Blogging For Books: Here and Gone by Haylen Beck

Late July I received a book I selected to review from Blogging For Books. I selected Haylen Beck’s Here and Gone. I am still fairly new to reading thrillers so I am still discovering exactly what particular kinds of books I really enjoy in the genre.

Here and Gone

According to Penguin Random House, this crime fiction book has won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and has also been on some best-of-year lists with numerous publications. Below you will find a description of the book released from Penguin Random House:

Here and Gone is a gripping, wonderfully tense suspense thriller about a mother’s desperate fight to recover her stolen children from corrupt authorities.

It begins with a woman fleeing through Arizona with her kids in tow, trying to escape an abusive marriage. When she’s pulled over by an unsettling local sheriff, things soon go awry and she is taken into custody. Only when she gets to the station, her kids are gone. And then the cops start saying they never saw any kids with her, that if they’re gone than she must have done something with them…

Meanwhile, halfway across the country a man hears the frenzied news reports about the missing kids, which are eerily similar to events in his own past. As the clock ticks down on the search for the lost children, he too is drawn into the desperate fight for their return.

So…what did I think?

Overall, I liked it. It’s a good read, but not a great read. I personally think it has a slow start and took a bit too long to pull me into the story (around chapter 20).  But the further you get into the book, the better it gets. I like that it has a plot that almost really could happen in real life and the most of the characters are somewhat likable. If you like thrillers, and plots that are realistic, I’d recommend this book.

If you’re interested in reading this book yourself, click here to find out where you can order your own copy.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Blog for Books

*I received a free copy of Haylen Beck’s Here and Gone in exchange for an honest review. All opinions in the review above are my own.*

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Simple Solutions by Arm & Hammer: Baking Soda Shaker & Tip booklet

One of the missions I was on this summer was with Simple Solutions by Arm & Hammer. They sent me a baking soda shaker and a booklet filled with tips of how to use baking soda. Unfortunately, they did not include any baking soda (or include a coupon) which was a little disappointing. They did provide a link to some coupons but I don’t have a printer so they are of no use to me. There were 3 tips included in the booklet I could see myself using baking soda mainly for: adding to laundry, deodorizing carpet, and adding to our trash can as garbage builds up to help fight trash stinky smells between changing bags.

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Below I have included some of my favorite baking soda tips that are included in the booklet I received:

  1. Fruit & Veggie Scrub- Add a few shakes of baking soda onto a veggie brush or clean, damp sponge, then scrub the produce and rinse.
  2. Laundry Boost– Add 1/2 cup of baking soda to your laundry to help balance the pH of water to get your clothes cleaner.
  3. Freshen Towels– Wash towels in hot water (or follow label recommendation) and then add 1/2 cup of baking soda to the rinse cycle and the dry on high heat (or follow label recommendation).
  4. Clean pets toys– Add 4 tbsp of baking soda to 1 quart of warm water. Wash plastic and rubber toys in solution and rinse thoroughly. For furry toys, sprinkle baking soda on toy and let sit 15 minutes, and then brush off excess.
  5. Baking Soda Facial– Make a paste with 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water. Massage paste onto your skin using gentle circular motion, and then rinse.
  6. Itch Relief– Make paste of 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water. Apply paste to irritated area as needed (or as recommended by doctor) and then pat dry to form a thin layer on skin.
  7. Freshen your trash can– sprinkle baking soda between layers as garbage collects.

These are just a few of the many tips that are included in the booklet I received.

If you already love using baking soda or are interested in learning more ways to use it, click here to join the Arm & Hammer community today!

Mailbox Freebies: August

***Complimentary Magazines***

Reward Survey

  1. People (August 14th, 21st, & 28th/September 4th & 11th)
  2. Glamour
  3. Shape
  4. Robb Report (Italian Genius)
  5. Field & Stream
  6. Real Simple

Reward Bee

  1. Entertainment Weekly (August 11th, August 18th/25th, and September 1st)
  2. Vanity Fair
  3. Cosmopolitan (with sample)
  4. Marie Claire
  5. Cooking Light
  6. Good Housekeeping
  7. Bon Appetit
  8. Allure (with sample)
  9.  Redbook  (first issue)

Value Mags

  1. Family Circle
  2. Better Homes & Gardens

Recyclebank

  1. Car & Driver
  2. This Old House
  3. Every Day with Rachael Ray

Mercury Magazines

  1. Entrepreneur
  2. Elle (September and August issues)

Magazine Gold Card  via Swagbucks Rewards

  1. Taste of Home Simple & Delicious 
  2. Yoga Journal

 

