New Release Alert: Between You and Me by Lisa Hall‏

I love when I pre-order books and then completely forget about them so when they show up on my kindle it's like a surprise present. It's not too often that I pre-order books from authors that I don't know but this book just really grabbed my attention. The synopsis is very vague which is great because it adds an air of mystery. I haven't read any full reviews for this book yet but I have skipped over some and the words that keep popping out are big twist! Now who doesn't love a story with a twist thrown in. Between You and Me has received a lot of high ratings on Goodreads so it will be interesting to see what I think of this one. I wasn't too set on which book I was going to read next so I will probably read this next.

Goodreads Synopsis

They say every marriage has its secrets.
But no one sees what happens behind closed doors.
And sometimes those doors should never be opened …

Sal and Charlie are married. They love each other. But they aren’t happy. Sal cannot leave, no matter what Charlie does – no matter how much it hurts.

Amazon + Goodreads

Ruthless by Carolyn Lee Adams

I will not be a victim. I will not think like a victim. I am going to avenge all those little girls. I am going to win.

SPOILERS AHEAD

This book was good but at the same time I felt like it could've been so much better. There will be some spoilers ahead so consider yourself warned. Ruth was a fantastic leading lady and really she couldn't have been written more perfectly. The bravery that she had was unbelievable and it goes to show that no matter what you are going through you've gotta keep on fighting! I get that it was Ruth's story but I would've loved to have seen more from Wolfman. It would've been nice to get his perspective on what was happening and the way that he felt with Ruth's refusal to give in. I have to refer to him as Wolfman cos you just can't take a name like Jerry T Balls seriously.

The back stories really didn't do anything for me and I think the story wouldn't have lost anything if they were taken out. It provided a bit of insight in to Ruth and Wolfman but there wasn't enough of it to warrant them being included. The story became a bit more spiritual and religious in parts than what I was expecting so that kind of threw me a little bit. I also found that a good chunk of the book towards the end was just unbelievable and not in a good way. The way that Wolfman kept coming back just became annoying and it got to the point where it was like, okay enough is enough and this is just getting ridiculous now. I did enjoy the part at the end though where Ruth was talking to all the emergency crews as you don't normally get this in other books. Normally the person is saved and that's that. It was good to see the way that Ruth reacted to everything going on around her and the process that was taken.

I generally don't venture into survival books too much but I think after reading this I might have to. It did keep you interested for the most part and Ruth was such a brave character that you wanted to keep reading just to see if she would survive and come out alive.

3 out of 5 Stars!

Amazon + Goodreads

New Release Alert - Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes

OMG! I can't believe that this book is finally here! You by Caroline Kepnes was definitely one of the standout books for me last year and was so unlike anything I had read before. It was extremely creepy and had me paranoid for days. Basically what I'm trying to say is that if you haven't already you should definitely go and check it out and then you can get started on Hidden Bodies straight away and you won't have the torterous wait that I had. This will definitely be the next book that I pick up and i'm currently in the process of mentally preparing myself for it. Guess I better get ready for another round of me questioning my own morals, being paranoid of every male around me and just preparing myself to enter that dark part of my mind that will no doubt surface with this book.

Goodreads Synopsis

Joe Goldberg is no stranger to hiding bodies. In the past ten years, this thirty-something has buried four of them, collateral damage in his quest for love. Now he’s heading west to Los Angeles, the city of second chances, determined to put his past behind him.

In Hollywood, Joe blends in effortlessly with the other young upstarts. He eats guac, works in a bookstore, and flirts with a journalist neighbor. But while others seem fixated on their own reflections, Joe can’t stop looking over his shoulder. The problem with hidden bodies is that they don’t always stay that way. They re-emerge, like dark thoughts, multiplying and threatening to destroy what Joe wants most: truelove. And when he finds it in a darkened room in Soho House, he’s more desperate than ever to keep his secrets buried. He doesn’t want to hurt his new girlfriend—he wants to be with her forever. But if she ever finds out what he’s done, he may not have a choice...

Amazon + Goodreads

The Day Late Weekly Update #1

My first official weekly update and it's a day late haha such a fail and that sadly wasn't the only fail of the week. I had a bit of an off weekend and slept most of it away which I had mentioned previously I wasn't going to do anymore but well the body needed it's sleep. For those of you who don't know my routines, myself and my husband get up each workday at 5 and get home somewhere between 5:30 and 7:30 at night so by the time the weekend comes around we just need sleep and lots of it. Not a great deal happened last week it was pretty much just full of work and family. We did have a family bbq midweek for a birthday so it was nice to go out even if we were buggered the next day.

