Always Radiant Infinity Pads Beauty Review

ALWAYS RADIANT INFINITY PADS

Always Radiant Pads have a soft, seamless, flexible design to move with you and a light, clean scent so you can feel fresh. Made with Infinicel,™ which absorbs 4x more than you might need, yet feels amazingly light!

That was the description I got from the Always Website and I have to say I agree with all of it. I have always used Always Pads because they are just more comfortable for me. I don't really wear tampons so I had to search for the best pad for myself. I really like that their pads are super thin, the thinnest I've seen. Because they are so thin you literally forget you're wearing them. Well you forget as much as you can because let's be honest, you can't really forget anything during those times. I also like how easily the pad comes off the wrapper and that you can save that same wrapper for later on.

The pad is super soft and almost spongy, which helps to keep you dry when you most need it. I found the regular pads were great for the beginning and end of my cycle. I happen to have heavier cycles so I like to use the super or overnight pads. Sometimes these more absorbent pads can remind me of a diaper! Not so with Always Radiant Infinity pads, they are just as thin as the regular pads. They work as great and I didn't have to change them out any more than I normally would other pads. 

These pads are awesome and they are affordable as well. Also I LOVED how there were coupons inside the box for more Always Radiant products. Okay yea I know they're just coupons, but when you're buying the same products month after month, some kind of savings is always a good thing. 

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TAMPAX RADIANT INFINITY TAMPON

If Tampons are more your thing then you can use the Tampax Radiant Infinity Collection. The new Tampax Radiant tampons give you an ultimate protection experience like never before! The Radiant tampon features FormFit™ protection that gently expands to fit your unique shape, a LeakGuard™ braid to help stop leaks before they happen, a CleanSeal™ wrapper—the first ever re-sealable wrapper for worry-free disposal—and a CleanGrip™ applicator designed for incredible comfort.

Like I mentioned above I'm not a huge tampon wearer so what I got I gave to my sister in law to try out. She loved all the products and love the small wristlet that everything came in. I seriously wanted to keep it for myself but that wouldn't have been nice. She sang its praises saying that they were super comfortable and worked wonderfully.

Do you love Always products as much as I do? If so then feel free to head on over to the Always Facebook Page and tell them! 

China Glaze Polish Review - "Some Like It Haute"

CHINA GLAZE

SOME LIKE IT HAUTE

So once I bought my first China Glaze polish - Ruby Pumps, I knew more would be following. Well here is my second polish and it's called, "Some Like It Haute". Well I can't really understand why they named it that because when I saw it, I thought of something else. Like glitterific rainbow, twilight shine, or anything other than Some Like It Haute, but I'm sure they have their reasons.

Anyway I have to say this is one of my favorite polishes now, well at least till the next bottle. It has a grey-ish black base with fine colorful glitter. This polish definitely sparkles so it would go perfect with an understated outfit. It brings so much bling and I love it! It is so jam packed with glitter that the polish is a bit thick. I just plopped the polish on and worked backwards taking off excess to make it smooth. While it has a lot of glitter it because they aren't huge I only needed 2 coats of my new Seche Vite top coat to make it completely smooth. I'm thoroughly impressed with the range of colors you get from this polish. I think it could even work over a solid colored polish for some extra oomph.


What do you guys think? Do you have this polish? What is your favorite polish right now?

China Glaze "Ruby Pumps" Review

CHINA GLAZE

"RUBY PUMPS"

So I got my first bottles of China Glaze and I'm in love. I know, I know you're probably thinking where I've been at all this time. I rarely get out into certain stores with being out of work, so yea I had yet to see China Glaze. Now that I've got it, I'm so excited to start buying more. The color of Ruby Pumps is so pigmented and bright. It definitely looks just like a pair of ruby slippers. The base of Ruby Pumps is a bright red and its filled with small flecks of dark and light red glitter. 

It went on super smooth and you can't even feel the glitter, it is that fine. It has already been 3 days and it has minimal chipping. Actually the only chipping is only at the tips of my nails, which means I've been typing away like crazy. 

So there ya go, I'd seriously recommend you guys getting a bottle for yourself because you will definitely love it! Oh and did you know they're all on sale at Sally's Beauty Salon for like $4.50! Seriously thats some affordable polish so there isn't any excuse to not go out and buy some. 