***Freebies & Free Samples***

Cream Lips Stain in Pink Tea sample from Sephora

Armani Code Colonia (cologne) from SoPost

TeeHee Early Bird Tea sample from Instagram/official site

Free Graze Sampler box with 4 snacks via PINCHme code

Kleenex Facial Cleansing Products (big pack): Facial Cleansing Wipes, Exfoliating Cushions, Eye Makeup Remover pads, 3 travel size kleenex packs, and a purple reusable Kleenex bag. (Instagram)

Hello sensitivity relief fluoride toothpaste sample

35 free 4 x 6 photo prints from Snapfish total (One 20 prints + One 15 prints)

Chicken Rub sample from Twist’d Q

Carnation Breakfast Essentials Complete Nutritional drink sample (in chocolate)

In Touch September devotionals

Turning Points September magazine & devotionals

Secret Boho Berry Spray Antiperspirant (Shopper Army)

Burberry Blush perfume sample

Turmeric Brightening Polish sample (Volition Beauty)

6 French Hair Twists (Jumpsend discount + Amazon gift cards from Crowdtap & Swagbucks)

Yves Saint Laurent cologne sample from SoPost

3 month supply of Nature’s Bounty Hair, Skin, & Nails gummy vitamins (Nature’s Bounty Rewards)

Long-sleeve t-shirt dress  (If you’re interested in reviewing clothes, contact @xing7083 on Instagram to see if she has anything you’re interested in trying.)

Vichy Mineral 89 Booster sample

Urban Decay Trouble Maker mascara sample

 

 

 

 

SheSpeaks Book Club: The Breakdown

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I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I was able to get in on another SheSpeaks book club! SheSpeaks.com sent me a free copy of The Breakdown by B.A. Paris this past June.

Here is a brief summary of the book found on Goodreads:

Cass is having a hard time since the night she saw the car in the woods, on the winding rural road, in the middle of a downpour, with the woman sitting inside―the woman who was killed. She’s been trying to put the crime out of her mind; what could she have done, really? It’s a dangerous road to be on in the middle of a storm. Her husband would be furious if he knew she’d broken her promise not to take that shortcut home. And she probably would only have been hurt herself if she’d stopped.

But since then, she’s been forgetting every little thing: where she left the car, if she took her pills, the alarm code, why she ordered a pram when she doesn’t have a baby.

The only thing she can’t forget is that woman, the woman she might have saved, and the terrible nagging guilt.

Or the silent calls she’s receiving, or the feeling that someone’s watching her…

I really liked this book. It’s well written, though it takes a little longer to get the reader hooked (at least for me), but the main character is likable. Chapter by chapter I was trying to guess what was going on this poor woman. And it wasn’t what I expected it to be! It couldn’t put it down after I reached the halfway point because that’s when the book gets really good. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for suggestion for a good psychological thriller.

27 Shades of FREE: How to Get Free Magazine Subscriptions

Magazines are a quick, fun read when you don’t have enough time to commit to reading a book. I’ve always liked magazines but haven’t been able to read any over the past years because I haven’t been financially able to afford to pick any up. A few months ago I happened across some information about how it is possible to get complimentary magazine subscriptions! These are completely FREE and are not one of those trials you have to cancel before they start charging. Here are list of various places you can find complimentary subscription offers from.