There was plans to see Deadpool on the weekend but we didn't quite get there so we're planning to do that next weekend when we head up to Perth to see my husbands grandparents and mum. I watched a lot of tv last week because I am such a slack bitch. I watched quite a few episodes of Arrow cos i'm still trying to catch up to everyone else and I also watched another two episodes of Shadowhunters. I've given up on Shadowhunters though because the acting was driving me nuts. Good show and good story but the acting nope. I also hadn't realised that new episodes of How to Get Away with Murder were up so i'm trying to catch up on that show as well. 

Gaming wise it was a very mixed week. On my day off I played some Lego Batman and i've been playing Frozen Free Fall quickly each day because there are 3 achievements that I want to get before I shelve that game. I should mention that there will be two achievements that I won't be getting in that game though. I also discovered Hearthstone on my day off and I love it. I've been playing it just about every day and find it so relaxing and fun. It has been sidelined at the moment though as of yesterday as I realised that new achievements have been released for the Windows 10 Minecraft and I think some of the previous bugged achievements may have been fixed as well so i'm busy Minecrafting at the moment. 

To the bookish side of my weekly update it was a very slow reading week. I was reading The Girl in the Ice by Robert Bryndza for most of the week and had a bit of a love/hate relationship with it. I then tried to pick up Whiteout by Nikki Jefford but found that I just couldn't get into it and was pretty much over the series. I think it went on for a book or two too long. I then started Once Taken by Black Pierce which was only just released and i'm loving it. It's even better than the first book and the first book Once Gone is still free on Amazon if you want to head over there and pick it up. I also read some more of Gotham City Sirens Book 2 which i'm really enjoying but I admit I preferred the art work in book 1. 

So that pretty much sums up my week. I was meant to start a new healthy eating and fitness regime this week but forgot to weigh myself and forgot to charge up the fitbit so I will be starting this next Sunday. I used to be really fit and healthy but then I met my husband and slowly as the years went by I gained weight and was exercising less so I want to rectify that this year and figure if I can include it in the weekly update it will keep me accountable. 

That's it for now I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Jazzy Nail Box Unboxing: February's Be My Valentine Box‏

I am such a terrible person when it comes to spending money and I have of course found another subscription box that I just had to have in my life. Today I bring you February's Jazzy Nail Box which is a subscription box for your nails. Each month for $34.90 you will receive not only high quality nail polishes but also high quality accents and accessories to decorate your nails. I actually spend my Sundays cleaning the house in the mornings and then have pamper sessions in the afternoon so this box is perfect for me. The nail polish brands that they send out to you are generally between $10 and $20 and are brands that I often use myself. They also offer tutorials on the site to give you all kinds of idea's on decorating your nails using everything that is in your box. Here is a look at what I received in my February Box which was a Valentines Day Box:

15ml Mariah 18K White Gold & Silver Top Coat Nail Polish by OPI: My god this top coat is so gorgeous with it's little gold flecks. I tried it on one nail at work to see what it was like and I can't wait to use it this weekend. Absolutely love it.

15ml Down to the Core-al Nail Polish by OPI: This colour is so pretty but it's not a colour that I would generally pick for myself. I'm more into the darker shades and steer clear of reds and pinks. This colour is a really dark orange and it will be interesting to see how this works for me.

15ml bottle of Feet Lotion by Beautiful Feet: I have a huge collection of foot lotions and treatments so i'm always happy to try a new product. I will use this one over the weekend for sure.

3 Nail Art Accents and Accessories: This month we received a sheet of heart nail vinyl stickers which are gorgeous and should be rather easy to use. A satchel of round rhinestones which are gorgeous but to be honest I always struggle with rhinestones and generally just make a mess so I may pass these on to someone. The last item was Golden Strip Tape which might seem like such a small thing but the things that you can do with the tape are endless and it won't take me long to use it all.

4 Nail Art Tools: We received two orange sticks, 1 buffer and a dual function cuticle remover. These are fairly basic and standard nail tools but are also tools that you can never have too much of. I will add these to the collection and work through them.