NYC New York Color Beauty Review

NYC New York Color

I was very fortunate to receive a NYC "Nude York City" Liquid Lipshine in my Latina Beauty Box from Influenster. I was super excited to try it out as I love NYC Cosmetics. They're all very affordable, long-lasting, and have a wide variety of colors. 

So I am not a huge fan of lipstick as I find they just dry my lips out. The perfect compromise for me are lip glosses. I get the little hint of color I want plus they moisturize at the same time.  NYC makes a line of glosses. NYC Liquid Lipshine comes in 10 great shades from nudes to berries & fuschias that will match any skin color. They only go for $2.49 at many department stores by you and at that price you can afford to buy more than one. They have vitamin E in them to provide tons of shine and a moisturizing feeling. One little tip though, a little will go a long way! The brush is large and will get a lot of the gloss on it. 

So as for my NYC Nude York City that I was sent its a beautiful sheer peachy color. It has a hint of gold shimmer mixed in to add just a little pop. It also has a great smell to it, which if you've been paying attention I have issues with smells. Its a sugary sweet piece of cake, so if you aren't too keen on sweet smells you might not enjoy it. It lasted a few hours before I had to reapply, but it wasn't any different than any other lip gloss. 

I'd highly recommend you go out and try one for yourself. They have some great shades, they're all affordable at $2.49, and are super pigmented!

Disclaimer:
I received this product from Influenster as part of a Latina Beauty Box to try out. All opinions are my own and I received no further compensation.

Mariah Stewart Book Giveaway

2 BOOK GIVEAWAY

MARIAH STEWART

"COMING HOME"

Synopsis: 

In the wake of his wife’s murder, agent Grady Shields turned his back on the FBI—and everything else—to retreat into the vast solitude of Montana, grieve for his lost love, and forget the world. But after years in seclusion, his sister’s wedding draws him to St. Dennis, a peaceful town on the Chesapeake Bay. Though he swears he isn’t interested in finding love again, Grady can’t ignore the mutual sparks that fly when he meets Vanessa Keaton.

Although her past was marked by bad choices, Vanessa has found that coming to St. Dennis is the best decision she’s ever made. Bling, her trendy boutique, is a success with tourists as well as with the townspeople. She’s made friends, has a home she loves, and has established a life for herself far from the nightmare she left behind. The last thing she’s looking for is romance, but the hot new man in town is hard to resist. And when Vanessa’s past catches up with her, Grady finds that he’s unwilling to let her become a victim again. As together they fight her demons, Grady and Vanessa discover that life still holds some surprises and that love doesn’t always have to hurt.

My Review:
I just finished reading Come Home and it was wonderful. I am kind of put off by romance novels as I'm more of a horror type gal. But with this book I was really pleased to find that it wasn't the run of the mill romance novel. No, it was a mystery, romance, and thriller story all in one. The romance wasn't too crazy and it didn't need to be hidden from the kids. It was a great story before everything else and ended up being a really good read. Mariah Stewart created characters that seemed so real and relevant in the society we live in now. All the characters stories were plausible and could have happened in real life. It was a great afternoon read and I can't wait to read the second book in the series, "Home Again".

"HOME AGAIN"

Synopsis:
Dallas MacGregor is living the Hollywood dream. At thirtysomething, she’s an award-winning actress beloved by the public and bound for even bigger success. But when her soon-to-be-ex-husband, producer Emilio Baird, is caught in a sex scandal, Dallas’s charmed life turns tabloid nightmare. Determined to shield her young son, Cody, from the ugly uproar, Dallas seeks refuge in sleepy St. Dennis, Maryland—the Chesapeake Bay town where her happiest childhood days were spent.

Reunited with her boisterous great-aunt, Dallas wants nothing more than to leave her Hollywood days behind. And when she crosses paths with local veterinarian Grant Wyler, her high school summer love, she finds he’s everything she remembers, and more—and that the spark is still there. But Dallas’s promising new life takes a troubling turn when the unimaginable happens and she finds herself living a mother’s worst nightmare—and Emilio storms into St. Dennis to save the day, along with his damaged career. Trapped in the unwanted glare of the limelight once again, Dallas discovers that it’s coolheaded Grant who is willing to risk everything to protect her and her son, and to secure the future they were always meant to share.

My Review: Sadly I never wrote one but I did read this book. It was just as great as the first book and I'm surprised to see that there are 3 more books in this set. Looks like I'll have to look those up as well.