  1. ValueMags – This site has a variety of free magazine offers available. Some of them in print, some of them are digital. Also the free subscription offers vary from an one issue subscription to a year subscription. You can also earn MagPoints which you can redeem for rewards or select magazine subscriptions. Log in every day to earn 5 MagPoints. You can also earn MagPoints by refering friends, opening e-mails sent from ValueMags,  or completing activities/offers. Subscriptions I have received from ValueMags: Better Homes & Gardens, Family Circle, Diabetic Living, and 1 issue of Bridal Guide.
  2. Recyclebank – This site has apparently been around for quite awhile. You earn points by learning about recycling. It’s not very time consuming and you can earn a lot of points within a short period of time. There is a limit to how many points you can earn monthly but I am unaware of what that limit is and have yet to reach the limit.  One of the rewards you can redeem your points for is magazine subscriptions to various magazines. It’s quite easy to earn enough for a few magazine subscriptions within a couple hours. To see the selection available right now click here. You can also redeem points for select products from the One Twine shop. If you actually recycle you can earn even more points towards rewards. Subscriptions I have received from RecycleBank: Everyday with Rachael Ray, Road & Track/Car & Driver, and Highlights For Children.
  3. Mercury Magazines – Simply fill out the short form and they will let you now which free magazine subscriptions they have available for you. Don’t offer anything you’re interested in or no offers available? Don’t worry! Once you sign up for the site they will send an e-mail to you when they have any offers available! When you get an e-mail offer for a magazine you are interested in simply click on the link and then fill out the form again before subscription offer runs out. You can also find out about current offers from Vonbeau or Yo Free Samples. Unfortunately, signing up for an offer on Mercury Magazines doesn’t necessarily mean you qualify to get a subscription but you won’t know until about 10-12 weeks later because the publishers of the magazines don’t always let you know you didn’t qualify. I have yet to run into this issue but I wanted to be upfront about the possibility. Subscriptions I have received from Mercury Magazines: Weight Watchers, Bridal Guide, and Entrepreneur.
  4. Reward Survey – This was the very first site I started getting free magazine subscriptions from. This site is really easy to use. Just take a quick survey (which takes only a few minutes) and earn money to go towards rewards like magazine subscriptions! Most subscriptions can be redeemed after doing your first survey. They typically update the survey once a week but every once and awhile it happens 2 or 3 times a week. You don’t have to take the survey every time you log in if you aren’t interested. Just scroll to the bottom of the survey and you can click Skip Survey and Redeem Points to go straight to the current selection. The selection changes a little week by week. And some of them will require you paying a $0.99 processing fee. Which is still a pretty darn good deal if you think about it. I’ve seen a few that always ask for it but there are some publications I have seen that don’t always ask for it. So you can always just check back later to see if the processing fee goes away. Subscriptions I have received from Reward Survey: People, Real Simple, Robb Report, Glamour, and Shape.
  5. Reward Bee – This is another site that offers free magazine subscriptions in exchange for taking surveys. This site works a little different than Reward Survey. Instead of having to log in every week you can take surveys whenever you want and as many as you want. If you aren’t interested in any of the magazines available on the survey page you can always go to Redeem Points and select one from there. I don’t recommend taking too many all at once if you plan on gifting subscriptions you are interested in getting yourself because once you subscribe to a magazine you can only subscribe to it from a survey page that has it among the selection it you can get. Subscriptions I have received from Reward Bee: Entertainment Weekly, Cosmopolitan, Allure, Cooking Light, Bon Appetit, Marie Claire, Good Housekeeping, and Vanity Fair.
  6. Pinch Me (via Magazine Gold Card) – Pinch Me is a sampling site but they also occasionally offer bonus magazine subscriptions too after Sample Tuesday has passed. The selection available is limited. I just recently signed up for a renewal and a new subscription so I haven’t received anything yet.
  7. Swagbucks (via Magazine Gold Card) – This is at the bottom of the list because it can take awhile to be able to get a free magazine subscription. Swagbucks is one of those short tasks and survey sites that you earn points when completing tasks/surveys (or in this case Swagbucks) which can be redeemed for rewards like gift cards. One of the rewards offered is for a free magazine subscription (or a renewal) from Magazine Gold Card. You normally would need 1000 SB but right now the offer is on sale for just 250 SB! Subscriptions I have received through Swagbucks/Magazine Gold Card: Yoga Journal and Taste of Home’s Simple & Delicious.

There are more sites out there but these are the only ones I have used.

If you have any issues with a subscription, contact the publisher first. If they don’t fix the issue within a reasonable time then contact the service you received the offer from to let them know that the publisher is not fulfilling their obligation.

Wish you all a great day and a great week ahead of you!

 

Influenster: Revitalift 14 Day Challenge

About a momth back I was fortunate to be chosen to participate in the L’Oreal Paris Revitalift Challenge. I was sent a free product of Revitalift from Influenster to try out in exchange for an honest review.

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The Revitalift Challenge was for me to use Revitalift Triple Power Moisturizer day and night for 14 days to see if I noticed a difference. I have been quite blessed with some good genes in my family so my age didn’t really start showing until last few years. I remember my fellow college students being shocked when I revealed that my real age was a bit older than they thought I was. In recent years my skin has started looking a little less youthful so I was excited about being chosen for this Revitalift challenge.

