite the same way I love my YA.

Everyone always talks about how reading should be an escape. In order for reading to have that effect on me, I need the story to be very distinct from reality. I need to be able to pick up a book and have it transport me somewhere that doesn't remind me of the real world. Being able to use a book as a vessel to imagine something totally new and exciting is something I find only fantasy is able to do for me. Whether the new world that's created is better or worse than reality right now doesn't matter to me so long that it's different. I find that YA fantasy and dystopian novels are full of avenues for me as the reader to explore different ideas, without being constrained by the laws of reality.

What's your take on YA fantasy and dystopian novels? Do you have any all-time favorite books from these genres?

Everything's FREE if you just look!

2011-01-13T08:05:00.000-05:00

A hobby of mine for a while has been free sample hunting. Over the years I've gotten a lot of free things. =) The most common type of samples out there are little packets of shampoo, toothpaste, and other cosmetic items, and samples of food. I started out free sample hunting because I really enjoy getting mail, and this was a fun way to get more.

Recently, I've gotten a couple of big ticket items for free, and realized how much free stuff is available on line if you just look. From playing instant win games, I've gotten- for FREE- a grill and a digital camera! While these aren't the kind of samples that are readily available every day, if you play the instant win games often enough, you can win, too!

My free grill (in the back) and a bunch of other samples.

Me and my free digital camera!

Companies make free samples available all the time, to increase exposure of their brand. If you just look around, it's actually quite easy to find these samples and get them yourself! Books, food, and even electronics can be yours for free, too! Here are a few places to start looking yourself, if you are interested:

It's All Free Online

Instant Win Game Roundup

Walmart Free Samples

Good luck, and let me know what you get for FREE online!

"Waiting On" Wednesday: My Favorite Band Does Not Exist by Robert T Jeschonek

2011-01-12T08:05:00.000-05:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine to profile yet to be released books that we're eagerly anticipating. This week, I'm featuring My Favorite Band Does Not Exist by Robert T Jeschonek. It will be released on July 11, 2011.

It's a YA fantasy novel that seems to also fall under the realm of metafiction. While that's not normally what I read, I've been enticed by the idea of metafiction since I discovered the idea of it in November. I'd really like to read My Favorite Band Does Not Exist to get some firsthand experience with reading metafiction.

Here is the summary from Amazon:

Sixteen-year-old genius Idea Deity believes that he exists only in the pages of a novel written by a malevolent, omnipotent author . . . and that he will die in chapter 64. Meanwhile, an older teen named Reacher Mirage sings lead vocals for the undercover rock band Youforia . . . a band that exists in Idea’s world only as an Internet hoax that Idea himself perpetuated. Then there’s beautiful and mysterious Eunice Truant, who links their destinies. When Idea and Reacher plunge into the reality ofFireskull’s Revenant, the twisted epic fantasy novel they’ve both been reading, chapter 64 bears down on them like a speeding freight train on an unstoppable collision course. Being trapped in a bad book can be a nightmare. Just ask Idea Deity.

I actually just received a galley of this book from NetGalley! I'm super excited to read it, so make sure to check back a little closer to the release date for a review! I'm swamped now with books on my "to read" list (especially because a bunch of them are library books that are due soon), but this is close to the top of the list because I want to read it so badly =)

BOOK REVIEW: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

2011-01-11T08:15:00.001-05:00

I'm going to start off this review saying that I read Catching Fire in just one day! I'm a fast reader, but not that fast (normally), so it's just a testament as to how much I loved this book.

This book picks up where The Hunger Games leaves off, starting with a background of things that happened immediately upon Katniss' return to District 12. The action really picks up right before Katniss and Peeta tour the districts for their Victory Tour. It was a nice transition between the two books, because as the reader, I didn't feel like I was missing any of the action. Everything that was mentioned as happening to the victors after the end of the Games was actually detailed in Catching Fire. I really liked that the books, together, seamlessly covered all of the time from the beginning of The Hunger Games to the end of Catching Fire without leaving large gaps in time between the two books like some multi-book series do.