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The Grace of Silence

REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

THE GRACE OF SILENCE

BY MICHELE NORRIS

Synopsis:
A profoundly moving and deeply personal memoir by the co-host of National Public Radio’s flagship program All Things Considered.

While exploring the hidden conversation on race unfolding throughout America in the wake of President Obama’s election, Michele Norris discovered that there were painful secrets within her own family that had been willfully withheld. These revelations—from her father’s shooting by a Birmingham police officer to her maternal grandmother’s job as an itinerant Aunt Jemima in the Midwest—inspired a bracing journey into her family’s past, from her childhood home in Minneapolis to her ancestral roots in the Deep South.

The result is a rich and extraordinary family memoir—filled with stories that elegantly explore the power of silence and secrets—that boldly examines racial legacy and what it means to be an American.


My Review:
Although I liked the more personal touches of this book, I found the other parts to be a bit slow. Overall it still is a great book to read and I learned quite a bit from it. Growing up in a predominantly Hispanic community it is hard for me to understand certain racial issues. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this book and widen my horizons.

This was the first book I ever reviewed and you can definitely tell. My review was short and didn't really tell much about what I really thought about the book. I haven't re-read it which is why I'll be passing it on to one of you. It was a good book and had a lot about her family. I really wish it had just been done about her family though as the rest of the book just lost me. 

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Beauty Review Essie # 942

BEAUTY CORNER REVIEWS

Essie Metallics

"Penny Talk"

I love Essie polishes as they are long lasting, durable, and on the more affordable end. They're always really pigmented and go on smooth. So when I was again sent a bottle from Klout and Essie I was super excited. Essie came out with their own metallic shades: blue rhapsody, nothing else metals, no place like chrome, good as gold, and penny talk. I was fortunate enough to get "Penny Talk" from my Klout perk. So being an Essie fan I had very high expectations for their new collection. I can honestly say that I'm not a huge fan of Penny Talk. When I think of a penny I think of the shiny copper color that is bright, this is more lukewarm. Its very understated and more of a pink color than copper. I think it just matches too much with my skin color for my liking. I wanted a pop of color and I think it was a total dud.

While I wasn't much a fan of the color it is still a great polish. It went on pretty smoothly, much easier than the Julep metallic polishes. I still got some streaking, but it wasn't too bad. I will more than likely be passing this polish on to someone else to enjoy.

Book Giveaway Winner

Cemetery Girl Book Giveaway Winner is... 

MARY BENACK!

Surprise Beauty Box Giveaway

Yup my next beauty box giveaway is going to be a surprise. I mean I have to have fun too you know! Also it'll be fun for you to get a box with a ton of stuff that you weren't expecting. That would be totally fun right? Well I'm getting stuff together and I promise it'll be great. It'll be really easy with just a couple of entries because I love you guys and know how tedious liking and following 50 different sponsors. So only one main thing I want is for you to follow me on GFC. That shouldn't be too hard, right? 

So yup the box has some great stuff and actually retails for about... yea I'm not even going to tell you that. That would ruin the surprise right? So yup you ready to enter?

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Julep August Box Review

BEAUTY CORNER REVIEWS

JULEP August Box

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"Stefani"

So Julep jumped on the metallic trend and sent out to great colors - Dakota and Stefani. Stefani is a great metallic silver that looks fantastic! It did have a different consistency than other polishes. I noticed the difference because of all the tiny bubbles that ended up on my nails. Honestly I like the way they look, it's really makes it look more like bubbling metal. It was hard to not grab too much on the brush as its kind of thick. 

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"DAKOTA" 

Also in the box was Dakota which is a copper colored polish. It really reminds me a shiny new copper penny. It too was a bit thick and ended up being even more bubbly and uneven than Stefani. Now I'm sure its my shoddy work that made them like that, as I've seen them look super smooth on others pictures. Anyway it looked great in the sun. It was super shiny and I got nothing but compliments when I wore it. Seriously love the whole metallic trend!

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Last thing in the box was the best thing in the box, well in my opinion. It was Julep Nail Polish Remover and I'm in love. Seriously it's fantastic! I love the little top that you can pump the remover onto your cotton ball. Depending on how much you turn the top open, that's how much remover will come out. If that wasn't awesome enough the remover itself is great. It really left my cuticles feeling soft and no stinky smell. Seriously I'm in love with this stuff and will have to buy more.