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Revitalift Challenge: Day 1
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Revitalift Challenge: Day 7
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Revitalift Challenge: Day 14

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The smell of Revitalift is little bit on the perfume-y side but I still found it to be a nice smell. But did I notice I difference? I actually did! And I think it can be noticed in the above photos (despite them being in different angles)! At the end of the 14 day challenge I had smoother, more youthful looking skin AND I noticed my little frown line had faded a little bit as well.

I am quite pleased with results of my Revitalift Challenge and I plan on adding Revitalift into my daily regimen of skin care.

Do you use any Revitalift products or any anti-aging products?

Product Review: Zoganic’s Pineapple + Digest Probiotic


As I get older I have become more health conscious and have become more interested in taking dietary supplements to help optimize my health. Probiotics is one of the supplements I have started to take an interest in. I was fortunate to be chosen by Zoganic to try out a free sample of their Pineapple + Digest probiotic supplement drink. 1 box of Zoganic probiotic supplement drink is full of antioxidants, nutrients, vitamins, probiotics and energy.

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I opted to add the probiotic supplement drink powder to an 8 oz cup of filtered water. It ended up tasting a bit on the watered down side. I was okay with this because I’m not a huge fan of pineapple flavor. I’d recommend adding it to 6 oz for a stronger flavor. And, yes, it did taste like pineapple very much. I think being able to drink probiotics is a more convenient, and more flavorful, way of keeping your digestive system healthy. If your interested in alternative probiotic supplements, definitely give Zoganic’s Pineapple + Digest a try. You can even save 50% on your order if use the code at the bottom of this blog post.

Even though I opted to take Zoganic via water, there are other ways you can take this probiotic drink. Here are few alternative ideas:

  1. Add to your favorite smoothie, juice, or tea.
  2. Add to a smoothie bowl.
  3. Add to your favorite cocktail drink
  4. Blend with your matcha green tea.

More information on Zoganic

Zoganic is a family-owned business that offers a small variety of supplement drinks. Zoganic supplement drinks come in convenient powerpaks that are perfect for busy people on the go. You’ll get all the vitamins and nutrients you need fast in their packs and for less than what it cost for a cup of coffee. Zoganic supplement drinks are safe for both adults and kids to take.Plus, Zoganic is made in the USA and is made with real fruit and herbs- nothing extra added. Their powerpaks also only have 1 gram of sugar! Zoganic has 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed, Money Back Refund if you don’t like it or if their supplement drink(s) doesn’t work for you.

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Follow @DrinkZoganic on Instagram and try Zoganic today by clicking here to go to their official website. Use the code HEALTH2017 and save 50% on your order!

**I received a sample of this product for free to review but my opinions are 100% my own**

Mailbox Freebies: July

I think I had a pretty good freebie month. Not as much as I’d like, but still a good bit. What all did you get for free last month?

***Complimentary Magazines***

Reward Survey

  1. Robb Report Royal Favorites issue (July)
  2. People (July 10th, July 17th, July 24th, July 31st, August 7th issues)
  3. Glamour (July & August)- Pantene Samples
  4. Real Simple (August)
  5. Field & Stream (August)
  6. Allure (August)

Reward Bee

  1. Cooking Light (August)
  2. Cosmopolitan (August)
  3. Good Housekeeping (August)
  4. Entertainment Weekly (July 21/28 double issue, August 7th)
  5. Marie Claire (August)
  6. Bon Appetit; The Simple Issue (August)
  7. Vanity Fair

Value Mags

  1. Diabetic Living (Summer 2017)
  2. Family Circle (August)
  3. Better Homes & Gardens (August)

Recyclebank

  1. Road & Track (August)

Mercury Magazines

  1. Entrepreneur (July/August)
  2. Bridal Guide (September/October) and Honeymoon & Destination Wedding Guide supplement

Magazine Gold Card  via Swagbucks Rewards

-Taste of Home Simple & Delicious

***Freebies & Free Samples***

Peace Tea sticker

20 Free 4×6 prints from Snapfish with free shipping (via Fourth of July promotion)

In Touch Weekly Bible Reading Plan and May & August 2017 Devotional booklets

2 Belif samples ( 1 Hungarian Water Essence, 1 True Cream- Moisture Bomb)

3 different samples of Zoganic  & information cards from Swaggable ( Pineapple + Digest, Coconut + Energy, Multi + Refreshment)

1 sample of Zoganic Pineapple + Digest (Tomoson)

Bragg Samples of Nutritional Yeast, Sea Kelp Delight, Organic Sprinkle (recipes and reading materials included)