Again, Katniss and Peeta are very strong personalities, but you can tell that they have changed since winning the 74th annual Games. They are both more rebellious and more questioning of Panem. This, combined with some other events and new characters (that I'm not going to mention specifically here- too much of a spoiler!), do somewhat prepare the reader for what happens at the end of the book, although not how it actually comes about. While yes, like many other "middle of the trilogy" books, Catching Fire has the role of setting up what needs to be done before Mockingjay, there are enough twists, surprises, and new characters to keep the reader interested from beginning to end. Even changes in characters that we met in The Hunger Games feed into the unrest throughout Panem. Effie, Cinna, and the rest of Katniss and Peeta's entourage become deeper characters in Catching Fire, again to the effect of expressing the state of the Capitol after Katniss' defiance at the end of The Hunger Games.

I especially like that Collins is able to plant doubts into the characters' heads (especially Katniss') at the same time that she puzzles the reader. Again, the first person narration helps a lot. The plot moves quickly, and the reader really experiences what Katniss does throughout the entire book.

While I can't deny that I did like The Hunger Games more than Catching Fire, I think that was mainly because everything was so new in The Hunger Games while a lot of things were more expected come Catching Fire. That's not to say that I didn't still love Catching Fire- because I did- and there is absolutely enough in there to keep the reader pulled forward. It's just that The Hunger Games had more straight-up action because it primarily dealt with the Games themselves, while Catching Fire covered more of the political unrest and character relationships.

Wow~ I can't wait to read Mockingjay next! Just seeing reviews of Mockingjay are what got me started with this series in the first place. But, more of that in the appropriate review!

BOOK REVIEW: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

2011-01-10T16:43:00.001-05:00

Wow! I usually disagree with hype around a lot of newly-published books, but The Hunger Games definitely lived up to its reputation. From the first page to the last, I could barely put the book down. I finished reading it in three nights...three very long nights during which I stayed up until 3:00 am just so I could read some more.

While The Hunger Games was clearly a dystopian novel, Panem, the country that exists in place of North America, is not home to the mindless, submissive people that are the staple of many dystopian plots. Instead, from the beginning, the reader feels that there is a sense of unease throughout the society because of the Hunger Games. The Games are an annual event in which two tributes (participants) from each of the 12 Districts of Panem, battle each other in a large arena until only one of the 24 teens is left alive; they are, in turn, declared the victor. The Hunger Games follows Katniss, one of the tributes from District 12, as she struggles to understand the Games, herself, and her future.

For those who have read the Pendragon series, The Hunger Games is very similar to the seventh book, The Quillan Games. Both involve unwilling competitors who must fight for their own survival in a game designed to end in death. Both societies- Panem and Quillan- are futuristic communities in which these Games have risen to a level of national importance. The competitors are treated with the upmost importance before the games and afterwards (if they survive); citizens bet on the competitors they think will fare the best; in the midst of these Games, the competitors being followed realize that there is unease in the society and they must do their part in stopping it, one way or another. If you enjoyed The Quillan Games, you will absolutely love The Hunger Games.

Suzanne Collins has included many twists in the plot that will surprise even the most keen reader. Of course I'm not going to reveal any here, but rest assured that The Hunger Games will not disappoint you. The characters are developed very well, and through their struggles and triumphs, the reader can not help but become deeply attached to many of them. Collins is able to draw the reader into the actual emotion that the tributes' families must be feeling during the Hunger Games. In that way, the deaths become actually upsetting; more than a character in a book just not being there any more, Katniss' sadness and anger becomes the sadness and anger of the reader as well.

This book is written in first person from Katniss' point of view. While this may be shocking at first, it really allows you to get inside Katniss' head and experience everything she does as she travels from District 12 to the Capitol and participates in the 74th annual Hunger Games. I have to say that although I normally don't like reading things written in first person, the extra sense of emotion that comes with it definitely serves its purpose in The Hunger Games. Any other technique used to tell the story would not portray it in such a personal way.

I am already reading the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy, Catching Fire, so expect a review of that very soon!