So you can get in on the fun for about $19.95 every month by joining Julep Maven. By joining you can either get 2 polishes and a another Julep product, or get the It Girl which gives you three polishes. Now at first $20 a month seems like a lot, but considering how much polishes are, its not a bad value. If you were to get the It Girl Box it would be about $6.65 per polish. That is cheaper than a few other polish brands that you can buy in many department stores. So what are you waiting for? Just try it out and if you don't like it then you can cancel it, anytime.  You can try out the promo code "PENNY" to see if it works and get your first box for $.01

Click HERE to join!

Wrestling Reality Book Giveaway Winner

CONGRATULATIONS TO...

CHELSEA ANNE LABRIE

You won a paperback copy of Wrestling Reality! Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did.

Maybelline Color Show #240 Review

BEAUTY CORNER REVIEWS
MAYBELLINE COLOR SHOW

#240 TWILIGHT RAYS

This is the first Color Show polish I've gotten but it definitely won't be the last. It is called Twilight Rays, it is a black polish with gold glitter. The red glitter you see is what I added later to try and get more color. The glitter comes out looking a bit green though, even though its gold. It took about three coats to get really good coverage. I think maybe putting it on a "thicker" black would help make it more opaque. It was about $4.99 at the store which makes it on the more affordable end. I really liked it and it totally fits in with the rest of my black polishes. Love it, a definite for Halloween!

How To: Ombre Mani

Ombre Style Manicure

Ombre Style is basically making a gradient on your nail. You're just taking 2-4 colors of polish and sponging them onto your nail. You can use tape to make clean-up easier, but I found it tedious to put the tape on. The first time I did it I used a make-up sponge and layered the colors onto a paper. Then took the sponge dabbed the polish and pressed it onto my nails. Don't worry about the unevenness of the polish as the top coat will take care of that. Practice makes perfect and while my first time looked rough, I did notice it got better the more times I did it. 

Now while I was cruising pinterest I came across another way of doing this and found it so much easier! Essentially no clean up and I got the same effect as I did using a sponge. The big plus about this is you have more control over how the look ends up. 

So I went with purple because I got a new purple glitter polish from Milani. I had a vision in my mind about what I wanted so I went for it. I grabbed a nail polish that I got from a great friend. It was a nice deep dark purple that worked perfectly. For the second polish I used a Sally Hansen polish that was sheer purple. It is very important that the second polish be a sheer one. That way the more you put on the darker it gets which will lead to a more smooth gradient. You can choose a third color that is even lighter, but it isn't required. I ended up not using the LA Colors polish because it was too pink. Last is totally optional and doesn't even really even go with the gradient style. I got a Milani glitter that I just loved! It is filled with big purple hex glitter and looked fantastic with the gradient. So ya'll ready...yea I am too!

 Step 1:

Take your darkest shade and paint the tips of your nails. It doesn't have to be perfect so don't worry about that. It will get covered by the second coat so you'll be good, promise! You can put a second coat if needed, but it shouldn't need it.

 Step 2:

Take the second shade, the sheer one, and go just below the tip. You want to make sure that there isn't a lot on the brush because you want it to still be sheer.

 Step 3:

Take the same shade as in step 2 and repeat the process. You'll do the same process again if needed but the very bottom of your nail needs to be almost transparent.

 Step 4:

For me I added a step 4 which was some glitter. I mean look at it, doesn't it look great?!  I thought that it just added that little bit of oomph to my mani. 

So what do you guys think? Are you going to try it out for yourself? Have you already tried it out and if so I'd love to see it! Feel free to post on my page Infinite Dreams Reviews Facebook Page. Who knows maybe someone will take home something sweet.  

Beauty Corner Review: Covergirl & Olay Tone Rehab

COVERGIRL & OLAY TONE REHAB 

2 IN 1 FOUNDATION BASE AND PRESSED POWDER COMPACT
Received for Review from BzzAgent

So I was very lucky to have received the Covergirl & Olay BzzCampaign. I haven't really ever worn foundation because finding a good one is just so daunting. The kit included a welcome letter, a information booklet, tons of coupons to share, Tone Rehab 2 in 1 Foundation Base in #165 Tawny, and a pressed powder in #360 medium/deep. The packaging was sleek and modern and I loved the colors. Everything was neatly packaged and it looked very professional. 

