Five on Friday - March 29, 2024 ~ Grape Escape, Wilfred Twirl Pleated Skirt, Ricki's Clothing Haul, Amazon Bodysuit, and Old Navy Haul

Happy Friday everyone - hope you all had a good week! 

ONE 

I purchased everything in this post

This past weekend we went to Grape Escape - it's put on by Co-op and it's sampling of everything that they are selling! I had lots of wine and snacks and we had a great night out with our family! 

Manicure Monday - Mushroom Nail Art

Happy Manicure Monday everyone! 

I purchased these polishes

For the month of March, the #CBBxManiMonday group is doing green nails for the month - I went a little sage green earthy for my mani and did some adorable mushroom nail art! 

Five on Saturday - March 23, 2024 ~ The Invocations Book Review, March 2024 Owlcrate Unboxing, Dare To Lead Course, St. Patrick's Day Leprechaun Trap, and My Neighbor Totoro

Happy Saturday everyone - as per usual right now, it's been a crazy week for me with lots of training going on, so happy it's the weekend! 

ONE 

I purchased everything in this post - this post contains affiliate links

I really enjoyed The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland 4.5 stars! This is a young adult magical realism horror all about witches (for me this wasn't just YA if you like dark books, I think this would be great!) We have a lot going on, but kept me hooked the whole time. Each of our three characters is quite distinct - one has cursed herself beyond repair and is searching high and low for a witch to help save her, one is mourning the loss of her sister and will stop at nothing to learn a spell to raise her from the dead, and our third is a curse-writer who a serial killer appears to be hunting down the woman she's given spells to. They all come together trying to solve the crimes while each with their own story and path. There were a few conveniences to help the plot along but I just thought everything was so good!

Manicure Monday - Neon Green Polka Dot Nails

Happy Mani Monday - I hope you all had a good weekend! 

The Biosculpture polish was received as a PR sample

For the month of March the #CBBxManiMonday is sticking to a green theme! I tend to struggle with green, but I feel like these past few weeks I've been feeling pretty inspired! I did Lucky Charms nail art last week and loved it and I'm going with a neon green nail theme this week and I love how bright they are! (And my nails have been long for so long and they look so good painted right now!)

Five on Friday - March 15, 2024 ~ Divine Rivals & Ruthless Vows Book Reviews, Urban Planet Finds, WINS Thrifting Finds, ReGrub Nerd It Out Milkshake and WTF Is Up With The Royal Family

Happy Friday and happy weekend! I have been so behind on my blogging if you've noticed these are a little delayed! 

ONE

I purchased everything in this post

This duology is beautiful inside and out - Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows! This is a YA fantasy duology with a great romance in it! Waring gods and enchanted typewriters add great tension to this series! This focuses on our main characters, Iris and Roman as they are competing journalists in the same company vying for the same job. They come from very different worlds, where Iris is struggling with a brother at war and a mother in the throws of addiction, while Roman is from a well-off family looking at an arranged marriage. They find a connection through magical typewriters, where only Roman knows her identity. The war is two old rival Gods who have awoken and are calling civilians to pick sides and fight for them.

Monthly Reads ~ February 2024

Time for a look at my January Monthly reads! Each month I share a quick look at the books that I've read with a little synopsis and my rating - anything that I love or is really intriguing, I will share a more in depth review on a different post! 

I purchased (or borrowed) all the books in this post

So, in February I read 10 books, with a mix of genres from middle grade fantasy to adult historical fiction. I love most genres, and I really want to keep my reads diversified this year! Also, I've been trying to read a mix of old and new books, and this month I'm right down the middle which is perfect! 

I read 2 physical books, 2 ebooks and listened to 6 audiobooks. Here's a quick look at all the books I read in the past month: 

Manicure Monday - Lucky Charms Nails

Happy Manicure Monday! I hope you all had a good weekend! 

The OPI and China Glaze polishes were received as PR samples - this post contains affiliate link

For the month of March the #CBBxManiMonday is sticking to a green theme! I'm feeling full on St. Patrick's Day this week so I'm doing Lucky Charms nails! I hand painted all the charms and I'm so happy with how they turned out - fun to feel so inspiration for my nails again! 