One Surprise Gift: I love that you also receive a surprise gift in your box and the minute I saw what the gift was this month I may have done a little girly squeal. It was a pair of black cat earrings. They were perfection and so totally me.

I have to say I had high hopes for this box and it lived up to it's expectations. The quality of the items in the box and the endless possibilities that you have with the items you receive is just amazing. I also love that if you do get stuck for ideas and need inspiration you can just go to the site. I will definitely be trying out all these items over the next couple of weeks and will be sure to upload some pictures in my weekly updates. If you are a nail polish fiend like myself then I would strongly recommend this box to you. 

Jazzy Nail Box

Wantable Unboxing: February's Accessories Box‏

Today I bring you my February edition of the Wantable Accessories Box. This is the most expensive box that I'm currently subscribed to but you do get 4 items of jewelry so you know it all kinda works out. Wantable is an american subscription service but luckily they do deliver to Australia as well. They offer five different subscription services including fitness, accessories, style, makeup and an intimates box. Due to the costs i'm only subscribed to the accessories box at the moment but if money permitted it I would definitely be signed up to the other boxes as well. The unique thing with Wantable is that you can customise it to suit what you like. For example with the accessories box I pretty much only ever receive two necklaces and two sets of earrings as this is my preference. The accessories box costs $40 USD per month plus postage to Australia and with the current exchange rate it works out to be about $65 AUD. Here is what I received in my February box:

Seraphina Necklace: This long worn silver necklace features an arrowhead pendant. Seriously an arrowhead pendant guys!! As a lot of you may know one of my favourite shows at the moment is Arrow so I was so excited to get this necklace. Retail price is $14.00

Alanis Silver Earrings: These earrings feature wavy silver bar details. These earrings suite my style perfectly and I love them. They seem to be pretty good work earrings so I can see these getting worn a lot. Retail price is $14.00

Winifred Necklace: This multi tone necklace features a tribal inspired pattern. This necklace isn't really my style but would be perfect for a number of friends or relatives so i'm going to save this as a present for someone. Retail price is $24.00

Theodora Silver Earrings: These antique metal earrings feature fringe and turquoise detailing. These earrings were the stand out item for me and as soon as the photo's were taken these were put on straight away. They suit me and my style perfectly. Retail price is $17.00

By the time you work out the exchange rate and postage you pay just about retail cost for these items but if you were living in the US I reckon this would be a fantastic value for money subscription box. I've received a few of these boxes now and have loved the jewelry that i've received. It is really good quality and I can't say that i've really had any pieces fall apart on me and let's face it i'm not the most gentle person. I'm a very basic jeans and singlet kinda girl so I love having cute earrings and necklaces to dress up my outfits. I always love receiving this box in the mail and the best thing about it being from the US is that generally nobody over here is wearing the same accessories as me. Can't wait to see what I receive next month. 

Wantable

New Release Alert - Once Taken by Blake Pierce

I got the biggest surprise when I opened up Amazon and found this little baby there waiting for me. I wasn't expecting this to be released until the 28th February but it showed up on the 14th as the perfect little Valentines Day present. Even though I don't like to read two crime books in a row i'm tempted to read this next because I loved Riley Paige in Once Gone. If you haven't already be sure to go and pick up Once Gone from Amazon especially while it's still free! Apparently Once Taken is going to take us on a journey through orphanages, mental hospitals and prisons so you just know that this is going be perfect for me. I also hope that the whole former serial killer story line will be resolved in this book cos I hate when minor stories drag over books especially when it was already such a minor part of the story in the previous book.

Goodreads Synopsis

Women are being murdered in upstate New York, their bodies found mysteriously hanging in chains. With the FBI called in, given the bizarre nature of the murders—and the lack of any clues—there is only one agent they can turn to: Special Agent Riley Paige. 

Riley, reeling from her last case, is reluctant to take on a new one, since she is still convinced a former serial killer is out there, stalking her. She knows, though, that her ability to enter a serial killer’s mind and her obsessive nature is what will be needed to crack this case, and she just can’t refuse—even if it will push her over the edge. 

Riley’s search takes her deep into a killer’s deluded mind as it leads her to orphanages, mental hospitals, prisons, all in an effort to understand the depth of his psychosis. Realizing she is up against a true psychopath, she knows time is short before he strikes again. But with her own job on the line and her own family a target, and with her fragile psyche collapsing, it may all be too much for her—and too late. 

Goodreads + Amazon