I first reached for the foundation base and realized that I had put down the wrong shade. It is really dark for my skin and it almost looked like I put dirt on my face. That was definitely my fault and a total amateur mistake. I still used it just made sure to really smooth it out evenly so at least the color was the same. The foundation was super creamy, non-greasy, and really covered my skin quickly. It didn't take much to cover my whole face so this little bottle will definitely last me. One thing that I loved about this foundation was that it didn't have a gross smell. I've strayed away from other liquid foundations because they were just to smelly. I don't feel comfortable putting something that smells bad on my face. It just doesn't seem right to me, does it seem right to you?

So what is so special about Covergirl & Olay Tone Rehab 2-in-1 Foundation? Well is your foundation clinically shown to help improve your skin tone over time? It contains Olay serum, which is what hydrates you skin, and it also includes Glycerine, Niacinamide, and N-acetyl Glucosamine, which penetrate your skin's outer layers to moisturize. Wow, now those are a lot of big words that most of us don't understand. What I do understand is that this foundation is supposed to help my skin tone, hydrate my skin, and cover any discoloration with just one pump! Now those are words that we all can understand, but does it do that? Well I'm going to find out because I'll be trying it out for the next few weeks. 

Oh but that wasn't all that came in the kit, don't think I've forgotten the pressed powder that came with it as well. Thankfully the pressed powder was closer to my skintone and blended really well for a more natural look. I don't want to look like I'm wearing a ton of make-up, I want to look natural. It was very smooth and super easy to apply. It came with a very soft application poof which made it easy to apply the powder. I just followed the simple tips in the Bzzguide on how to apply the products. It came in handy for this clueless novice, which of course I mean myself. 

So I hope you'll be following my updates as I go along using this make-up daily. I hope that it works and takes away the bad stuff on my skin. Believe me I really need the help in making my skin look more youthful and balanced.

Without Foundation and Pressed Powder

With Foundation and Pressed Powder

Well apparently the second photo really looks much smoother and darker. Not sure if being darker is a bad thing, but it actually wasn't too far from what my natural skin tone was. What do you guys think, I'd actually really like to know what ya'll think! So leave me some comments. :) Oh and if ya'll are wondering about the scar across the bridge of my nose...well I'll share if you guys ask about it. lol 

*Disclaimer: I received both products to try out and review from BzzAgent. All opinions are mine and no further compensation was given. 

Reader's Nook Reviews: Hiroko's American Kitchen

HIROKO'S AMERICAN KITCHEN

BY HIROKO SHIMBO

So Hiroko's American Kitchen is written in sections, using a type of sauce as a base. So one sauce will then include recipes using that particular sauce. All the sauces are pretty simple to make and don't require too many ingredients. I like this method as it gives you the chance to make one sauce and create a whole weeks worth of menus around it. Basically it includes 6 basic sauces with 125 recipes centered around them. There were a lot of tasty sounding recipes but I settled on the BBC Sauce section. Being from Texas I love BBC sauce so to get a chance to put a new spin on it, well i couldn't pass that up. So below you will find the recipe for the BBC sauce I'll be using in the Vegetable Fried Rice recipe.

The Sauce:
BBC Sauce
Makes 2 Cups
1 cup mirin (sweet cooking wine)
1/2 cup sake (rice wine)
1/2 cup shoyu (soy sauce)
1/4 cup sugar
2 scallions
2 skatogarashi or 1 1/s tsp red pepper flakes

Place the mirin and sake in a small pot over medium heat, and bring it to a simmer. Add the soy sauce, sugar, and scallions cooking it for 8 minutes. Remove the pot and let it cool. Discard the scallions and add the chile peppers. Refrigerate the sauce in a clean glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. It will keep up to 6 months in the refrigerator.

So I wanted to keep it simple because I'm pretty much a novice when it comes to cooking anything other than Tex-Mex. So I decided to try the Vegetable Fried Rice recipe. This makes for a quick lunch using a bag of frozen veggies. If you're going to try your hand at making Japanese foods then you need to make sure to have rice already made at hand. Most recipes call for rice that is a day old as it has had time to "set-up" and won't get mushy when you use it. You can serve this with some miso soup or use it as a side with your main protein.