Turning Point Illustrated

7 Ester-C Effervescent Packs + 2 $1 off coupons/information booklets ( Better C Nation Social Media Link)

Here and Gone by Haylen Beck (Blogging for Books)

Dark Oak Book One by Jacob Sannox (Goodreads Giveaway win)

Celt Heart Coconut Cream lip balm (Facebook win)

W. Labs Milk Bubble Body Scrub (0.8 Liter)

Lumene Valo  full size sample of Day Moisturizer with SPF from SoPost

It Works! Greens On The Go (I was contacted by an Independent Distributor via Instagram to try out the product in exchange for trying it out for the next 30 days and doing social posting on Facebook & Instagram)

PinchMe Sample Box (My second box):

  1.  ZzzQuill (2 LiquiCaps)
  2.  Sensodyne Deep Clean
  3. Pure Leaf Iced Tea (1 tea bag)
  4. Hidden Valley Simply Ranch
  5. Bonus Codes: Free 8×8 Shutterfly Photobook, $30 off first Hello Fresh box, $100 of case of wine from Virgin Wines, and Free Graze Box.

SmartyPants SmartySquad Sample Box

  1. Temporary Owl tattoo (1)
  2. Small SmartyPants Buttons (3)
  3. Coconut Cream lip balm (1)
  4. Kids Complete Gummy Vitamins in Cherry Berry flavor sample packet (2)
  5. Kids Probiotic Complete Gummy Vitamin in Strawberry Creme flavor sample packet (1)
  6. Adult Complete Gummy Vitamins sample packet (1)
  7. Adult Complete Probiotic Gummy Blueberry flavor sample packet (1)

Influenster VoxBox

  1. Maybelline SuperStay Color (Fuschia)
  2. Maybelline SuperStay Eraser

Smiley360: Sundown Naturals Probiotic Gummies

Late May I received a full size sample of Sundown Naturals Probiotic Gummies to try out for another Smiley360 mission. I’ve known for a few years that Probiotics are suppose to be quite beneficial for health so I was quite pleased to be on this mission.

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During this Smiley360 mission I took 2 Probiotic Gummies a day every day. I liked the flavors of the gummies but I found the gummies to  be a bit of a harder gummy than others I have tried in the past. I would have preferred it to be a little softer.

So did I notice any difference? Not really. I did have a better peace of mind from me simply taking them though. I also don’t think taking them was a waste either despite not feeling any results. I am still going to take probiotics time to time, and possibly this particular brand, because I know it is good for me. I think it might be better to start taking these closer to the dreaded cold/flu season since probiotics are suppose to help with immunity.

Do you take Probiotics? Which brand do you prefer?

 

27 Shades of FREE: How to Find Free Samples

Welcome to the very first post of my 27 Shades of FREE series I am starting. I want to start better organizing this blog and thought this would be a great way (or at least a fun way) to kick off the beginning of doing so. This first post is going to focus on how to find free samples. I am planning on posting something new for this series about once or twice a month. Hope you enjoy!

I’ve always loved getting free samples but I didn’t really seek them out on a daily basis until earlier this year. Getting free samples is a pretty awesome way of being able to try out new brands and products. The problem with hunting samples is that it can be time consuming. Fortunately, there are various sites that keep updated lists of free samples that are available. Some of these even have text alerts so you are notified right away! In addition to making free sample hunting less time consuming, they also tend to give you a heads up about scams (or questionable companies) to stay away from. The following are free sample list sites that I check in with regularly:

  1. The Balance: If you are just starting out hunting for samples, I would recommend this as a starting place. Not the most updated list BUT there is a list of sample offered recently that might be still available. I recommend this site for people who are just starting out hunting samples because the list is easier than going through pages and pages of previous offers. Also includes complimentary magazine subcriptions.
  2. Vonbeau: Updates daily and offers text alerts. Also includes coupons.
  3. Yo Free Samples: Updates daily.  Offers a sign up for daily alerts.
  4. Freebie Depot: Updates list once a day.
  5. Freebie Shark: Very popular site. Most of the freebie hunters I follow are following this list. You can also find coupons here.
  6. Get it Free– I don’t really visit the site that often but I am signed up to receive e-mails from them. Occasionally they will send information about free sample offers that I haven’t found on other lists I have looked into.

If you’re new to looking into finding free samples, I hope you find this list useful. If you have already been doing if for awhile, which site is your favorite to follow? Any sites you recommend that I haven’t listed?

 
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