Monthly Beauty Favourites ~ February 2024

Here's a look at what I was loving in February: 

The Skin Proud product was received as a PR sample - this post contains affiliate links

Skin Proud Bright Boost 2% Vitamin C Serum ~ $17.97 CAN. Ultra potent and packed full of vitamins, Bright Boost is your skin’s wakeup call in a bottle. Enriched with brightening vitamin C, revitalizing kakadu plum and glow boosting lemon extract you can officially say goodbye to dull and lack lustre skin and embrace the glow. Meet Skin Proud's Bright Boost—your skin's daily dose of Vitamin C magic. Packed with 2% Vitamin C, it's like a shot of espresso for your complexion. This serum is your secret weapon against dullness and blah skin days. The Vitamin C is like a superhero, brightening and evening out your skin tone while you sip your morning coffee. Just apply a few drops after cleansing and let the magic happen. Get ready for skin that's more radiant than your favorite dance move and as vibrant as a summer festival. Brighten up your life with Skin Proud's Bright Boost—because glowing skin is always in season!

Five on Friday - March 8, 2024 ~ A Girl Called Echo Omnibus Book Review, Mirror Mirror Experience, March Most Anticipated Reads, Blurb Italy Photobook, and Howl's Moving Castle

Happy Friday everyone - I hope you all had a god week! I can't describe how busy I've been the past few weeks and I'm looking forward to a chill weekend! 

ONE 

A Girl Called Echo was received as a review copy

I always love sharing my favourite reads, and I'm happy to share A Girl Called Echo Omnibus by Katherena Vermette - this is a bind up of the 4 graphic novels in this young adult historical fiction graphic novel series. In this series, we meet Echo, a young girl separated from her mother, thrown in to a new school and environment where she doesn't fit in. While in her history class learning about Metis history she is compelled to know more about her history and her people and we learn the history first hand as Echo is transported to big milestone events in Canadian history surrounding Metis people - in four volumes, the Pemmican Wars, Red River Resitance, Northwest Resitance and the Road Allowance Era.

For me, this wasn't history I learned in school, and while I've tried to learn more about Canadian history, there was still plenty in this book that I didn't know and I think it's an important story to be told about generations that are separated but still affected by their past.

Monthly Beauty and Book Haul ~ February 2024

Back in 2022, I set a monthly beauty and books budget at $200 per month and I've been pretty good about sticking to it! I am trying to be thoughtful in my purchases, so this has been holding me accountable for being reasonable with my spending. Since it worked so well last year, I'm really trying to do the same thing this year! 

I do always love my Monthly Haul posts - it's a good way to keep track of everything that I picked up each month. I don't always blog about everything I pick up (I try to), but if you ever spot anything in here that you really want me to talk about, let me know! 

XO Treatment Room Heavy C ~ $103.45. This is my holy grail vitamin c serum - I ran out and picked this up (and then got a different one to try in PR first so I'm saving this), but this uses a special vitamin c molecule that doesn't irritate or break out my skin and it's just so good! Highly recommend! 

Manicure Monday - Scratch Easy Peasy Nail Wraps

Happy Manicure Monday and it's the first Monday in March! 

I purchased this set

Just like how in February the #CBBManiMonday always does Pink and Red nails, in March we we always stick to the green theme - it's fitting for St. Patrick's Day and the First day of Spring. I always find green a little more challenging, but do have some cute ideas for this month! 

Five on Saturday - March 2, 2024 ~ Fairytale Retellings Books, YYC Hot Chocolate Fest, Month of Vegetarian/Pescatarian Meals, February Bookclub, and Love is Blind Season 6

Happy Saturday everyone - coming in a little late again (this might be my new normal while I'm juggling two jobs, I feel like free time is not coming easy!) I hope you all had a good week! 

ONE 

I purchased everything in this post - this post contains affiliate links

I'm not a huge reading planner, but I do love a theme and I've picked up a few books that are Fairytale Retellings that I need to read asap, so I thought I'd share them with you! 

• How To Be Eaten by Maria Adelmann ~ This is a few fairytale survivors coming together in a basement support group sharing their stories - I love that concept of the dingy group meeting and sharing of stories! 
• Spindle Fire by Lexa Hillyer ~ A sleeping beauty retelling with twin sisters who have each had a sense taken away from them and then everything changes! 
• After The Forest by Kell Woods ~ This takes place 20 years after the witch in the gingerbread house and Greta is using the witch's recipe to keep her family afloat but dark magic is coming back - this sounds great! 
• The Forest Grimm by Kathryn Purdie ~ This one has our main character plunging in to the Forest Grimm to procure a magical book and reverse the curse placed on her. This one looks like a Red Riding Hood, but might have more than one fairytale twist! 

What's your favourite retelling?