The Recipe:
Vegetable Fried Rice
Makes 2 to 4 servings
2 scallions
3 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
2 large eggs with a pinch of salt
1 tablespoon finely julienned ginger
5 cups day old cooked rice
1 1/3 cups frozen veggie mix
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons of the BBC Sauce

The rice tasted fantastic and I will be adding photos when I make this again because sadly, no batteries at the time I made this. The kids wouldn't wait for me to run to the store and get some either. Something about their stomachs grumbling and them being hungry. Also it wasn't too easy getting all the ingredients as we don't have a huge Asian population here in San Antonio. I had to drive around to the little few markets we had here, none of which were Japanese markets. I did eventually find the mirin (sweet cooking wine) and the sake (rice wine). It was a bit more expensive, but for the little amount I used it will definitely last me for a while yet. I have always been interested in Japanese cooking as it always seems fresh and alive to me. Made with tons of veggies it just seems so much healthier than almost all American foods.

Purchase It:
If you'd like to try your hand at making some super easy Japanese American food then head on over to Amazon.com or De Gustibus and buy it for yourself.



*I was provided a free copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own and no other compensation was received. 

Beauty Corner Reviews: Wet N Wild #223C

WET N WILD

#223C THE GOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL

I went to Walgreens the other day looking to see what goodies I could find. I came across this Wet 'N Wild polish called "The Gold and the Beautiful". At the low price of $1.99 well how could I not buy it up. I have gotten on the glitter craze hitting the streets, and I'm loving it. It would look great on top of another shade, but even by itself it looks great. 

This picture was taken using 3 coats of polish, but because its so packed with glitter it isn't too sheer. It went on smoothly and the glitter is really fine so it isn't chunky at all. I didn't have to use more than 1 coat of top coat because it was really smooth already. It dried super fast which was great because I had to put three coats before I was happy with it. I noticed that it makes my nails look longer, which I love! Whether you wear polish all the time or you're new to the craze, I'd highly recommend getting this polish. 

Readers' Nook Reviews: Cemetery Girl

CEMETERY GIRL

BY DAVID BELL

Synopsis: 

Four years after Tom and Abby's 12-year-old daughter vanishes, she is found alive but strangely calm. When the teen refuses to testify against the man connected to her disappearance, Tom decides to investigate the traumatizing case on his own. Nothing can prepare him for what he is about to discover.

My Review:

I just finished ready Cemetery Girl by David J Bell and I have to say there was just a bit missing for me. If I could give half stars I would as I would say it was a bit better than just average. Now the story is a bit dull in the beginning, for me anyway, and I found myself not really liking the father. 

The father, Tom, in the beginning was the grieving father and I felt for him, but as the story went on he started to annoy me. I know losing a child, fictional or not, isn't the easiest thing to get over, but his constant whining and neediness got to me. I didn't understand the deal with him and his step-father and wished that would have been explained a little bit more. Obviously there was supposed to be some connection between his abusive step-father and his own relationship with his missing daughter, but it went over my head. I was pretty happy when it came to the point where they found his daughter, Caitlin, only to be let down. I know not all books have the typical happy endings, but this one left me wanting more. It was sweet that she got Frosty back though. 

Overall it was a good read and I did enjoy it, just wish there was MORE.   

Purchase It:

Amazon.com 

Barnes & Noble

Read more about the author HERE

Win It:

I will be sending out the copy I received because I believe it should be shared. It is a great story about a wonderful human being. You will have 24hrs after the end of the giveaway to reply with your address. If there is no reply I will pick a new winner. 

       

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Book Review and Giveaway - Wrestling Reality

WRESTLING REALITY 

BY CHRIS KANYON AND RYAN CLARK

Synopsis: 

A rare glimpse not only into the life of a professional wrestler, but the life of a gay man in a straight world, this tragic memoir is told in Chris Kanyon’s own words, with the help of journalist Ryan Clark. One of the most popular wrestlers of the late 1990s, Kanyon kept his personal life private from his fans until finally revealing his biggest secret in 2004: he was gay. Going through the various roles that Kanyon played, both in the ring and out of it, as well as his battle with manic depression, this book explores the factors that led to his suicide in 2010. In his voice and the way he wanted it told, these are Kanyon’s last words about his experience rising through the ranks to the top of the professional wrestling world while keeping his sexuality hidden.

My Review: 

When I first read the description of the book I was interested. While I am not a huge, nor was I ever, a big fan of wrestling this book offered more. I wasn't too familiar with Chris Kanyon, but google was able to fill in the gaps. It must have been so tough for him to not only let people in on his homosexuality, but to battle with depression at the same time. Towards the end of the book I so wanted it to be some sick joke. Like he really didn't commit suicide and is laughing his butt off somewhere. He was such a like-able guy and someone that I feel anyone could have gotten along with. Having dealt with depression myself and having lost my older brother to suicide I was a bit scared to read this book. It wasn't just about his death, but about his life. He had a great life and I just wished he had seen that, just as I wish my own brother had seen it. 

This is a great book to read even if you don't like wrestling. While it deals with a wrestlers life it doesn't focus on the wrestling. If any of the other wrestling books out there are like this one, then I'll be reading a whole lot more. Thank you to the editors/publishers, the Klucsarits family, and Chris himself for letting all of us read his story.  

Purchase It:

HERE from Amazon.com
HERE from Barnes and Noble

Visit it on Facebook HERE


Win It:
I will be sending out the copy I received because I believe it should be shared. It is a great story about a wonderful human being. You will have 24hrs after the end of the giveaway to reply with your address. If there is no reply I will pick a new winner. 

     

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Book Review: Creepy Presents Richard Corben

CREEPY PRESENT RICHARD CORBEN

RICHARD CORBEN

This isn't your typical comic book, the illustrations are so superbly done by Richard Corben they could be used as art on a wall. Dark Horse has compiled all of Richard Corben's greatest stories from the Creepy and Eerie Series. These reminded me of the Tales from the Darkside movie I loved in the 80's. Sure some of the stories are corny and a little dated, but it didn't stop me from reading. This book had me up till late in the morning reading and sometimes laughing. Seriously it can't get any better than this! Now this book isn't for children so I wouldn't read it to my 10yr old nephew. I think mid teens and up are old enough to handle it as it does have some mature content, such as violence and mild nudity. 

So again If you enjoyed Tales from the Crypt or Tales from the Darkside, then you will definitely want to pick this book up. It has over 300 pgs full of Richard Corbens artwork and it still didn't take me long to finish it. It was such a great read and fun to boot. Plus this is the first and only book to bring together all of Corbens illustrations and stories in one neat little bunch. 

I don't think I can say anymore about this, you really need to get a copy and see it for yourself. I could talk till I'm blue in the face, but you wouldn't be able to appreciate it as much. Check it out you'll love it.

You can purchase at Amazon.com, although you can't buy it straight from Amazon.com themselves. Still its a great book if you love classic comic books. 

You can also purchase this book over on Barnes & Noble for about $16 dollars which is a great bargain for a 300pg, high gloss, with great binding. 

Also you can hop on over to Dark Horse and see it there as well.

Book Review: The Lost Curse

THE LOST CURSE

BY T. LYNN ADAMS

I love YA books and so when I was presented with the chance to read, "The Lost Curse" by T Lynn Adams, I was excited. You can really tell that T Lynn Adams did their research because the story is so skillfully told. In fact just yesterday I was watching tv and saw the same story being told. It had a few differences obviously, but I recognized it very quickly. It just made the book that much better knowing that there is truth to it. 

 This book is adventure mixed in with some mystery. It keeps you guessing till the very end, which helps you to keep moving forward. There wasn't ever a time while reading this that I felt bored or overwhelmed. The story starts off with a gunshot ringing through the canyon, an event that will shape what happens in the future. It then changes quickly to the present day with the main characters, Jonathan, Severino, and Tallie. Once the three of them are together they immediately mesh, and their friendship seems real and relatable. Tallie is Pauite Indian while Severino is Peruvian, but they have more in common than you would think. The whole story is about the Spanish going into the mountains and mining for gold. They used the Pauite Indians to mine and left most for dead when they were through with them. According to Spanish legend there are markers showing the way to a secret gold mine. Thats where the artifact thieves come in. They'll do anything they can do to get at that gold, even double cross each other. But what they don't know is that there is a creature out there in the mountains. This is the first time I've heard about skinwalkers and really enjoyed learning about it. 

It's a great short read with well developed characters and a clear storyline. It is told from all different point of views, but not once did I get "lost". I recommend this book to those who love a great adventure book. Seriously you'll love it and won't want to put it down!

You can purchase this book on Amazon.com for either $5.99 for the kindle version, but the also offer paperback. If you decide to get it I'd love to read your views on it as well.

*I was sent the book to read and review. All opinions are my own and no further compensation was given.